The relationship between the Columbus Blue Jackets and supposed franchise star Pierre-Luc Dubois has gone sour, but general manager Jarmo Kekalainen still doesn't know exactly why the 22-year-old wanted out. However, he remains positive the reason had nothing to do with the contract negotiations between the two sides.

"There was never any problem with the negotiation of this contract, it came to a conclusion very quickly," Kekalainen said Monday on TSN Radio 1050's "Leafs Lunch."

"... Once the player and the agent wanted to engage in the talks and we agreed on the length, it was a very easy process. There was nothing about these negotiations, and I wish that Pierre-Luc would tell the truth about why he wanted out. He hasn’t even told me, he hasn’t told his teammates or anybody else. It certainly wasn’t about contract negotiations, I can assure you of that."

Shortly after both parties agreed to a two-year, $10 million deal in late December, reports revealed Dubois had requested a trade. While no specific reason was given, there was speculation the Quebec native became unhappy during the negotiations.

Dubois hasn't given a specific reason for his demand but recently divulged the move was something he had been thinking about, and his feelings strengthened during the negotiations.

"It was a process, I was thinking about a long time, it wasn't overnight. It wasn't I just woke up one morning and it was a decision to make. It was something that I thought about," Dubois said to Sportsnet's Ron MacLean.

"As negotiations were going, obviously you don't take anything personally, but as they go longer and longer, you kind of start to think about stuff and situations."

When Kekalainen was asked whether he believed the talks caused Dubois to request a trade, he vehemently denied it.

"That’s just flat out not true at all, and he knows that, so I don’t know why he would say that or even insinuate something like that because that’s not true," Kekalainen said.

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Matthew Tkachuk is well-aware of his reputation around the league, but the Calgary Flames pest denied any notion he intentionally fell on netminder Jack Campbell in the dying moments of Monday's 3-2 loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs.

"It was just a battle in front ... six-on-five situation just banging away at the puck," Tkachuk told reporters Monday. "I live in that area, I live in that crease area throughout the games, and I'm just digging for a puck and I was battling with Brodes (T.J. Brodie) a little bit there and guys started coming in.

"I just got knocked over and obviously I didn't have any intention of falling into him or anything like that. That's a complete ... it's just a classic thing to try and accuse me of there."

Campbell, who had seemingly tweaked something in his lower body just minutes earlier, remained in the game and collected his second victory of the season.

Tkachuk, who leads the Flames with three goals in four games this campaign, says he has no problem tuning out the criticism.

"I get very surprised with some things that come out of other people's mouths these days, but it's a good thing I don't listen to it. I just get asked it from other people," he said. "Thank god I don't go on my phone I guess too much after games or else I'd drive myself crazy."

The Leafs and Flames meet again Tuesday for the second of nine matchups between the sides this season.

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Ottawa Senators rookie Tim Stutzle says he'll return to the lineup Monday against the Vancouver Canucks after missing the club's previous three games with an undisclosed injury, according to TSN's Brent Wallace.

Stutzle, 19, has tallied one goal in two games this season after the Senators selected him with the third pick in the 2020 draft.

The 6-foot-1 German will start the game on a line with Connor Brown and Chris Tierney, head coach D.J. Smith said, according to TSN 1020.

Ottawa has lost four straight contests and sits last in the North division entering Monday's game.

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Every Monday, theScore offers a weekly fantasy hockey column detailing a handful of moves you should make. This edition focuses on Week 2. Roster percentages and position eligibility are courtesy of Yahoo.

Add Jesse Puljujarvi

Team: Oilers
Position: RW
Rostered: 14%

Puljujarvi replaced the ineffective Zack Kassian on Edmonton's top line, playing alongside Connor McDavid and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins on Sunday. He produced his best game of the season, so the winger will surely get another shot in that role.

The 2016 fourth overall pick has recorded just two assists over seven games this campaign, but he ranks ninth in the league in individual expected goals per 60 minutes at five-on-five (minimum 30 minutes). Puljujarvi isn't a proven finisher, so there's no guarantee he begins to capitalize on his chances. But he's worth picking up because of his talent and the opportunity ahead.

Drop Tony DeAngelo

Team: Rangers
Position: D
Rostered: 71%

I issued a preseason warning that DeAngelo was a prime bust candidate due to his unsustainable shooting percentage, and the threat of Adam Fox replacing him on the Rangers' top power-play unit. Now Fox is already quarterbacking New York's No. 1 power-play group.

DeAngelo has also been a healthy scratch twice through five games due to his lackluster defensive play. He's averaging 16:15 of action per contest over his three games, nearly three fewer minutes than a year ago. He's also yet to record a point.

It may be worth seeing if anyone in your league will take DeAngelo in a trade. But cut your losses and move on if there aren't any takers.

Buy low on Elias Pettersson

Team: Canucks
Position: C
Rostered: 99%

Pettersson is off to a brutal start while notching just a goal and an assist through seven games. His underlying numbers are awful too, which doesn't offer much optimism.

The Canucks phenom is far too talented to stay quiet much longer. He's been among the NHL's most accurate shooters since entering the league in 2018-19, but Pettersson is scoring at just a 6.7% clip thus far - over 10 points down from his career shooting percentage entering the campaign. Perhaps his abnormally high shooting percentage was never sustainable, but it's bound to get above 10% at the very least.

Don't hesitate to pull the trigger if Pettersson's manager in your league wants to trade him for pennies on the dollar.

Hang on to Cam Talbot

Team: Wild
Position: G
Rostered: 56%

Talbot is day-to-day with a lower-body injury. The ailment appears to be minor, but the Wild netminder was dropped in over 1,200 Yahoo leagues on Sunday.

If you manage Talbot, don't drop him. If he's available in your league, pick him up. The veteran has posted a .925 save percentage and a 2.34 goals-against average over four appearances this season. Minnesota's blue-line corps is among the league's best - and possibly the best - so those numbers are very sustainable. Playing in the weak West Division also helps.

Kaapo Kahkonen, the Wild's backup goaltender, has played well in the meantime, but he isn't a serious threat to take the starter's job once Talbot returns from his injury.

Add Roope Hintz

Team: Stars
Position: C/LW
Rostered: 34%

Hintz is off to a great start while producing five points - all on the power play - and four hits in two games. He's only recorded one shot, though. His production pace clearly isn't sustainable, but Hintz is worth scooping up while he's rolling.

The Stars are missing Tyler Seguin and Jamie Benn, so Hintz is centering their top line and playing on the club's No. 1 power-play unit.

Dallas also plays four games this week, two of which are against the rebuilding Detroit Red Wings.

(Analytics source: Natural Stat Trick)

Josh Wegman has been theScore's resident fantasy hockey expert since 2015. Find him on Twitter @JoshWegman_.

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The NHL postponed Tuesday's game between the Carolina Hurricanes and Tampa Bay Lightning due to COVID-19 protocols, the league announced Monday.

Carolina had three games postponed last week. The club currently has five players on the COVID-19 protocol list, and general manager Don Waddell recently confirmed three players tested positive for the virus. One test, however, produced a false positive.

The league also released other schedule changes, including new dates for each of the Hurricanes' previously postponed games.

*All times EST

The Florida Panthers, who've already had their schedule interrupted twice by the pandemic, have played only two games so far. Meanwhile, the Hurricanes have played just three.

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