So Shane Doan may be open to the possibility of a trade. Maybe.

The longtime captain of the Arizona Coyotes has been part of the franchise since the original Winnipeg club drafted him seventh overall in 1995. A year later, when the Jets took off for Phoenix, so did Doan, who's remained a key cog for the team ever since.

But with the 40-year-old pending free agent's career winding down and retirement looking like a real possibility, there remains a chance that Captain Coyote could end his career elsewhere in pursuit of his first Stanley Cup.

With Arizona once again mired at the bottom of the standings, the NHL playoffs won't see any home games in the desert this spring. It's a tricky situation for Doan, who recently reached the 1,500-game mark and is only the sixth player in NHL history to do so with a single team.

The veteran leader carries a complex contract complete with bonus money and deferred payments, but it's nothing that couldn't be resolved by Coyotes general manager John Chayka, particularly if he's willing to retain money in a potential deal that facilitates Doan moving to a team he's approved.

Speaking with reporters Monday, Doan acknowledged the difficulty in choosing the Cup winner, noting last year's popular picks among the pundits were the Washington Capitals and Chicago Blackhawks, while nobody pictured a Cup parade in Pittsburgh or San Jose.

Doan's longtime friend and junior teammate Jarome Iginla has experienced that difficulty too. In 2013, he gave up his spot with the only team he'd ever known in the Calgary Flames to go Cup chasing. Four years later, Iginla is still searching for that victory, with a career that somehow seems a little less special given his short stints in Pittsburgh, Boston, and Colorado in pursuit of Lord Stanley.

Still, that may not stop Doan from trying. Here are three teams that could make Doan's Cup dream a reality:

Los Angeles Kings

The Kings play a hard-nosed game under the guidance of coach Darryl Sutter, the perfect mould for Doan - while 40, he still plays a physical brand of hockey, particularly when the playoffs roll around.

In Doan's last postseason appearance, a run in which the Coyotes faced off against the Kings in the conference finals, he scored five goals and four assists while accumulating 41 penalty minutes.

There seems to be a fit for Doan in Hollywood. This season, the Kings have rotated through an underwhelming host of talent on the right side, led by former captain Dustin Brown, plus the trio of Trevor Lewis, Devin Setoguchi, and Jordan Nolan. Only two Kings have reached double-digit goals this season, and while Doan has just four markers himself, he's only a single year removed from a 28-goal campaign.

Sitting in the West's second wild-card slot, Los Angeles has experienced its share of struggles this season. Starter Jonathan Quick has missed all but one period after suffering a groin injury, and while minor-leaguer Peter Budaj has held his own in the meantime, there is no denying Quick's winning pedigree in the postseason.

With Quick set to return in March and a weak year for the field in the West, there is an opportunity for a hot team to take a trip to the Finals. Just ask the Kings, who rode an eighth-place finish in 2012 to the franchise's first Cup.

Montreal Canadiens

The Canadiens are built for speed, with a bevy of fleet-footed forwards, but the club has long needed to add bulk on the wings. Enter Doan.

Montreal lacks size on the right side: Its top three right-shot wingers are Alexander Radulov, Andrew Shaw, and Brendan Gallagher, once the latter returns from injured reserve. Not to mention Doan's veteran experience and added scoring touch are always helpful in the playoffs.

The Canadiens have cycled depth players through their bottom six this season, including Brian Flynn, Sven Andrighetto, and now Jacob de la Rose. Do any of these players improve Montreal's odds of being the first Canadian franchise to lift the Cup since the Habs did so themselves in 1993?

A move to Montreal would also mark a family reunion of sorts for Doan, who is a second cousin to Canadiens netminder Carey Price.

San Jose Sharks

If not Los Angeles, how about another California club?

In Silicon Valley, Doan would join a group of wily veterans all in pursuit of their first skate with the silver mug, particularly 37-year-old Patrick Marleau and Joe Thornton, whom Doan has long admired as a Pacific Division opponent.

Finishing his career with the Sharks would reunite Doan with Mikkel Boedker after they skated together for eight seasons in the desert, and bringing Doan to San Jose would also accomplish a longtime goal for Sharks GM Doug Wilson.

After making the Finals a year ago, only to fall to Sidney Crosby and the Penguins in a hard-fought six-game series, the Sharks could be poised for a repeat trip this spring.

Defenseman Brent Burns has found another gear this season, scoring at a better than point-per-game pace, while the Sharks' frontline threats still include the likes of Logan Couture, who missed 30 games last season, and captain Joe Pavelski. Doan could be the final piece needed to ultimately bring the Cup to the Bay Area.

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Gabriel Landeskog isn't looking for an escape.

The Colorado Avalanche captain, and a player who, if dealt, would actualize the imminent shakeup in Denver, has stated his desire to remain with the crumbling program.

"I want to be an Avalanche, to stay an Avalanche, and be in Denver for a long, long time," he told Mike Chambers of The Denver Post.

Landeskog, believed to be one of the few valuable assets general manager Joe Sakic will consider trading before the deadline on March 1, isn't allowing the chatter to affect his approach.

"Whether my name is floating around or not, I'm still approaching the game the same way," he said. "And that is to spread energy, be a good teammate, work hard and try to get better every day. Me being in trade rumors, that's nothing I can control."

A physical left-shot scoring winger that has scored at least 20 goals in each of his four 82-game seasons, and a leader that was once the youngest captain in NHL history, Landeskog isn't short of desirable traits. The trouble is finding a trade partner that's willing to move an asset the Avalanche covet, and has the cap space to entertain the final four-plus seasons on Landeskog's $39-million deal.

Among the names Sakic said the Avs won't consider moving are Nathan MacKinnon, Mikko Rantanen, and last year's No. 1 draft pick, Tyson Jost.

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An Auston Matthews Centennial Classic sweater, worn by the rookie himself at the outdoor event, has sold for $11,400 on NHL Auctions.

Bidding for the sweater began Boxing Day, and the item was sold two weeks after the Toronto Maple Leafs superstar scored the overtime winner against the Detroit Red Wings at BMO Field in Toronto.

It's obviously a lot of money to spend on memorabilia, but an investment this wealthy sports fans was willing to stomach. And who knows? It could be worth a fortune one day.

But it should be noted: Matthews wore the sweater for the first period alone. It was likely already packed up well before the rookie's overtime heroics.

- With h/t to Sportsnet

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Bruce Boudreau couldn't have asked for a much better first season in St. Paul.

The Minnesota Wild bench boss arrived in town on the promise of a new brand of hockey, and then transformed the defensively sound Wild into one of the league's most exciting clubs.

Now in the midst of an impressive 17-1-1 run - while sitting first in the Western Conference with 61 points - there's plenty of excitement in Minnesota after a few stale seasons.

The Wild's lone regulation loss since the start of December came at the hands of the high-flying Columbus Blue Jackets. That match was a clash of the titans, as both clubs entered with double-digit win streaks.

Things are going well for the Wild, whether you're talking about goalie Devan Dubnyk, who leads the entire NHL with an outstanding .940 save percentage, or defenseman Ryan Suter, who continues to be a minutes-eating presence on the blue line, or center Eric Staal, who's apparently found the fountain of youth while enjoying his best season in years.

Related: Staal matches last year's production in 42 fewer games

The winning Wild are no surprise to those who've followed Boudreau's career, as he's been no stranger to success in the regular season. After taking over the Washington Capitals in 2007, Boudreau captured four division banners before repeating that feat with the Anaheim Ducks from 2012-15.

In Minnesota, the Wild have qualified for the playoffs four years in a row, but have not made it past the second round since their third-ever season in 2002-03

This year, Minnesota appears set to make noise in the spring, but the Wild still need more from their most-valuable forward: Zach Parise.

While Boudreau has largely gotten the most out of his players this season, he has a conundrum when it comes to the veteran winger.

With just 20 points, Parise is firing his lowest production since the Minneapolis native first signed with his hometown club. It's certainly a far cry from the 94-point campaign Parise put together with the New Jersey Devils in 2009-10, or the 176 points he notched over two seasons in the Garden State.

The Wild gave Parise a massive 13-year, $98-million pact in the summer of 2012. While he was fairly steady through his first four seasons in town, things haven't been so rosy in Year 5.

The 32-year-old has undoubtedly dealt with his share of struggles this season, from spending six games on the sidelines with a lower-body injury to a trio of missed matches due to illness.

Thankfully for Boudreau, Parise's game has turned around as of late, with the winger recording five points during the Wild's three-game road swing against the San Jose Sharks, Los Angeles Kings, and Ducks.

"Those were his best three games of the season," Boudreau told Dane Mizutani of the Twin Cities Pioneer Press. "Those were very important points for him. If we can sustain him, it makes our team an awful lot better."

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Minnesota Wild prospect Joel Eriksson Ek will remain overseas as a member of Farjestads BK for the remainder of the Swedish Hockey League season.

The deadline to recall the talented forward and former first-round pick was Jan. 15, as TSN's Bob McKenzie noted Tuesday.

Eriksson Ek began the season with the Wild, scoring twice and adding three assists in nine games. He scored his first NHL goal on his first shot.

The Wild can bolster their playoff roster with Eriksson Ek if Farjestads' season ends before theirs.

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Follow theScore's fantasy feed on Twitter (@theScoreFantasy) for the latest news, features and more. And download Squad Up, theScore's free-to-win-money sports game.

Here is a look at the Squad Up daily NHL fantasy picture for Tuesday, Jan. 17 (all advanced statistics courtesy of Corsica.Hockey and apply to 5v5 situations):

Dynamic Duos

• C Auston Matthews (72K) & RW Connor Brown (27K), Maple Leafs (vs. Sabres): The Maple Leafs had an off day Monday while the Sabres played in one the NHL's early games on the holiday afternoon. Toronto will have the added benefit of last change, allowing Matthews to be deployed in the best situations and subsequently take advantage of Buffalo's lack of depth up front and on the back end.

• LW Chris Kreider (60K) & C Derek Stepan (56K), Rangers (vs. Stars): The Stars visited the Sabres on Monday afternoon, dropping a 4-1 decision. LW Jamie Benn's 16:26 of ice time was his lowest total in three games back from injury. New York's first line owns a Corsi For rating of 55.75 percent in over 250 minutes together. Kreider has registered four shots on goal in three of his past four games.

• LW Artemi Panarin (59K) & RW Patrick Kane (87K), Blackhawks (at Avalanche): Always a popular play, Panarin and Kane are in excellent position to reach their respective ceilings Tuesday. Colorado's 58.85 shot attempts faced per 60 minutes ranks as the sixth-worst total in the league. Colorado lacks a defense pairing capable of handling Chicago's top two stars.

Goalie Breakdown

• TARGET - Pekka Rinne (75K), Predators (at Canucks): Rinne stopped 57 of 60 shots while picking up consecutive wins, including Nashville's 2-1 overtime victory over the Canucks last Tuesday. Vancouver's 1.99 Expected Goals For per 60 minutes on home ice ranks 29th in the NHL, as does its 48.99 shot attempts.

• BARGAIN - Mike Condon (83K), Senators (at Blues): The Blues lack any discernible home-ice advantage this season, as they rank 28th in Expected Goals For per 60 minutes at just 2.15. Condon allowed four goals on 27 shots in his most recent game, but he had allowed just one goal in two of his three previous starts.

• FADE - Anders Nilsson (103K), Sabres (at Maple Leafs): Nilsson is expected to draw in for G Robin Lehner for the second half of Buffalo's back-to-back. He allowed eight goals on 66 total shots on goal while making consecutive starts in place of Lehner last Thursday and Friday. He's utterly unworthy of such a lofty salary.

• CONTRARIAN - Roberto Luongo (84K), Panthers (at Flames): Luongo allowed four goals in 41 shots by the New York Islanders in his most recent start, two days after holding the same opponent to just one goal on 30 shots. He has faced no less than 28 SOG in each of his past nine full games. Florida's worsening defense provides a high floor and high ceiling for their backstop.

Bargain Plays

• LW Brock McGinn (25K), Hurricanes (at Blue Jackets): McGinn has been on quite the run of late, scoring four goals in his past three games. More reliably, he has been credited with three SOG in each of the three games picking up three assists with a plus-five rating. He doesn't receive time on the power play, but is locked into a second-line role at 5v5.

• RW Pavel Buchnevich (27K), Rangers (vs. Stars): Buchnevich has picked up an assist in each of his two games since returning from an injury which had him sidelined since mid-November. The Rangers are also expected to have C Mika Zibanejad back in Tuesday's lineup; he has been out since mid-November as well. The two will form the second line with RW Rick Nash.

• D Nikita Zaitsev (29K), Maple Leafs (vs. Sabres): Zaitsev has played at least 22 minutes in each of his past nine games, reaching a high of 25:46. He plays on the top 5v5 pairing beside Morgan Rielly, but he doesn't participate on either power-play unit.

Top Fades

• C Nathan MacKinnon (66K), Avalanche (vs. Blackhawks): MacKinnon has two goals in his past three games, but he had two or fewer SOG in three of his last four. Similarly to his team as a whole, MacKinnon has been more productive on the road this season, picking up four more points in one fewer game.

• LW Taylor Hall (61K), Devils (at Wild): Hall has scored a goal in each of his past two games, racking up 10 SOG in the process. He'll face a Wild team ranking in the top third of the league with just 53.06 shot attempts allowed per 60 minutes. G Devan Dubnyk will further lower Hall's likelihood of continuing his streak.

• D John Klingberg (44K), Stars (at Rangers): Klingberg played 24:56 in Monday's loss to the Sabres, tallying just two SOG and failing to pick up a point. He had four goals and four assists in six previous January games but the points came on just 11 SOG. His floor is too low at a high salary.

Contrarian Options

• RW James Neal (56K), Predators (at Canucks): Neal has been held point-less in his first two games back from injury, playing a high of just 17:19 in ice time. He also recorded just a single shot in each game. He is met with another favorable matchup Tuesday, and his role should grow after another two days of rest.

• LW Brandon Saad (62K), Blue Jackets (vs. Hurricanes): Saad has just one goal and zero assists in January. He has been held without a shot on goal in two games and has just three in his past two outings. He should regain his production in a matchup against Hurricanes G Cam Ward, who has a save percentage of just .906 on the road.

• C Mitchell Marner (55K), Maple Leafs (vs. Sabres): Marner has six assists in his past three games, but he has gone four games without a goal and had no shots in each of his past two. The Sabres will do all they can to have D Rasmus Ristolainen face Matthews' line, leaving Marner to face weaker defensive coverage.

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Every Tuesday, theScore's editors will examine the fortunes of the north's seven NHL franchises. Welcome to "O Canada."

With the season at its halfway mark, let's take a moment to reflect on the seven Canadian franchises and their highs and lows of an exciting 2016-17 campaign.

Calgary Flames

The Take: The Flames entered the season with Canada's expectations on their shoulders, anticipated to be the nation's lone playoff entry in the West.

After 46 games, the Flames are clinging to a postseason berth with 49 points. Calgary's had its share of surprises this season, beginning in goal. After the Flames made a draft-day deal that sent two picks to the St. Louis Blues to bring goaltender Brian Elliott to Alberta, he was expected to run with the starter's role. Through 21 games, though, Elliott's come up with just eight wins, paving the way for free-agent addition Chad Johnson to take over. He's done just that, owning a 15-10-1 record on the season.

Most troubling has been the Flames' ability to be average. The club sits 18th in goals for, goals against, and on the penalty kill, while its play on the man advantage sees a bit of an uptick as the league's 12th-best. In the forward ranks, after scoring 64 points a year ago, winger Johnny Gaudreau hasn't been as offensively productive this season, with 28 points on the year and on pace to finish with a lower total than in 2015-16. Fellow forward Sean Monahan has also experienced a disappointing slide; he's on pace for 44 points after finishing with 63 last season. That could lead to a short tenure for coach Glen Gulutzan, who signed on to a one-year deal.

The Grade: C

Edmonton Oilers

The Take: At this point in the season, Oilers fans are usually accustomed to poring over draft rankings and calculating their best lottery odds. Not this year.

Things are finally on the up and up in Edmonton, where phenom forward Connor McDavid has been the piece needed to finally turn around the franchise. The Oilers are in playoff contention, holding down the second seed in the Pacific Division with a 24-15-7 record. Beyond McDavid, the Oilers have gotten key performances from a handful of players - most notably Cam Talbot, who's solidified things in goal, appearing in all but five games and collecting 23 victories.

Credit goes to Oilers general manager Peter Chiarelli, who made the wrong kind of headlines with the summer deal where he shipped former top pick Taylor Hall to the New Jersey Devils for young blue-liner Adam Larsson. Larsson has been a critical cog in stabilizing Edmonton's defense alongside the likes of Andrej Sekera, Oscar Klefbom, and Kris Russell, and the Oilers appear poised to advance to the postseason for the first time in more than a decade.

The Grade: B

Montreal Canadiens

The Take: The Canadiens were roasted all offseason following a deal that sent blue-liner P.K. Subban to Nashville. While the trade landed stalwart Shea Weber in Montreal, the Canadians took heat for getting rid of a new-age blue-liner in his prime to bring in an aging defenseman.

But all Weber has done since arriving in Montreal is stabilize the team's back end and act as a key leader for a team that's once again in Stanley Cup contention. Another former Predator, forward Alexander Radulov, has been a revelation through his first season in Montreal, putting up 32 points through 43 games. Sitting atop the Atlantic Division, the Canadiens have seemingly coasted through the regular season, with their closest divisional foe trailing by nine points.

The Canadiens have battled through their share of injuries - forwards David Desharnais and Brendan Gallagher are currently shelved. The club also maintained its strong play despite the long-term loss of Alex Galchenyuk. Through that stretch, the Canadiens posted a 9-5-4 mark while missing their top center. As always, Carey Price remains a rock in goal, owning a 21-8-4 record and .922 save percentage on the season.

The Grade: A

Ottawa Senators

The Take: The Senators had a relatively quiet offseason, but their biggest move may have been the installation of coach Guy Boucher behind the bench.

Thanks to Boucher's efforts, the Senators are a tough team to play against, allowing just 107 goals through the team's first 41 games - the fifth-lowest mark league-wide. That's despite losing starter Craig Anderson, who's taken a leave of absence to be with his ill wife. Waiver claim turned No. 1 netminder Mike Condon has held down the fort in his stead. Since arriving in Ottawa in mid-October, Condon has grabbed the starter's role and posted a 10-7-3 record, with Saturday's game against the Toronto Maple Leafs marking his 18th straight start.

While things have been tight defensively, the Senators simply need more scoring. Blue-liner Erik Karlsson is once again the team's top producer, tallying 35 points, while winger Mark Stone leads the forward corps with 0.8 points per game. The Senators' 105 goals rank ahead of only four clubs, so you can understand why GM Pierre Dorion is on the lookout to add offense.

The Grade: B

Toronto Maple Leafs

The Take: After finishing dead last a year ago and earning the right to select Scottsdale-born Auston Matthews first overall, the belief was that the Maple Leafs faced a slow climb up the standings. How wrong we were.

With Matthews as the biggest piece of the team's future, the Maple Leafs are led by an exciting host of young talent - Matthews and fellow forwards Mitch Marner and William Nylander grab highlight-reel goals in seemingly every game. All three could be in the mix for rookie of the year honors, with the No. 1 pick likely having the best odds. Through 41 games, he's collected 21 goals and 16 assists in the type of performance that could make Matthews the first Toronto player to capture the Calder Trophy since Brit Selby did so in 1966.

Beyond the rookies, forward Nazem Kadri is also worthy of mention. He's taken on a key checking role under coach Mike Babcock while also impressively scoring 18 goals on the season, just two back of his NHL best. With 48 points in 41 in games, the Maple Leafs hold down the third seed in the Atlantic, and if they keep it up, the team will return to the postseason for just the second time since 2004.

The Grade: B

Vancouver Canucks

The Take: Darts were aimed at Canucks GM Jim Benning for his club's seeming lack of direction. Pundits and many a fan screamed for a teardown rebuild, while Canucks management insisted the postseason is the goal, at least while the Sedin twins are still around.

Through 45 games, the Canucks sit within striking distance of the playoffs, only two points back of the Los Angeles Kings for the West's second wild-card slot. It's been a streaky season in Vancouver, to say the least. After starting the campaign 4-0, the Canucks went winless through their next nine matches. More recently, the Canucks rattled off a six-game win streak before the Flames ended that run Jan. 7. The club has just one regulation loss since returning from the Christmas break, going 6-1-3 over that stretch.

Benning's reported plan from here is to stand pat and retain his team's draft picks, seeing no reason to send up-and-coming talent out the door in order to aid a playoff push. As for the Sedins, both are closing in on the 1,000-point plateau, combining for 53 points on the season.

The Grade: C

Winnipeg Jets

The Take: The Jets have been one of the league's most exciting teams to keep an eye on, led by a crop of young talent and headlined by a Finnish scoring sensation. Those seem to roll through Winnipeg every few decades.

When the club chose Patrik Laine second overall in last year's NHL entry draft, he wasn't expected to make an immediate impact, but Laine has lived up to the challenge. Despite concussion concerns that have kept him out of the lineup for the past five games, Laine continues to lead the Jets in goals, already with 21 on the season. That's tied with Matthews for the most by a freshman, while only two players - the Kings' Jeff Carter and superstar Sidney Crosby - have found the back of the net more often than Laine.

While the Jets have seen plenty of action at one end of the rink, things haven't been as rosy in their own zone. The young goaltending duo of Connor Hellebuyck and Michael Hutchinson has struggled. After banishing veteran keeper Ondrej Pavelec to the minors during training camp, the club recalled Pavelec earlier Tuesday in an effort to clean up the crease.

The Grade: C

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These are trying times for Mike Smith.

The All-Star representative for the last-place Arizona Coyotes couldn't veil his frustration after another strong performance in a losing effort on Monday night versus the Edmonton Oilers.

"You feel it in here. There was no life," Smith said after the 3-1 loss. "There was no emotion; you could feel it on the ice. We were just playing. It was blah. It was blah. You can't play like that and expect to compete against a really good hockey team. That's what we did tonight.

"We have to learn from it," he added. "Sooner or later this organization has to move forward."

He added a little later on his scrum: "We've got too many guys that aren't doing enough to push this thing along."

Ryan Nugent-Hopkins beat Smith with the Oilers' second shot of the game, but the Coyotes netminder held his team, stopping the next 16 shots he faced. But as Arizona failed to mount an attack, Edmonton was able to put the game out of reach past the midway mark of the second with goals from Jujhar Khaira and Leon Draisaitl.

"I was trying to hold the fort there as long as I could," Smith said. "Unfortunately, couldn't quite hold them off long enough."

Smith's best moment came just before Edmonton's breakthrough. He made an incredible glove stop on Jordan Eberle, who threw up his stick thinking he had beat Smith's glove on the breakaway.

Though Smith may welcome a trade to a contending team, his contract makes a potential move nearly impossible. He has another two seasons at a $5.67-million cap hit before reaching unrestricted free agency in 2019.

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Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner, and Matt Martin were the latest NHLers to take part in Barstool Sports' Goalie Challenge.

The Toronto Maple Leafs teammates swung by the Barstool office while in New York last month, taking turns firing shots at founder David Portnoy, a.k.a. "El Presidente." Marner started off with a disappointing mark of 1-for-10, but fared much better during the second round.

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The San Jose Sharks know a pair of sales tools when they see 'em.

Brent Burns, Joe Thornton, and their famous beards starred in a hilarious new commercial promoting team ticket sales wherein they cheer on another bearded fella in a barbershop.

Thornton screaming "Oil it up, baby!" will forever be funny.

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