The Colorado Avalanche are eschewing the morning skate in the second half of the season.
With a schedule that has the club playing almost every other night through the conclusion of the regular season, the team made the decision to go with optional morning skates on game days, in addition to team meetings and video sessions.
"Our schedule has been strange," said first-year head coach Jared Bednar, who asserted the decision was a result of conversation between staff and players. "That's the best way I can put it. You look at the two big breaks at the start of the year, then Christmas break, then the bye week, and we seem to have (had) a lot of space in between games."
Bednar added that his team has had a lot of practice time through the first half of the season, even though it's not showing, as Colorado sits dead last in the NHL in points, with only 28 through 45 games, in what is a lost season.
With a busy schedule the rest of the way, Bednar wants to make sure the players have ample time to rest.
Colorado will have more than a day off between games only twice next month, between Feb. 1 and 4, and Feb. 25 and 28. The rest of the way, it's a game every other night, with five stretches of three games in four nights.
The decision also means practices will be more intense, with the players expected to work hard.
The forward, who's been sidelined since late October following a diagnosis of multiple sclerosis, participated in his third full practice Wednesday. Afterwards, Bickell told reporters he feels normal and positive, and that being around the team has been helpful in terms of focusing on hockey and getting back into his normal routine following a tough stretch adjusting to his new reality.
"I knew something wasn't right and to pull myself up and get it fixed is the biggest thing," he said. "That was the past, we're taking it day by day right now and looking to get back in the lineup and helping this team win. Ideally, (we'll) get in the playoffs. That's our goal and my goal as well."
Bickell added he's in constant communication with doctors in terms of the treatment process and whether he's well enough to return to game action.
He does need to clear a few final hurdles in order to get full medical clearance, but he's making progress and feels mentally ready to play.
Bickell scored one goal in seven games for the Hurricanes earlier this season, and would bring valuable experience from his days in Chicago as Carolina tries to jump into a playoff spot.
Wednesday, Jan. 25 is Bell Let's Talk Day in Canada, an initiative by the telecommunications company to bring awareness to mental health issues across the country.
Today, Bell will contribute 5 cents more towards mental health initiatives for every text, call, tweet, Instagram post, Facebook video view and use of Snapchat geofilter.
The annual effort is aimed at ending the stigma associated with mental health issues, and providing support to people suffering from those issues. Last year, over $6.2 million was raised, a new record.
NHL players and teams are doing their part this year, too:
Evgeni Malkin will miss at least one regular season game and Sunday's NHL All-Star Game due to a lower-body injury, Pittsburgh Penguins head coach Mike Sullivan announced on Wednesday.
Malkin saw 18:27 of ice time in Tuesday's loss to St. Louis and fired four shots on goal, but will be unavailable for Thursday's date in Boston as a result of the ailment.
The center sits tied with teammate Sidney Crosby for second in the NHL with 54 points after recording 22 goals and 32 assists in 47 games. He'll be replaced on the Metropolitan Division roster for the weekend's All-Star festivities in Los Angeles.
It's true: Complaining about who is, and who isn't, an All-Star is the first-est first-world problem there is. But it's time for Mark Scheifele and Cam Atkinson - who won't be in Los Angeles this weekend - to get their due.
They're both top 10 in NHL scoring, each with 46 points on the season. Only one player has scored more goals than Atkinson - that Sidney Crosby guy. Six players have scored more than Scheifele, all of them All-Stars except Atkinson.
Yeah, sure, you could throw Nicklas Backstrom in this conversation, too. His 47 points are tied for fifth overall, but he's been an All-Star before, earning his first trip - what the hell took so long? - last year. Scheifele and Atkinson have never had the honor.
And until the NHL takes the best players, regardless of team, and drops the sticks in the middle to make three-on-three teams, this will happen every year - deserving players won't be at the All-Star Game.
Columbus Cam
Atkinson, like his Columbus Blue Jackets team this season, seemingly came out of nowhere. But the sixth-round pick, 157th overall in 2008, has proven over the past three seasons that he's a solid NHLer. He's reached new heights in 2016-17 - like his team - and is set to obliterate career highs across the board.
Season
Age
GP
Goals
Assists
Points
2013-14
24
79
21
19
40
2014-15
25
78
22
18
40
2015-16
26
81
27
26
53
2016-17
27
47
24
22
46
Among the league's top 10 scorers, nobody averages fewer minutes than Atkinson's 17:53 per game. His 19 points on the power play are tied for third in in the league.
You want more? Atkinson's averaging more points per 60 minutes than Connor McDavid, who leads the NHL in scoring. Atkinson ranks sixth among skaters who've played at least 35 games.
Rank
Player
P/60
GP
1
Crosby
4.14
41
2
Evgeni Malkin
3.73
47
3
Thomas Vanek
3.47
36
4
Conor Sheary
3.37
40
5
Nikita Kucherov
3.29
42
6
Atkinson
3.29
47
7
Backstrom
3.22
48
9
McDavid
3.22
49
9
Phil Kessel
3.21
47
10
James van Riemsdyk
3.19
45
At 27, at 5'8 and 180 pounds, and as a player drafted in the sixth round, Atkinson was never supposed to be here, among the McDavids and Crosbys of the world. And who knows if he'll ever be here again - he's shooting 17.3 percent.
The Jackets are one of the best stories in hockey this season, with Atkinson the club's leading scorer. If anyone deserved a trip to L.A., it's him.
With all due respect to Justin Faulk and Taylor Hall, they're not All-Stars this season. It remains stupid - and always will be - that each team must be represented at the game, and in a three-on-three tournament, there are no positions. Atkinson surely wouldn't have minded playing "defense."
Superstar Scheifele
Lost in all the Patrik Laine hype - and Nikolaj Ehlers hype, too - is that Scheifele, only 24 in March, has become the superstar the Winnipeg Jets dreamed he'd be when they drafted him seventh overall in 2011.
Yes, it's official: Scheifele is a superstar. And while he won't be in L.A., there are multiple All-Star games in his future, because, to put it simply, he's really quite excellent at hockey.
Scheifele's gotten better with age. He's going to score 35 this year and hit the 70-point mark for the first time in his career.
Season
Age
GP
Goals
Assists
Points
2013-14
20
63
13
21
34
2014-15
21
82
15
34
49
2015-16
22
71
29
32
61
2016-17
23
48
21
25
46
Only five players in the Western Conference are averaging more points per 60 minutes than No. 55 (and one of them is his teammate Laine, who is certainly deserving of his All-Star selection, considering what he's doing at 19 years old).
Rank
Player
P/60
GP
1
McDavid
3.22
49
2
Vladimir Tarasenko
3.18
48
3
Tyler Seguin
3.01
49
4
Jeff Carter
2.97
48
5
Laine
2.91
43
6
Scheifele
2.85
48
All-Stars in our hearts
Hey, it is what it is. In the end, Atkinson and Scheifele are on theScore's All-Star team, and have themselves a long weekend to enjoy. Best of both worlds. They should put their feet up, relax. They should definitely watch "La La Land," if they haven't yet. It's so good.
The rest and relaxation will come in handy. Atkinson's got hockey to play this spring, something he hasn't done since 2014. A lot of hockey, hopefully.
And there's absolutely no shame in Scheifele winning back-to-back gold medals with Canada at the world championship. The tournament is split between Cologne and Paris this year, with the Canadians stationed in France for their round-robin games. What's better than Paris in the spring?
The Minnesota Wild have a prospect to be very excited about over in Russia.
With a goal and an assist Wednesday for Salavat Yulaev Ufa, 19-year-old Kirill Kaprizov set a KHL record for most points in a season by an under-20 player.
Kaprizov sits at 20 goals and 22 assists for 42 total points in 43 games, thereby passing Evgeny Kuznetsov - who recorded 41 points for Traktor Chelyabinsk in 2011-12 - in the league's record books.
Kuznetsov needed 49 games to hit 41 points, making Kaprizov's feat that much more impressive.
Taken in the fifth round of the 2015 NHL Draft by the Wild, Kaprizov made a huge impression at the 2017 World Juniors with a tournament-high nine goals and 12 points in seven games en route to a bronze medal.
Kaprizov, however, has yet to sign his entry-level contract with the Wild.
The Ottawa Senators have appointed Tom Anselmi team president and chief executive officer, owner Eugene Melnyk announced Wednesday.
Anselmi replaces Cyril Leeder, who stepped down from his position as president of the hockey club.
Anselmi most recently worked for Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment (MLSE), first as chief operating officer then as president, and prior to that he served as vice president and general manager of arena operations for Orca Bay Sports and Entertainment (now Canucks Sports & Entertainment).
"Tom's distinguished career in sports and his previous senior executive roles with two other Canadian NHL clubs will be invaluable as we continue our efforts to build an organization that will prepare us for the future and the exciting opportunities which lie ahead," said Melnyk.
Early in his tenure with MLSE, Anselmi oversaw the development of Air Canada Centre, experience valued by the Senators as they look to build an arena closer to downtown Ottawa.
Melnyk says the key is to get the project "rolling" on LeBreton Flats. "You need experience," says Melynk and Anselmi brings that. #Sens
"With this being Canada's 150th, and Ottawa the capital of our nation, the Sens' 25th anniversary and the prospect of a new home downtown, this is an extraordinary opportunity," Anselmi said.
Leeder was one of three principal figures involved in bringing the Senators back to Ottawa, and Melnyk thanked him for "many significant contributions to our hockey club and our community over the past 25 years."
With five goals over the past two games, Patrick Marleau has been making a statement.
The 37-year-old center is in his 19th season with the San Jose Sharks after being drafted second overall back in 1997, and is now on pace for 28 goals in 2016-17 after his recent outburst. That would be Marleau's highest goal total since 2013-14, and a clear sign he's still able to make a meaningful impact for the defending Western Conference champions.
"He’s a special player," Sharks coach Pete DeBoer said after Tuesday's win over Winnipeg, per Mike McIntyre of The Mercury News. "He’s had an unbelievable career, and he looks like he’s still got a lot of gas in the tank."
Marleau's secret? Sticking to the basics.
"It’s been a real tough schedule but the guys have been taking care of themselves, getting the proper rest and putting in the proper work in between games. Eat, sleep, play hockey," Marleau said.
Marleau is in the final year of his current deal with the Sharks, and he - along with Joe Thornton - is set to become an unrestricted free agent. Whether or not the two sides decide to part ways, Marleau doesn't appear ready to give up on the ultimate goal of winning the Stanley Cup.
Follow theScore's fantasy feed on Twitter (@theScoreFantasy) for the latest news, features and more. And download Squad Up, theScore's free-to-win-money sports game.
Here is a look at the Squad Up daily NHL fantasy picture for Wednesday, Jan. 25 (all advanced statistics courtesy of Corsica.Hockeyand apply to 5v5 situations):
Dynamic Duos
C Claude Giroux (58K) & RW Jakub Voracek (59K), Flyers (at Rangers): Voracek recently rejoined Giroux on the Flyers' top line, and it worked. Giroux scored for the first time in 13 games and Voracek added a helper. The Rangers' D hasn't done struggling G Henrik Lundqvist many favors, either, allowing 8.39 scoring chances per 60 minutes, sixth most in the league.
C Mitch Marner (48K) & LW James van Riemsdyk (52K), Maple Leafs (at Red Wings): Only two trios have skated more minutes together this season than the line of Marner, JVR, and Tyler Bozak. The line generates 11.11 scoring chances per 60 minutes, best among lines that have at least 250 minutes of ice time together at 5v5. The Red Wings played Tuesday, and could come into the game fatigued.
C Connor McDavid (80K) & LW Patrick Maroon (39K), Oilers (at Ducks): Maroon's lower salary makes him an ideal pairing with linemate McDavid. Maroon's a bit of a risk, though, as he didn't take a single shot on goal in Edmonton's last game, despite 15 minutes of ice time. Still, he's scored 18 times and is usually good for a few SOG despite his recent struggles.
Bargain Plays
C Leo Komarov (32K), Maple Leafs (at Red Wings): Komarov's plethora of hits raises his floor to a reasonable level in the event that he fails to score. His two hits against Calgary on Monday were the fewest he's tallied in seven games. With a short slate, and few ultra expensive options, Komarov's price tag gives even greater breathing room.
D Kevin Klein (25K), Rangers (vs. Flyers): Klein is one of only three players in the NHL to have at least 100 hits and 100 blocked shots on the season. This keeps his daily value afloat, especially at the minimum price.
LW Nick Ritchie (28K), Ducks (vs. Oilers): Like the two other bargain options, Ritchie hits bodies with abandon. He is third in the NHL with 164 hits, but also has 11 goals to go along with it. Scoring is secondary, but he'll run into one. The hits provide a nice base, however, allowing you to spend up on stronger guarantees.
Top Fades
D Shayne Gostisbehere (48K), Flyers (at Rangers): The surprise star of 2015-16, Gostisbehere has been a resolute disappointment in his sophomore season. He has three assists in his last 10 games played, and no goals. He doesn't generate hits, and he's not much of a shot blocker. He's also the most expensive defenseman on the night.
G Petr Mrazek (110K), Red Wings (vs. Maple Leafs): The priciest goaltender should get the start after rookie G Jared Coreau played against the Bruins on Tuesday. Mrazek has failed to live up to his previous season numbers, posting a .895 save percentage in 27 games. He's not worth the investment.
C Matt Duchene (69K), Avalanche (vs. Canucks): An argument can be made to pick Duchene as a contrarian due to an illness making him a game-time decision. There are simply better options at the position for a lower salary with less risk attached -- Auston Matthews at 62K against a fatigued Red Wings team, for example.
Contrarian Options
RW Corey Perry (74K), Ducks (vs. Oilers): Perry's paltry (for him) nine goals to date make that salary a little hard to swallow. He has taken four shots on goal in each of his last three games, however, finding the net once. He's got a career-worst 6.4 shooting percentage haunting him. His positive regression may not kick in on Wednesday, but he could return tournament value if it does.
D Sami Vatanen (40K), Ducks (vs. Oilers): At the very least, Vatanen will be fresh after being a healthy scratch against Winnipeg on Monday. Vatanen has blocked 92 shots on the season, and skates 20-plus minutes when he plays. His floor is relatively steady, but his poor play of late combined with the healthy scratch could scare people off him.
C Henrik Sedin (55K), Canucks (at Avalanche): No team has played worse on home ice than the Avalanche. With a 5-17-1 home record, and the league's worst goal differential of minus-62, Sedin should be more appealing despite his less than sterling season. He still has 31 points, but he's a bust on nights he doesn't reach the scoresheet as he doesn't have much of a physical game to supplement his lack of scoring.
