Anaheim Ducks forward Ryan Getzlaf, Washington Capitals forward Alex Ovechkin, and Nashville Predators forward Filip Forsberg have been named the NHL's Three Stars of the Month, the league announced Tuesday.
The red-hot Getzlaf earned first star honors with six goals and 14 assists in 14 games, leading the Ducks to a 12-1-1 record in February.
Ryan Getzlaf's played 56 games this season & it's been a tale of 2 halves, especially in regards to his goal scoring pic.twitter.com/UZ33lh9k41
— StatsCentre (@StatsCentre) February 27, 2016
Ovechkin was named second star after scoring at nearly a goal-per-game clip in February. He tallied 12 goals in 13 games, highlighted by his league-leading 40th marker.
Forsberg took home the third star after leading the Predators to a 7-3-3 record. The 21-year-old matched Ovechkin with 12 goals in 13 games, and recorded a pair of natural hat tricks.
.@EliasSports: Filip Forsberg is the first player from any team to record multiple natural hat tricks in three/fewer games since Nov. 1986.
— Adam Vingan (@AdamVingan) February 27, 2016
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With an 11-point cushion in the Presidents' Trophy race, it's no surprise oddsmakers have pinned the Washington Capitals as the favorite to win the Stanley Cup.
Oddsmakers Bodog released the latest betting odds Tuesday, and once again the first-place Capitals are leading the charge.
Here's how all 30 teams stack up:
Latest Stanley Cup odds from Bovada. pic.twitter.com/6G6Bqb0FCe
— Mark Stepneski (@StarsInsideEdge) March 1, 2016
On the flip side, it appears the bottom four teams - the Buffalo Sabres, Columbus Blue Jackets, Edmonton Oilers, and Toronto Maple Leafs - are all too far out for oddsmakers to consider.
Meanwhile, Chicago Blackhawks forward Patrick Kane remains the favorite to win the Hart Trophy with an advantage over goaltender Braden Holtby.
Despite missing over half the season, Edmonton Oilers forward Connor McDavid now sits second with odds of 5-1 to win the Calder Trophy. He trails Blackhawks forward Artemi Panarin, who leads at 3-10 odds of bringing home the hardware.
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Suspended Anaheim Ducks center Shawn Horcoff was back at practice for the first time Tuesday since it was announced in January that he had violated the NHL and NHLPA's Performance Enhancing Substances Program.
Though he can skate with the team now, after a month of inaction, he will not be at head coach Bruce Boudreau's disposal until March 11.
Horcoff had 10 points through 45 games in his first season with Anaheim, which has shot up the league standings in his absence.
The Ducks acquired two bottom-six players at the trade deadline in Brandon Pirri and Jamie McGinn.
Horcoff is an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season.
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Edmonton Oilers forward Connor McDavid was named the NHL's Rookie of the Month for February, the league announced Tuesday.
McDavid edged Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere and Chicago Blackhawks forward Artemi Panarin for the honor after an absolutely dominant 14-game stretch in his return from a 37-game absence on Feb. 2.
Connor McDavid (@EdmontonOilers), who led all rookies with 5-12—17 in 14 GP, named Rookie of the Month for February. https://t.co/Vd36X7pOdy
— NHL Public Relations (@PR_NHL) March 1, 2016
The highlight of the month came when he recorded a career-high five-point performance against the Toronto Maple Leafs on Feb. 11.
The 19-year-old phenom now has 10 goals and 19 assists in 27 games, averaging 1.07 points per game.
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The Connor McDavid effect will be put to the test once again Tuesday.
Nail Yakupov is staying put past the trade deadline, and it appears he'll have every opportunity to show the Edmonton Oilers what he's capable of in the final 18 games of the season. With Benoit Pouliot reportedly sidelined indefinitely due to a separated shoulder, Yakupov will slot in next to McDavid and Jordan Eberle on Edmonton's top line against the Buffalo Sabres.
"He's been waiting for this opportunity & we're giving it to him. We expect big things." Coach McLellan on Yak joining McDavid & Eberle
— Edmonton Oilers (@EdmontonOilers) March 1, 2016
The 22-year-old forward has struggled mightily this season, failing to register a point in his last five games, while recording just three goals in 20 contests since returning from an ankle injury on Jan. 14. The good news is, McDavid can certainly elevate his play.
Two-thirds of Yakupov's 15 points in 42 games this season have come while playing on a line with McDavid:
| Games | Points | |
|---|---|---|
| With McDavid | 13 | 10 |
| Without McDavid | 29 | 5 |
Growth in production is nothing new for players playing alongside the 19-year-old rookie phenom:
| Player | Games Without McDavid | Points | Games With McDavid | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jordan Eberle | 37 | 22 | 14 | 16 |
| Benoit Pouliot | 34 | 14 | 27 | 21 |
Amid endless speculation surrounding Yakupov's future with the Oilers, there's clearly no better time than now for the former first overall pick to turn his career around. If not, it's certainly possible he could find himself playing somewhere else in the near future.
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