Everyone associated with the Detroit Red Wings has to be crossing their fingers.

Defenseman Niklas Kronwall, who suffered a right knee sprain on March 12, is feeling good and hopeful about returning to the lineup Saturday against the Florida Panthers, according to MLive.com's Ansar Khan.

The Swede was expected out one-to-three weeks, so while he's technically on track to return, his presence would be huge for Detroit, as the Red Wings are fighting for their playoff lives. Detroit has a one-point lead over the Philadelphia Flyers for the second wild-card spot in the East, but Philly has two games in hand and is rolling - the Flyers have won two in a row and eight of 10.

Kronwall has three goals and 17 assists in 53 games, averaging 22:58 in ice time per game.

Also on the Red Wings' back end, head coach Jeff Blashill confirmed that Jimmy Howard will start in the crease against Florida. Petr Mrazek is ill and didn't practice Friday.

Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

President Frank Underwood will be in the building.

Kevin Spacey, the star of Netflix's "House of Cards" and an unexpected source of motivation for the first-place Florida Panthers, will be in attendance at Saturday's game in Sunrise, Fla., according to the Miami Herald's George Richards.

Need proof? Spacey's bag is packed.

The Panthers are mum on the actor's appearance, Richards writes, but it's expected that he'll drop the puck for a ceremonial faceoff before the game.

The Sun Sentinel's Harvey Fialkov, with his finger on the pulse, confirmed Spacey's appearance.

This all began with a sweatshirt: "Spacey in Space." No one knows exactly what it means, or what the motivation behind it was, but it's taken on a life of its own, the club even selling "Spacey in Space" merchandise.

It's a movement, is what it is. A lifestyle. And it's working for the Panthers.

Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Nashville Predators general manager David Poile is hopeful.

Appearing on Sportsnet's "Hockey Central At Noon" on Friday, Poile said he's "cautiously optimistic" he'll be able to get Harvard's Jimmy Vesey's signature on a contract after his collegiate season ends, according to Sportsnet's Chris Johnston.

Vesey was drafted in the second round by the Predators in 2012 and is completing his senior season with the Crimson. He has 23 goals and 21 assists in 30 games and is a finalist for this year's Hobey Baker Award, which honors NCAA Division I's finest hockey player.

The Predators hold down the first wild-card spot in the Western Conference, so if Vesey signs, his first taste of the NHL could come in the playoffs.

Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Dallas Stars volume scorer Tyler Seguin will miss the next three-to-four weeks after suffering a cut to his Achilles, the team announced Friday.

Seguin had surgery Friday morning to stitch up a 15 percent cut of the tendon, Mike Heika of the Dallas Morning News reports.

Stars general manager Jim Nill expects Seguin will be available for the start of the playoffs, which are about three-and-a-half weeks away.

Seguin is tied for third in NHL scoring, contributing 33 goals and 40 assists in 72 games.

Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Stephen Johns has more reason to celebrate.

Just a few hours after scoring his first NHL goal in a win over the Tampa Bay Lightning, the Dallas Stars announced Friday that the 23-year-old defenseman has signed a two-year contract extension.

Financial terms have not been disclosed.

Dallas acquired Johns from the Chicago Blackhawks in a package that included Patrick Sharp last summer. He's spent the first five months of the season with Texas of the American Hockey League before injuries to the Stars' blue line resulted in his recall.

The 6-foot-4, 225-pounder was drafted in the second round in 2010, and was scheduled to become a restricted free agent.

Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Reebok has produced special-edition New York Islanders sneakers, paying homage to the team's string of titles in the early 1980s, in association with New York's Extra Butter.

The "Dynasty" Reebok Ventilator Supreme features some incredible detail, including Al Arbour's win total with the Islanders on the tongue, the Stanley Cup seasons on the back, and skate-inspired laces.

In a few decades, you can probably expect these in black and red.

Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Winning the Atlantic Division may not matter all that much to the Tampa Bay Lightning. But after fumbling a lead in the third period Thursday in Dallas - and dropping four points back of the Florida Panthers - the Bolts couldn't hide their prevailing distress.

"We're playing like a fragile team that's scared to lose and not hungry to close out a game," Steven Stamkos said, according Joe Smith of the Tampa Bay Times. "We can't let that fear of losing creep in at this time of year."

Lightning coach Jon Cooper relayed a similar sentiment.

"Got to start winning or we won't play much longer."

Less than two weeks ago, Tampa Bay surged to top ranking in the division after a ninth consecutive win.

The team has one win and three points in six games since.

Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Injured Montreal Canadiens superstars P.K. Subban and Carey Price were on the ice - and in full gear - Friday ahead of the team's official practice.

Subban, who suffered a non-serious neck injury and had to be stretchered off the ice eight days ago, performed the more strenuous drills, and looked quite sharp.

Having finished his workout before his teammates came out for practice, he likely won't be in the lineup versus the Ottawa Senators on Saturday.

Meanwhile, Price was cautious with his movements, but displayed encouraging signs, dropping down and performing lateral movements to field pucks.

Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The NHL and NHLPA reportedly held an initial meeting in New York on Thursday to discuss the league's ongoing expansion process, according to TSN's Darren Dreger.

A framework for the expansion draft, including the rules existing teams would have to abide by in protecting their current rosters, was presented to league executives at the GM meetings in Boca Raton, Fla., on Wednesday.

Dreger notes that the rules governing the ostensibly impending expansion draft won't be negotiated until the NHL confirms whether it will add either one or two new outfits for the 2017-18 season.

Teams are currently expected to be allowed to protect either seven forwards, three defensemen, and a goaltender, or eight skaters of any kind plus a goaltender.

Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.