A new contender appears to have emerged in the Dan Hamhuis sweepstakes.

ESPN's Pierre LeBrun is reporting that the Washington Capitals have "kicked tires" on Hamhuis, who's considered the No. 1 defenseman available in the rental market.

Fuelling speculation, at least on the part of the Canucks, is that Hamhuis will not take part in practice as originally expected, according to reports.

The Capitals created a little room under the salary cap late Sunday, dealing veteran Brooks Laich and his $4.5-million annual hit to the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Washington has more than $6 million in cap space with top-pairing defenseman John Carlson on long-term injured reserve.

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The Edmonton Oilers are loading up on waiver claims.

Oilers GM Peter Chiarelli has successfully claimed forward Adam Cracknell from the Vancouver Canucks and defenseman Adam Pardy from the Winnipeg Jets.

Cracknell, a sandpapered depth winger, has netted 10 points in 44 games, while the veteran Pardy has been limited to 14 starts this season.

Both players should receive stopgap minutes with the dismantling Oilers, who have shipped out Teddy Purcell and Justin Schultz, and reportedly lost Benoit Pouliot to a separated shoulder.

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Eric Staal didn't want to look back on his career and wonder.

Staal met with the New York media on Monday less than 24 hours after being dealt from the Carolina Hurricanes, and explained that the prospects of winning another Stanley Cup - and this time with his brother, Marc - was too good of an opportunity to pass up.

"Deep, deep in my gut, this was a chance, an opportunity I needed to take," he said, according to Andrew Gross of the Bergen Record. "This is where I wanted to go, where I wanted to be. Being with Marc (Staal) is an (added) benefit."

The deal casts the unrestricted free agent's future further in doubt. But while he believes he has a lot of hockey left, Staal's unwilling to look beyond the next few months.

"I believe this a group that can compete against anybody when the playoffs start," he said.

Another uncertainty, and for now one that's more pressing, is where Staal fits in the Rangers' lineup. He told reporters he's more comfortable at center, but with Derek Stepan and Derick Brassard filling out the two top-six roles down the middle, he might have to shift to the wing.

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Toughness is the name of the game for the Montreal Canadiens.

It's for this reason that the team claimed forward Mike Brown off waivers from the San Jose Sharks on Monday.

While the pickup was not immediately understood by many, including esteemed TSN hockey insider Bob McKenzie, it appears the Canadiens made the move with the intention of providing protection for the club's younger players.

Habs picked up Mike Brown because they wanted a little more protection/toughness for their younger players in the lineup rest of year

— Pierre LeBrun (@Real_ESPNLeBrun) February 29, 2016

The move does raise the question of what Montreal's plans are for enforcer John Scott, currently playing for the Canadiens' AHL affiliate.

Brown has one goal and three points to go along with 63 penalty minutes this season.

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NEW YORK, - Forwards Filip Forsberg of the Nashville Predators and Ryan Callahan of the Tampa Bay Lightning along with Montreal Canadiens goalie Mike Condon were named the NHL's three stars Monday. Forsberg had two natural hat tricks and adde...

Nashville Predators forward Filip Forsberg is the NHL's first star for the week ending Feb. 28 - and that should come as no surprise.

Forsberg is on fire. He scored two natural hat tricks last week in four games, adding an assist, leading Nashville to four straight wins. After not being able to find the back of the net in the first half of the season, Forsberg's scored 12 goals on 46 shots. He has 26 goals and 20 assists in 63 games.

Tampa Bay Lightning forward Ryan Callahan was named second star of the week. He had six points in three games, as Tampa Bay enjoyed an undefeated week, as well.

Callahan's had a mostly disappointing season, with 10 goals and 18 assists, but he's been money in February, with five goals and nine assists in 13 games, as the Lightning march toward the playoffs.

The third star of the week is Montreal Canadiens goaltender Mike Condon, who went 2-0-1 in three games, with a .949 save percentage.

Condon was integral in Montreal's 4-3 win over the Washington Capitals, and was exceptional Saturday, as the Canadiens continued their dominance of the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Filling in for Carey Price, Condon's struggled most of the season, but he has a respectable .913 save percentage in seven February starts.

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MONTREAL - The Montreal Canadiens claimed right-winger Mike Brown off waivers from the San Jose Sharks on Monday. The rugged 30-year-old has one goal, two assists and 63 penalty minutes this season. Brown has 18 goals and 16 assists in 393...

Edmonton Oilers forward Benoit Pouliot may be out of the lineup for a while.

It's believed that Pouliot suffered a separated shoulder during the third period of Sunday's game against the New York Islanders, according to Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet.

Adding fuel to the report is Pouliot arriving to the rink Monday with his right arm in a sling.

Pouliot has recorded 14 goals and 22 assists in 55 games for the Oilers this season.

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NEW YORK, N.Y. - The NHL's department of player safety has announced that Boston Bruins forward Zac Rinaldo will have a hearing on Tuesday to determine whether he faces further disciplinary action for his check to the head of Tampa Bay centre Ce...

EDMONTON - The Edmonton Oilers signed goaltender Laurent Brossoit and defenceman Brandon Davidson to two-year contract extensions Monday. Brossoit, 22, of Surrey, B.C., has appeared in 28 games with the American Hockey League's Bakersfield Co...