Pavel Francouz may have just laid claim to the best mask in the NHL.
The Colorado Avalanche goaltender has some beautiful new headgear - presumably in conjunction with the league's Reverse Retro jerseys - that designer Bohumil Koral shared Sunday on Instagram.
It features Quebec Nordiques icons Anton, Marian, and Peter Stastny, as well as Avalanche legends Joe Sakic and Peter Forsberg. The mask is also accented by the Nordiques logo and a fleur-de-lis on both sides.
Here it is in all its glory. Swipe right to view a gallery that shows Sakic and Forsberg depicted on the right side.
The Vancouver Canucks canceled practice and workouts Sunday due to a potential COVID-19 exposure, the club announced Sunday.
Three other NHL teams - the Columbus Blue Jackets, Dallas Stars, and Pittsburgh Penguins - have postponed practices this week for the same reason.
On Friday, the Stars revealed six players and two staff members recently tested positive, forcing the postponement of their first two regular-season games and a likely delay to the start of their 2021 campaign until at least Jan. 19.
That same day, the Blue Jackets held 19 players out of practice in accordance with COVID-19 protocols, though it was unclear if any had tested positive. Columbus practiced Saturday.
The Penguins scrapped their Saturday sessions due to a potential exposure, but returned to the ice for a morning skate Sunday and will proceed with their scheduled scrimmage later in the day.
The NHL season is scheduled to begin Wednesday evening.
Rossi was in quarantine in order to join Wild training camp after playing for Austria at the World Junior Championship, according to The Athletic's Michael Russo.
Minnesota selected the forward with the ninth overall pick in the 2020 NHL Draft.
He racked up 39 goals and 81 assists in 56 games with the OHL's Ottawa 67s last season.
Columbus brought Del Zotto in on a professional tryout agreement in late December.
The 30-year-old became an unrestricted free agent after collecting 15 points in 49 games with the Anaheim Ducks last season.
He's suited up for six teams over 11 campaigns. The veteran blue-liner began his career with the New York Rangers under current Blue Jackets bench boss John Tortorella.
Del Zotto has produced 236 points in 657 career games.
Leading up to the start of the 2021 season, theScore is counting down the top 100 players in the game today, as voted on by our NHL editors. Injuries affecting players entering the season have been taken into consideration. We'll reveal 20 players every day until the top 20 is unveiled Jan. 12.
Tarasenko played 10 games before requiring shoulder surgery last season, and he underwent shoulder surgery again this offseason. When healthy, he's one of the game's most dangerous snipers. Whether he can return to that form remains to be seen.
59. William Nylander, Maple Leafs
Nylander redeemed his delayed 2018-19 season with a career-best 31-goal campaign. The Swedish winger is already one of the more crafty playmakers and can push his ceiling even higher if he continues to score at such a rapid rate.
58. Gabriel Landeskog, Avalanche
Landeskog is a versatile forward capable of providing physicality, goal-scoring, and sound defensive play. If he ends up on the open market as an unrestricted free agent after this season, he's going to have plenty of suitors.
57. Zach Werenski, Blue Jackets
Werenski turned in the best season of his career last year and led all defensemen in goals (20). His offensive game is sublime, and playing alongside Seth Jones means he should continue to deliver at an elite rate.
56. Carter Hart, Flyers
At 22 years old, Hart has quickly become one of the best goaltenders in the NHL. He played well while getting the bulk of the starts last season, proving more than capable of handling the workload.
55. Charlie McAvoy, Bruins
McAvoy is poised beyond his years. The 23-year-old hasn't broken out offensively yet, but he's already one of the league's top shutdown defensemen.
54. Shea Weber, Canadiens
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Father Time doesn't appear to be an issue for the Montreal Canadiens captain. Weber, 35, remains one of the league's most dominant forces on the blue line and continues to score goals at an elite rate for a defenseman.
53. Robin Lehner, Golden Knights
Over 215 games in the last five seasons, Lehner owns a .920 save percentage and 2.65 goals-against average. Playing on a true Cup contender with the Vegas Golden Knights this season, he should be on the early short list of Vezina Trophy candidates.
52. Andrei Svechnikov, Hurricanes
Svechnikov showed his potential last season, scoring 24 goals and adding 37 assists playing alongside Sebastian Aho. Svechnikov is just 20 years old, and the No. 2 pick from the 2018 draft has plenty of room to grow as he looks to build on his promising sophomore season.
51. Jaccob Slavin, Hurricanes
Slavin is perhaps the most underrated player in the NHL and would have produced 55 points over an 82-game schedule last season. The defensive specialist led all Hurricanes skaters in ice time in 2019-20 and has been incredibly durable in his career, suiting up for every regular-season game over the last four campaigns.
50. Johnny Gaudreau, Flames
Gaudreau is coming off the worst season of his career. We believe he can bounce back, but if he doesn't, he could find himself off this list next year.
49. Anze Kopitar, Kings
The two-time Selke Trophy winner continues to produce at a high level while also taking care of business on the defensive side of the puck. Kopitar is poised to be among the league's top pivots once again in year No. 15 with the Los Angeles Kings.
48. Blake Wheeler, Jets
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Wheeler took a step back last season, managing 65 points in 71 games after reaching 91 in each of the two campaigns prior. Make no mistake, though, the Winnipeg Jets captain is still an elite playmaker and is a strong candidate to bounce back in 2021.
47. Max Pacioretty, Golden Knights
After a quiet first season in Vegas, Pacioretty turned on the jets last year, leading the team in both goals (32) and points (66). The sniper has found some great chemistry with linemate Mark Stone and the duo will continue to terrorize opponents this year.
46. Miro Heiskanen, Stars
Heiskanen was one of the biggest reasons for the Dallas Stars' improbable Stanley Cup Final run last season. The 21-year-old already possesses abilities far beyond his years, and should have been a Calder Trophy finalist in 2018-19. The Finnish defenseman has already done plenty to justify the Stars picking him third overall in 2017.
45. Tuukka Rask, Bruins
The Boston Bruins will count on Rask more than ever this season after losing two staples on defense - Torey Krug and Zdeno Chara - in free agency. The netminder finished second in Vezina Trophy voting last year.
44. John Carlson, Capitals
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Carlson has established himself as the league's top offensive defenseman. The 31-year-old has set career scoring highs in three consecutive seasons and ranks first in points among all blue-liners (213) since the start of 2017-18.
43. Matthew Tkachuk, Flames
All 31 teams would do anything to have a Tkachuk on their roster. The 23-year-old has a point per game ceiling, leadership skills worthy of Calgary's future captaincy, and all his opponents hate him. His value to the Calgary Flames is immeasurable.
42. Quinn Hughes, Canucks
Hughes just missed out on the Calder last season, but that doesn't mean his performance wasn't stellar. His 25 power-play points ranked third among defensemen, and his 53 points tied him for third on the Vancouver Canucks. The 21-year-old figures to be a staple of Vancouver's high-flying offense for years to come, and his rookie campaign was just a glimpse at what he's capable of.
41. Cale Makar, Avalanche
Makar was the only reason Hughes didn't win the Calder, but the Colorado Avalanche phenom deserved the honor. He outplayed his Canucks counterpart on a per game basis while suiting up for 11 fewer contests. Makar is a franchise cornerstone, and he's already a vital component of Colorado's multipronged attack.
Edmonton Oilers forward James Neal skated with the club for the first time Saturday but likely won't be available to start the season.
Neal, 33, quarantined for 14 days after being deemed unfit to play. The Oilers begin their season against the Vancouver Canucks on Wednesday.
"It's 14 days. It's a long time," Neal said, according to NHL.com's Tim Campbell. "You just have to go by the rules and be safe here. It's frustrating but you have to keep your team safe and yourself."
The winger enjoyed a bounce-back campaign in 2019-20, his first with the Oilers. He ranked fourth on the club with 19 goals and added 12 assists in 55 contests.
Neal got off to a torrid start with 11 goals in 14 games last October, but head coach Dave Tippett doesn't anticipate the veteran being available to provide the Oilers with the same early season boost this year.
"He basically was off the ice for almost a month so it's going to take him some time to get up and going here," Tippett said. "But he's got a great attitude. He jumps in there and he's been working hard. But he's got a ways to go yet."
Neal was on pace last season to hit the 20-goal mark over 82 games for the 11th time in his 12-year career.
Leading up to the start of the 2021 season, theScore is counting down the top 100 players in the game today, as voted on by our NHL editors. Injuries affecting players entering the season have been taken into consideration. We'll reveal 20 players every day until the top 20 is unveiled Jan. 12.
Injuries have set Karlsson back a step, but even his last three "down" seasons have resulted in an average of 67 points per 82 games. He claims his ailments are a thing of the past, but we'll have to see it before we believe it.
79. Tyler Seguin, Stars
Seguin further established himself as one of the league's elite pivots after leading the Dallas Stars to the Stanley Cup Final in September. The Stars' alternate captain will be sidelined for most of the regular season but should be healthy in time to help the club make another deep playoff push.
78. Anthony Cirelli, Lightning
Cirelli is blossoming into one of the NHL's finest two-way pivots. He showed the world what he can do by playing a crucial role in the Tampa Bay Lightning's Cup run this past summer. Just another mid-round gem unearthed by the Lightning's top-tier scouting department.
77. Evgeny Kuznetsov, Capitals
Kuznetsov had a quiet season last year by his standards, but he was still on pace to put up a respectable 67 points. The Russian will need to do some heavy lifting this year as the Washington Capitals are set to face some stiff competition in a tough East Division.
76. Brady Tkachuk, Senators
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Don't mistake Tkachuk's underwhelming - but nearly identical - goal and point totals during his first two NHL seasons as an indicator of growing pains. The talented 21-year-old forward has already proven he can provide a highly coveted mix of skill and grit, just like his father and brother.
75. Jake Guentzel, Penguins
Those who thought Guentzel was merely a product of Sidney Crosby were proven wrong last season. Guentzel recorded 12 goals and 17 assists in the 22 games he played without Crosby.
74. Pierre-Luc Dubois, Blue Jackets
Dubois will look to carry his success in the bubble into his fourth NHL season. The 6-foot-3 pivot has a strong two-way game and could develop into a bona fide star if he can improve his scoring touch.
73. Ryan Ellis, Predators
Ellis is one of the league's best defenders by several advanced metrics. He's quietly been the rock on Nashville's deep blue line for years.
72. Ben Bishop, Stars
Bishop is expected to be sidelined for a decent chunk of the upcoming campaign, but he's among the league's best goalies when he's in Dallas' crease. His .927 save percentage is No. 1 among all netminders over the last two seasons.
71. Thomas Chabot, Senators
The Ottawa Senators have handed Chabot heavy minutes partly out of necessity, but that trust is also a testament to the 23-year-old's abilities. He's a franchise cornerstone and a dependable workhorse on the back end.
70. Claude Giroux, Flyers
Giroux has enjoyed a late-career offensive resurgence after moving from center to the wing prior to the 2017-18 campaign. However, his point total has declined in three straight seasons, so it wouldn't be surprising if he doesn't make next year's list.
69. John Gibson, Ducks
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Gibson has been strong for the rebuilding Anaheim Ducks despite compiling the worst statistical season of his young career in 2019-20. The 27-year-old is an absolute horse between the pipes, logging the sixth-most minutes among all netminders since the start of the 2017-18 campaign.
68. Nicklas Backstrom, Capitals
Now well into his 30s, Backstrom is still as smooth and reliable as ever. The Capitals pivot, who's a major catalyst in the team's attack, is rapidly approaching 1,000 career points.
67. Kris Letang, Penguins
Letang isn't often talked about when discussing the league's top defensemen anymore, but the 33-year-old is quietly still putting up big numbers with the Pittsburgh Penguins. He averaged 0.72 points per game last season, which was good for 11th among all blue-liners.
66. Jonathan Toews, Blackhawks
The Chicago Blackhawks are now in rebuilding mode, but that won't stop the ultra-competitive Toews from producing or playing at a high level. Chicago's captain is no longer one of the best at his position, but the 32-year-old remains a skilled two-way center who racked up 60 points across 70 games last season.
65. Bo Horvat, Canucks
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Horvat proved just how much of a force he can be in the playoffs, potting 10 goals in 17 contests. He often draws tough defensive matchups and typically isn't flanked by Vancouver's most talented wingers, but he still manages to produce strong underlying numbers.
64. Morgan Rielly, Maple Leafs
The smooth-skating rearguard is the backbone of an improved Toronto Maple Leafs blue line. Rielly ranks eighth among all defensemen with 151 points over the last three seasons. He'll be looking to bounce back after an injury-riddled campaign in 2019-20.
63. Torey Krug, Blues
Krug ranks seventh among all defenders in points since becoming an NHL regular in 2013-14. He's averaged over 20 minutes per night over that span, too, proving himself deserving of the big contract the St. Louis Blues gave him this offseason as a true top-pairing blue-liner.
62. Jacob Markstrom, Flames
Markstrom will look to replicate last season's Vezina-worthy campaign in his first year with the Calgary Flames. His .838 high-danger save percentage was sixth among goalies, while his .924 even-strength save percentage ranked 10th.
61. Patrik Laine, Jets
The Winnipeg Jets' best offseason move was holding onto Laine amid rampant speculation about the Finnish forward's future. It would be understandable if the 22-year-old felt slighted on a deep Winnipeg squad, but he's one of the league's most promising goal-scorers.
