The New York Islanders' playoff aspirations are - for the time being - beginning to fade.

After an encouraging victory over the Vegas Golden Knights last week, the club has struggled mightily coming out of the All-Star break, dropping consecutive contests to the Florida Panthers and Toronto Maple Leafs by a combined score of 9-1.

New York has also gone 2-4-1 over its last seven games and continues to struggle keeping pucks out of the net. In fact, the Islanders are giving up a league-worst 3.62 goals per game despite running the third-most potent offense.

With the trade deadline looming, it's time for general manager Garth Snow to pull the trigger on at least one move to shore up the defensive end. So, here are five potential players the Islanders should be looking to nab to keep their playoff hopes alive.

Ryan McDonagh, Rangers

The Islanders could use someone who can come in and improve the on-ice product with not just their play, but their mentorship. That's what makes McDonagh a prime candidate.

It was reported last week that the New York Rangers could be preparing to blow things up, and that includes potentially dealing their captain.

McDonagh would easily be an upgrade for the Islanders' defense corps, but could also help show youngsters such as Ryan Pulock, Adam Pelech, and Thomas Hickey the ropes.

The 28-year-old has one more year on his contract after this, so he would be more than just a rental, but for a team that's been so poor in its own end, that could be a blessing.

Robin Lehner, Sabres

Goaltending has been the Islanders' biggest pitfall this season - that's a fact.

Both Jaroslav Halak and Thomas Greiss have done an awful job of keeping pucks out of the net, ranking last in the league in goals allowed.

Halak has actually been the better of the two, even while giving up an average of 3.16 goals per game and rocking a save percentage of .909. That's because Greiss is giving up 3.94 goals per game and stopping pucks at an .887 clip.

Enter Lehner, who's playing on a poor Buffalo Sabres team but has put together a respectable 2.85 goals-against average and a .912 save percentage. He even enjoyed back-to-back shutouts over the Edmonton Oilers and Vancouver Canucks last week.

Lehner would be a much more dependable option for the Islanders, and with the 26-year-old set to become a free agent at season's end, a trade could serve as a tryout to see if he's worth putting pen to paper with on a new contract this offseason.

Petr Mrazek, Red Wings

Another potential option between the pipes is Petr Mrazek.

The Detroit Red Wings puck-stopper is currently among the hottest goalies in the league. Mrazek has gone 3-0-1 in his last five games, putting up a save percentage of .965 and a goals-against average of 1.02.

He'll be a restricted free agent after this season, but with the Red Wings in selling mode, with Jimmy Howard still locked up for next year, and with Mrazek making $4 million as a backup, he's likely to be dealt.

As for the Islanders, he'd be an upgrade over the other two goaltenders on the roster, and he's young.

Jean-Gabriel Pageau, Senators

With the Ottawa Senators sitting just outside the basement of the Eastern Conference, the team will almost certainly be selling off assets ahead of the deadline.

With that, a name that should garner some interest from the Islanders is Jean-Gabriel Pageau. The versatile forward can put the puck in the back of the net, proved last year he can elevate his game in the playoffs, and most importantly can play in the defensive zone.

Pageau remains one of the Senators' top penalty killers, something the Islanders are dying for. The club's penalty kill ranks 30th league-wide, having given up 39 goals with a man in the box. The 25-year-old can help with that, and even has a knack for scoring shorthanded.

Ian Cole, Penguins

Ian Cole might not be the superstar the Islanders want, but he could be the depth option they need.

The Pittsburgh Penguins defender won't contribute a ton offensively, but what he does in his own end should be appealing.

Cole is playing an average of 2:32 of shorthanded ice time per game, the third-most among Penguins defenders, and also leads the club with an average of two blocked shots per game.

The 28-year-old is cap-friendly, making just $2.1 million this season, and given the Penguins were actively shopping him back in late November, it shouldn't take much to make a deal.

(Photos courtesy: Getty Images)

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Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon has been ruled out of action for two-to-four weeks after further evaluation, the team announced Thursday.

Fresh off an All-Star appearance, MacKinnon suffered an apparent arm or shoulder injury during Tuesday's game against Vancouver.

MacKinnon has been playing some of the best hockey of his young career, rising to second in league scoring with 24 goals and 37 assists in 50 games, three points behind Tampa Bay's Nikita Kucherov. As such, he was seen as a viable Hart Trophy candidate, with the Avs surprisingly right in the thick of the playoff race.

Based on this time frame, MacKinnon could miss anywhere from seven to 14 games.

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Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon has been ruled out of action for two-to-four weeks after further evaluation, the team announced Thursday.

Fresh off an All-Star appearance, MacKinnon suffered an apparent arm or shoulder injury during Tuesday's game against Vancouver.

MacKinnon has been playing some of the best hockey of his young career, rising to second in league scoring with 24 goals and 37 assists in 50 games, three points behind Tampa Bay's Nikita Kucherov. As such, he was seen as a viable Hart Trophy candidate, with the Avs surprisingly right in the thick of the playoff race.

Based on this time frame, MacKinnon could miss anywhere from seven to 14 games.

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Pittsburgh Penguins center Evgeni Malkin, Boston Bruins center Patrice Bergeron, and Colorado Avalanche goalie Jonathan Bernier have been named the NHL’s “Three Stars” for the month of January.

Malkin led all players with 12 goals, adding another seven assists for 19 total points in 12 games last month. He has recorded a league-high 19 goals and 34 points in 26 appearances since the start of December and now sits fifth in goals (26) and 11th in points (55) on the season.

Here's a look at Bergeron's month:

As for Bernier, he posted eight wins with a .939 save percentage over 11 games to help pull the Avalanche within striking distance of a playoff spot.

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Pittsburgh Penguins winger Conor Sheary is considered week-to-week with a lower-body injury, the team announced Thursday.

Sheary suffered the injury in a win over San Jose on Tuesday, Pittsburgh's first game back from the All-Star break.

He had been skating on the top line with Sidney Crosby, and his injury prompted a lineup change:

Through 52 games, Sheary has scored 12 goals and added seven assists.

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New York Islanders forward Mathew Barzal was named the NHL's Rookie of the Month for January, the league announced on Thursday.

The 20-year-old paced all first-year players with 15 points in 12 games. The month was highlighted by his second five-point game of the season on Jan. 13, when he notched two goals and three assists against the New York Rangers, becoming just the seventh rookie in league history to record two five-point games.

Barzal leads all rookie with 51 points overall, seven clear of Vancouver Canucks forward Brock Boeser.

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Feb. 1 marks the beginning of 'Hockey Is For Everyone' month around the NHL, and each club has named an official ambassador who will be a leader in both the locker room and the community on diversity, equality, and inclusion.

According to the NHL, the following players "have agreed to lead the way in their markets and be an advocate for underrepresented, marginalized, or disadvantaged communities; some will be featured in stories and public service announcements throughout the month":

• Anaheim Ducks - Corey Perry
• Arizona Coyotes - Oliver Ekman-Larsson
• Boston Bruins - Brad Marchand
• Buffalo Sabres - Ryan O'Reilly
• Carolina Hurricanes - Trevor van Riemsdyk
• Columbus Blue Jackets - Seth Jones
• Calgary Flames - Matt Stajan
• Chicago Blackhawks - Tommy Wingels
• Colorado Avalanche - Gabriel Landeskog
• Dallas Stars - Tyler Seguin
• Detroit Red Wings - Justin Abdelkader
• Edmonton Oilers - Jujhar Khaira
• Florida Panthers - Aaron Ekblad
• Los Angeles Kings - Dustin Brown
• Minnesota Wild - Charlie Coyle
• Montreal Canadiens - Andrew Shaw
• Nashville Predators - Kyle Turris
• New Jersey Devils - Andy Greene
• New York Islanders - Casey Cizikas
• New York Rangers - Mats Zuccarello
• Ottawa Senators - Dion Phaneuf
• Philadelphia Flyers - Claude Giroux
• Pittsburgh Penguins - Matt Murray
• San Jose Sharks - Chris Tierney
• St. Louis Blues - Carter Hutton
• Tampa Bay Lightning - Alex Killorn
• Toronto Maple Leafs - James van Riemsdyk
• Vancouver Canucks - Henrik Sedin
• Vegas Golden Knights - Pierre-Édouard Bellemare
• Washington Capitals - Braden Holtby
• Winnipeg Jets - Jacob Trouba

Among the notable names is Montreal's Andrew Shaw, who takes on the role for the second year in a row after being suspended during the 2016 playoffs for uttering a homophobic slur. On a different note, Edmonton's Khaira is only the third player of Punjabi descent to play in the NHL.

The 31 players will be joined by two NHL Officials - Shandor Alphonso and Dave Jackson - as well as six special ambassadors: Sgt. 1st Class Joseph Bowser, Harrison Browne, Angela James, Josh Pauls, Fred Sasakamoose, and Harnarayan Singh.

Awareness nights will also be held around the league:

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The injury that ended Jaromir Jagr's season with the Calgary Flames will not stop him from playing for his new Czech club.

Related - By the numbers: A look back at Jagr's legendary NHL career

On Thursday, the 45-year-old held a press conference as he officially joined Kladno of the Czech League, explaining his time with the Flames fizzled out due to problems with his knee - problems he will attempt to play through with his new club.

"I had big problems with my knee from 15th game of the season," Jagr said, according to NHL play-by-play announcer for TV NOVA Sport, Roman Jedlicka. "I never had something like that. It still hurts but the plan is the same: I have to play 15 games to be able to perform for my Kladno in playout for Czech extraleague. So I will be in the lineup for Saturday. But I can't play whole game. I really don't know what is going on with my knee. I don't remember any situation from NHL when it started."

Jagr was limited to just 22 games for the Flames this season, finishing with one goal and six assists.

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Buy, sell, or stand pat?

That's the question faced by the NHL's 31 general managers in advance of the Feb. 26 trade deadline.

Here are suggestions on who should do what:

Ducks - Buyers: The ever-dangerous Ducks lost to Nashville in the conference finals last year and are hanging around in the playoff race after overcoming a plethora of early-season injuries.

Coyotes - Sellers: These desert dogs have a bit more bite as of late, but the Coyotes would be well served by making sure they have the best chance at winning the Rasmus Dahlin sweepstakes.

Bruins - Buyers: The better-than-expected Bruins will be searching for an experienced top-six winger to play alongside David Krejci come playoff time, and perhaps an upgrade on the blue line.

Sabres - Sellers: Another case of "failure to launch" in Buffalo as the Sabres continue to play the role of the middle-aged child who has become way too comfortable living in the basement.

Flames - Buyers: The signing of Jaromir Jagr didn't pay off for the Flames, and his departure leaves a hole up front on a team with potential to go on a run come playoff time.

Hurricanes - Buyers: New owner Tom Dundon is disappointed with where the Hurricanes sit in the standings, and - with Carolina only two points out of a wild card spot - may encourage GM Ron Francis to make a push for the team's first playoff berth since 2009.

Blackhawks - Buyers: No matter where the Blackhawks sit in the standings, they'll always be going for it as long as the core remains intact.

Avalanche - Buyers: With a major trade already in the books, cap space to use, and a wild-card spot in their sights, the Avalanche could go either way, but why not make a push to cap a remarkable turnaround from a historically awful 2016-17?

Blue Jackets - Buyers: In the midst of another strong regular season, the Blue Jackets have yet to win a single playoff round.

Stars - Buyers: The Stars often make offseason moves that make them seem like contenders, and GM Jim Nill needs to make sure his team doesn't fade when it matters most.

Red Wings - Sellers: The Red Wings have reportedly let it be known they're in sell mode, and defenseman Mike Green is likely to command a lot of attention.

Oilers - Sellers: Despite Cam Talbot's claim the Oilers will make the playoffs, this season is a write-off, and asset mismanagement is a big reason why.

Panthers - Sellers: Much to the delight of the Golden Knights, the Panthers did some selling in advance of the expansion draft, so maybe GM Dale Tallon should sit this round out.

Kings - Buyers: Like the Blackhawks, the Kings have a Cup-winning core intact, but some pieces need to be added to the puzzle in order to properly contend.

Wild - Sellers: The Wild are a bubble team with little cap space to spare, so it might be worth trying to get something in return for expiring contracts.

Canadiens - Sellers: It's been a very disappointing season for the Canadiens, a team that may not want to rely on the current regime to kickstart a rebuild based on recent trade history.

Predators - Buyers: The Predators already made a huge splash in acquiring Kyle Turris, but Nashville learned the hard way last year that roster depth is so important in the quest for the Cup, hence the pending return of Mike Fisher.

Devils - Buyers: The Devils are in a weird spot, better than most thought but not quite ready to contend, meaning it may be best to stand pat and look at a trade candidate like Drew Stafford as an internal rental. although teams may come calling for him.

Islanders - Buyers: Uncertainty in regards to the long-term status of John Tavares hangs over the Islanders, but this high-scoring team needs an upgrade in net as soon as possible.

Rangers - Sellers: Like Detroit, the Rangers are a team that's reportedly made it clear they're willing to deal.

Senators - Sellers: After coming within a goal of advancing to the Final a year ago, the Senators look lost, and GM Pierre Dorion could realistically trade anyone, even Erik Karlsson.

Flyers - Buyers: The Flyers are right on the playoff bubble after missing out last season, and with one of the best lines in hockey (Claude Giroux, Jakub Voracek, and Sean Couturier), they could surprise with a little help.

Penguins - Buyers: The Penguins have been in search of a third-line center for quite some time, and we should all expect reinforcements to arrive in the push for a threepeat.

Sharks - Sellers: With Joe Thornton sidelined indefinitely, the Sharks might be set to sink rather than swim.

Blues - Buyers: The Blues don't have much cap space to work with, but in a wide-open Western Conference, the door is open to go deep, and they'll surely look for help at the deadline.

Lightning - Buyers: The Lightning are hungry for a Cup win, and it's almost guaranteed that GM Steve Yzerman will make a move, with the only question being how thunderous.

Maple Leafs - Buyers: The Maple Leafs have a bunch of pending free agents up front that can be flipped for help or held onto for a postseason run, and there's clearly a need to upgrade on the blue line.

Canucks - Sellers: For some reason the Canucks seem intent on re-signing Erik Gudbranson, but expect Thomas Vanek to be moved, with the potential for a Sedin brothers deal also in play.

Golden Knights - Buyers: The Golden Knights are playing with house money as an expansion team with a very real opportunity to contend for the Cup in year one, so why not go all in?

Capitals - Buyers: The Capitals are hanging around with the NHL's best despite losing some key players after another failed playoff run, and as long as Alex Ovechkin is scoring goals at a high rate, there's a chance things could work out one of these years.

Jets - Buyers: The loss of Jacob Trouba for an extended period of time means the Jets should look to add on defense, while some added scoring could help this franchise finally win its first playoff game since entering the league back in 1999-2000.

(Photos courtesy: Getty Images)

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With illness sweeping through the Toronto Maple Leafs' dressing room, the team hasn't had to look far to fill the void in its ailing lineup.

Playing with a depleted blue line against the New York Islanders on Wednesday, Toronto skated away with a 5-0 victory, as rookie D-men Travis Dermott and Justin Holl scored their first career goals.

While Holl is likely to be sent back to the AHL once some regulars return to health, it appears as though Dermott has shown enough to warrant further evaluation with the big club, according to star center Auston Matthews at least.

"He's got a lot of confidence," Matthews said after Wednesday's win, per Chris Johnston of Sportsnet. "He's not afraid to carry the puck. He's skilled. He can play both ways with the puck. Good skater. Sees the ice well. Makes guys around him better so it's always fun going out there with guys that can play like that."

Dermott, 21, has appeared in nine games for the Leafs after being drafted 34th overall in 2015, recording a goal and two assists in an average of 15:36 of ice time per game.

He's also posted a Corsi For rating of 54.79 in 5-on-5 play, meaning he's been on the ice for more shot attempts for Toronto than against.

The Leafs are well locked into an Atlantic Division playoff spot with the trade deadline set for Feb. 26, and Dermott's emergence may give management reason to pause before looking to drastically upgrade the blue line.

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