P.K. Subban continues to be a model of consistency when it comes to point production.
The Nashville Predators star scored a goal and added an assist in a victory over the New York Rangers on Saturday night, giving him 40 points in 50 games so far this season.
It's the fifth consecutive campaign that Subban has posted at least 40 points, and he's now matched his total from last season in 16 fewer contests.
Staal has dealt with serious injuries before, suffering three concussions throughout his 11-year career. He left the game halfway through the second period and didn't return due to what New York is calling an upper-body injury. Emelin, meanwhile, wasn't assessed a penalty on the play.
The controversial hits didn't end there, as later in the period Rangers forward Jimmy Vesey was rocked with a high hit from Filip Forsberg.
There are hot streaks, and then there's what Tuukka Rask is currently on.
The Boston Bruins have collected a point in 20 straight games when Rask is between the pipes, as the netminder owns an 18-0-2 record over that stretch. The streak is the fourth longest in Bruins franchise history, per NHL Public Relations.
Rask stopped 23 of 24 shots that came his way against the Toronto Maple Leafs on Saturday night. The netminder has dominated the team that drafted him throughout his career in Boston, earning a 16-6-2 record and a .926 save percentage in 27 games against Toronto.
Rask, of course, was dealt to the Bruins in exchange for Andrew Raycroft shortly after the Leafs made him their first-round pick in 2005.
Boston sits comfortably in second place in the Atlantic Division, five points ahead of the Leafs with four games in hand.
Jeff Blashill (ejected) and Petr Mrazek absolutely furious after late Jonathan Huberdeau goal allowed to stand following goalie interference review pic.twitter.com/JzYBhi0k13
Pittsburgh forward Bryan Rust interfered with Kinkaid on the play, but that didn't stop Sid from banking a slapper right off his dome and into the open net.
The goal was initially waived off and the call was subsequently upheld after video review. Nevertheless, a quirky moment on a near milestone goal for one of the greatest of this generation.
As for Kinkaid, he was shaken up on the play but remained in the game to earn the 3-1 victory for New Jersey.
The 45-year-old Czech forward returned to his hometown team, the Kladno Knights, Saturday evening and didn't disappoint, netting three assists after receiving a hero's welcome from the capacity crowd.
Given Jagr's popularity in the Czech Republic and the anticipation surrounding his return, the game was relocated almost 70 kilometers away to accommodate a larger crowd, according to Sportsnet's Mike Johnston.
His most recent NHL stint came to an end Monday after he cleared waivers and was assigned to Kladno from the Calgary Flames.
Holl scored in both of his first two NHL games after being summoned by the Leafs on an emergency recall, etching himself in the history books in the process.
Petr Mrazek has been arguably the league's best goaltender over the last two weeks. Strangely, that's not ideal for the Detroit Red Wings.
Detroit's reportedly already made it known that the club will be a seller ahead of the Feb. 26 trade deadline. For the first time in years, the Red Wings look to be in the process of stockpiling young assets and draft picks, and should be in line to select a top-level prospect in June.
There is just one problem with this plan: Mrazek is playing some fantastic hockey.
Since Jan. 14, Mrazek has gone 4-0-1 with a 1.02 goals-against average, a .967 save percentage, and two shutouts. If he keeps this up, he could realistically play the club out of a potential top-10 pick in this year's draft.
That's why the Red Wings should take a cue from Tim Murray and the 2014-15 Buffalo Sabres - who endured a similar situation - and work the phones to deal Mrazek.
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Some might recall that the 2015 draft was headlined by a guy named Connor McDavid. Teams were salivating at the possibility of selecting the league's next generational talent, and none more so than the Sabres.
That season, Buffalo got off to another horrid start after finishing the previous season with the NHL's worst record, falling 18 points behind the league-leading Montreal Canadiens by Dec. 1. It started to become evident that the Sabres had a far greater chance to finish with the best lottery odds than to secure a playoff spot.
A couple of months later, with the club last in the standings, two things started to jeopardize that status: Jhonas Enroth and Michal Neuvirth.
(Photo courtesy: Getty Images)
From Jan. 29 to Feb. 10, Enroth put together a stretch of 2-3-0 - which isn't great - while rocking a .931 save percentage and a 2.22 goals-against average. That was too good for a team trying to tank. So, on Feb. 11, the Sabres dealt Enroth to the Dallas Stars.
With Enroth out of the picture, the net belonged to Neuvirth, but the problem recurred. Neuvirth went 3-2-2 from Feb. 15 to Feb. 28, constructing a record of 3-2-2 with a .941 save percentage and a 2.20 goals-against average.
That earned Neuvirth a ticket to Long Island - Buffalo dealt him to the New York Islanders on Mar. 2. Ultimately, the Sabres did secure the best lottery odds, but we all know how that turned out.
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Ken Holland and Co. should consider this sell-off strategy with Mrazek.
The Red Wings currently sit 24th in the standings, giving them a 5.8 percent chance of winning the draft lottery and the right to pick Swedish defenseman Rasmus Dahlin.
However, he's not the only quality prospect expected to go within the first 10 selections. Players including Andrei Svechnikov, Adam Boqvist, Filip Zadina, Quinn Hughes, and Brady Tkachuk have all piqued the interest of scouts and should intrigue general managers as well.
That's why things are looking dicey for the Red Wings. The club is just six points back of the Philadelphia Flyers for the final wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference, and currently has the eighth-best chance of winning the draft lottery. It's not out of the realm of possibility that an extended hot streak could vault Detroit up the standings and entirely out of contention for a top-10 pick.
Of course, finishing in the basement doesn't guarantee anything. Last season, the New Jersey Devils won the right to select Nico Hischier first overall after finishing with the fourth-worst record; the Flyers jumped up to second after finishing with 40 more points than the last-placed Colorado Avalanche; and the Dallas Stars rounded out the top three after finishing 24th overall. Meanwhile, those 2015 Sabres had to settle for Jack Eichel instead of McDavid.
But if the Red Wings want to give themselves the best possible chance at nabbing a top-10 selection, dealing Mrazek should be their first move.
Drouin left the ice following the play and was reportedly en route to the hospital as a precaution, with the Canadiens later announcing he would not return to the game after being limited to just 6:08 of ice time.
The Canadiens forward has scored 26 points in 46 games this season.
Oshie was fined $5,000 Saturday after his cross checks on Letang went too far in Friday's meetup between the Penguins and Washington Capitals.
The Capitals winger voiced his frustration with the leadership of the NHL Department of Player Safety, headed by former enforcer George Parros.
"George is old school, and fought, which I think is respectable, so I figured that was the reason there would be no suspension or fine," Oshie told Tarik El-Bashir of NBC Sports Washington. "Last night, Letang got two free shots at my face. One sucker punch, then I dropped the gloves. Apparently, he didn't want to. Then he got another one in once the ref came in.
"Hopefully we figure out a way to get some consistency. It seems like it really depends on who the hitter is, how many games they've played, and who they play for."
Oshie was initially assessed a minor penalty on the play, while Letang was whistled for roughing after he retaliated.
According to the winger, the in-game penalty was enough justice for the infraction.
"I agree it's a penalty, but I don't look down and target," Oshie said. "First of all, I don't hit his head. I don't know what replay or secret angle (the NHL) had."
Oshie was particularly annoyed to receive a fine - the first time he has faced supplemental discipline in his 10-year career - as he was on the receiving end of a questionable call earlier this season that did not get any further attention.
"It's hard to figure out what you're doing to get fined and suspended for, and what you're not," Oshie continued. "I got a concussion a little over a month ago after I got hit. I don't know what the norm is ... I got a concussion on the play and I was out."
He was sidelined for six games as a result of that play.
