Walter Gretzky, the father of NHL legend Wayne Gretzky, passed away Thursday at the age of 82. The hockey world came together following the news to share their condolences and memories of Canada's No. 1 hockey dad.

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Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Brett Pesce was fined $5,000 for a dangerous trip on Detroit Red Wings forward Robby Fabbri during Thursday's contest, the NHL Department of Player Safety announced.

Pesce, 26, was assessed a two-minute minor for tripping on the play, while Fabbri avoided injury.

The 6-foot-4 blue-liner had never received supplemental discipline over 371 prior NHL games.

Pesce has contributed three goals and 13 points over 18 games this season while ranking second on the Hurricanes in blocked shots (28) and third in average ice time (22:32).

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San Jose Sharks forward Joachim Blichfeld is suspended two games for his hit to the head of Colorado Avalanche star Nathan MacKinnon during Wednesday's contest, the NHL Department of Player Safety announced Thursday.

Blichfeld was ejected for the hit, while MacKinnon exited the game with 12 minutes remaining and didn't return.

It was Blichfeld's first game of the season and just the fourth of his NHL career. The 22-year-old had never previously faced supplemental discipline.

MacKinnon, 25, tallied one assist in the 4-0 win. The 6-foot pivot has scored five goals and leads the club with 22 points through 19 games this season.

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Anaheim Ducks defenseman Hampus Lindholm will miss six weeks with a fractured left wrist, the team announced Thursday.

Lindholm, 27, suffered the injury during Saturday's overtime loss against the Vegas Golden Knights. He missed the previous three games with a lower-body injury.

The Swedish blue-liner ranks second on the club in average ice time per game (22:02) and has tallied two goals and six points through 18 outings this season.

Anaheim has lost eight consecutive contests and owns the second-worst points percentage (.370) in the league entering Thursday's action.

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New Jersey Devils captain Nico Hischier is out week-to-week with a sinus fracture after taking a puck to the visor during Saturday's game against the Washington Capitals, the team announced Thursday.

More to come.

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The Calgary Flames suffered another embarrassing loss to the Ottawa Senators on Monday, and veteran forward Milan Lucic is holding his teammates accountable despite recent speculation that head coach Geoff Ward could be on the hot seat.

"You hear a lot of outside noise talking about coaching and all this … style of play and all this bullshit," Lucic said after Monday's 5-1 loss, according to Sportsnet960's Pat Steinberg. "But that has nothing to do with the coaches. That has everything to do with the guys that are playing."

Ottawa, currently sitting last in the North Division, routed Calgary 6-1 last week as well. The Flames have only three wins in their last 10 games and tallied just one goal in each of the seven losses during that span.

Ward took over head coaching duties in November 2019 and guided the club to a 24-15-3 record before the campaign paused in March. Calgary has struggled to match that level of play this season, and Ward recently called out his team for its inconsistent play.

Lucic apparently agreed with his coach's message Monday and said it's up to the players to put in the work.

"It seems like … we just want it easy on a night to night basis," Lucic said, per Steinberg. "We don't want to work hard like we did when this coaching staff took over last year. There's more than enough people in this organization that need to look in the mirror."

The Flames own a 10-11-2 record and rank 27th in goals per game (2.52) this season.

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The Florida Panthers placed forward Brett Connolly on waivers Sunday, according to Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman.

Connolly, 28, is in the second season of a four-year, $14-million deal he signed with the Panthers ahead of the 2019-20 campaign.

The 6-foot-3 winger tallied 19 goals and 14 assists over 69 games last season but has just one goal and three points through 16 contests in 2020-21.

Selected sixth overall by the Tampa Bay Lightning in the 2010 NHL Draft, Connolly has amassed 99 goals and 191 points over 512 career outings.

Florida has 13 wins in its opening 20 games for the first time since the 1995-96 campaign.

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Buffalo Sabres goaltender Linus Ullmark will miss at least one month with an undisclosed injury, head coach Ralph Krueger confirmed on Saturday, according to the Times Herald's Bill Hoppe.

Ullmark exited in the first period of Thursday's 4-3 overtime loss to the New Jersey Devils and didn't come back. The 27-year-old owns a 2.44 goals-against average and a .919 save percentage over 12 games this season.

Meanwhile, defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen will return against the Philadelphia Flyers on Saturday after his grueling bout with COVID-19 earlier this month.

The Finnish blue-liner recently opened up about his struggles with significant drops in oxygen levels, intense chest pain, and fatigue. The 26-year-old hasn't played since Jan. 31.

Sabres captain Jack Eichel remains day-to-day and will miss his second straight game, but he could return Sunday. Winger Jeff Skinner, who's been a healthy scratch during the team's previous three contests, will also return to the lineup Saturday.

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Buffalo Sabres forward Jeff Skinner was a healthy scratch for the third straight game Thursday night, but the 28-year-old doesn't think watching from the press box will help him break out of his lengthy slump.

"I don't think you learn anything extra by not being out there, but, obviously, this situation is maybe not that straightforward in the fact that 'lessons being learned' is maybe more of a vague concept," Skinner said Friday, according to The Athletic's John Vogl.

Skinner, who's in the second season of an eight-year, $72-million contract, has yet to score and has just one assist through 14 games. He skated with the club's taxi squad during Thursday's practice.

Sabres head coach Ralph Krueger said Thursday that he doesn't have a doghouse and that he'll continue to work with Skinner to find his potential. The 5-foot-11 winger understands Krueger's decision and insists it hasn't impacted how he views his future with the club.

"I try and help the team win as much as I can," Skinner said. "That's my main focus. Obviously, the coach is trying to do that, too. ... He has 23 other guys to worry about. He has a team to coach. I just have to play hockey.

He added, "I love being a Sabre. I love the city of Buffalo. I wouldn't have chosen to stay here if that wasn't (the) case, so that answer is simple."

The Sabres could certainly use Skinner's offensive touch. Buffalo ranks 27th in scoring this season and sits last in the East Division through 17 games.

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St. Louis Blues star Vladimir Tarasenko is nearing his long-awaited return.

Head coach Craig Berube said Friday that there's a "good chance" Tarasenko will make his season debut on the Blues' upcoming road trip, according to NHL.com's Lou Korac.

The 29-year-old sniper hasn't suited up in a game since Aug. 14, as he underwent shoulder surgery shortly after. He played only 10 contests last season due to a separate shoulder procedure in October 2019 but eclipsed the 30-goal mark in each of his five previous campaigns.

Tarasenko skated alongside David Perron and Brayden Schenn during Friday's practice and competed in contact drills.

The Blues begin a six-game road trip against the San Jose Sharks on Saturday. It wraps up back in the Bay Area on March 8.

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