The St. Louis Blues coach is solely focused on finding the victory column when the Blues travel to Minnesota on Tuesday to take on the Wild.
The game marks Yeo's first return to St. Paul as a head coach since the Wild fired him as their own bench boss last February.
Yeo joined the Blues in the offseason, signing on as associate coach before taking on head coach duties after Ken Hitchcock was fired Feb. 1. The Blues visited Minnesota on Dec. 11, with Yeo second-in-command. Tuesday will be his first game back in Minnesota in the top job.
Yeo coached the Wild from 2011-16, qualifying for the playoffs in all but one year. His time in Minnesota ended last season, following a stretch in which the Wild won just once in 14 outings (1-11-2).
Now behind the bench in Missouri, it's been a tale of two seasons since Yeo took over for Hitchcock. After going 7-1 to kick off his coaching tenure, the Blues then fell to 1-5 in their next six contests.
The Blues are clinging to the West's final playoff spot, one point ahead of Los Angeles. Tuesday's game is an opportunity for St. Louis to get its season back on track, a fact not lost on the new coach.
"I want to win the game for a number of reasons," Yeo told Michael Rand of the Star Tribune. "I'd be lying if I said there wasn't a personal part of it, but I'd like this one for our team."
The Blues and Wild have split their season series, winning two games apiece, while Tuesday's contest marks the final time the two sides will meet in the regular season.
The Panthers are in the thick of the playoff race, with a valuable two points up for grabs against the Rangers. Florida sits two points back of the New York Islanders for the East's final playoff seed.
A postseason berth would mark back-to-back playoffs for the Panthers, who were eliminated by the Islanders in six games in the opening round last spring. Florida has not qualified for the playoffs in consecutive seasons since 1997.
Earlier this season, under former bench boss Gerard Gallant, the Panthers made morning skates optional for the 45-year-old Jagr. It's unknown if that arrangement has continued under Rowe, who also serves as general manager.
Jagr and others took option Rowe said morning skates r waste of time this point of season #flapanthers
Not only was Jagr missing from Tuesday's skate, but Rowe would also like to see more of him on the scoresheet. The veteran winger has one point in his past seven games.
It's been a familiar refrain for Rowe. Following Saturday's 2-1 loss to the Dallas Stars, Rowe set his sights on Reilly Smith, railing against the winger for his play that led to the Stars' game-winning goal.
On winning goal: Alls I know is Reilly Smith was blowing the zone, doing exactly what he's not supposed to be doing. Thank you. #rowe
The Ottawa Senators are contemplating a full-time switch to their iconic throwback logo, replacing the Roman-style emblem the club has used since 1992.
The original Senators used a variation of the 'O' logo during Ottawa's initial stint in the NHL (1917-34), and the franchise reintroduced it in 2011.
"That jersey has inspired lot of people," Tom Anselmi, president and CEO of the Senators, told Ken Warren of the Ottawa Citizen. "It's a great looking jersey and the players like it. But we're not going to do anything knee-jerk."
Anselmi joined the Senators in January after a 17-year career with the Toronto Maple Leafs. The longtime executive believes the timing is perfect for the Senators to bring in the new look, considering several historic milestones both the franchise and its city have on the horizon:
25 years since the Senators rejoined the NHL
100th anniversary of the NHL
150th anniversary of the City of Ottawa
150th anniversary of Canada
"There has been a lot of jerseys, a lot of logos, lots of patches," Anselmi added. "Whatever we end up with at the end of day, we want to stick with it. We want something that will stand the test of time."
According to Anselmi, the Senators need to be more like sports organizations that have "a clear understanding of what their brand is." Original Six franchises like the Canadiens and Detroit Red Wings have made few tweaks to their look throughout history.
"The logo is just a visual representation of the brand. Where we go next is a clear priority," Anselmi said. "We're aware of what the fans here are saying and we're hearing a lot."
Any changes by the Senators will be permanent, as reports indicate that the league's jersey manufacturer will eliminate third jerseys in 2017-18.
Follow theScore's fantasy feed on Twitter (@theScoreFantasy) for the latest news, features and more. And download Squad Up, theScore's free-to-win-money sports game.
Here is a look at the Squad Up daily NHL fantasy picture for Tuesday, March 7 (all advanced statistics courtesy of Corsica.Hockeyand apply to 5v5 situations):
Dynamic Duos
C Claude Giroux (63K) & RW Wayne Simmonds (62K), Flyers (at Sabres): The Flyers' new top line of Giroux, Simmonds, and LW Jordan Weal have a Corsi For rating of 58.33 percent in nearly 40 5v5 minutes together. They average 42.78 shots on goal, 12.22 scoring chances and 3.67 expected goals for per 60 minutes. The Sabres have the league's second-worst CF% since Feb. 1 at 45.72 percent.
LW James van Riemsdyk (61K) & C Mitchell Marner (54K), Maple Leafs (vs. Red Wings): The Maple Leafs effectively rolled four lines in their most recent game, with the top 5v5 trio playing 24.9 percent of the minutes and the line of Marner, van Riemsdyk and C Tyler Bozak checking in with 21.63 percent of the minutes. The three average 10.54 scoring chances per 60 in nearly 400 minutes together.
LW Max Pacioretty (79K) & RW Brendan Gallagher (57K), Canadiens (at Canucks): Montreal has started March with consecutive wins, two more regulation victories than they had in all of February. The reunion of Pacioretty and Gallagher on the top line has been a big help, as their line centered by Phillip Danault has a CF% of 58.86 for the season, averaging 11.37 scoring chances per 60 minutes.
(Photo courtesy Action Images)
Goalie Breakdown
TARGET - Henrik Lundqvist (95K), Rangers (at Panthers): The Rangers are on the second half of a back-to-back, but Lundqvist will return to the crease after ceding to G Antti Raanta for Game 1. He allowed at least four goals in three of his past four starts, but the Panthers offer potential for a high save total with averages of 33.57 shots but just 6.69 scoring chances per 60 minutes.
BARGAIN - Michal Neuvirth (88K), Flyers (at Sabres): Owners seeking a bargain goaltender should go no lower than Neuvirth, and even he carries substantial risk. He allowed four goals in each of past two starts, but the Sabres have been expected to score just 2.19 goals per 60 since Feb. 1. With 30.16 shots and 7.26 scoring chances per 60, the potential is there for a large saves total.
FADE - Cam Talbot (116K), Oilers (vs. Islanders): Talbot allowed at least three goals in each of his past three home starts. The Islanders were held to just three goals in their past two games, but they do have a positive Corsi For rating since Feb. 1, while Edmonton has been slightly on the negative end.
CONTRARIAN - Jonathan Bernier (104K), Ducks (vs. Predators): While the Ducks' starting goalie is never mentioned until right before puck drop, either Bernier or G John Gibson will be a smart selection. Nashville has averaged 32.62 shots but just 8.20 scoring chances per 60 since Feb. 1.
(Photo courtesy Getty Images)
Bargain Plays
D Ivan Provorov (28K), Flyers (at Sabres): Provorov played 30 percent of the power-play minutes in Philadelphia's last game. He operates as the lone defenseman on the second unit. He has gone point-less in five consecutive games, but he has steadily supplied some hits and blocked shots. The Flyers should have more success against Buffalo's 29th-ranked penalty kill.
C Nick Bjugstad (25K), Panthers (vs. Rangers): The Panthers' line of LW Thomas Vanek, Bjugstad and LW Jonathan Marchessault was the most frequently deployed trio at 5v5 in their most recent game. Bjugstad's 15:05 of ice time was his most since Feb. 9. He notched four shots on goal in the game. Production will follow the increased usage for the third line.
LW Artturi Lehkonen (26K), Canadiens (at Canucks): Lehkonen scored his first goal since Jan. 21 his last time out, tallying five shots on goal against the Rangers. He totaled 13:21 in time on ice, playing alongside C Alex Galchenyuk at 5v5.
(Photo courtesy Getty Images)
Top Fades
C Aleksander Barkov (61K), Panthers (vs. Rangers): Barkov still has the highest ceiling of any Panthers skater, but he is not nearly as safe an option as the team moves toward a balanced, three-line approach. Owners are better off accepting less risk with a player accompanied by a smaller salary.
RW Jakub Voracek (64K), Flyers (at Sabres): Voracek is the misplaced star in Philadelphia's new line combinations. He skated on a trio with C Brayden Schenn and C Valtteri Filppula in the most recent game, with the line ranking third in 5v5 frequency. He'll still see plenty of power-play work against the dismal Sabres PK, but his salary is too high to bank on special teams production.
D Roman Josi (54K), Predators (at Ducks): Josi has gone without a point in two straight, following a four-game streak of two-point performances. Of those eight points, three came with the man advantage. The Ducks' penalty kill ranks sixth in the league at 84.9 percent.
(Photo courtesy Getty Images)
Contrarian Options
LW Nick Foligno (57K), Blue Jackets (vs. Devils): Foligno hasn't enjoyed the same scoring as linemate LW Brandon Saad of late, but the two shoot at similar rates while flanking the Blue Jackets' top line. Avoid recency bias and side with the salary savings by opting for Foligno.
C William Nylander (63K), Maple Leafs (vs. Red Wings): Nylander offers 15K in salary savings over linemate C Auston Matthews. Matthews is the vastly superior scorer, providing the higher upside. Nylander has been able to compile 14 points since Feb. 1, and he had a shot on goal in all but two games.
RW Sebastian Aho (54K), Hurricanes (at Avalanche): Aho has suffered a drop in production, totaling just three goals and two assists since Feb. 1. His usage remains high, and he will have the benefit of the league's best matchup for Tuesday's game. His shot counts have remained high with a total of 39 over his past 13 games.
Every Tuesday, theScore's editors will examine the fortunes of the north's seven NHL franchises. Welcome to "O Canada."
Four weeks remain in the NHL schedule. Marking an incredible comeback from a year ago, all clubs north of the border have a chance at a playoff spot after Canada was shut out from postseason play in 2016.
Look for these seven players to be the biggest contributors for their clubs with the playoffs on the line:
Calgary Flames
The Flames are hot, winning seven in a row, with a chance to push that streak to eight straight victories when they face the Montreal Canadiens on Thursday.
Over that stretch, Calgary's top player has been speedy forward Johnny Gaudreau, putting up nine points in seven games. Since Dec. 1, Gaudreau's points per game has climbed to 0.85 after struggling to 0.65 through the season's first two months.
A playoff date for the Flames would mark their second postseason appearance in the past three years, and just their third since 2009.
Edmonton Oilers
No goaltender has seen a heavier workload this season than Oilers netminder Cam Talbot, already with 58 games under his belt. The 29-year-old is on pace for 73 contests this season, after setting his previous high-water mark a year ago, at 56 games.
Poor showings from Edmonton's second stringers - the club has already shuffled out Jonas Gustavsson for Laurent Brossoit - has left Oilers bench boss Todd McLellan little choice other than to regularly call on Talbot.
Edmonton has missed the playoffs 10 straight seasons, last showing up in the postseason in 2006 following a miracle run to the Stanley Cup Finals. The Oilers hope Talbot holds up while the club locks down its first playoff match in over a decade.
Montreal Canadiens
Every club has an MVP, but no player is more important to his squad than Canadiens goaltender Carey Price.
After missing all but 12 games last season following a devastating knee injury, Price has returned to Montreal's crease and hasn't missed a beat. The 2015 Vezina winner holds down a 29-16-5 record this season, while his .922 save rate ranks second among netminders with as many starts.
For the Canadiens to make any noise in the playoffs, they'll need to rely on Price. It's evident the club isn't the same without their franchise netminder. Price caught a cold streak coming out of the bye week, while the Canadiens picked up just three points in seven games.
Ottawa Senators
The Senators aren't known for their offense - with just 170 goals on the season, Ottawa ranks 19th league-wide.
Ottawa has relied on a scoring by committee approach this season under new coach Guy Boucher. Three forwards have reached both 20 goals and 40 points, with winger Mark Stone topping the list. The 24-year-old has struggled since returning from a neck injury, putting up just two assists in five games, and the Senators will need Stone to return to form in order to do damage in the spring.
The Senators have flown under the radar for much of the season, but thanks to some key performances, the club is a good bet to return to the postseason after missing out a year ago.
Toronto Maple Leafs
The young Maple Leafs hit a wall coming out of the All-Star break, following up the Jan. 29 weekend with a 5-7-5 showing.
Part of that recent sagging performance coincided with the loss of rookie Mitch Marner, out five games with an upper-body injury. Marner is one of a trio of key rookies making names for themselves in Toronto this season, alongside Auston Matthews and William Nylander.
Toronto sits one point back of the New York Islanders for the last playoff spot in the East. A postseason appearance would be the Maple Leafs' first since 2013, and a chance to win their first playoff series since 2004.
Vancouver Canucks
Vancouver has the tallest task in locking down a playoff position, sitting six points back of the St. Louis Blues for the second wild-card seed in the West. Couple that with the fact the team sold off pieces at the recent trade deadline, and the Canucks have their work cut out of for them.
In the meantime, no doubt the Canucks would like to see some more noise from their big-ticket free agency addition, veteran winger Loui Eriksson. The Swedish-born forward was injured Sunday versus the Anaheim Ducks, but is not expected to miss much time.
Eriksson has accounted for 11 goals and 13 assists with the Canucks this season. He was added in the offseason, given his chemistry with countrymen Daniel and Henrik Sedin. The 31-year-old is signed through the 2021-22 season.
Winnipeg Jets
No freshman has been as electrifying this season as Jets winger Patrik Laine. The Finnish forward leads all rookies in goals with 32 and in points at 59. He's averaged a point-per-game pace this season, appearing in 59 contests.
As for the Jets, the team has rebounded in recent weeks to put itself back in the playoff picture, with just two regulation-time losses in their past nine outings (5-2-2). Winnipeg is now just three points back of the Blues for the West's final playoff seed.
Since uprooting from Atlanta in 2011, the Jets have a single playoff appearance, falling in a 4-0 sweep to the Ducks in 2015. Laine and the Jets have a chance to find some playoff success this spring.
Olli Jokinen will exit the sport with the club he captained for four seasons.
The Florida Panthers announced they will sign their all-time points leader to an honorary contract, and will honor him during the second period Tuesday versus the New York Rangers.
Jokinen thanked the organization for extending its gratitude via the Panthers official website.
"My heart has always been with the Panthers organization and now I feel like my career has come full circle," he said. "I am extremely grateful that I had the chance to play hockey in South Florida and help the sport grow.
"I want to thank my family - my wife Katerina and my daughters Alexandra, Emma, and Keira - and all of the fans, teammates, coaches, and staff who have supported me throughout my career."
Jokinen spent seven seasons with Florida, and captained the team from 2003-2008. He scored a franchise-best 188 goals and 419 points in 567 games, and 750 points in 1,231 games with 10 franchises in his 17-season NHL career.
He also leads the Panthers in game-winning goals, overtime goals, and power-play points.
The San Jose Sharks center and legendary passer became the 13th player in NHL history to collect 1,000 career assists in Monday's victory over the Winnipeg Jets.
It was the supporting cast of goal-scorers who contributed to the grand total on his mind when he spoke about the achievement afterward.
"Honestly, I've been lucky enough to stay healthy all these years and play with a lot of good scorers," Thornton said, according to Darren Bauming of the San Jose Mercury News. "For a passer that's probably the key - it's just having the Jonathan Cheechoos, the Glen Murrays, the Joe Pavelskis, you know, the Patty Marleaus.
"The list goes on and on and on - the guys that I've played with over the years have put the puck in the back of the net, so I've been lucky to be set up with those guys."
The incomparable vision and pinpoint accuracy that Thornton's used to scale the all-time list wasn't necessary for No. 1,000. Defending a one-goal lead late in the game, Thornton scooped up a blocked shot and initiated a clean zone exit by patiently moving the puck to Marc-Edouard Vlasic. Vlasic then pushed it up to Pavelski who swept the puck under the stick of Nikolaj Ehlers, and into the vacated net.
Regardless of the aesthetic, it was cause for celebration.
"It's always nice to get these things when you get the two points and you can have some fun on the plane on the way home."
