NHL Rumor Mill – December 18, 2024

by | Dec 18, 2024

NHL Rumor Mill – December 18, 2024

The latest on John Tavares and Ivan Provorov plus updates on the Islanders, Sabres and Canucks in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

WHAT ARE POSSIBLE COMPARABLE CONTRACTS FOR JOHN TAVARES?

TSN: Darren Dreger said there is ongoing dialogue between the Toronto Maple Leafs and John Tavares regarding a contract extension. The 34-year-old center is completing a seven-year deal with an average annual value of $11 million.

Toronto Maple Leafs center John Tavares (NHL Images).

Dreger mentioned the contracts of Los Angeles Kings captain Anze Kopitar (two years, $7 million AAV) and Ottawa Senators forward Claude Giroux (three years, $6.5 million AAV) have been brought up as comparables in those discussions.

The Tavares camp hasn’t brought up Steven Stamkos’ four-year deal ($8 million AAV) with the Nashville Predators. Dreger believes the Leafs center aims to be lower than that if this gets done with the Leafs.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Leafs would prefer something closer to Giroux’s contract. Everything will depend on how high the salary cap is set for next season. Original projections have it rising to $92.5 million but there’s speculation it could reach up to $96 million.

WILL THE ISLANDERS SELL AT THE TRADE DEADLINE?

NEW YORK POST: Ethan Sears believes the Islanders core is running out of time to prevent some of them from hitting the block by the March 7 trade deadline. He feels there’s no point in keeping it intact if they’re going to be a .500 club and be in the mix for an underwhelming wild-card race in the Eastern Conference.

Sears noted this is the fourth straight season that general manager Lou Lamoriello has stubbornly stuck with a roster core that hasn’t won a playoff series since 2021. He doesn’t expect Lamoriello to be a seller if the Isles are in the playoff race, speculating the Isles GM could become a buyer by the deadline.

Nevertheless, Sears believes it would “amount to malpractice” if Lamoriello hung onto aging UFA-eligible forwards Brock Nelson and Kyle Palmieri if the Isles are only going to get bounced from the first round again.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: If the Isles keep sputtering along as they have thus far they’ll make it easy for Lamoriello to become a seller. They’re overdue for a roster shakeup and Nelson and Palmieri could fetch returns that provide for the future.

LATEST ON IVAN PROVOROV

TSN: Pierre LeBrun reports agent Mark Gandler said his client Ivan Provorov would be open to contract extension talks with the Columbus Blue Jackets. The 27-year-old defenseman is due to become an unrestricted free agent next July.

Gandler said Provorov and his family spend a lot of time in Columbus and love it there. LeBrun suggests something that could sway the blueliner is his 16-year-old brother is committed to Ohio State University, though Gandler said that is two separate business decisions.

LeBrun said extension talks between the two sides haven’t started yet but he speculates it could happen sometime in the New Year.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Much will depend on how much of a raise Provorov seeks over his current average annual value of $6.75 million and whether Blue Jackets general manager Don Waddell believes he fits into the club’s long-term plans.

SABRES STILL IN THE TRADE MARKET

TSN: Chris Johnston reports the Buffalo Sabres remain in the trade market despite their owner’s recent meeting with the players to express support for them and clear the air regarding the rumors swirling around the club.

Johnston claims the Sabres have been pretty active in having discussions with other clubs. He said they’re telling teams if they want one of their best players the Sabres want one of theirs back.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Sabres owner Terry Pegula told his players not to expect a big trade. That was before they got spanked 6-1 by the Montreal Canadiens on Tuesday. If they’re not doing a big trade, perhaps a change in management is coming. Stay tuned…

CANUCKS SEEK A DEFENSEMAN AND A WINGER

TSN: Pierre LeBrun reports the Vancouver Canucks remain in the market for a top-four defenseman. They’re also looking to add a winger.

The defenseman is the priority. LeBrun indicates the Canucks haven’t been the same since Filip Hronek was sidelined by a lower-body injury. He underwent a procedure earlier this month and is expected to miss at least eight weeks.

CHEK-TV’s Rick Dhaliwal reported on “X” that Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman clarified his recent remarks suggesting a trade that would see the Canucks ship Elias Pettersson to the Sabres for Dylan Cozens and Bowen Byram.

Friedman said he was merely spitballing but said the two teams have talked. He added that he can see the Canucks having an interest in Cozens and Byram and the Sabres being interested in Pettersson.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Friedman’s spitballing created a buzz on social media among Canucks and Sabres fans. However, the Sabres probably aren’t keen to add a player carrying an $11.6 million AAV, especially one as streaky as Pettersson.

NHL Rumor Mill – March 14, 2024

by | Mar 14, 2024

NHL Rumor Mill – March 14, 2024

The Islanders could face some contract extension questions and the Canadiens could shop for roster depth this summer. Check out the latest in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

ISLANDERS FACE CONTRACT EXTENSION QUESTIONS THIS SUMMER

NEW YORK POST: Ethan Sears reported the next pivot point on the Islanders’ roster construction occurs on July 1 when free agency begins.

New York Islanders forward Brock Nelson (NHL Images).

Brock Nelson will be the biggest question. He has a year remaining on his contract and extension talks can begin on July 1. The 32-year-old forward is an important part of their roster core. Keeping him happy without paying a bloated contract will be a challenge for Islanders management.

Winger Kyle Palmieri is in the same boat as Nelson. Defensemen Noah Dobson and Alexander Romanov also have a year left on their contracts, but they will be restricted free agents with arbitration rights.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: General manager Lou Lamoriello has a well-earned reputation as a tough negotiator. The longer those contract talks go with any of those four, the more speculation there will be over their futures with the Isles.

Given Nelson’s UFA eligibility next summer and his value as a core player, he will draw the most attention in the rumor mill. His name will pop up frequently in media chatter if he lacks a new contract leading up to next year’s trade deadline.

CANADIENS COULD BE BUSY IN THIS SUMMER’S TRADE MARKET

MONTREAL HOCKEY NOW: Marco D’Amico reported the Canadiens added more draft picks leading up to the recent NHL trade deadline. Some of those picks could become trade bait to address their more immediate roster needs.

Following the deadline, Canadiens GM Kent Hughes acknowledged his team has been buyers at the draft and sellers at the trade deadline. “If I see another opportunity again at the draft, we’ll look to continue that path,” he said.

D’Amico noted that Hughes leveraged his excess of defense or draft picks to acquire Kirby Dach and Alex Newhook during the last two drafts. With two first-rounders in 2024 and 2025 and an overwhelming number of promising young defensemen, the Canadiens will likely go shopping again.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: D’Amico pointed out recent speculation linked the Canadiens to Anaheim Ducks forward Trevor Zegras. If the Ducks decide to move him, Hughes could draw on those picks and defense prospects to make a competitive offer.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 7, 2023

by | Oct 7, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 7, 2023

Recaps of Friday’s preseason action, injury updates on the Oilers’ Mattias Ekholm, the Wild’s Jared Spurgeon and the Jets’ Ville Heinola, the latest players on the waiver wire and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

PRESEASON GAMES RECAPS

NHL.COM: New Jersey Devils goaltender Akira Schmid made 30 saves to shut out the New York Islanders 3-0. Max Willman, Kevin Bahl and Simon Nemec were the goal scorers as the Devils went undefeated (7-0-0) in all their preseason games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Islanders winger Kyle Palmieri made his preseason debut in this contest. He’d been sidelined by an undisclosed offseason injury.

Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby (NHL Images).

The Pittsburgh Penguins got two goals by Drew O’Connor and two assists from team captain Sidney Crosby in a 7-4 victory over the Buffalo Sabres. Casey Mittelstadt had a goal and two assists and Devon Levi stopped 28 shots for the Sabres.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Crosby also got into a brief tussle with Sabres forward Peyton Krebs over the latter’s hit on Penguins defenseman Kris Letang, who was unhurt on the play.

Carolina Hurricanes forwards Martin Necas and Teuvo Teravainen each had a goal and an assist as their club beat the Nashville Predators 4-1. Kevin Lankinen made 30 saves for the Predators.

The Edmonton Oilers got a 35-save performance by Jack Campbell in a 3-1 victory over the Seattle Kraken. Evander Kane, Connor McDavid and Zach Hyman scored for the Oilers while Jared McCann replied for the Kraken.

Vancouver Canucks forward Phillip Di Giuseppe had a goal and an assist to lead his club over the Calgary Flames by a score of 3-1. Nazem Kadri replied for the Flames.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: A moment of silence was held before the game to honor the memory of Flames assistant general manager Chris Snow, who died on Sept. 30 from ALS at age 42.

HEADLINES AND OTHER NEWS

STARTRIBUNE.COM: Minnesota Wild captain Jared Spurgeon is sidelined week-to-week with an upper-body injury suffered during Thursday’s game against the Chicago Blackhawks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Wild are turning to veteran blueliner Alex Goligoski as Spurgeon’s replacement.

DAILY FACEOFF: Speaking of the Wild, they’re reportedly closing in on a contract extension for Ryan Hartman. The 29-year-old forward’s new deal is expected to be for three years with an average annual value of $4.1 million.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: That’s a nice raise in pay over the $1.7 million AAV that Hartman is earning on his current contract.

EDMONTON JOURNAL: With Mattias Ekholm questionable to be ready to play in the Oilers’ season opener, some observers are wondering about the seriousness of his lingering hip injury that sidelined him throughout training camp and preseason play.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Ekholm downplayed those concerns, saying he and the club are being extra cautious. Still, the worries are understandable given his value to the Oilers blueline since his acquisition from the Nashville Predators before last season’s trade deadline.

WINNIPEG SUN: Jets defenseman Ville Heinola suffered a fractured ankle in his club’s 3-0 loss to the Ottawa Senators on Thursday. He will be sidelined for between eight to 12 weeks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Heinola had a terrific training camp and played well in preseason action until his injury. It’s a setback not just for his development as an NHL regular but also for the Jets defense corps.

DAILY FACEOFF: Anaheim Ducks forward Leo Carlsson was helped from the ice during practice on Friday as he was unable to put any weight on his right foot. The full extent of the injury has not been revealed. The 18-year-old center was the Ducks first-round pick (second overall) in this year’s draft and was expected to play for them this season.

NHL.COM: Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman John Klingberg is expected to be ready for the club’s season-opener next week after spending the past week sidelined with an upper-body injury.

TORONTO SUN: Speaking of the Leafs, goaltender Ilya Samsonov avoided serious injury in practice on Friday after taking a Calle Jarnkrok slap shot around his shoulder/collarbone area. He left practice but head coach Sheldon Keefe later said that Samsonov was fine.

DAILY FACEOFF: San Jose Sharks forward Oskar Lindblom, Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Caleb Jones and Philadelphia Flyers forward Wade Allison are among the notable names to hit the waiver wire on Friday.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Allison being placed on waivers caught Flyers followers by surprise. Despite his injury history, the 25-year-old winger could draw some interest from clubs seeking depth on their forward lines.

TSN: The Florida Panthers loaned goaltender Spencer Knight to their AHL affiliate in Charlotte. He’s entering the first season of a three-year contract with an AAV of $4.15 million.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Knight is trying to get his NHL career back on track after spending time last season in the NHL-NHLPA player assistance program seeking treatment for obsessive-compulsive disorder. Panthers coach Paul Maurice said sending Knight to the AHL was being done to give him more playing time in a starter’s role as they hope to build on his strong preseason play.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 5, 2023

by | Oct 5, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 5, 2023

Recapping Wednesday’s preseason action, the salary cap is projected to rise significantly in 2024-25, plus some notable injury updates and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

PRESEASON GAMES RECAP

NHL.COM: Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid had a goal and three assists to thump the Calgary Flames 7-2. Connor Brown tallied twice for the Oilers while Dan Vladar made 35 saves for the Flames.

Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before the game, the Flames announced that forward Kevin Rooney suffered what is considered to be a long-term upper-body injury in practice earlier this week.

The Columbus Blue Jackets defeated the Buffalo Sabres 5-3. Jackets rookie Adam Fantilli’s first-ever NHL preseason goal was also the winning goal while teammate Patrik Laine collected his fourth goal of this preseason. Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen stopped 28 shots for the Sabres.

New Jersey Devils forwards Jack Hughes, Nico Hischier and Dawson Mercer each had a goal and an assist in a 5-2 victory over the New York Rangers. Ondrej Palat picked up three assists for the Devils. Adam Fox and Will Cuylle replied for the Rangers.

The Detroit Red Wings nipped the Pittsburgh Penguins 2-1 with James Reimer making 21 saves for the win. Simon Edvinsson and Daniel Sprong scored for the Wings while Xavier Ouellet tallied for the Penguins. Former Wings goalie Alex Nedeljkovic made 22 stops against his former team.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Earlier in the day, the Red Wings announced that they had released forward Artem Anisimov from his professional tryout.

Seattle Kraken winger Eeli Tolvanen scored the winning goal to down the Vancouver Canucks 2-1.

HEADLINES

NHL.COM: League Commissioner Gary Bettman made his preliminary projection for next season’s salary cap following yesterday’s Board of Governors meeting. With revenues up and stable team ownerships, he anticipates the cap could rise to between $87 million and $88 million for 2024-25.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The salary cap is $83.5 million for this season. It has been flattened since the COVID-shortened 2020-21 season because of the players’ $1 billion escrow debt to the owners as a result of the premature end of the 2019-20 season due to the start of the COVID pandemic. Bettman indicated there is $50 million of escrow debt remaining and it is expected to be paid off by the end of this season.

OTTAWA SUN: Senators center Josh Norris suffered another setback in his efforts to return to action from the shoulder surgery that prematurely ended his 2022-23 season. Head coach D.J. Smith remains hopeful that Norris, who’s been practicing with his teammates for the past eight days, will be able to play in the Senators’ final preseason game on Saturday.

Meanwhile, Senators center Shane Pinto remains out of training camp as his agent and Senators general manager Pierre Dorion continue to negotiate a new contract. The two sides have reportedly made progress in recent days. There’s talk around the league that the 22-year-old Pinto could accept a two-year deal with an average annual value of $2.35 million.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Senators now have $1.7 million in cap space after four players, including Jacob Bernard-Docker and Egor Sokolov, cleared waivers yesterday and were sent to their AHL affiliate in Belleville. Nevertheless, they’ll still have to shed more salary to get Pinto under contract and be cap-compliant when their season opens next week.

NEW YORK POST: Winger Kyle Palmieri has rejoined the Islanders after missing the opening weeks of training camp with an undisclosed injury. It’s unclear if he’ll participate in the Isles’ final two preseason games but should be good to go for their season opener next week against the Buffalo Sabres.

THE MERCURY NEWS: San Jose Sharks forward Mikael Granlund returned to practice yesterday after missing a week with an undisclosed injury. He’s expected to be in their lineup for their season opener next week, replacing sidelined captain Logan Couture (lower-body, week-to-week).

TSN: Los Angeles Kings forward Arthur Kaliyev will face a disciplinary hearing for kneeing Anaheim Ducks forward Chase De Leo on Tuesday.

ARIZONA SPORTS: Diamond Sports Group, the bankrupt operator of Bally Sports Arizona, wants out of its contract to broadcast Arizona Coyotes games. They made the request in the Southern Texas Bankruptcy Court on Wednesday. Both sides are awaiting the court’s decision.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Another day, another crisis for the Coyotes. It’s too bad because they actually have a promising roster led by rising star Clayton Keller that could surprise some folks this season. Sadly, few sports fans in Arizona will be able to watch them unless the team can find a new broadcaster.

DAILY FACEOFF: Former NHL coach Kevin Constantine has been suspended indefinitely as head coach of the WHL’s Wenatchee Wild for making derogatory remarks of a discriminatory nature.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – September 28, 2023

by | Sep 28, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – September 28, 2023

The Flames re-sign Mikael Backlund and name him their new captain while dealing with the tragic news about assistant GM Chris Snow, the latest on Patrick Kane, recaps of Wednesday’s preseason action and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

HEADLINES

CALGARY SUN: The Flames signed center Mikael Backlund to a two-year contract extension and named him their captain. The average annual value of his new deal is $4.5 million.

Calgary Flames center Mikael Backlund (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This is a significant move by the Flames. Backlund, 34, was slated to become an unrestricted free agent next July. He was among a handful of players who seemed non-committal about signing contract extensions following a disappointing 2022-23 season for the club. This move could encourage notable pending UFAs such as Elias Lindholm and Noah Hanifin to consider inking new deals with the Flames.

At the same time, the Flames were dealing with the news that assistant general manager Chris Snow became unresponsive and went into cardiac arrest yesterday. His wife Kelsie announced on social media that paramedics were able to get his heart beating again but he suffered a catastrophic brain injury caused by lack of oxygen. He is not expected to regain consciousness.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Snow has been battling ALS since 2019 and survived three years longer than expected after being given a year to live. My sincere condolences to Snow’s family, friends and the Flames organization.

The Flames also announced yesterday that winger Jakob Pelletier will miss the start of the season as he recovers from shoulder surgery. He will be sidelined indefinitely.

TSN: The agency representing Patrick Kane released a video yesterday highlighting his conditioning routine as he recovers from an offseason hip resurfacing procedure.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: A number of teams are reportedly interested in signing Kane once he’s ready to return to action later this season. This video was obviously released as a way to update those clubs on the medical status of their client.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Washington Capitals defenseman Joel Edmundson underwent surgery for a fractured hand suffered during a recent scrimmage. He will be sidelined for four-to-six weeks.

NEW YORK POST: An undisclosed injury has kept Islanders winger Kyle Palmieri sidelined through the first week of training camp. It’s uncertain if he’ll be ready to play when the season begins next month.

THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS: Stars winger Roope Hintz is dealing with an upper-body injury but isn’t expected to be out for long. Meanwhile, young forward Chase Wheatcroft’s training camp is over after suffering a fracture in Tuesday’s game against the Minnesota Wild.

TORONTO SUN: NHL commissioner Gary Bettman hinted the skills competition for the 2024 NHL All-Star Game in Toronto could be toned down.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: In other words, it’ll be less gimmicky compared to recent years. 

PRESEASON RECAP

NHL.COM: Connor McDavid scored in overtime to lift the Edmonton Oilers over the Vancouver Canucks 2-1. Ryan-Nugent Hopkins also scored for the Oilers while Stuart Skinner made 21 saves. Quinn Hughes replied for the Canucks as Casey DeSmith stopped 27 shots.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before the game, the Canucks announced they will induct Roberto Luongo into their Ring of Honour on Dec. 14. The Hall-of-Fame goaltender spent nearly eight seasons with the Canucks from 2006-07 to 2013-14.

The Montreal Canadiens got goals from Juraj Slafkovsky and Cole Caufield to nip the Ottawa Senators 4-3. Caufield finished with a goal and an assist while teammate Nick Suzuki collected two assists.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Canadiens defenseman Mike Matheson was a late scratch with a lower-body injury and is listed as day-to-day. Meanwhile, Senators center Josh Norris is getting closer to returning to action as he shed his yellow no-contact jersey and participated in full drills yesterday.

Max Domi scored his first goal of this preseason as the Toronto Maple Leafs beat the Buffalo Sabres 5-2 at Joe Thornton Community Centre in St. Thomas as part of Kraft Hockeyville.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Leafs pulled defenseman John Klingberg (muscle tightness) during the second period as a precautionary measure. Meanwhile, Leafs forward Dylan Gambrell is sidelined indefinitely after suffering a concussion in practice on Tuesday.

Three consecutive third-period goals lifted the Carolina Hurricanes to a 4-1 victory over the Florida Panthers. It was the first time head coach Rod Brind’Amour had to face his son Skyler in an NHL game.

The New York Islanders took a two-goal lead over the Philadelphia Flyers and held on for a 2-1 victory. Isles goalie Ilya Sorokin made 12 saves before giving way midway through the second period by Kenneth Appleby, who stopped 17 shots.

An overtime goal by Tyler Motte lifted the Tampa Bay Lightning over the Nashville Predators 2-1.

The Los Angeles Kings downed the Vegas Golden Knights 4-3 on an overtime tally by Tyler Madden. Akil Thomas had a hat trick for the Kings.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Prior to the game, the Golden Knights announced that defenseman Zach Whitecloud is out indefinitely as he continues to receive treatment for an injury suffered on Monday against the Colorado Avalanche.

The Anaheim Ducks doubled up the San Jose Sharks 4-2.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It was a costly defeat for the Sharks as winger Filip Zadina and defenseman Radim Simek left the game with injuries.

A shootout goal by Andrew Mangiapane gave the Calgary Flames a 3-2 win over the Winnipeg Jets. Rookie goalie Dustin Wolf made 19 saves for the Flames while Jets netminder Connor Hellebuyck kicked out 18 shots.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Winnipeg Jets forward Cole Perfetti exited this game in the second period after being hit in the head by Flames forward Martin Pospisil, who received a match penalty. The Jets held Perfetti out from the remainder of this game for precautionary reasons but is not in concussion protocol. Meanwhile, Jets winger Nikolaj Ehlers remains sidelined by a neck injury.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 17, 2022

by | Dec 17, 2022

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 17, 2022

The Wild’s Mats Zuccarello sets a franchise record, the league considers expanding its schedule from 82 to 84 games and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Minnesota Wild winger Mats Zuccarello became the oldest player in franchise history to tally a hat trick in a 4-1 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks. The 35-year-old Zuccarello finished the night with four points while linemate Kirill Kaprizov had a goal and two assists for the Wild (17-11-2). Jonathan Toews scored for the Blackhawks (7-18-4), who sit at the bottom of the overall standings with 18 points.

Minnesota Wild winger Mats Zuccarello (NHL Images).

The St. Louis Blues got two goals from Jordan Kyrou to beat the Calgary Flames 5-2. Thomas Greiss kicked out 41 shots as the Blues (15-15-1) picked up their third straight win. Rookie defenseman Connor Mackey scored both goals for the Flames (13-12-6), who’ve won just four of their last 10 games. Flames winger Milan Lucic returned to the lineup after being a healthy scratch in their last three games.

Arizona Coyotes winger Clayton Keller scored twice as his club held off the New York Islanders by a score of 5-4. Nick Schmaltz collected three assists and Jakob Chychrun had two helpers for the 10-14-4 Coyotes. The Islanders drop to 17-13-1 and have lost six of their last eight games. Isles forwards Kyle Palmieri and Anthony Beauvillier returned to the lineup after being sidelined by injuries.

HEADLINES

ESPN.COM: Greg Wyshynski reports sources claim the NHL is considering expanding its schedule from 82 to 84 games to create more regional rivalry matchups. The league has been considering alternatives to its current schedule after some teams complained about an imbalanced number of games against rivals.

Wyshynski observed the New York Rangers played divisional rivals like the New York Islanders and Philadelphia Flyers only three times this season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This is of course to generate more revenue but it’s not the worst idea I’ve heard. The NHL previously played 84-game schedules in 1992-93 and 1993-94. It would be the simplest solution to provide teams with more games against divisional rivals while ensuring every team plays in all 32 arenas.

The fact that long-time rivals like the Rangers and Islanders only face each other three times is ridiculous, especially when both clubs are playoff contenders and each game could have implications for potential postseason placement. On the other hand, the Rangers facing the struggling Flyers more than three times this season might not be as strong a draw.

DETROIT HOCKEY NOW: Jakub Vrana has been reinstated from the NHL/NHLPA Player Assistance Program and has returned to the Red Wings. He was back at practice yesterday as were Dylan Larkin and Filip Hronek, who had suffered injuries earlier in the week.

NHL.COM: Dallas Stars winger Mason Marchment was fined $2,000.00 by the department of player safety for embellishment during a Dec. 8 game against the Ottawa Senators.

SPORTSNET: The Winnipeg Jets recalled defenseman Ville Heinola on an emergency basis and placed blueliner Nate Schmidt on injured reserve.