The injury bug appears to have placed a moratorium on the St. Louis Blues' involvement on the trade market.With several players banged up, and only four games remaining until the NHL's All-Star break, general manager Doug Armstrong isn't expecting to make any moves in the immediate future."It’s easier to trade when you know what you have," Armstrong said, according to Jeremy Rutherford of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. "Right now it’s very difficult to tell with six and seven guys out, what you need, because you’re just treading water. I’m going to let the team evolve when it gets back. Hopefully we just get down to maybe just one or two guys out a few weeks before the trade deadline, so we’ll have a good look."St. Louis has been without projected top-six forward Jaden Schwartz all season, while Dmitrij Jaskin, Magnus Paajarvi, and Steve Ott have also been sidelined in recent weeks.Meanwhile, the Blues are believed to be one of a few teams seriously interested in acquiring Tampa Bay Lightning forward Jonathan Drouin. However, one of Armstrong's young forwards has stepped up his game as of late, and in doing so may have given the GM reason to pause on pulling the trigger."I look at the positive, like Robby Fabbri, that’s really a positive for us," Armstrong said. "He is playing well beyond what we thought we would need from him. I didn’t think we were going to need him to this level, but injuries came on, we’ve needed him, and he’s responded."Fabbri, selected 21st overall in 2014, has already recorded more goals than Drouin at the NHL level, despite playing fewer games and averaging less ice time.PlayerGPGoalsShotsAvg Ice TimeJonathan Drouin8969513:25Robby Fabbri42116713:04Schwartz is expected to make his season debut following the All-Star break after fracturing his ankle back in October, and the Blues' offense should get a big boost as a result. His return could also act as a pre-deadline addition of sorts, and would likely give Armstrong yet another reason to wait things out."We’re not in the 'sell or buy' mode, we’re in the 'play for now' mode," he said. "I like our depth, I like our group, we’ll see how it plays out."Through 48 games - the most played by any team - the Blues have amassed 59 points, and hold a seven-point cushion on the Minnesota Wild for third place in the Central Division.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Down one, late in the third period against the Los Angeles Kings, the Anaheim Ducks appeared to have an easy game-tying goal as Jonathan Quick gave up a juicy rebound in front of a wide-open net.Unfortunately for the Ducks, forwards Jakob Silfverberg and Rickard Rakell both wanted to score the big goal, and combined to do this:

After winning their fifth game in six tries Sunday after a shootout against the Detroit Red Wings, the Philadelphia Flyers now find themselves just two points behind the Montreal Canadiens for the final Eastern Conference playoff spot with three games in hand.Claude Giroux, the Flyers' lone consistent scorer this season, scored the team's only regulation goal and added another in the shootout en route to a 2-1 victory. It's the improved output by the team's other forwards, though, that have been key for its recent success.(Courtesy: NHL.com)Last year's leading scorer, Jakub Voracek, recorded an assist and the shootout-deciding tally Sunday. He now has a goal and four helpers during his current three-game point streak. While he had just one goal in his first 30 games this year, he's scored four times in the 13 games since.Wayne Simmonds picked up the other assist on the Giroux goal, putting him on a three-game point streak of his own. He's found the scoresheet in six of his last eight games as he tries to finish the season closer to his regular 50-point pace.Though he was held without a point Sunday, Sean Couturier also looks to finally be reaching his offensive potential with 13 points in as many games after having just three goals and five assists as of Dec. 15.With the Flyers' goaltending situation looking stable as ever with Steve Mason and Michal Neuvirth, continued production from their key offensive pieces will be necessary, as they hope to extend their season beyond April 9.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Turn it up to 11.Jonathan Toews scored a pair of goals, including the game-winner, as the Chicago Blackhawks won their 11th straight game with a 5-2 victory over the Montreal Canadiens at the United Center on Sunday night.The Canadiens lost for the fourth consecutive time, and for the sixth time in their last eight games.Montreal goaltender Ben Scrivens dropped to 0-3-0 after allowing four goals on 32 shots.

Mike Richards came within an inch of scoring his first goal with the Washington Capitals.New York Rangers goaltender Antti Raanta denied the veteran forward with a sprawling stick save Sunday, and the puck straddled the goal line but somehow stayed out.It was Richards' second game with the Capitals, who signed him to a one-year deal earlier this month.Justin Williams notched a hat trick Sunday, leading Washington to a 5-2 win.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Philadelphia Flyers forward Ryan White was ejected from Sunday's game against the Detroit Red Wings after receiving a match penalty for a hit to the head of forward Tomas Jurco.White caught an unsuspecting Jurco with a late, blindside hit as the Red Wings forward watched his shot towards Flyers goalie Michal Neuvirth. Jurco was shaken up, but returned to the game after the Flyers killed off a five-minute power play.White, who was suspended five games for an illegal hit to the head of then-Flyers defenseman Kent Huskins in 2013, appears likely to face discipline from the league once again after this hit.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

After floating around .500 for the first few months of the season, the Tampa Bay Lightning have soared up the standings with a 13-6-1 record since Dec. 1, and forward Nikita Kucherov is a big reason for that.The 22-year-old scored a pair Sunday as the Lightning beat the division-leading Florida Panthers 3-1. Kucherov now has 24 points in his last 19 games, trailing only Patrick Kane (30 points) over that period.

Braden Holtby left Sunday's game against the New York Rangers due to dehydration and didn't return.The Washington Capitals goaltender departed 14 seconds after allowing a second-period goal to Rangers forward Chris Kreider.Holtby made 20 saves on 22 shots before removing himself in favor of Philipp Grubauer.The starting netminder has a history of battling dehydration, but Capitals head coach Barry Trotz believes his goalie will be fine."I think we've got it under control," Trotz said postgame, according to NHL.com's Katie Brown. "He'll be good. We'll get him a day (of rest) here. He played one (total) game in two days, so he should rebound pretty well."Holtby was pulled in Saturday's loss to the Buffalo Sabres after allowing three goals on 16 shots."I think it's (due to) playing a little bit yesterday, flying, all those things," Trotz said. "I don't think there's anything other than that. He said that he was having a little trouble getting focused, and he didn't get hit or anything."The Capitals are off Monday before facing the Columbus Blue Jackets at Nationwide Arena on Tuesday night.Holtby entered Sunday's game leading the NHL in wins, ranking second in GAA, and sitting third in save percentage.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

PITTSBURGH - Sidney Crosby scored two goals and Marc-Andre Fleury stopped 22 shots for his third shutout of the season and 41st of his career as the Pittsburgh Penguins beat the Carolina Hurricanes 5-0 on Sunday.

Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman David Warsofsky left Sunday's game against the Carolina Hurricanes in obvious discomfort after an accidental collision with referee Tim Peel.Skating backwards into his own zone, Warsofsky tripped over Peel, who had lost an edge and slid directly into the Penguins blue-liner's path. The 25-year-old was sent flying, and took an ugly fall onto his head. He stayed down for a few moments before exiting to the dressing room.Referee Tim Peel lost a edge and an unsuspecting David Warsofsky got the worst of it. (left the game)Head coach Mike Sullivan said the defenseman was still being evaluated following Pittsburgh's 5-0 win, according to Seth Rorabaugh of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.Sullivan added that Derrick Pouliot could be recalled if Warsofsky or Kris Letang, who is dealing with a wrist injury, are unavailable Monday in St. Louis.Warsofsky had one goal in 11 games entering Sunday's contest.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Sidney Crosby scored his 13th goal of the season Sunday against the Carolina Hurricanes while narrowly avoiding a pair of rulings that would've disallowed the goal.The Pittsburgh Penguins barely kept the puck onside early in a late second-period power play before Crosby redirected a Phil Kessel pass behind netminder Eddie Lack, shifting his foot toward the puck before sending it into the net.(Courtesy: NHL.com)After review, it was ruled the puck stayed onside and there was no distinct kicking motion on the redirect.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Mikhail Grabovski was thrown out of Sunday afternoon's game for a questionable hit on Vancouver Canucks captain Henrik Sedin.Late in the first period, the New York Islanders forward drove Sedin into the boards from behind, right in front of the Canucks' bench.Grabovski received a boarding major and a game misconduct, and Sedin was held off the ice for the final 1:44 while being treated by team trainers on the bench.Predictably, the Canucks responded.

Bryan Bickell's agent can see the writing on the wall for his client."If we are watching things with our eyes open, it's pretty clear that I would say his future is likely not with the Blackhawks," Todd Diamond told Scott Powers of the Chicago Sun-Times."Hopefully, we can work out a trade. (General manager) Stan (Bowman) is open to that. But making trading these days in the NHL can be a time-consuming process where in the past you could just move bodies around much easier."Bickell was reassigned to the AHL's Rockford IceHogs on Sunday after clearing waivers.Related: Blackhawks' Bickell buried in minorsBlackhawks head coach Joel Quenneville said Bickell's poor play led to his demotion, but Quenneville didn't rule out the possibility of the 29-year-old winger playing for his team again."You (have) got to earn it," the coach said. "Sometimes it's on a merit basis; sometimes it's on health reasons as well. I don't want to deny him an opportunity to get back here and play and help us. I still think he has that ability. How far away that is (has yet) to be seen."Bickell was recalled in early December after racking up seven goals and seven assists in 12 games with the IceHogs, but he collected only two points in 16 games with the Blackhawks in his latest NHL stint, before being sent down for the second time this season.

Kris Letang will fall well short of a goal he set for himself this season.The Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman, who had hoped to play in all 82 games, will miss Sunday's contest against the Carolina Hurricanes after appearing to suffer a hand or wrist injury during Friday's game against the Tampa Bay Lightning.Head coach Mike Sullivan declared Letang to be a game-time decision for Monday's game in St. Louis, pending further evaluation.The latest injury continues what's been a string of bad luck for Letang over the past three seasons:DateInjuryGames MissedSept. 30 2013Lower Body9Dec. 14 2013Upper Body10Jan. 30 2014Heart Ailment26Nov. 29 2014Groin5Jan. 21 2015Head1March 29 2015Concussion7 (regular) + 5 (playoffs)Dec. 5 2015Undisclosed2Dec. 11 2015Upper Body6Dec. 26 2015Undisclosed1Jan. 15 2016Wrist1 (at least)Letang has been effective when on the ice, recording six goals, 28 points, and 102 shots in 34 games.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Edmonton Oilers announced a three-year contract extension for Cam Talbot on Sunday, believed to be worth approximately $4.16 million through the end of the 2018-19 season.With relative stability in net, the Oilers must now address the blue line, lest they continue to toil in the NHL's basement.What the Oilers are gettingTalbot's cap hit slots him 23rd among all goalies, sandwiched in between Craig Anderson and Jonathan Bernier. Since entering the league in 2013 as a member of the New York Rangers, Talbot has posted a five-on-five save percentage of .927, good for 20th among goalies who have appeared in at least 2,000 minutes (or roughly 33 games) in that span.Add it up, and Talbot's contract appears to provide the Oilers with decent value at the position for the next few years.The rub, however, is that the defense in front of him remains riddled with holes and question marks, and the Oilers' overall play has hindered Talbot from putting up even better numbers than his current .914 save percentage.

After going unclaimed on the waiver wire, Bryan Bickell and his $4-million cap hit are heading to the AHL.The forward, who was placed on waivers Saturday, has been reassigned to the Chicago Blackhawks minor-league affiliate in Rockford.The 29-year-old recorded two assists in 23 NHL games this season, and remains under contract with the Blackhawks through to the end of the 2016-17 season.A second-round pick in 2004, Bickell played a role in the Blackhawks' 2010, 2013, and 2015 Stanley Cup championships.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

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

The Edmonton Oilers have locked up a goalie.Cam Talbot has agreed to a three-year, $12.5-million contract extension, the club announced Sunday.

The resurgent Anaheim Ducks still have some work to do.After an incredibly disappointing start from which they're still recovering, the Ducks have posted a record of 7-2-1 over their past 10 games to creep back into playoff contention.Anaheim, however, remains the NHL's lowest-scoring team, and general manager Bob Murray - who traded Carl Hagelin to the Pittsburgh Penguins for David Perron and Adam Clendening on Saturday - admitted he's continuing to work the phones in an attempt to improve his club.And yes, Jonathan Drouin appears to be someone the team's considering."Every time I turn the page, we’re front-runners in a deal with a certain Eastern Conference team," Murray said in reference to reports the Ducks are contenders to land the Tampa Bay Lightning forward, according to Elliot Teaford of the Los Angeles Daily News. "He’s out there, but there are a few others out there."I don’t have anything going, but we still have to get better. My group (the Ducks’ scouting department) is working at doing that. There have been a lot more phone calls lately. We’re going to attempt to get better here. ... I’d like us to take one more step."For now, the Ducks will look to the newly acquired Perron to help further spark their offense, and Murray is expecting the winger to come out flying."He should be motivated," Murray said of Perron. "He definitely needed a change of scenery. He’s been known to get hot at times and we could use somebody to get really hot. I talked to him on the phone already and he was very excited. He’s been known to light it up and that can’t hurt us."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.With six weeks to go before the NHL's trade deadline, fantasy managers will undoubtedly be looking to fine tune their rosters through some wheeling and dealing of their own.Listed below are three players to watch on the waiver wire this week. But first, here's the league's top 10 scorers:PlayerTeamGoalsAssistsPointsPatrick KaneCHI283967Jamie BennDAL263056Tyler SeguinDAL252853Erik KarlssonOTT93746Vladimir TarasenkoSTL242145Blake WheelerWPG133144Joe PavelskiSJ222143Johnny GaudreauCAL192443Artemi PanarinCHI162642Taylor HallEDM162642Blue Jackets D Seth Jones: 1 G, 12 A, -6, 80 SOGOwned in 38 percent of Yahoo leaguesHere's some great news for fantasy managers: A top-pair defenseman is available to be plucked in most leagues at no cost other than the subtraction of the weakest link on one's roster.This is a result of Seth Jones' move to Columbus, where he's adopted a prominent role on the Blue Jackets' blue line, and is taking full advantage of his opportunity in Ohio's capital.Here's a look at Jones' production in his first five game with his new club:DateOpponentIce TimePointsShotsJan. 8@ Carolina (L 4-1)22:3101Jan. 9Carolina (L 4-3 OT)22:4701Jan. 12NY Islanders (L 5-2)23:4401Jan. 13Maple Leafs (W 3-1)24:521 A0Jan. 16Avalanche (W 2-1026:081 A3Jones is averaging 24 minutes a night with the Blue Jackets, a bump of 4:21 over his ice time with the Nashville Predators. Once he starts shooting the puck with more regularity, the five percent career shooter should start to rack up the goals, especially with an increase in power-play time.Flames F Sam Bennett: 11 G, 9 A, +2, 72 SOGOwned in 14 percent of Yahoo leaguesThe NHL's hottest scorer over the past seven days is none other than 19-year-old Sam Bennett, who's recorded six goals in his past three games, including a four-goal outburst on Wednesday against the Florida Panthers.For the season, the Calgary Flames rookie has scored 11 goals and added nine assists, and appears to be just getting started.Penguins F Carl Hagelin: 4 G, 8 A, -10, 82 SOGOwned in 14 percent of Yahoo leaguesCarl Hagelin, come on down. You're the next contestant on "Is he a fit in the Pittsburgh Penguins' top six?"Acquired from the Anaheim Ducks in a trade that saw David Perron and Adam Clendening head to Orange County, Hagelin brings speed and hockey sense to the Penguins' lineup, and will likely be afforded a shot to ply his trade on a line with either Sidney Crosby or Evgeni Malkin.Hagelin scored only four goals for the Ducks, and never seemed to find his stride during his 43 games in California. He did, however, record 17 goals in each of the past two seasons as a member of the New York Rangers, and could be a productive fantasy forward down the stretch if he can indeed click with one of Pittsburgh's superstar centers.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The San Jose Sharks had won four consecutive games against non-playoff (and Canadian) opponents, but they continued their streak Saturday with an overtime win against a Cup contender.Tomas Hertl sniped the game-winner past former Sharks goalie Antti Niemi as San Jose beat the Dallas Stars 4-3 to move within one point of the Arizona Coyotes for second in the Pacific Division.(Courtesy: NHL.com)With an assist on the overtime tally, defenseman Marc-Edouard Vlasic capped off a three-point night after recording his first multi-goal game earlier in the evening. Chris Tierney also scored for the Sharks.The Stars are now losers of six of their last seven, and also lost veteran defenseman Jordie Benn to a lower-body injury early in the game. They will look to avoid a four-game losing skid when they visit the Los Angeles Kings on Tuesday.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Mikael Backlund assisted a Sam Bennett goal for the third consecutive night, but the 19-year-old forward couldn't beat Cam Talbot in the shootout as the Edmonton Oilers beat the Calgary Flames 2-1 on Saturday.Bennett, who has six goals in his last three games after scoring five in his first 39, had the game on his stick after Teddy Purcell notched a goal for the Oilers, but the teenager came up short in the first shootout attempt of his career.

Mike Richards recorded one hit and one shot on goal in 13 minutes of ice time Saturday in his first NHL action since last April, impressing Washington Capitals head coach Barry Trotz with his effort."I thought Richards's line was as effective as any, and they played some higher end lines head-to-head," Trotz said after the 4-1 loss to the Buffalo Sabres, according to Isabelle Khurshudyan of the Washington Post. "They were the one line that was getting pucks down deep and creating something off that ... That line was working tonight."

After a 36-save save effort in San Jose on Thursday, Edmonton Oilers goalie Cam Talbot started where he left off against the Calgary Flames on SaturdayDefenseman T.J. Brodie was left all alone in the slot while Oilers blue-liner Darnell Nurse was caught admiring the play in the corner. Talbot, though, bailed out his teammate, reaching across just in time to rob Brodie of a scoring chance early in the first period.Talbot has only picked up a win in two of his last nine appearances but has not allowed four goals or more since December 17.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Jori Lehtera scored the winner in overtime as the St. Louis Blues rallied to defeat the Montreal Canadiens 4-3 on Saturday night.Robby Fabbri stole the puck in the neutral zone and carried it in before being pushed aside, but Lehtera was there to seal the victory:(Courtesy: NHL.com)Blues goaltender Brian Elliott made a career-high 46 saves and was named the game's first star on Goalies Night, during which St. Louis honored former netminders Curtis Joseph, Grant Fuhr, and Mike Liut.

Despite outshooting the Toronto Maple Leafs 45-29 on the night, the Boston Bruins looked destined for overtime Saturday before Brad Marchand delivered some final-minute heroics.After having a goal overturned earlier in the game due to an offside, Marchand capitalized with Leafs goalie Jonathan Bernier out of his net, as defenseman Martin Marincin's clearing attempt landed right on his stick before he drove home a goal to clinch the Bruins' 3-2 victory.(Courtesy: NHL.com)

Braden Holtby fell one game short of tying a franchise record and had an abbreviated night as the Washington Capitals' five-game win streak came to an end in a 4-1 loss to the Buffalo Sabres on Saturday.The Capitals goaltender was replaced by Philipp Grubauer in the second period after allowing three goals, ending a streak of 22 games in which the Capitals have recorded at least a point with Holtby in goal.It had been more than 60 days since Holtby last lost in regulation.

Arizona Coyotes general manager Don Maloney again dismissed the notion that the John Scott trade was motivated by the All-Star fan vote, but the GM admits the team broached the subject of participation with Scott prior to making the deal.Related: Coyotes GM insists Scott deal had nothing to do with All-Star status"We have (the maximum) 23 players on our roster," Maloney told Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman on Saturday. "Someone had to go. When you look at our lineup, he made the most sense. To suggest that this was part of us not wanting him in (the) All-Star (Game), or to be working in the NHL ... I'm dumbfounded by that."TSN's Bob McKenzie reported Friday that both the NHL and the Coyotes asked Scott to bow out of the midseason showcase and Scott refused.Maloney said the Coyotes pondered holding off on the trade until after the All-Star break, but couldn't afford to wait."We did (consider that), but things can change," he said. "What if someone else is interested? What if he gets hurt? You can't take the chance."The Coyotes traded Scott to the Montreal Canadiens in a three-way deal with the Nashville Predators that sent defenseman Jarred Tinordi to Arizona on Friday, and Montreal then assigned Scott to their AHL affiliate, the St. John's IceCaps.Maloney said Saturday that there was "no way" he'd intentionally bury Scott in the AHL so the veteran pugilist couldn't participate in the All-Star Game."We wanted Tinordi, we think our coaching staff can work with him," Maloney said.Scott was voted Pacific Division captain by the fans and was the Coyotes' lone All-Star representative before the deal took place.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

For the second time in as many games, Montreal Canadiens defenseman Alexei Emelin made a big impact with the body.After dishing out a huge hip-check on Chicago Blackhawks forward Andrew Desjardins on Thursday, Emelin was back at it Saturday in St. Louis where he crushed Blues forward Paul Stastny with a hard hit, leading to a spirited scrum between the teams.At the end of the scuffle, it was the Canadiens who ended up with a power play as four Blues players received roughing minors to Montreal's three.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Braden Holtby's remarkable run could be snapped by an unlikely opponent.The Washington Capitals goaltender was pulled in favor of Philipp Grubauer on Saturday night after allowing three goals on 16 shots by the lowly Buffalo Sabres.Evander Kane's less-than-stellar goal gave the Sabres a 3-0 lead and ended the netminder's night midway through the second period:(Courtesy: NHL.com)Cody Franson padded the Sabres' lead with a power-play goal on Grubauer to make it 4-0 late in the period.Holtby has backstopped the Capitals to at least a point in 22 consecutive games, one shy of Jose Theodore's franchise record of 23, set in 2009-10.He entered Saturday's game leading the NHL in wins, ranking second in GAA and sitting third in save percentage.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Boston Bruins goalie Tuukka Rask just keeps making life miserable for the team that drafted him.Facing the Maple Leafs on Saturday, Peter Holland appeared to have a wide-open net to work with as he chased down a loose puck during a first-period power play. However, Rask somehow dove back into position to rob the Maple Leafs forward with his glove.(Courtesy: NHL.com)The netminder entered Saturday with a 13-3-1 career record against the Maple Leafs, who selected him 21st overall in 2005.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

After allowing seven goals against the San Jose Sharks one week ago, Jonathan Bernier got off to the worst possible start in his return to the crease Saturday against the Boston Bruins.After a bad line change by the Toronto Maple Leafs, Torey Krug sprung Patrice Bergeron, who dropped Bernier with a deke and went backhand for his team's first shot of the night just 45 seconds in.

The Ottawa Senators scored four goals in the third period and stormed back to defeat the Los Angeles Kings 5-3 on Saturday.The Senators needed less than half a minute to strike twice and tie Saturday's game. Bobby Ryan tapped home a great pass by Mika Zibanejad to cut the Kings' lead to one:Jean-Gabriel Pageau capitalized on a careless Kings' turnover and knotted the game 26 seconds later:(Videos courtesy: NHL.com)Zibanejad scored the eventual game-winner less than five minutes later, and Mark Borowiecki put one in the empty net to seal the victory with 14 seconds remaining.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

A change of scenery may have been just what Vincent Lecavalier needed to end his career on a high note.Getting some power-play time Saturday against the Ottawa Senators, the 35-year-old roofed his first goal with the Los Angeles Kings, and first since April 1 of last year, to give his team a 2-0 lead in the second period.(Courtesy: NHL.com)The marker came after Lecavalier surprisingly usurped captain Dustin Brown on the team's third line, playing alongside Trevor Lewis and Marian Gaborik.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

He may not be having a typical Henrik Lundqvist season, but he's still setting records.The New York Rangers goaltender made 34 saves in a 3-2 shootout win over the Philadelphia Flyers on Saturday afternoon, becoming the first netminder in NHL history to post 20 wins in each of his first 11 seasons.He also made franchise history in the process.

Mike Richards is ready to go.The veteran forward will make his Washington Capitals debut Saturday night against the Buffalo Sabres, his first NHL game in more than nine months."(I) always had confidence, always knew I could play, (but) probably the toughest part was just watching," Richards said.The 30-year-old also admitted taking his NHL career for granted before having his contract terminated by the Los Angeles Kings following his arrest at the border over the summer.Capitals head coach Barry Trotz initially planned to ease Richards back and debut him Tuesday against the Columbus Blue Jackets, but the timeline was advanced."I saw him this week, the other day, and I said, 'Let's move that up even more. Are you ready for that?'" Trotz told Isabelle Khurshudyan of The Washington Post.Richards will center the fourth line Saturday, between Zach Sill and Michael Latta.The Capitals signed Richards to a one-year deal on Jan. 6.His last NHL game came April 9, 2015, as a member of the Kings, against the Calgary Flames.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

When it's said and finished, Anze Kopitar will have (at minimum) two Stanley Cups and roughly $130 million in career earnings. He'll have his No. 11 hung from the rafters at one of the busiest sporting venues in North America. He'll have franchise records galore and a mantle at home crowded with deserved recognition.But even then, his greatness will be up to interpretation.To most fans (or at least the ones who value their sleep) Kopitar is enigmatic. They know his brilliance, and that morning highlights and nightly boxscores don't quite do him justice. But at the same time, really? Eight seasons at $10 million per for a guy who averages 73 points?Related: Kings, Kopitar finally settle eight-year extensionWell, it's true. Kopitar, through six months of taxing negotiations that may or may not have turned a little sour, didn't offer his perpetually cap-strapped club with an assuaging discount. Right now, he stands to be the third-highest paid player in the league behind the Chicago Blackhawks' duo of Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane. He'll take up about 15 percent of Los Angeles' cap with the ominous state of the loonie threatening to restrict payroll parameters.His rigid negotiation might limit Milan Lucic's tenure to one season, pressurize future talks with Tyler Toffoli, and slap the goat horns on Dustin Brown. But from what we know, what we've heard and seen and what statistics we can discern, Kopitar checks out. Every time.Kopitar is the engine of the Kings' downhill-running quick strike offense, but a defensive pillar first. He controls the flow better than anyone, commanding the puck and dominating possession. He wins draws and kills penalties. And he does all this with remarkable consistency, evidenced best by only an incremental dip in his point-per-game output in 70 postseason games. Steven Stamkos (in just a random comparison) sees his production tail off by about a quarter point.Pretending the deal won't place the Kings in a vise, though, would be silly.Kopitar is in his 10th season. He'll have at least 850 games of NHL tread on his person (which is more than halfway to Shane Doan) before the $80 million extension finalized Saturday kicks in. He's shown no signs of slowing down, but it's impossible to predict when one will hit the wall.But it's hard to imagine that time won't come before 2024.Los Angeles will have a lot of money tied to a lot of 30-somethings in a half decade or so, which is going to make sustaining its success mighty difficult. But while Dean Lombardi isn't immune to bad contracts, he and the Kings are in no position to apply half measures.Before Kopitar's skills diminish, and Jeff Carter and Jonathan Quick can no longer shoulder the load for a contender, maximizing this window and funneling every resource to win a third and perhaps fourth Cup over the next few seasons is really the only option.It's all or nothing, or better yet, all then nothing for Kopitar's Kings.Caution, if you like. But that will always be an enviable position.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Los Angeles Kings and Anze Kopitar have finally brought pen to paper on their eight-year pact worth a reported $80 million.

Teemu Pulkkinen will be in the Detroit Red Wings lineup for the first time in 18 games Sunday versus the Philadelphia Flyers.The 24-year-old, on the mend after dislocating his shoulder, has been activated from injured reserve. Detroit did not need a corresponding move to facilitate the transaction.Pulkkinen had six goals and 11 points in 24 games before being driven into the board by Arizona Coyotes center Martin Hanzal.The coaching staff will make a decision on who comes out on Sunday.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Florida Panthers defenseman Aaron Ekblad with miss at least another two games as his return is reportedly being targeted for Friday against the Chicago Blackhawks, according to George Richards of the Miami Herald.Ekblad has already missed a pair as a result of being smashed into the boards from behind by Edmonton Oilers forward Matt Hendricks.The defenseman is officially out with an upper-body injury, but reportedly entered into the league's concussion protocol after being wobbled by the crash.Hendricks is serving a three-game suspension for his part.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Chicago Blackhawks have exposed forward Bryan Bickell to waivers for the second time this season.The beleaguered forward had a 12-game stint with the Rockford IceHogs earlier this season and should he clear, he'll likely be sent down to rejoin the American Hockey League outfit.Bickell, who earns $4.5 million against the cap, is without a goal in 23 appearances for the big club.The Blackhawks free up more than $3 million in cap space when Bickell's in the minors, per generalfanager.com.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Arizona Coyotes have been the punchline.Forget fan support that has never come in droves, the Coyotes barely have backing from their own city officials.They've teetered on the edge of irrelevance, flirted with extinction, changed ownership, rushed to extinguish fires. They disbanded to land either one of two potentially generational talents, then picked third. They've been strung up like a punching bag, pummeled repeatedly.It's been dysfunction, but lately, more so mistreatment.And yet, in a season with a built-in excuse to be bad, to be downright awful, and with a little luck press reset with local wonder Auston Matthews, Arizona has instead done the opposite. The valiant.The Coyotes compete.With points in nine of the last 10 games and really, a dogged effort since puck drop this season, the Coyotes hold the runner-up position in the Pacific Division. They've done it at a deficit in talent, and despite having lost their No. 1 goaltender. They've done it with a disciplined, but also very exciting brand of hockey.So what's the award, to be walloped once more?The NHL All-Star Game means zip to many fans who have witnessed the drabness that's crept into the event over the decades. But for a small-market, low-budget team that holds meet-and-greets instead of galas, it's important to show well at this sort of thing.John Scott is not showing well. John Scott is reason to devalue and disregard a team that deserves much better.Oliver Ekman-Larsson is bona fide superstar. He should be lionized with the very best this game has to offer. Max Domi and Anthony Duclair are brilliant young prospects that need a platform to be introduced to the entire hockey landscape.The Coyotes, perhaps more than any other, would prefer to be represented properly. From a business standpoint, no team would benefit more from having one of their own star, leaving a last impression with skill, craftiness, and character, not hijinks.They've earned that.Don Maloney wasn't lying when he indicated that detaching themselves from Scott was in the best interest of the Coyotes. This, whether it was the means for a slight upgrade on the blue line, to jettison a problem, or both.It's unfortunate this all came at the expense of Scott, who like the Coyotes, doesn't deserve to be the butt of a joke. But be careful in labeling him an innocent bystander. He's a grown man and well-paid employee who was asked, on multiple levels of management, to do something for the overall benefit of his company.He declined. There were repercussions. That's the real world you live in.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

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

Just because a player doesn't make headlines, doesn't mean their presence isn't felt.Many of the league's budding stars of the future are significantly under-appreciated, but they're proving this season that they'll soon be hockey's poster boys.Here are three under-the-radar players making their mark on the NHL:Tyler ToffoliThe Los Angeles Kings are having the bounce-back season the hockey world anticipated, but it's unlikely that many predicted Tyler Toffoli would be playing such an integral role in the team's success.In just his third full season in the NHL, the 23-year-old is leading his club with 20 goals through 42 games - eight more than Jeff Carter and Anze Kopitar, who sit tied in second with 12 each. His seven power-play goals are also a team high.Toffoli's numbers have improved exponentially since he first joined the league, and this season he's on pace to hit 39 goals and 62 points. He is very much a King.Evgeny KuznetsovThrough 43 games, Washington Capitals forward Evgeny Kuznetsov has already eclipsed the goal and point totals he registered in 80 games last season.He's quickly become one of the most relied upon players on a team that boasts Alex Ovechkin, Nicklas Backstrom, T.J. Oshie, and Justin Williams.Kuznetsov is tied with Backstrom for the team lead with 41 points, and leads the club with 28 assists. His emergence looks to have come out of nowhere, though the 23-year-old showed flashes of brilliance during the Capitals' playoff run last season.He has taken his time developing since being drafted in 2010, but is quickly proving he wasn't a first-round bust.Petr MrazekThe Detroit Red Wings have flown under the radar in the Eastern Conference.While much of the talk in the East has surrounded the Capitals and the suddenly dominant Florida Panthers, the Red Wings have put forth a respectable season that has them just two wins out of the top spot in the Atlantic Division.Much of this is thanks to goaltender Petr Mrazek, who has quietly stolen the net away from Jimmy Howard.Mrazek played in all seven of the team's playoff games last season while Howard was left to watch from the bench.Though his numbers in the past have been nothing short of brilliant, they came within a small sample size. But already this season, he has eclipsed his previous career high of 29 games played.Through 28 games, Mrazek has constructed a 16-8-3 record while boasting a career-best .930 save percentage and 2.15 goals-against average - good enough for ninth in the league.A changing of the guard in Detroit is well underway.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Anaheim Ducks traded Carl Hagelin to the Pittsburgh Penguins for David Perron and Adam Clendening in an agreement finalized in the wee hours Saturday morning.Though Clendening, a defenseman, has NHL service, the trade essentially swaps underperforming 27-year-old wingers on desperate teams - and, though the same age, perhaps on opposite sides of their career arcs.Perron, in his ninth season and an unrestricted free agent this summer, was on pace to post his worst offensive totals since his rookie year with one of the more talented forward groupings in the league.He's been in and out of Pittsburgh's top six, ultimately unable to build a rapport with Sidney Crosby or Evgeni Malkin since coming over from the Edmonton Oilers for a first-round pick.Meanwhile, Hagelin's wings were clipped in Anaheim. The speedy winger was expected to thrive in the Ducks' scheme, but has mustered just four goals and eight assists since coming over from the New York Rangers last summer. He signed a $16-million extension upon his arrival, being paid quite well in his fifth NHL season.He'll return to the Metropolitan Division and once again be under the tutelage of Penguins head coach Mike Sullivan, who was an assistant with New York before joining the Penguins organization.Pittsburgh has three more seasons of control with Hagelin at $4 million, while Anaheim, a budget team, gains flexibility (and a prospect) moving forward with the soon-to-be-unrestricted Perron.The Ducks and Penguins pulled off a similar one-for-one trade last summer when Ben Lovejoy was returned to Pittsburgh for Simon Despres. Though Despres has been out for most of the season with a concussion, that deal most certainly favors Bob Murray's Ducks.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Dallas Stars have been one of the NHL's best teams and the Anaheim Ducks have been one of the worst, but the script is beginning to flip.The Ducks scored four first-period goals en route to a 4-2 victory over the Stars on Friday night, handing Dallas its second straight loss and seventh in the last 10 games.Anaheim's recent play has essentially mirrored that of the once-dominant Stars. The Ducks earned their second straight win Friday and have now won seven of their last 10 contests.Once tied with the Washington Capitals for the best record in the league, Dallas has ceded first place in the Central Division to the Chicago Blackhawks, who defeated the Toronto Maple Leafs on Friday night for their 10th straight win.Anaheim has been near the basement in the standings until its recent surge, but Friday's win moved the Ducks to within two points of the Colorado Avalanche for the second wild-card playoff spot in the Western Conference.Hampus Lindholm's power-play goal held up as the winner Friday, and Corey Perry scored his 17th of the season as Anaheim scored four times in a span of 12:32 in the opening frame.Perry has seven goals in his last 11 games.Stars forward Mattias Janmark deprived Ducks goaltender Frederik Andersen of the shutout with a second-period marker and Jamie Benn got the Stars within two on the power play in the third period.The Ducks host the Los Angeles Kings on Sunday, then wrap up their eight-game homestand against the Minnesota Wild on Wednesday before heading out on a three-game road swing.Dallas travels to San Jose for a Saturday night clash with the Sharks.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Vladislav Namestnikov picked an opportune time to notch a milestone.The Tampa Bay Lightning forward scored the overtime winner to defeat the Pittsburgh Penguins 5-4 on Friday night, and in doing so, he earned the first hat trick of his NHL career.Namestnikov told reporters it was his first hat trick since he was in junior with the OHL's London Knights, according to Joe Smith of the Tampa Bay Times.

Anton Stralman did his best impression of a forward Friday night, scoring a terrific goal against the Pittsburgh Penguins.The Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman spun to his backhand and roofed one over goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury to tie the game late in the third period:(Courtesy: NHL.com)Vladislav Namestnikov capped off his first career hat trick with the overtime winner.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Bo Horvat pounded his second goal of the game past goaltender Cam Ward to help the Vancouver Canucks spoil the Carolina Hurricanes' pursuit of five straight wins with a 3-2 overtime victory Friday.Related - VIDEO: Canucks' Horvat extends points streak with bar-down snipeHorvat one-timed a rocket past Ward to pick up his eighth goal of the season, giving him six goals and nine points in his last six games.The loss halted the Hurricanes' current win streak at four games, but the point helped the club move into a tie with the Tampa Bay Lightning for the final wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference.The Canucks, meanwhile, moved to within a point of the final wild-card spot in the West, improving to 4-2-1 in their past seven games.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Patrick Kane recorded his first regular-season hat trick as the Chicago Blackhawks extended their winning streak to 10 games by stomping the Toronto Maple Leafs 4-1 on Friday.The Blackhawks sniper entered the game having recorded two previous hat tricks in his career, both coming in the postseason.Kane and linemate Artemi Panarin combined for seven points, while defenseman Brent Seabrook picked up two helpers of his own to push the Maple Leafs' losing streak to four games.Blackhawks goaltender Scott Darling was nearly perfect, turning away 28 of 29 shots to pick up his fifth win of the season.With his three goals, Kane now moves two goals ahead of Washington Capitals forward Alex Ovechkin for top spot in the league with his 28th of the season.