What was an exciting day for many Montreal Canadiens fans turned into a scary ordeal for one particular family.
On Sunday, 17,000 fans packed the Bell Centre in Montreal to watch the team's open practice. Canadiens players circled the ice and threw pucks into the stands for children in attendance. However, a puck tossed by star defenseman P.K. Subban accidentally struck a one-month-old baby directly in the head.
The baby girl, Beatrice, suffered a concussion and remains under observation. She's expected to fully recover, according to her mother Valerie Meloche.
Meloche issued the post thanking fans who immediately came to the aid of her daughter following the incident.
Canadiens vice president of communications, Donald Beauchamp, indicated that members of the organization visited the family at the hospital. He also said Subban's planning to apologize to the family, even though he isn't directly to blame for the incident.
"I can tell you, P.K. is really excited to meet the family and hold the little one in his arms," Beachamp told TVA.
Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.
As the veterans depart, Mike Babcock wants Toronto Maple Leafs fans to know that this is all part of the plan - and nothing's going to be handed to the kids.
Roman Polak and Nick Spaling were traded to the San Jose Sharks on Monday, one day after Shawn Matthias was sent to the Colorado Avalanche.
Related: Maple Leafs trade Polak, Spaling to Sharks for 2 second-round picks, Torres
"(The) guys who left were good people," Babcock said after practice Monday, according to TSN's Mark Masters. "That's the people part of the (business). The (business) part of the (business) is we're excited to have the kids."
Babcock on trades: "We try not to confuse the players & the people. We have a plan to do the right thing for the Leafs."
— Mark Masters (@markhmasters) February 22, 2016
Toronto's accumulating draft picks as it continues to gut its roster, and that means spots for younger players are opening up. Defenseman Stuart Percy and forward Brendan Leipsic were recalled from the AHL's Toronto Marlies, who are currently sitting in first place, after the trade.
"Nothing's going to be given to them, they have to earn it," Babcock said. "That's just the way the league is. It's a hard league and it exposes weakness in everybody.
More trades are coming, which means more young players will get a chance with the big club. Michael Grabner, P.A. Parenteau, Brad Boyes, and James Reimer all have expiring contracts.
"If you work hard today, everything's going to be OK for you," the head coach added. "That, to me, is the key thing and the message to our team."
Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.
The NHL trade deadline is arguably the most anticipated single day during the regular season. Names big and small are often on the move, with sky-high prices being paid for rental players.
Before this year's deadline - Monday, Feb. 29 at 3 p.m. ET - let's take a look back at deadlines from the past couple of years.
Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.
It's a case of good news and bad news for the Florida Panthers.
Aleksander Barkov is likely to return to the lineup Thursday against the Arizona Coyotes, Panthers head coach Gerard Gallant said Monday, according to Jameson Olive of the club's official website.
Barkov has missed six games since being hit high by Detroit Red Wings forward Justin Abdelkader on Feb. 8.
Related: Panthers livid over Abdelkader's 'cheap shot' on Barkov
Panthers forward Jonathan Huberdeau, however, won't play Thursday, Gallant said. Huberdeau left Saturday's game after being hit awkwardly into the boards by Winnipeg Jets defenseman Jacob Trouba.
Defenseman Erik Gudbranson, who has been out since Feb. 4, is also likely to return to the Panthers' lineup against the Coyotes.
Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.
Florida Panthers forward Jaromir Jagr, Minnesota Wild forward Erik Haula, and Ottawa Senators goalie Craig Anderson were named the NHL's three stars of the week Monday.
Jagr scored three goals in three games last week while moving into sole possession of third place on the NHL's all-time goal-scoring list.
Related: Jaromir Jagr scores 742nd goal to pass Brett Hull for 3rd all time
The 44-year-old has 20 goals and 43 points in 56 games this season.
At 44 years, 5 days, Jagr is the oldest player in NHL history at time of 20th goal of a season #pixiedust
— John Buccigross (@Buccigross) February 21, 2016
Haula put together an impressive seven-point week, highlighted by the first three-point performance of his NHL career during Sunday's outdoor game.
.@EHaula nets his seventh goal of the season, tying career-best. He records his first career three-point game after registering 1-2=3 today.
— Minnesota Wild PR (@mnwildPR) February 21, 2016
Anderson was nothing short of exceptional last week, keeping the Senators' playoff hopes alive with three consecutive wins.
Congrats to @CraigAnderson41, who was named the NHL's third star of the week, going 3-0-0 with a 1.58 goals-against average and .951 save %.
— Sens communications (@Media_Sens) February 22, 2016
Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.
Ilya Kovalchuk is apparently in trouble in the KHL.
"(Due) to a coach's decision, Ilya Kovalchuk has been removed from the squad and has been placed on an individual training programme," SKA St. Petersburg assistant coach Maxim Sokolov said Monday.
Kovalchuk was exiled due to poor performance but has not been removed from the team entirely, reports Igor Eronko of Sport-Express. SKA St. Petersburg's head coach is former NHL defenseman Sergei Zubov.
They lost the opening game of their playoff series against Lokomotiv Yaroslavl 3-2 in overtime Sunday, and Kovalchuk was checked off the puck during a sequence that led to the tying goal.
He was a minus-2 with only one shot on goal in 24:26 of ice time.
Kovalchuk notched 16 goals and 49 points in 50 regular-season games.
Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.
Vancouver Canucks forward Radim Vrbata left Sunday's game late in the third period after taking an awkward fall, but his injury isn't believed to be serious, reports Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman.
Vrbata scored his first goal in February Sunday night, but ended up playing only 12:41 in the contest. He has 12 goals and 12 assists - with nine of those points coming on the power play - in 57 games this season.
His contract set to expire this summer, Vrbata and his $5 million salary and cap hit are expected to be on the move come next week's trade deadline. Vancouver's nine points out of a playoff spot in the Pacific Division, and seven behind in the wild-card race, so all signs point to the club selling off assets as Feb. 29 approaches.
Vrbata, who will turn 35 in June, is in his second season with the Canucks.
Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.