The NHL has implemented a new division-based All-Star Game format and re-ignited the World Cup of Hockey to showcase the world's best players in recent years. But what if the league tried something new?

Here, we're going to try a fresh spin, eliminating international and team allegiances to focus on one thing: age. In this hypothetical, the world's best players have been divided into four groups.

The teams involved are: The entry-level contracts, players 25 and under, players aged 26-29, and finally, players 30-plus years old. While examples like Connor McDavid could fit in the ELC age bracket, all players were designated based on their contract statuses heading into the 2018-19 season, which bumps the Edmonton Oilers captain up a tier due to his mega extension kicking in.

Injuries weren't factored into this exercise, and neither was the pesky salary cap.

Let's get started.

ELCs

Goalies: Thatcher Demko, Carter Hart
Combined Cap Hit: $17.98M
Missed the cut: Jake DeBrusk, Pierre-Luc Dubois, Will Butcher

The ELCs have a strong forward group, spearheaded by two elite finishers in Auston Matthews and Brock Boeser. Kyle Connor and Patrick Laine have some familiarity on line two, while the bottom six features plenty of speed and skill.

On the blue line, the ELCs have an inexperienced but promising core of defenders. However, Charlie McAvoy has the only right-handed shot of the bunch, which could lead to some problems. In goal, the ELCs will need one of the two top-tier prospects to play out of their minds to have any real chance of competing.

25 and Under

Goalies: Andrei Vasilevskiy, John Gibson
Combined Cap Hit: $117.5M
Missed the cut: Vincent Trocheck, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Connor Hellebuyck

The 25-and-under team has some serious firepower up front, as the top line alone combined for 305 points in 2017-18. Down the lineup, a strong group of centers surrounded by highly talented wingers makes this squad dangerous no matter who's on the ice. Both Nathan MacKinnon and Sean Monahan were shifted to the wing from their natural center position. Based on this team's supporting cast, that should have a minimal impact on their production.

On defense, the 25-and-under team has a remarkable blend of size, mobility, and puck-moving skills. All six defensemen are capable of logging big minutes, and they can contribute at either end of the ice, making life easier for a pair of all-star netminders.

26 to 29

Goalies: Sergei Bobrovsky, Braden Holtby
Combined Cap Hit: $142.6M
Missed the cut: Matt Duchene, Alex Pietrangelo, Wayne Simmonds

There are superstars up and down the lineup here.

On the first line, there are a pair of MVPs centered by a two-time Rocket Richard Trophy winner. Next, a powerhouse Russian trio that wreaked havoc on the opposition as teammates at the 2011 world juniors, followed by a bottom six consisting of players cemented in high-minute roles on their NHL clubs.

If the forward corps isn't imposing enough, just take a look at the blue line. Is it even possible to assemble a better group of six defenders?

To top it off, Sergei Bobrovsky, a two-time Vezina Trophy winner, anchors the crease, barely sneaking under the team's cutline while set to turn 30 in September.

30-plus-year-olds

Goalies: Carey Price, Pekka Rinne
Combined Cap Hit: $150.9M
Missed the cut: Henrik Lundqvist, Jonathan Toews, Joe Thornton

Here are the wily vets.

The eldest team of the group is filled with champions and future Hall of Famers. Taking them down would be a tall task for any squad. Sidney Crosby, Brad Marchand, and Patrice Bergeron displayed magic chemistry at the World Cup in 2016, with the three finishing atop the tournament's scoring leaderboard.

Behind them, the roster features six players in the top 11 of last season's scoring race, and the team benefits from some familiarity between its Capitals and Penguins superstars.

If there's a weakness for this group, it's a lack of mobility on the blue line. But you can count on that unit to understand positioning and make the right play more often than not.

(Photos Courtesy: Getty Images)
(Salary cap info courtesy: CapFriendly)

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Calgary Flames blue-liner Brett Kulak has been awarded a one-year, $900,000 contract by an arbitrator, the team announced Wednesday.

Kulak's hearing was on Monday, according to Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman, who reported the 24-year-old was seeking $1.15 million per season, while the club was offering a two-way contract worth $650,000 at the NHL level.

In 2017-18, Kulak appeared in 71 games for the Flames, recording eight points in just under 13 minutes per contest.

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In light of Jarome Iginla's retirement announcement, it's only fitting to reflect on the top moments from his legendary career.

Iginla was drafted 11th overall by the Dallas Stars in 1995, but was traded to the Calgary Flames before ever suiting up in the NHL. The Alberta native spent 16 seasons in Calgary before stops in Pittsburgh, Boston, Colorado, and Los Angeles.

In the end, Iginla suited up in 1,554 games, registering 625 goals and 675 assists while winning two Rocket Richards, the Art Ross, the Lester B. Pearson (now the Ted Lindsay), and two Olympic gold medals.

Undoubtedly, Iginla will end up in the Hockey Hall of Fame as soon as he's eligible, and it's moments like these that defined his remarkable tenure in the NHL.

Ousting the Canucks in Game 7

In Round 1 of Calgary's memorable 2004 playoff run, a tooth-and-nail battle led to Game 7 versus the Vancouver Canucks. The Flames captain rose to the occasion, burying two goals before assisting the clinching goal in overtime to send his team through.

A heroic Game 5

After the Canucks, Calgary improbably eliminated the Detroit Red Wings and San Jose Sharks, the two top seeds in the Western Conference. Iggy and the Flames then met the Tampa Bay Lightning in the Stanley Cup Final.

Deadlocked at two games apiece, Iginla took over in Game 5, ripping the go-ahead goal off the post and past Nikolai Khabibulin in the second period. He went on to cement his signature performance with a helmetless rampage during a near two-minute shift in overtime, ultimately setting up Oleg Saprykin's game-winner to bring the Flames one win shy of a championship. He finished the 2004 playoffs with 22 points in 26 games.

Point No. 1,000

Would you expect Iginla to score his 1,000th point any other way? His patented leg kick and laser beam of a wrist shot terrorized opposing goalies throughout his entire career.

600-goal club

It wasn't his prettiest highlight, but Iginla became the 19th player to join the illustrious 600-goal club in January 2016. As it stands now, he's tied with Joe Sakic for 15th all time on the NHL's goal list.

Setting up the Golden Goal

The sound bite is permanently etched into the minds of Canadian hockey fans: "Iggy!"

Of course, it was Sidney Crosby who shouted it right before Iginla set him up for the unforgettable goal, which clinched 2010 Olympic gold for Canada on home ice.

Iginla had a knack for stepping up for his country on the biggest stage, as he also potted two goals and an assist in the deciding game of the 2002 Olympics.

Bonus: Fighting Lecavalier

As prolific of a scorer he was, Iginla was also as tough as they come. His fight versus fellow superstar Vincent Lecavalier in the 2004 Stanley Cup Final embodied everything that he was capable of and instantly created an all-time moment.

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The Vancouver Canucks re-signed forward Jake Virtanen to a two-year, $2.5-million contract, the team announced on Wednesday.

"We're pleased to sign Jake to an extension," general manager Jim Benning said in a release. "He adds physical presence and speed to our lineup and can help create offensive chances when going hard to the net. We look forward to seeing Jake take the next step in his game and consistently contribute to the team's success."

The 21-year-old receives a slight cut following his previous three-year, $5.325-million contract that carried an annual average of $1.775 million per season.

Virtanen - who was drafted by the Canucks sixth overall in 2014 - played his first full season with the club this past season, posting 10 goals and 10 assists in 75 games.

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The Dallas Stars have agreed to a one-year, $2.3-million deal with forward Mattias Janmark, the club announced Wednesday.

The 6-foot-1, 196-pound center skated in 81 games with the Stars last season, recording a career-high 19 goals and 34 points. Janmark missed the 2016-17 campaign due to a knee injury after tallying 29 points in his rookie year.

"Mattias is a strong and versatile player who always makes his presence felt when he is on the ice," Stars general manager Jim Nill said. "His intelligence and determination have built the foundation of a tremendous, young player, and we are thrilled to have him returning as a member of the Stars."

The Danderyd, Sweden native was selected by the Detroit Red Wings in the third round of the 2013 NHL Entry Draft and was acquired by the Stars in 2015.

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A 37-year-old man is facing charges after police say he posed as the owner of the Boston Bruins.

Jeffrey Jacobs, a native of White Plains, N.Y., who lives in Wilton, Conn., is accused of impersonating 78-year-old Bruins owner Jeremy Jacobs to get out of paying a tree service company, according to Pat Tomlinson of The Hour.

The owner of the tree company, who told police he's an avid Bruins fan, was called to Jacobs' home during a storm last year after a tree fell on the house. He later sent a bill for $5,100 to Jeremy Jacobs.

Wilton police were made aware of the incident in May 2017 after receiving a call from Delaware North, a hospitality and food service company chaired by the Bruins owner. Jacobs was already known to police, as he allegedly told a similar lie while trying to get out of a traffic ticket.

Jacobs was arrested July 20 in Poughkeepsie, N.Y. after police pulled him over for using his phone while driving. He was charged with criminal impersonation and released on $5,000 bond.

(Photo courtesy: Wilton Police Department)

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The Nashville Predators have added another piece to their already loaded defense corps, signing unrestricted free agent Dan Hamhuis to a two-year, $2.5-million contract on Wednesday.

The 35-year-old joins the Predators after spending the last two seasons with the Dallas Stars. Last season, he put up three goals and 24 points while playing an average of 20:11 a night, the fourth-most minutes on the team.

Hamhuis will likely slot on the Predators' third pairing alongside Yannick Weber, and joins a stacked blue line that already includes Roman Josi, Ryan Ellis, P.K. Subban, and Mattias Ekholm.

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The Calgary Flames will host a press conference on July 30 when former captain Jarome Iginla will retire from the NHL, the team announced on Wednesday.

"In a sense, I grew up there,'' Iginla told George Johnson of calgaryflames.com. "I started playing for the Flames at 19 but even in minor hockey I remember traveling to Calgary for tournaments, from St. Albert, and I imagined playing in the Saddledome.

"It's been a fun adventure, for my family and I. Some great cities, great people. To be back in Alberta, though, will feel like home."

The 41-year-old was drafted 11th overall in 1995 by the Dallas Stars. But then he was traded to the Flames in a deal that sent Joe Nieuwendyk to Texas before Iginla ever stepped on the ice for the Stars.

Iginla went on to play 16 seasons with the Flames, finishing his time in Calgary as the franchise's leader in games (1,219), goals (525), points (1,095), power-play goals (161), game-winning goals (83), and more.

The two-time Rocket Richard Trophy winner spent the final six seasons of his career with the Pittsburgh Penguins, Boston Bruins, Colorado Avalanche, and Los Angeles Kings.

Iginla finishes his career ranked 15th all-time in goals with 625, and he sits 34th on the all-time points list with 1,300.

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TORONTO - Dave Barr has a rule about video meetings: players must leave the room feeling good about themselves.

"I don’t want them feeling like they’re a piece of s---. I don’t want them going, ‘Jesus, f--- me, Dave doesn’t believe in me,’" explained Barr, the colorful San Jose Sharks assistant coach, during a presentation about post-game analysis and analytics at this past weekend's TeamSnap Hockey Coaches Conference.

"What I want them doing is, I want them feeling good. So, I might say, ‘Look at this clip here. Where is your stick?’ And he’s like, ‘It’s in the air.’ ‘Exactly, stick on the ice, stick on the ice.’ And I’ll have another clip ready to go - (from) the game before or maybe that (same game) - and I’ll say, ‘Look at your stick here, look at what happened to the puck, look at what happens in the play. Big difference.’

"We use post-game video a lot of times to support good things. You want that."

The Sharks, still hunting for that elusive first Stanley Cup championship, are returning a similar lineup for the 2018-19 season. They lost the John Tavares sweepstakes, but re-signed some key forwards - Joe Thornton, Logan Couture, Chris Tierney, and Tomas Hertl - and will once again contend for the Pacific Division title.

Following his presentation, theScore caught up with Barr - a 57-year-old ex-NHL winger who's been on the coaching payroll for six teams - to talk all things Sharks.

Note: This transcript has been lightly edited for clarity and length.

theScore: You mentioned in your presentation that you were originally a skeptic of hockey analytics. How or why were you won over?

Barr: "I think, because of all the work that we do with video, we have a pretty good idea of what’s going on by a game-by-game basis. What I think helps us - how we can use analytics - is that it covers a lot of categories and a lot of things that happen during a game. You might miss an area or two, where it says that we’re doing this very well and we’re not doing this very well. ...

"Say it’s turning pucks over off the forecheck and the other one that you were doing extremely well was breakouts. You want to understand why you’re doing the breakouts well - what you were doing, what was the reason - and why your forecheck was not very effective.

"There’s so many things to cover - especially in the NHL, when you’re playing 82 games and you’re back to back a lot and three games in four nights - so it’s hard to cover every single category. Analytics help us do our jobs better. It’s not the end-be, be-all … whatever the hell that saying is."

theScore: Be-all and end-all.

Barr: "Thank you. Insert that, please!" (laughs and points to recorder)

"(Analytics) is not everything but, at the same time, it certainly helps us. I know it has helped us this (past) year. I run the PK so I use it for penalty kill as well."

theScore: It’s a marriage, right, of video and whatever is being counted.

Barr: "That’s a perfect description."

theScore: Speaking of the penalty kill, Tierney (two-year contract) and Hertl (four-year contract) recently signed deals. You must be happy.

Barr: "They are very cerebral players, very smart players. Two of my better PKers, for sure. Offensively, they’re very good on the PK and at the same time they know where the puck’s going most of the time. Tommy’s a great worker. Chris is a very smart player - knows where to be, where not to be. We’re very fortunate to get them signed and playing for us again."

theScore: What’s the No. 1 skill required for a forward on the PK? Is it good stick work, good positioning?

Barr: "Probably positioning, coupled with stick (work). If you’ve got your stick in there, it doesn’t matter if you’re in position or not. A little bit of it is the ability to get there quickly, get from A to B quickly. If you have slower PK players, especially forwards, they can be three feet short of getting a stick on the puck and all of a sudden that shot or that pass gets through. Quickness is a big element. …

“(Joe) Pavelski is one of our best penalty killers and he’s not a fast player. But, because he knows where to go and how to get there as quick as he can get there, he’s a very effective player.”

theScore: It helps with that great hand-eye coordination. Pavelski can knock pucks out of the air easily.

Barr: “Oh, it’s incredible. He works at it, too. That’s why he can do it: He’s a talented guy who works at it.”

theScore: And he’s a good golfer.

Barr: “He came third! I was watching (the American Century Celebrity Golf Championship) on TV and he had a chance to go into extra holes. Didn’t make the putt, unfortunately.”

theScore: You brought up Justin Braun in your presentation, calling him an underrated NHLer. What is it about his game that people maybe don’t appreciate?

"Watch his body positioning.

"He worms his way into getting here on guys." (Barr reenacted Braun’s ability to maneuver around opponents and gain the inside track.)

"It’s unbelievable. You’ll have position on him, and this guy will figure out a way to get there. Unbelievable."

theScore: Have you ever asked him about that "worming" talent and where it may have originated?

"Oh, I don’t want him to be conscious of that. And he is the nicest kid. He’s a great kid."

theScore: You told a fun story about Jagr in your presentation. Do you have anything to share about Thornton, another beloved veteran?

"I can just tell you that he is one of the most fun, positive, energetic (players around). Every single day he brings energy to the dressing room. The guys love him. At the same time, he holds players accountable in a great fashion.

"He’s honest, straightforward. (He’ll tell players), ‘We need you to be better.’ He’s absolutely fantastic. I’ve got nothing but praise for him."

theScore: There’s a theory out there about Evander Kane and why he’s been such a nice fit in San Jose. Do you think the leadership group welcoming him with open arms has contributed to his success?

"For sure. I think it helped a lot that he felt really good about where he was. Within five-10 games, he was part of the team. He wasn’t the new guy; he was part of the team. He got a lot of minutes playing on the power play, the penalty kill a little bit, tons of minutes at 5-on-5. He made a difference, he scored goals, so that really helped him feel good about himself.

"At the same time, I think we have strong leadership. Brent Burns, Joe Thornton, and Pavelski, for sure. Especially Thornton and Pavelski - their resumes speak for themselves, they come to play every day in practice, they come to play every day in games.

"(Kane) is just a good kid. He’s a good kid who has a little bit of celebrity in him - if you want to call it that - but at the same time there’s nothing wrong with that. He comes to play every day. He’s a real help to our team. … He’s sharp, he gets it."

(Feature photo courtesy: The Coaches Site/F10 Sports Photography)

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The Calgary Flames and forward Mark Jankowski have settled on a two-year, $3.35 million contract, two days before the 23-year-old's scheduled arbitration hearing, the team announced on Wednesday.

Jankowski, drafted 21st overall by the Flames in 2012, reached the conclusion of his entry-level deal at the end of the 2017-18 season, his first as a regular in the NHL.

Jankowski scored 17 goals and added eight assists while averaging over 13 minutes per contest in 72 games during the 2017-18 season. With him signed, the Flames have three remaining restricted free agents to secure: Garnet Hathaway, Brett Kulak, and the recently acquired Noah Hanifin.

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