Dylan Larkin: noted tough guy.
Maybe not, but the Detroit Red Wings youngster took part in his first career fight Friday night, and held his own versus Nashville's Yannick Weber.
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Wayne Gretzky has his eye on a particular Winnipeg Jets forward ahead of Sunday's Heritage Classic.
You guessed it: Patrik Laine.
Just four games into his career, the Finnish phenom has taken the league by storm, showing the offensive prowess that earned him the No. 2 overall selection in June's draft.
"I haven't seen him play live yet. I'm looking forward to that Sunday," Gretzky told The Canadian Press on Friday, after taking the ice with Edmonton's alumni squad.
Related: Gretzky: I thought my scoring records were in trouble during Matthews' debut
Gretzky, the top goal-scorer in NHL history, knows Laine's ability to put pucks in the net will enamor him to fans across the league.
"When you can score goals, people love you," Gretzky said. "And let me tell you, I played with (Luc) Robitaille, I played with Jari (Kurri), I played with Brett Hull. They loved to score.
"And you've got to love to score. I loved to score. And you can tell that kid (Laine) loves to score."
With The Great One watching, Laine could have a tough time topping his most recent performance - his first-career hat-trick, Wednesday versus the Maple Leafs.
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Here are the fantasy repercussions following the news that Coyotes goaltender Mike Smith has been placed on IR with a lower-body injury, retroactive to Oct.18:
Mike Smith has been moved to injured reserve. That opens up roster spot for Stone.
— Sarah McLellan (@azc_mclellan) October 21, 2016
If you were relying on Smith as one of your fantasy goaltenders, he should be stashed on IR. There are essentially three ways to replace him:
Louis Domingue, Arizona's backup, will be in the crease for Sunday's game against the Rangers, probably Tuesday's game against the Devils, and potentially many more, depending on Smith's timeline.
Domingue has struggled to begin the season, posting a 11.21 GAA and a .767 SV% in three games.
Last year was a tale of two seasons for Domingue: He was lights out through 16 games, going 9-4-3 with a .931 SV%. In his remaining 23 games he went 6-14-2 with an .899 SV%.
Domingue, 24, isn't helped by the youthful lottery team in front him, and is only worth adding if you're extremely desperate.
Smith wasn't the best fantasy goalie in the first place, so owners should be looking to replace him long-term, regardless of how much time he misses.
Chad Johnson of the Flames is available in most leagues and has been lights out through two games, while fellow goaltender Brian Elliott has struggled in three starts. Elliott has yet to prove he can succeed outside of Ken Hitchcock's defensive system, and never started more than 45 games with the Blues. Given that both goalies are on one-year deals, this could turn into a 50-50 split.
Jacob Markstrom may have already been scooped up in your league, but he has a 1.65 GAA and a .932 SV% through three games for the Canucks, with Ryan Miller banged up. Markstrom is only a short-term fix, but could become a long-term solution should Miller - who's in the final year of his contract - be traded to a contender, such as L.A.
If Johnson and Markstrom are unavailable in your league, streaming backups is definitely a better option than rolling with Domingue.
Target backup goalies on strong teams, playing on back-to-back nights. Here's a list of viable backup goaltenders who may get a start within the next week:
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Here are the fantasy repercussions following the news that Stars winger Patrick Sharp has been placed on injured reserve with a concussion:
Gemel Smith called up. Patrick Sharp placed on IR. Stars forward depth tested in ways never seen before
— Bruce LeVine (@BruceLeVinePuck) October 21, 2016
With Sharp now out, Dallas' forward depth is looking awfully thin. Wingers Patrick Eaves, Ales Hemsky, and Jiri Hudler are all questionable to play in Saturday's game. Depth forwards Cody Eakin and Mattias Janmark are out indefinitely.
Sharp, Hemsky, and Hudler are all top-six forwards on the team, and Eaves has seen his fair share of playing time alongside Jamie Benn and Tyler Seguin. This could lead to some no-name players getting significant ice time on Saturday against the Blue Jackets.
If all four of the aforementioned wingers are out, look to either Left Wing Lock or Daily Faceoff to see if there is an under-the-radar player with a projected top-six role and power-play time.
Whether this player is Radek Faksa, Devin Shore or Brett Ritchie, they will likely come at a bargain price in a favorable matchup against the woeful Blue Jackets. If one of these players - or any other low-cost forward for that matter - skates with Benn and Seguin, stacking that top line becomes significantly easier to accomplish.
With Sharp on injured reserve, he will be out for at least seven days minimum, per NHL rules. Trading the 35-year-old forward wouldn't be a bad idea if someone in your league has an open IR spot and is willing to take on the veteran.
The majority of Sharp's production came while playing with Benn and Seguin last year. When he was moved off of the top line, he was hardly a relevant fantasy player. So far this season he has played with Shore and Ritchie, so another 50-point season is unlikely barring a lineup shuffle.
For those who are forced to place Sharp on IR, here are three very available replacements:
C/RW Charlie Coyle, Wild
Coyle, 24, has found himself in premium real estate, skating alongside veterans Eric Staal and Zach Parise and seeing time on the top power-play unit. He has recorded two goals and two assists so far this season, registering a point in each game the Wild have played in.
At 6-foot-3, 221 pounds, Coyle has great size and still has plenty of time to development into a bruising 30-goal scoring right winger. He scored 21 goals last season while playing center, but given his size and strength, the wing seems like a much better position for him.
LW/RW Lee Stempniak, Hurricanes
With LW/RW eligibility, Stempniak is a very similar replacement for Sharp. The well-traveled winger (Carolina is his 10th NHL team) is off to a great start in his newest destination with three goals and two assists in four games.
Stempniak is playing over 17 minutes per night, skating on Carolina's top line with Victor Rask and Jeff Skinner and sees time on the second power-play unit.
Stempniak isn't a 60-point player by any stretch, but he can be productive in streaks, and it's a good idea to add him while he is getting chances. He currently ranks 11th of all NHL players in SCF60 (scoring chances for per 60 minutes), per Corsica.Hockey.
C/LW Alex Killorn, Lightning
Killorn has the reputation of a solid two-way forward with the ability to play down the middle and on the wing with effectiveness. He has benefited from a top-six role this season, with three goals and an assist while skating with Tyler Johnson and Nikita Kucherov on Tampa's second line. He is also playing on the club's second power-play unit.
His 37.5 shooting percentage obviously will not hold up, but he could continue to find the back of the net with regularity for the next week or so considering the quality of his linemates and easy matchups (next two games are against Ottawa and Toronto).
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Here are the fantasy repercussions following the news that Stars winger Patrick Sharp has been placed on injured reserve with a concussion:
Gemel Smith called up. Patrick Sharp placed on IR. Stars forward depth tested in ways never seen before
— Bruce LeVine (@BruceLeVinePuck) October 21, 2016
With Sharp now out, Dallas' forward depth is looking awfully thin. Wingers Patrick Eaves, Ales Hemsky, and Jiri Hudler are all questionable to play in Saturday's game. Depth forwards Cody Eakin and Mattias Janmark are out indefinitely.
Sharp, Hemsky, and Hudler are all top-six forwards on the team, and Eaves has seen his fair share of playing time alongside Jamie Benn and Tyler Seguin. This could lead to some no-name players getting significant ice time on Saturday against the Blue Jackets.
If all four of the aforementioned wingers are out, look to either Left Wing Lock or Daily Faceoff to see if there is an under-the-radar player with a projected top-six role and power-play time.
Whether this player is Radek Faksa, Devin Shore or Brett Ritchie, they will likely come at a bargain price in a favorable matchup against the woeful Blue Jackets. If one of these players - or any other low-cost forward for that matter - skates with Benn and Seguin, stacking that top line becomes significantly easier to accomplish.
With Sharp on injured reserve, he will be out for at least seven days minimum, per NHL rules. Trading the 35-year-old forward wouldn't be a bad idea if someone in your league has an open IR spot and is willing to take on the veteran.
The majority of Sharp's production came while playing with Benn and Seguin last year. When he was moved off of the top line, he was hardly a relevant fantasy player. So far this season he has played with Shore and Ritchie, so another 50-point season is unlikely barring a lineup shuffle.
For those who are forced to place Sharp on IR, here are three very available replacements:
C/RW Charlie Coyle, Wild
Coyle, 24, has found himself in premium real estate, skating alongside veterans Eric Staal and Zach Parise and seeing time on the top power-play unit. He has recorded two goals and two assists so far this season, registering a point in each game the Wild have played in.
At 6-foot-3, 221 pounds, Coyle has great size and still has plenty of time to development into a bruising 30-goal scoring right winger. He scored 21 goals last season while playing center, but given his size and strength, the wing seems like a much better position for him.
LW/RW Lee Stempniak, Hurricanes
With LW/RW eligibility, Stempniak is a very similar replacement for Sharp. The well-traveled winger (Carolina is his 10th NHL team) is off to a great start in his newest destination with three goals and two assists in four games.
Stempniak is playing over 17 minutes per night, skating on Carolina's top line with Victor Rask and Jeff Skinner and sees time on the second power-play unit.
Stempniak isn't a 60-point player by any stretch, but he can be productive in streaks, and it's a good idea to add him while he is getting chances. He currently ranks 11th of all NHL players in SCF60 (scoring chances for per 60 minutes), per Corsica.Hockey.
C/LW Alex Killorn, Lightning
Killorn has the reputation of a solid two-way forward with the ability to play down the middle and on the wing with effectiveness. He has benefited from a top-six role this season, with three goals and an assist while skating with Tyler Johnson and Nikita Kucherov on Tampa's second line. He is also playing on the club's second power-play unit.
His 37.5 shooting percentage obviously will not hold up, but he could continue to find the back of the net with regularity for the next week or so considering the quality of his linemates and easy matchups (next two games are against Ottawa and Toronto).
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Philadelphia Flyers forward Dale Weise has been suspended three games following an illegal check to the head of Anaheim Ducks defenseman Korbinian Holzer, the NHL's Department of Player Safety announced Friday.
The incident occurred during the Flyers' 3-2 loss Thursday, and Weise wasn't assessed a penalty on the play.
With Weise sidelined, the Flyers lead the NHL in man games lost to suspension, as forward Brayden Schenn and defenseman Radko Gudas have also served time for infractions this season.
Weise will be eligible to return Oct. 27 versus the Arizona Coyotes.
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Few would argue with Teemu Selanne if he actually considered an NHL comeback.
"Two weeks (of) training and I would be ready for the NHL," the former superstar quipped at the Winnipeg Jets alumni practice Friday, according to Finnish reporter Sami Hoffren.
Selanne is back in Winnipeg for the Heritage Classic festivities, which include Saturday's alumni game at Investors Group Field between the former Jets and Edmonton Oilers.
He admitted Friday he was a bit rusty getting back on the ice.
"(I) felt like I never skated before," Selanne said, according to NHL.com's Shawn Roarke.
Teemu just wiped out doing a drill. Crowd loved it. pic.twitter.com/37fDxnW2JM
— Аrpon Basu (@ArponBasu) October 21, 2016
Dale Hawerchuk, Thomas Steen, Brian Mullen, Teppo Numminen, Dave Babych, and Ron Wilson are among Selanne's teammates for the alumni game.
Wayne Gretzky, Mark Messier, Paul Coffey, Jarri Kurri, Esa Tikkanen, and Marty McSorley will lead the Oilers legends.
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Jaromir Jagr's been at it a long time. Twenty-six years, if you're counting.
The 44-year-old (!) scored his 750th goal in the NHL on Thursday, becoming only the third playing in history to hit the mark, joining Wayne Gretzky (894) and Gordie Howe (801). Had Jagr not left for the KHL in 2008, playing three seasons in Russia, he'd have passed Howe by now.
No. 68 has had an otherworldly career, no matter how you parse it.
To celebrate Jagr's latest milestone, we figured we'd go back in time to 1990 - Oct. 7, in fact - and remember the world as it was when he scored his first goal as an 18-year-old for the Pittsburgh Penguins.
Here are five crazy facts to drive home how long he's been filling the net:
Gretzky led the league in points during the 1989-90 season, finishing with 142. He had a league-leading 102 assists. Thirteen different players hit the century mark in points, while Brett Hull scored 72 goals. The game's changed, yeah.
Hit television show "The Simpsons" wrapped up its first season on May 13, 1990. Jagr's been playing pro hockey for as long as the show's been on air. Yeah, you're old.
A few months before Jagr donned Pittsburgh black and gold, Nelson Mandela was released from prison - 27 years after he was jailed. Jonathan Bernier will never forget where he was on Feb. 11, 1990.
Here are 1990's top musical hits, which we assume Jagr played to get him going before games using something called a "Walkman."
As much as Jagr's known for his exploits on the ice, he's known almost as well for his legendary flow. And rightfully so:
Jaromir Jagr, the 1990 1st rd pick! I think I might still have this rookie card. He's always smiling. What a legend. pic.twitter.com/GFXYQe9gNF
— Stephen ✞ Ⓥ (@stephenKmonty) April 3, 2015
Congratulations, Mr. Jagr. Here's to another 50, and the 800 mark.
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Tuukka Rask appears to be a little banged up.
The Boston Bruins goaltender missed practice Friday, and head coach Claude Julien said afterward that the "general soreness" Rask dealt with last week is still an issue.
Julien said the club will see how the netminder feels Saturday before the Bruins meet the Montreal Canadiens.
The coach told reporters Rask is day to day for now, according to NHL.com's Amalie Benjamin.
Rask has won all three of his starts this season, allowing only five goals combined in victories over the Columbus Blue Jackets, Winnipeg Jets, and New Jersey Devils.
After Saturday's game, the Bruins don't play until they host the Minnesota Wild on Tuesday night.
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Brian Campbell won't be taken out of the lineup after all.
The Chicago Blackhawks defenseman was expected to be the odd man out on Friday when the club takes on the Columbus Blue Jackets, but it appears the veteran blue-liner will suit up, the team confirmed via Eric Lear of chicagoblackhawks.com.
Campbell was expected to be a healthy scratch after coach John Quenneville said Thursday he wanted Trevor van Riemsdyk back in the lineup.
It turns out both players will dress Friday, and there's no word on who will sit, according to Tracey Myers of CSN Chicago.
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