The Toronto Maple Leafs and Anaheim Ducks made a minor-league trade Monday, with the Leafs shipping forward Adam Cracknell to the West Coast in exchange for blue-liner Steven Oleksy, the team announced.

Cracknell has spent the 2018-19 campaign with the AHL's Toronto Marlies, registering three goals and seven assists in 14 games. The 33-year-old has 208 games of NHL experience under his belt.

Oleksy, meanwhile, hasn't played in the NHL since the 2016-17 season with the Pittsburgh Penguins. He had two points in 15 AHL games for the San Diego Gulls before being dealt.

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The Columbus Blue Jackets suffered an uninspiring 4-0 loss at home to their division rival Washington Capitals on Saturday, and two days later, head coach John Tortorella is still fuming.

"I'm embarrassed as the coach of this team," Tortorella told reporters after Monday's hour-long practice, according to The Atheltic's Aaron Portzline. "I missed something along the way. I'm part of it also. I'm embarrassed that we embarrassed our organization."

The Jackets' effort came two games after they let a 4-1 lead slip away to the Calgary Flames, a contest they eventually lost 9-6.

"It was disgusting," Torts added when asked if the Blue Jackets' struggles looked like a lack of passion. "After our last home game, that debacle, 9-6 (to Calgary on Tuesday), to show up on a Saturday night for first-place seeding, against a team that knocked us out of the playoffs, in front of a full house, it's embarrassing."

Columbus boasts one of the worst home-ice records in the Eastern Conference this season, going 7-6-1 at Nationwide Arena.

"We're trying to get this into a place, into a hockey town. You're going to do shit that way. That has to stop," Tortorella said.

The Blue Jackets sit three points behind the Capitals for top spot in the Metropolitan division. They host the Vancouver Canucks on Tuesday.

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This is the sixth edition of theScore's 2018-19 NHL Power Rankings, which will be published every two weeks during the regular season. It was compiled by editors Cory Wilkins, Sean O'Leary, and Josh Gold-Smith.

1. Tampa Bay Lightning (23-7-1) ▲

It's hard to find fault with the Lightning, who've won six straight including a blowout over the Avalanche. Tampa Bay's offense is firing on all cylinders while backup goalie Louis Domingue has performed admirably in Andrei Vasilevskiy's injury absence.

Previously: 2nd

2. Calgary Flames (19-10-2) ▲

Four straight games on the bench apparently righted goaltender Mike Smith, who hasn't looked back since reclaiming the starting job in late November. Across his last six contests, Smith's .936 save rate and 1.59 goals-against average have powered Calgary to No. 1 in the West. - Wilkins

Previously: 9th

3. Toronto Maple Leafs (20-9-1) ▲

Teams don't usually add a 20-goal scorer until the trade deadline, but the Maple Leafs did so in December with their last-minute signing of holdout William Nylander. While the Swedish forward went pointless in his first two games, it's only a matter of time before he cashes in. - Wilkins

Previously: 4th

4. Winnipeg Jets (18-9-2) ▲

The Jets keep winning, but there could be concern that nothing came easy against the Devils, Rangers, and Blackhawks. With eight points in his last six games, Mark Scheifele remains one of the league's best bargains. - Wilkins

Previously: 7th

5. Washington Capitals (17-9-3)

What Stanley Cup hangover? It's been another strong season for the Capitals and captain Alex Ovechkin, who leads the NHL with 22 goals. - Wilkins

Previously: 5th

6. Colorado Avalanche (17-8-5)

While scoring depth is a big-time concern, the top line in Denver is simply amazing. Gabriel Landeskog, Nathan MacKinnon, and Mikko Rantanen have already combined for 127 points this season. - Wilkins

Previously: 6th

7. Nashville Predators (19-10-1) ▼

The Predators hit a road bump - dropping four of six - but remain one of the league's elite. They'll have a chance to get on track with a soft upcoming schedule against a host of teams outside the playoff picture. - Wilkins

Previously: 3rd

8. Dallas Stars (16-11-3) ▲

After years of defensive struggles, the Stars have locked it down in their own end this season. They've also gotten rock-solid goaltending and the usual offensive contributions from Tyler Seguin, Jamie Benn, and Alexander Radulov, making this team a sneaky threat in the West. - Wilkins

Previously: 18th

9. Buffalo Sabres (17-9-4) ▼

The Sabres have lost five in a row since their 10-game winning streak, but at least there's been some personal success. Jeff Skinner already has 20 goals and 10 assists in 30 games, making his offseason trade from Carolina look like a steal. - Wilkins

Previously: 1st

10. Anaheim Ducks (16-11-5) ▲

The Ducks rewarded longtime general manager Bob Murray with a multi-year contract extension, and it's easy to see why. The team owns an exciting nucleus of young talent - particularly on defense - and an MVP-level goaltender who helps make up for offensive shortcomings. - Wilkins

Previously: 16th

11. Columbus Blue Jackets (16-11-2) ▼

The Blue Jackets are still comfortably in the playoff picture, but all-world netminder Sergei Bobrovsky is struggling. He's surrendered 19 goals across his last five games and owns an .898 save percentage for the season. - O'Leary

Previously: 8th

12. San Jose Sharks (15-11-5) ▲

The Sharks have underachieved this season, and that won't change unless their 30th-ranked five-on-five save percentage (.902) improves. - O'Leary

Previously: 17th

13. Edmonton Oilers (16-12-2) ▲

The Oilers have shown signs of life and more commitment to defense under new head coach Ken Hitchcock. Giving some extra minutes to Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl hasn't been a bad idea, either. - O'Leary

Previously: 24th

14. Vegas Golden Knights (17-14-1)

The Golden Knights are dominating the shots and scoring chances every game, but they aren't getting the same puck luck as last season. If and when it returns, look out. - O'Leary

Previously: 14th

15. Montreal Canadiens (15-10-5) ▲

Boy, the Canadiens must be happy to have Shea Weber back. Since his return, the towering blue-liner's potted three goals in six games while averaging nearly 26 minutes per night. - O'Leary

Previously: 20th

16. Boston Bruins (16-10-4) ▼

Based on the Bruins' recent efforts without several key contributors, one would think they'll rise up this list rather rapidly once they're back at full strength. - O'Leary

Previously: 10th

17. Pittsburgh Penguins (12-10-6) ▲

The Penguins are still climbing out of the gigantic hole they dug themselves in November, but at least they've scored 22 goals in six games since our last installment. - O'Leary

Previously: 22nd

18. New York Islanders (14-11-3) ▼

After amassing a sky-high 105.1 PDO (a stat used to measure luck) to begin the schedule, the Isles have been at 98.1, which has the team's record closer to what most expected before the season. - O'Leary

Previously: 13th

19. New York Rangers (14-12-3) ▼

The Rangers aren't anything special, but Henrik Lundqvist's .919 save percentage at 36 years old? That's downright impressive. - O'Leary

Previously: 12th

20. Minnesota Wild (15-12-2) ▼

The Wild have lost seven of 10 contests, with their offense averaging just 2.6 goals over that span. - O'Leary

Previously: 11th

21. Ottawa Senators (13-14-4) ▲

After three straight wins - including a big victory in Erik Karlsson's return to Ottawa - the Sens dropped three of four and lost Matt Duchene for weeks. At least the team earned three points over the weekend. -- Gold-Smith

Previously: 28th

22. Carolina Hurricanes (13-11-4) ▼

The Hurricanes beat the Ducks on Friday, but that came after losses to the Sharks and the basement-dwelling Kings. Curtis McElhinney allowed five goals in San Jose and now he's injured as the 'Canes face matchups with the Leafs, Canadiens, and Capitals this week. -- Gold-Smith

Previously: 15th

23. Arizona Coyotes (13-13-2) ▲

Adin Hill's stellar play in the crease helped the Coyotes reel off four straight wins before last week's defeats to the Capitals and Sharks. Darcy Kuemper's on the mend, but Arizona could use continued excellence from Hill now that Antti Raanta's likely done for the season. -- Gold-Smith

Previously: 27th

24. Philadelphia Flyers (12-13-3) ▲

The Flyers got dismantled by the Jets on Sunday, killing some of the momentum gained in an impressive 6-2 win over the Sabres one day prior. Philadelphia owns one of the worst goal differentials in the NHL, but the 7-1 loss to Winnipeg was the team's only regulation defeat in December so far. -- Gold-Smith

Previously: 25th

25. Detroit Red Wings (13-13-4) ▼

Dylan Larkin's breakaway backhander gave the Red Wings an overtime victory over the Leafs on Thursday, but Detroit's won just three of its last nine games. -- Gold-Smith

Previously: 19th

26. Florida Panthers (11-11-6)

The Panthers lost five times during their eight-game homestand, but they still came away with nine points in that span. Next will be a major test with six of seven contests coming on the road. -- Gold-Smith

Previously: 26th

27. St. Louis Blues (10-14-4) ▲

The Blues looked good in a shutout win over the Jets on Friday, but their performance in Sunday's blowout home loss to the Canucks led Vladimir Tarasenko to apologize to fans. That was admirable, but the whole St. Louis roster needs to be much better. -- Gold-Smith

Previously: 30th

28. New Jersey Devils (10-12-6) ▼

Sunday's wild shootout loss to the Ducks was the Devils' eighth defeat in their last 10 games. Overall, it's been a big step backward this season despite a talented top line of reigning MVP Taylor Hall, Nico Hischier, and Kyle Palmieri. -- Gold-Smith

Previously: 21st

29. Los Angeles Kings (11-18-1) ▲

Newcomer Nikita Scherbak scored in a decisive win over the Golden Knights on Saturday, but the Kings got doubled up by the lowly Devils two days earlier, couldn't beat the Coyotes on Tuesday, and came up empty during a back-to-back in Alberta. There have been occasional slivers of hope, but the Kings still have major issues. -- Gold-Smith

Previously: 31st

30. Vancouver Canucks (13-16-3) ▼

Brock Boeser and Elias Pettersson went off against the Blues for the Canucks' second straight victory, but Vancouver won just one of five and two of 14 before that. -- Gold-Smith

Previously: 29th

31. Chicago Blackhawks (9-17-5) ▼

The Blackhawks hit rock bottom by dropping their seventh straight contest Sunday - their 18th defeat in the last 21 games. Patrick Kane has 34 points in 30 games, but the team needs other players to produce. -- Gold-Smith

Previously: 23rd

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It appears it may be Darcy Kuemper's time to shine.

With goaltender Antti Raanta set for an extended absence following surgery Sunday, the Arizona Coyotes will now look to Kuemper to carry the load between the pipes.

"Obviously with Antti out, (Kuemper is) an important piece for us moving forward. I think he's shown to be one of the best backups in the league," Coyotes general manager John Chayka told team reporter Dave Vest.

"Any time there is an injury there is opportunity. There will be an opportunity for him to get an extended look, and he'll get that opportunity to show that he can be a starter in the league."

Chayka added that the Coyotes will not recruit goaltending help while Raanta recovers, according to TSN's Pierre LeBrun.

However, Kuemper needs to return from an injury of his own before he can show his stuff as the starter. The 28-year-old has missed the last seven games with a lower-body ailment and is considered day to day.

Kuemper owns a 4-5-2 record and .914 save percentage across 11 games this year.

In his absence, Arizona has turned to farmhand Adin Hill, who has come away with four wins and a .939 save rate across seven games.

The Coyotes also have Calvin Pickard as an option. The former Philadelphia Flyers netminder was claimed off waivers in late November but has only filled in as the backup since arriving in Arizona.

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Every Monday, theScore will offer a weekly fantasy hockey column detailing five moves you should make. Ownership percentages and position eligibility are courtesy of Yahoo.

Add Darcy Kuemper

Team: Arizona Coyotes
Position: G
Ownership: Nine percent

Kuemper is set to return from injury, and when he does, the Coyotes' crease is up for grabs. Antti Raanta (48 percent owned) may not play again this season, and while Adin Hill (36 percent) has a 1.62 goals-against average, he doesn't have the proven track record Kuemper has.

The 6-foot-5 Kuemper has played OK when healthy this season, posting a .914 save percentage and a 2.71 goals-against average in 11 starts. With a starter's workload in his future, he needs to be owned.

Pick up Mike Smith

Team: Calgary Flames
Position: G
Ownership: 72 percent

Just when it seemed David Rittich was going to run away with the Flames' No. 1 goaltender role, Smith caught fire. After a horrible start to the season, the 36-year-old has won six straight starts on the back of a .936 save percentage. Rittich, meanwhile, hasn't been quite as good over his last six appearances, going 2-2-1 with a .907 save percentage.

Smith's ownership percentage may seem high, but there are many leagues in which he was dropped after his poor start. It's not a guarantee he retakes the starter's job, but he's at least worked himself back into a timeshare. Expect the hot goalie to get the bulk of the workload, and right now, that's Smith.

Be patient with William Nylander

Team: Toronto Maple Leafs
Position: C/RW
Ownership: 87 percent

Nylander has struggled in his first two games since returning from a contract stalemate. He's failed to record a point while averaging 14:30 of ice time, and he's not playing on Auston Matthews' line.

Even if Nylander's struggles continue for the next few weeks, do not drop him. After sitting out for months, it could take a considerable amount of time to get back up to game speed. When he does, he'll likely be reunited with Matthews and start racking up the points again. For now, though, sit tight.

Scoop up Andreas Johnsson

Team: Toronto Maple Leafs
Position: LW
Ownership: Nine percent

Johnsson came into this year after taking home AHL playoff MVP honors and a successful late-season audition with the Maple Leafs. However, he tallied just three points in 18 games to begin the campaign and was a healthy scratch on a few occasions.

The seven games since have been a completely different story. Beginning with a hat trick against the Philadelphia Flyers to bust out of his slump, Johnsson has totaled 10 points in his last seven contests and is playing on a line with Matthews. He's worth streaming this week, at the very least.

Add Nick Schmaltz

Team: Arizona Coyotes
Position: C/LW
Ownership: 21 percent

The move from the Windy City to the desert has worked wonders for Schmaltz. In six games since the trade, he's racked up six points and is now centering Arizona's top line between its two most dangerous wingers, Alex Galchenyuk and Clayton Keller.

This type of production may be sustainable for the 22-year-old Schmaltz - he tallied 50 points a year ago - as long as he stays between Galchenyuk and Keller.

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Vladimir Tarasenko had a message for supporters of the St. Louis Blues after their 6-1 defeat at the hands of the Vancouver Canucks on Sunday.

"There's no consistency in our game," Tarasenko told reporters postgame. "I apologize to all of our fans. We can't play at home like this, and ... it's unacceptable. I don't know how to fix it. We'll work on it, but (it's not working) for now."

The Blues failed to capitalize on a four-minute power play in the first period after Canucks defenseman Erik Gudbranson was handed a double minor for high-sticking Alexander Steen.

"We need to use chances like that, especially (at) the start of the game," Tarasenko said. "It's supposed to give our team (an) emotional bump, and we need to get on the scoreboard if we have a four minutes of power-play (time). We didn't do our job over there (Sunday) and this is (the) result."

Vancouver opened the scoring on a Brock Boeser shot that ricocheted off the glass and bounced in off St. Louis goaltender Jake Allen's pad. Boeser finished with a hat trick and Elias Pettersson collected five points in the Canucks' victory.

The Blues shut out the Winnipeg Jets on Friday.

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