The New York Rangers continued their free fall Wednesday night, allowing six unanswered goals in a blowout loss to the Boston Bruins on home ice.

Captain Ryan McDonagh didn't mince words about what he considers one of the most dismal performances he's ever been a part of with the organization.

"It's probably one of the worst games of my career and one of the worst games I've ever been a part of in my Rangers career, so that pretty much sums it up," he said.

McDonagh played more than 21 minutes and finished the game as a minus-2. With the loss, the Rangers now have just three regulation wins in their last 20 games, and the club has shown no signs of snapping out of its extended funk.

"It's been brutal, no question about it," he said. "With everything going on with the team, we need to stay focused on trying to put together somewhat of a complete game. We're not getting close."

New York now sits three points outside the playoff cut line and faces the distinct possibility of missing out on the postseason for the first time since 2010-11.

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With less than a month to go before the Maple Leafs head outdoors to take on the Washington Capitals for the 2018 Stadium Series, it appears Toronto's special jerseys may have leaked prematurely.

Washington officially unveiled its digs in January, but no official word has come from Toronto. However, the image below may have spoiled the surprise.

The Maple Leafs wore a similar design last year when they hosted the Detroit Red Wings for the Centennial Classic in Toronto.

This year's game is scheduled for March 3 at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium.

- With h/t to Bardown

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Ottawa Senators forward Alex Burrows has been suspended 10 games for kneeing New Jersey Devils winger Taylor Hall.

The incident occurred in Tuesday's contest between the Senators and Devils after Hall landed a hit on Burrows. A scrum then ensued and Burrows kneed Hall in the back of the head.

Related: Hall on being kneed in head by Burrows: 'He kind of lost his mind'

Burrows was whistled for two minor penalties on the play - one for cross checking and a second infraction for roughing.

The 10-game suspension marks the longest handed out this season. Under the terms of the collective bargaining agreement, Burrows is not considered a repeat offender, as he has not been suspended in the past 18 months. His last ban came in 2014 when he was suspended for three games.

In December, Burrows was fined $5,000 - the maximum allowable under the CBA - as a supplemental discipline penalty for roughing. The latest ban will cost him nearly $135,000 in forfeited salary, according to CapFriendly.

Burrows, 36, has tallied eight points in 51 games this season. He is eligible to return to the lineup March 2 when the Senators face off against the Vegas Golden Knights.

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If the Calgary Flames are to add to their roster before this year's trade deadline, it won't come at the expense of the club's future draft picks, at least according to team president Brian Burke.

The Flames are firmly entrenched in the playoff race in the crowded Western Conference, and entered Wednesday's games in third spot in the Pacific with 62 points, enough to momentarily fend off the pursuing Anaheim Ducks and Los Angeles Kings.

That said, Calgary could potentially benefit from some added offensive punch on the wing, but Burke won't sell future assets for a quick fix.

"We don't have a lot of picks - we're not picking until (the third round of the 2018 draft), so we can't use the deadline to pick up a rental player with a relatively high pick," Burke said on Sportsnet 590's Prime Time Sports on Wednesday. "We're not going into (2019) picks ... unless it's an extraordinary circumstance."

The Flames traded a first- and two second-round picks to the New York Islanders for defenseman Travis Hamonic in the offseason, and also gave up future draft selections in separate trades for Michael Stone and Mike Smith.

While the odds of bringing in an outside player are slim, Burke believes the solution to Calgary's wish list could come internally, as he mentioned winger Kris Versteeg - who hasn't played since Nov. 24 due to hip surgery - could return soon to help the club's playoff push.

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Minnesota Wild defenseman Jonas Brodin will be sidelined for three-to-four weeks after undergoing hand surgery, the team announced Wednesday.

Brodin suffered the injury in Tuesday's 6-2 win over the St. Louis Blues.

Across 53 games this season, Brodin has recorded five goals and 10 assists. His 21:21 average ice-time ranks fourth among Minnesota blue-liners.

The Wild remain in the thick of the playoff race, holding down the final wild-card spot with 63 points. Both the Anaheim Ducks and the Colorado Avalanche trail Minnesota by one point.

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The NHL trade deadline is now under three weeks away, but still the league awaits its first big-name move.

One of the bigger stars on the chopping block is Ottawa Senators forward Mike Hoffman. As a premier shooter, a deal for Hoffman could very well bring back the biggest return of any player on the Senators roster. (It's important to note general manager Pierre Dorion has gone on record saying he wants captain Erik Karlsson with the club for life, and he doesn't plan to move Derick Brassard.)

However, it appears the Senators could be wavering on whether to deal Hoffman for one main reason: he and Matt Duchene have formed great chemistry over the last few weeks, as TSN's Darren Dreger noted on Tuesday's "Insider Trading" segment.

Hoffman and Duchene have been the bright lights for a team that, despite wins in three of the last four games, looks primed for a top-10 pick in the draft. The two have combined for 11 points in their last four games and after a slow start following his arrival from the Colorado Avalanche, Duchene looks to be hitting his stride.

Over his last 14 games, Duchene has 14 points, thanks largely to his rapport with Hoffman. Meanwhile, since joining the Sens, Duchene has 20 points, 10 of which Hoffman has contributed to in some way.

There's no question the idea the duo continuing to fire on all cylinders is intriguing, but the fact of the matter is the potential benefits of a deal ahead of the trade deadline outweigh those of keeping him.

Given Hoffman's offensive potential, there is no question he will be a sought-after trade target and could command a hefty haul.

In the same "Insider Trading" segment, Bob McKenzie suggested the asking price for New York Rangers forward Rick Nash could be a first-round draft pick, a high-end prospect, and another draft pick or lesser player.

That seems like a high ask, but the Sens would likely want a similarly large return for Hoffman. While Nash certainly plays a heavier game than Hoffman, the Senators winger has been much more productive over the last two years, tallying 69 goals and 156 points in 204 games compared to Nash's 53 goals and 99 points in 180 games. That works out to a points per game average of 0.76 for Hoffman to Nash's 0.55, making the former the better fit for a club looking to add an offensive punch heading into the postseason.

A Hoffman deal also makes sense in the much-publicized case of Karlsson's next contract. As has been well documented, the two-time Norris Trophy-winner will become an unrestricted free agent at the end of next season and is eligible for a contract extension on July 1 of this year.

The Senators have made it clear their intentions are to have Karlsson back with the club for a long time. Just one problem there: he won't be cheap and the 27-year-old has already said he won't be taking a hometown discount to stay in Ottawa.

As it stands, the Senators will have just over $35 million to spend for the 2019-20 season - when Karlsson becomes a free agent - but that's with just nine players signed to contracts.

Karlsson could command a Connor McDavid-like contract in the ballpark of $12.5 million per season, or potentially higher. That would give the Senators roughly $23 million to get 10 guys signed - good luck, Dorion. So it makes sense to try and free up some money if they can, and with Hoffman on the books for another two years at $5.187 million per season, dealing him would be a way to release some cash.

It's understandable to want to keep Hoffman in the fold. The 28-year-old has a remarkable shot - one he's used to score more goals than any other Sens player over the last four seasons - and he still looks to have another gear to hit.

But with the team now locked in 29th in the overall standings, it's evident the team is in need of some retooling. With that, the Senators would be better off cashing in on Hoffman for draft picks and prospects to help jump-start their pending rebuild.

(Photos courtesy: Getty Images)

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New Jersey Devils general manager Ray Shero would like to give his club a boost at the trade deadline, but he's only willing to give up so much.

The Devils find themselves third in the Metropolitan Division, just one point back of the second-place Pittsburgh Penguins with three games in hand. Though Shero would like to add another piece or two, he won't give up talented prospects and picks to accommodate the high prices for certain rental players.

"You're always looking to make a decent hockey deal, but if it's a rental, I don't see us getting into what those rentals might cost," Shero said, according to NHL.com's Mike Morreale. "Maybe it's a softer deal that solidifies a certain area or position, or maybe it's just another hockey deal that takes place. Whether it's team play or injuries, any GM will say that things can change. We'll keep our options open."

Shero added, "We have good depth coming up and that's something I don't want to lose and set us back."

In the meantime, the Devils will look to keep up their strong play down the stretch. They made their last playoff appearance in 2012, falling to the Los Angeles Kings in the Stanley Cup Final.

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Montreal Canadiens defenseman Shea Weber skated Wednesday for the first time since suffering a left foot injury in December.

Weber took the ice with teammate Phillip Danault before practice started, but didn't take part in team drills.

No timetable has been set for Weber's return to action. The Canadiens officially shut Weber down Dec. 18. Weber played through the injury but the team ruled him out indefinitely after the ailment lingered.

Weber has notched six goals and 10 assists in 26 games this season.

Montreal squares off against the Philadelphia Flyers on Thursday.

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Toronto Maple Leafs goaltender Frederik Andersen will start Wednesday against the Nashville Predators after a brief injury scare, head coach Mike Babcock told reporters, including Sportsnet's Chris Johnston.

Andersen left Monday's game against the Anaheim Ducks after taking a skate to the head from Corey Perry, although Babcock said postgame the goaltender was "fine."

Andersen returned to practice Tuesday without incident, but Babcock said he wouldn't make a decision about Wednesday's starter until game day.

The goaltender currently sports a 2.66 goals-against average with a .921 save percentage and four shutouts.

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