Philadelphia Flyers forward Garnet Hathaway was ejected from Thursday's game against the New Jersey Devils after leveling opposing defenseman Luke Hughes in the first period.

Hathaway and Hughes were pursuing the puck on a play the linesman eventually called icing, but the official delayed his call, causing Hathaway to go in full speed and hit Hughes hard into the end boards.

Hathaway got a five-minute major for boarding and a game misconduct.

Hughes left the contest but returned for the second period.

Flyers head coach John Tortorella wasn't the only one upset at the officiating crew. Devils superstar Jack Hughes didn't appreciate the delayed icing call that caused his brother to get hurt.

Luke Hughes has made an impact with the Devils in his rookie season. He's collected two goals and 11 assists in 21 games. The 20-year-old came into Thursday averaging nearly 20 minutes of ice time at 19:41.

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The Vancouver Canucks acquired defenseman Nikita Zadorov from the Calgary Flames for a fifth-round selection in 2024 and a third-rounder in 2026, the teams announced Thursday.

The fifth-rounder is the pick Vancouver received in Tuesday's trade that sent forward Anthony Beauvillier to the Chicago Blackhawks.

Zadorov is under contract for the remainder of the season at a $3.75-million cap hit before hitting unrestricted free agency. He requested a trade out of Calgary through his agent earlier in November, citing a lack of playing time.

The 28-year-old has registered six points in 21 games this season while averaging 18:24 of ice time. He's highly regarded for his physicality, logging 100-plus hits in all but two of his 11 NHL campaigns.

Zadorov was a first-round pick of the Buffalo Sabres in 2013. He also suited up for the Colorado Avalanche and Chicago Blackhawks before joining the Flames in 2021.

Canucks general manager Patrik Allvin said Wednesday that his club is seeking help on the blue line. Vancouver is 15-7-1 and on track to qualify for the playoffs for the first time since the bubble in 2020.

The Flames were widely expected to be an X-factor in trades this season given their numerous prominent pending UFAs. They traded Tyler Toffoli in the summer and still have Elias Lindholm, Noah Hanifin, and Chris Tanev on expiring contracts.

Calgary could look to offload more pieces if its season doesn't turn around. The club is currently 10th in the Western Conference at 9-10-3.

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Emergency podcast alert! The Canucks have acquired Nikita Zadorov from the Calgary Flames! Rink Wide: Vancouver host Jeff Paterson joins Matt and Blake to discuss the trade. A full episode of S&P commences after that, as we had finished Thursday's regular podcast.

Patrick Johnston stops by with a story about Rick Tocchet after Wednesday's media availability and how he engaged the assembled press corps on an analytics discussion. PJ tells us about Adam Foote's growth as a coach, tells us about the Canucks' cap situation after the Beauvillier trade, opines on whether they should sign Ethan Bear, and comments on Brock Boeser's season and whether he's back in the Canucks' core.

Rob Williams stops by with bad news for Matt and Blake about their invites (ahem) to the Daily Hive XMas party. Rob talks about the vibe at Rogers Arena, Thatcher Demko thanking the fans for "sticking with them" over the last few years, whether Tocchet tipped the team's hand on how they'll spend the Anthony Beauvillier cap space, and this year's First Nation's logo. Presented by Applewood Auto Group.

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Corey Perry released a statement to reporters on Thursday after having his contract terminated by the Chicago Blackhawks for "unacceptable" conduct.

"I would like to sincerely apologize to the entire Blackhawks organization, including ownership, management, coaches, trainers, employees, and my teammates," Perry wrote. "I would also like to apologize to my fans, and my family. I am embarrassed and I have let you all down."

He continued: "As a result of my actions, there has been speculation and rumors. I am sickened by the impact this has had on others, and I want to make it clear that in no way did this situation involve any of my teammates or their families.

"I have started working with experts in the mental health and substance abuse fields to discuss my struggles with alcohol and I will take whatever steps necessary to ensure this never happens again. I hope to regain the trust and respect of everyone who has believed in me throughout my career."

Blackhawks general manager Kyle Davidson spoke to the media on Tuesday. The visibly emotional executive noted Perry's dismissal was due to a workplace matter and wasn't a criminal matter.

Perry became an unrestricted free agent after clearing unconditional waivers on Wednesday.

The 38-year-old was sent away from the team before Chicago's Nov. 22 clash against the Columbus Blue Jackets.

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Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Mark Giordano is sidelined week-to-week with a broken finger, head coach Sheldon Keefe confirmed to reporters on Thursday.

Giordano sustained the injury on Tuesday in the Maple Leafs' 2-1 shootout victory against the Florida Panthers.

The 40-year-old is the oldest active player in the NHL. He has five points in 20 games while playing 17:52 per contest.

Giordano's injury takes from an already depleted Maple Leafs blue line. Timothy Liljegren hasn't played since Nov. 2, while John Klingberg was placed on long-term injured reserve on Nov. 23.

Toronto recalled defenseman Max Lajoie from the AHL's Marlies before announcing Giordano's absence. The 26-year-old has five assists in 14 contests with the Marlies and played one game with the Maple Leafs earlier this season.

The Maple Leafs face the Seattle Kraken on Thursday.

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