New York Rangers forward Filip Chytil will miss four-to-six weeks with an upper-body injury, the team announced Tuesday.

Chytil, 21, suffered the injury during Sunday's loss when he took a hard hit from Pittsburgh Penguins forward Evan Rodrigues midway through the game. Rodrigues also left the contest following the collision and is likely to miss extended time.

The 6-foot-2 pivot has tallied two goals and three points while logging 12:57 of average ice time through five games this season.

New York owns a 1-3-1 record and sits last in the East division entering Tuesday's tilt against the Buffalo Sabres.

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Ottawa Senators head coach D.J. Smith isn't happy with some of his players, and he threatened to change the lineup after the Vancouver Canucks routed the club 7-1 on Monday.

"We got some guys that maybe are taken for granted positions in the NHL and we've got to find the right combination," Smith said following the team's fifth straight loss, according to TSN's Brent Wallace.

"And we've got to give some other guys some opportunity to see if they want to play a little harder than some of the guys that are playing now," he added.

The Canucks didn't need their loaded power play in the win while scoring six of the team's seven goals at even strength and one while shorthanded.

Netminder Matt Murray logged his first forgettable start of the season, allowing seven goals for just the second time in his career, and the first since his sophomore campaign in 2016-17.

Smith said he thought about pulling Murray in the second period, but the bench boss decided to let his goaltender ride out the tough loss.

"He’s got to find a way to work through it," Smith said, according to Wallace. "He certainly didn’t have a very good game but, you know what, he’s got to find a way to work through it and battle for us."

The Senators fell to 1-4-1 with the loss and are last in the North division. The two sides meet twice more this week, with back-to-back contests Wednesday and Thursday to close out the three-game set.

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Matthew Tkachuk is well-aware of his reputation around the league, but the Calgary Flames pest denied any notion he intentionally fell on netminder Jack Campbell in the dying moments of Monday's 3-2 loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs.

"It was just a battle in front ... six-on-five situation just banging away at the puck," Tkachuk told reporters Monday. "I live in that area, I live in that crease area throughout the games, and I'm just digging for a puck and I was battling with Brodes (T.J. Brodie) a little bit there and guys started coming in.

"I just got knocked over and obviously I didn't have any intention of falling into him or anything like that. That's a complete ... it's just a classic thing to try and accuse me of there."

Campbell, who had seemingly tweaked something in his lower body just minutes earlier, remained in the game and collected his second victory of the season.

Tkachuk, who leads the Flames with three goals in four games this campaign, says he has no problem tuning out the criticism.

"I get very surprised with some things that come out of other people's mouths these days, but it's a good thing I don't listen to it. I just get asked it from other people," he said. "Thank god I don't go on my phone I guess too much after games or else I'd drive myself crazy."

The Leafs and Flames meet again Tuesday for the second of nine matchups between the sides this season.

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Ottawa Senators rookie Tim Stutzle says he'll return to the lineup Monday against the Vancouver Canucks after missing the club's previous three games with an undisclosed injury, according to TSN's Brent Wallace.

Stutzle, 19, has tallied one goal in two games this season after the Senators selected him with the third pick in the 2020 draft.

The 6-foot-1 German will start the game on a line with Connor Brown and Chris Tierney, head coach D.J. Smith said, according to TSN 1020.

Ottawa has lost four straight contests and sits last in the North division entering Monday's game.

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The NHL postponed Tuesday's game between the Carolina Hurricanes and Tampa Bay Lightning due to COVID-19 protocols, the league announced Monday.

Carolina had three games postponed last week. The club currently has five players on the COVID-19 protocol list, and general manager Don Waddell recently confirmed three players tested positive for the virus. One test, however, produced a false positive.

The league also released other schedule changes, including new dates for each of the Hurricanes' previously postponed games.

*All times EST

The Florida Panthers, who've already had their schedule interrupted twice by the pandemic, have played only two games so far. Meanwhile, the Hurricanes have played just three.

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The Columbus Blue Jackets traded forward Pierre-Luc Dubois to the Winnipeg Jets in exchange for forwards Patrik Laine and Jack Roslovic, the team announced Saturday.

Winnipeg also receives a 2022 third-round draft pick from Columbus and will retain 26% of Laine's $6.75-million salary.

Roslovic, who was a restricted free agent, also signed a two-year, $3.8-million deal with the Blue Jackets. The 23-year-old, who previously requested a trade, tallied 12 goals and 29 points through 71 games with the Jets last season.

Dubois, who played just 3:44 in his final game with Columbus on Thursday, also asked for a trade before the campaign began. The 22-year-old has one goal through five games this season after leading the Blue Jackets with 49 points through 70 games in 2019-20.

The deal gives Winnipeg some much-needed depth at center. The club now has Mark Scheifele, Dubois, and veteran Paul Stastny as its top three pivots.

Laine, 22, is in the final year of his current contract and is set to become a restricted free agent after this campaign.

The Jets placed Laine on injured reserve with an upper-body injury on Friday, and he hasn't played since the club's season opener on Jan. 13. The Finnish sniper tallied two goals - including the overtime winner - and one assist in that contest.

The Blue Jackets have been one of the league's lowest-scoring teams since the start of the 2019-20 campaign, and adding Laine should boost the squad in that department. The 6-foot-5 winger ranks ninth in goals (140) among all skaters since entering the league in 2016-17.

The young stars were two of the 2016 NHL Draft's most coveted players, with Laine going second overall to Winnipeg and Dubois going third overall to Columbus.

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Edmonton Oilers forward James Neal has been activated off the injured reserve and is expected to be in the lineup for the club's rematch with the Toronto Maple Leafs on Friday, the team announced.

The 33-year-old was removed from the NHL's COVID-19 protocol list last Friday, and he returned to practice this week.

The veteran winger tallied 19 goals and 31 points over 55 games during his first campaign with the Oilers in 2019-20. The Calgary Flames traded him to Edmonton for winger Milan Lucic in July 2019.

A consistent goalscorer, Neal was on pace last season to crack the 20-goal mark over an 82-game slate for the 11th time in 12 NHL campaigns.

There are two years remaining on his current deal beyond this season at an annual cap hit of $5.75 million.

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Columbus Blue Jackets forward Pierre-Luc Dubois is taking full responsibility for his recent subpar play that earned him a benching for the final two periods of Thursday's game against the Tampa Bay Lightning.

"Whenever the next game is, I've got to step up my game," Dubois said Friday, according to NHL.com's Dan Rosen. "I acknowledge that. I know it, and I'm ready."

The 22-year-old pivot, who requested a trade before the season began, logged just 3:55 of ice time over five shifts in the Blue Jackets' overtime loss.

Following the game, head coach John Tortorella didn't mince words when explaining his decision to sit Dubois. On Friday, the 62-year-old bench boss wouldn't commit to putting the young forward into Columbus' lineup for Saturday's rematch with the Lightning, Rosen reports.

Dubois is looking to make the most of his next opportunity and admits his game is nowhere near where it needs to be.

"I hold myself to a high standard," Dubois said, per Rosen. "I know what level I can play at. There's not a lot right now that I am satisfied with. I know I can take a step up in every aspect."

The Quebec native tallied 18 goals and a team-leading 49 points through 70 games in 2019-20 but has just one goal in five outings this season.

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Columbus Blue Jackets forward Pierre-Luc Dubois is taking full responsibility for his recent subpar play that earned him a benching for the final two periods of Thursday's game against the Tampa Bay Lightning.

"Whenever the next game is, I've got to step up my game," Dubois said Friday, according to NHL.com's Dan Rosen. "I acknowledge that. I know it, and I'm ready."

The 22-year-old pivot, who requested a trade before the season began, logged just 3:55 of ice time over five shifts in the Blue Jackets' overtime loss.

Following the game, head coach John Tortorella didn't mince words when explaining his decision to sit Dubois. On Friday, the 62-year-old bench boss wouldn't commit to putting the young forward into Columbus' lineup for Saturday's rematch with the Lightning, Rosen reports.

Dubois is looking to make the most of his next opportunity and admits his game is nowhere near where it needs to be.

"I hold myself to a high standard," Dubois said, per Rosen. "I know what level I can play at. There's not a lot right now that I am satisfied with. I know I can take a step up in every aspect."

The Quebec native tallied 18 goals and a team-leading 49 points through 70 games in 2019-20 but has just one goal in five outings this season.

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Toronto Maple Leafs forward Joe Thornton will miss at least one month with a rib fracture, while star pivot Auston Matthews is day-to-day with upper-body soreness and won't play Friday against the Edmonton Oilers, head coach Sheldon Keefe confirmed, according to NHL.com's Mike Zeisberger.

Matthews' absence is said to be precautionary and likely short term.

Thornton, 41, exited Wednesday's contest after taking an awkward hit from Oilers forward Josh Archibald in the third period.

The veteran forward has tallied a goal and an assist through five games this season.

Matthews has recorded two goals and five points over five outings and leads the league with 27 shots on goal.

The 23-year-old has taken another step defensively this season and has been tasked with playing against opponents' top lines. He skated for 12:04 at five-on-five against the Oilers' top trio led by Connor McDavid on Wednesday, posting a Corsi For of 60% against that unit, according to Natural Stat Trick.

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