Wayne Gretzky offered some sound advice to the top-ranked players of the 2020 draft class as they wait to begin their NHL careers.

Gretzky joined prospects Alexis Lafreniere, Quinton Byfield, Tim Stuetzle, Jamie Drysdale, and Jake Sanderson in a video call last week to talk about the upcoming draft, life as an NHL player, and hockey in general.

"My advice to you is embrace every moment of it," Gretzky said, per NHL.com's Tom Gulitti. "It's the greatest game in the world. To play in the National Hockey League is a thrill, it's a pleasure, and it's an honor. And when you think you've worked hard, you work that much harder because there's nothing like being an NHL player.

"And if you get that early on in your mind how great the game is and everything that goes with it - the practices, the travel, the media - you'll embrace it that much quicker."

The draft, which was originally set to take place in Montreal on June 26 and 27, has been postponed indefinitely due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The league has reportedly been pondering the idea of holding it virtually in June.

"Everybody who loves the sport knows how great of a game it is," Gretzky added. "And I suspect all five of you are going to go on and have great careers and your families will be very proud, not only your mom and dad but your grandparents and youth coaches."

Lafreniere is No. 1 on NHL Central Scouting's ranking of North American skaters, while Stuetzle is the top-ranked international skater. Byfield, Drysdale, and Sanderson are ranked Nos. 2-4, respectively, among North American skaters.

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The Toronto Maple Leafs inked star KHL defenseman Mikko Lehtonen to a one-year, entry-level deal on Monday in hopes of adding a valuable piece to the lineup without making a trade or using a draft pick.

With this deal coming to fruition, let's take a look back at the best players who made an immediate impact in their transition from the KHL since the league's inception in 2008.

For players to qualify on this list, the transition had to be direct, which means those who made stops in any other league between their journey from the KHL to the NHL are omitted. Additionally, players who signed immediately with the club that drafted them and went straight into the NHL, such as Vladimir Tarasenko, are not included.

Artemi Panarin

Panarin was pegged as one of the top players in Europe at the time of his NHL arrival, but we doubt the Chicago Blackhawks - who brought him over on a two-year, $7-million deal in 2015-16 - thought he'd immediately turn into a bona fide star.

The dynamic winger racked up 30 goals and 77 points in his first season in North America to earn the Calder Trophy as the NHL's top rookie. Though he was 24 at the time and slightly older than a traditional first-year player, Panarin finished with 21 more points than the next-closest rookie.

Four years later, Panarin has turned himself into a Hart Trophy candidate with the New York Rangers and is the second-highest-paid player in the league. He ranks fifth among all players with 415 points in 391 games since arriving in the NHL.

Nikita Gusev

At only 26 years of age, Gusev had already cracked the top 15 in all-time KHL scoring with 332 points in 391 contests. The rebuilding New Jersey Devils saw his potential and acquired his rights from the Vegas Golden Knights last July before inking the Russian to a two-year, $9-million deal.

It took some time for Gusev to get comfortable in the NHL, which could have been a byproduct of the Devils' poor start. After contributing just 15 points through his first 30 games, the 5-foot-9 winger racked up 29 points in the following 36 contests and currently sits second on the team in scoring with the season suspended. Gusev was playing at a 54-point pace over 82 games, which would have led the Devils in 2018-19.

Sergei Bobrovsky

Bobrovsky signed a three-year, entry-level deal with the Philadelphia Flyers in May 2010 and didn't take long to seize his opportunity.

With goaltender Michael Leighton injured in training camp in 2010, the then-22-year-old puck-stopper cracked the Flyers' roster and never looked back. That season, Bobrovsky won 11 of his first 14 starts and took over the starting role. Over 56 appearances, he owned a 2.59 goals-against average and a .915 save percentage to finish seventh in Calder Trophy voting.

Two years later, Bobrovsky joined the Columbus Blue Jackets and captured his first Vezina Trophy as the NHL's top netminder.

Ilya Mikheyev

Mikheyev was enjoying a ton of success in his first NHL season with the Maple Leafs, but a scary wrist laceration he suffered in December has kept him out of the club's lineup ever since.

The 25-year-old winger is like a water bug on the ice, covering a ton of space with his blistering speed and tireless motor. Through 39 games, Mikheyev racked up eight goals and 23 points while logging 15:15 of ice time per game. He also served as a valuable member on the club's penalty kill.

Though Lehtonen plays a different position than Mikheyev, Leafs fans will hope the Finnish rearguard can make a similar impact during his first season in North America.

Nikita Zaitsev

Has Zaitsev excelled to become a steady NHL blue-liner? Not exactly. But remember, we're talking about immediate impact, and the Russian rearguard played his best hockey during his first year in the league with the 2016-17 Maple Leafs.

Zaitsev was relied upon to provide defensive depth on a young, up-and-coming Leafs roster, and was up to the task. The 6-foot-2 rearguard ranked second on the club among defensemen in both points (36) and average ice time (22:01) while leading the team with 136 blocked shots through 82 games.

Rewarded with a seven-year, $31.5-million contract, Zaitsev has failed to live up to expectations ever since.

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The sports world is chock-full of beloved mascots. But how much do you know about these lovable characters? Take our quiz below to find out.

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The Stanley Cup is difficult to win, and the superstars on our list of players who fell short are living proof.

Some legends, such as Rod Brind'Amour and Dave Andreychuk, were fortunate enough to capture the Cup in the final years of their careers. For Ray Bourque, the championship-clinching win came in his final game. But for others, years of consistently elite play wasn't enough to arrive at hockey's summit.

Superstars such as Eric Lindros, Pavel Bure, and Cam Neely were dominant during their heydays, but their careers were rather short-lived relative to the players below. Joe Thornton and Patrick Marleau haven't yet called it quits, so we've omitted them from the list too.

With that covered, here are the 10 best players to never win a Stanley Cup.

Marcel Dionne

Career stats (regular season)

Furthest he advanced: Second round

The Los Angeles Kings legend owns the unfortunate distinction of being the only retired player on the NHL's top 15 all-time scoring list to never win the Stanley Cup.

Despite an illustrious 18-year career, Dionne didn't come close to a title. The 5-foot-8 forward signed multiple deals with the Kings in his prime, but the team couldn't assemble a championship-caliber cast around him. Dionne's teams (the Kings, Detroit Red Wings, and New York Rangers) won over 40 regular-season games just once, and he made it past the first round of the playoffs only three times.

With six 50-plus-goal and seven 100-plus-point seasons, Dionne is the greatest player in league history to never win a Stanley Cup.

Jarome Iginla

Career stats

Furthest he advanced: Stanley Cup Final

Iginla, the longtime Calgary Flames captain, did everything right during his 20-year Hall of Fame-caliber career, winning several major individual awards while cementing himself as one of the greatest leaders ever.

The Alberta native collected multiple titles at the junior and international levels, but he couldn't haul in a Stanley Cup despite coming as close as it gets with the Flames in 2004. Few plays in NHL history better illustrate the "game of inches" sports adage than Martin Gelinas' near-go-ahead goal late in Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Final that would have likely landed Iginla his elusive championship.

Adam Oates

Career stats

Furthest he advanced: Stanley Cup Final

Oates made the playoffs in 15 of 19 seasons with six different teams, but he never ended a campaign by lifting the Stanley Cup. He leads players without a championship in postseason points while ranking 27th in all-time playoff scoring.

The Hall of Fame forward was the driving force alongside goal-scorer Peter Bondra while leading the Washington Capitals to their first-ever Stanley Cup Final in 1998. Unfortunately, the Capitals were no match for the Detroit Red Wings, who promptly completed the sweep for their second straight title.

Six years later, Oates found himself back in the final with the Anaheim Ducks. However, the Ducks lost a heartbreaking Game 7 to the New Jersey Devils in what would prove to be Oates' final postseason game.

Mats Sundin

Career stats

Furthest he advanced: Conference finals

Sundin made the postseason 10 times during his Hall of Fame career, but he failed to go all the way despite a pair of trips to the conference finals with the Toronto Maple Leafs.

The towering Swede ranks second in Maple Leafs postseason scoring. However, he was never given a strong enough supporting cast to beat the likes of Philadelphia and New Jersey in the early 2000s. Had Sundin been at full health during Toronto's conference final run in 2002, perhaps he would have made a difference. But the juggernaut Detroit Red Wings, who were destined for the title, awaited at the finish line.

Dale Hawerchuk

Career stats

Furthest he advanced: Stanley Cup Final

Hawerchuk made the playoffs in all but one of his 16 NHL seasons, but he was unable to get over the hump while facing stiff competition. The eventual Stanley Cup champion ousted Hawerchuk's squad seven times during his 15 playoff runs with three different teams.

While playing for the Winnipeg Jets in the 80s, Hawerchuk never made it out of the second round, with the dynastic Edmonton Oilers halting his team six times over eight years. In the early 90s with the Buffalo Sabres, Hawerchuk bumped into another insurmountable foe, bowing out twice to the Montreal Canadiens.

His best shot at the Cup came as a member of the Philadelphia Flyers during Hawerchuk's final NHL season. With the likes of John LeClair and a young Lindros leading the way, the Flyers made it to the final. But yet another dynasty stood in Hawerchuk's way, and the Red Wings swept the Flyers.

Mike Gartner

Career stats

Furthest he advanced: Conference finals

Despite playing for some strong teams over his 19-year career, Gartner retired without a championship in 1998.

If it weren't for a late-season trade in 1994, Gartner likely wouldn't be on this list. The New York Rangers flipped the Ontario native to the Maple Leafs at the trade deadline, and months later, the Rangers were celebrating a Stanley Cup title. Ironically, Gartner's postseason run with the Leafs that same spring was the longest of his career, as the team lost to the Vancouver Canucks in the Western Conference Final.

Gartner's teams made the playoffs in each of the following four seasons, but he never advanced beyond the opening round.

Roberto Luongo

Career stats

Furthest he advanced: Stanley Cup Final

It didn't help that Luongo spent over half his career playing behind poor Florida Panthers teams. The 6-foot-3 puck-stopper's best shot at a championship came during his time with the Vancouver Canucks, but the built-to-win club couldn't take advantage while its Stanley Cup window was open.

Luongo ranks third all time in wins, but he's the only netminder within the top five to be denied a Stanley Cup. He came as close to winning as possible, losing Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final to the Boston Bruins in 2011.

Peter Stastny

Career stats

Furthest he advanced: Conference finals

Stastny notched 100-plus points in each of his first six NHL seasons and ranks seventh all time in points per game (1.26), but he never hoisted the Stanley Cup.

Though Stastny was the heart and soul of some strong Quebec Nordiques teams throughout the 80s, the superior New York Islanders and Philadelphia Flyers always seemed to stand in the club's way. Stastny reached the conference finals twice with Quebec before being dealt to the New Jersey Devils during the 1989-90 campaign.

Pierre Turgeon

Career numbers

Furthest he advanced: Conference finals

For whatever reason, Turgeon's name isn't frequently mentioned during discussions about former greats of the game. Maybe that's because he couldn't cement his legacy while bouncing around to middling teams. Regardless, winning a Stanley Cup certainly would have helped.

Turgeon's postseason prime came in the late 90s with the St. Louis Blues. The club consistently finished near the top of the standings, but it often ran into a fellow Western Conference powerhouse. From 1997 to 2001, the eventual champion eliminated Turgeon's Blues four times.

Gilbert Perreault

Career stats

Furthest he advanced: Stanley Cup Final

Perreault played all 17 of his acclaimed seasons with the Buffalo Sabres, and he was included in some of the most talented teams the franchise has ever assembled.

With Rick Martin and Rene Robert flanking him, Perreault centered "the French Connection," a line that dominated throughout the 70s. That iteration of the Sabres made several competitive postseason runs, including a loss to the Flyers in the 1975 final.

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The Vancouver Canucks are the latest Canadian club to make a pitch to be one of the NHL's hub cities if and when play resumes.

Vancouver is among numerous teams that have submitted bids to the league, reports TSN's Ryan Rishaug, who adds that the NHL is reviewing the proposals.

The Edmonton Oilers are also among the squads that have applied, Rishaug reported Friday.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Sunday that anyone entering the country would have to abide by quarantine guidelines amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

The NHL is considering holding games in four hub cities if the current campaign ultimately proceeds.

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The San Jose Sharks have signed netminder Alexei Melnichuk, agent Dan Milstein confirmed Monday.

Melnichuk posted a .930 save percentage in 16 games with SKA Saint Petersburg this season.

The Sharks were reportedly the front-runners to land the 21-year-old.

San Jose was in need of goaltending depth, considering the struggles of starter Martin Jones and the pending unrestricted free-agent status of backup Aaron Dell.

Melnichuk was the youngest of SKA's three primary goalies this season, but he outperformed his older counterparts.

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"If you look good, you play good." - Deion Sanders

theScore is counting down the 100 best uniforms in sports history, with a new post every weekday until May 15.

May 4-8:
100-91 | 90-81 | 80-71 | 70-61 | 60-51
May 11-15:
50-41 | 40-31 | 30-21 | 20-11 | 10-1

100. New York Giants (current)

The Giants have rocked the same style for most of their history - and for good reason. The crisp combination of red, white, and blue represents America's most iconic city perfectly. The Yankees' interlocked "NY" logo is world-famous, but don't overlook the Giants' retro-chic lowercase "ny." The 1980s throwbacks reintroduced as part of the NFL's Color Rush initiative complete one of the league's simplest and most effective uniform sets.

99. Orlando Magic (1990s)

The Magic's first look was easily their best. The pinstriped black road unis stood out the most, with a blue-and-white script that truly popped. The font is very '90s but in a good way. The team's logo was created after consultation with Walt Disney World artists and consideration of thousands of suggestions submitted by fans.

98. Florida Panthers (1990s)

Sticking to the Sunshine State, the uniform of the '90s-era Panthers is a forgotten gem. The sharp points in the lines created a unique effect, and the crests on the chest and shoulders tied together a sweater we sorely miss. Every change the Panthers have made since their inaugural scheme has been a downgrade.

97. San Antonio Spurs (current)

The Spurs always opt for simplicity, and it works. Silver and black is a timeless combination, and San Antonio gets bonus points for its seamless implementation of the logo in the wordmark. Still, is it too much to ask for the Spurs to finally use their "fiesta" logo colors in an alternate uniform?

96. Kansas basketball (1990s)

While the current iteration of the Jayhawks' jerseys leaves something to be desired, the "circus" number font used in their 90s-era attire helped pull together a college hoops classic.

95. Seattle Seahawks (current)

Nike got plenty of redesigns wrong after taking over as the NFL's uniform maker in 2012, but the company nailed the Seahawks' digs. Neon green and navy was a previously unexplored combo, and now it belongs exclusively to Seattle. It's the tasteful use of green as only trim that brings this whole set together.

94. Edmonton Oilers (1980s)

The Oilers have experimented with a few different concepts since their glory days, and it's difficult to comprehend why. The simple blue-and-orange scheme repped by Wayne Gretzky and Co. at the height of the team's powers is the way to go.

93. New York Mets (1980s)

Aside from their attempt to incorporate black as their primary color in the late 1990s, the Mets have always looked sharp. That said, their getups in the 80s - which featured pullovers instead of button-ups, thick racing stripes down the side, and pinstripes everywhere else - are easily their best.

92. Juventus (1980s)

While Juve might look like a team of referees to North American soccer novices, their signature black and white stripes are iconic throughout the rest of the world. Worn with only subtle changes for more than a century, these shirts are synonymous with Italian soccer dominance. Imagine if the club had stuck with its original attire: pink shirts with black ties.

91. USA Basketball (1992)

The 1992 Olympics in Barcelona marked the first time NBAers were allowed to represent their countries at the games. It was also the debut of USA Basketball's logo, proudly displayed front and center on the U.S. national team's jerseys. The new design, tied in with the dominance of "The Dream Team" and its march to gold, created an ageless uniform.

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