It all starts with the right mindset.

For a long time, times were bad in Edmonton, with the pinnacle of poor play marked by three consecutive first overall picks, the latest in 2012.

That landed Taylor Hall, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, and Nail Yakupov in Edmonton, one of who remains with the club.

Then, one more time, in 2015, the Oilers chose first overall, selecting phenom Connor McDavid, who has 90 points through his first 82 NHL games.

Now, after years of ugly games and mounting frustration, the Edmonton Oilers are finally on the road to recovery.

This season is different. Through 37 games, the Oilers sit second in the Pacific, owning a 19-12-6 record and 44 points.

Not only does that performance surpass any recent Oilers season, but the team is on pace for 98 points - such a finish would mark the best season in Edmonton since 1987-88, coincidentally Wayne Gretzky's final season in Alberta, a season capped with the Oilers fourth Stanley Cup in five years.

The Oilers returned to the winner's circle two years later, but playoff appearances soon become infrequent altogether over the next two-plus decades, as Edmonton qualified for the postseason just nine times in the next 25 years, a stretch which includes the franchise's current 10-year playoff drought.

That could all change in as little as four months, as McDavid, whose 42 points sit tied with Sidney Crosby for first in the NHL scoring race, has Oilers fans believing that, for the first time in a long time, playoffs are a real possibility in Edmonton.

"It all starts with believing when you come to the rink that you can win," McDavid told Robert Tychkowski of the Edmonton Journal. "We've found ways to pull ourselves back. You look at a game like San Jose, where we didn't have much going on, we were still able to pull a point."

Through December, the Oilers have missed out on points just twice, carrying a 7-2-4 record through 13 games. That includes four wins in their last five, and 11 points out of a possible 14.

"When we're up we can hold it, when we're down we can come back," McDavid added. "We feel we can play with anyone in the league. It's definitely a good feeling as opposed to last year."

Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

New Jersey Devils defenseman John Moore was stretchered off the ice Saturday in the first period following a hit from Washington Capitals forward Tom Wilson.

Wilson drove Moore into the end boards from behind, but there was no penalty on the play.

There's no update on Moore's condition yet, but he appeared to be talking to trainers while on the ice, according to Deb Kaufman Placey of MSG Network.

Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Jaroslav Halak is on his way to Bridgeport.

The club placed the netminder on waivers Friday, and the 31-year-old has cleared them, resulting in a trip to the AHL, the Islanders announced.

Halak could have been an upgrade somewhere else, but his $4.5-million salary likely kept suitors away.

On a struggling New York team, Halak hasn't enjoyed his best season, accumulating a 6-8-5 record with a 3.23 goals-against average and .904 save percentage.

Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

It's been a long, long, very long time since the Detroit Red Wings and Toronto Maple Leafs played a game that mattered. More than 23 years, in fact.

It was on the night of May 5, 1993 when Toronto ended what was, until then, the greatest Red Wings season of all time - a 103-point, .613-winning percentage campaign - in overtime of Game 7. And it was shocking.

Steve Yzerman's 137-point regular season was over after one playoff round. And it cast serious doubt over whether he could lead Detroit where it wanted to go.

Comeback

Toronto was no slouch. The Maple Leafs finished with 99 points, and were led by Doug Gilmour, who set Toronto's single-season record for points with 127. Nikolai Borschevsky, an overaged rookie out of Russia, had 34 goals and 74 points. Glenn Anderson was third on the team in scoring, Dave Andreychuk arrived before the trade deadline, Wendel Clark was the team's heart and soul, and Felix Potvin, only 21, also a rookie, was the kid in goal.

Toronto dropped the first two games of the opening-round series in Detroit, thoroughly outmatched by a combined 12-5. It was loud at Joe Louis Arena. Intimidating. Toronto, which came out of nowhere with Pat Burns behind the bench, seemed destined to lose the series - and fast - before it could figure out how to win in its current incarnation.

A different Maple Leafs team showed up at home, however. Toronto, host to playoff hockey once again, was buzzing. The atmosphere at Maple Leaf Gardens was electric. And after being lit up in Games 1 and 2, Toronto allowed only four goals across the next two - Potvin was stellar - and, somehow, the series was tied 2-2 heading back to Detroit.

Best of 3

Maple Leafs supporters of a certain generation can still hear Joe Bowen screaming "Michael Foligno!" They can still see Foligno leaping - twice - in customary fashion after his overtime winner gave Toronto a 5-4 comeback win, in Detroit no less, and a 3-2 series lead.

Toronto was outshot 30-21. The Maple Leafs trailed 4-1 at one point in Game 5. Yeah.

Game 7

Detroit wasn't going out like that. It dominated Game 6 in Toronto. Dino Ciccarelli had a hat trick, Yzerman a goal and an assist, Sergei Fedorov two assists, and Paul Coffey a goal and three assists. Back to Detroit.

Late in the third period of Game 7, the Maple Leafs trailed 3-2. Clark chased down a loose puck in the corner behind the goal line in Detroit's zone, to Red Wings goalie Tim Cheveldae's right, and threw it out front. Cheveldae redirected the puck with his stick into the slot - right to Gilmour. Tie game, 3-3, with 2:43 to go.

That set up the heroics of Gilmour, Bob Rouse, and Borschevsky.

A dump-in by Rouse ended up on Gilmour's stick. From the slot, he fed Rouse at the top of the right circle. Rouse, a stay-at-home defenseman, fired a slap-pass on the ice to the top of the crease, where Borschevsky tipped the puck into the empty net; 4-3 Toronto, in Game 7, and in the series.

Toronto went crazy. That same group of Maple Leafs supporters who can still see, when they close their eyes, Foligno leaping, can still see general manager Cliff Fletcher losing it in the Toronto press box, and can still see team trainer Chris Broadhurst spraying a bottle of water onto the ice in celebration. The Maple Leafs had done the impossible.

Gilmour finished with a goal and three assists that night. It was one of the most incredible playoff appearances by a Maple Leaf.

Nik the Stick

After the game, Borschevsky, who couldn't speak much English, put it perfectly when asked how he felt.

"Oh, unbelievable."

He spoke for every single Maple Leafs fan on the planet that night.

It's been a long time, too long, but we're due for another Red Wings-Maple Leafs playoff series. It would be something else, like it was in 1993.

Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Winnipeg Jets forward Marko Dano will miss roughly eight weeks after suffering a lower-body injury, head coach Paul Maurice announced Saturday.

Dano crashed into the boards Thursday versus Columbus and was helped off the ice. Maurice didn't provide the specifics of the injury.

In 28 games this season, Dano has managed three goals and seven assists.

Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

See ya, 2016.

Over the past week, we've been looking back on the year that was in the NHL. The past 365 days gave us a little bit of everything.

From youth being served, to remembering those who left us, to hockey's Person of the Year, to our favorite moments, here's theScore's NHL year in review:

• 2016 belonged to the teenagers
• Remembering those we lost in 2016
• Sidney Crosby, NHL Person of the Year

• 5 players who reached new heights in 2016

• VIDEOS: The 10 best hits of the year
• VIDEOS: The top 5 saves of 2016
• VIDEOS: 5 unforgettable goals in 2016

• 4 of our favorite moments of the year
• 5 storylines that dominated hockey in 2016
• 3 teams on the rise in 2017

Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Break out the bubbly, another year has come and gone.

Yes, 2016 is in the books and while we rock our party hats, sip champagne, and listen to the dulcet tones of Auld Lang Syne, lets take a look back at some of the wondrous goals that left us jaw-dropped over the past 366 days (don't forget that one leap day).

5. Ryan O'Reilly vs. Kings

It wasn't quite the Gustav Nyquist goal we saw in 2014, but O'Reilly's one-man crusade-type goal over the Los Angeles Kings in mid-December was quite something.

It's because of goals like this that the Buffalo Sabres will be missing the 25-year-old who remains out of the lineup for the next little while following an appendectomy.

4. Patrick Kane vs. Canadiens

He's the reigning MVP, can we expect anything less?

One of Kane's gems of the last calendar year came earlier this season when he put on a stick-handling clinic against the Montreal Canadiens before going shelf on Al Montoya.

3. John Tavares vs. Blues

Who said behind-the-back had to refer to a pass?

Certainly not Tavares who dumbfounded onlookers - including the St. Louis Blues - when on Dec. 8 the Islanders captain stepped around Jay Bouwmeester by putting his stick behind his back before rifling a shot top corner.

Slow clap.

2. Rickard Rakell vs. Oilers

This is exactly what we wanted to see when news broke that 3-on-3 overtime was coming to the NHL.

Anaheim Ducks forward Rakell absolutely torched the Edmonton Oilers last season with a goal that was strikingly similar to Bobby Ryan's complete undressing of the Kings two seasons ago.

1. Connor McDavid vs. Blue Jackets

It was the goal of the year, simple as that.

McDavid deked out pretty much every single person in Rexall Place before sliding the puck past Joonas Korpisalo and subsequently dropping jaws around the league.

McDavid has scored some pretty goals early in his career, but few have compared to this one. Never forget.

Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Pekka Rinne has been a mainstay in the Nashville Predators' net since the 2008-09 season, proving to be one of the NHL's most consistent goaltenders from then until now.

However, there's another star netminder waiting in the weeds: 21-year-old Juuse Saros, who picked up his first-career shutout Friday night with a 25-save effort versus the Blues.

Saros only has seven NHL games under his belt, so if this is the first time you're hearing his name, be sure to remember it.

In those seven games, Saros owns a .947 save percentage and a measly 1.43 goals-against average. It doesn't appear to be beginners' luck, either, as Saros has been rock solid everywhere he's played.

Reminder: he's 21. The Predators selected him 99th overall in 2013.

Saros' strong AHL season has afforded him the opportunity to earn starts with the big club, and if he keeps on his current pace, the 34-year-old Rinne would be sure to welcome some extra rest heading into the stretch run.

Don't expect a controversy in the cage, though. Rinne is their go-to guy, and Saros told Adam Vignan of The Tennessean that he idolized his fellow Finn growing up.

As Rinne approaches the end of his contract (two more seasons at $7 million), don't be surprised to see Saros receive an increased workload.

Nashville has had a solid foundation in its crease for nearly a decade now, and with Saros on the rise, it appears the future holds much of the same.

Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Despite being drafted fourth overall by the Toronto Maple Leafs in 2015, there was a measure of apprehension in regards to whether Mitch Marner could replicate his high-end junior-level production in the NHL.

The knock, as is often the case in today's NHL, was Marner's size, raising questions about his ability to withstand the rigors of the pro game. But in less than half a season, Marner is the latest to prove a smaller player can bring a big game to the table.

And while his speed and stickhandling abilities have allowed him to make good on a few breakaway opportunities, he's also demonstrated the ability to play an effective possession game and make smart decisions in the offensive zone, creating opportunities instead of simply capitalizing on them.

That was made evident on the play that led to his second career goal, scored in Buffalo back on Nov. 3. Placed on a line with Tyler Bozak and James van Riemsdyk, Marner put himself and the puck in all the right spots, leaving the Sabres completely flummoxed.

Here's how it happened:

The play began with van Riemsdyk (25) carrying the puck along the wall, Bozak (42) battling for position at the front of the net, and Marner (16) open and ready to accept a pass.

Instead of attempting to dish the puck off to Marner, van Riemsdyk decided to swing it back into the corner.

And rather than chase the puck into the corner himself, Marner cut to the front of the net, wisely deferring possession to Bozak.

Despite being boxed out by Sabres center Zemgus Girgensons, Bozak was able to tap the puck away and towards the far corner, an area to which Marner had a clear lane.

Marner slid into the corner to scoop the loose puck, commanding the attention of all six Sabres on the ice.

As he skated to the right and circled out of the corner, Marner was able to deftly move the puck to his left, back behind the net towards Bozak.

Bozak received Marner's pass, and positioned himself to either take a shot at a heavily-guarded short side or dish the puck to one of van Riemsdyk or Marner, both of whose paths to the net were impeded by Sam Reinhart (23) and Dmitry Kulikov (77).

Here is where Marner's speed came into play, as the rookie needed only a few strides to break away from the defense. Meanwhile, Bozak was given ample time and space to fire a pass across the crease.

Marner was able to extend his stick for the easy tap in, giving him the second goal of his career.

The smarts and maturity displayed on the play - and on another goal scored by Marner later in the game - were not lost on head coach Mike Babcock, who lauded the young forward's ability to create rather than focus on finishing.

"He was playing great and focused on doing everything right," Babcock said after the game, per Joe Yerdon of NHL.com. "And then when he scored, then he probably wanted to score a little bit and focused on scoring and didn't score. Focus on doing things right and everything works out for itself."

Yes, there will be bumps along the road to potential success for any young player - Marner has since spent time on the team's fourth line before being reunited with Bozak and van Riemsdyk.

Marner has generated a ton of excitement in Toronto based on his gamebreaking abilities. At the same time, however, Babcock expects him to slow things down at times and make the smart play, and he's clearly able to hold his own as an undersized player in the context of a possession-focused cycle game in the offensive zone.

Neither Connor McDavid nor Jack Eichel were going to be overlooked with the top two picks in 2015, but the Maple Leafs should be thanking the Arizona Coyotes for letting Marner drop to four.

Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

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 Saturday, December 31:

Triple Threat

• C Tyler Johnson (58K), Ondrej Palat (54K), Nikita Kucherov (61K), Lightning (vs. Hurricanes): The "Triplets" get a potentially tired Hurricanes who played Friday against the Blackhawks. Kucherov has been the only unequivocal success with 33 points in 30 games, but the more they skate together, the better Palat's and Johnson's chances become.

• C Connor McDavid (80K), LW Milan Lucic (51K), RW Jordan Eberle (57K), Oilers (vs. Canucks): McDavid's linemates are relatively affordable Saturday, so you don't have to scrimp at goalie or defense too aggressively. The Canucks have only allowed three goals over two games, but allowed eight in the two prior and have performed hideously on the road (4-12-1).

• C Jeff Carter (68K), LW Tanner Pearson (52K), D Drew Doughty (49K), Kings (vs. Sharks): Carter is tied for second in the NHL with 19 goals and his 16.7 shooting percentage isn't even that crazy. Pearson and Doughty are mid-range dice-rolls who hopefully benefit from a Carter goal or two. Sharks G Martin Jones sat Friday, so he should be fresh. Consider this the contrarian stack of the day.

Goalie Breakdown

• TARGET/Bargain - Braden Holtby (75K), Capitals (at Devils): Holtby's a no-brainer. He's one of the best goalies in the game and comes in at a price too low to pass up, against a team that has struggled to score consistently all season. The road match shouldn't matter as his splits don't differ too wildly in terms of save percentage.

• FADE - Cory Schneider (103K), Devils (vs. Capitals): Salaries should be reversed, no? In no circumstance should Schneider be priced this highly. LW Alex Ovechkin may not be scoring at his career pace, but he's still Ovechkin. Do not roster Schneider.

• CONTRARIAN - Marc-Andre Fleury (106K), Penguins (vs. Canadiens): Fleury's the most expensive goalie on the slate for some reason. In his three-game win streak, he does have a .955 save percentage, though two of those games came against the anemic Devils. He won't be rostered by many, because he'll force bargain hunting, but a win would be huge in tournament play.

Bargain Plays

• LW Jimmy Vesey (28K), Rangers (at Avalanche): Vesey saw a horrific seven-game point-less streak end when he tallied an assist on Wednesday. Fortunately, the Rangers are in Colorado. The Avalanche have the worst home record in hockey (4-12-1) and have allowed more goals than any team other than the Arizona Coyotes.

• LW Artturi Lehkonen (28K), Canadiens (at Penguins): The rookie Lehkonen has received some time on the Habs' power play of late, and recently saw a three-game point streak come to an end. After a rough stretch to start, Lehkonen has been better in December, though there's enough uncertainty to keep his salary low.

• RW Devin Setoguchi (25K), Kings (vs. Sharks): Setoguchi has been far less productive than his linemates, or he would have been included in the above Kings stack. He could still benefit from the association, but he is more likely to come up empty. He does have two points in four games, but he's a big risk. The price is right in a pinch.

Top Fades

• LW Zach Parise (60K), Wild (vs. Blue Jackets): The two hottest goaltenders in the NHL are facing off in Minnesota. Spending on any forward is not advisable in this context, though Parise draws the shortest straw. He's been on a hot streak with four points in five games, but he's too inconsistent overall to trust daily, especially against Sergei Bobrovsky.

• RW Kyle Palmieri (59K), Devils (vs. Capitals): Palmieri remaining anywhere close to the most expensive RWs is a bit much. He's been a far cry from the player he was in 2015-16, though his 63 hits have been his saving grace in fantasy.

• C Nathan MacKinnon (69K), Avalanche (vs. Rangers): MacKinnon's splits help explain why the Avalanche have been terrible on home ice. He has nine points in 17 home games compared to 16 points in 18 games on the road. With G Henrik Lundqvist likely protecting the Rangers' net, he's not a lock to improve his numbers on Saturday.

Contrarian Options

• C Joe Pavelski (75K), Sharks (at Kings): Pavelski is mostly matchup-proof, though instinct may lead some to steer clear after playing Friday. While his salary is high, he's averaged a point per game since the middle of November and had three multi-point efforts in December alone.

• RW Jaromir Jagr (53K), Panthers (at Stars): The loss of C Aleksander Barkov hurts Jagr's daily potential as the two were both hitting a solid stride together. The saving grace on Saturday is the ineffectiveness of Dallas' goaltending. Bet on Jagr despite his inconsistencies and less than appealing linemates.

• D Ryan Suter (36K), Wild (vs. Blue Jackets): Anticipating plenty of shots on goal, Suter may get busy in front of the net, blocking more than he usually does. This would enhance his value slightly even if he doesn't find his way into the box score otherwise. He's cheap enough, too, that he's a fine pick in a tournament while in a difficult matchup.

Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.