The NHL, NHLPA, IIHF, and IOC met in New York City on Friday to discuss the NHL's participation in the 2018 Olympics, and while it seems once again that little progress was made, it appears there's a rough deadline in place.
IOC president Thomas Bach told reporters that it was merely a courtesy meeting, and said there were no negotiations on whether NHLers will be in attendance at the games, according to TSN's Frank Seravalli.
Bach added that it's a priority to have NHL players attend the Olympics, and IIHF president Rene Fasel said it was important for Bach to visit with the NHL for the first time.
Fasel suggested that while there's no official deadline in place for a solution, he has a meeting in South Korea in mid-March, and needs to know more about the league's stance by then.
NHL commissioner Gary Bettman asserted back in December that the NHL Board of Governors doesn't support sending players to the 2018 Pyeongchang Olympics, due in large part to the interruption of the season schedule and the potential for injuries to star players.
The forward is the Montreal Canadiens' You Can Play ambassador during February's "Hockey is for Everyone" NHL-run campaign, and he revealed Friday that he volunteered for the position, after being suspended for using a homophobic slur in last year's playoffs.
Andrew Shaw doesn't want this to be about him, but using a slur compelled him to do it: "This is me giving back for a mistake that I made."
"You can look back, I used a word that I never should have," Shaw added, according to TSN 690's Amanda Stein. "It's a word that has been used for years, and people need to know it's not right.
"They brought it to the team and I thought it would be a good opportunity to help out," he added. "What I went through last year, you know I learned from it. Words affect people more than you think. ... With what I learned last year it's a good position to be in. I can take what I learned from my experiences and help others learn the value of words."
With the trade deadline less than a month away, we map out potential trades for some of the most significant names available on the market leading up to March 1.
Duchene to Ottawa
Justin Cuthbert: There are limitations when attempting to chart out the course for a championship program without burning it to the ground first.
Such is life for the Ottawa Senators, who, with their top-heavy salary scale, won't be in position to depend on the lottery as their primary means for gathering top-end talent for the foreseeable future.
For teams like Ottawa, the championship window acts as a moving target. And while captain Erik Karlsson is still hauling in about half his earning potential, now's the time to zero in.
Matt Duchene will have his $6-million contract with the Colorado Avalanche expire simultaneously with Karlsson's in 2019. The versatile forward's potential addition to the club's incomplete top six would help them contend until then, clearly defining the club's intent for the next three seasons, and won't limit their ability to appease Karlsson in future negotiations, unlike past acquisitions.
Don't expect the Senators to give up Thomas Chabot in a deal for Duchene, however, because the top prospect is certain to contribute next season. The Senators can afford to meet the Avalanche's requirements by framing a trade package around 23-year-old top-four defender Cody Ceci.
Despite keeping his hand close to his chest, and hinting at standing pat, Blackhawks general manager Stan Bowman will make a big splash in trading for Hanzal before the deadline.
A la Vermette in 2015 - Chicago's most recent championship season - Bowman will make it work in adding Hanzal, a dream rental for any team with championship aspirations.
Vermette cost the Blackhawks a first-rounder and defensive prospect Klas Dahlbeck, and while it's hard to imagine Hanzal going for the same premium, a pick-and-prospect package is certainly doable for Chicago. The Blackhawks have three fifth-round picks and two in the sixth in the coming draft, and a few youthful forwards contributing at the NHL level in Vinnie Hinostroza, Ryan Hartman, Nick Schmaltz, and Tanner Kero.
The Blackhawks need a winger more than a center, but the opportunity to add a name like Hanzal isn't an opportunity Bowman has historically passed up.
Shattenkirk for Bishop
Craig Hagerman: Two birds, one stone.
The St. Louis Blues surely learned their lesson. That being: Don't let key players walk for nothing, which happened when David Backes and Troy Brouwer signed elsewhere July 1.
This time around, Kevin Shattenkirk's contract is up, but every indication suggests the team will trade him, and one destination that makes sense is Tampa Bay.
The Lightning are set offensively, with Steven Stamkos (when he returns), the triplets, and a collection of other producers, but their blue line is a little more thin. Aside from Victor Hedman and Anton Stralman, the club's back end is underwhelming. Shattenkirk could provide a bigger offensive punch, while possibly giving the club the jolt it needs to jump back into playoff contention.
Meanwhile, though Doug Armstrong remains confident in Jake Allen, a potential deal for Ben Bishop makes sense. The Blues need help in goal now, whether they trust Allen or not, and St. Louis is too talented not to make the postseason. To fail simply because of poor goaltending would be criminal.
A swap for Bishop also makes sense with respect to each player's salary, while a look at Allen's career stats show he's played his best when he's had to fight for the net.
If the Senators can't get Duchene ...
Josh Gold-Smith: Gabriel Landeskog is an unusual trade candidate in that he's the Avalanche captain, is only 24, and has scored at least 20 goals in four of his first six NHL seasons.
If Colorado wants to cut bait with the forward it selected second overall in 2011, there will be plenty of suitors, but the club is reportedly seeking good, young defensemen or defensive prospects in return, and the packages are "going to have to be big."
The Senators, again, make the most sense here. They need a left-winger, they'll be deadline buyers by virtue of being in the playoff mix, and they'll have the cap space to take on Landeskog's $5.57-million hit this season, as well as for the next four campaigns.
World juniors MVP and prized Senators blue-line prospect Chabot would likely have to go the other way, and it wouldn't be shocking if the Avalanche asked for more, so throw in one of Curtis Lazar or Derick Brassard. An exchange of picks could help balance things out to ensure the deal benefits both clubs equally.
Jim Rutherford is making Marc-Andre Fleury's satisfaction a priority.
The Pittsburgh Penguins general manager will stay in touch with his veteran goaltender over the next few weeks to gauge Fleury's level of happiness ahead of the March 1 trade deadline.
“The one thing I'll have to watch for and keep the lines of communication open with the player is, is he OK with the situation that he's in?” Rutherford told the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review's Jonathan Bombulie.
Fleury lost his starting job to Matt Murray last spring but appeared content serving in the No. 2 role as the Penguins won the Stanley Cup. Murray has essentially remained the starter when healthy this season, and he's justified the new hierarchy with his largely steady play.
“Going back to last year and to this point in time, (Fleury) has handled it like a true pro," Rutherford continued. "No issues at all. It may play out that we may be able to go right through having two top goalies on our team. We just have to keep an eye on what direction Marc(-Andre) wants to go here in the next few weeks.”
Rutherford said in the summer and into the fall that his goal was to keep both goalies, and he's not altering that now.
“Our priority here is to win,” he said. “My preference hasn't changed. Go back to training camp. My preference is to keep both these goalies here this year.”
Fleury has a measure of control over his future, wielding a limited no-trade clause that can prevent a deal to 12 NHL clubs.
He also has a $5.75-million cap hit. The pro-rated remainder is still owed this season, along with the full amount over both of the next two campaigns before he's scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent in the summer of 2019.
Fleury's agent, Allan Walsh, told Bombulie on Thursday that he had no comment on what Fleury's decision will be.
And whether the goaltender opts to remain or desires an opportunity to play elsewhere, Rutherford wants to do the right thing.
“We want to respect what he's done,” the GM said. “He has won two Stanley Cup (championships) here, has been a popular player not only within the organization but with the fans. He deserves to be respected properly, and that's what we're trying to do.”
Spezza was hurt in the Stars' 4-3 loss to the Winnipeg Jets on Thursday, during which he saw only 11:49 of ice time. It's probable he was hurt on this play, when Adam Lowry hit Spezza at the blue line.
The 33-year-old was riding a three-game point streak before being hurt, and has eight goals and 23 assists in 51 games. His loss is big for Dallas, which is trying to work itself back into playoff position in the Western Conference.
The move comes after unconfirmed reports surfaced Thursday that the 36-year-old had requested a trade from the team after serving as a healthy scratch over the last three games and five of the last 11.
Ribeiro's production is down from last year, but only slightly. He has four goals and 25 points in 46 games this season after tallying seven goals and 50 points one year ago.
He's in the final season of a two-year, $7-million contract with a cap hit of $3.5 million.
The Toronto Maple Leafs set their longest regulation losing streak of the season Thursday night, thanks to a 5-1 shelling from the St. Louis Blues.
With the loss, the team has now dropped three consecutive games in regulation, the team's longest stretch without a point this season.
The club remains confident in itself, but as defenseman Morgan Rielly insists, the team has little to hang their hat on of late.
"The confidence is there. We have lots of confidence in our group, we don't have a lot to be proud of right now," Rielly said postgame. "We have two outings that didn't go our way and we're not very happy with so, if anything, we have that much more motivation going into a big game against a team within the division. There's no reason to start getting concerned, it's just a matter of trying to get our focus back and make sure we know what to think. Just get playing our game again."
The Maple Leafs fell 2-1 to the Philadelphia Flyers just prior to the All-Star break, but it's been their first two games coming out of the time off that have been the most troubling.
The team fell 6-3 to the Dallas Stars on Tuesday. A game that saw the Maple Leafs surrender five first-period goals and followed it up with Thursday's miserable display. The club has now given up 11 goals in their last two games.
As far as James van Riemsdyk is concerned, the team is better than how they have looked in their last few games, and getting back on track shouldn't take much mending.
"I'm sure everyone realizes where we're at in the standings and what part of the season we're at," said van Riemsdyk. "We know we've got more to give, we've got better hockey we're capable of playing, and it's just a matter of going out there, executing, working, and doing the things we know how to do."
The Maple Leafs will need to put that all together starting Saturday night. Toronto will play their most meaningful game in some time when they take on the Boston Bruins who sit three points ahead of the team and who have played five more games than them.
Only the Winnipeg Jets have played as much hockey as the Boston Bruins.
With four full days off after Saturday's game against the Toronto Maple Leafs, and the club's bye week running Feb. 13 through 18, the Bruins appear to have dodged major injury bullets with respect to stars Tuukka Rask and Patrice Bergeron.
The club announced Rask won't participate in practice Friday, being given a maintenance day instead, after he hurt his groin Wednesday night. Meanwhile, Bergeron won't practice, either, and he's considered day to day with a lower-body injury.
Bergeron blocked a shot off his knee Wednesday, was forced from the game, and was seen limping afterward.
There's no word whether Bergeron and Rask will play Saturday, when the Bruins host the Maple Leafs. Boston's three points up on Toronto for third place in the Atlantic Division, but the Maple Leafs have a ridiculous five games in hand.
The playoff picture will be a lot more clear later this month, since the Bruins play only five games between Saturday and Feb. 20. And for Bruins fans, they're hoping that picture gets a bit better looking, and includes Bergeron and Rask.
The Nashville Predators' top line he centers with Filip Forsberg and Viktor Arvidsson accounted for both his team's goals in Thursday's 2-0 win over the Edmonton Oilers, and Johansen let out the secret to the trio's success:
"Well, we're all really good looking," he said, according to The Tennessean's Adam Vingan. "That kind of says it all."
It does, doesn't it?
Nashville's playing inspired hockey at the moment, and Johansen's got two goals and six assists in his past six games, in which the Predators have gone 4-1-1. His 38 points lead the team in scoring.
Forsberg, who's second on the team in scoring, contributed an assist Thursday, after a January that saw him score seven times in 14 games.
Arvidsson's a point behind Forsberg, and he's got two goals and two assists in his last five games. He's already set career highs in goals (13), assists (19), and points (32).
"They're playing really well," head coach Peter Laviolette said. "We put it together and we've stayed with it. It's given us some results."
The Predators are playing their best hockey after dealing with injuries to key players like P.K. Subban and Roman Josi. Things are looking good as they prepare to hit the stretch.
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 Friday, Feb. 3 (all advanced statistics courtesy of Corsica.Hockeyand apply to 5v5 situations):
Dynamic Duos
C Alexander Wennberg (42K) and RW Cam Atkinson (56K), Blue Jackets (at Penguins): This game is expected to be the highest-scoring affair of the night, which puts all of the key players on the fantasy radar. This combo is far cheaper than it should be, with the Blue Jackets operating the league's best power play (24.6 percent) and the Penguins owning one of the least effective penalty kills (78.6 percent).
C Sidney Crosby (88K) and LW Chris Kunitz (40K), Penguins (vs. Blue Jackets: Let's not forget the abundance of skill on the other side of the ice. Crosby is a nightly lock, while Kunitz gets a significant boost as the player expected to be promoted to the top line full-time following the injury to Conor Sheary. These two have chemistry, and while Kunitz has lost a step, he represents tremendous value in this one.
C John Tavares (68K), Islanders and LW Josh Bailey (38K), Islanders (at Red Wings): Deciding between Bailey and fellow LW Anders Lee wasn't easy, but ultimately Bailey has the higher floor of the two players. The former first-round pick is averaging nearly a point per game on the road this season, and has a pair of goals over his last three games. He's also a little less expensive than Lee, making him a better value play.
Goalie Breakdown
TARGET: Cory Schneider (99K), Devils (vs. Flames): You could really go either way in this one, with both teams ranking in the bottom-10 in goals scored so far this season. But Schneider is the superior option to Brian Elliott by virtue of his 2.40 GAA and .916 SV% in 18 home games, including more than 28 minutes of shutout hockey against high-powered Washington on Jan. 26. Schneider should excel Friday.
BARGAIN: Brian Elliott (75K), Flames (at Devils): Of course, if you're feeling lucky, you can opt instead for Elliott. The veteran has struggled for most of the season, but is coming off a pair of sensational efforts, stopping 53 of 56 shots in wins over Ottawa and Minnesota. With the Devils having scored the second-fewest goals in the NHL entering Friday, there might not be a better matchup for Elliott than this one.
FADE: Matt Murray (107K), Penguins (vs. Blue Jackets): Murray would be a steep option on a normal night - but with Columbus and Pittsburgh expected to light up the scoreboard, Murray is even more hands-off. He has allowed nine goals over his last three games, losing two of them - and he was torched for six goals on just 23 shots in his previous meeting with the Blue Jackets. Spend your salary elsewhere.
CONTRARIAN: Thomas Greiss (87K), Islanders (at Red Wings): With most daily fantasy players opting to either spend up or spend down at the position, you should consider snagging a great low-owned option in Greiss. He has quietly put together a terrific first half, and has allowed just five goals over his past three games, winning all of them. Detroit shouldn't put up much of an offensive fight in this one.
Bargain Plays
C Ryan Kesler (46K), Ducks (at Panthers): Kesler is one of the more reasonably priced forwards on this slate. He comes in having recorded 40 points through 52 games while averaging nearly 2 1/2 shots per contest. He has also fared well this season against Eastern Conference opponents, recording 17 points in 21 games. If you're looking to spend up elsewhere, Kesler is a fine low-cost center.
LW Matthew Tkachuk (26K), Flames (at Devils): The points haven't been there for Tkachuk, who has just one assist over his last four games. But he's firing the puck more frequently, racking up 12 shots on goal over that span - and if he keeps it up, the goals will come. The low game total might scare you away, but with Tkachuk earning second-line and second PP unit exposure, you could do worse a near-minimum salary.
D Zach Werenski (32K), Blue Jackets (at Penguins): Werenski is heating up, having registered a goal and three assists over his past two games. The 19-year-old remains a fixture on both the first pairing and the top power-play unit, which should strike at least once against a weak Pittsburgh penalty kill. Werenski's price tag is perpetually low, and Friday is a great time to take advantage.
Top Fades
C Connor McDavid (69K), Oilers (at Hurricanes): Yes, it's a little crazy to consider McDavid a fade given his price point (especially compared to Crosby). But the Hurricanes have the best penalty kill in the league by a wide margin (88.7 percent), and that has to be considered even though McDavid does the majority of his damage at 5v5. With an abundance of good, cheap center options Friday, you should look elsewhere.
LW Johnny Gaudreau (60K), Flames (at Devils): Gaudreau has been in a lengthy slump, recording just seven points over his last 16 games. And yet, he comes in as the second-most-expensive left winger on Squad Up. The Flames have been playing terribly of late - Wednesday's win over the Wild aside - and could find offense hard to come by against the host Devils. Leave him unowned Friday.
RW Kyle Palmieri (62K), Devils (vs. Flames): Palmieri is coming off a two-goal effort against the Red Wings on Tuesday, and has been halfway decent of late with 10 points in his last 13 games. He has just four goals and four assists in 21 home games this season, and at 62K, you need more bang for your buck. This game could be the lowest-scoring contest of the night, so avoid it wherever possible.
Contrarian Options
LW Henrik Zetterberg (57K), Red Wings (vs. Islanders): The greybeard winger has come to life of late, recording a pair of multi-point efforts over his last three games. Even with the Red Wings' offense in shambles, Zetterberg has found a way to contribute. He also has a history of success against the Islanders, scoring a goal and adding an assist in their previous meeting this season.
RW Patric Hornqvist (60K), Penguins (vs. Blue Jackets): Most daily fantasy players looking for a Pittsburgh stack will opt for a cheap left winger to play alongside Crosby - but Hornqvist is more talented than anyone the Pens would consider moving up to the top line. Putting he and Crosby together puts a significant crimp in your budget, but that combo has tremendous upside Friday.
D Keith Yandle (45K), Panthers (vs. Ducks): Yandle has had solid efforts in back-to-back games, recording a pair of assists against Tampa Bay and earning a plus-3 rating versus Ottawa. He's good for a couple of shots per game at minimum, and he remains a top-tier power-play point producer among defensemen. Best of all, it's likely that almost nobody else will roster him - making him a truly contrarian play.
