Pittsburgh Penguins forward Jake Guentzel is hopeful he'll be ready to return if and when the NHL season resumes.

"Every day, day by day, just hanging in there," Guentzel said, according to NHL.com's Wes Crosby. "I'm getting better every day. Just kind of sticking to the protocol and what I have to do. If we start playing, hopefully I'll be ready by then."

Guentzel last played Dec. 30. He underwent shoulder surgery Dec. 31 and was slated to miss four-to-six months.

With Phase 2 of the NHL's return-to-play plan now in effect, Guentzel joined teammates Sidney Crosby, Casey DeSmith, Brian Dumoulin, and John Marino at the team's facility Tuesday.

"I think, for us, it's nice to be back with guys and see each other," Guentzel said. "It's been so long since we've seen each other and been on the ice with each other with not knowing what's going to happen. ... We're all really excited to get going."

While Guentzel may not have expected to play hockey again this season, he's thankful for the opportunity to get back onto the ice after the hiatus gave him additional time to rehab.

"I can take the positive out of this," Guentzel said. "Not really sure what would've happened if the season would've played out, so I can take these two or three months and use them to my advantage. If I can get rehabbed and feeling good, that'd be nice to get back playing."

Guentzel recorded 20 goals and 43 points over 39 games this season. He's been a key playoff performer for Pittsburgh, logging 24 goals and 43 points in 41 career postseason games.

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With players across the NHL voicing their support in the effort to combat racism, Akim Aliu singled out Logan Couture's personal apology as one of the most meaningful messages he's seen.

Aliu, who played hockey with Couture when they were 11 years old, said the San Jose Sharks captain reached out to him privately before publishing a statement.

"He shot me a text right before he sent the tweet out of support in what we're doing about just, 'Hey, I didn't understand. I didn't take the time to understand,'" Aliu said on Sportsnet's "In Conversation with Ron MacLean." "It's hard to relate to something that you don't know, and that's why I don't get upset at people."

Aliu continued: "Look at the minor hockey team that I played on ... I think we had five or six (future) NHLers. They never treated me with nothing but respect. But when I was going through issues, it's hard for them to relate to what I'm going through because they just don't understand it. And it's not a knock on them."

Aliu also addressed Couture's remarks regarding a hazing incident involving Steve Downie during Aliu's junior hockey career. After the Windsor Spitfires selected him sixth overall in the OHL draft in 2005, Aliu refused to participate in rookie hazing and eventually fought his teammate Downie.

"When Logan said that he appreciated me for the hazing situation and that I helped players not have to go through what I went through with Steve Downie, that really touched me because that's something no one's ever said to me," Aliu said. "So that really meant a lot to me."

Couture, who was also drafted to the OHL in 2005, recently applauded Aliu on Twitter for his courage during their junior hockey days and apologized for not speaking up sooner.

"Very true. I'm in that group, the message should have been sent sooner. (Aliu) standing up for what was right when he was 16 saved a lot of us from going through the hazing shit he did," Couture wrote in response to a tweet pointing out previous indifference to hazing and racism within the hockey community. "He deserves praise."

Aliu and six other active and retired black NHL players recently formed the Hockey Diversity Alliance, an independent group seeking to eliminate racism and intolerance in hockey,

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At the height of Colin Kaepernick's anthem protests in 2016, John Tortorella, then coaching Team USA at the World Cup of Hockey, condemned the idea of players not standing during "The Star-Spangled Banner."

"If any of my players sit on the bench for the national anthem, they will sit there the rest of the game," he told ESPN's Linda Cohn at the time of the tournament.

The Columbus Blue Jackets bench boss has changed his stance, he said Wednesday.

“When I stand for the flag and the national anthem, my reflection is solely on the men and women who have given their lives defending our country and constitution and freedom, along with those who are serving today,” Tortorella told The Athletic's Aaron Portzline.

“I have learned over the years, listening and watching, that men and women who choose to kneel during this time mean no disrespect toward the flag.”

Tortorella, whose son is an Army Ranger, proposed that there should be a moment of reflection before the anthem is played.

“I do believe in our right to peaceful protest,” Tortorella said. “Why do we have to choose sides during this time? Can we not share a moment of unity and reflection prior to the national anthem dedicated to protesting the racial injustice in our world?

“It’s my choice to stand in respect and gratitude to those who have and still serve to protect our country and constitution and the civil rights of all people. This is by no means a show of disrespect. My family and I care deeply about the families who have suffered loss from unfair, unjust treatment. We support the peaceful protest for change.”

Kaepernick initially sat and later kneeled during the anthem in 2016 to protest police brutality and racial injustice in the United States. The former San Francisco 49ers quarterback has not played in the NFL since that season, but his protests have attracted renewed attention in recent weeks following the police killing of George Floyd.

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Projected No. 1 pick Alexis Lafreniere has won the Canadian Hockey League David Branch Player of the Year Award for the second straight season, the league announced Wednesday.

The 6-foot-1 winger with the Rimouski Oceanic of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League is the second player to win the award in consecutive campaigns, joining former Rimouski captain Sidney Crosby, who earned the honor in 2004 and 2005.

“I’m really honored to have won the David Branch trophy for the CHL MVP,” Lafreniere said. “I would like to thank my teammates, coaches, and all the organization in Rimouski for what they’ve done for me. I wouldn’t be here without them so a big thanks to everyone.”

Lafreniere tallied 35 goals while leading the QMJHL with 112 points in 52 games. His 2.15 point-per-game rate was the CHL's best since Connor McDavid scored at a 2.50 pace with the Erie Otters in 2014-15.

The Quebec native also captured a gold medal with Team Canada at the 2020 world juniors, when he was named tournament MVP.

Finalists for the award included 2020 NHL Draft prospect Marco Rossi of the Ontario Hockey League’s Ottawa 67’s, and Minnesota Wild prospect Adam Beckman of the Western Hockey League’s Spokane Chiefs.

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Geoff Molson doesn't plan to add another layer of oversight to the Montreal Canadiens' front office.

The team's owner told reporters Wednesday that he doesn't intend to hire a president of hockey operations, and he praised general manager Marc Bergevin, calling him one of the most experienced and respected GMs in the NHL, according to The Athletic's Arpon Basu.

Multiple NHL teams currently employ a hockey ops department president who typically ranks above the club's general manager and distances the GM from ownership.

Molson has repeatedly praised Bergevin despite the Canadiens' relative mediocrity in recent years.

Since hiring the former NHL defenseman to make the team's player personnel decisions in May 2012, Montreal has made four playoff appearances (the club has yet to qualify in 2019-20 because the play-in round isn't considered the true playoffs).

However, the Canadiens have advanced as far as the Eastern Conference Final only once in that span, losing to the New York Rangers in 2014.

The Molson family bought the team from George Gillett in 2009. Geoff Molson is currently listed as the team's owner, president, and CEO.

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Buffalo Sabres captain Jack Eichel affirmed that he and management are on the same page when it comes to their feelings about the club's lack of progress in recent seasons.

"I spoke with both Ralph (Krueger) and Jason (Botterill) about it and they understand the frustration and they're frustrated too," Eichel told TSN's Darren Dreger. "I'm not the only guy that's doing it, I might have expressed my opinion a little more bluntly but that's just how it is."

Eichel voiced his disappointment in May when speaking about missing the playoffs for a fifth straight season: "I'm fed up with the losing and I'm frustrated," he said. "It's been a tough past couple of months and a tough past five years."

The 23-year-old pivot believes the open line of communication is a positive thing and that everyone needs to be held accountable.

"I mean, I think if they don't hear that from guys then that's when you start to worry. If guys are OK with the fact that we're not winning, that we're not putting ourselves in the postseason season after season, that's where you get to find an issue."

Eichel led the Sabres in scoring for the fourth straight campaign, racking up 78 points and a career-high 36 goals in 68 games.

Buffalo owns the longest playoff drought in the NHL at nine seasons.

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With the NHL preparing for a 24-team playoff, theScore has been counting down the top 50 players that will be taking part in this unique event, as voted on by our hockey editors.

50-41 | 40-31 | 30-21 | 20-11 | 10-1

10. Evgeni Malkin, Penguins

It's hard to believe Malkin is already 33 years old, but that's a credit to how dominant he can still be when healthy. The Pittsburgh Penguins superstar remains one of the most talented scorers in the league and has long been a game-changer who overwhelms defenders.

9. Patrice Bergeron, Bruins

Bergeron has aged like fine wine. The sublime two-way center will turn 35 years old in July and seems to get better each season. Playing in the middle of one of the league's most feared lines, Bergeron is no stranger to playoff hockey. He'll look to lead another long playoff run as a veteran of 136 postseason games, including three trips to the finals and one Stanley Cup triumph.

8. Patrick Kane, Blackhawks

The Chicago Blackhawks are no longer a legitimate threat for the Stanley Cup, but Kane still impacts the game every time he steps over the boards. "Showtime" finished eighth in the league in scoring this year and boasts one of the most illustrious playoff resumes of his generation. His team's next run may be short, but you can bet he's going to make the most of it.

7. David Pastrnak, Bruins

Pastrnak's confidence is matched by an elite skill set that few players possess. The Boston Bruins sniper has increased his goal and point totals over four straight campaigns, and he captured his first career "Rocket" Richard Trophy in 2019-20. Pastrnak was on pace this season to become just the fourth player in franchise history to record 50-plus goals and 100-plus points in a single campaign.

6. Nikita Kucherov, Lightning

There may be no player in the game more dangerous on offense than Kucherov. He has a lethal shot, but it's his vision, passing, and hands that separate him from the rest of the pack. He got off to a bit of a slow start this season but had 44 points in 31 games from January on. Let's not forget that Kucherov is just one year removed from a historic 128-point campaign.

5. Alex Ovechkin, Capitals

The abbreviated regular season deprived Ovechkin of a ninth 50-goal campaign, but the Russian sniper deserves at least a share of the hardware after tying Pastrnak atop the leaderboard in two fewer games. Ovi continues to light the lamp at will into his mid-30s, further bolstering his case to eventually be considered the greatest pure scorer of all time.

4. Leon Draisaitl, Oilers

Draisaitl proved the last two seasons that the Edmonton Oilers aren't a one-man show. Whether he's playing alongside Connor McDavid or anchoring his own line, Draisaitl produces at an astonishing level, amassing 93 goals and 225 points over his last 153 games.

He led the Oilers' league-best power play - 29.5% conversion - with 44 points on the man-advantage this year. Draisaitl is nearly impossible to contain when he's on the ice and will surely continue to be a headache for his opponents in the postseason.

3. Nathan MacKinnon, Avalanche

MacKinnon's case as one of the most elite stars in the league was aided by another season with incredible numbers despite the fact his supporting cast was ravaged by injuries.

He has a tremendous chance to be a Hart Trophy finalist, and with a healthy Colorado Avalanche squad ready to follow him into the playoffs, the regular-season MVP may not be the only piece of hardware he gets his hands on.

2. Sidney Crosby, Penguins

Crosby may be in the latter stages of his career, but there's no denying his status as one of the world's best. No. 87 can still fly around the ice, and his ability to read the game won't dissipate with age.

After undergoing core muscle surgery in November, Crosby didn't miss a beat when he returned two months later, racking up 11 goals and 30 points in 24 games.

1. Connor McDavid, Oilers

The early end to the campaign prevented McDavid from authoring a fourth straight 100-point season, but he managed to record a career-best 1.52 points per game. It was an incredibly impressive performance following the major knee injury he suffered to end 2018-19, and the extensive rehab that followed.

McDavid needs a Stanley Cup to be considered in the same class as Crosby, Wayne Gretzky, Mario Lemieux, and Bobby Orr, and there's no time like the present. The 23-year-old has nothing but time on his side to join the conversation for the greatest hockey player of all time.

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