Bettman implies he’ll remain commissioner through next CBA talks

Gary Bettman has been commissioner of the NHL for a quarter of a century, and he doesn't intend to relinquish those duties in the near future.

"I don't plan on going anywhere. I'm having too much fun, I'm loving the opportunity, (and) there's nothing else I'd rather be doing," Bettman said on Sportsnet 590 The FAN on Thursday, after Sportsnet's Chris Johnston asked whether he plans to remain commissioner through the next round of CBA negotiations.

The NHL's current collective bargaining agreement was a 10-year deal signed in 2013, but the league can opt out on Sept. 1, 2019, and the NHLPA can choose to opt out on Sept. 19, 2019.

As a result, the next round of talks is expected to take place in either 2020 or 2022.

Thursday marked the 25th anniversary of Bettman's appointment to commissioner, and he insisted he hasn't lost his passion for the job.

"It's an honor to do what I do, it's a great challenge, (and) we have great opportunities ahead of us ... so as long as I can give this 100 percent, then I want to keep doing it," he said. "If for whatever reason I don't feel I can give it 100 percent, then I'll stop, but I'm running on all cylinders as long as I can tell."

The 65-year-old executive came to the NHL after serving as a senior vice president and general counsel with the NBA.

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Kings post Craigslist ad looking for Snap Specs that Doughty lost at ASG

Drew Doughty lost expensive sunglasses at the All-Star Game, and the Los Angeles Kings are resorting to the classifieds to try to get them back.

The club posted a Craigslist ad in the Tampa Bay region Sunday, after the Snap Specs (or "Spectacles by Snapchat", to be exact) that Doughty wore at the All-Star Game went missing.

Here's a look at the ad:

(Courtesy: Craigslist)

Two members of the Kings' social media staff posted the ad, according to NHL.com's Cristina Ledra.

They gave Doughty the special shades Saturday so he could capture video for the club's Snapchat account, but the star defenseman apparently handed them off to someone.

The Kings spent Sunday's All-Star tournament repeatedly poking fun at Doughty for misplacing the eyewear.

Doughty won more than $160,000 for being part of the Pacific Division squad that claimed the All-Star tournament Sunday, so maybe he can just buy the team a new pair.

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EIHL player sacked by team after punching fan

Defenseman Matt Nickerson was suspended 20 games and had his contract terminated by the Elite Ice Hockey League's Milton Keynes Lightning after punching a fan.

The incident occurred Sunday during a game against the Guildford Flames.

Nickerson had already received a match penalty for abuse of officials when he took a swing at the fan while leaving the ice.

"Ice hockey is a family sport and it is unacceptable that at any time supporters are threatened or made to feel unsafe," the Lightning said in a statement. "As a club we do not condone what happened and Matt has been held accountable for his actions by both the Elite League Department of Player Safety and by the club."

Nickerson was drafted 99th overall by the Dallas Stars in 2003, but never played in an NHL game.

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5 potential trade targets who could salvage Islanders’ playoff hopes

The New York Islanders' playoff aspirations are - for the time being - beginning to fade.

After an encouraging victory over the Vegas Golden Knights last week, the club has struggled mightily coming out of the All-Star break, dropping consecutive contests to the Florida Panthers and Toronto Maple Leafs by a combined score of 9-1.

New York has also gone 2-4-1 over its last seven games and continues to struggle keeping pucks out of the net. In fact, the Islanders are giving up a league-worst 3.62 goals per game despite running the third-most potent offense.

With the trade deadline looming, it's time for general manager Garth Snow to pull the trigger on at least one move to shore up the defensive end. So, here are five potential players the Islanders should be looking to nab to keep their playoff hopes alive.

Ryan McDonagh, Rangers

The Islanders could use someone who can come in and improve the on-ice product with not just their play, but their mentorship. That's what makes McDonagh a prime candidate.

It was reported last week that the New York Rangers could be preparing to blow things up, and that includes potentially dealing their captain.

McDonagh would easily be an upgrade for the Islanders' defense corps, but could also help show youngsters such as Ryan Pulock, Adam Pelech, and Thomas Hickey the ropes.

The 28-year-old has one more year on his contract after this, so he would be more than just a rental, but for a team that's been so poor in its own end, that could be a blessing.

Robin Lehner, Sabres

Goaltending has been the Islanders' biggest pitfall this season - that's a fact.

Both Jaroslav Halak and Thomas Greiss have done an awful job of keeping pucks out of the net, ranking last in the league in goals allowed.

Halak has actually been the better of the two, even while giving up an average of 3.16 goals per game and rocking a save percentage of .909. That's because Greiss is giving up 3.94 goals per game and stopping pucks at an .887 clip.

Enter Lehner, who's playing on a poor Buffalo Sabres team but has put together a respectable 2.85 goals-against average and a .912 save percentage. He even enjoyed back-to-back shutouts over the Edmonton Oilers and Vancouver Canucks last week.

Lehner would be a much more dependable option for the Islanders, and with the 26-year-old set to become a free agent at season's end, a trade could serve as a tryout to see if he's worth putting pen to paper with on a new contract this offseason.

Petr Mrazek, Red Wings

Another potential option between the pipes is Petr Mrazek.

The Detroit Red Wings puck-stopper is currently among the hottest goalies in the league. Mrazek has gone 3-0-1 in his last five games, putting up a save percentage of .965 and a goals-against average of 1.02.

He'll be a restricted free agent after this season, but with the Red Wings in selling mode, with Jimmy Howard still locked up for next year, and with Mrazek making $4 million as a backup, he's likely to be dealt.

As for the Islanders, he'd be an upgrade over the other two goaltenders on the roster, and he's young.

Jean-Gabriel Pageau, Senators

With the Ottawa Senators sitting just outside the basement of the Eastern Conference, the team will almost certainly be selling off assets ahead of the deadline.

With that, a name that should garner some interest from the Islanders is Jean-Gabriel Pageau. The versatile forward can put the puck in the back of the net, proved last year he can elevate his game in the playoffs, and most importantly can play in the defensive zone.

Pageau remains one of the Senators' top penalty killers, something the Islanders are dying for. The club's penalty kill ranks 30th league-wide, having given up 39 goals with a man in the box. The 25-year-old can help with that, and even has a knack for scoring shorthanded.

Ian Cole, Penguins

Ian Cole might not be the superstar the Islanders want, but he could be the depth option they need.

The Pittsburgh Penguins defender won't contribute a ton offensively, but what he does in his own end should be appealing.

Cole is playing an average of 2:32 of shorthanded ice time per game, the third-most among Penguins defenders, and also leads the club with an average of two blocked shots per game.

The 28-year-old is cap-friendly, making just $2.1 million this season, and given the Penguins were actively shopping him back in late November, it shouldn't take much to make a deal.

(Photos courtesy: Getty Images)

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MacKinnon ruled out 2-4 weeks with undisclosed injury

Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon has been ruled out of action for two-to-four weeks after further evaluation, the team announced Thursday.

Fresh off an All-Star appearance, MacKinnon suffered an apparent arm or shoulder injury during Tuesday's game against Vancouver.

MacKinnon has been playing some of the best hockey of his young career, rising to second in league scoring with 24 goals and 37 assists in 50 games, three points behind Tampa Bay's Nikita Kucherov. As such, he was seen as a viable Hart Trophy candidate, with the Avs surprisingly right in the thick of the playoff race.

Based on this time frame, MacKinnon could miss anywhere from seven to 14 games.

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MacKinnon ruled out 2-4 weeks with undisclosed injury

Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon has been ruled out of action for two-to-four weeks after further evaluation, the team announced Thursday.

Fresh off an All-Star appearance, MacKinnon suffered an apparent arm or shoulder injury during Tuesday's game against Vancouver.

MacKinnon has been playing some of the best hockey of his young career, rising to second in league scoring with 24 goals and 37 assists in 50 games, three points behind Tampa Bay's Nikita Kucherov. As such, he was seen as a viable Hart Trophy candidate, with the Avs surprisingly right in the thick of the playoff race.

Based on this time frame, MacKinnon could miss anywhere from seven to 14 games.

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Malkin, Bergeron, Bernier named ‘3 Stars’ for January

Pittsburgh Penguins center Evgeni Malkin, Boston Bruins center Patrice Bergeron, and Colorado Avalanche goalie Jonathan Bernier have been named the NHL’s “Three Stars” for the month of January.

Malkin led all players with 12 goals, adding another seven assists for 19 total points in 12 games last month. He has recorded a league-high 19 goals and 34 points in 26 appearances since the start of December and now sits fifth in goals (26) and 11th in points (55) on the season.

Here's a look at Bergeron's month:

As for Bernier, he posted eight wins with a .939 save percentage over 11 games to help pull the Avalanche within striking distance of a playoff spot.

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Penguins’ Sheary week-to-week with lower-body injury

Pittsburgh Penguins winger Conor Sheary is considered week-to-week with a lower-body injury, the team announced Thursday.

Sheary suffered the injury in a win over San Jose on Tuesday, Pittsburgh's first game back from the All-Star break.

He had been skating on the top line with Sidney Crosby, and his injury prompted a lineup change:

Through 52 games, Sheary has scored 12 goals and added seven assists.

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Islanders’ Barzal named Rookie of the Month for January

New York Islanders forward Mathew Barzal was named the NHL's Rookie of the Month for January, the league announced on Thursday.

The 20-year-old paced all first-year players with 15 points in 12 games. The month was highlighted by his second five-point game of the season on Jan. 13, when he notched two goals and three assists against the New York Rangers, becoming just the seventh rookie in league history to record two five-point games.

Barzal leads all rookie with 51 points overall, seven clear of Vancouver Canucks forward Brock Boeser.

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Khaira, Shaw among ‘Hockey Is For Everyone’ ambassadors

Feb. 1 marks the beginning of 'Hockey Is For Everyone' month around the NHL, and each club has named an official ambassador who will be a leader in both the locker room and the community on diversity, equality, and inclusion.

According to the NHL, the following players "have agreed to lead the way in their markets and be an advocate for underrepresented, marginalized, or disadvantaged communities; some will be featured in stories and public service announcements throughout the month":

  • Anaheim Ducks - Corey Perry
  • Arizona Coyotes - Oliver Ekman-Larsson
  • Boston Bruins - Brad Marchand
  • Buffalo Sabres - Ryan O'Reilly
  • Carolina Hurricanes - Trevor van Riemsdyk
  • Columbus Blue Jackets - Seth Jones
  • Calgary Flames - Matt Stajan
  • Chicago Blackhawks - Tommy Wingels
  • Colorado Avalanche - Gabriel Landeskog
  • Dallas Stars - Tyler Seguin
  • Detroit Red Wings - Justin Abdelkader
  • Edmonton Oilers - Jujhar Khaira
  • Florida Panthers - Aaron Ekblad
  • Los Angeles Kings - Dustin Brown
  • Minnesota Wild - Charlie Coyle
  • Montreal Canadiens - Andrew Shaw
  • Nashville Predators - Kyle Turris
  • New Jersey Devils - Andy Greene
  • New York Islanders - Casey Cizikas
  • New York Rangers - Mats Zuccarello
  • Ottawa Senators - Dion Phaneuf
  • Philadelphia Flyers - Claude Giroux
  • Pittsburgh Penguins - Matt Murray
  • San Jose Sharks - Chris Tierney
  • St. Louis Blues - Carter Hutton
  • Tampa Bay Lightning - Alex Killorn
  • Toronto Maple Leafs - James van Riemsdyk
  • Vancouver Canucks - Henrik Sedin
  • Vegas Golden Knights - Pierre-Édouard Bellemare
  • Washington Capitals - Braden Holtby
  • Winnipeg Jets - Jacob Trouba

Among the notable names is Montreal's Andrew Shaw, who takes on the role for the second year in a row after being suspended during the 2016 playoffs for uttering a homophobic slur. On a different note, Edmonton's Khaira is only the third player of Punjabi descent to play in the NHL.

The 31 players will be joined by two NHL Officials - Shandor Alphonso and Dave Jackson - as well as six special ambassadors: Sgt. 1st Class Joseph Bowser, Harrison Browne, Angela James, Josh Pauls, Fred Sasakamoose, and Harnarayan Singh.

Awareness nights will also be held around the league:

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