The Vegas Golden Knights will have defenseman Shea Theodore back within their ranks when they take on the Nashville Predators on Tuesday.

Theodore hasn't played since Nov. 22 because of an upper-body injury. He underwent surgery to address the issue and was sidelined for the last 35 games.

Vegas went 18-13-4 in his absence and occupies the second spot in the Pacific Division heading into Tuesday's action.

"Great to be back, it's been a long time," Theodore said. "The freshness is there and I feel good."

"At no part did they want to rush me back," he continued. "It's a long season. Obviously it's tough taking a break right in the middle, but the most important part of the season is now."

Theodore tallied four goals and 18 points in 20 games before suffering the ailment while averaging just over 23 minutes of ice time.

The 28-year-old will provide a boost to Vegas' power play. Ten of his points this season came on the man advantage, and the Golden Knights' power play ranks 23rd in the league with a 17.4% success rate since Theodore was ruled out.

"We'll probably be cleaner on the exits, maybe some easier entries in the neutral zone," coach Bruce Cassidy said when asked what he expects from Theodore's return. "His ability to move the puck, find people at the right time, is just exceptional. ... I would assume we'll see more offensive growth in our game just because that's his strength."

Theodore has consistently been one of the Golden Knights' top blue-liners. He was Sin City's second-most utilized player during last year's playoffs and led all Vegas defensemen with 13 points in 21 games.

The Anaheim Ducks traded Theodore to the Golden Knights during the expansion draft in 2017. He is now Vegas' all-time leader in goals (65) and points (265) by a rearguard in 417 games.

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NHL commissioner Gary Bettman upheld Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Morgan Rielly's five-game suspension for cross-checking Ottawa Senators forward Ridly Greig, the league announced Tuesday.

Rielly appealed his ban during a hearing on Feb. 16. He sat out his team's last four games and is eligible to return Thursday against the Vegas Golden Knights. The Maple Leafs are undefeated during his absence.

The 29-year-old earned the suspension in the dying seconds of Toronto's heated 5-3 loss to the Senators on Feb. 10. He cross-checked Greig up high after the rookie took a slap shot into the empty net to cap off the contest.

This is the first suspension of Rielly's 11-year NHL career.

The Leafs will take on the Arizona Coyotes on Wednesday as they look to go a perfect 5-0-0 without the blue-liner within their ranks.

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New York Rangers veteran Blake Wheeler will miss the rest of the regular season because of a leg injury, reports The Athletic's Peter Baugh.

Wheeler hasn't been ruled out for a playoff return, but it's unlikely and depends on whether the Rangers can make a deep run. New York will place him on long-term injured reserve.

The 37-year-old got hurt during the first period of Thursday's 7-4 victory over the Montreal Canadiens. He was unable to return with what the team called a lower-body injury, but he couldn't put any weight on his right leg following a hit from Habs defenseman Jayden Struble.

Wheeler joined the Rangers on a one-year, $800,000 deal - with an additional $300,000 available in performance bonuses - in July after the final year of his contract was bought out by the Winnipeg Jets.

He put up nine goals and 21 points in 54 games this season while spending most of his ice time on a line with Chris Kreider and Mika Zibanejad.

The Rangers currently occupy the top spot in the Metropolitan Division with a 35-16-3 record.

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Columbus Blue Jackets interim general manager John Davidson has no intention of moving Boone Jenner ahead of the March 8 deadline.

"I'm being very transparent," Davidson said during an appearance on "The Jeff Marek Show" Friday. "We get a lot of calls on Boone, but Boone's not going anywhere, and Boone doesn't want to go anywhere."

Jenner's name has been cropping up in the rumor mill with the Blue Jackets far out of the playoff picture and several Stanley Cup hopefuls in need of a center. He addressed the speculation in a recent interview with The Athletic's Aaron Portzline.

"I want our group to become a successful team, to make the playoffs, and be relevant, get ourselves back on the map as a team," he said. "I know we have it in here, and we're going through the process right now.

"I want to be a part of that and what we can become on the other side. ... We have a long way to go, I know that, but we can get there."

Jenner has racked up 16 goals and 21 points in 37 contests this season while winning 55% of his faceoffs. He represented Columbus at his first-ever All-Star Game earlier this month despite missing 15 games with a broken jaw.

The 30-year-old has two seasons remaining on his deal with a cap hit of $3.75 million. He also has an eight-team no-trade clause.

Columbus fired longtime GM Jarmo Kekalainen on Thursday. Davidson - who also serves as the president of hockey operations - said the team is considering options from outside the organization to fill the position, per NHL.com's Jeff Svoboda.

The Blue Jackets are currently in last place in the Metropolitan Division with a 16-26-10 record. Columbus has made the playoffs five times during Jenner's 11-year NHL career, most recently in 2020.

Columbus selected Jenner in the second round of the 2011 NHL Draft. He's the franchise's leader in games played (694) and ranks third all time in both goals (186) and points (350).

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After a poor performance Thursday, Flames goalie Dustin Wolf is looking to use Calgary's 6-3 loss to the San Jose Sharks as a learning experience.

"I mean, you always want to come out and play the very best you can. ... It's unfortunate for the outcome, but I think these are games and days that you'll look back on," he told reporters postgame. "They suck, but ... it's a great opportunity to evaluate yourself as a player and a person and come back stronger."

Wolf made 25 saves on 31 shots against the Sharks and allowed 3.79 goals above expected at all strengths, according to Natural Stat Trick. San Jose, which came into Thursday's matchup with the league's worst offense, jumped from dead last to 31st in both goals for and goals per game after the six-goal outburst.

The Flames entered the final frame down 3-2, but Wolf surrendered three goals in an 11-minute span.

"I wasn't super pleased with the goals in the third, and those are the times where you need a couple saves to give the group some life," Wolf said.

He added: "It's one of those where you make some saves, and next thing you know, a couple are in your net. You got a couple bounces that don't go your way. That's the nature of hockey and the National Hockey League - it's a hard league to play in."

Wolf has appeared in just seven NHL games since making his debut last season. He owns a .887 save percentage and 3.47 goals against average.

The 22-year-old has been outstanding in the AHL. He's been named the league's best goalie in back-to-back seasons and won the AHL's MVP last campaign.

On the two occasions Wolf has surrendered six goals in the AHL this season, he's bounced back with a monster performance.

"I'd like to say that's one of my strengths in my game," he said on his ability to handle adversity.

Flames head coach Ryan Huska believes in Wolf's ability to turn the page.

"I know he's good that way," he said. "He'll flush it and move on from it. There are certain things he'll take from it and make sure he's better his next start."

"He needs to get back in there and be himself," Huska added.

Calgary next plays the Detroit Red Wings on Saturday.

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Chicago Blackhawks star rookie Connor Bedard is back in the lineup Thursday for a matchup with the Pittsburgh Penguins, his head coach Luke Richardson confirmed.

Bedard's return comes earlier than expected. He hasn't played since suffering a fractured jaw off a hit from New Jersey Devils defenseman Brendan Smith on Jan. 5. The youngster underwent surgery a few days later and was given a six-to-eight-week recovery timeline. Richardson said in late January that Bedard would miss at least six more weeks.

Bedard ended up missing 14 games and the Blackhawks went 3-10-1 without him in their ranks. Despite the missed time, he still leads Chicago with 33 points in 39 contests.

He also paced all rookies in points for most of his absence, but Minnesota Wild defenseman Brock Faber tied him with a two-point effort Monday. Bedard's 15 goals are still the most out of all first-year players.

The Blackhawks sit last in the league with a 14-36-3 record.

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Kings forward Viktor Arvidsson is making his season debut against the New Jersey Devils on Thursday, Los Angeles head coach Jim Hiller confirmed Thursday, according to NHL.com's Mike Morreale.

Arvidsson last played during the Kings' first-round loss to the Edmonton Oilers in April. He's been held out of action since undergoing back surgery in October. Arvidsson also had back surgery in spring 2022, forcing him to miss that year's playoffs. He appeared in all but five games last season, totaling 26 goals and 59 points.

Los Angeles activated Arvidsson off long-term injured reserve earlier on Thursday, placing forwards Carl Grundstrom and Blake Lizotte on it in the process.

It's been a roller-coaster ride of a season for the Kings, who were red-hot to start the campaign and set a new NHL record by winning 11 straight games on the road. They've floundered of late, posting a 4-8-5 record since the calendar flipped to 2024.

Los Angeles fired head coach Todd McLellan during All-Star Weekend, replacing him with Jim Hiller in the interim.

The Kings rank 15th in the league in goals per game (3.10).

Arvidsson has amassed 173 goals and 347 points in 528 career games. The Kings acquired the 30-year-old from the Nashville Predators in July 2021 in exchange for a second-round pick and a third-rounder.

He can become an unrestricted free agent this summer after playing out the final season of a seven-year, $29.75-million contract.

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Thursday's clash between the Colorado Avalanche and Tampa Bay Lightning will feature a battle between the top two dogs in the Art Ross Trophy race - and Nathan MacKinnon is looking forward to going toe-to-toe with Nikita Kucherov.

"Everything," the Avalanche star said when asked what he admires about Kucherov's game, per Bally Sports' Gabby Shirley. "I think he is, obviously, one of the best in the world. It's not breaking news. It's awesome to watch him play.

"I think me and him have very different games, so that's why I love watching him so much. You can take a lot of, not advice, but tips from him in watching him play. It's amazing to watch him play, and I am excited to face him tonight."

Kucherov currently leads the league with a whopping 90 points (34 goals, 56 assists) in 53 games. That's already the fourth-highest total he's ever put up in his career - and he has 28 more games to work with. He's on pace for just under 140 points, which would surpass his previous best of 128 points, a total he set in 2018-19 when he won the Art Ross Trophy.

"He slows (the game) down really well," MacKinnon observed. "I probably don't do that as well as I should. It doesn't seem like he ever misses a guy open and I think everyone takes pride in that, in seeing your teammates when they're open in the slot. I miss guys open there but he never does, it seems like."

MacKinnon is no slouch either. He's right on Kucherov's tail with 87 points (32 goals, 55 assists) in 54 outings.

The two All-Stars are battling for more than just the Art Ross Trophy. Thanks to their dominance, MacKinnon and Kucherov are putting together convincing cases for the Hart Trophy. The former sits atop the league in both goals above replacement (22.5) and wins above replacement (3.6), while the latter ranks around the top 10 in both categories, according to Evolving-Hockey.

Containing Kucherov will likely prove a challenge for the Avalanche. He's racked up 15 points during an eight-game point streak, and he's only been held off the scoresheet 10 times this season.

"These two guys are incredible hockey players," Lightning forward Brandon Hagel said. "We are fortunate enough to have one and they are fortunate enough to have one.

"I am taking our guy tonight."

Puck drops on the clash at 7 p.m. ET. The two sides last met in late November when the Avalanche won 4-1.

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Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Morgan Rielly has been suspended five games for cross-checking Ottawa Senators forward Ridly Greig, the NHL's Department of Player Safety announced Tuesday.

Barring an appeal, Rielly will be eligible to return from the ban on Feb. 22 against the Vegas Golden Knights. This is the first career suspension for the longtime Leaf.

The incident occurred in the final moments of Toronto's 5-3 loss to the Senators on Saturday. Rielly cross-checked Greig up high after the rookie took a slap shot into the empty net to cap off the contest.

"This is also not an inadvertent or accidental use of the stick while leveraging for body position or other hockey purposes," the league said in their explanation. "This play occurs well after the goal has been scored, late in the game with the score out of reach, and for the sole purpose of retribution.

"Rielly pursues Greig for some time, and has sufficient opportunity to choose to engage him in a different manor, or ensure that this cross-check is delivered solely to the body. Instead, fully in control of this play at all times, Rielly chooses to lift his stick to the level of Greig's head and neck."

The brouhaha has been the topic of much debate for the past few days. Maple Leafs enforcer Ryan Reaves made waves with his comments Monday in support of Rielly's retaliation.

Rielly has taken just three major penalties in his 11-year career, including the game misconduct he earned Saturday. Before that, he'd racked up just eight penalty minutes this campaign.

The 29-year-old finished fourth in voting for the Lady Byng Trophy in 2019.

A key player for the Maple Leafs, Rielly has chipped in with 43 points - including 16 on the power play - in 50 games this season while averaging over 24 minutes of ice time per contest.

Detroit Red Wings forward David Perron was suspended six games earlier this season after an in-person hearing with the league for cross-checking Senators blue-liner Artem Zub. Perron appealed the suspension, but it was ultimately upheld.

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Brad Marchand will become the eighth Bruin to appear in 1,000 games with the franchise when Boston takes on the Tampa Bay Lightning on Tuesday, but the captain is more focused on the future than the milestone.

"Feeling very grateful to have experienced all the things that I have and to be a part of so many great teams and be part of the best organization in the world," he said Monday, according to NHL.com's Eric Russo. "The more I think about it, I do know how extremely grateful and fortunate I've been. But at the same time, I still try to not get caught up in it because I feel like I have a lot of time left, still have so many big dreams and goals.

"I still feel like a kid a lot of times, so many things that I want to accomplish with this group and this team. You don't ever want it to end."

One of those dreams is to make the Hall of Fame.

The Bruins selected Marchand in the third round of the 2006 NHL Draft. He's added his name into the organization's record books through 999 games, ranking fifth all-time in goals (397) and points (910) as well as first in shorthanded goals (35). Boston won the Stanley Cup during his first full NHL season in 2010-11, and Marchand currently boasts the second-most postseason goals (53) and points (128) in franchise history.

Bruins head coach John Montgomery said he feels Marchand is worthy of a call to the Hall, and the winger is ready to put in the work.

"Is it achievable? I don't know," Marchand said. "I see the amount of time I feel like I can still play. I don't know what it takes to get there, but I'm going to play every single day and come to the rink every day and try to get better and try to play as long as I can. If it happens, it happens."

Boston will honor Marchand for reaching the 1,000-game milestone in a pregame ceremony on Feb. 19.

"It is special to look back and see how far (I've) come, but hopefully it's just a building block to many more," he said.

The Bruins' 32-11-9 record is the second-best in the league, but they will be looking to rebound from Saturday's listless 3-0 loss to the Washington Capitals when they take on the Lightning.

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