Toronto Maple Leafs head coach Mike Babcock doesn't believe Drake's presence at the Scotiabank Arena on Wednesday night had anything to do with his team's loss.

"That's probably the craziest thing I've ever heard," Babcock said Thursday, according to Sportsnet's Luke Fox. "Anytime somebody wants to come and support us, we're all in."

Drake was in attendance and wore a Maple Leafs jersey for Toronto's 6-4 loss to the Boston Bruins.

The Grammy-award winning artist has a history of "cursing" teams by showing support prior to an event. Alabama's 2019 football team was the latest victim of the perceived curse, with Serena Williams, Conor McGregor, and the Toronto Raptors among the other victims over the years.

During the 2019 NFL playoffs, Drake wore a sweatshirt with the logos of the four remaining teams to avoid hexing one specific franchise.

AS Roma of Italy's Serie A soccer league recently placed a ban on their players from appearing in pictures with Drake to avoid the curse.

With the series between Toronto and Boston heading back to TD Garden tied at two games apiece, Maple Leafs fans are likely hoping Drake travels to Massachusetts in the Bruins' colors for Friday's contest.

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Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby won't represent Canada at the 2019 IIHF World Championship following his team's disappointing exit from the NHL postseason.

"I'm just going to try to make the most of the rest," he said during the Penguins' locker room cleanout. "No significant injuries, but as you get older, there are things that nag you."

The New York Islanders' sweep of the Penguins will give Crosby his longest offseason since the conclusion of the 2014-2015 campaign. He's played in 64 playoff games over the past four years.

After recording 100 points in 79 games this past regular season, the 31-year-old was held to just one assist in four playoff contests versus the Islanders.

Despite the loss, Crosby insisted he has faith in Pittsburgh's roster moving forward.

"It's always easy to point fingers when you lose ... I definitely have confidence in this group," he said, according to Wes Crosby of The Associated Press.

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Washington Capitals goaltender Braden Holtby will not be in attendance Monday when his teammates visit the White House as Stanley Cup champions.

"I've got to stay true to my values, and I'm going respectfully decline the offer," Holtby said Friday, according to The Washington Post's Isabelle Khurshudyan.

"In saying that, it's a tough situation for everyone to be in, to be forced to make a decision of that standing," he added. "You're a team and you want to stick together no matter what, so I hope everyone kind of blows it away and that we don't worry about who goes and who doesn't."

Capitals forward Brett Connolly already declined the invitation, citing his support for Devante Smith-Pelly. Smith-Pelly, who played a crucial role in Washington's championship run but is currently with the AHL's Hershey Bears, has previously spoken out against President Donald Trump and will also skip the visit.

“For me, it's just a personal thing," Holtby said. "I believe in what I believe in, and in order to stick to those values, I think I have to do what I feel is right. But that doesn't make a difference (in) everyone else's decision.

"We stick by every single teammate we have and their decision. That's about it."

Holtby is an active supporter of the LGBTQ community. He's marched in D.C.'s Pride Parade and was the Capitals' "You Can Play" ambassador for the past two seasons. That involvement factored into his decision.

"My family and myself, we believe in a world where humans are treated with respect regardless of your stature, what you're born into," the 29-year-old said. "You're asked to choose what side you're on, and I think it's pretty clear what side I'm on. I believe that this is the right decision for myself and my family."

The Capitals announced there would be no official ceremony or media availability during their visit. They will receive a tour of the White House and meet President Trump in the Oval Office, reports Khurshudyan.

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The Vancouver Canucks have signed defenseman Quinn Hughes to a three-year, entry-level contract, the team announced Sunday.

Hughes, who was selected seventh overall in the 2018 NHL Entry Draft, will travel to Vancouver on Tuesday.

If the 19-year-old plays 11 games with the Canucks this season, he'll become eligible for the Seattle expansion draft in 2021, according to CapFriendly. Additionally, his three-year contract will begin during the current campaign.

Hughes led the Michigan Wolverines of the NCAA in scoring this season with 33 points in 32 games. He also won both a silver and a bronze medal across the past two World Junior Hockey Championships with the United States.

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The Vegas Golden Knights won't participate in Seattle's expansion draft, raising concerns that other teams could make deals with Vegas in order to work around the protection-list process.

NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly doesn't expect that to occur, but he warned that the league will scrutinize any transactions that might be related.

"I don't see that happening, they're just not part of this expansion," Daly said at Wednesday's GM meetings, according to The Athletic's Pierre LeBrun. "Obviously, we'll make sure that Vegas isn't used in the process by other clubs to circumvent the purpose of intent of the expansion draft rules."

A team could theoretically trade a player to the Golden Knights and recoup some value instead of losing that player to Seattle for nothing or, in a more drastic move, come to an agreement in which Vegas would trade a player back after the expansion draft.

Daly noted that every transaction must be approved by the NHL.

"You can't park players on Vegas," Daly said. He added, "There are other things they could do that we might not approve. But I'm not going to create my own hypotheticals. I'll know it when I see it."

The Golden Knights are exempt from the Seattle expansion draft, although several general managers told LeBrun that they aren't happy with that arrangement. Vegas won't receive a cut of the expansion fee either.

Every other team will have to submit a list of protected players. Depending on its composition, the list can include 11 players (seven forwards, three defensemen, and a goalie) or nine players (eight skaters, regardless of position, and one goaltender). Seattle's expansion draft is set for June 2021.

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Potential rule changes were a focal point at the annual GM meetings in Boca Raton, Fla. on Tuesday, where a few proposals were drafted by team executives.

General managers drafted a provision in which players who lose their helmet during play must immediately go to the bench or face a penalty, according to NHL.com's Dan Rosen. The league will also look at making helmets mandatory during warmup.

Additionally, the GMs proposed a rule that would allow teams awarded a power play to decide on which side of the ice the first faceoff will take place, Rosen adds. The current faceoff location is dependant on where the puck was located at the previous stoppage of play.

The American Hockey League has already adopted both of these changes.

These proposals need to go through the NHL's competition committee prior to being presented to the board of governors, according to Joshua Clipperton of The Canadian Press.

Team execs were also in favor of installing game clocks in the corner boards to help players, Clipperton said. He added that this rule does not need NHLPA approval. Clocks were used in both outdoor games this season.

GMs also discussed implementing one-minute penalties in overtime but it did not gain enough traction due to the concern the change would increase the number of shootouts, according to TSN's Pierre LeBrun.

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Despite contract negotiations between the Toronto Maple Leafs and Mitch Marner being put on hold until the season ends, Boston Bruins forward Brad Marchand decided to reignite the topic.

While responding to a tweet from the NHL's PR account that put Marner's 80-point season into context, Marchand provided his opinion on what the Leafs should pay the pending restricted free agent.

"I can't wait to see this kids new deal," he tweeted. "12m AAV?? It better be #Marnerwatch."

With the Bruins and Leafs likely meeting in the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, Marchand appears to already be playing the pest role he's mastered.

For Toronto, the star 21-year-old's contract extension has been a touchy subject lately. Marner's agent put talks on hold in January to prevent distractions, and reports of teams preparing offer sheets surfaced in February.

This season, the Maple Leafs locked up Auston Matthews to a five-year extension worth $11.6-million annually, and the team gave William Nylander a six-year deal worth $6.96 million per season.

Marner leads Toronto with 81 points through 66 games, placing him ninth overall in the NHL.

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Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Travis Dermott will be out at least four weeks with a shoulder injury, the team announced Thursday.

Dermott left Wednesday night's game against the Edmonton Oilers after receiving an awkward hit from Brad Malone.

The 22-year-old is the second Toronto blue-liner to be sidelined recently, as Jake Gardiner was announced as week-to-week with a back injury prior to Wednesday night's contest.

Martin Marincin has been recalled from the Toronto Marlies ahead of the Leafs' game versus the New York Islanders Thursday.

Justin Holl is expected to play alongside Marincin, according to TSN's Kristen Shilton.

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The Toronto Maple Leafs will be without Jake Gardiner for the foreseeable future as the defenseman is considered week-to-week with a back injury, the team announced Wednesday.

The 28-year-old was ruled out for the Leafs' game versus the Edmonton Oilers earlier in the day. Igor Ozhiganov dressed in his place Wednesday night.

Gardiner played slightly over 16 minutes in his last tilt against the Buffalo Sabres, nearly five minutes fewer than his season average.

He's collected 29 points this season, suiting up for 60 of Toronto's 62 games so far.

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The Washington Capitals re-signed defenseman Nick Jensen to a four-year, $10-million extension, the team announced.

The deal holds an average annual value of $2.5 million.

Jensen was traded to the Capitals earlier Friday from the Detroit Red Wings for defenseman Madison Bowey and a 2020 second-round pick.

The 28-year-old was a pending unrestricted free agent and is in the final year of a two-year deal worth $1.625 million.

He collected 17 points in 60 games with the Red Wings this season.

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