Andrew Ladd is back on the scoresheet as a member of the Chicago Blackhawks.
The veteran winger, acquired from the Winnipeg Jets in advance of the NHL's trade deadline, scored his first goal with the club since the 2010 Stanley Cup playoffs, from which the Blackhawks emerged victorious.
A few more of these could help Chicago to another happy ending.
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As the Washington Capitals keep winning, their head coach continues to cement his legacy.
The Capitals hung on Wednesday for a 3-2 victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs, giving Barry Trotz his 649th career win and moving him past Ron Wilson and into sole possession of ninth on the all-time list.
He accomplished the feat in his 1,341st game, doing so in 60 fewer contests than Wilson. The Capitals bench boss is now 24 wins from Mike Keenan, who ranks eighth all-time.
Trotz is one of four active coaches in the top nine:
| Rank | Head Coach | Wins | Games |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Scotty Bowman | 1244 | 2141 |
| 2 | Joel Quenneville | 793 | 1439 |
| 3 | Al Arbour | 782 | 1607 |
| 4 | Ken Hitchcock | 745 | 1388 |
| 5 | Dick Irvin | 692 | 1449 |
| 6 | Lindy Ruff | 690 | 1394 |
| 7 | Pat Quinn | 684 | 1400 |
| 8 | Mike Keenan | 672 | 1386 |
| 9 | Barry Trotz | 649 | 1341 |
| 10 | Ron Wilson | 648 | 1401 |
Many of these coaches earned their wins in the three-outcome era (wins, losses, and ties), but Trotz's milestone is impressive nonetheless.
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The United States revealed a well-rounded initial roster for the 2016 World Cup of Hockey on Wednesday, but some difficult decisions remain.
Related: Patrick Kane leads USA's initial World Cup roster
The American side will have the likes of USA mainstays Patrick Kane, Max Pacioretty, Joe Pavelski, and Zach Parise, but it won't feature Johnny Gaudreau, Dylan Larkin, Brandon Saad, or Seth Jones, all of whom were named to the initial 23-and-under North American squad due to the tournament's eligibility rules.
That's unfortunate for USA general manager Dean Lombardi, but there are plenty of reliable options for the remaining spots.
Here are the seven players who should be added before the final roster deadline on June 1:
Phil Kessel
He's had a disappointing campaign - by his standards - in his first season with the Pittsburgh Penguins, but Kessel absolutely deserves a spot on this team.
The 28-year-old already has five 30-goal seasons on his resume, and he's represented the United States in two Olympic Games, three World Championships, and two under-21 World Junior Hockey Championships.
Kessel is one of the USA's best pure scoring options, and his experience on the international stage makes him a no-brainer.
Kyle Okposo
Okposo is one of the most consistent American playmakers when healthy, and he's tied for fifth among U.S.-born skaters this season with 48 points in 59 games.
He's represented his country at three World Championships and two World Junior Hockey Championships.
Bobby Ryan
Ryan is another remarkably consistent scorer who's played for Team USA in the Olympics, World Championships, and the world juniors.
Although a lot of right wingers have a similar resume, the U.S. should prioritize skill over preferred position.
Brandon Dubinsky
He's not a prototypical offensive force, but the Columbus Blue Jackets center brings a blend of skill and sandpaper to the American squad, which already features Justin Abdelkader and Ryan Kesler.
Dubinsky can get under the skin of opponents, and he has a long history with Sidney Crosby. Lombardi clearly added Abdelkader and Kesler with physicality in mind, and Dubinsky would round out an imposing grind line.
Keith Yandle
Yandle is tied for third among American defensemen with 35 points this season, and he hasn't posted an even-strength Corsi For percentage below 50 since 2008-09.
The New York Rangers blue-liner drives possession and provides stability on the back end.
Justin Faulk
Faulk is tied for the league lead in power-play goals among defensemen, and he'll be 24 on March 20, meaning the Carolina Hurricanes defender should be eligible to play for the U.S. in this tournament.
Kevin Shattenkirk
Shattenkirk ranks sixth in points among American blue-liners with 33 in 56 games, and he's on pace to surpass the 40-point plateau for the third straight season.
The St. Louis Blues defenseman is no stranger to the U.S. national program, representing his home nation in three previous tournaments.
David Backes, Matt Niskanen, Ryan Callahan, Lee Stempniak, and Kyle Palmieri could all be considered as potential injury replacements, but their cases aren't as convincing as the aforementioned seven.
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Overlooked by Team Canada for the 2016 World Cup of Hockey, Roberto Luongo has something else in mind:
Is there a team Canada over 35 I can sign up for anywhere?Kidding aside those r 3 great and well deserving goalies. Canada in great hands 🇨🇦
— Strombone (@strombone1) March 2, 2016
The 36-year-old goalie is in the midst of a fantastic season, posting a 27-15-6 record and .925 save percentage for the Florida Panthers.
He was also a member of Canada's 2010 and 2014 Olympic gold medal-winning teams, as well as the 2004 World Cup-winning squad.
This time around, however, Canada's brain trust decided to roll with a trio of Braden Holtby, Corey Crawford, and Carey Price.
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Ping. #TMLtalkhttps://t.co/RYARrniCCw
— Toronto Maple Leafs (@MapleLeafs) March 3, 2016
Welcome to the NHL, Nikita Soshnikov.
In only his second game with the Toronto Maple Leafs, the 22-year-old winger fired a wrist shot off the crossbar and behind Washington Capitals netminder Philipp Grubauer for his first career goal.
The snipe was set up beautifully by Nazem Kadri.
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The Washington Capitals welcomed Brooks Laich back to the Verizon Center with a video tribute during a TV timeout Wednesday, which drew a standing ovation from the fans.
A visibly emotional Laich demonstrated his appreciation to the Capitals faithful with a raising of the stick and a clap of the mitts.
Laich, who was playing his second game for the Toronto Maple Leafs following a trade on Feb. 28, had played all but two of his 744 career games with the Capitals coming into Wednesday's contest.
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The initial 16-player roster for the World Cup of Hockey is set, and Team Canada's brass - led by general manager Doug Armstrong - has less than three months to fill out the full 23-man roster.
Related: Crosby headlines Canada's initial 16-man World Cup roster
Here's a look at who should be getting the call:
Corey Perry
It's rare for Perry and Ryan Getzlaf to be separated, and with the Anaheim Ducks center having already been named to the squad, the winger is sure to follow.
Perry is a Stanley Cup champion, a two-time Olympic gold medalist, and a World Junior Championships gold medalist, and since Canada traditionally values pre-existing chemistry, expect him to line up alongside Getzlaf in this tournament.
Taylor Hall
The Edmonton Oilers remain a huge question mark, but it's no fault of Hall's. Among Canadian left wingers this season, Hall ranks second in points to Jamie Benn, who's already been named to the team.
The 24-year-old helped Canada to a World Championship in 2015, and should be called upon to represent his country once again as a premiere player at his position.
Claude Giroux
The Philadelphia Flyers captain has been as consistent as they come as an NHL center, averaging 0.9 points per game in his career.
Overlooked for the past two Winter Olympics, Giroux was a member of Canada's 2015 World Championship-winning team, and also won World Junior gold in 2008.
Canada is already stacked at center, but Giroux's right-handed shot could slot in as a winger, and a dynamic one at that.
Brad Marchand
The Boston Bruins winger sits in a tie with Benn for second among NHL players with 32 goals this season, and in six fewer games. Only Alex Ovechkin can boast a higher total.
And speaking of chemistry, Marchand has been excelling alongside Patrice Bergeron for years, and, like in Boston, this pair could give international opposition all it can handle at either end of the ice.
Don't forget, Marchand also has two World Junior gold medals as a member of the 2007 and 2008 teams.
P.K. Subban
This one's too easy.
Subban is one of the game's most exciting players, and is a Norris Trophy winner as the top player at his position.
Questions abound in regards to his propensity to give away the puck, but he leads the league in that category because a player of his skill level commands it on his stick as often as possible.
The World Cup is meant to be a showcase for the game's best players, and Subban is indeed just that. He should be on this team, especially with the tournament being played in his hometown.
Brent Burns
Among all defensemen this season, only Erik Karlsson has recorded more points than Burns, while the San Jose Sharks blue liner ranks first with 21 goals and 265 shots.
Like a few mentioned above, Burns played for the 2015 World Championship team, and his superb play offensively and defensively warrants a spot on the World Cup team, especially considering his familiarity with Marc-Edouard Vlasic, one of the four named to the initial roster.
Kris Letang
The Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman is sandwiched between Burns and Subban in terms of points by Canadian defensemen this season, and is, of course, familiar with star center Sidney Crosby.
A series of unfortunate injuries have befallen Letang in recent seasons, but the two-time World Championship gold medal winner and Stanley Cup champion has been good for 0.61 points per game in his career.
It's high time for Letang to be featured in a major international tournament.
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The 2016 World Cup of Hockey got a lot more real Wednesday.
Initial 16-man rosters were unveiled by the eight teams set to face off for global hockey supremacy in September.
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