Washington Capitals defenseman John Carlson could return to the lineup this week, head coach Barry Trotz said Monday, according to CSN's Chuck Gormley.Carlson's out with an undisclosed injury, and could suit up on the Capitals' road trip, which stops in Boston on Tuesday, Brooklyn on Thursday, and Manhattan on Saturday.The 25-year-old got off to a scorching start after a career season in 2014-15. His 27 points (six goals, 21 assists) in only 34 games rank him sixth among defensemen in scoring. He plays a lot, too, almost 25 minutes a game.Carlson's teammate Brooks Orpik, out since Nov. 10, is also joining the club on the trip, although he'll likely only be providing moral support.

Los Angeles Kings goalie Jonathan Quick, Arizona Coyotes forward Shane Doan, and Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Kris Letang were named the NHL's three stars of the week Monday.Quick was nothing short of exceptional last week, going 4-0-0 with a 1.00 GAA and .968 save percentage, leading the Kings to a five-game win streak.Doan opened the week with the second hat trick of his career, and led the NHL with five goals in three games while making Coyotes history in the process.

Patrick Roy would like to see Jarome Iginla's 600th goal arrive naturally.The Colorado Avalanche coach criticized his team for deferring far too often to Iginla, whose now pressing to reach the milestone plateau having been held off the scoresheet for three games now."I guess we focused more in seeing (Iginla score) that 600th instead of playing our game," Roy said after Saturday's 4-0 loss to the Calgary Flames, according to Mike Chambers of the Denver Post."We had a few good chances and we tried to pass the puck to him instead of bringing it to the net. For example, (Alex) Tanguay is all alone in front of the net and he's trying a little (pass) to (Iginla)."Intentional or not, it's natural for Iginla's teammates to seek him out, especially in Saturday's clash versus Calgary - his organization for 16 seasons.But like Roy, Iginla doesn't want that special treatment."It's not like there's one game left in the year and we've already made the playoffs," he said. "We've talked about it. It's not (about) looking for me. Play normal and if anything, you can use me as a decoy. There's a lot of time to get (600)."Iginla's next chance - likely on fewer looks - will come Monday versus the Los Angeles Kings.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Florida Panthers will be without center Dave Bolland for the foreseeable future.Head coach Gerard Gallant said Bolland isn't traveling with the team and isn't expected back on the ice until after the All-Star break, according to the Miami Herald's George Richards.The All-Star break begins Jan. 28, with teams returning to action on Feb. 2.Bolland officially has an upper-body injury and hasn't played since Dec. 12. He has a goal and four assists in 25 games, playing 14 minutes a night.While the Panthers - winners of eight straight - are certainly enjoying life in first place in the Atlantic Division, their success has overshadowed Bolland's atrocious contract. He's the highest-paid forward on the team, at a salary and cap hit of $5.5 million, signed through 2018-19.General manager Dale Tallon has done a remarkable job turning the Panthers around, and was rewarded with a contract extension over the weekend, but the Bolland contract was a mistake. You can't win 'em all.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

For the second consecutive year, the Winter Classic produced its lowest ratings and viewership since its inception in 2008.The New Year's day tilt between the Montreal Canadiens and Boston Bruins drew a 1.6 rating and 2.8 million viewers on NBC, establishing an all-time low originally set in last year's game.The event was down 16 percent in ratings and 20 percent in viewership from a year ago when the Washington Capitals defeated the Chicago Blackhawks.It was just the second time a Canadian team has been featured in the Winter Classic, and viewership North of the boarder does not count towards American television ratings. Tougher college football competition and a lopsided game itself also played a role in the final numbers.Although the event saw lower than expected totals, it still drew over two times the average viewers for NBC's usual regular season games.The Capitals and Pittsburgh Penguins produced the highest viewership in Winter Classic history with 4.5-million viewers in 2011.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The New Jersey Devils remain without their leading scorer.Mike Cammalleri, lighting it up with 14 goals and 21 assists in 38 games, won't play Monday against the Detroit Red Wings, head coach John Hynes announced, according to The Record's Tom Gulitti. The forward remains day to day with an upper-body injury and will visit a doctor, Hynes added.The Devils have won three in a row, but remain offensively challenged, their 2.3 goals per game ranking 27th in the NHL.Cammalleri's 35 points place him 13th in league scoring, and New Jersey's in a world of trouble if he's out for an extended period.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

On the Fly, theScore's NHL roundtable series, continues in 2016. Below, we identify four young players who will have a memorable 12 months, and beyond.Connor McDavidJustin Cuthbert: This is most certainly a cop out, but you'd imagine Connor McDavid would be primed to break out over the next 12 months.The Edmonton Oilers mega prospect, who's missed the last two months with a broken clavicle, wasn't just providing indication that he was the game's next great star in the season's first month, but was already prepared to hoist his plodding organization.After a heedful start, McDavid accelerated past a point-per-game scoring pace with 11 points over a seven-game stretch in late October, while helping to derive never-seen-before contributions from Nail Yakupov and Benoit Pouliot. This was before he was erased into the end boards by a pair of Philadelphia Flyers defensemen.The Oilers have slipped back to last place in the West in No. 97's absence, losing seven of their final eight games in December, but they're only five points out of second place with McDavid - who'll turn 19 on Jan. 13 - back at practice.He'll have the platform to do something special, if his teammates can hold on a little longer.Aleksander BarkovCraig Hagerman: Though Aleksander Barkov hasn't been a bust since joining the Florida Panthers in 2013-14, we've yet to see his full potential.Barkov has proved that he can play a responsible two-way game and be relied upon to play in any situation. However, while playing alongside Jonathan Huberdeau and Jaromir Jagr and this season, his offensive game has taken flight. The 20-year-old has 11 goals and 23 points in 29 games, which puts him first on the Panthers with 0.79 points per game. Last season, Barkov finished with 10 points in his final 10 games. As we begin the new year, the Finnish forward has 10 points in his last 10 games.

David Pastrnak will settle back into the Boston Bruins' locker room early this week, but that doesn't necessarily mean he'll be in the lineup Tuesday versus the Washington Capitals.Pastrnak suffered an injury to his finger while on conditioning loan with his native Czech Republic at the World Junior Hockey Championship.He'll need to have the injury evaluated by the Bruins' medical staff, but it isn't expected to be a major setback, Bruins coach Claude Julien said, according to Stephen Harris of the Boston Herald.Pastrnak hasn't appeared in an NHL game since breaking his foot on Halloween.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Columbus Blue Jackets placed goaltender Curtis McElhinney on injured reserve Monday due to a sprained ankle.McElhinney sustained the injury during Saturday's 5-4 shootout win over the Washington Capitals. He's out indefinitely.The 32-year-old is 2-6-2 with a 3.33 GAA and .888 save percentage this season.With Sergei Bobrovsky still sidelined due to a groin injury, the Blue Jackets will turn to a goaltending tandem of Anton Forsberg and Joonas Korpisalo. The duo have just 11 combined games of NHL experience.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Remember Evgeni Malkin's spinning golazo? Sure you do.Well, Windsor Spitfires forward Hayden McCool - perhaps inspired by the Malkin spin - has provided a wonderful variation and candidate for goal of the year in the Ontario Hockey League.

Vancouver Canucks forward Jake Virtanen looks to be putting the World Junior Hockey Championship behind him.Related: Canucks teammates come to Virtanen's defense after WJHCNearly 48 hours after he and his team Canada teammates were dealt a heartbreaking loss to the hands of Finland, Virtanen took to Twitter seemingly proving he is not going to let the harsh words that have come his way get to him.

This is simply pure gold.Jaromir Jagr opened the scoring with a nice backhand tally Sunday, causing the Florida Panthers' Spanish radio broadcaster to absolutely lose it.Jagr added another "golazo" in the contest to lead the first place Panthers to a 2-1 victory over the Minnesota Wild for their ninth win in a row.The 43-year-old ageless wonder now has 28 points in 36 games this season.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The offensive woes continued for the Ottawa Senators on Sunday as they were held scoreless for a second consecutive game, losing to the Chicago Blackhawks 3-0.

A pair of minor leaguers were swapped in a trade announced Sunday, as the Chicago Blackhawks acquired forward Richard Panik from the Toronto Maple Leafs in exchange for forward Jeremy Morin.

Recently named All-Star captain Jaromir Jagr had yet another incredible performance on Sunday. This time, it came against a Minnesota Wild team whose head coach is younger than he is.Jagr opened the scoring 27 seconds into the first period and recaptured the lead for his team in the third by cutting into the slot and firing a wrister by Wild goalie Devan Dubnyk, which would prove to be the game-winner in a 2-1 victory.(Courtesy: NHL.com)With the goal, the 43-year-old winger reclaimed the team lead in goals with 13, much to the ire of 42-year-old opposing head coach, Mike Yeo.The win extended the Panthers' incredible winning streak to nine games. After the game, much to many fans' delight, Jagr confirmed - not so enthusiastically - that he will be attending All-Star festivities in Nashville."I asked the fans don't vote for me, and they didn't listen," Jagr said. "I think they don't like me much, so they want me dead."

Cal Clutterbuck looked like his night may have been over after a dangerous second-period hit, but the New York Islanders forward came back to score two goals to help lead his team past the NHL-best Dallas Stars by a score of 6-5 in Brooklyn.

It's been a difficult season for Valeri Nichushkin, but a night off Saturday to recover from a lower-body injury looks like it's revitalized the Dallas Stars forward for Sunday's game against the New York Islanders.Entering the night with just four goals and 13 points in 37 games, Nichushkin stole the puck from Travis Hamonic in his own end and skated all the way down the ice before scoring on goalie Thomas Greiss in the third period. It was his first goal since Dec. 8.Nine minutes later, Nichushkin chipped away at the Islanders' lead once again by sniping a power-play goal to make the score 6-4.(Videos courtesy: NHL.com)The performance marked the first multi-goal game of the 20-year-old Russian's career. If he produces like this with regularity, the Stars will only continue to get scarier as the season winds down.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Allan Walsh - the agent of Tampa Bay Lightning forward Jonathan Drouin - shook up the hockey world Sunday by admitting he requested his client be traded back in November.Related: Agent for Lightning's Drouin admits to November trade requestThe news came just one day after the 20-year-old was assigned to the AHL, and later Sunday, general manager Steve Yzerman released a statement regarding the situation with the 2013 third overall pick:"We acknowledge, via communication from his agent, Jonathan Drouin's request to be traded. Moving forward, my sole intention is to act in the best interest of the Tampa Bay Lightning hockey club."Yzerman goes on to say that Drouin is expected to report to practice with his AHL teammates Tuesday morning. The forward is not in the Syracuse Crunch lineup for Sunday's game against the Toronto Marlies.

Dallas Stars defenseman Jason Demers received a five-minute major for boarding and a game misconduct Sunday for a hit on New York Islanders forward Cal Clutterbuck, but Stars coach Lindy Ruff believes the wrong man was penalized."I think the guy that got hit has a history of diving," Ruff said of Clutterbuck. "I don't think (Demers) elbowed him, I don't think he did anything really. And he didn't seem hurt, but he sold a pretty good one to us. Maybe he deserved a minor penalty. That's my take on it."On said play, Clutterbuck slipped and fell to his knees along the side boards seconds before Demers drove his head into the glass, forcing the right winger to leave the game briefly in apparent discomfort.

Columbus Blue Jackets 2013 first-round pick Kerby Rychel asked for a trade before the season began, The Columbus Dispatch's Aaron Portzline reports.Selected 19th overall, Rychel's played 16 games over the past two seasons for the Blue Jackets, and is still searching for his first NHL goal. He had three assists in five games last season, and has three assists in 11 games in 2015-16.According to Portzline, Rychel's agent and his father met with the Blue Jackets at development camp this fall to ask why Rychel was so low on Columbus' depth chart. It's assumed that's when the trade request was made. However, the Blue Jackets aren't interested in trading the 21-year-old, Portzline adds.Rychel's spent most of this season with the American Hockey League's Lake Erie Monsters, where he has five goals and 12 assists in 19 games, along with 43 penalty minutesPortzline lists a number of teams reportedly interested in acquiring the son of former NHLer Warren Rychel:

St. Louis Blues forward Jaden Schwartz skated Sunday for the first time since fracturing his ankle in October, but he is not expected to return to the lineup until after the NHL's All-Star Weekend, taking place from Jan. 30-31, Tom Timmermann of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.The 23-year-old was originally projected to miss at least 12 weeks with the injury, though the recent update means he will actually miss up to 14 weeks. He was injured after falling into a goalpost during practice.Schwartz recorded four assists in seven games prior to the injury.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Tampa Bay Lightning forward Jonathan Drouin may soon get his wish to leave the sunny confines of Florida.The 2013 third overall pick has struggled to prove himself to the club that drafted him. After receiving minimal ice time from head Jon Cooper, followed by a demotion to the AHL, things finally boiled over Sunday when Drouin's agent, Allan Walsh, broke his silence and released a statement that revealed a November trade requested on behalf of the young winger.That said, here are three potential landing spots for Drouin:Ottawa Senators The Senators sit just two points behind the East's final wild-card spot and could benefit from added skill on the left side.The club boasts a steady attack with a 2.84 goals-for per game, good enough for sixth in the NHL. However, next to Mike Hoffman, the team lacks a skilled winger who can play the left side.The club has plugged Zack Smith on the top trio with Kyle Turris and Mark Stone, and yet Smith has just 10 points in 37 games.Veteran Milan Michalek remains out with a fractured finger, but even when healthy, he only managed five goals and eight points in 24 games. Drouin could be a good fit for the club, and with the potential for an increased role, the Senators could be a good fit for him as well.Arizona CoyotesSimilar to the Senators, the Coyotes lack depth at left wing. Next to rookie sensation Max Domi, the club doesn't boast a left side scoring threat (and no, Pacific Division All-Star captain John Scott doesn't fit this mold).Drouin may have added value in that he has experience playing center. The Coyotes top two centermen are Antoine Vermette and Brad Richardson, neither of whom scream elite. Drouin would certainly be an upgrade.What helps both sides in a potential swap is the Coyotes have an abundance of riches that could be used to seal a deal. The club holds the rights to highly touted prospects Dylan Strome, Christian Dvorak, Conor Garland, Brendan Perlini, and Ryan Macinnis, among others, so if the ask in return is young talent - the Coyotes have the necessary pieces.Colorado AvalancheWhat makes Drouin so desirable is his obvious skill, which was front and center in his time with the QMJHL's Halifax Mooseheads.During the 2012-13 season, the Mooseheads had a ridiculous 58-6-4 record, en route to a President's Cup and Memorial Cup, thanks in large part to Drouin and linemate Nathan MacKinnon.The pair combined for 180 regular-season points and another 68 in the playoffs. The Avalanche could be the perfect home for Drouin as it would reunite the dynamic duo, while slotting Drouin in behind Gabriel Landeskog, among the club's left wingers.Drouin has failed to gel with anyone in his time with the Lightning, but in Colorado he could be coupled with a talented center with whom he's had prior success.The Avalanche don't have any budding left wingers in the pipeline, so an upgrade will likely need to be acquired rather than developed.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Vancouver Canucks forward Jake Virtanen had a rough go at the World Junior Hockey Championships.Expected to be a difference maker for Canada, Virtanen was just that, but in the worst way. His two minor penalties in the final minutes of Saturday's quarterfinal match allowed Finland to score the game-winning goal, ending Canada's tournament.Virtanen is set to return to the Canucks, and though he continues to be blamed for Canada's loss, his Canucks' teammates have come to the youngster's aid with words of encouragement."It's not all rainbows and butterflies, you win and lose. But people blaming Jake is crazy. It's a team game," Alex Burrows said. "This adversity that will make him better. He worked hard, tried his best and one penalty doesn't change that."Related: PHOTO: Vancouver newspaper rips Virtanen after Canada's WJHC ousterNo one knows what Virtanen might be feeling better than Bo Horvat, who had to stomach a bronze medal game loss to Russia as a member of Team Canada in 2014."At that age, on that stage, you feel like you let your country down." Horvat said Horvat. "Jake's a strong kid mentally and he'll bounce back."Meanwhile, head coach Willie Desjardins doesn't feel Virtanen is to blame for the loss, and is excited to have the 19-year-old back in the lineup."The Canadian fans are so passionate, they take losing hard, as the players do. Jake wasn't why we lost the tourny," Desjardins said. "We want Jake back. He's a big, strong player, his game is better suited for the pros. We're excited to see him."Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

More good news for the Atlantic Division-leading Florida Panthers: Nick Bjugstad is back.The club activated the 23-year-old center Sunday, and he should be in the lineup when the Panthers put their eight-game winning streak on the line against the Minnesota Wild.Bjugstad has seven goals and five assists, but missed all of December with an upper-body injury.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Mark Scheifele is set to return to the Winnipeg Jets lineup.The 22-year-old was activated from injured reserve Sunday ahead of a matchup with the Anaheim Ducks. Scheifele has missed the last three games while nursing a concussion.In wake of Scheifele's return, the club assigned forward Matt Halischuck to the AHL's Manitoba Moose.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

You can forgive Tampa Bay Lightning general manager Steve Yzerman if he has a headache.With this team three points out of a playoff spot in the Atlantic Division, and two points out of a wild-card spot, Yzerman's got his hands full. His club's been ravaged by injury, it can't score after leading the NHL in goals last season, Steven Stamkos appears destined for unrestricted free agency, and yet another fire broke out Sunday: Jonathan Drouin's agent went public with a trade request he made on behalf of his client in November, one day after Drouin was sent to the American Hockey League.So, what now?Stick to the plan, if Yzerman is to be believed."We have a reason for (sending Drouin to the minors), and I believe in the reasons for doing it," Yzerman said, according to the Tampa Bay Times' Joe Smith. "Jonathan expressed to me he understands the reasons for it. So again, we want our players to succeed, and we want them to play well and put them in (the) best position to succeed. And I believe this helps that."No panicYzerman's not going to panic. He's calm, cool, and collected under pressure. He proved that in his playing days, and as a GM whose team went to the Stanley Cup Final. He's known about Drouin's trade request since November, and could have dealt the 20-year-old to help offset the club's injury troubles.Yzerman's not going to trade Drouin for the sake of trading him, or because Drouin wants out. Yzerman's going to do what's best for the Lightning. But his job became a lot more difficult Sunday morning.Tied to CooperDrouin played 70 games last season, his rookie year, scoring four goals and adding 28 assists. He averaged 13:14 in ice time, and watched most of the Lightning's playoff run from the press box. Head coach Jon Cooper doesn't trust him. Yet.This season, Drouin has two goals and six assists in 19 games, averaging 14:07 a night. He's been a part Tampa's injury parade, playing only four games in November and five in December. His inability to stay healthy was one of the reasons Yzerman cited in discussing his demotion - he wants Drouin healthy and playing in the minors before Tampa Bay.Drouin's ice time yo-yo'd under Cooper last season. He played 16, 20, and 19 minutes in games two, three, and four of his career, before dropping to 12 and 10 minutes in games five and six. He played 20 minutes one night in December 2014, before playing four games under 10 minutes in March 2015. He played over 10 minutes in only two of the six playoff games he dressed in. It was all over the place.But Cooper's the man in Tampa Bay behind the bench - Yzerman signed him to a multi-year extension in early December. If Yzerman believes no player is bigger than the coach, Drouin's done in Tampa Bay. Period. If Stamkos, rumored to not see eye-to-eye with Cooper, isn't bigger than the coach, there's certainly no way Drouin is.But if Cooper's one of the reasons why Stamkos leaves in free agency, and one of the reasons why Drouin wants out, Yzerman's going to eventually have to ask himself some more tough questions, despite Cooper's Jack Adams Award, and last year's Stanley Cup Final berth.Earning his keepYzerman's about to earn his salary.Stamkos is playing out his contract. The list of pending restricted free agents is long, and includes leading scorer Nikita Kucherov, J.T. Brown, Cedric Paquette, and Vladislav Namestnikov. There's more: Tyler Johnson and Ondrej Palat will be restricted free agents in July 2017, while Ben Bishop and Victor Hedman are slated for unrestricted free agency at that time.The Lightning are facing multiple forks in the road, and the route Yzerman takes will shape the franchise for the next decade.Drouin's still got a year left on his entry-level deal, and based on his production, his next contract won't cost much. If playing time's an issue this year, depending on what happens this coming offseason, it may not be next year.If Stamkos leaves, or if he's traded, a possibility Yzerman must entertain as he chases a playoff spot, the Lightning become Drouin's team. The talented forward had to have been considered the insurance policy in case Stamkos bolted.Well, it's clear Drouin doesn't want to help. And Yzerman now has to look at the return the New York Islanders got for Nino Niederreiter, and the Arizona Coyotes got for Kyle Turris. Those are the comparables.Yzerman's got myriad brutal decisions to make in the coming months. We learned about yet another one Sunday, one that's probably the second-most important after Stamkos' future in Florida.It's going to be a fascinating few months in Tampa Bay.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

It's a new year, and that usually entails making resolutions.For some NHL players, that might include hitting a career mark or staying healthy, while others may attempt to recapture their onetime greatness.It's not uncommon for players to underperform expectations in their organizations or to simply have the luster wear off. Luckily, on many occasions, a fresh start elsewhere can prove to be all the difference in rekindling that spark.Here are three players who could use a change of scenery:Jonathan Drouin After an absolutely electric junior career with the QMJHL's Halifax Mooseheads, Drouin has been unable to replicate greatness at the NHL level.The 20-year-old has put up just 40 points in 89 NHL games as the Tampa Bay Lightning wait for Drouin to dazzle like he did as a teenager.The Lightning assigned Drouin to the AHL's Syracuse Crunch on Saturday, which may have been the last straw for the young winger. On Sunday, Drouin's agent announced he requested a trade - back in November.Drouin is in need of a new home where he can start over with ample opportunity to succeed. He leads the Lightning with 1.66 points per 60 minutes at 5-on-5, yet has only averaged 14:06 of ice time this year. Given a chance, he can produce.With one year remaining on Drouin's contract before he becomes a restricted free agent, it would be best for the Lightning to trade him before they have to contend with his deal along with contracts for Tyler Johnson, Ondrej Palat, and Victor Hedman in summer 2017.Justin SchultzSchultz entered the NHL as a highly sought-after minor-league free agent. He inked a deal with the Edmonton Oilers followed by an impressive 2012-13 rookie season, collecting eight goals and 27 points in 48 games, but his numbers have declined since.This season, Schultz is on pace for a mere 10 points, having mustered just one goal and three assists through 26 games.His defense has been porous in Edmonton, thanks in large part to a lack of guidance and a thin nucleus on the back end.Schultz would benefit greatly from a team with a solid blue line and a system where he could improve his defensive game, while also getting back to being the productive puck-mover he's shown he can be.Ryan JohansenThis season has been a tire fire for the Columbus Blue Jackets.After a record-setting poor start to the campaign saw head coach Todd Richards replaced with John Tortorella, the team continued down a mediocre path in a season they were expected to show growth.The Blue Jackets' biggest issue has been the play - or lack thereof - from forward Johansen. Following a career year, Johansen limped out of the gate with just six goals in 37 games.He's served as a healthy scratch under his new head coach, with obvious signs of tension between Johansen and Tortorella. He's still only 23 years old, though, so his value remains significant.Like the two aforementioned players, it would be in the best interests of both parties to move Johansen. He can still be a dominant NHL player, but doing so under Tortorella is seeming less and less likely.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

They take their hockey very seriously in Canada. It doesn't matter if you're a teenager - if you don't play up to par, you're going to hear about it.And many weren't happy with Canadian and Vancouver Canucks forward Jake Virtanen's performance at the World Junior Hockey Championship after Canada was eliminated in the quarterfinals by Finland, as evidenced by the front page of the Vancouver Province's sports section:

The Chicago Blackhawks loaned defenseman David Rundblad to the Zurich Lions of the Swiss League, the club announced Sunday.Rundblad appeared in nine games this season, posting two assists while averaging 14:22 in ice time.The 25-year-old was a first-round pick, 17th overall, of the St. Louis Blues in 2009, and has four goals and 21 assists in 113 career regular-season games with Chicago, the Ottawa Senators, and Arizona Coyotes.Rundblad signed a two-year, $2.1-million contract extension last summer, and Chicago will reportedly be charged $100,000 against the salary cap for the loan.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

All is not well in Tampa Bay.A day after the Lightning sent forward Jonathan Drouin to the AHL's Syracuse Crunch, Drouin's agent, Allan Walsh, took to Twitter to break the silence about his client, admitting he requested a trade in November:

The Montreal Canadiens confirmed Sunday they will be without forward Dale Weise for 2-3 weeks.Weise is dealing with an upper-body injury suffered in Friday's Winter Classic against the Boston Bruins.TVA's Renaud Lavoie reported Saturday that Weise would be out of the lineup for 5-10 games with an arm injury.The 27-year-old has 11 goals and 20 points in 40 games.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.Maple Leafs F Tyler Bozak, 9 G, 16 A, +3, 56 SOGOwned in 21 percent of Yahoo LeaguesIt's understandable not to consider Bozak an elite No. 1 center, but to not consider him for your Fantasy team would be foolish.The Toronto Maple Leafs forward sits third in team scoring, three points behind leader James van Riemsdyk while playing in four fewer games. Bozak is on pace to exceed his previous career high of 49 points by nine points.What should pique the interest of Fantasy owners looking for some offensive help, though, is the 29-year-old has been on a tear of late, with 11 points in his last 11 games, only going pointless in three of those contests.Bozak collected his second hat trick of 2015 on Dec. 21, and last week was named the league's third star. Available in nearly 80 percent of leagues, he's at least worth some consideration.Coyotes F Shane Doan, 13 G, 6 A, -3, 71 SOGOwned in 14 percent of Yahoo LeaguesAge is just a number, right?At 39 years old, Arizona Coyotes forward Doan is proving he can still put up numbers in a league dominated by youth.Doan has just 13 goals through 29 games, and though that number isn't earth-shattering by any stretch, what is impressive - and why Fantasy owners should consider him - is that more than half his goals have come in the last six games.The Coyotes captain has found the back of the net seven times in his last six games, including a Dec. 29 hat trick against the Chicago Blackhawks, and a two-goal outing the following game against the Winnipeg Jets that made him the highest scoring player in franchise history.At his age, Doan continues to play big minutes, hitting a season high 23:07 Saturday against the Edmonton Oilers. Doan's time in the NHL is nearing the end, but he's not done producing just yet.Coyotes G Louis Domingue, 3-2-2, 2.57 GAA, .923 SV%, 1 SOOwned in 11 percent of Yahoo LeaguesWhile Doan has been helping to produce offensively for the Coyotes, at the other end of the ice rookie goaltender Domingue has been doing a superb job of keeping pucks out of the net.Since his Dec. 17 NHL debut, the 23-year-old has only missed one of the Coyotes seven games. In that time, he's fared quite well, giving up two goals or less in four of the appearances.In three contests, he's has been called upon to make 37 saves or more, collecting wins in each game.With No. 1 goalie Mike Smith expected to miss at least another six to eight weeks with a core muscle injury, the opportunity is there for Domingue to grab the starter's spot and run with it. For those in a deep league in need of help between the pipes, Domingue could be a viable option.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

William Nylander's World Junior Hockey Championship is over.The Swedish forward and Toronto Maple Leafs prospect was ruled out for Monday's semifinal vs. Finland as well as Sweden's medal game Tuesday. He'll return to Toronto immediately, according to the International Ice Hockey Federation.Nylander was clocked at center ice in Sweden's tournament opener on Dec. 26 by Switzerland's Chris Egli. He left the game, didn't return, and hasn't played since after suffering what most believe was a concussion. The IIHF said he suffered a head injury.Sweden's faring well without Nylander, as it is yet to lose a game at the WJHC and walked all over Slovakia in the quarters, 6-0.The 19-year-old is the future of the Maple Leafs, and remains second in the American Hockey League in scoring with 35 points in 27 games, despite heading overseas to Finland for the tournament.Maple Leafs general manager Lou Lamoriello had the following to say about Nylander, according to TSN's Mark Masters:

Jiri Hudler left Saturday's game against the Colorado Avalanche with a lower-body issue and won't return for precautionary reasons, the Calgary Flames announced.The forward, who ranks third on the Flames in scoring, saw only 5:26 of ice time before he was forced to call it a night.Hudler has recorded five goals and 15 assists in 34 games, while averaging over 17 minutes a night.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Dougie Hamilton may still be finding his feet with his new club.The Calgary Flames defenseman toppled into his own bench during Saturday's game against the Colorado Avalanche, nearly giving his teammates a close shave in the process.Upside Down Dougie.Hamilton scored his seventh goal of the season earlier in the game.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Columbus Blue Jackets goalie Curtis McElhinney left Saturday's game against the Washington Capitals with an apparent lower-body injury and won't be available for the team's next game against the Minnesota Wild on Tuesday, head coach John Tortorella announced.McElhinney was forced to leave the game after falling awkwardly less than a minute into overtime.

The New Jersey Devils will be without their leading scorer for an undetermined period of time.Mike Cammalleri, who was a late scratch for Saturday's 3-2 win over the Dallas Stars, has been listed as day to day with an upper-body injury, according to head coach John Hynes.Cammalleri recorded 14 goals and 21 assists in 38 games prior to suffering the injury. He scored twice in New Jersey's previous game against Ottawa on Dec. 30.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

For Ryan Callahan, hard work really does pay off.The Tampa Bay Lightning winger dropped a deadly move on Minnesota Wild goaltender Devan Dubnyk to give his team a 3-2 shootout win.

Columbus Blue Jackets goalie Anton Forsberg picked up the first win of his NHL career after stopping two of three of the Washington Capitals' shots in the shootout to clinch a 5-4 victory.

Life is good for the Florida Panthers.Coming off their best month in franchise history, and playing hours after contract extensions were given to both general manager Dale Tallon and head coach Gerard Gallant, the Panthers kicked off 2016 by shutting out the New York Rangers 3-0 in front of a huge and exuberant audience at the BB&T Center.

Mattias Ekholm had a night to remember against the Carolina Hurricanes on Saturday.The Nashville Predators defenseman recorded the first multi-goal game of his career, which included the game-winner in overtime to lead his team to a 2-1 victory in Raleigh.(Courtesy: NHL.com)Predators goaltender Pekka Rinne made 27 saves in the win.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

An injury to Johnny Boychuk is believed to have placed Travis Hamonic's trade request on the back burner.While the full extent of Boychuk's upper-body isn't yet known, the New York Islanders are set to rely heavily on Hamonic to lock things down on the right side in his absence. This means the 25-year-old's preseason request to be moved closer to home - made public in November - appears unlikely to be met until season's end.So far, there hasn't been movement on a possible deal for Hamonic, according to sources of Newsday's Arthur Staple.Staple reports that if there are no offers that blow away GM Garth Snow between now and the trade deadline on Feb. 29, the "real time frame for a Hamonic trade starts in June."From Hamonic's point of view, it's business as usual."I haven't really thought about it, to be honest with you," the defenseman told Staple on Saturday. "I know that's going to be hard for people to believe, but it's the truth. I'm an Islander and I'm proud to be an Islander. It's a big loss to not have Johnny out there but it doesn't change anything for me personally."Hamonic averaged over 24 minutes in each of the past four contests heading into Saturday's matchup with Pittsburgh.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

If Sidney Crosby continues to play at this pace, the Pittsburgh Penguins could have big things in store for 2016.

The Florida Panthers are looking to make it hat trick of contract extensions.After rewarding both general manager Dale Tallon and head coach Gerard Gallant with additional years on their deals, the club's next target appears to be young center Aleksander Barkov, according to Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet.Related: Panthers GM Tallon 'proud' to continue working with coach Gallant"(The Panthers) have begun talks on an extension for him, and we're not talking bridge," Friedman reported during the "Headline" segment of "Hockey Night in Canada" on Saturday. "We're talking long term, probably six-to-eight years."Barkov is in the final year of his entry-level contract, and is proving to be the kind of player the Panthers envisioned he would develop into when they selected him second overall in 2013.A positive possession player who's effective at both ends of the ice, the 20-year-old recorded 11 goals and 12 assists in 27 games heading into Saturday's action.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

A long blink may have prevented anyone watching the St. Louis Blues-Toronto Maple Leafs game Saturday from seeing a pair of goals at the Air Canada Centre.Both teams couldn't find the net until the 28th minute of play when Vladimir Tarasenko wired his 23rd goal of the season past Jonathan Bernier.That marker apparently opened the floodgates as James van Riemsdyk forced a turnover and sniped a quick wrister past Jake Allen to tie the game at one, with just five seconds coming off the clock.(Videos courtesy: NHL.com)Van Riemsdyk now has four goals in his past six games.

The Florida Panthers appear to be in good hands for the for foreseeable future.The club held a press conference Saturday to formally announce extensions for general manager Dale Tallon and head coach Gerard Gallant, both of whom are set to remain on board for the next three seasons.Tallon, for one, could not help but gush over his partnership with his coach."Gerard and I have been together now, this is our second season, and I couldn't be more proud of an affiliation," he said. "I'm very honored to be part of the Florida Panthers, and I want to thank Vinnie Viola and Doug Cifu for not only extending myself but to extend Gerard, so Gerard and I will be concurrent the next three years working side-by-side.

It wasn't even a month ago that Brandon Saad was taking the ice with the Columbus Blue Jackets' fourth line, but he's on fire of late.The winger now has a three-game goal streak and points in seven straight after Alexander Wennberg found him all alone in the slot in front of Washington Capitals goalie Braden Holtby. Saad made no mistake with the deke to put his team up 2-1 on Saturday.(Courtesy: NHL.com)Saad now has 15 goals and 28 points after signing a six-year, $36 million deal in the offseason.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Minnesota Wild forward Zach Parise will play Saturday against the Tampa Bay Lightning after missing one game with a lower-body injury.Parise told reporters Friday that the issue was related to a knee injury that kept him sidelined for three weeks in November.The 31-year-old has 22 points in 27 games this season.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Tampa Bay Lightning will have a key piece back in the lineup for Saturday's game against the Minnesota Wild.Winger Ondrej Palat will make his return after being sidelined since Dec. 12 with an ankle injury, and will skate on a line with Tyler Johnson and Nikita Kucherov in a reunion of "The Triplets."The two-way forward has been limited to 18 games this season, missing 12 games with a leg issue prior to suffering the ankle injury.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Max Domi and Anthony Duclair are at it again.The Arizona Coyotes rookie forwards teamed up for a splendid goal against the Edmonton Oilers on Saturday, with Duclair finishing off a picture-perfect pass from Domi by going roof on Cam Talbot, who barely had time to react.