The club's top center was lost to injury in late December, missing 11 games since then. But in his absence, fellow middleman Vincent Trocheck has proven to be an admirable fill-in.
Rowe said there is concern on Huby and Barkov being season ending injuries. Finally said Barky'sinjury is upper body not lower.#flapanthers
With Barkov sidelined, Trocheck has seen increased responsibility under coach Tom Rowe. The results are paying off, with his production having nearly tripled since Dec. 29.
Date Range
GP
G-A-Pts
Pts/GP
TOI
Before Dec. 29
35
8-8-16
0.46
21:20
After Dec. 29
11
8-8-14
1.27
22:14
The 23-year-old had a breakout season with the Panthers last year, finishing with 53 points in 76 games after posting 30 points in his previous 70 contests with the club. He proved to be a key cog on a squad that finished with a franchise-best 103 points.
This season, the Panthers are once again in the postseason mix, sitting just one point back of the second wild-card spot in the East.
With Barkov's return to the lineup not in the immediate future, the Panthers will continue to turn to Trocheck as Florida looks to return to the playoffs for just the fourth time since 2000.
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Here is a look at the Squad Up daily NHL fantasy picture for Thursday, Jan. 19 (all advanced statistics courtesy of Corsica.Hockeyand apply to 5v5 situations):
Dynamic Duos
LW Zach Parise (62K) & C Eric Staal (49K), Wild (vs. Coyotes): Owners know very well by now to stack up against the Coyotes and this is of extra importance Thursday, as Arizona plays the second half of a back-to-back which included Wednesday night travel to Minnesota. As Arizona lacks a shutdown line, feel free to start Minnesota's top offensive stars.
C Ryan Getzlaf (75K) & RW Corey Perry (68K), Ducks (vs. Avalanche): Likely be the highest-owned duo of Thursday night, owners may not be able to do without the high floors and ceilings of the Ducks' big two. Colorado ranks 28th in Corsi For percentage and will need to rely on backup G Calvin Pickard and his .902 save percentage for the season.
C Brandon Dubinsky (36K) & RW Cam Atkinson (51K), Blue Jackets (vs. Senators): Dubinsky makes this pairing a little more contrarian, with Atkinson one of the best fantasy players at his position. Only four teams allow more opponent shot attempts per game than the Senators. Avoiding D Erik Karlsson will be a little more possible with last change.
Goalie Breakdown
TARGET - John Gibson (86K), Ducks (vs. Avalanche): The Avalanche rank 28th in shot attempts per 60, and 30th in scoring chances per 60 and expected goals for per 60. Gibson has a .930 SV% and 2.12 GAA through 19 home starts this season.
BARGAIN - Braden Holtby (75K), Capitals (at Blues): The Blues rank in the bottom third of the league in shot attempts per game and expected goals for per 60 minutes, while ranking 28th in scoring chances for per 60. Holtby's pedigree never warrants such a low salary, particularly in a less-than-dangerous matchup.
FADE - Henrik Lundqvist (83K), Rangers (at Maple Leafs): Lundqvist has been a shell of his former self of late. His .841 save percentage through six January games has lowered his season SV% to .902. He allowed seven goals to the Dallas Stars, Tuesday, extending a run of four games in which he allowed at least four goals. He's not fit for the Maple Leafs high pace of play.
CONTRARIAN - Calvin Pickard (85K), Avalanche (at Ducks): Pickard will replace Avalanche starting G Semyon Varlamov (groin) at least through the all-star break. As noted above, his numbers for the season have been less than ideal, but the Ducks rank just 24th with 52.75 shot attempts per game.
Bargain Plays
C Valtteri Filppula (26K), Lightning (at Sharks): Filppula has a five-game point streak with one goal and four assists. He has taken two shots in each of his past two games, and has at least one SOG in all but one game this month.
LW Matt Nieto (25K), Avalanche (at Ducks): The Avalanche have thrust Nieto into a top-six role since picking him off waivers from the Sharks. It says more about the state of the Avalanche right now than anything, but Nieto has been a mid-20-point player before. He has a goal and an assist in his past two games, and has played less than 14 minutes with Colorado.
RW Nail Yakupov (25K), Blues (vs. Capitals): Yakupov has settled into a top-six role on the left side of C Jori Lehtera and RW Vladimir Tarasenko at 5v5. He doesn't see any power-play time, limiting him to 11-14 minutes per game. He has gone point-less in eight games and went without a shot in five, but he'll always be a threat for a big game in this role.
Top Fades
LW Jonathan Drouin (51K), Lightning (at Sharks): Drouin is vastly more expensive than Filppula, despite the two primarily playing together. They have been similarly productive, with Drouin picking up two goals and five assists this month. He is the higher-volume shooter -- tallying 13 in his past three games -- but Filppula mitigates risk in a tough matchup.
LW Jamie Benn (64K), Stars (at Islanders): Benn remains without a regular role on the Stars' top line with C Tyler Seguin. While he had a goal and two assists in his most recent game, he played primarily with C Cody Eakin and RW Patrick Eaves (courtesy, LeftWingLock). He hasn't played 18 minutes since his first game back from injury.
LW Johnny Gaudreau (65K), Flames (vs. Predators): Gaudreau is unlikely to break out of an extended slump against the slow pace and positive Corsi rating of the Predators. He has gone goal-less in seven games and has just two assists in the same stretch.
Contrarian Options
LW Anders Lee (44K), Islanders (vs. Stars): Lee had three points in his past two games, snapping a streak of four games without a point. He has upped his shot counts, while his ice time remains fairly stable in a role alongside C John Tavares. The Stars' high pace leads to 8.70 scoring chances per 60 minutes for their opponents.
C Derick Brassard (51K), Senators (at Blue Jackets): Brassard's ice time has been highly variable of late, but he has upped his shot counts, recording at three SOG in six of his past seven games. He hasn't scored since the first of the seven games, but he has four assists in his past four outings. His matchup isn't ideal, but he has a steady floor.
D Cam Fowler (38K), Ducks (vs. Avalanche): Fowler comes significantly cheaper than the top-tier defensemen on Squad Up, but his prospects are boosted by the night's top matchup. He has just one point in January, but he has multiple SOG in all but two games, and he has played at least 24 minutes in each of his past 13 games.
Police officers did not witness the episode. When officers arrived at the scene, however, the concessions worker had a "swollen bloody lip" and said that Mr. Viola had punched him in the face, according to the police report.
Mr. Viola, 60, a retired Army Ranger who owns the Florida Panthers hockey team, told the police that the man had pushed his wife as she tried to enter a restricted area to get water for a woman who had fainted, the report said. The concessions worker, whose name is redacted from the report, told officers that he did not push Mr. Viola's wife, according to local law enforcement officials.
President-elect Donald Trump nominated Viola as secretary of the Army under his administration. Viola's spokesperson informed the Times that Trump's team knew of the matter.
The spokesperson also released this statement: "Mr. Viola loves his wife and regrets the incident."
The Times obtained another statement from Viola's camp, which explained no charges were filed and that they "consider this matter closed."
The NHL's trade deadline is less than six weeks away, but it's never too early to consider who could be on the move come March 1.
Here's a candidate from each of the eight Metropolitan Division teams.
Carolina Hurricanes
For the time being, Carolina is right in the thick of the playoff race. Should the Hurricanes lose steam, however, there always seems to be a demand for veteran, penalty-killing faceoff men. Jay McClement is valued by the club, but could be primed for a "trade and re-sign in the offseason" scenario.
Columbus Blue Jackets
The Blue Jackets possess each of their seven draft picks over the course of the next three years, save for a second-round pick in 2017 or 2018 owed to Vancouver as compensation for hiring John Tortorella as head coach.
The only pending UFA is Sam Gagner, and he's not going anywhere. Defensive prospect Scott Harrington could be packaged with a pick or two for an upgrade on the blue line.
New Jersey Devils
P.A. Parenteau was scooped off waivers by the Devils from the New York Islanders prior to the start of the regular season, and is the kind of savvy, play-making veteran that would cause a contender to cough up a draft pick to add to New Jersey's stockpile.
New York Islanders
Dennis Seidenberg turned a solid showing at the World Cup of Hockey into a one-year deal with the Islanders. He'd come at a low cap hit, but with Stanley Cup experience, and would be seen as a valuable depth piece on the blue line.
New York Rangers
The Rangers have several pending restricted free agents who'll be looking for new deals this summer, but no UFAs that could be sold off for picks or spare parts.
What general manager Jeff Gorton does have in his back pocket is Ottawa's second-round pick in 2018, acquired in the Mika Zibanejad trade. That could certainly be used to bolster a struggling defense corps.
The former two could be moved in order to free up cap space and make room for younger, better options on Philadelphia's blue line moving forward.
Pittsburgh Penguins
The defending Cup champions won't look to move pieces from a roster able to repeat, but the Penguins could dangle defensive prospect Derrick Pouliot, who can't seem to crack the NHL roster.
Drafted eighth overall in 2012, Pouliot seems like a player who could use a change of scenery, bringing back some help for another long Penguins playoff run.
Washington Capitals
The Capitals are very much in "win now" mode, with a handful of key players set to become UFAs at season's end and a few picks having already been used on the trade market.
A player like Dmitry Orlov could be moved if the team feels it'll be unable to come to an agreement with the RFA in the offseason, but that seems doubtful.
Of all the Metropolitan Division teams, Washington seems most likely to stand pat.
With a pair of assists in a 3-2 victory Wednesday over the Los Angeles Kings, the lumbering San Jose Sharks center notched the 1,370th point of his historic career.
With the helpers, Thornton surpassed Johnny Bucyk for 24th place among the NHL's all-time scoring leaders.
And Thornton isn't finished just yet.
Thornton, who will surely find a spot in the Hall of Fame once his career reaches its end, already passed three other Hall of Famers earlier this season: Mats Sundin at 1,349 points, Guy Lafleur at 1,353, and Brendan Shanahan a point higher, at 1,354.
Just how high could he climb? At 1,370 career points, the 37-year-old is within striking distance of some of the game's greatest.
With 29 points on the year, Thornton is on pace for 52. In other words, another 23 points, but with a bit of puck luck, the native of St. Thomas, Ontario could leapfrog another four names before April rolls around:
Rank
Player
GP
Goals
Assists
Points
20
Jari Kurri
1251
601
797
1398
21
Luc Robitaille
1431
668
726
1394
22
Brett Hull
1269
741
650
1391
23
Mike Modano
1499
561
813
1374
24
Joe Thornton
1412
380
990
1370
Thornton's game has seen little, if any, slowdown, as he's averaged 74 points over the past three seasons leading up to 2016-17.
The pending unrestricted free agent is believed to be seeking a three-year extension and, should he post similar totals to past years, that would take his career numbers above 1,600 points.
At 1,590 points, Phil Esposito occupies the last spot in the Top 10, but by the time it's all said and done, that slot could be owned by Jumbo Joe.
Each week, theScore looks at the teams, players, and other hockey figures trending upward and taking a step back.
▲ James van Riemsdyk
Save some ink for Van Riemsdyk. While the focus this season in Toronto has been on Auston Matthews and his fellow young stars, a familiar face is now sharing the spotlight.
The Maple Leafs winger has caught fire in recent days, and is currently running an eight-game point streak, a stretch which includes three goals and nine assists. Van Riemsdyk's best performance of the stretch came Jan. 7, collecting three points as he contributed on each of the Maple Leafs' goals against the Montreal Canadiens.
Signed through next season at an affordable $4.25-million salary cap hit, Van Riemsdyk has been a frequent target of trade talk, with speculation that he could be moved if the Maple Leafs desire an upgrade on their blue line. It will be worth following Van Riemsdyk down the stretch as the March 1 trade deadline approaches.
▼ Mike Cammalleri
It's been a rough go in New Jersey for veteran forward Cammalleri. With just 23 points on the year, he's on pace for his worst full-season finish since breaking into the league with the Los Angeles Kings in 2002.
Decline is expected from an aging player, but the 34-year-old winger has hit the skids in recent weeks, with just one point in his last three games and two in his last seven matches. Take that one step further and Cammalleri has just six points in his past 22 performances.
This isn't what the Devils expected from the former triggerman, who, despite being limited to 42 games a year ago, still finished at a near point-per-game pace, as he wrapped the 2015-16 campaign with 38 points. Signed through the next two seasons, the Devils may choose to expose Cammalleri to the expansion Vegas Golden Knights.
▲ Ryan Getzlaf
The Anaheim Ducks captain wasted little time in making his way onto the scoresheet after missing a four-game swing with a lower-body concern in early January.
Since returning, Getzlaf has put up four points in as many games. As always, the heavy center has been a key contributor in Orange County, as the Ducks have very quietly gone about their business and now stand first in the Pacific Division with 59 points. Since the calendar turned to 2017, the Ducks have lost just once in 60 minutes, posting a 7-1-1 record, which includes three victories in extra time.
On pace for a 64-point campaign, consistency has been the name of the game for Getzlaf, after he finished the past two seasons with 63 and 70 points, respectively.
▼ Sam Gagner
The early goings of Gagner in Columbus showed signs of career rejuvenation.
The former sixth overall pick by the Edmonton Oilers was nearing NHL extinction after short, failed stints with the Arizona Coyotes and Philadelphia Flyers, before landing in Columbus. With the Blue Jackets, Gagner appeared to have found his game, and at a bargain to the team too, as he signed for just $650,000.
Through the first 33 games of the season, Gagner had 28 points, on pace for a career-best 70-point season. But with just one point in his last five outings and only three in his last nine, that number has taken a tumble. Fortunately for Gagner, the Blue Jackets remain the league's best with 64 points, so the opportunity is there for the veteran forward to get his rebound season back on track.
For many years, the idea of LeBron James putting on the pads, snapping on a chinstrap, and rescuing the Cleveland Browns from their destitution has existed as fantasy for sports fans in Ohio, and around the sports world.
There's been no such speculation, however, about James - in many ways the ultimate athlete - taking his schoolyard talent to the rink and helping another Ohio team, the Columbus Blue Jackets, experience postseason success.
But the topic finally came up Wednesday (because talk radio), and Blue Jackets coach John Tortorella playfully snuffed out the notion that James could make a crossover to the NHL.
"He can't skate. He's too damn big, he can't skate. And you can tell him I said that, I challenge him. Tell him to get his ass out here and come on the ice with us. I want to see him skate."
Though you can never quite tell with the often-fiery bench boss, who seems to be mellowing with age (and success), Tortorella's comments were made in jest, as Britton reiterated.
That said, we're sure the challenge stands as issued.
The Edmonton Oilers star cruised in on a breakway and shoveled in a backhander to defeat the Florida Panthers with about three seconds remaining in overtime Wednesday night.
Panthers goaltender James Reimer caught the puck in his glove, but upon review, the officials upheld the goal call because it clearly crossed the line while in the netminder's trapper.
McDavid earned his 100th career point earlier in the game with an assist, becoming the fourth-fastest active player to hit triple digits.
He leads the NHL in points (51), although he's played eight more games than Sidney Crosby and two more than Evgeni Malkin, each of whom have 50 points so far.
