Prior to his expected start against the Columbus Blue Jackets, Washington Capitals goalie Braden Holtby took some time Tuesday to discuss the migraine that forced him to leave his game against the New York Rangers on Sunday."We're just guessing that it was dehydration the last game," Holtby said, per Isabelle Khurshudyan of The Washington Post. "We don't really know. It could've just been tweaking your neck and causing a migraine somehow or a little bump in the head or whatever."You never really know the cause of it, but it was just a migraine where vision was impaired for a while. It came back. … It's a little hard to play goal when you can't see."The issue of dehydration is not new to Holtby, as he explained he drinks "16 to 17 litres of liquid" on a normal game day and that he and Mark Nemish, the Capitals' strength and conditioning coach, are working with Gatorade to find new solutions for the hydration issues.He was also forced to leave a practice in December due to cramps caused from dehydration, but did not miss any game action.Regardless, the 26-year-old was still credited with the win Sunday as backup Phillipp Grubauer stopped all 11 shots he faced as the Capitals picked up a 5-2 victory, but the team will certainly be happier having the NHL wins leader back on the ice so soon.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Anyone who took a quick glance at the Los Angeles Kings line combinations in advance of Tuesday's game against the Dallas Stars may have missed some interesting maneuvering by head coach Darryl Sutter.

John Scott has a friend in former teammate Patrick Kane.The NHL's best player weighed in Tuesday on one of the league's worst - statistically speaking - being allowed to participate in the All-Star Game, after Scott was officially named captain (again) of the Pacific Division, and Kane's happy with the decision."I think it will be good for the game," Kane said, according to The Chicago Tribune's Chris Kuc. "John is a personality that can have fun with the All-Star Game. The fans voted him in so why not have him there? It's good to hear he's going."Scott spent parts of two seasons with Kane's Chicago Blackhawks in 2010-11 and 2011-12, compiling two assists and 120 penalty minutes in 69 games.Kane, in fact, is looking forward to seeing what Scott can do at 3-on-3."Who knows how he's going to play? He might play harder than he ever has. I'm sure he's someone that doesn't want to let his team down (and) he wants to go out there and play well too."The Art Ross favorite is hoping Scott keeps the physical play out of Nashville, though."You never know with him," Kane said, tongue-in-cheek. "I'll try and stay away from him on the ice. He's a big, big man. I don't want to run into him out there."NHL All-Star weekend is Jan. 30 and 31 at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, home of the Predators, and Scott's participation - along with a new format - is sure to bring in some additional viewers.Everybody wins. Especially Scott.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Boston Bruins and Montreal Canadiens will sign and auction off game-worn Winter Classic-themed jerseys Tuesday at the Bell Centre in an effort to raise money for injured NWHL player Denna Laing.A member of the Boston Pride, Laing suffered a significant spinal injury at the Outdoor Women's Classic, which preceded the Winter Classic held on New Year's Day at Gillette Stadium between the Bruins and Canadiens.

Bad news for the Detroit Red Wings.The team will be without defenseman and alternate captain Niklas Kronwall for two-to-four weeks, head coach Jeff Blashill announced, after No. 55 underwent knee surgery. It was a scope, so the club's hopeful for a sooner-than-later return.There's no replacing the big Swedish blueliner. He plays 22:45 per game, and has three goals and 14 assists in 45 games.The club also announced that forward Drew Miller will be out four-to-six months after undergoing major reconstructive knee surgery. Miller had a goal and an assist in 28 games, while averaging slightly under 13 minutes in ice time.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Seth Jones sees his head coach in a new light.Five games into his tenure with the Columbus Blue Jackets, the young defenseman offered his perspective on John Tortorella, whose fiery personality has been more than evident both behind and away from the bench."I think people may have mistaken his intensity for ... He just wants to win, that’s pretty much the bottom line," Jones told Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet."He wants you to work hard, sometimes it doesn’t matter about the scoreboard, he just wants to see 100 percent effort when you’re out there and you’re doing what you can for the team to win."While Tortorella appeared to have been at odds with Ryan Johansen, who was sent to Nashville in exchange for Jones, he's pushing the right buttons with the blue chip blue-liner.Deployed by Tortorella in all situations, Jones has averaged 24 minutes per game with the Blue Jackets, recording an assist in each of the past two contests.Consequently, Columbus is riding a two-game heading into Wednesday's game against Washington.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Anze Kopitar's done. Milan Lucic's perhaps next. What about the coach?"Oh no, I'll be coaching here next year," Darryl Sutter said Monday, according to Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman.That's right. Sutter, who's without a contract beyond this season, is much more interested in an inflated coaching market than walking off into the sunset."No doubt I'll get something done here," he said. "We've talked a little, but they've been focused on Kopitar."Chicago Blackhawks boss Joel Quenneville - the only coach other than Sutter to win a Stanley Cup over the last four seasons - signed a three-year contract last week that will apparently pay him $6 million per season.Or for enough reason to stick around.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

John Scott is getting his weekend in Nashville, after all.The AHL enforcer - with five career NHL goals to his name - was announced as the Pacific Division All-Star captain Tuesday, again, putting an end to what became a major fiasco for the NHL, after the often-benched forward was voted into the game by the Internet-abusing public.Related: Tweets fly as Scott named All-Star captain ... againScott released a statement to go along with the league's announcement:

It doesn't get more NHL than the NHL's John Scott All-Star fiasco.The lumbering enforcer was officially named captain of the Pacific Division at the All-Star Game - for the second time - on Tuesday, despite being traded last week to the Eastern Conference's Montreal Canadiens and banished to the AHL.Twitter, of course, went bananas after the announcement. Here are some of the finer reactions:

The Calgary Flames will welcome Jiri Hudler back into the lineup against the New Jersey Devils.Hudler hasn't played since Jan. 13 due to a groin issue. The 32-year-old has only five goals and 17 assists in 36 games, and needs to get going as he's in a contract year. His numbers are down across the board, as well as his ice time. After shooting 19.6 percent last season, Hudler's down to 9.4 percent this season, well below his career 14.8 mark.Calgary will also have forward Joe Colborne - out since Jan. 11 - and defenseman Ladislav Smid - out since Jan. 5 - back in the lineup, the club announced.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Edmonton Oilers will be without center Ryan Nugent-Hopkins for six-to-eight weeks, the club announced Tuesday.Nugent-Hopkins suffered an apparent hand injury Monday upon blocking a shot in a win over Florida.Related: Fantasy - 3 players to replace Ryan Nugent-HopkinsWith Connor McDavid not yet ready to return from his lengthy stint on injured reserve, the rest of the roster will need to step up, including young Leon Draisaitl.

John Scott has been named captain of the Pacific Division All-Stars, all over again.The NHL announced Tuesday it will acknowledge the fan vote and allow Scott to indeed represent the Arizona Coyotes and the Pacific Division despite his trade to the Montreal Canadiens and assignment to the AHL.Related: 3 ways to make things right in the John Scott All-Star messAs Sportsnet's Chris Johnston points out, it could be his last game in the NHL.Scott has taken on a bit of cult following since an Internet campaign was launched to see him into the league event. As it gained steam, Scott embraced the movement, further pushing it along. But his involvement was cast in doubt when the Coyotes decided they needed to shed capital with their acquisition of Jarred Tinordi last week.The NHL remained quiet about the situation until Tuesday, announcing that Scott will attend the Nashville event.Arizona, meanwhile, isn't expected to have a true representative at the game, which is an unfortunate upshot for a second-place team loaded with young stars.Related: Don't blame the Coyotes for jettisoning John ScottThere is precedent to support Scott's inclusion. Sandis Ozolinsh and Bernie Nicholls represented their former clubs after swapping sweaters in 2003 and 1990, respectively.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The 2016 NHL Draft lottery's prize appears to be American forward Auston Matthews.An 18-year-old center playing in Switzerland this season, Matthews headlines the NHL Central Scouting Bureau's mid-season international rankings list. Another American, Matthew Tkachuk, leads the list of North American skaters.Top 5 international skatersRank Player Position Height Weight League1Auston MatthewsC6'1.5"210Swiss2Jesse PuljujarviRW6'3.5"203Finland3Patrik LaineRW6'0"206Finland4Rasmus AsplundC5'11"176Sweden5Carl GrundstromRW6'0"194Sweden"Matthews is the best prospect available for the 2016 draft," according to NHL director of central scouting Dan Marr. "I don't believe his play and success this season has surprised NHL scouts, yet it remained to be seen if he would be able to meet expectations. And to date he has shown the hockey world what he is all about."Matthews had seven goals and four assists in seven games at the World Junior Hockey Championship, showcasing his immense talents and winning a bronze medal. He has an even more impressive 19 goals and 32 points in 26 games with Zurich in the Swiss League - a men's league, it must be noted. His 1.23 points-per-game ranks second.Finland, which won gold on home soil at the WJHC, is represented well. Jesse Puljujarvi and Patrik Laine had a combined 30 points in 14 games at the tournament, and Puljujarvi was named the best forward and MVP."He's big, mobile, skilled, an all-around winger who can score and pass," said NHL director of European scouting Goran Stubb.Top 5 North American skatersRank Player Position Height Weight League1Matthew TkachukLW6'1.25"195OHL2Jakob ChychrunD6'2215OHL3Alexander NylanderLW6'.05"179OHL4Julien GauthierRW6'3.5"225QMJHL5Olli JuoleviD6'2.5"179OHLTkachuk sits fifth in the OHL in scoring, with 63 points (15 goals) in 33 games. He's on a powerhouse London Knights team that features Toronto Maple Leafs prospect Mitch Marner (64 points in 30 games) and Christian Dvorak, a 2014 second-round pick of the Arizona Coyotes."It was unanimous that Tkachuk was first overall on the North American list," said Marr. "He has met and exceeded expectations and continues to excel with London ... Matthew is unique in that he brings a skilled and physical package combination to game situations in which he consistently contributes and impacts."Tkachuk is the son of former NHL power forward Keith Tkachuk.Alexander Nylander is the brother of another Maple Leafs prospect, William Nylander, and he impressed at the WJHC as well, scoring four goals and adding five assists for Sweden in seven games.GoaliesCarter Hart of the WHL's Everett Silvertips is the top-ranked North American goalie prospect. He has a .927 save percentage in 40 games.Sweden's Filip Gustavsson is the top-ranked international goaltender. He had a .930 save percentage in five games at the 2015-16 Ivan Hlinka Memorial Tournament.The NHL Draft will take place June 24-25 in Buffalo.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

For the second time under John Tortorella, a healthy Scott Hartnell will watch the hijinks from above.The Columbus Blue Jackets confirmed Tuesday that Hartnell will sit versus the Washington Capitals, this apparently in response to late-game tardiness when exiting the playing surface, which led to a too many men penalty.Hartnell apologized to his teammates after practice Monday, but his regret was apparently not enough to save face with Tortorella.He sat in December when a penalty versus the Montreal Canadiens wound up in a Blue Jackets loss.Fedor Tyutin is also a healthy scratch.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Sergei Bobrovsky is back in the case.The Columbus Blue Jackets netminder will make his first start of 2016 on Tuesday against the Washington Capitals, head coach John Tortorella confirmed.Bobrovsky has been sidelined since Dec. 8 after suffering a groin injury in a loss to Los Angeles.Limited to 25 games, Bobrovsky has a 11-12-1 record with a .916 save percentage.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The New Jersey Devils' toothless attack is set to receive a much-needed jolt.New Jersey's most-efficient point producer, Mike Cammalleri, is expected to make his return to the lineup for Tuesday's clash with the Calgary Flames, spelling an end to his eight-game absence.The Devils have mustered two goals or less and have not converted on 17 consecutive power-play opportunities over the last seven games, losing five, and dropping to 28th in total production.Cammalleri flirted with the top 10 in individual scoring with 0.92 points per games before going out with an upper-body injury.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

To an extent, it was very apropos.On a night that saw the Edmonton Oilers survive a trampling at the hands of the plum-out-of-luck Florida Panthers, collecting a rare unearned pair of points, they lost slight center Ryan Nugent-Hopkins long term to a suspected broken hand.Straight away, the ramifications are grim. Last-place Edmonton will roll out a bludgeoned top six in Tampa Bay and Dallas before wrapping up the pre-All Star portion of its schedule against the Predators. We'll likely see Anton Lander dress, and if you'll believe it, more and more Zack Kassian.But this season, another one lost, and which has seen season-subverting injuries overlap, the long-term repercussions could perhaps mean we never actually see the lottery-laden top six the Oilers had flaunted ever take the ice together.And it's a very real possibility Peter Chiarelli must study.When Connor McDavid resumes his rookie campaign, hopefully immediately after the All-Star break, the Oilers will be left with a top-six forward grouping that's finally clear and defined. McDavid will presumably rejoin Nail Yakupov and Benoit Pouliot, to whom he extracted front-line performances from before breaking his clavicle, leaving Taylor Hall, Jordan Eberle, and Leon Draisaitl to work on the other line.Nugent-Hopkins remains a wonderful talent, and his absence is obviously a detriment to wins and losses right now. But there might be a silver lining to this, another punch to the gut.His busted hand offers Edmonton a commitment-free test-drive with McDavid and Draisaitl as the nucleus of their attack. It's a look Chiarelli was already seemingly receptive to, as Nugent-Hopkins was rumored to be dangled in the Seth Jones sweepstakes.The Oilers require a bold stroke to declutter its forward fleet and shore up a back end that, as it stands right now, will never hold up in the West.Nugent-Hopkins' injury may be just the thing to reaffirm their apparent hunch.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Nashville Predators are hoping that Pekka Rinne can figure it out, and fast.The veteran goalie was expected to backstop a legitimate Stanley Cup contender, but instead is in the midst of one of the worst seasons of his career. Meanwhile, the Predators have fallen out of a playoff spot, and are now one point behind the Colorado Avalanche.So, what's going on with Rinne?"I don't know," he told Adam Vingan of The Tennessean. "Obviously it would be probably easier to fix too if it were based on one thing. Obviously, overall play is one thing, consistency is one thing. But at the same time, it goes also hand in hand with the team play. As a team and for me personally, haven't been able to kind of find that really high level of play consistently and I think that's been missing."Nashville's offense has been decent this season, averaging a 16th-ranked 2.53 goals per game. The addition of Ryan Johansen is expected to help spur that on even further. The Predators are, however, allowing 2.71 goals per game, up from 2.46 last season.Rinne's play has contributed greatly to that disparity.YearGPRecordGAASv%2014-156441-17-62.18.9232015-163716-14-72.57.902Career418220-129-502.38.918Unhindered by health concerns, Rinne is confident he'll return to form sooner than later."It's one of those things where you try to just trust the work you're doing and try to focus on things you can control," he said. "It's been frustrating. I can't lie. But I obviously expect a lot from myself and it is tough when you feel like there's room for you to improve and play better and help your team."It's been at times pretty frustrating, but the best part is that there's plenty of games ahead of us. Physically, I feel really good, I feel healthy and 100 percent. I'm just really happy that we're still in this position and there's a lot of room to improve."Rinne watched from the bench as Carter Hutton posted a shutout against Minnesota on Jan. 16. He could get his next chance to turn things around as early as Tuesday against Chicago.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Arizona Coyotes weren't about to let the Buffalo Sabres skate off unscathed.As the buzzer sounded Monday to end a 2-1 win for the visiting Sabres, all 10 skaters engaged in a spirited line brawl that featured significant exchanges of blows.In the end, Shane Doan and Zach Bogosian came out with the bulk of the 61 penalty minutes assessed.(Courtesy: NHL.com)The teams won't meet again until next year, barring miraculous runs to the Stanley Cup Final.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The loss of Ryan Nugent-Hopkins is significant for fantasy owners who were banking on a breakout season from the 2011 first overall pick.While the 22-year-old recorded only eight goals and 22 assists with 85 shots prior to suffering a long-term hand injury Monday in Florida, the expected addition of Connor McDavid to the Edmonton Oilers lineup following the All-Star break could've been a boon to the team, opening up the ice for the young talent to produce at a higher level.Now, the Oilers are facing yet another high-end lottery pick, while fantasy owners are left with a hole to fill down the stretch.Here are three centers worth adding in Nugent-Hopkins's absence:Bruins C Ryan SpoonerOwned in 39 percent of Yahoo leaguesSpooner has already been called upon to step up his game as an injury replacement, seeing a bump in ice time and responsibility in Boston after David Krejci went down in the second game following the holiday break.Much like last season, the Bruins center has answered the call, recently recording the second three-point game of his career, and averaging over a point per game in January, with two goals and seven assists in eight games.Even after Krejci returns, Spooner will continue to help carry the Bruins' offense, and could be even more productive in a more sheltered role playing against third-line opposition, while also continuing to see power-play time.Among players with at least 400 minutes of five-on-five ice time this season, Spooner is averaging 2.46 points per 60. That puts him ninth on a list of 450, and suggests he should be owned in most fantasy leagues, regardless of Nugent-Hopkins' health.Maple Leafs C Nazem KadriOwned in 34 percent of Yahoo leaguesKadri's luck has to turn around at some point.The Toronto Maple Leafs center, who recently received rave reviews from general manager Lou Lamoriello, ranks 10th among NHL players with 156 shots, but has only eight goals to show for it.His 5.1 shooting percentage sits well below his career mark of 10.8, meaning he could have already topped the 15-goal mark.Kadri is seeing a career-high 18:14 of ice time, and is set to become a restricted free agent at season's end. A strong finish would certainly help his chances of cashing in on a long-term deal, while also boosting fantasy managers' chances of winning when it matters most.Hurricanes C Victor RaskOwned in 21 percent of Yahoo leaguesSomewhat unexpectedly, the Carolina Hurricanes have put themselves within striking distance of a playoff spot, and the 22-year-old Rask is as big a reason as any for the club's relative success.Selected 41 spots below Nugent-Hopkins in 2011, the Swedish forward has scored 11 goals and added 17 assists in 45 games. With those totals, Rask has already matched his goal total in 80 games as a rookie last season.Rask is also seeing significant power-play time, with 11 of his 17 assists coming on the man advantage.Tied for the team lead among forwards in points, he's producing at a higher per game level than all Hurricanes not named Justin Faulk, and is a solid low-key option for those with a need at center.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Ottawa Senators were chum in the water to a couple of San Jose Sharks on Monday.Forward Joonas Donskoi made a ridiculous between-the-legs move before setting up Matt Nieto who capped off the sensational dangle for his sixth goal of the season.(Courtesy: NHL.com)The goal gave the Sharks their first lead of the game, before forward Zack Smith tied things up with a penalty-shot goal.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Ottawa Senators forward Mike Hoffman was forced from Monday's game after a scary incident in the second period.Hoffman crashed into the San Jose Sharks' goal early in the second period, appearing to suffer an upper-body injury. He was slow to get up and was taken to the dressing room and did not return for the third period.Hoffman leads the Senators with 20 goals in 41 games this season.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Jack Eichel proved he's a game-changer once again, collecting a goal and a helper as the Buffalo Sabres got by the Arizona Coyotes 2-1 on Monday.Eichel fired in his 14th goal of the season, hammering a one-timer past goaltender Louis Domingue at the midway point of the second period.(Courtesy: NHL.com)The 19-year-old would collect an assist on Jamie McGinn's 10th goal of the season - a tally that would hold up as the game-winner. The first-year stud now sits just two points behind Max Domi for second place in the rookie scoring race.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

With more than half of their games in the books, it's time for the Pittsburgh Penguins to do some self realization.That being that this season the team is not and will not be the offensive juggernaut many anticipated, even after the perceived steal of a trade that saw sniper Phil Kessel added to an already offense-heavy roster.The Penguins sit tied for the sixth-worst goals-for this season. And instead of being the club's bread and butter, goal scoring has been the team's spoiled milk.However, all is not gloom in the Steel City. The club has seen tremendous play from its last line of defense. The team's goaltenders have been by and far the Penguins' most valuable part of their arsenal.Marc-Andre Fleury is rocking a .925 save percentage and a 2.28 GAA, both career highs. Meanwhile in his relief, netminders Jeff Zatkoff and Matthew Murray have fared admirably while allowing just 32 goals in 14 combined games.On Monday night, goaltender Zatkoff punched in his second-worst outing of the season giving up four goals on 24 shots in a 5-2 loss to the St. Louis Blues, highlighting the club's identity - a fragile one that's reliant on its goalies.

After their 12-game winning streak catapulted them to the top of the Atlantic Division and made them the talk of the NHL, the Florida Panthers have quickly found themselves losers of four straight after Monday's 4-2 defeat to the Edmonton Oilers."The work ethic is lacking, for sure," head coach Gerard Gallant said, per Jameson Olive of FOX Sports. "Whether they're tired, or whatever it is, I'm not happy with the last number of games."One positive sign came as the Panthers finally outshot their opponent for the first time in 2016 despite winning their first five games of the new year, but in such a tight playoff race, the players need to rediscover their winning form soon."It's pretty simple: We have to get back on track," said forward Quinton Howden. "The streak was fun, and it was good, but you have to be able to regroup."With four days off before a meeting with the reigning Stanley Cup Champions, the Chicago Blackhawks, forward Nick Bjugstad admits that while their energy may have been low Monday, the team will need to be fully rested for a huge game Friday."We have no excuses," Bjugstad said. "Four days off here, we have to come ready."Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

WINNIPEG, Manitoba - Carl Soderberg had a goal and an assist to help the Colorado Avalanche defeat the Winnipeg Jets 2-1 on Monday night.Jarome Iginla scored his 13th of the season and Semyon Varlamov made 36 saves for Colorado.

Taylor Hall scored twice, and later added an assist on an empty-netter to lead the Edmonton Oilers to their first regulation win on the road since Oct. 17, with a 4-2 victory over the Florida Panthers.

Despite his team being scoreless in a key division matchup against the Colorado Avalanche, Winnipeg Jets head coach Paul Maurice still had one big fan Monday - sitting right behind him.The fan in question was caught on camera, licking her lips while eyeing the Jets bench boss before adding a wink for good measure.Maurice has himself an admirer. #NHLJetsFinally, someone to fill the void left by Paul MacLean's doppelganger in Ottawa as best behind-the-bench fan.

Anything you can do, I can do better.A pair of Russian superstars tried to outdo one another Monday as Pittsburgh Penguins forward Evgeni Malkin and St. Louis Blues forward Vladimir Tarasenko exchanged carbon-copy goals.After Malkin beat defenseman Jay Bouwmeester wide and shelfed the puck over the blocking glove of goaltender Brian Elliott.(Courtesy: NHL.com)Then just 1:18 later, Tarasenko responded as he thrust the puck past Jeff Zatkoff.

Edmonton Oilers forward Ryan Nugent-Hopkins suffered a hand injury during Monday's game against the Florida Panthers, and after the game the Oilers announced that the injury will keep him out long-term.The 22-year-old was injured while blocking a shot. Before that, he picked up an assist on a Jordan Eberle goal that gave the Oilers a 2-0 lead. He finished the night with just 7:08 of ice time.Nugent-Hopkins has eight goals and 22 assists in 46 games this season.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Matt Hendricks' pounding wasn't completely unforeseen.The Edmonton Oilers forward returned from a three-game suspension Monday that he received Jan. 10 for boarding Florida Panthers defenseman Aaron Ekblad.Related: Oilers' Hendricks slams Panthers' Ekblad into boardsIt just so happened that his first game back was against the very team his infraction came against, and after suggesting the opposition would play him physical, Panthers defenseman Erik Gudbranson got retribution.The 24-year-old blue-liner dropped the gloves with Hendricks, delivering several devastating blows.I guess they're even now.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Matt Hendricks' return from a suspension started rough as he got pummeled in a fight by Florida Panthers defenseman Erik Gudbranson to avenge a dirty hit on teammate Aaron Ekblad eight days earlier.Fortunately for Hendricks, his fellow Edmonton Oilers responded quickly as Teddy Purcell stole the puck from Vincent Trocheck and sprung Taylor Hall on a breakaway. The 24-year-old then wristed home his 17th of the season past Al Montoya to end a six-game goalless drought.(Courtesy: NHL.com)Hall leads the Oilers in both goals and points (43) despite just three points in his last 11 games entering Monday's game.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

An American baggage handler is reportedly suing the Toronto Maple Leafs after suffering multiple shoulder injuries while helping the team rush to board its charter flight after a game.Kenneth Osborne filed a suit this month alleging he sustained "severe permanent and disabling injuries" that will cause "great physical pain and suffering," Sean Fitz-Gerald of the Toronto Star reports.Osborne was a St. Clair County, Illinois-based airport employee who worked in nearby St. Louis, where the Leafs lost to the Blues on Jan. 17, 2015. Toronto's next game was on Jan. 19.Osborne and his co-workers were allegedly using a conveyor belt to load the aircraft when a Leafs equipment worker repeatedly tried to speed up the loading operation despite being warned not to intervene, according to the complaint against Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment.From Fitz-Gerald's report:

Edmonton Oilers forward Matt Hendricks isn't expecting the Florida Panthers to make life easy for him when he returns to the lineup Monday. The winger is coming off a three-game suspension for boarding defenseman Aaron Ekblad on January 10."I'm sure they'll play me physical," Hendricks said, per Jim Matheson of the Edmonton Journal. The 34-year-old is currently tied with defenseman Eric Gryba for the team lead in penalty minutes (44), but will surely hope the Panthers won't be seeking retribution as the teams meet again.Regardless, both teams have inserted some extra grit into their lineups with Luke Gazdic (four fights in 27 games) suiting up for the Oilers while the Panthers are dressing Shawn Thornton (four fights in 24 games), who joked his return after being scratched Sunday has nothing to do with Hendricks."We're having trouble scoring," said Thornton, who has one goal this season. "I'll be out there for my dangling and toe-dragging."The Panthers, losers of three in a row since their franchise-best 12-game winning streak ended last Monday, will certainly hope their players can stay focused on the game rather than exacting revenge for Ekblad - who will likely return Friday against Chicago, according to Panthers coach Gerard Gallant.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Vancouver Canucks aren't expecting to have their captain back until at least early February.Henrik Sedin likely won't play until after the All-Star break, the club announced Monday. Head coach Willie Desjardins said Sedin is expected to be sent home from New York, where the Canucks will play the Rangers on Tuesday night.Sedin was hit from behind by Mikhail Grabovski in Sunday's win over the New York Islanders.Related: Islanders' Grabovski ejected for boarding Henrik SedinThe Canucks forward left the game and didn't return after the hit, for which Grabovski is reportedly not expected to face discipline.Vancouver has three games remaining on its six-game road trip - against the Rangers, Boston Bruins, and Pittsburgh Penguins - before wrapping up its pre-All-Star schedule at home against the Nashville Predators on Jan. 26.The Canucks host the Columbus Blue Jackets upon returning from the break on Feb. 4.Henrik's brother, Daniel, will represent Vancouver on the Pacific Division squad.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

With Anze Kopitar officially locked up for eight more years, one might expect the Los Angeles Kings to immediately turn their attention to a contract extension for Milan Lucic.Not so, says general manager Dean Lombardi.Or, rather, he won't say it out loud, at least."I don’t want to focus on anything like that right now," Lombardi told Craig Custance of ESPN. "This team has good chemistry again."Lombardi's rationale, it seems, would be to remove any possible distractions from the locker room with the Kings sitting comfortably atop the Pacific Division standings, and having the look of a Stanley Cup contender once again.Lucic has fit in nicely with the club, and is on pace for a 20-goal, 50-point season in his first year with the Kings.His style of game meshes with the plan instituted by head coach Darryl Sutter, and, according to Custance, Lombardi would love to keep Lucic around long term.Lucic's current deal, signed in 2013 with the Boston Bruins, carries a $6.5 million cap hit.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Philadelphia Flyers forward Ryan White will avoid discipline and also have his match penalty rescinded after delivering a late hit to the blindside of Detroit Red Wings forward Tomas Jurco.Sam Carchidi of the Philadelphia Inquirer was first to report the news.White was ejected Sunday when he cut across the face of Jurco and drove his shoulder through the winger's chest after release of the puck.By rule, the match penalty required the NHL's Department of Player Safety to review the infraction.Jurco missed a handful of shifts, but did return to the game.White has been suspended previously. He was handed a five-game ban when with the Montreal Canadiens in 2013 for a hit on Kent Huskins, then with the Flyers.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Scott Hartnell is sorry.The Columbus Blue Jackets forward addressed his teammates after practice Monday, apologizing for taking a late-game too many men penalty in Saturday's 2-1 over Colorado.Hartnell added the penalty ate at him all weekend, according to Aaron Portzline of The Columbus Dispatch.While obviously well-intentioned, the verbal gesture may not be enough to satiate head coach John Tortorella, who removed Hartnell from his regular line assignment for the morning session.

Auston Matthews will finally have a digit to reaffirm his place among the top NHL prospects for June's draft when NHL Central Scouting releases its midterm rankings Tuesday.And it's difficult to imagine him not landing at the summit.Matthews, who's scored in all four games in Switzerland's top division since returning from a dominant appearance at the world juniors, received high praise from inside the bureau on the eve of the release."In my opinion, Matthews is the best player in the league, although it's not very clear and there might be other opinions," Central Scouting's Thomas Roost said, according to Mike G. Morreale of NHL.com.Added Roost, "If our league kept statistics for points per 60 minutes played, Matthews would lead it. There's no sign of him fading away and he still plays on a consistent, very high level."Matthews' 19 goals sees him tied for the league lead despite playing 13 and seven games fewer than his respective co-leaders.The 6-foot-1, 210-pound pivot was born two days after the cutoff date for last year's NHL draft, meaning he'll be one of the more polished and physically mature prospects called to the stage in Buffalo.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

When hockey brawls go wrong.A melee broke out in a Canadian junior ice hockey game in November between the London Lakers and Kingsville Kings, and everyone got involved. Seriously, everyone. A linesman, and a team staff member who sprinted off the bench to get at the linesman.Hockey. You have to love it.- With h/t to Puck DaddyCopyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Dallas Stars announced the call-up Monday of defenseman Esa Lindell, who is ripping up the AHL.Drafted 74th overall in the third round in 2012, Lindell has seven goals and 18 assists in 42 games in his rookie AHL season. His 25 points rank fourth among defenseman in the league.

Anaheim Ducks GM Bob Murray may indeed have Jonathan Drouin on his radar, but he's seeing red flags, too.Over the weekend, Murray stopped short of confirming his interest in the 20-year-old Tampa Bay Lightning forward, who requested a trade earlier this season, instead offering reason to steer clear."There's more than just him that's probably out there and available right now, Murray said," according to Helene Elliott of the L.A. Times. "Let's just leave it at that. We're looking at a whole bunch of things. We know he's there, but there's a few others out there, too, that haven't requested trades."Requesting trades on entry level, that's something new for you and I. ... Entry-level players requesting trades. Amazing."Murray added that he's surprised by the amount of reports that have Anaheim linked to trade candidates."If you listen to everybody and listen to all the … we're one of the front-runners in that aren't we in that? Every time I turn the page I hear we're making a deal with a certain team on the East Coast."Murray was active late Friday night, shipping Carl Hagelin to the Pittsburgh Penguins for David Perron and Adam Clendening in a deal that will free up cap room this summer.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Montreal Canadiens like Jonathan Drouin.The disgruntled forward requested a trade from the Tampa Bay Lightning, the club that drafted him third overall in 2013, and is now playing in the AHL, where he has three points in six games.The Habs are reportedly "one of (a) handful of teams with serious interest but it's near impossible to handicap (a) frontrunner/timeline," tweeted TSN's Bob McKenzie. "Only Steve Yzerman knows that."

The NHL clearly bungled the John Scott situation, but there's still time to save face.The former Arizona Coyotes pugilist was traded to the Montreal Canadiens and immediately banished to the AHL's St. John's IceCaps over the weekend after reportedly refusing requests from both the league and the Coyotes to bow out of the All-Star Game, after fans voted him into the contest as the Pacific Division captain.Scott told reporters Sunday that his participation in the event was still uncertain, and that he hasn't heard anything from the NHL about a resolution.Related: John Scott's All-Star status 'still kind of up in the air'If he remains buried in the AHL through All-Star Weekend, Scott has the right to file a grievance against the league with the help of the NHL Players' Association.Much of the public relations damage that's been done as a result of this debacle appears to be irreparable, but here are three ways the league and the Canadiens organization can help repair some of the damage, and start making things right:Pay him his money if the Pacific Division winsThe new 3-on-3 All-Star format includes a $1-million winner-take-all prize, which works out to more than $90,000 per player, or about $83,000 per head if Scott is included along with a replacement.That might seem like chump change compared to many NHL salaries, but the latter amount represents 14 percent of Scott's $575,000 contract.Sure, the Pacific Division is the worst in the NHL, but if its All-Star squad featuring the likes of Corey Perry, Joe Pavelski, and Drew Doughty manages to win the tournament, Scott is entitled to his share of the prize.It's not just that he deserves it, though. The league would benefit from a public relations standpoint by offering Scott his portion of the winnings - and the NHL needs all the positive press it can get right now.Allow him to be with, or closer to, his pregnant wifeScott's wife is expecting twins in the next couple of weeks, which would put her due date right around the time of the All-Star Game. He told reporters Sunday that she left Arizona for Michigan following the trade.This is the hardest, and most human, element to the whole mess. The Canadiens aren't at fault for any of it, but they do have an opportunity to help.It would have made a lot more sense for the Coyotes to just trade Scott to the Detroit Red Wings, or another team closer to his wife's family, in the first place. But considering the circumstances, there's a more realistic alternative available.Making another trade would be time-consuming and probably difficult considering cap concerns, but the IceCaps and Canadiens could simply allow him to take paternity leave before the break, given the fact that the AHL's All-Star events overlap with the NHL's midseason festivities.If he's ultimately banished from All-Star Weekend in Nashville, the least the Canadiens could do would be to let Scott go home to be with his wife a couple of days beforehand.Let him playThe league can't heal all of the wounds in this debacle, but this is how it can do the most to repair its image, and turn an ugly situation into a feel-good story.As Greg Wyshynski of Yahoo Sports pointed out Sunday, Bernie Nicholls and Sandis Ozolinsh both played in previous All-Star Games for their original teams after being traded prior to the event. There's precedent here, and Scott likely knows it.The veteran forward was voted Pacific Division captain, and whether he's an elite player or not, the fans chose him democratically, within the parameters promoted by the league.Scott's obviously not a star, but he is an All-Star, and the NHL needs to acknowledge it. Allowing him to play in the All-Star Game will give this PR disaster a happy ending, help fans forgive, and restore some of their faith in the league they love.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Two superstars worthy of eight-figure salaries and a rookie headline this week's NHL three stars.Patrick Kane earned first-star honors, scoring four goals and a league-high-tying seven points in four games, each Chicago Blackhawks wins. He recorded his first career regular-season hat trick in Friday's win over the Toronto Maple Leafs.Calgary Flames rookie forward Sam Bennett led the way in terms of goal scoring, netting six, including a four-goal effort versus the Florida Panthers. He's now up to sixth in rookie scoring after a tough start.Los Angeles Kings center Anze Kopitar scored two goals and seven points this week in addition to inking an $80-million contract extension. He collected at least one point in all three games, including four in a win over the Detroit Red Wings.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

On the Fly, theScore's NHL roundtable series, continues. This week, editors Justin Cuthbert and Ian McLaren identify four players to keep your eyes on during the second half of the season.Penguins' Phil KesselMcLaren: When the Pittsburgh Penguins pulled off a deal for Phil Kessel last summer, many envisioned 35-40 goals (at least) for a winger who'd be upgrading his set-up man from Tyler Bozak to either Sidney Crosby or Evgeni Malkin.Through 44 games, however, Kessel is stuck on 12 goals, and is on pace for his least productive season since his second year in the league.A trade for Carl Hagelin gives the Penguins a speedy winger more suited to compliment Kessel's game, and a two-assist effort in a win over Carolina on Sunday is hopefully a sign of things to come in terms of getting more involved in the offense.The Penguins are somehow out of the playoff picture, and need their key offseason addition to play a huge part in their resurgence.Islanders' John TavaresCuthbert: What's up with John Tavares?The Art Ross Trophy runner-up from a season ago is outside the top 50 scorers through 50 percent of the New York Islanders' schedule. He's got three goals in his last 19 games, three in total on the power play, and his point-per-game average is down 22 percent from his career mark.Because of his perplexing struggles, Tavares is unlikely to compete for a scoring title, and instead post one of his career-worst seasons. But let's be real: He's going to ignite eventually.And whenever he does, he may just launch the Islanders, who are holding down second place in the Metropolitan Division despite Kyle Okposo leading the team in scoring.Oilers' Connor McDavidMcLaren: Remember this guy? After breaking his clavicle on Nov. 3, the Edmonton Oilers' rookie phenom is expected to make his return following the All-Star break.Prior to the injury, McDavid had five goals and seven assists in his first 13 games as a pro, and appeared well on his way to living up to the hype - and earning the Calder Trophy, to boot.But when he does come back, it'll likely be too late for him to both salvage the Oilers' season, and make a strong enough case to take Rookie of the Year honors away from Chicago Blackhawks wonderkid Artemi Panarin.McDavid should, however, infuse a measure of hope into an Edmonton fan base staring down the possibility of yet another last-place finish, and give the hockey world something to talk about other than John Scott.Canucks' Bo HorvatCuthbert: It's a crucial second half of the season for Bo Horvat, and the second-year man has approached it as such.Horvat has broken out of a 27-game scoring drought in a massive way, scoring six goals and nine points over the last seven games, and shooting up to fifth in team scoring in the process. It isn't necessarily a feather in his cap considering the Canucks' imbalanced offense (and the fact that he only has 19 points), but it's certainly a step in the right direction.Possessing speed, strength, and touch, Horvat has all the tools to provide the Canucks with the secondary offense they need to take some of the weight of the shoulders of the Sedins.If he can excite Radim Vrbata and extract some offense from Sven Baertschi, Vancouver may be able to find its footing in the feeble Pacific Division, and carve out another postseason appearance during their competitive rebuild.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Here is theScore's NHL daily fantasy content offering for Monday:

New York Islanders forward Mikhail Grabovski is not expected to face additional discipline after boarding Vancouver Canucks captain Henrik Sedin on Sunday, ESPN's Pierre LeBrun reports.Grabovski received a boarding major and was tossed from the game, and while the play was reviewed, the "sense is (a) major and game misconduct sufficed," LeBrun writes.The Canucks won the game 2-1 in a shootout, but weren't too pleased about the play, which sent Sedin to the locker room. He didn't return, and after the game goaltender Ryan Miller said Vancouver responded to the hit."We were definitely tuned in after that - it was a good response because it was a pretty dirty play," Miller said, according to The Province's Ben Kuzma.Sedin's status moving forward is unknown, though he could be out at least a week. More will be known later Monday."I'm a little stiff, so it could (have) been better," Sedin said Sunday night. "I didn't see (Grabovski) at all. I knew someone was there but I thought I had somehow turned away from him, so I did not expect him to hit me at that point."It's one of those things where it doesn't feel too bad on the ice, but when you come into the room and wait a bit, it gets stiff and tough to move around. I don't think I could have continued."Hits to the head aren't happening as much as before and I haven't seen this one and I don't know if he could have stopped. I'm sure it's something the league is going to look into."Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

John Scott hasn't officially been ruled out of the NHL All-Star Game.Not from what he's heard, at any rate.The former Arizona Coyotes forward, who was voted into the All-Star Game as captain of the Pacific Division squad, addressed the media after Sunday's St. John's IceCaps game, speaking publicly for the first time since being acquired by the Montreal Canadiens and assigned to their AHL affiliate on Friday.Related: Maloney 'dumbfounded' by reports claiming Coyotes didn't want Scott to be All-Star"I wish I had the answer," Scott said when asked about his All-Star status. "I haven't really heard anything from the league or anything, so I don't know what the position is or kind of where anybody stands right now. It's still kind of up in the air."Further to that, Scott declined to comment on various theories suggesting conspiratorial efforts to keep him out of the All-Star Game."It's one of those things where you can kind of form your own opinion, I guess," he said.When asked about the trade itself, Scott said it kind of came out of left field."Obviously yeah, it kind of surprised me," he said. "I didn't really expect to be on the market. But hey, trades happen. It's a business. I'm happy to go to Montreal and the Ice Caps here."Scott, who sat Sunday as a healthy scratch having only arrived in Newfoundland the day before, stated that he'll suit up for the IceCaps and continue to play his game, and will be ready if called upon by the Canadiens.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Byfuglien, Campbell, Ladd, Frolik, Sharp, Saad.These are just a few of the talented, imperfect players who built up stock with the Chicago Blackhawks, only to have priced themselves out of the empire.Bryan Bickell is the latest casualty of the system, though his upshot is more bleak. He's not starring in another sweater because, frankly, he's not as good. But unlike the previous victims and obviously uncharacteristic of the Blackhawks, his downfall was an inaccurate appraisal.Here are three teams that can dig him out of the minors, and benefit from it, too.Anaheim DucksPatrick Maroon isn't a flattering comparison, as he too has stubbed his toe, having been buried on a fourth line by Ducks head coach Bruce Boudreau. But what he used to do for Anaheim might fall in line with Bickell's capabilities.The Ducks play fast, but Ryan Getzlaf and Corey Perry have a slow, slugging way about them that effectively wears on opponents. Problem is, it might be wearing on them, too. Bickell, who can't keep the pace the Blackhawks employ, might complement the Ducks' top players quite well, saving them from the punishment they endure in the corners and in front of the net.Bickell's $4-million cap hit won't hurt the budget-conscious Ducks as much as it kills the Blackhawks, though it would require a willingness to spend.Florida PanthersThe Dave Bolland reclamation project isn't panning out as desired, but Dale Tallon may be able to find success with one of his other former draft picks.With Jaromir Jagr continuing to lead the way, blazing speed isn't exactly a requisite for success for the first-place Panthers. They're heavy, disciplined, and could certainly use some middle-six assistance down the wing.Florida has another team fronting the cost of elite goaltending this season. Perhaps a similar arrangement, if Chicago's willing, can help supplement the attack.Edmonton OilersBelieved to have had interest in the past, the Oilers might be more willing to pull the trigger now, as there's a little less risk in this, another lost season, and also a little more desperation on the Blackhawks' side.The Oilers aren't postseason bound, again, so giving Bickell, unrestricted in less than 18 months, an opportunity to find his footing in a top nine involves no immediate risk. He would add weight and little toughness to a small, sometimes vulnerable top-nine forward grouping, which would benefit from a big body fighting for his NHL livelihood.It's imperative that Edmonton competes next season, so the distribution of dollars does matter. But with Teddy Purcell and a trio of heavy forwards in Zack Kassian, Luke Gazdic, and Rob Klinkhammer also all up for contracts and perhaps unlikely to be re-signed, there will be both a need and the space to absorb Bickell - especially at a discount.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.