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After a crazy offseason, there’s a buzz in the Atlantic. The Red Wings and Senators each are immensely better thanks to trades and free agency, and the conversations of postseason play have already begun among the fan bases. However, all four playoff teams from last season look to be just as strong, which means things are shaping up for an intriguing race in the Atlantic. The Panthers won the division last season, in addition to the Presidents’ Trophy, but there was quite a bit of personnel change down in Sunrise....

“We’re focused on being as flexible and as agile as possible and when we get the opportunity from a health standpoint to bring our players together, to let our teams reconstitute themselves, to get operations up and running, we’ll be in a position to do that whenever it makes sense,” he told Fox Business’ Maria Bartiromo on “Mornings with Maria.” “We believe that we can be fairly flexible in terms of the calendar....

The hype had bubbled to the point where a handful of teams appeared to be tanking so they could increase their chances of winning the 2015 NHL draft lottery and the opportunity to draft the 18-year-old 6-foot-1, 197-pound center from Richmond Hill, Ont. But all the scrutiny, the likes of which haven’t been seen since Crosby was a prospect, didn’t affect McDavid’s performance this season with the Erie Otters of the Ontario Hockey League....

The NHL differs from other leagues. Just because a team finishes last does not mean they automatically get the top draft selection. Instead, the league uses a lottery system where the bottom teams in the league have a certain chance to get the No. 1 pick. The intent is to prohibit teams from getting rewarded for tanking. For the 2022 draft, teams like the Canadiens, Coyotes, Kraken, Flyers, and Devils have the highest odds of earning the top pick – and likely Shane Wright....

And what a draft it will be. There should be no surprises at the top of this class, as we’ve watched the exceptional Shane Wright in awe for years already. From being granted exceptional status into the Ontario Hockey League to winning CHL Rookie of the Year in 2019-20 to leading Canada to the 2021 IIHF World Under-18 gold medal, there’s no disputing he’s at the top of this class....

Applying for an NHL expansion franchise will cost $10 million, an unidentified NHL source confirmed to The Seattle Times, not the $1 million that has been reported by media outlets in the U.S. and Canada. MORE: Blackhawks’ Stanley Cup adventures | Red Wings highlight 2015 Hall of Fame class Additionally, $2 million of that fee is non-refundable, presumably a big enough number to prevent groups that might not be fully committed to the process from applying....

Bottom-dwellers such as the Canadiens, Kraken and Coyotes put themselves in a prime position to snag potential franchise player Shane Wright, but it was Montreal that came out on top in the NHL Draft Lottery. They own the first draft pick for the first time since 1980 and likely will be the next destination for Shane Wright. The Devils entered the lottery draft with the fifth-highest odds at the top pick, but ended up with the No....

The sudden-death factor in OT adds tension and suspense and teams go back and forth, up and down the ice with scoring chances on each end. Since the NHL established the 3-on-3 format in overtime for the regular season, it has been must-watch TV. And of course, when it comes to the postseason, is there anything better than overtime playoff hockey? There are some differences between the two and for those who aren’t clear on how overtime works in the NHL, here is an explainer on what happens if a game is tied after regulation in the regular season and playoffs....

Also known as a Gordie Howe hat trick, named after the late Detroit Red Wings legend who could hold his own on the scoresheet and with the gloves off, it involves registering a fighting major along with with a goal and helper. It has become something of a unicorn in modern hockey; in the postseason, when the frequency of fights drops off even more, recording the rare treble is nearly unheard of....

Calgary came out in their third alternate jerseys which are a fan favorite, but a bit of a surprise as teams don’t wear alternates all that often in postseason games, especially in openers. But for the team from Alberta, there’s a cool reason for why — other than the fact these red and yellow sweaters are some of the coolest in the NHL. These are the same jerseys the team wore 30 years ago in the 1988-89 season....

Meanwhile in the west, the Arizona Coyotes are staying as hot as the desert, climbing their way to the top of the Pacific Division, while the Colorado Avalanche are making quite the push for first in the Central. Here are the latest NHL power rankings, which have changed quite a bit from the previous week. MORE: Carl Soderberg on hockey overseas, overcoming eye injury and moving to Arizona 1. Washington Capitals Last ranking: 2...

Here is Week Five’s complete breakdown of the NHL power rankings. PREVIOUS POWER RANKINGS: Preseason | Week 1 | Week 2 | Week 3 | Week 4 NHL Power Rankings 5.0 1. St. Louis Blues 12-3-1, 25 pts (last week: 2) Blues have won six of seven, reaching 12 wins in their first 16 games for the first time in franchise history. How about Brayden Schenn with seven points in his last two games?...

Are Roster Changes Next For the Kings? With his team stuck at the bottom of the Western Conference standings, Los Angeles Kings vice president and general manager Rob Blake replaced John Stevens as head coach with former Vancouver Canucks bench boss Willie Desjardins on an interim basis. Blake had to do something to get his club back on track before the season slipped away. Coming off a 98-point performance in 2017-18, they entered Tuesday’s match-up against the Anaheim Ducks with just four victories and nine points in 13 games....

The National Hockey League’s lockout shortened season has been extended an extra day due to the deadly explosions that rocked the Boston Marathon on Monday. League officials announced Tuesday that the Boston Bruins-Ottawa Senators game which was postponed because of the finish line blasts has been rescheduled to April 28 at the Garden arena. “On behalf of my entire family, our prayers and deepest sympathies are with those who were injured, lost their lives, their families and the entire city of Boston,” said team owner Jeremy Jacobs....

Seguin was placed on injured reserve and will miss at least two weeks with a knee injury from what observers are calling a dirty play from the Russian enforcer. MORE: Getzlaf calls out Ovechkin | Marc Methot signs extension with Sens | Chris Neil breaks thumb during fight Having already sat out Sunday’s 2-1 loss to the Blues, Kulikov will return to the ice Sunday in Pittsburgh. At the time of his injury Friday, Seguin was third in the NHL in scoring with 29 goals and 30 assists....

Either way, Parenteau is a much, much more valuable hockey player than Bourque. — In his 104 games with the Canadiens, Bourque has 17 goals and 10 assists. Parenteau has 27 goals and 42 assists in 89 games with the Avs; before that he, he had 67- and 53-point seasons with the Islanders. — Adjusted for minutes played, Parenteau still has the edge, at 2.22 points per 60 minutes of ice time....

Hamlin is reportedly in a critical but stable condition in hospital and Bills fans have been joined by NFL players and celebrities in praying for the football star’s recovery. Niagara Falls is just 19 miles from Buffalo, spanning the border between New York State and the Canadian province of Ontario. It had recently been a winter wonderland as plunging temperatures and heavy snowfall turned it into a majestic ice attraction....

The new Rams quarterback tossed a 37-yard touchdown to tight end Lance Kendricks to send the game into overtime. MORE: Seahawks completely fail on onside kick | Week 1 images | Cutler blows chance After the Seahawks opened the extra quarter with a botched kickoff, Foles took the offense down the field for a 37-yard field goal by Greg Zuerlein. The Rams defense then stuffed Seahawks running back Marshawn Lynch on a fourth-and-1 with Aaron Donald hitting Lynch in the backfield to seal the 34-31 victory....

The lopsided defeat featured the Dolphins losing second-year quarterback Tua Tagovailoa to a rib injury. The Alabama product managed to avoid any severe setback as his X-rays came back negative. The time is now for the Dolphins to trade for Deshaun Watson It is time for the Dolphins to move Deshaun Watson on through a trade. However, he has been ruled out for Week Three action against the Las Vegas Raiders, as he’s dealing with considerable pain....

An effective pass rusher, Justin Houston could be a valuable addition for any team that needs depth at defensive end. With 97.5 sacks in his career, the veteran is one of the most accomplished players still available in free agency and should get picked up by a team before training camp. 5 NFL Teams that should consider signing Justin Houston #1 - Baltimore Ravens The Baltimore Ravens drafted defensive end Jayson Oweh in the first round of the draft....