Cunningham, who survived a medical emergency prior to the Tucson Roadrunners (AHL) game on November 19, has made a remarkable recovery.
Fans will have an opportunity to congratulate him on the tremendous courage, willpower and perseverance he's demonstrated throughout his rehabilitation.
Part of Cunningham's leg was amputated as a result of an acute cardiac arrest, ventricular fibrillation, but he was recently seen walking without assistance for the first time since the incident.
The Roadrunners' former captain has a special place in the hearts of Arizona hockey fans, and the puck drop should indeed be a very special moment.
Every Tuesday, theScore's editors will examine the fortunes of the north's seven NHL franchises. Welcome to "O Canada."
Canadian clubs' lineups are studded with highly talented - and highly expensive - players, but rosters still feature some who offer a better bang for the buck.
They don't always get their due credit, so here are seven players across the country providing great value to their squads:
Calgary Flames
Few players have skated under the radar like Flames forward Mikael Backlund, who's emerged as a key pivot for Calgary this season. The club's general manager, Brad Treliving, believes the Swedish center's name should be in the conversation for the Selke Trophy honoring the league's top defensive forward.
Backlund hasn't been shy at the other end of the rink, either. Tallying 50 points on the season, he's already eclipsed a career high in production with six games left to be played. Backlund sits third in Flames scoring, behind only Johnny Gaudreau and Sean Monahan, while his roughly $3.6-million cap hit ranks fifth among Flames forwards.
Edmonton Oilers
Patrick Maroon's ability to find chemistry with phenom Connor McDavid has certainly paid off on the scoresheet, as he's already tallied 25 times in 75 contests this season.
Coming into the year, he'd posted 34 goals in 220 career games. The Oilers added Maroon at last year's trade deadline, and though the transaction made little noise in the headlines, it's quickly paid off for the club. Not a bad return for a player signed for $1.5 million through next season.
Montreal Canadiens
Acquired from the Chicago Blackhawks at last year's trade deadline, Quebec-born Phillip Danault has impressed since his return to his home province. Danault plays a critical role down the middle for the Canadiens, and has scored 35 points in 75 games this season while doing so.
The best part? Danault is providing production on a cap hit of less than $1 million. The 24-year-old is already on his second contract, having spent part of the past five campaigns toiling with the Blackhawks organization.
Ottawa Senators
In a pinch, with Craig Anderson away from the club, the Senators threw their season to Mike Condon, sending a fifth-round pick to the Pittsburgh Penguins to acquire the netminder. The second-year stopper has more than impressed.
It's a familiar role for Condon, who took over the crease in Montreal a year ago after starter Carey Price was lost to injury. His success has pushed the Senators to compete for the top spot in the Atlantic, and he's done it at a bargain-basement price of $575,000.
Toronto Maple Leafs
With the spotlight on Auston Matthews and Co., James van Riemsdyk has been the steady veteran for the Maple Leafs, producing at a near career high.
Through 74 games, Van Riemsdyk has secured 55 points. A late push could see the savvy winger tie his career-best 61 points, a mark set two years ago in his second season in Toronto. Signed through next season at a cap hit of $4.25 million, Van Riemsdyk provides the Maple Leafs with affordable and reliable offense, and potentially an even more valuable trade chip.
Vancouver Canucks
The Canucks unearthed value when they acquired Markus Granlund from the Flames last February. The deal sent former first-rounder Hunter Shinkaruk to Calgary, but Vancouver liked the potential it saw in Granlund.
That belief has quickly paid off: The 23-year-old sits fifth in Canucks scoring this season, while only Bo Horvat has outpaced him in the goals department. Through his first full season in Vancouver, Granlund has put together 19 goals and 13 assists in 69 games. The Finnish forward is signed through next season at $900,000.
Winnipeg Jets
Any high-end offense from the bottom six is often a bonus, so the Jets are getting supreme value when it comes to center Adam Lowry.
The 23-year-old forward is emerging as a player with some flash in his third full season with Winnipeg. Lowry's found the back of the 14 times this season, placing him sixth in team goal-scoring. He's doing it affordably to boot, as Lowry is signed through the next two seasons with a cap hit of about $1.13 million.
Every Tuesday, theScore's editors will examine the fortunes of the north's seven NHL franchises. Welcome to "O Canada."
Canadian clubs' lineups are studded with highly talented - and highly expensive - players, but rosters still feature some who offer a better bang for the buck.
They don't always get their due credit, so here are seven players across the country providing great value to their squads:
Calgary Flames
Few players have skated under the radar like Flames forward Mikael Backlund, who's emerged as a key pivot for Calgary this season. The club's general manager, Brad Treliving, believes the Swedish center's name should be in the conversation for the Selke Trophy honoring the league's top defensive forward.
Backlund hasn't been shy at the other end of the rink, either. Tallying 50 points on the season, he's already eclipsed a career high in production with six games left to be played. Backlund sits third in Flames scoring, behind only Johnny Gaudreau and Sean Monahan, while his roughly $3.6-million cap hit ranks fifth among Flames forwards.
Edmonton Oilers
Patrick Maroon's ability to find chemistry with phenom Connor McDavid has certainly paid off on the scoresheet, as he's already tallied 25 times in 75 contests this season.
Coming into the year, he'd posted 34 goals in 220 career games. The Oilers added Maroon at last year's trade deadline, and though the transaction made little noise in the headlines, it's quickly paid off for the club. Not a bad return for a player signed for $1.5 million through next season.
Montreal Canadiens
Acquired from the Chicago Blackhawks at last year's trade deadline, Quebec-born Phillip Danault has impressed since his return to his home province. Danault plays a critical role down the middle for the Canadiens, and has scored 35 points in 75 games this season while doing so.
The best part? Danault is providing production on a cap hit of less than $1 million. The 24-year-old is already on his second contract, having spent part of the past five campaigns toiling with the Blackhawks organization.
Ottawa Senators
In a pinch, with Craig Anderson away from the club, the Senators threw their season to Mike Condon, sending a fifth-round pick to the Pittsburgh Penguins to acquire the netminder. The second-year stopper has more than impressed.
It's a familiar role for Condon, who took over the crease in Montreal a year ago after starter Carey Price was lost to injury. His success has pushed the Senators to compete for the top spot in the Atlantic, and he's done it at a bargain-basement price of $575,000.
Toronto Maple Leafs
With the spotlight on Auston Matthews and Co., James van Riemsdyk has been the steady veteran for the Maple Leafs, producing at a near career high.
Through 74 games, Van Riemsdyk has secured 55 points. A late push could see the savvy winger tie his career-best 61 points, a mark set two years ago in his second season in Toronto. Signed through next season at a cap hit of $4.25 million, Van Riemsdyk provides the Maple Leafs with affordable and reliable offense, and potentially an even more valuable trade chip.
Vancouver Canucks
The Canucks unearthed value when they acquired Markus Granlund from the Flames last February. The deal sent former first-rounder Hunter Shinkaruk to Calgary, but Vancouver liked the potential it saw in Granlund.
That belief has quickly paid off: The 23-year-old sits fifth in Canucks scoring this season, while only Bo Horvat has outpaced him in the goals department. Through his first full season in Vancouver, Granlund has put together 19 goals and 13 assists in 69 games. The Finnish forward is signed through next season at $900,000.
Winnipeg Jets
Any high-end offense from the bottom six is often a bonus, so the Jets are getting supreme value when it comes to center Adam Lowry.
The 23-year-old forward is emerging as a player with some flash in his third full season with Winnipeg. Lowry's found the back of the 14 times this season, placing him sixth in team goal-scoring. He's doing it affordably to boot, as Lowry is signed through the next two seasons with a cap hit of about $1.13 million.
When the Montreal Canadiens fired coach Michel Therrien on Feb. 14, the hope was that his dismissal would provide a wake-up call for a club that had found itself way off track.
In the week leading up to Therrien's firing, the Canadiens dropped five of seven contests, collecting just three points along the way, with the former bench boss's tenure coming to an end following a 4-0 loss to the Boston Bruins.
The course has largely been corrected since the change, with the Canadiens earning a 11-5-1 showing under new coach Claude Julien. But did the switch also cost the Canadiens one of their top scorers?
After tallying 14 goals through the first part of the campaign, Alexander Radulov looked to be well on his way to a 30-goal finish, and the Canadiens appeared to have found the top buy of the offseason.
But since the coaching change, Radulov has registered just a single goal, coming in a four-point romp against the New Jersey Devils on Feb. 27.
Coach
GP
G
A
Pts
Pts/GP
Michel Therrien
56
14
28
42
0.75
Claude Julien
14
1
5
6
0.43
Take that a step further and Radulov has scored just two points in the other 13 games under Julien. To note, he missed three contests at the start of March in dealing with a lower-body ailment, but it's hard to ignore Radulov's steep drop in production.
Certain players work better with certain coaches, and that's a question that Canadiens will need to know the answer to before putting pen to paper on a long-term extension with the pending free agent.
The Edmonton Oilers can clinch their first playoff spot since 2006 with a win over the Los Angeles Kings on Tuesday, but the visiting team will do all they can to rain on the parade, according to defenseman Drew Doughty.
“We want to crush their hopes. They’ll make the playoffs no matter what but we don’t want them clinching against us.” - Kings Drew Doughty.
An upper-body injury has kept Pittsburgh Penguins center Evgeni Malkin on the shelf for the past six games, but he appears to be making some progress, at least.
"He is going through a process both on and off the ice", head coach Mile Sullivan said Tuesday. "We're hopeful we will get him back sooner rather than later."
Meanwhile, the Penguins have seven games remaining on the regular-season schedule and sit three points back of the Washington Capitals for first in the Metropolitan Division and atop the NHL standings.
Malkin has missed 13 games due to injury over the course of the season, but sits second in team scoring with 33 goals and 39 assists for 72 total points.
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Here is a glimpse at what the first round of 2017 fantasy hockey drafts will look like in leagues with the following categories:
Skater
Goalie
Goals
Wins
Assists
GAA
Shots
SV%
+/-
Saves
PIM
Shutouts
PPP
1. C Sidney Crosby, Pittsburgh Penguins
Crosby vs. McDavid will be the debate in standard leagues. They'll probably be neck-and-neck for the Art Ross Trophy in the coming seasons, but Crosby's sudden desire to score goals presents more value compared to McDavid, who garners most of his points via assists. Crosby's superior supporting cast puts him over the top.
2. C Connor McDavid, Edmonton Oilers
McDavid and Crosby are the two players in the NHL who have the best odds of recording 100 points. A 100-point player is more valuable than just about anything else in fantasy hockey. McDavid's age and speed give him a sky-high ceiling. He should improve year after year.
3. D Brent Burns, San Jose Sharks
Even in leagues without hits or blocks, Burns still deserves to be a top-3 selection. A defenseman who can score 30 goals, tally 80 points and lead the league in shots on goal provides so much value and balance to your team.
4. G Braden Holtby, Washington Capitals
In leagues where the goaltending stats account for a higher percentage of the categories, you could make the argument Holtby deserves to go No. 1 overall. Even though they have a few key pending unrestricted free agents, Washington should continue to be a powerhouse and Holtby is in his prime.
5. RW Patrick Kane, Chicago Blackhawks
Kane doesn't have the same amount of upside as Crosby and McDavid, but he still has the ability to rack up 100 points, though he'll probably wind up with somewhere around 90. This type of production from right wing is extremely valuable given the lack of depth compared to center.
6. D Erik Karlsson, Ottawa Senators
Karlsson has averaged less ice time this season than he has since 2011-12. This is due to head coach Guy Boucher making sure his star player has some gas left in the tank down the stretch. While it might help the Senators in reality, it dampers his fantasy appeal ever so slightly. He still has point-per-game potential, but he doesn't have the 30-goal upside of Burns.
7. G Carey Price, Montreal Canadiens
Montreal's aging blue line is a slight cause for concern. Nonetheless, a full season with Claude Julien at the helm will lead to stronger defensive play throughout the lineup, therefore solidifying Price as a first-round pick.
7. G Sergei Bobrovsky, Columbus Blue Jackets
The Blue Jackets are no fluke - and neither is Bobrovsky's spectacular season. The Jackets are a young team with a strong blue line and should only improve with more experience. Shot blocking has always been a staple for John Tortorella-led teams. Goalies such as Henrik Lundqvist and Nikolai Khabibulin enjoyed their best seasons under Tortorella's guidance.
9. RW Nikita Kucherov, Tampa Bay Lightning
Kucherov is the only player from the famed "Triplets" line to not regress. In fact, he has become one of the game's best players. He has carried the Lightning offense all season. With C Steven Stamkos back in the fold next year, Kucherov should shine even brighter.
10. LW Brad Marchand, Boston Bruins
Marchand is one of the best late-bloomers in recent memory. When you watch him play, it's hard to convince yourself this season has been a fluke. Bruins head coach Bruce Cassidy certainly doesn't have the resume of Julien, but the former is more aggressive and offensive-minded. Another point-per-game season - or better - is on the horizon for Marchand in 2017-18.
Goaltender Zachary Fucale has been recalled from the ECHL's Brampton Beast on an emergency basis after Al Montoya suffered a lower-body injury during Tuesday's morning skate.
Montoya was slated to start against Dallas, but Carey Price will now draw the assignment with Fucale serving as backup.
Fucale was selected in the second round of the 2013 Draft and has yet to make his NHL debut.
Instead, they stood in solidarity with the Carolina Hurricanes as goaltender Eddie Lack was stretchered off the ice Monday after a collision with Andreas Athanasiou, who scored the game-winning goal on the play.
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Here is a look at the Squad Up daily NHL fantasy picture for Tuesday, March 28 (all advanced statistics courtesy of Corsica.Hockeyand apply to 5v5 situations):
Dynamic Duos
LW Sven Baertschi (45K) & C Bo Horvat (59K), Canucks (vs. Ducks): While the Ducks are on a four-game winning streak during which they've scored 14 goals, they rank 27th in road Corsi For percentage since Feb. 28 at 43.69 percent. Baertschi, Horvat and RW Brock Boeser (31K) played 21.13 percent of the 5v5 minutes last time out. Horvat and Baertschi have combined for 17 points in March.
LW Tanner Pearson (53K) & C Tyler Toffoli (48K), Kings (at Oilers): The Oilers have scored seven goals in three of their past seven games, yet they still have a league-worst CF% of just 46.12 over their past nine home games. They're expected to score 3.24 goals per 60 minutes, but they also give up more than 10 scoring chances per 60. The Kings' top line has a CF rating of 63.41 percent.
LW Jeff Skinner (50K) & RW Lee Stempniak (40K), Hurricanes (vs. Red Wings): Recommended ahead of Monday's 4-3 overtime loss to the Red Wings, Skinner scored the game's first goal with Stempniak dishing the assist. Detroit is playing the third of three consecutive games, which included an extra two minutes of play Monday. Skinner has an absurd eight goals over his past six games.
(Photo courtesy Action Images)
Goalie Breakdown
TARGET - Craig Anderson (87K), Senators (at Flyers): The Flyers have averaged 30.02 shots on goal per 60 minutes but just 2.45 expected goals for since Feb. 28. Anderson is in his worst four-game stretch since his first four starts of the season, but he has twice made more than 30 saves. Ottawa allows a lot of low-quality shots, helping Anderson pad his points total.
BARGAIN - Braden Holtby (75K), Capitals (at Wild): The Wild are averaging just 2.15 expected goals for per 60 minutes at home since Feb. 28. They muster just 6.87 scoring chances per 60 minutes and in reality have scored only nine goals in their past five home games. Holtby has stopped 57 of 59 shots faced in his past two starts.
FADE - Carey Price (100K), Canadiens (vs. Stars): The disappointing Stars have averaged just 28.74 SOG per 60 minutes over the past month, but they've still been able to rack up 8.67 scoring chances. They own the superior splits in both scoring chance percentage and expected goals percentage. Montreal has totaled four goals in its last three games not against the Ottawa Senators.
CONTRARIAN - Ryan Miller (104K), Canucks (vs. Ducks): As mentioned above, the Ducks have struggled mightily on the road since February. They're just 15-15-7 at home for the season, compared to a sparkling 26-8-4 record on home ice. Miller owns a .919 save percentage at home for the season, and he has made at least 30 saves in each of his past six starts.
(Photo courtesy Action Images)
Bargain Plays
C Andreas Athanasiou (29K), Red Wings (at Hurricanes): Athanasiou has scored in each of his past two games, adding one assist on five SOG. He played roughly 14:30 in each outing. His line, which includes LW Justin Abdelkader and C Dylan Larkin, played 19.47 percent of the 5v5 minutes in Monday's win. Detroit should balance the lines even more for its third game in as many nights.
LW Phillip Danault (26K), Canadiens (vs. Stars): Danault has returned to his pass-first role on the Canadiens' top line where he centers LW Max Pacioretty and RW Alexander Radulov. The Stars' defense has improved of late, but they still allow 8.30 scoring chances on just 26.91 SOG against per 60 minutes.
RW Matt Read (34K), Flyers (vs. Senators): Read has fallen a long way since his 47-point rookie season. He has just 10 goals and 19 points through 61 games this season. He was bumped up to the top line with C Claude Giroux and RW Jakub Voracek in his most recent game, notching an assist and two SOG in 14:38 of playing time.
(Photo courtesy: Action Images)
Top Fades
D Roman Josi (46K), Predators (at Bruins): The only real fault on Josi is his salary relative to top-pairing D P.K. Subban. Josi has had to rely much more heavily on the offensive part of his game this season, while Subban has been a more consistent source of both hits and blocked shots. Opt for Subban as the safer choice when their ceilings are nearly identical.
RW Cam Atkinson (56K), Blue Jackets (vs. Sabres): Atkinson has gone without a point in four consecutive games, totaling just 13 SOG. He played more than 17 minutes in just one of those games, as his season average of 18:09 continues to fall. The Sabres are on the second half of a back-to-back, but G Robin Lehner has stopped 62 of the last 64 shots he faced.
LW Jamie Benn (67K), Stars (at Canadiens): The Stars' balanced lines have resulted in Benn playing with C Cody Eakin and RW Ales Hemsky. The line was the fourth-most frequently deployed in Dallas' last game, playing just 18.95 percent of the 5v5 minutes.
(Photo courtesy: Getty Images)
Contrarian Options
C Brayden Schenn (51K), Flyers (vs. Senators): Schenn has been separated from all three of Giroux, Voracek and RW Wayne Simmonds at 5v5. His line with LW Dale Weise and C Sean Couturier was the most commonly used by the Flyers in their most recent game. He has gone without a point in four straight games, but he topped 18 minutes in each of his past two games.
LW Nick Foligno (46K), Blue Jackets (vs. Sabres): Foligno had multiple SOG and hits in all but one of his past five games while averaging more than 15 minutes of ice time. He had just one assist and no goals. He comes at a much more reasonable salary than Atkinson against a tired opponent.
D Torey Krug (42K), Predators (at Bruins): Krug has upped his blocked shots and hits totals of late, while contributing a modest one goal and two assists in his past five games. He registered seven SOG in his most recent home game. He had multiple SOG in all but one of his past five, and he topped 21 minutes of TOI in each of his past four. The Predators play their second game in as many nights.
