The Arizona Coyotes are about to receive a huge boost to their blue line.

Niklas Hjalmarsson is set to return to the Coyotes' lineup Sunday against the Pittsburgh Penguins after missing the last 43 games, according to The Athletic's Craig Morgan.

Hjalmarsson has been absent for most of the season after suffering a cracked left fibula in a game on Oct. 12. He managed one goal in four contests before sustaining the injury.

The 32-year-old is in the first season of a two-year, $10-million contract extension he signed with the Coyotes in 2018. Arizona has been battling it out atop the Pacific Division during his absence and has the chance to reclaim first place Sunday.

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Dylan Larkin has addressed comments he made about not wanting to be included in the All-Star Game festivities.

"In the moment, I said what I said but I really do regret that," Larkin said on Saturday after the All-Star Game rosters were finalized, according to the Detroit Free Press' Helene St. James. "I didn't mean to disrespect the league. I feel I did that, and disrespected the Red Wings.

"My main goal as a hockey player in the state of Michigan is to represent myself and the Red Wings and be a good example for kids growing up playing the game. I felt I wasn't that, so I'm sorry about that."

On Dec. 31, Larkin told reporters he would prefer to get the days off rather than participate if fans voted him into the All-Star Game. The comments drew attention around the league, including from Sportsnet's Brian Burke, who harshly criticized the Detroit Red Wings forward.

"I have to own up to them. I didn't mean for them to become that big of a thing. I saw what Brian Burke said and I have a lot of respect for Brian," Larkin added. "He was in the right to say that. I have to represent this team and this franchise and my teammates better than that."

The 23-year-old has recorded 11 goals and 29 points in 45 games this season. Since making his comments on New Year's Eve, Larkin is riding a five-game point streak with two goals and three assists.

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Matthew Tkachuk had some advice for Zack Kassian after the Edmonton Oilers winger responded to a hard hit from the Calgary Flames forward with a series of pummeling blows.

“If (Kassian) doesn’t want to get hit, then stay off the tracks," Tkachuk said according to Sportsnet's Eric Francis. "I caught him three times there – you think he’d learn after the first one. If he wants to react that way we’ll take the pp, we’ll take the game winner, and we’ll move on to first place”

Kassian received a double-minor for roughing and a 10-minute misconduct for retaliating to the hit. Flames forward Elias Lindholm buried the game-winning goal in the 4-3 victory on the subsequent power play.

When asked about Tkachuk's antics after the contest, Kassian didn't sugarcoat his feelings.

"If you're going to hit like that you have to answer the bell once in a while," Kassian told reporters including Daily Faceoff's Brady Trettenero. "He's just a young punk ... he's a p---- to be honest, straight up, that's the definition of it."

Kassian said he's challenged Tkachuk to fight in the past, but claims the Flames winger declined the invitation because of Kassian's status as a fourth liner.

"I've got 13 goals this year and he still won't fight me. When will he?" Kassian added.

The 28-year-old may get his chance sooner rather than later, as the rival clubs meet again on Jan. 29 in Edmonton.

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Matthew Tkachuk had some advice for Zack Kassian after the Edmonton Oilers winger responded to a hard hit from the Calgary Flames forward with a series of pummeling blows.

“If (Kassian) doesn’t want to get hit, then stay off the tracks," Tkachuk said according to Sportsnet's Eric Francis. "I caught him three times there – you think he’d learn after the first one. If he wants to react that way we’ll take the pp, we’ll take the game winner, and we’ll move on to first place”

Kassian received a double-minor for roughing and a 10-minute misconduct for retaliating to the hit. Flames forward Elias Lindholm buried the game-winning goal in the 4-3 victory on the subsequent power play.

When asked about Tkachuk's antics after the contest, Kassian didn't sugarcoat his feelings.

"If you're going to hit like that you have to answer the bell once in a while," Kassian told reporters including Daily Faceoff's Brady Trettenero. "He's just a young punk ... he's a p---- to be honest, straight up, that's the definition of it."

Kassian said he's challenged Tkachuk to fight in the past, but claims the Flames winger declined the invitation because of Kassian's status as a fourth liner.

"I've got 13 goals this year and he still won't fight me. When will he?" Kassian added.

The 28-year-old may get his chance sooner rather than later, as the rival clubs meet again on Jan. 29 in Edmonton.

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Patrick Marleau hit a major longevity milestone and etched his name among a quartet of legends in the process.

The San Jose Sharks forward suited up for the 1,700th regular-season contest of his career Saturday against the Dallas Stars, becoming the fifth player in NHL history and the youngest ever to accomplish the feat.

Here's a look at the handful of players who've appeared in that many games, and how old they each were when they reached the mark, according to the NHL:

Here's where Marleau stands on the league's all-time games played list:

In addition to his longevity, Marleau also has an impressive ironman streak going.

The veteran hasn't missed a regular-season contest while under contract since April 9, 2009, a run of 831 straight games. That's the sixth-longest streak ever and the second-longest among active players behind Florida Panthers defenseman Keith Yandle (841).

The Sharks re-signed Marleau on Oct. 9, four games into their 2019-20 campaign. He reunited with San Jose - with whom he spent the first 19 seasons of his career - after two years with the Toronto Maple Leafs.

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The Tampa Bay Lightning racked up their 10th consecutive victory with a 1-0 win over the Philadelphia Flyers on Saturday night.

Tampa Bay tied a franchise record for its longest-ever win streak, a mark set in February 2019.

More to come.

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The NHL All-Star rosters are officially set.

Toronto Maple Leafs forward Mitch Marner, Washington Capitals winger T.J. Oshie, St. Louis Blues forward David Perron, and Vancouver Canucks defenseman Quinn Hughes have been selected by fans as the winners of the "Last Men In" vote, the league announced Saturday.

With the addition of Perron, the Blues now lead the league with four All-Star representatives. The 31-year-old winger leads the Blues in both goals (19) and points (45) through 45 games this season and will make his first All-Star appearance.

Marner, 22, ranks sixth in the NHL with 0.91 assists per game and was also named an All-Star for the first time in his career.

Hughes, who has 31 points through 44 games in his rookie campaign, is the second blue-liner named to the Pacific Division team alongside Calgary Flames captain Mark Giordano.

Here's a look at the final roster for each division.

Atlantic Division

Metropolitan Division

Central Division

Pacific Division

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