Every week, theScore offers a fantasy hockey column detailing a handful of moves you should make. This edition focuses on the season's final matchup, although that may not apply to all leagues. Roster percentages and position eligibility are courtesy of Yahoo.

Be aggressive

We're beginning our list with a tip rather than a roster move; Any fantasy manager seeking a title this week has to be aggressive if they want to get it done. If you've been hoarding an unproductive player with upside, now's the time to drop him. Alternatively, seek out players on hot streaks, even if they're lesser names. Every point counts in the finals.

Add Sam Bennett

Team: Panthers
Position: C, LW, RW
Rostered: 44%

Bennett has settled wonderfully into his new surroundings in the Sunshine State, posting six points in five games since being traded out of Calgary. He's centering a pair of offensive threats in Jonathan Huberdeau and Anthony Duclair - another streaming target for the same reasons as Bennett - and has seen his role gradually increase under Joel Quenneville, logging over 19 minutes in each of his past three contests.

The Panthers play four games this week against weaker opponents (Predators and Blackhawks), making Bennett even more desirable.

Add Cal Petersen

Team: Kings
Position: G
Rostered: 23%

If you need a spot start this week, Petersen is a great option. The 26-year-old has struggled to register wins this season - he's 8-13-4 in 27 starts - but he owns a .917 save percentage and 7.9 goals saved above average. He's a quality netminder but hasn't received much help in front of him from the rebuilding Kings.

On top of solid peripheral stats, Petersen has a favorable schedule to finally bank some victories this week as L.A. plays the Ducks four times.

Drop Dominik Kubalik

Team: Blackhawks
Position: LW, RW
Rostered: 71%

Kubalik is a prime example of a good player you should get rid of in the last week of the season. He's had a decent year overall but only has three points in his past 10 games and is currently slotted on Chicago's third line. There's not much value hanging on to a cold player on a poor team, and it's unlikely Kubalik snaps his slump with matchups against the Lightning and Panthers this week.

Add Nick Foligno

Team: Maple Leafs
Position: LW, RW
Rostered: 34%

Foligno was put in a prime position to put up points upon arriving in Toronto, immediately placed on the club's top line alongside Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner. After two games, Foligno hasn't done anything to justify taking him off the No. 1 unit and tacked on a pair of assists to boot. The veteran winger always provides upside with hits and blocks in banger leagues, and his offensive value has recently skyrocketed based on his deployment.

It's worth noting that the Leafs don't play until Wednesday, so he'd be better as a mid-week pickup instead of adding him at the start of your matchup.

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Connor McDavid's pursuit of 100 points during a 56-game season could become one of the most prominent subplots of the NHL's stretch run, and Wayne Gretzky believes the Edmonton Oilers star is capable of reaching and possibly exceeding that mark.

"It wouldn't surprise me if he gets more than 100 points," The Great One told Sportsnet's Mark Spector. "Just to show people he's capable of doing it."

McDavid is a virtual lock for the Art Ross Trophy while leading the NHL in scoring by 12, and he needs 23 points over his final 11 contests to hit the century mark. That would give him a 1.79 points-per-game average, a pace only nine other players have matched over a 56-game span, according to Spector.

Gretzky, of course, is on the list after finishing with that average 11 times. However, he believes McDavid's efforts are more impressive given the difference in eras.

"What he's doing is once in a generation, and what he's doing today is a lot tougher than I did," Gretzky said. "Although I'm proud of what I accomplished, all the things we did, these players today are coached differently, the equipment is better, they're coached different.

"It's tougher to play. I'm the first guy to tell you that."

McDavid continues his pursuit Monday versus the Winnipeg Jets.

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American women's hockey stars Hilary Knight and Kendall Coyne Schofield aren't impressed with the IIHF's failure to implement a contingency plan following the cancellation of the 2021 world championship.

The IIHF and the Nova Scotia government nixed the tournament Wednesday due to COVID-19 concerns, just weeks before it was scheduled to take place May 6-16 in Halifax and Truro.

"The cancellation of the women's world championship at the last minute this week was just another reminder that women's hockey continues to be treated as an afterthought," Knight wrote in a statement Friday.

She continued: "The health and safety of the people of Nova Scotia is, and must be, the top priority. However, to cancel this critical event so close to its start - with some teams en route to the site to begin an eight-day quarantine process - and provide no other option is incredibly disappointing."

Coyne Schofield shared similar sentiments.

"To learn that there was no contingency plan and the IIHF is letting 250 of the best players in the world return to their homes today with, 'We are seeking new dates,' is simply unacceptable," she stated Thursday.

The IIHF and Hockey Canada said in a joint statement after the cancelation that they aim to stage the event "in the summer of 2021." The possibility of moving the event from Nova Scotia is on the table.

IIHF president Rene Fasel said the organization didn't have a safety net in place because there didn't appear to be a need for one.

"As both the IIHF and Hockey Canada had assurances that this event was going to proceed a few days before the cancellation announcement, this news was completely unexpected," Fasel said, per The Canadian Press.

The 2020 women's world championship was also canceled due to the pandemic.

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Welcome to the 14th edition of "Looking North," our weekly Friday dive into the all-Canadian division. This installment dates back to April 16.

The rundown

The Vancouver Canucks, after weeks of turmoil due to a major COVID-19 outbreak, had an overwhelmingly successful return to the ice. The club topped the division-leading Toronto Maple Leafs in overtime in its first game in weeks, then beat Toronto again two nights later. Positive news out of Vancouver after a difficult month is a welcome sight.

The Maple Leafs' troubles in Vancouver marked the low point of a five-game losing streak they snapped Thursday with an important win over the Winnipeg Jets. Toronto has lots to sort out as it gears up for the postseason.

The Edmonton Oilers gained some ground on the Jets this past week, and they're now within one point of second place with a game in hand. The Calgary Flames have fizzled out after a brief push toward the fourth-place Montreal Canadiens, while the Habs had a decent week but once again lost goaltender Carey Price to injury.

The Ottawa Senators are far removed from playoff contention but are the hottest team in Canada. They're a thorn in the side of any opponent and have played some quality hockey of late - as evidenced by their three straight wins since our last edition.

The stars

Forward: John Tavares is starting to put some points on the board. The Maple Leafs' captain has notched two goals and three assists in his last three games while averaging 19:44 of ice time per contest and winning over 55% of his draws. His production has picked up considerably in the second half of the season, and Toronto should be in good shape if he's in similar form come playoff time.

Defense: No North Division blue-liner stole the show this past week, but Quinn Hughes registered three points while logging major minutes in his club's two-game set with Toronto. Vancouver's best players have led the charge in its successful return, and Hughes has played his part thus far.

Goaltender: Matt Murray posted two shutouts and an additional win this past week. He's struggled since joining Ottawa, but a strong stretch run could go a long way in building some confidence and creating a positive mindset for the 2021-22 season.

Canadian of the week

Connor McDavid could realistically win this award every week. The Oilers' captain upped his ridiculous scoring pace with eight points across three games this past week, producing some typically jaw-dropping highlights in the process. McDavid also averaged a whopping 26:16 of ice time over that span.

The moments

McDavid blows past Habs to secure win 💨

Stuck in a 1-1 tie with under five minutes left in regulation, McDavid did what only he can do. The MVP favorite picked up the puck in the neutral zone, effortlessly scorched both Canadiens defenders, and buried a showstopping game-winning goal.

Horvat's the hero 🎉

The Canucks rallied from a 2-0 deficit versus Toronto to force overtime in their first game back, and Bo Horvat completed the stunning comeback with his second goal of the night.

34 for 34 🚨

Auston Matthews kick-started a high-octane clash between the Maple Leafs and Jets on Thursday night, notching his league-leading 34th goal of the season just 27 seconds into the contest. Matthews now has 10 tallies in 10 April games, padding his lead in the race for the "Rocket" Richard.

The question

Toronto is battling injuries and performing terribly on the penalty kill, but one issue trumps all others at the moment: Who can the club rely on in goal?

David Rittich, acquired from the Flames for a third-round pick at the trade deadline, has lost all three of his starts since joining the team and gave a game away with a series of weak goals against Vancouver. He hasn't proven to be a reliable depth option behind Jack Campbell, who has come back down to earth after setting an NHL record with 11 straight wins to start the season.

Campbell toughed out a win against the Jets to snap his and Toronto's slumps, but he's allowed at least three goals in five consecutive starts. It's difficult to determine if the starter's workload is affecting his performance or if his struggles are just a blip on the radar.

Frederik Andersen remains unfit to play, and Maple Leafs head coach Sheldon Keefe can't simply throw him into the fire if he's healthy come playoff time. If Andersen returns during the regular season, he'll need to prove he's moved past the dreadful form he was in before being sidelined.

The Maple Leafs need someone to take the reins in goal if they're to go anywhere in the playoffs, and they need to find an answer before it's too late.

Stat of the week

Yup, you guessed it: Time to talk about McDavid again.

As recently pointed out by Sportsnet Stats, McDavid has been involved in a whopping 51.8% of all Oilers goals this season - the sixth-highest percentage in NHL history.

That figure doesn't include his three-point effort in Wednesday's loss to the Canadiens. McDavid leads the NHL with 1.71 points per game and can reach the 100-point plateau in a 56-game season with 23 points in his final 11 contests. Don't rule it out just yet.

Games to watch

The Maple Leafs and Jets go at it again Saturday night in their penultimate regular-season matchup. With Toronto six points up in the standings, Winnipeg needs to find a way to win if it wants first place in the division.

Elsewhere, the Oilers have two games against the Jets and two more against the Flames next week. Edmonton's clashes with Winnipeg have major implications in the standings, while the Battle of Alberta is always appointment viewing.

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The NHL and the players' association want a decision from the International Olympic Committee regarding the league's participation in the 2022 winter games by the end of next month, TSN's Frank Seravalli said on Thursday's edition of "Insider Trading."

"The NHL, NHLPA, and the IIHF are putting a little bit of heat on the IOC. They've set a late-May deadline to get an answer from the IOC on things like a financial commitment for the 2022 Olympics because they need to set their schedule," Seravalli said. "The NHL schedule for next season is usually announced in June and they need to know whether they're gonna have a three-week break for the NHL players to go to the Olympics.

"The problem is, this isn't exactly priority No. 1 for the IOC at the moment. They're trying to get this summer's Olympics in Tokyo off the ground before they can then handle what's left with the NHL."

The NHL and NHLPA agreed to Olympic participation in 2022 and 2026 as part of a modified collective bargaining agreement, which was ratified in 2020 prior to the league's return to play. Some details - including finances and travel insurance, among others - still need to be ironed out by the league and IOC before NHL players can officially participate.

NHLers weren't sent to PyeongChang in 2018, ending a run of five straight Olympics featuring the world's best.

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Toronto Maple Leafs veteran netminder David Rittich took ownership of the team's 6-3 loss to the Vancouver Canucks on Tuesday night.

"I'm taking full responsibility for this game," Rittich said postgame. "I think the players did a great job. They got three goals for me and I just didn't respond. I've got to get better."

Toronto held a 3-2 lead in the third period but Vancouver scored four straight - including an empty-netter - to storm back and win. The dagger from Tanner Pearson got past Rittich from a weak angle.

Toronto acquired Rittich from the Calgary Flames prior to the trade deadline for a 2022 third-round pick. The 28-year-old has lost all three starts with his new club.

Rittich isn't the only Maple Leafs goalie struggling between the pipes. During Toronto's five-game skid, the club's goalies own a .858 save percentage and 3.69 goals-against average despite facing only 25 shots per contest, according to Sportsnet Stats.

Head coach Sheldon Keefe addressed the Leafs' goaltending woes after the game.

"Yeah, I'm concerned about our goaltending," he said. "Obviously, we've got to get that sorted out, but I'm not concerned about our team. I believe in our group. We played well enough to win here tonight."

The Maple Leafs own a four-point lead atop the North Division despite their recent slump and face a key two-game set with the second-place Winnipeg Jets later this week.

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Florida Panthers blue-chip prospect Spencer Knight will make his first NHL start Tuesday versus the Columbus Blue Jackets, head coach Joel Quenneville announced.

"He's ready for it. Looking forward to seeing how he handles it," Quenneville said.

The Panthers drafted Knight 13th overall in 2019. The 20-year-old has spent the past two seasons at Boston College and posted a 16-4-1 record with a sparkling .932 save percentage in 2021.

Knight also anchored the United States to a gold medal at the world juniors in January.

Florida enters Tuesday's contest second in the Central Division with 63 points in 46 games.

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San Jose Sharks winger Patrick Marleau eclipsed Gordie Howe's all-time record for NHL games played Monday night versus the Vegas Golden Knights, lacing up the skates in his 1,768th career contest.

Here's a look at the leaderboard:

* - active player

Howe had held the record since 1980. Mr. Hockey played until he was 51, but he was a member of the World Hockey Association for six years.

Marleau, 41, is in his 23rd NHL season. He's played 21 of those with the Sharks, and he also had stints with the Toronto Maple Leafs and Pittsburgh Penguins.

He was drafted second overall in 1997 and sits 23rd all time with 566 goals. In 2021, Marleau's notched eight points in 44 games.

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Patrick Marleau is set to eclipse Gordie Howe on the NHL's all-time game's played list Monday night. Marleau will suit up for the 1,768th time, and setting the new benchmark will be the legacy-defining achievement for a 23-year career that's included two Olympic gold medals, over 500 goals, and nearly 1,200 points.

Marleau will accomplish the feat versus the Vegas Golden Knights, who won't play their 1,768th regular-season game as a franchise until the 2039-40 season, as The Athletic's Jesse Granger pointed out.

When a single career spans a generation, there's no shortage of mind-bending stats like the one above to marvel over. But perhaps the most ridiculous is the fact Marleau has appeared in at least one game with 37% of players in the 104-year history of the league.

But rather than dive into all the numbers, let's take a broader look back and remember what the world looked like when Marleau's career started.

The NHL landscape

Oct. 1, 1997, is when it all began. The San Jose Sharks had drafted Marleau second overall a few months prior on the strength of his 125-point season with the WHL's Seattle Thunderbirds. At barely 18-years-old, Marleau cracked the Sharks' opening night roster, going pointless in 12:15 against the Edmonton Oilers in his NHL debut.

The NHL was in a drastically different spot back then: The league was at the peak of the dead-puck era, and franchises were being relocated or introduced left, right, and center. Marleau's career began the same year the Carolina Hurricanes debuted in their migration from Hartford. The Colorado Avalanche were only two years removed from being the Quebec Nordiques, and the Phoenix Coyotes were in their inaugural season after their previous stint as the Winnipeg Jets 1.0. The Nashville Predators, Minnesota Wild, Columbus Blue Jackets, and Atlanta Thrashers (later Jets 2.0) didn't even exist yet.

The Detroit Red Wings entered Marleau's first season as defending champions, finally getting over the hump and winning their first of three Stanley Cups in a five-year span.

Meanwhile, the reigning individual award winners and all-star teams were stacked with Hall of Fame talent.

* - The Maurice "Rocket" Richard Trophy wasn't officially introduced until the 1998-99 season*

To go from sharing the ice with so many legends who are now years removed from the current game to currently sharing a line and forging a friendship with Toronto Maple Leafs superstar Auston Matthews - who wasn't even one month old when Marleau started - is a testament to the 41-year-old's unparalleled longevity.

Marleau ultimately finished his rookie season with 32 points in 74 games, good for sixth in Calder voting. Joe Thornton, the only player drafted before Marleau in 1997 and his longtime Sharks teammate, mustered only seven points in his freshman year.

The rest of the sports scene

Marleau's NHL debut, while fun to look back on now, hardly registered in the grand scheme of the sports world at the time. The Florida Marlins were weeks away from shocking the baseball universe and winning their first World Series, while Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen, Dennis Rodman, and co. were preparing to embark on "The Last Dance" of the Chicago Bulls dynasty. Brett Favre and Barry Sanders were authoring MVP performances in the NFL, while a young Peyton Manning played out his final NCAA season for Tennessee, dominating the rest of the SEC before being drafted first overall early in 1998.

Elsewhere, the stacked United States Ryder Cup team was reeling after a single-point loss to a savvy European squad at the 1997 event in Spain. USA's squad featured a baby-faced Tiger Woods fresh off his first Masters win, Phil Mickelson, Fred Couples, and Jim Furyk, among several other high-profile names.

Pop culture

Outside the world of sports, some huge names and releases in entertainment headlined late 1997.

As Marleau got started in the pros, Jerry Seinfeld and his pals were freshly into the final season of their hit sitcom. "Seinfeld" would finish the 1997-98 television season atop the charts with a 21.7 rating, edging out "ER," "Veronica's Closet," "Friends," and "Monday Night Football."

The top movie in American box offices during Marleau's debut was "The Peacemaker" - an action thriller starring George Clooney and Nicole Kidman. The film raked in $12 million in its opening weekend and was followed up by some huge flicks in the following months, including "I Know What You Did Last Summer," "Scream 2," and the critically-acclaimed drama "Titanic."

Boyz II Men's "4 Seasons of Loneliness" overtook Mariah Carey's "Honey" for the top spot on the Billboard Hot 100 the week of Marleau's debut. Usher ("You Make Me Wanna..."), LeAnn Rimes ("How Do I Live"), and the Backstreet Boys ("Quit Playing Games") rounded out the top five, while The Notorious B.I.G., Spice Girls, and Third Eye Blind were other prominent names near the top of the charts.

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Vancouver Canucks head coach Travis Green is grateful he's healthy enough to return behind the bench after battling COVID-19.

"There's been a lot of people that have gone through a lot and are coming back to play, and I wanted to make sure that I was there," Green told Sportsnet's Iain MacIntyre. "If I didn't feel like I could do it, though, I wouldn't do it.

"There was a time, probably just a couple of days ago, where I really didn't believe I would be. I'm thankful that I've been able to come and be at the rink the last few days and get on the ice today and it will be good to coach tomorrow."

Green was one of 24 people in the Canucks organization to contract the virus. The club hasn't played since March 24, and its initial return date was pushed back after forward J.T. Miller openly said the players weren't ready.

"I think it has been real important that we've had the extra days of practice for our team,” Green said. "Obviously, they've gone through a lot in the last few weeks. But I think they've needed (more time) physically ... but maybe more importantly mentally.

"Just to get through a few more days and feel good about themselves and get through a practice where you're not struggling to get through practice, I think that's been vital for our group."

The Canucks return to the ice Sunday versus the Toronto Maple Leafs. Vancouver currently sits sixth in the North Division with 35 points through 37 contests. The plan is for the team to play all of its 56-game schedule.

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