The Toronto Maple Leafs suffered a devastating blow Thursday, as captain John Tavares will miss a minimum of two weeks with a broken finger.

For the top-heavy Maple Leafs, losing one of their elite centers stings a little more than it might for any other club. The 29-year-old scored a career-high 47 goals last season and was riding a four-game point streak in the early stages of this campaign.

There is now a gaping hole down the middle of Toronto's lineup. It appears unlikely the Maple Leafs will recall a forward, so let's take a look at the players who are already on the roster and determine the team's best options moving forward, in no particular order:

Option 1: Spezza gets bigger role

The Maple Leafs' best line of Johnsson, Matthews, and Nylander stays intact in this shuffle. Kerfoot has played well in his first season with the club and gets rewarded with a promotion to the top six and a chance to play with Marner.

Spezza has been in head coach Mike Babcock's dog house since his arrival this summer, but he'd get to play in a more offensive role on the team's third line. The 36-year-old doesn't move around the ice as quickly as he used to but would be flanked by two speedy, hard-working wingers in Moore and Kapanen. Moore and Mikheyev could also easily be flipped in any of these scenarios.

Option 2: Goat gets rewarded

The top six from Option 1 remain the same here. The big difference is that Gauthier gets a chance to center the team's third line. "The Goat" has played surprisingly well this season and seemed to earn the trust of Babcock, as he's played in all eight of the team's games while the other fourth-liners rotate.

Gauthier's offensive ceiling is severely limited, though, and he's probably better in a fourth-line role despite his strong play in the early going.

We've also inserted Petan into the lineup as there's no longer a need for Shore's right-handed faceoff abilities with Spezza back on the fourth line.

Option 3: Nylander moves to center

Option 3 makes for the biggest shake-up. We've moved Nylander to his natural position of center and split up the top line. Though he's probably better suited for the wing, Nylander has performed adequately here in the past. This gives the team its best possible center depth, as it moves Kerfoot back down to the third line.

This also gives Matthews and Marner a rare chance to play together at five-on-five. Babcock has been reluctant to do so since the pair entered the league in 2016, but this could be the best time to see if it works for an extended period.

Like Option 1, Spezza gets a top-nine role in this scenario, though he's handed far less responsibility playing on the wing.

Who goes to the top power play?

With new assistant coaches, Toronto's power play has featured a new look this year. Defenseman Morgan Rielly remains at the point, but Marner and Matthews flipped sides to be in better shooting positions. Tavares moved from in front of the net to the slot/bumper position, and Johnsson is in front of the net.

Tavares' absence changes things. The most logical solution is to promote Nylander to the No. 1 power play. He's the team's most skilled - and perhaps deserving - player who's not on the top unit, and could easily slide into Tavares' spot.

Blue-liner Tyson Barrie also provides an intriguing option after racking up 25 power-play points with the Colorado Avalanche last season. He could give the top unit a right-handed one-timer from the left half-wall, which would force Marner to move into the middle where Tavares was. This would require Jake Muzzin to play the point on the second power-play unit.

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Vegas Golden Knights forward Valentin Zykov has been suspended 20 games without pay for violating the NHL/NHLPA performance-enhancing substances program, the league announced Thursday.

The team issued the following statement, agreeing with the league's ruling:

"We were notified by the NHL and NHLPA that Valentin has violated the terms of the NHL/NHLPA performance-enhancing substances program. We monitor the nutrition, supplement intake, and overall diet of our athletes on a continual basis throughout our entire season. Valentin knowingly used a banned substance without the consent, recommendation, or knowledge of our team. We support the NHL/NHLPA performance-enhancing substances program and respect the decision here."

This is the second time in as many years that a Golden Knights player has been booked for PEDs, as defenseman Nate Schmidt received a 20-game ban to begin last season.

The team took a vastly different stance with Schmidt's suspension, though, stating at the time that it "strongly disagreed" with the ruling. During the appeal, it was revealed that only seven-billionths of a milligram of the substance was found in Schmidt's system - equivalent to a pinch of salt in an Olympic swimming pool. An expert concluded that there was no evidence of intentional use.

Zykov says he isn't sure how the banned substance got into his body.

"While I haven't been able to discover how I tested positive, I understand that I am responsible for what is in my body and will accept this penalty," he said in a statement. "I want to apologize to my family, my teammates, and the Golden Knights organization and fans. I will work hard during my suspension to ensure that I put myself in the best possible position to contribute to my team when my suspension is over."

The 24-year-old winger had two assists in seven games this season while playing in a bottom-six role.

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New Jersey Devils assistant general manager Tom Fitzgerald will join John Hynes' coaching staff and serve as an assistant coach, the team announced Wednesday.

There is no timeline for Fitzgerald's duties behind the bench. He will serve as a sounding board for coaches and players until the club "gets on track," the team's public relations department said, per NHL.com's Mike Morreale.

Hynes suggested having Fitzgerald on the coaching staff, according to Devils reporter Amanda Stein.

On Oct. 8, Hynes was listed at +900 to be the first coach fired this season. This trailed only Jim Montgomery (+400), Peter DeBoer (+500), Rick Tocchet (+600), and Bruce Boudreau (+700), and tied him with Paul Maurice.

Hynes is in his fifth season as New Jersey's head coach and has just one postseason appearance to his name.

On Tuesday, TSN's Bob McKenzie reported Devils GM Ray Shero is not considering a coaching change at this time.

Shero made a number of splashes this offseason, trading for P.K. Subban and Nikita Gusev, signing Wayne Simmonds in free agency, and drafting Jack Hughes first overall. The overhaul came with high expectations, but the club is off to an 0-4-2 start.

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The 2019 Stanley Cup champion St. Louis Blues visited the White House on Tuesday, and President Donald Trump was pleased to have them in the Oval Office.

The ceremony didn't start off on a high note. The White House public address announcer apparently didn't have a copy of the NHL pronunciation guide and struggled with the surname of captain Alex Pietrangelo (puh-TRAN-geh-loh).

Trump's time at the mic featured no shortage of memorable moments, including this exchange with goaltender Jordan Binnington.

The president then took a jab at sports agents while bragging about the trade deal he made with China.

Trump brought veteran forward Alexander Steen front and center to show the crowd what toughness looks like. Steen, stereotypical of hockey players, has missing teeth, and Trump jokingly asked the crowd, "Do you think I could take him in a fight?"

White House visits from the NFL and NBA champions have become either rare or nonexistent since Trump took office, but Stanley Cup winners have been a constant. MLB champions have also continued to visit, but some players and staff have declined to attend, including many stars from the 2018 Boston Red Sox and the team's manager.

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It was San Jose or bust for Patrick Marleau.

The Sharks icon, who officially signed a one-year, $700,000 deal Wednesday, was intent on a reunion in the Bay Area all along, according to his agent Pat Brisson.

"Carolina had interest in Patrick for him to be part of the team this season, however, Patrick wanted to be a Shark at all costs. He will retire as a Shark," Brisson said in an email to Curtis Pashelka of The Mercury News. "At that point, I started communicating with (Sharks general manager) Doug Wilson on a regular basis in order to try making it work."

Marleau was traded from the Maple Leafs to the Hurricanes in June and then bought out by Carolina days later. While Marleau was seeking a return home, the Leafs were intent on getting rid of his $6.25-million cap hit. Would he have stayed in Toronto if it weren't for the club's cap crunch?

"We'll never know," Marleau said with a smile.

For a while, it seemed as though a reunion with the Sharks wasn't going to be in the cards.

On Sept. 4, Brisson said there was no fit between the Sharks and Marleau and that he'd pursue other opportunities for his client. The Sharks were intent on giving some younger players a long look in training camp.

"The Sharks have made promises and commitments to their young players as part of their development," Brisson wrote to Pashelka. "If they were to look at bringing a veteran player, obviously Patrick was going to be Doug’s choice all along."

For Marleau, who rented ice in the Bay Area on his own dime to stay in shape, the uncertainty wasn't easy.

"It was a really … difficult situation," he said. "There were a lot of ups and downs. I'll leave it at that."

Marleau, who had two goals in his season debut Thursday while playing on the Sharks' top line, will play his first home game in teal this season Sunday night against the Calgary Flames.

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Jake DeBrusk almost had a goal and an assist on Thursday night against the Colorado Avalanche, but the winger remains pointless on the season due to a couple of calls that went against his Boston Bruins.

First, DeBrusk assisted this disallowed goal by Karson Kuhlman, which was called back for goalie interference on David Krejci.

Later, DeBrusk thought he'd finally gotten off the schneid when he roofed one on the power play, but that goal was called back for an offside during the zone entry.

The two goals wound up being the difference in the contest, as the Avs went on to win 4-2. DeBrusk was notably frustrated afterward - from both a personal and a team perspective.

"Any time that you get production finally and it gets taken away from you - twice - it’s just one of those things where, you know, I almost don’t believe it but at the same time that’s how things are going for me," he said.

"I scored and had an assist tonight, but they got pulled back. We should’ve won this game 4-2, but honestly, those weren’t goals, I guess. One was offside and goaltender interference. They looked at it and called it how it was. I don’t think it’s going to snowball, but it's definitely pissing me off, for sure."

DeBrusk scored a career-high 27 goals in 68 games last year. Now in his third NHL campaign, many pundits had predicted a breakout season for the 22-year-old, but he's off to a slow - and perhaps unlucky - start through four games.

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It appears more dominos could fall after Patrick Marleau became the first veteran unrestricted free agent to find a home during the season.

There is "significant interest" from a number of teams in 34-year-old center Brian Boyle, TSN's Bob McKenzie reported on Tuesday's edition of "Insider Trading."

Boyle split last season between the New Jersey Devils and the Nashville Predators, scoring 18 goals - the second-highest mark of his career - and adding six assists in 73 games. The 6-foot-6, 245-pounder also threw 145 hits and won 51.1% of his faceoffs, although he doesn't move around the ice as quickly as he used to.

The 40-year-old Marleau returned to the San Jose Sharks on a reported one-year deal for the league minimum ($700K) on Tuesday. In addition to Boyle, veteran names such as Dion Phaneuf, Jason Pominville, Thomas Vanek, Andrew MacDonald, Jamie McGinn, Adam McQuaid, and Scott Darling all find themselves unemployed with the season underway.

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The San Jose Sharks have reached out to free-agent forward Patrick Marleau's camp, according to TSN's Pierre LeBrun.

A couple of other teams are also in the mix for Marleau's services, LeBrun added.

Marleau had one season remaining on the three-year, $18.75-million contract he signed with the Toronto Maple Leafs in 2017, but he was traded to the Carolina Hurricanes this summer and was bought out shortly thereafter. The 40-year-old was hoping to rejoin the Sharks, but his agent Pat Brisson said in September that the fit between the two sides wasn't there.

At the time, the Sharks wanted to give younger players a chance to play, but it appears general manager Doug Wilson may have changed his mind. So far this season, six rookies have cracked San Jose's lineup during the team's 0-3-0 start.

Joe Thornton believes his old teammate still deserves to be in the NHL.

"(Marleau) should be playing somewhere," Thornton said, according to The Athletic's Kevin Kurz. "I expect he'll be somewhere soon. He skates with us in the summer and he's still the best skater on the ice."

Marleau had one of the NHL's most impressive ironman streaks going, as he went 10 straight seasons from 2009-10 to 2018-19 without missing a single game. But perhaps aside from his durability, Marleau's greatest asset was his speed - even in his late-30s.

However, his play tailed off in the 2018-19 season with the Leafs, as his 16 goals and 37 points were his lowest totals since his rookie campaign in 1997-98.

Marleau remains the Sharks' all-time leader in games played, goals, and points. He and Thornton formed one of the league's most prolific duos during their time together in the Bay Area, and the pair won two Olympic gold medals while skating on a line for Team Canada in 2010 and 2014.

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Just two games into his tenure with the Minnesota Wild, Mats Zuccarello has already made it abundantly clear he's his own harshest critic.

"I haven't played good at all," Zuccarello said, according to Dane Mizutani of the Pioneer Press. "It's just making plays. I feel like I don't see anyone out there. I don't know. I've got to be better. I've been terrible."

Zuccarello, who typically has outstanding vision, was one of the league's most underrated wingers over the past six seasons with the New York Rangers. Although he suffered an injury in his first regular-season game with the Dallas Stars after they acquired him at last season's trade deadline, he performed well in the playoffs, tallying 11 points in 13 games.

But after signing a lucrative five-year, $30-million contract with the Wild as a free agent this summer, the 32-year-old is having a hard time gelling with his new squad.

"If you're coming to a new team, you want to show them why they signed you, and you want to do everything in that first game," Zuccarello said. "It's simple plays that I normally do that right now are difficult for me. Just think positive and have confidence and make the play when it's there."

With Zuccarello on the ice at five-on-five, the Wild have been outshot 17-7, outscored 4-0, and have generated just one high-danger scoring chance while allowing seven, according to Natural Stat Trick. He's been held without a point through two games.

Zuccarello has been playing right wing on the club's top line with center Eric Staal and a rotating cast of left-wingers. After Zach Parise and Ryan Donato both got opportunities in that role, it now appears Marcus Foligno will get a shot as the Wild attempt to find the right mix. Zuccarello believes he's the common denominator.

"It's more me," he said. "It's about finding my spot and getting comfortable with myself on the ice. I think my teammates do a really good job talking to me and giving me confidence."

Minnesota is winless through its first two contests. Luckily for Zuccarello and his new team, there's plenty of time to turn the season around.

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The Winnipeg Jets will have their top defenseman back in the lineup on Tuesday against the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Although Josh Morrissey missed Sunday's game against the New York Islanders after suffering a lower-body injury in warmup, he's now good to go, according to The Athletic's Ken Wiebe.

The Jets' depleted defense will yet again have a different look on Tuesday, though. Veteran Dmitry Kulikov is away for a personal matter and former AHL defenseman of the year Sami Niku has been recalled from the minors, Wiebe added.

Winnipeg's blue line underwent major reconstruction this summer. Jacob Trouba was traded to the New York Rangers, Tyler Myers and Ben Chiarot departed in free agency, and Dustin Byfuglien is contemplating retirement.

Morrissey has been thrust into No. 1 duties, while Neal Pionk and 2019 first-rounder Ville Heinola - both of whom were acquired in the Trouba trade - have logged big minutes. Journeymen Anthony Bitetto, Tucker Poolman, and Carl Dahlstrom round out the defense corps.

The Jets have allowed 14 goals in three contests, though poor goaltending has also played a part.

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