On the heels of losing their No. 1 goalie to a concussion, the Boston Bruins have their top centerman back in the lineup, as Patrice Bergeron is making his 2017-18 debut Thursday against the Vancouver Canucks.
Bergeron, who underwent offseason hernia surgery, had been dealing with a lower-body injury that had kept him out of action for the start of this season.
Forward David Backes also makes his 2017-18 debut Thursday, as the forward has finally recovered from a bout of diverticulitis.
While the Bruins have struggled out of the gate, the return of Bergeron and Backes are two big additions to Boston's forward group and will go a long way in helping the Bruins turn their season around.
The Mark Streit era seems to be nearing its end in Montreal once again, as the Canadiens are trying to trade the veteran rearguard, Sportsnet's Eric Engels reports.
Streit was added to Montreal's roster during the offseason in an attempt to offset the offensive production lost with Andrei Markov's move to the KHL.
The 39-year-old rearguard is in his second tour of duty with the Canadiens. Across two games this season, Streit has zero points and three shots on goal.
The veteran forward spent the entire 2016-17 season on LTIR, but stirred up questions when he called the Leafs cheaters for how they used the designation, hinting at the fact that he was indeed healthy enough to play.
Now that Lupul has undergone an independent evaluation of his status and been deemed unfit to play, the Leafs have the option of placing him on LTIR, which would result in his $5.25-million salary for the 2017-18 season not counting against Toronto's salary cap.
Lupul has not suited up in an NHL contest since the 2015-16 campaign.
The Blues have a sudden need for forward help, as it was announced Wednesday that Robby Fabbri will miss the entirety of the 2017-18 season after re-injuring his surgically repaired left knee.
Despite being 45 years old and well past his prime, Jagr can still contribute offensively and could provide an element of scoring depth to St. Louis' forward group.
Last season, Jagr registered decent numbers for the Florida Panthers. Across a full 82-game slate, the Czech native tallied 16 goals and 30 assists while also logging a respectable 17 minutes in ice time per game.
Rumors have swirled regarding Jagr's next destination since the Panthers cut ties with the veteran winger July 1.
As pocket-sized Edmonton Oilers rookie Kailer Yamamoto has shown, size is just a number, and not an indicator of whether a player can contribute at the highest level.
Despite being only 5-foot-8 and 154 pounds, Yamamoto has impressed in his limited preseason showing, registering a league-high five goals in four exhibition games for the Oilers. However, he's still probably at least a year away from regularly gracing an NHL ice surface.
Here's a look at four current NHL players who don't let their small stature impact their ability to be game-changers:
Brad Marchand, Boston Bruins
If you've ever watched Marchand play, you can understand why he's earned the nickname "The Little Ball of Hate."
At 5-foot-9 and 181 pounds, he's the tallest and heaviest player on this list, and he backs it up on the ice, playing with a physical edge on every shift.
However, Marchand's true role is being the Bruins' top goal man and offensive playmaker. Last season was the 29-year-old's best in the NHL, as he tallied career highs in goals (39), assists (46), and points (85), leading the team in all categories.
Johnny Gaudreau, Calgary Flames
Told at almost every level that he was too small, Gaudreau is a walking example of never letting someone else determine your destiny.
He's one of the most exciting young players in the game, and doesn't let his 5-foot-9, 157-pound frame stop him from being an intimidating offensive force. Over his three years in the league, Johnny Hockey has racked up 204 points in 232 regular-season games.
Regardless of size, Gaudreau is a big piece of the Flames' present and future.
Mats Zuccarello, New York Rangers
Standing 5-foot-7, Zuccarello is an offensive spark plug for New York, notching 86 goals and 176 points over 383 career regular-season games. He's also been a key contributor on the Rangers' top power-play unit; since the 2013-14 season, the Norway native has 55 points on the man advantage.
In addition to being an offensive catalyst during the regular season, Zuccarello has performed in the clutch, registering 31 points in 60 career playoff games for the Blue Shirts.
What he lacks in size, he makes up for with his speed and goal-scoring ability.
Cam Atkinson, Columbus Blue Jackets
Probably the most underrated name of the group, Atkinson had a coming-out party last season with the Blue Jackets, leading the club with 35 goals.
The former sixth-round pick is no stranger to being told he couldn't hang with the big boys of the NHL, as his height (5-foot-8) played a factor in his late draft selection.
That hasn't slowed his production, though.
Now an NHL veteran of six NHL campaigns, Atkinson has proven he can be an offensive contributor, tallying 227 points across 382 games while also chipping in on the man advantage with 27 goals.
The Edmonton Oilers signed center Connor McDavid to an eight-year, $100-million contract extension Wednesday, the club announced.
McDavid's deal carries an annual average of $12.5 million, and will take effect for the 2018-19 season.
Signing McDavid to a long-term deal is obviously a huge win for the Oilers and their front office, as McDavid is arguably the best player on the planet with his most productive years still in front of him.
Over the last two campaigns and 127 regular-season games, McDavid has registered 46 goals and 102 assists to go along with the Hart and Art Ross Trophies he won this year.
McDavid's deal puts him in a tie for the fourth highest-paid player in NHL history.
Down to the very last minutes leading up to the 2017 NHL Entry Draft, fans and experts alike were still wondering who the New Jersey Devils would take with the first overall pick.
Due to the elite-level potential of both Nolan Patrick and Nico Hischier, pundits were divided on who would actually be taken with the top pick, ensuring that both the Devils and Philadelphia Flyers would receive a high-quality, impact player.
The fact that neither player was pegged as a bona fide No. 1 pick shouldn't really be a knock against either guy. After all, both have what it takes to have lasting NHL careers.
Here are the three prospects from the draft that will hold the most long-term value:
Nolan Patrick
Patrick immediately becomes a key piece of the Flyers' future that - due to his innate passing skills - could combine nicely with wingers Wayne Simmonds or Jakub Voracek.
He brings a lethal two-way approach to go along with a commitment to playing a 200-foot game - Patrick's potential to be a long-term quality NHLer is seemingly endless.
He's a right-shot center with size, skill, and speed.
Sprinkle in the fact that Patrick is also strong on the puck and responsible in his own end, and you are left with a player that will be plying his trade in NHL rinks for a very long time.
Cody Glass
At 6-foot-2, Glass has the size to go along with the offensive skill set to make a lasting impact on the league.
Although he is listed by NHL Central Scouting as a center, Glass offers an element of versatility to the Golden Knights, as he has experience playing all three forward positions and contributes on special teams, as well.
Listed more as a playmaker than a sniper, Glass utilizes his quick hands to dish the puck at will, racking up 62 apples in 69 games for the WHL's Portland Winterhawks last season.
Look for his name at the top of the assists category for years to come.
Nico Hischier
In addition to that sweet flow, there are a few tangible elements to Hischier's game that will have him performing on the NHL stage for the foreseeable future.
Hischier, a left-shot center, is the most offensively gifted player in the draft and his explosive talent will give opposing defensemen nightmares for years to come.
His scoring touch alone should cement his long-term value, but considering the fact that Hischier also plays with an aggressive style and has a penchant for the big stage, you have a guy with perennial All-Star potential.
The NHL Entry Draft is a rite of passage for the game's future stars.
An opportunity to experience a moment of a lifetime with family, friends, and of course, throngs of hockey executives eager to find their next impact player or diamond in the rough.
It's also an excellent opportunity for these kids to show off their impressive hairstyles before prolonged helmet head and old age sets in.
Here are the five best flows from the 2017 NHL Entry Draft.
Nico Hischier
The top pick in this year's draft also has some top-notch flow. If Hischier takes as much care with the puck as he does with his hair, the New Jersey Devils got themselves a good one.
Drake Rymsha
First of all, the sheer amount of product it takes to keep this look together is impressive enough to make the list. Pulling the whole thing off, however, makes Rymsha's selection a slam dunk.
Timothy Liljegren
We'll see how long Liljegren's locks last in Toronto, as Leafs general manager Lou Lamoriello enforces a rule against unruly hair.
Robin Salo
Salo's mop matches quite well with his Islanders color scheme, but it looks like a trip to the ol' barber shop is in store for the youngster quite soon.
Noel Hoefenmayer
There's something slightly sinister about Hoefenmayer's hairdo, but that doesn't change the fact that the kid definitely has some sweet flow.
San Jose Sharks defenseman Brent Burns took home the Norris Trophy on Wednesday night as the NHL's top rearguard of the 2016-17 campaign.
Burns is coming off one of the more impressive offensive seasons by a defenseman in recent memory, leading the NHL in scoring by a blue-liner with 76 points - good enough for ninth-best in the league.
In 13 games played so far, the underappreciated Anaheim Ducks winger is yet again producing when it matters most, racking up nine goals and four assists. His nine tallies ties him for the playoff lead with Pittsburgh Penguins rookie Jake Guentzel.
With the Cup only seven victories away, Anaheim will obviously take all it can get from the Swedish national. But the more Silfverberg produces, the more unlikely it becomes that he will be unprotected when the expansion draft kicks off in mid-June.
Anaheim, just like every other NHL franchise, has two options for protecting its players for the upcoming expansion draft:
Option one; protect seven forwards, three defensemen, and one goalie. Or, option two; protect eight skaters total (both forwards and D-men) and one goalie.
Either way you slice it, Silfverberg is making Anaheim's protection selection that much more complex. But how can you let a player like that walk away, especially when he does some of his best work in the spring?
Playoff Season
Games
Goals
Assists
'13-14
13
2
0
'14-15
16
4
14
'15-16
7
0
5
'16-17
13
9
4
Silfverberg was acquired in 2013 from the Ottawa Senators along with Stefan Noesen and a first-round pick in exchange for Bobby Ryan. At the time, the Ducks were roasted in NHL circles for giving up a bona fide 30-goal scorer in Ryan for two relative unknowns and a pick.
The Senators have recently begun reaping the benefits of Ryan's impact. The Ducks, on the other hand, have been benefiting from Silfverberg's since the 2015 playoffs when he was arguably the Ducks' best player - this postseason has been much of the same.
Jakob Silfverberg now is 4th on the #Ducks' all-time playoff goals list, but also has 9 in this playoff year to tie for the 2nd on this list pic.twitter.com/C1etXxg4uC
However, Silfverberg can get it done in the regular season, as well. During the 2016-17 campaign, he put up career highs in both goals (23) and assists (26) while impressing with his wicked-fast release and nose for the net.
So who do the Ducks protect and who gets to spend their foreseeable future on the strip in Sin City? That's the million-dollar question that will be answered June 17.
Hypothetically, if general manager Bob Murray could convince veteran blue-liner Kevin Bieksa to waive his no-movement clause, the Ducks would have another slot to protect a player like Silfverberg or Rickard Rakell with no issue.
The situation is an interesting one for Anaheim, but it simply cannot let a player like Silvferberg walk away. He continues to prove that he was worth the price to acquire him and then some - he has earned a protection slot.
You just can't teach clutch and Silfverberg has been exactly that.
