NHL rumors: Latest buzz, news from around the league
By Tom Downey, Chat Sports
The 2016 Stanley Cup playoffs are less than a month away and the wild-card race is entering its final few games. In the Eastern Conference, the Pittsburgh Penguins and Detroit Red Wings hold the top two spots. The Philadelphia Flyers are three points behind the Red Wings and four back of the Penguins, but can cut into that deficit by beating Detroit on Tuesday night.
In the Western Conference, the Nashville Predators hold a nine-point lead for the top wild-card spot, while the Minnesota Wild and Colorado Avalanche are tied for the other one.
Check out the latest NHL news and rumors below.
• The NHL won’t be changing the coach’s challenge this season, reports TSN.
• The league will introduce blue line cameras for the playoffs, senior vice president of hockey operations Colin Campbell announced at the general manager meetings Monday. The NHL had previously experimented with the cameras at the All-Star Game and Stadium Series games this year.
• The Montreal Canadiens will be without defenseman P.K. Subban for at least the next two games because of a neck injury, the team announced Monday.
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• The Dallas Stars could have forward Patrick Sharp back in the lineup soon. Coach Lindy Ruff told the Stars’ website that Sharp could play Tuesday against the Los Angeles Kings.
• The Red Wings recalled former first round pick Anthony Mantha on Monday. The 21-year-old forward will make his NHL debut on Tuesday against the Flyers.
• Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Dalton Prout will have a meeting with the NHL Department of Player Safety about an incident in which Prout sucker punched Tampa Bay Lightning forward Nikita Kucherov.
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• The New Jersey Devils will evaluate goalie Cory Schneider in one week to see if he can play again this season, reports NHL.com. Schneider injured his knee on March 4.