TORONTO — Although it's technically a school day, a horde of children and teenagers flocks toward the practice facility at the MasterCard Centre in hopes of getting an autograph from Joe Thornton, Brent Burns, and Logan Couture before the San Jose Sharks take the ice.

Aaron Dell, who's posting numbers that rival any goaltender in the league, breezes through the crowd without being recognized. "The World's Okayest Goalie" has outperformed his nickname, but widespread acclaim has yet to follow.

It seems apparent to everyone but Dell - and, perhaps, the legion of otherwise awestruck children - that the 28-year-old is becoming one of the NHL's most surprising stars. Across 15 appearances (11 starts), he's posting a superlative .934 save percentage and 1.98 goals-against average entering Thursday's road game against the Toronto Maple Leafs. Both of those stats rank third in the NHL.

Though Dell seems to have outgrown his nickname, he isn't concerned about changing it.

"The name is kind of a joke in the first place, just kind of the way my demeanor is. Just kind of laid-back. I try to go out and give the team a chance to win. I really didn't take too much into it, I guess for the actual meaning of it. I've been having a good season this year and hopefully I can continue," Dell told theScore.

With Martin Jones entrenched as the Sharks' starter, Dell remains the backup, though his situation could change next season - he's set to become an unrestricted free agent this summer.

Dell is reticent on that topic, but his teammates are happy to offer testimonials about the quality of his goaltending.

"They should watch the San Jose Sharks when he's playing. Not enough people watch the Sharks because we start late," defenseman Marc-Edouard Vlasic told theScore.

"He's a very good goalie - just watch him play."

Blue-liner Justin Braun has noticed a slight change in how Dell carries himself on the ice, but notes that his approach hasn't changed.

"He does look more confident in games but that's never really been an issue for him," Braun said. "He just goes about his business and gets the job done. It's impressive."

Dell's waited a while for the opportunity to impress at the NHL level. In 2010-11, he broke Ed Belfour's single-season record for wins at North Dakota, but the achievement barely registered nationally. He went undrafted, signed with the Central Hockey League, and was named its Most Outstanding Goaltender in 2012-13.

After bouncing around the ECHL and AHL, he signed an entry-level deal with the Sharks in March 2015. Strong play with their AHL affiliate persuaded the big-league club to re-sign him to a two-year contract in July 2016, and he made his NHL debut last season, ultimately appearing in 20 games.

"Every once in a while I just kind of sit back and reflect on it - 'Wow, it's actually happening,'" Dell said. "It's been my dream since I was 5 years old, so every once in a while I've got to think about it and realize I'm pretty lucky to be here. All of the things that had to fall into place and the opportunities, the chance at the right times."

In part due to his long journey to the NHL, it's evident that his teammates couldn't be happier for him.

"He's a really popular guy in the locker room," defenseman Brenden Dillon said.

Though Dell is exceptionally polite and humble about his stellar season, the skaters in front of him agree his old handle no longer fits.

"I didn't know he had that name. ... He's quiet, does what he has to do and when he's in net we have a lot of confidence in him," Vlasic said. "Solid guy, works hard every day. We have two very good goalies."

Dillon added, "I don't know that's much of a nickname for him anymore. I don't know who gave that one to him. But he's a guy that continues to get better every year, at every level he plays at."

Blue-liner Dylan DeMelo says Dell has some other monikers that the general public may not be privy to.

"He's got like 15 nicknames on the team, all probably from Joe Thornton. That's one of many," DeMelo said. "He's done a great job every time he's been in the net. Yeah, I guess you could say he's not the 'World's Okayest Goalie' anymore."

The Sharks are more than OK defensively too. Entering their game in Toronto, they're one of just four teams in the league that have yet to allow 100 goals, and Dell's made a significant contribution to that accomplishment.

Two years removed from an appearance in the Stanley Cup Final, San Jose is hanging tough in the Pacific Division and hoping to return. If Dell helps the Sharks lift their first Cup, maybe people will finally call him something more flattering.

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Anthony Duclair's days with the Arizona Coyotes may be numbered as the 22-year-old has requested a trade, a league source told Craig Custance of The Athletic.

Duclair is having another miserable campaign, having tallied just seven goals and 13 points in 31 games. His struggles have continued from last year, when he put up just five markers and 15 points in 58 contests on the back of a 20-goal, 44-point sophomore season.

Custance notes the Coyotes are doing their best fulfill his wishes. Maybe with a change of scenery Duclair will be able to rekindle his offensive potential.

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The 63rd NHL All-Star Game is set for Jan. 28 in Tampa Bay as the league assembles to showcase its best talents.

The captains of the four divisions were revealed Wednesday:

• Alex Ovechkin, Washington Capitals, Metropolitan Division
• Steven Stamkos, Tampa Bay Lightning, Atlantic Division
• P.K. Subban, Nashville Predators, Central Division
• Connor McDavid, Edmonton Oilers, Pacific Division

Here's how we see the remaining roster spots filling out. As a reminder, at least one player must be selected from each team.

Central Division

• It's a tough race in Dallas, but captain Jamie Benn gets the edge over Tyler Seguin.
• The St. Louis Blues are well-represented with three players: Brayden Schenn, Vladimir Tarasenko, and captain Alex Pietrangelo.
• Devan Dubnyk is the backbone of the Minnesota Wild, and will be relied upon to showcase that same talent with the Central squad.

Pacific Division

• Some surprises highlight the Pacific roster, from Brock Boeser - the sensational rookie from the Vancouver Canucks - to Jonathan Marchessault - a breakout star with the Vegas Golden Knights.
• The Pacific team will have a royal bearing with three Kings: Anze Kopitar, Drew Doughty, and netminder Jonathan Quick.
• What's an All-Star weekend without Brent Burns? The San Jose Sharks blue-liner has rebounded nicely after a slow start.

Atlantic Division

• With Tampa Bay hosting the All-Star festivities, expect a large number of Lightning players to make the roster. It helps that they're the best team in the league.
• The few remaining spots mean Boston Bruins such as Tuukka Rask and David Pastrnak narrowly miss the cut.
• Meanwhile, Erik Karlsson, Jack Eichel, and Carey Price are the creme of the very poor crop that is the Ottawa Senators, Buffalo Sabres, and Montreal Canadiens.

Metropolitan Division

• The Metro has been the second-tightest division in the league, leading to a roster that no single team dominates.
• The New York Islanders take the biggest hit as a result. John Tavares clearly gets the nod, but minimal available spots mean Josh Bailey and Anders Lee stay home.
• Philadelphia Flyers forwards Sean Couturier and Jakub Voracek, as well as defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere, have certainly played well enough to get the call, but again, there just isn't room.

(Photos courtesy: Getty Images)

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The New York Islanders signed defenseman Scott Mayfield to a five-year contract extension, the team announced Thursday.

The deal will pay the 25-year-old an average of $1.45 million per season, according to Arthur Staple of Newsday Sports.

Mayfield was selected by the Islanders in the second round of the 2011 draft. In his hist first season spent solely with the big club, he's played a career-high 29 games and posted two goals and 10 points.

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At the halfway point of the 2017-18 campaign, theScore's NHL team identifies the front-runners to bring home some hardware. This installment was put together by editors Cory Wilkins and Craig Hagerman.

Hart - John Tavares

Previously: Steven Stamkos

The New York Islanders captain hasn't cracked under the pressure of being just months away from a big payday in free agency. In fact, he's done just the opposite.

Not only is Tavares on pace for a 100-point season, he's also transformed linemates Anders Lee and Josh Bailey from solid players into elite scoring threats. Like Tavares, they're both on pace for career years - Bailey is just six points back of his previous best.

That sort of production has allowed the Islanders to hold down a playoff position for most of the year in the ultra-competitive Metropolitan Division, despite being backstopped by the questionable duo of Jaroslav Halak and Thomas Greiss. If the Islanders make the postseason, thank Tavares. - Wilkins

Vezina - Andrei Vasilevskiy

Previously: Sergei Bobrovsky

The Tampa Bay Lightning could walk away with multiple awards at year's end, including a Vezina Trophy for Vasilevskiy.

The 23-year-old has had no trouble shifting into the starter's role in the post-Ben Bishop era. Among netminders with a minimum of 30 games played, he stands atop the league in both wins (26) and save percentage (.937). - Wilkins

Norris - Drew Doughty

Previously: Erik Karlsson

The competition for the NHL's defenseman of the year is stiff, but the leader of the pack at the halfway point is the Los Angeles Kings' star blue-liner.

On pace to match his career high in production, Doughty has revived a Los Angeles squad that many pundits picked to finish outside the playoff picture. Instead, the Kings stand second in the West and look like the same Stanley Cup contender that won it all in 2012 and 2014.

Even more impressive, Doughty is getting it done on a defensive corps that has little help to speak of outside of Jake Muzzin and Alec Martinez. - Wilkins

Calder - Brock Boeser

Previously: Will Butcher

He may be a rookie, but Boeser is already one of the purest goal-scorers in the game.

The Vancouver Canucks forward paces all rookies with 21 goals, leads his team in scoring with 38 points, and has been named rookie of the month in both November and December. He sits fourth overall in goals and is on pace to score 44, which would be the seventh-most by a rookie in NHL history - and the most since Alex Ovechkin tallied 52 in 2005-06. - Hagerman

Selke - Patrice Bergeron

Previously: Mark Stone

It's just too hard to knock Bergeron off his perch as the league's best two-way forward.

Bergeron's put up a respectable 12 goals and 26 points in 33 games, but once again is proving to be a stud in his own end. He's rocking a Corsi For rating of 57.75, has won 57 percent of his faceoffs, and, most impressively, his line (with Brad Marchand and David Pastrnak) has allowed just one goal against at five-on-five in 25 games.

One day, this award might be named after the Boston Bruins forward, who's on his way to capturing it for the fifth time and fourth in five years. - Hagerman

Jack Adams - Gerard Gallant

Previously: Gerard Gallant

This year's Jack Adams Award looks to be a slam dunk.

Gallant has taken an expansion team constructed mostly of second- and third-line players and turned it into the second-best squad in the NHL. That's no easy feat, and barring a collapse of cataclysmic proportions, the Vegas Golden Knights should host some playoff hockey this spring.

Florida Panthers management must be kicking themselves. - Hagerman

General Manager of the Year - David Poile

Previously: Doug Armstrong

The Nashville Predators have proven that last year's run to the Stanley Cup Final was no fluke.

The club sits two points out of top spot in the Central Division and is once again thriving thanks to Poile's work.

Kyle Turris is making the Preds look like the winners of the three-team Matt Duchene swap. More subtle moves in the offseason, such as signing Nick Bonino and Scott Hartnell and trading for Alexei Emelin, have given the team great depth. Meanwhile, first-round pick Eeli Tolvanen looks like he could be the steal of the 2017 draft.

All of this has set the Predators up for prolonged success. - Hagerman

(Photos courtesy: Getty Images)

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Thursday's contest between the Boston Bruins and Florida Panthers has been postponed due to a severe winter storm impacting the Boston area.

The game will be rescheduled at a later date.

As of Thursday, temperatures in Boston sat at 25 degrees Fahrenheit, with the area expecting more than five inches of snowfall.

The Panthers and Bruins have not met this season, but are scheduled to play three other times: March 15, March 31, and April 5.

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Admitting defeat can be tough for any general manager to do, but the following three teams need to swallow their pride, trade away some of their best assets, and enter a full-on rebuild if they hope to eventually contend one day.

Montreal Canadiens

Canadiens GM Mark Bergevin seems so invested in all the terrible moves he's made that it's hard to imagine him blowing things things up. With that in mind, Montreal would be better off bringing in a new GM who can create a clear plan to bring one of the NHL's most historic franchises back to respectability.

The task will be difficult, however, given all of the long-term contracts the Habs are locked into. Carey Price and Shea Weber will be tough to move unless the team is willing to eat a small chunk of their salaries, which it may as well do, since a rebuilding club shouldn't have any immediate plans to be up against the cap.

Max Pacioretty and Paul Byron should both be traded at the deadline. They each have one more year on their contracts following this season with modest cap hits. Teams will pay the price for goal-scoring, and both players can put the puck in the net.

There's always a need for defensemen around the league, so the Habs should entertain trading Jeff Petry and Karl Alzner, even though they're both locked up. A no-movement clause kicks into Petry's contract next season, so now would be the time to trade him. Neither rearguard will be around once a rebuild is complete, so both should be shipped out even if the returns are minimal.

Meanwhile, Alex Galchenyuk's name has swirled in trade rumors, but as a rebuilding team, the Canadiens would have nothing to lose by giving him a full season playing top minutes as a first-line center and seeing what they have before making a rash decision. After all, he's still just 23 years old.

Assuming most of these players are moved to acquire prospects and picks, Montreal's roster will be left quite bare, but picking in the top five for at least the next three seasons is the best way to rebuild its horrific farm system.

Ottawa Senators

This may be tough for Sens fans to hear, but Erik Karlsson isn't re-signing in Ottawa - especially while Eugene Melnyk owns the team.

The Sens' best bet is to trade Karlsson, either before the deadline or this offseason. Either way, they'll receive a mammoth return that should help speed up a rebuild.

Ottawa could also trade forwards Mike Hoffman, Derick Brassard, and possibly even Matt Duchene. The sooner the better, as losing these players would weaken the club further and increase its chances of winning the lottery ... and the right to select Rasmus Dahlin in June's draft.

There are two issues facing a Sens rebuild, however:

1. Ottawa dealt this year's first-round pick in the Duchene deal. It's top-10 protected, though, meaning if the Senators choose in the top 10 (which they likely will), they'll have the option to keep this year's pick. If that happens, Colorado would then get Ottawa's 2019 first-round selection instead.
2. The contracts of Bobby Ryan and Dion Phaneuf will be next to impossible to move.

Nonetheless, the Senators have never really undergone a full-on rebuild in their existence. Despite rarely having high draft picks, they've been one of the best organizations in terms of drafting and developing players, suggesting a rebuild could run smoothly.

Detroit Red Wings

The Red Wings aren't completely out of the playoff picture, but their chances of getting in are slim to none. Even if they were to miraculously make it, their stay in the postseason would be short-lived. With that being said - and with their playoff streak behind them - the Wings have a perfect opportunity to enter a rebuild.

Detroit has plenty of trade chips. Mike Green is on the last year of his deal and is essentially a lock to be moved. Jimmy Howard could help a team with goaltending issues, such as the Islanders. Gustav Nyquist could even be a nice addition for a club looking to add scoring depth.

It's unlikely, however, that Henrik Zetterberg would be dealt.

Anthony Mantha, Dylan Larkin, and Andreas Athanasiou give Detroit a solid, young core, but the team still lacks a marquee franchise player; it will need a high draft pick to obtain that star. With that in mind, the Wings need to tear down their roster to give themselves the best chance at improving their lottery slot.

(Photos courtesy: Getty Images)

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