After sunny All-Star break, playoff race is heating up

LOS ANGELES - Sidney Crosby and Alex Ovechkin were linemates. Connor McDavid scored on a pass from Ryan Kesler. Wayne Simmonds was the shooting star of the show.

The dreamlike quality of the NHL All-Star Game was particularly pronounced on a sunny Sunday afternoon in Hollywood. After all, just about every All-Star got to meet his hockey heroes when most of the game's greatest living players performed the ceremonial opening faceoff with them.

''I was pretty star-struck,'' Montreal goalie Carey Price said.

But when the league revs up again Tuesday night, another dream comes into focus. Only 40 percent of the regular season remains, and there's a Stanley Cup to chase.

Few teams are out of the postseason race, and nearly every club is about to begin 10 weeks of high-stakes play. Most teams reported back to work on Monday morning, and the league schedule resumes Tuesday with 28 of the 30 teams in action.

Nobody is an overwhelming title favorite yet. The Canadiens' seven-point lead in the Atlantic is the biggest edge in a division race, and the competition for the Presidents' Trophy is still wide-open as well: There are 10 teams within nine points of Washington's league-leading 72 in the chase for home-ice advantage in the postseason.

''The All-Star (weekend) a great time, but we all know what happens when we have to get back to work,'' San Jose captain Joe Pavelski said.

Here's a quick preview of the four divisional races and what's coming up in the NHL's home stretch:

PACIFIC

The race out West is particularly enticing: San Jose, Anaheim and upstart Edmonton are separated by one point atop the division.

McDavid and the Oilers have hung in with the division's three California powers all winter, capped by back-to-back road victories over the Ducks and Sharks to close out the first half.

''We've put ourselves in a good position, and we're happy about that,'' McDavid said. ''We realize how much work we have left to do, because this is a long season. None of it means very much if you don't finish out the way you started.''

The Golden State's trio of contenders isn't about to give up.

The Ducks have won four straight Pacific titles, and they're hoping coach Randy Carlyle can inspire postseason success that Bruce Boudreau couldn't. The Sharks look easily capable of defending their Western Conference title, and the Los Angeles Kings should get star goalie Jonathan Quick back from injury shortly before the postseason.

CENTRAL

The Minnesota Wild and the Chicago Blackhawks are in tight competition atop the division. Boudreau got the Wild off to their best start to a season in franchise history, and All-Star goalie Devan Dubnyk is having another standout season. This could be the year Minnesota reaches its first Stanley Cup Final, or at least wins two playoff rounds for the first time since 2003.

Of course, the team that beat them in the second round twice in the past three years is right behind them in the Central standings - and it just happens to be the best playoff team of this era.

Chicago returns with three of the 100 greatest players in NHL history in its lineup. Captain Jonathan Toews admits he isn't having a great season, but he has plenty of time to ramp up for another playoff run with Patrick Kane and Duncan Keith.

METROPOLITAN

The best divisional race might be among the stars who won the four-division, 3-on-3 tournament at the All-Star Game. A four-team competition has swung back and forth in the Metropolitan, with Columbus streaking in front on its 16-game winning streak, only to be passed by Washington two weeks ago.

The Capitals' fretful fans might think they've peaked too soon yet again, but nobody gets comfortable with Crosby's Penguins lurking behind them. The defending Stanley Cup champions begin the second half in third place, just seven points back.

ATLANTIC

The Canadiens have bounced back smartly from last season's second-half collapse without the injured Price, and Les Habitants' nearest competitors all have problems: Ottawa's goal-scoring woes, Boston's inconsistent play and powerful Tampa Bay's major injuries have all put a cushion underneath the Canadiens.

But that cushion isn't as big as it looks. The Senators have three games in hand on Montreal, and the Lightning hope to get Steven Stamkos back for the late playoff push.

And the Toronto Maple Leafs? They've got problems, as you'd expect for a team that's made the postseason once since 2004. They've also got All-Star Auston Matthews, fellow high-scoring youngsters Mitchell Marner and William Nylander, and more than enough talent to be dangerous down the stretch.

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Zibanejad affected by Trump’s travel ban

Mika Zibanejad, a Swede of Iranian descent, is one of the countless U.S. and world citizens affected by Donald Trump's executive order barring travelers from seven countries from entering the United States.

Zibanejad's father lives in the U.S. with a green card. They have many family members, including Zibanejad's grandmother and eight cousins, living in Iran, one of the seven Muslim-majority countries identified.

He spoke to Justin Tasch of the New York Daily News about the travel ban and how it affects his family.

It hasn't been easy for them to come here, and this certainly doesn't make it easier, or even possible at this point. It's hard to kind of comment on. I don't want to get in too deep, but it seems like it's very straightforward and they have very straight lines of what the deal is, but I find still they're confused about it, still a lot of confusion about what's wrong and what's not. I guess when a change like this comes very, not from nowhere, but when it comes down like it did, I feel like there was maybe not a whole lot of thought about how to work it out. It seems very straightforward but very confusing about how they deal with it.

Zibanejad admitted that he did have concern, but re-entered the United States without a problem following a vacation for All-Star weekend.

Right now, that seems like an impossibility for many of his relatives.

Obviously being here now and living here doesn't make it easier. That sucks, but I can't comment more of how things are. Right now it just sucks. The more further this goes and we see what kind of solution we come to, then it's easier to kind of comment on.

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Islanders complete 3-year extension with Greiss

The New York Islanders have agreed to terms on a three-year contract extension with goaltender Thomas Greiss, the team announced Monday.

Financial details are unknown at this time.

Since arriving in Brooklyn last season, Greiss has wrested the starter's role from Jaroslav Halak, who is currently earning his $4.5-million annual salary with the Bridgeport Sound Tigers of the American Hockey League.

Greiss, 31, sports a .926 save percentage in 66 appearances dating back to last season, which is tops among all regular contributors league-wide over that span.

He has 37 wins from 62 starts, including 14 of the club's 21 victories this season.

Greiss is working on a $1.5-million salary, and has put himself in line for a hefty raise in unrestricted free agency at the end of the year.

Halak still has one more season left on his current deal, while current backup J.F. Berube will be a restricted free agent in a few months.

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NHL All-Star Game viewership up 42 percent

No John Scott effect required.

NBC saw its rating spike for its broadcast of the NHL's 2017 All-Star three-on-three tournament, with a 42 percent viewership increase from last year's event in Nashville, the network announced via a press release.

The NBC-only broadcast averaged 2.262 million viewers, which increased to more than 2.5 million for the Metropolitan Division's victory over the Pacific in the tournament finale.

Pittsburgh and Buffalo were the two top scoring markets.

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Report: Barclays Center to end partnership with Islanders

The New York Islanders are apparently being evicted from their Brooklyn home.

Barclays Center officials have decided that it's no longer in their best interest to house the NHL franchise, Bloomberg's Scott Soshnick reported Monday, citing people familiar with the facility's finances.

It's believed they have decided that the arena can generate more money staging concerts and other events in addition to Brooklyn Nets basketball.

Barclays Center pays the Islanders an average of $53.5 million annually for control of business operations, according to Soshnick.

The Islanders are in their second season in the Brooklyn barn, and since their arrival, there have been complaints from players and fans about ice quality and obstructed views.

The club has the NHL's third-worst average attendance behind the Arizona Coyotes and Carolina Hurricanes, with 81.1 percent of their seats sold, according to ESPN. In their final season at Nassau Coliseum in Uniondale, the Islanders had almost 95 percent attendance.

Soshnick notes that either side can cancel the current deal. If the Barclays Center chooses that route, the Islanders would need a new home after the 2018-19 season.

The Islanders have not commented on the report, according to Arthur Staple of Newsday.

NHL commissioner Gary Bettman said this about the Islanders' future at Barclays Center at NHL All-Star weekend in Los Angeles, according to ESPN's Craig Custance:

Well, the owners are committed to the franchise. They're committed to New York and the great fan base that has followed the Islanders. There are some issues about playing in Barclays. It may be fundamental to the system, and that's not something that can be fixed in the short terms. I think as is prudent, Scott Malkin and Jon Ledecky are reviewing the situation and looking very seriously at what their options are.

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AHL All-Stars will wear No. 14 as tribute to Craig Cunningham

The American Hockey League All-Stars are planning a tribute to Tuscon Road Runners captain Craig Cunningham at the minor-league showcase Monday night in Allentown, Pa., wearing his No. 14 in warmups.

Cunningham collapsed and went into cardiac arrest before puck drop on a Nov. 19 game versus the Manitoba Moose.

Heroic efforts of first responders and staff at Banner University Medical Center rescued the 26-year-old's life.

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Kadri strikes up Twitter bromance with football’s Chad Johnson

Nazem Kadri has a prominent new fan, and he's welcoming him with open arms.

It all started when Chad Johnson, the outspoken former NFL and CFL wide receiver, once known as Chad Ochocinco, expressed an interest in Kadri's team Sunday afternoon before the start of the NHL All-Star tournament.

That prompted a reply of encouragement from the Leafs forward.

Johnson was quick to return his appreciation.

The six-time Pro Bowler played five games for the CFL's Montreal Alouettes in 2014 and was suspended by the club for the entire 2015 campaign after failing to report to camp.

Maybe that explains why he's not a Montreal Canadiens fan.

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McDavid ‘100 percent’ supports NHL player participation at 2018 Olympics

Add Connor McDavid to the list of NHL players keen on a trip to PyeongChang in 2018.

The Edmonton Oilers superstar and burgeoning face of the league is fully in favor of NHL player participation at the 2018 Winter Olympics in South Korea.

"One hundred percent. NHL players should be there," McDavid stated at the end of All-Star weekend, according to Mike Zeisberger of Postmedia. "I certainly hope they are there. But ultimately it isn’t up to me. There’s a lot of people a lot higher than me who will make that decision.

"But 100% they should go. I couldn’t really picture an Olympics without it, to be honest."

McDavid, of course, is hoping to be part of a Canadian roster set on defending the gold medal won in Sochi back in 2014.

"It would mean everything," McDavid said of being part of the team. "Just to get the chance to chase down a spot on the team. Just to have that opportunity. It would be very special.

"We’re very lucky in Canada to have a long list of great Canadian players who are available. It’s a tough team to make."

We're pretty sure you'd have a good chance of cracking the roster, Connor.

McDavid, who was born in 1997, has never witnessed an Olympic Games without NHL players present, seeing as the last men's hockey tournament without them took place in 1994. If the NHL wants to grow the game worldwide, McDavid is certainly the kind of player to build around at the next opportunity.

No firm timeline has been set for a decision on this matter.

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All-Star MVP Simmonds named 1st star of the week

The accolades keep coming for Wayne Simmonds.

The Philadelphia Flyers forward was dubbed the NHL's first star of the week following his MVP performance in this past weekend's All-Star tournament, the league announced Monday.

San Jose Sharks forward Patrick Marleau and Toronto Maple Leafs goaltender Frederik Andersen were named second and third star of the week, respectively.

Simmonds scored twice for the Metropolitan Division squad in their semifinal win over the Atlantic Division, then notched the tournament winner in the final against the Pacific Division. He also scored two goals in the two games prior to the break for the Flyers.

Marleau notched six points in three games for the Sharks last week, tying an NHL record with four goals in a single period in a victory over the Colorado Avalanche last Monday night, becoming the first player since Mario Lemieux in 1997 to accomplish the feat.

Andersen earned shutouts in both of his appearances last week, turning aside all 48 shots he faced.

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Canada’s junior coach praises Nico Hischier prior to Top Prospects Game

Nico Hischier put the hockey world on notice at the 2017 World Junior Championships.

The Swiss center recorded four goals and seven points in five games at the international tournament, and, in so doing, caught the eye of scouts and casual observers alike.

He's also been good for 33 goals and 35 assists with the QMJHL's Halifax Mooseheads in his first season of North American hockey, putting himself in the conversation for first overall pick at the 2017 NHL draft.

Ahead of Monday's Top Prospects Game in Quebec City, Canadian junior head coach Dominique Ducharme - who also coaches the QMJHL's Drummondville Voltigeurs - believes there's certainly an argument to be made.

"We saw him score big goals at big times at the world juniors," Ducharme said, according to Bill Beacon of the Canadian Press. "If you’re a scout, if you want to build a team, you want players who can rise up in those moments and make a difference and I think he is a difference maker."

For Hischier, the world junior experience was but a fragment of his draft year, with plenty of work left to put in before his name is called by an NHL general manager.

"It was such a great experience," Hischier said of the world juniors. "We had a good group of guys in the locker room so it was fun to play there, but there’s a lot of hockey to play until June so I have to keep it up and work hard."

Hischier will line up as the first-line center for Team Cherry at the Top Prospects Game, going head-to-head with Nolan Patrick, who's expected to be chosen first overall in June.

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