In the first meeting between the top two picks from the 2017 NHL Draft, it was a high pick from 2011 who came up big.

First overall pick Nico Hischier and the New Jersey Devils hosted second selection Nolan Patrick and the Philadelphia Flyers on Saturday.

Sean Couturier - the eighth overall pick in 2011 - stole the show, however, scoring two goals and adding an assist to maintain a streak of red-hot play.

Couturier now has 25 goals and 45 points through 42 games, both of which are already new single-season highs for the 25-year-old center.

As for the rookies, Hischier held the advantage over Patrick despite his team taking the loss:

These two clubs will square off again shortly, with round two set for Jan. 20 in Philadelphia.

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A scary scene developed late in the second period of Saturday's game between the Boston Bruins and Montreal Canadiens.

Bruins defenseman Zdeno Chara fired a slap shot that struck Canadiens center Phillip Danault in the side of the head.

Danault dropped to the ice, and was eventually stretchered off after a lengthy examination and deliberation by team doctors. The incident occurred with 1:37 left in the frame. Players were sent off for an early intermission.

Chara, it should be noted, waited by Danault's side as he was being tended to and offered a quiet word as he was leaving the ice.

Jim Hughson of "Hockey Night in Canada" reported Chara's shot was measured at 123 kilometers per hour - or 76.4 mph.

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The Arizona Coyotes could be one of the busier sellers ahead of the Feb. 26 trade deadline.

It's been a miserable season in the desert, as the Coyotes have languished in the basement, having won just 10 of 44 games.

That means change is in order, and blue-liners Oliver Ekman-Larsson and Niklas Hjalmarsson could be wearing different jerseys come March, reports Bruce Garrioch of the Ottawa Sun.

It's a steep asking price for Ekman-Larsson, with Coyotes general manager John Chayka seeking two top-flight roster players in addition to a first-round draft choice for the star blue-liner.

On a poor performing Coyotes team, Ekman-Larsson has recorded 19 points in 44 games this season and is a key piece of the team's leadership core following the retirement of former captain Shane Doan.

Signed through next season, a trade for Ekman-Larsson ahead of this year's trade deadline means the acquiring team would get the Swedish defenseman for two playoff runs before his contract expires. The Coyotes used the same selling point when they dealt Keith Yandle to the New York Rangers ahead of the 2015 trade deadline.

Meanwhile, the Coyotes are also shopping Hjalmarsson. The three-time Stanley Cup champion has had little time to make an impact in Arizona after he was acquired from the Chicago Blackhawks last offseason, as a series of injuries have limited Hjalmarsson to just 18 games this year.

Like Ekman-Larsson, Hjalmarsson is signed through 2018-19, though his cap hit comes in slightly lower, as he's owed $4.1 million.

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The NHL's iconic Winter Classic is zeroing in on the Sunshine State, and it's possible the Tampa Bay Lightning could host the event in the coming years.

"Tampa is absolutely on the shorter list of places that we're considering (for an outdoor game)," NHL executive vice president Steve Mayer told Joe Smith of the Tampa Bay Times. "I think given the stadium, given the team, given the market, I think it's a great candidate."

The sites for the 2020 and 2021 outdoor games will be announced this offseason. The Lightning would play at Raymond James Stadium, home of the NFL's Buccaneers, which seats more than 65,000 fans.

The team ranks sixth in NHL attendance this season, averaging more than 19,000 fans a game at Amalie Arena, according to ESPN.

Related - Bettman: Outdoor game at NC State 'not out of the question'

Tampa's hosting the 2018 All-Star Game in February.

A staple on the league calendar since 2008, the NHL schedules multiple outdoor games each year. Two have already taken place this season - in Ottawa and New York City, respectively - and a third is set for Annapolis, Md., in March.

Two previous games were held in warmer climates - Los Angeles in 2014 and Santa Clara, Calif., in 2015 - and potential weather challenges won't deter the NHL.

"The way we're doing the ice (for outdoor games) has changed and evolved over the years. It can handle extremes," Mayer added. "You can never play an afternoon game. But nighttime (in Tampa) it gets cool and could easily handle an outdoor game."

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Mathew Barzal now tops the rookie charts.

The New York Islanders sensation moved to No. 1 in the rookie scoring race Saturday following a five-point outing against the rival New York Rangers.

It's the second time this season Barzal has recorded a five-point game after he tallied five assists against the Colorado Avalanche in a November contest. He picked up two goals and three assists Saturday to bring his total to 44 points on the season.

Saturday's showing saw Barzal leapfrog Vancouver Canucks rookie Brock Boeser for the top spot. Boeser has recorded 40 points on the year, a safe distance ahead of Arizona Coyotes first-year winger, Clayton Keller, who sits third with 33 points.

As for Barzal, the freshman trails only John Tavares and Josh Bailey in team scoring, who stand at 52 and 50 points, respectively.

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J.T. Brown's time with the Tampa Bay Lightning may be drawing to a close.

The club put the right winger on waivers Saturday, reports Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman.

Brown has four points in 24 games this season, scoring his only goal on Nov. 12.

He's been a healthy scratch multiple times and has averaged a career-low 9:22 in ice time in 2017-18.

Brown is a pending unrestricted free agent carrying a cap hit of $1.25 million, according to CapFriendly.

He became the first NHL player to peacefully protest during the U.S. national anthem this season when he stood with his fist raised during the singing of "The Star-Spangled Banner" before a game on Oct. 7.

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Jack Johnson is reportedly seeking a trade, but there are a number of reasons why that wouldn't be a smart move for the Columbus Blue Jackets or any potential trade partners.

From the rest of the league's point of view, the veteran defenseman is a pending unrestricted free agent, so there's a good chance he'd merely be a rental player if another team were to acquire him before the Feb. 26 trade deadline.

More importantly, though, Johnson's game and role have both diminished significantly this season.

He's averaging a career-low 19:24 in ice time for Columbus in 2017-18, having never finished below 20 minutes per contest in any of his previous 11 NHL campaigns. He has seven points in 46 games, and his 0.15 points per game mark his lowest offensive output since his rookie season 10 years ago.

Johnson also has an even-strength Corsi For mark of only 46.3 so far this season and has never hit 50 percent to drive possession over a full year in his career.

The 31-year-old was already passed on the depth chart by Zach Werenski and Seth Jones, and now he's been supplanted by Markus Nutivaara. He's playing on the Blue Jackets' third pairing alongside Scott Harrington.

Another issue is the money. Johnson's cap hit is $4.36 million this season, according to CapFriendly, and even if the Blue Jackets retain a portion of that, other clubs aren't likely to be clamoring to take on that kind of hit for a third-pairing blue-liner whose game is declining.

From the Blue Jackets' perspective, it wouldn't be ideal to move him, either.

Despite his diminished skills and pending free-agent status, Johnson is Columbus' second-oldest player, and the Blue Jackets are the youngest team in the NHL, according to NHLNumbers.

While getting something for him at this point might be beneficial, it wouldn't make much sense for the Blue Jackets, who will undoubtedly be buyers ahead of the deadline, to deal away their most experienced player in advance of a playoff run.

Johnson's reported motives - wanting a bigger role and looking to set the table for his unrestricted free agency in the summer amid his well-documented financial troubles - are somewhat understandable, but his value has arguably hit rock bottom at the moment.

He's not unhappy in Columbus or with his teammates, according to the report, so perhaps the situation can be smoothed over from within. That would clearly be the best outcome, as it's evident a trade would be a mistake for all teams involved.

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A 21st birthday is cause for celebration - particularly in the United States, where young men and women are can partake in certain fun activities they weren't legally allowed to enjoy the day before.

Edmonton star Connor McDavid officially joins the over-20 club Saturday - and in the party capital of North America, no less, as the Oilers visit the Vegas Golden Knights. You can't blame McDavid for being a bit distracted - but regardless of how he fares, it'll be interesting to compare his performance to those of other NHL greats who hit the ice on their 21st birthdays.

Here's a list of the five most notable players to have done just that:

Gordie Howe, Detroit Red Wings (March 31, 1949)

"Mr. Hockey" celebrated turning 21 in style, scoring the final goal of a 3-1 win over the Montreal Canadiens in Game 5 of their Stanley Cup semifinal. It was Howe's sixth goal of the series; he added a seventh in a Game 6 loss before opening the scoring in Detroit's 3-1 triumph in Game 7. Howe's scoring surge ended there, as he was held goalless in a four-game final loss to Toronto.

Bobby Orr, Boston Bruins (March 20, 1969)

Like Howe nearly 20 years earlier, Orr had a successful 21st birthday, scoring to help the Bruins earn a 5-5 tie in the first of a home-and-home series with the Chicago Blackhawks. It was the 21st and final goal of the regular season for Orr, who added 43 assists in 67 games. He would officially make the leap the following season, recording 120 points to cement his place as one of the greatest defensemen to ever lace up a pair of skates.

Wayne Gretzky, Edmonton Oilers (Jan. 26, 1982)

Birthday, Valentine's Day, garbage day ... there wasn't a slot on the hockey calendar where Gretzky wasn't a threat to score. And that goes for "The Great One's" 21st birthday, as he potted a goal and an assist in a 6-4 triumph in St. Louis. It was Gretzky's fifth consecutive multi-point game, and kick-started a five-game goal streak in which he lit the lamp seven times. #GOAT

Dale Hawerchuk, Winnipeg Jets (April 4, 1984)

We hope Hawerchuk had a huge piece of cake after this one. The future Hall of Fame center was on the wrong end of a 9-2 thumping at the hands of the Oilers in the opener of their first-round playoff series; Gretzky, Jari Kurri, and Paul Coffey combined to record 11 points and effectively ruin Hawerchuk's special day. Winnipeg went on to lose the series in three games.

Patrick Kane, Chicago Blackhawks (Nov. 19, 2009)

Kane is no stranger to big performances - and his 21st birthday fits that bill, as he converted one of Chicago's four second-period power-play goals and added an assist 36 seconds later in a 7-1 drubbing of the host Calgary Flames. That win was the fifth of an eight-game streak for the Blackhawks, during which Kane recorded five goals and four assists.

(Photos courtesy: Getty Images)

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Jack Johnson reportedly wants out.

The veteran defenseman has asked the Columbus Blue Jackets to trade him, sources told The Athletic's Aaron Portzline on Saturday morning.

Johnson's reduced role was cited as a reason for the request, as was his desire to better position himself for free agency in the summer, but it's not that he's unhappy in Columbus or with his teammates, according to the report.

The request was reportedly made weeks ago. Neither Johnson nor Blue Jackets general manager Jarmo Kekalainen would comment when contacted by The Athletic on Friday.

The 31-year-old, who's one of Columbus' alternate captains, is a pending unrestricted free agent who has plummeted on the team's depth chart this season.

He ranks fourth among the club's blue-liners in average ice time, but is now playing on the third pairing with Scott Harrington.

Johnson has spent parts of seven seasons with the Blue Jackets after playing parts of six with the Los Angeles Kings.

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