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Wales have a late injury worry over Liam Williams for the Six Nations game against Italy on Saturday.
The veteran full-back has been struggling with a knee injury sustained against France in the opening game.
Williams did not take part in the team's final training session in Rome on Friday, with Wales' management saying his workload is being managed.
There are concerns the 33-year-old will not recover in time for the crunch Six Nations game at Stadio Olimpico.
It would be a major blow for under-pressure Warren Gatland to lose his most experienced back.
Blair Murray - who played all three Tests during the autumn, including at full-back against South Africa - is lined up to replace the British and Irish Lions player.
Murray trained at full-back on Friday, while Tom Rogers has also filled that role for Scarlets this season.
Gloucester youngster Josh Hathaway would most likely be promoted to the bench.
Wales lost 43-0 against France in Paris in their opening Six Nations game, heightening the problems for Gatland's squad after 13 consecutive Test defeats.
No 'needle' with Ireland despite winless run - Townsend
Tom Jordan makes his first Six Nations start as Scotland make three changes from the team that beat Italy last weekend.
Rory Sutherland comes in at loose-head prop and Jack Dempsey is at number eight, while Jordan is chosen at inside centre having impressed as a replacement against Italy.
New Zealand-born Jordan, 26, made his Scotland bow during the autumn series, having qualified on residency grounds. Both of his international starts to date have been at full-back, while he primarily plays at fly-half for club side Glasgow Warriors.
Sutherland's previous Test start came last summer against Uruguay, while he hasn't started a Six Nations match since February 2022 in a win over England.
"I think there are similarities with the three of them, which is the real energy that they bring, they're quick players, they are in good form," said Townsend.
"Jack obviously was getting back into full fitness and he's now had three weeks training with us, he's good to go. He's been a starter for us for the last few years.
"I feel Rory has earned it, he brings a lot of speed in his kick-chase, his defence and his ball-carrying.
"With Tom, it was great to see him again play like he has done in the 15 jersey for us in November. 12 was probably his natural position, it was the position he played most of his rugby growing up, so I think all three deserve an opportunity to start."
Pierre Schoeman, Jamie Ritchie and Stafford McDowell drop to the bench while Matt Fagerson switches to the blindside flank to accommodate Dempsey's return.
Sam Skinner is among the replacements, having been added to the squad this week, and Jamie Dobie is preferred to George Horne as back-up to scrum-half Ben White.
Ireland, led by interim head coach Simon Easterby, beat England in their tournament opener last weekend as they attempt to win a third successive title.
BARBERVILLE, Fla. Hard work and preparation paid off in a big way for the UNOH Motorsports Team Tuesday night at Volusia Speedway Park.
Driver Randy Giroux claimed the fifth of six UMP Modified features at the annual DIRTcar Nationals at the half-mile track becoming the first UNOH alumnus to win there since Joel Ortberg in 2014.
Driving the No. 1 modified as a UNOH teammate to Aidan Hinds and Brayden Weller, Giroux started outside the front row for the fifth main event of the night.
Known as the high side hero, Giroux quickly used the high groove to grab the lead. The UNOH crew was on edge for 15 laps as reigning NASCAR Xfinity Series champion Justin Allgaier challenged Giroux for 15 laps. However, Giroux, who is a native of Ontario, held on to deliver UNOH its first Gator trophy in 11 years.
UNOH Team members hightailed it to the infield after the checkered flag, all running to meet the No. 1 car and its victorious driver. Spirits were high, fireworks boomed overhead and Randys gator trophy gleamed gold in the bright track lights.
Wilson Owens served as crew chief for Giroux.
While watching the feature I experienced a lot of emotions I had never felt before, Owens said. My entire body was shaking and I felt like I was gonna fall over while watching him lead so many laps and after the restart. Every time he races, I wonder if the adjustment we made to the car was the right choice. Today, it was and seeing that work pay off was absolutely amazing.
Its Girouxs fifth season racing with UNOH.
It means a lot, to accomplish this after racing with UNOH for five years, Giroux said. During the race I felt really confident in the car and in myself, but on the restarts you can really give up positions if you mess up. I was a little worried but had a lot of momentum on the restart and got clear.
The last five laps I could see the red nose of Allgaier coming up underneath me and I held him off. It felt really good. This crew worked their tail off today and it paid off really well.
Weller and Hinds finished fifth and 10th respectively, in Tuesdays fourth feature.
MUNDELEIN, Ill. Turn 3 Motorsport announced the signing of 20-year-old Cooper Becklin for the 2025 USF Pro 2000 Championship Presented by Continental Tire.
Becklin, a native of Portland, Ore., enters his first full season in the highly competitive championship with a growing background in racing and a great deal of valuable experience from past competitions.
Becklin began his professional racing career in the Formula Pro USA F4 Western Championship, where he finished third in the standings in 2020. He then progressed to FR Americas, enjoying a standout season in 2023 with one win, 15 podium finishes, and another third-place championship finish.
Building on his momentum, Becklin made his debut in the USF Pro 2000 Championship last season at Road America, and then went on to compete in the final three rounds of the year at Mid-Ohio, Toronto, and Portland. During his brief yet impressive USF Pro 2000 campaign, Becklin showcased his potential with a top qualifying result of fourth in Toronto and consistent top-10 finishes.
I am incredibly excited to be joining Turn 3 Motorsport for the 2025 USF Pro 2000 Championship season, said Becklin. The team has a proven track record of winning championships, including their success just last year. Im eager to learn from such a talented group of people and grow my potential as a driver. This is a fantastic opportunity, and I cant wait to hit the track in the No. 2 Helmet House car and push myself to new levels.
Its time for our weekly Friday tour around the racing world. From hot laps to the main event, heres whats on our mind this week.
Hot Laps: Hall of Famers
The final off weekend before the start of the NASCAR season, will see three individuals inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame tonight in Charlotte.
Modern-era drivers Ricky Rudd and Carl Edwards will share the spotlight with pioneer inductee, team owner Ralph Moody.
Qualifying: Not A NASCAR Race
Have read where many have said Thursdays World of Outlaws finish between Kyle Larson and Christopher Bell looked like a NASCAR race. Granted the two drivers are NASCAR regulars, but the finish looked NOTHING like a NASCAR race.
First Heat: Heartbreaker
Young Emerson Axsom had a heartbreaker on Thursday night, leading 22 laps of the World of Outlaws feature at Volusia Speedway Park before spinning out with three circuits remaining. Axsom, 20, is looking for his first World of Outlaws victory, and were betting he gets one this season. Maybe even before the weekend is over.
Second Heat: Fabulous Stat
Thanks to Brian Walker (Walkapedia) for this fabulous statistic. When Christopher Bell won Thursday at Volusia Speedway Park, he became the 28th driver to win a World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series feature with at least five different team owners.
Jac Haudenschild leads the way, having earned a WoO victory for 15 different team owners. Sammy Swindell is second with wins with 12 different owners. Look up Walkapedia on social media to see the full list.
Third Heat: Tough Guy
Carson Macedo has placed himself in the same sentence as many of the great sprint car drivers of the past as a true tough guy of the sport. Macedos rapid return from a badly broken leg and subsequent victory on the opening night of the World of Outlaws season is example one.
But it is hardly the first time Macedo has raced (and won) while injured, including after a fiery crash and flip at Knoxville Raceway two years ago.
Fourth Heat: King of the 360s
A staple at the now-defunct East Bay Raceway Park for more than two decades, the King of the 360s sprint car race has moved to Floridas Hendry County Speedway this year. Under the supervision of the United Sprint Car Series, the event begins tonight and concludes with Saturdays $10,000-to-win finale. Watch it on SPEED SPORT affiliate DoneRight.tv.
Dash: Gator Here, Gator There, Gator Everywhere
We used to think the Gator trophies handed out during the DIRTcar Nationals at Volusia Speedway Park were unique and difficult to win. Kyle Larson has yet to win one.
But as of Friday morning, 99 different drivers have won Gators in the UMP modified division alone. Twenty different drivers have won a feature in the divisions past week and more than half were first-time DCN victors. With 103 drivers in competition on Thursday night, nearly one-fifth (20) of them have already picked up a Gator trophy this week.
C Main: Advertising Dollars
While it may not be apparent to many, SPEED SPORT is a business and not a service. Complaints are frequent but we received an email this week that was downright insulting. In summary, it was in reference to the HendrickCars.com advertising on our website and in the Daily newsletter. It read in part, So this is what SPEED SPORT has come to. Chris Economaki would be rolling over in his grave.
Thats laughable. I worked for Chris for nearly 30 years and gaining advertising support was always his primary concern. SPEED SPORT would have never become the trusted source for news had it not been for advertisers. Chris would have been elated to do business with a company such as HendrickCars.com and would have talked about it every chance he could.
Advertising money is the lifeblood of all media outlets, SPEED SPORT included. Get it sponsored, was one of Chris catch phrases and one we still use today.
Advertisers are always welcome here.
B Main: Daytona 500 Open Cars
Weve been saying it for decades now, but we sure wish the Daytona 500 was a completely open race and that there were not 36 drivers and teams locked in based on the charter system. Racing into the field through the twin Thursday qualifying races was always the highlight of the week.
Now, multiple cars (looks like nine this year) will compete for the final four slots in the field. That said, thanks to a new NASCAR rule that creates a spot for a star driver from a different racing position, there could be 41 starters this year as four-time Indianapolis 500 winner Helio Castroneves would get that spot if he fails to earn one of the four available slots.
Others who will need to race into the field either by setting a fast qualifying time or by outrunning the other open cars include NASCAR Cup Series champions Jimmie Johnson and Martin Truex Jr. The remainder of the non-chartered Daytona 500 entries are Justin Allgaier, Chandler Smith, B.J. McLeod, Anthony Alfredo, J.J. Yeley and Corey LaJoie.
Feature: Larson Vs. Bell
One thing open-wheel fans have missed in recent years have been breathtaking battles between Kyle Larson and Christopher Bell.
With Bell absent from dirt-track racing in recent years, tussles like the duo waged in past Chili Bowls seemed like a thing of the past. But with Bells NASCAR team owner Joe Gibbs giving him the green light to return to open-wheel machines, the future is now for the Bell vs. Larson rivalry.
Fans got a glimpse of this during the Tulsa Shootout and saw it in full swing Thursday night at Bell, driving Don Kreitz Jr.s winged sprint car, held off Larson by less than a foot (.05 seconds) to earn his first World of Outlaws victory since 2019.
With Larson and Bell both making appearances on the winged sprint car scene this season, theyll no doubt be an extra pain in the rear for regulars on the World of Outlaws and High Limit tours and a thorn in the side of one another.
Heres hoping the two also duke it out on a regular basis in the NASCAR Cup Series.
CAMPBELL, Calif. Racing legend Howard Kaeding has died. The patriarch of the Kaeding family was 92 years old.
The elder Kaedings death was confirmed in a social media post on the Kaeding Performance Facebook page.
The father of sprint car Hall of Famer Brent Kaeding and grandfather of sprint car racers Bud and Tim Kaeding was inducted into the West Coast Motorsports Hall of Fame in 2020.
Howard Kaeding moved to California as a youngster from Nebraska and took up racing during the early 1950s at San Jose Speedway.
Kaeding was victorious in 136 main events at the now-defunct track and won track championships there in 1973 and 1974 while winning 17 consecutive features.
He also won three California NASCAR supermodified championships from 1970-72.
Known as an innovator, Kaeding, who raced until he was 65 years old, also created Kaeding Performance during the early 1960s with his sons Brent and Joel later running the business. Today, it is operated by his grandson, Bud, a USAC Silver Crown Series champion.
The family promotes the annual Howard Kaeding Classic sprint car race at Ocean Speedway.
ATTICA, Ohio Attica Raceway Park will have an ambitious 2025 racing schedule featuring 24 events with over $850,000 in prize money to be handed out.
The three-eighths-mile race track at the Attica Fairgrounds will kick off its 38th racing season Friday, March 14.
Besides the weekly events featuring the Callies Performance Products 410 Sprints, the Dirt Nerds Podcast Powered by Propane UMP Late Models and the Fremont Fence 305 Sprints, the 2025 season features two World of Outlaw NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series spectaculars and the return of the All Star Circuit of Champions for five events.
The late models will also compete in two $5,000-to-win events with the American Iron Man Late Model Series.
The Attica Fremont Championship Series is highlighted in eight events for both the 410 and 305 sprints.
If Mother Nature cooperates its going to be a great year of entertaining races at Attica. More new clay was added during the off-season from the same source we obtained it from last year which produced highly competitive, exciting races, said Justin Liskai, Atticas director of operations.
We say it all the time but in todays economy it rings more true than ever.we could not do this without the tremendous support from our fans, race teams, great track staff and our fantastic marketing partners, added Liskai.
Pittsburgh Penguins star Sidney Crosby will not play against the New York Rangers on Friday night due to an upper-body injury, according to coach Mike Sullivan.
On Tuesday night, Crosby collided with Luke Hughes and Erik Haula of the New Jersey Devils. He missed several shifts but returned for the final minutes of regulation and overtime. He also had an attempt in the Penguins' shootout loss.
Crosby, 37, skated on his own Thursday and took part in an optional Penguins practice at Madison Square Garden on Friday morning. Sullivan called that "encouraging," but cautioned the Penguins were "taking it one day at a time" with their captain.
This is the first game Crosby will miss in the 2024-25 season. He leads the Penguins with 58 points (17 goals and 41 assists) in 55 games. He played in all 82 games in the previous two seasons.
Pittsburgh faces the Philadelphia Flyers on Saturday before entering a 13-day break for the NHL's 4 Nations Face-Off. Crosby was one of the first players named to the Team Canada roster for that tournament.
The Penguins are eight points out of the final wild card spot in the Eastern Conference. Tonight, they're also expected to be without star center Evgeni Malkin, who is on injured reserve and considered "week-to-week."
Sullivan said the Penguins are in a "next-man-up mindset" with Crosby and Malkin out.
"Guys are always looking for more ice time, want to play a more significant role. Here's your opportunity. That's the world we live in. That's the NHL," he said. "When injuries occur, it provides opportunities for others. I think players need to look at it like that."
ARLINGTON, Va. -- Cruising to the top of the NHL standings by winning 36 of their first 54 games and losing just 11 in regulation, the Washington Capitals solidified themselves as a team to watch this spring.
For much of the next two weeks, they'll be watching everyone else.
The Capitals are the only team in the league without a player in the 4 Nations Face-Off international tournament between the U.S., Canada, Sweden and Finland. Perhaps that turns out to be a benefit for them, while other contenders in the Eastern Conference have plenty of representation.
"I'm sure everyone that was kind of on the bubble there probably would have liked to have been a part of it," Washington winger Andrew Mangiapane said. "But I think internally and selfishly, I guess, for us, it gives everyone a two-week break, almost, to recover. We've played a lot of games here so just to recover the body, little bumps and bruises, get the energy levels back up, and maybe that little extra rest maybe helps us down the stretch here and even in playoffs."
That's the silver lining Spencer Carbery -- the overwhelming favorite to be coach of the year -- sees in this development. While defending Stanley Cup champion Florida has an NHL-high eight players at 4 Nations, division-rival Carolina four and the still-dangerous New York Rangers six, the Caps have the only true break with no games between Feb. 9-22.
"It comes at a good time with where we are in the schedule," Carbery said. "And I think it just sets us up to give our entire group a good mental and physical reset. ... We're going to need every ounce of energy mentally and physically that we can find."
Mangiapane is right: Players like defenseman John Carlson for the U.S. and goaltender Logan Thompson and winger Tom Wilson for Canada would have welcomed the honor. Carlson played for his country at the 2014 Sochi Olympics and skated more than any other player in the league last season, while Thompson has better numbers than all three goalies Canada chose over him, and Wilson has a blend of size and skill that is exceedingly rare in the sport.
Perhaps management and coaches for USA Hockey and Hockey Canada will regret not picking them, and all three are candidates to play at the Milan Olympics a year from now, but the current circumstances have their minds set on the remainder of this season.
"We're focused on what we can control and get us best prepared, whether it's rest or some work or whatever over the break and everybody's going to be different in terms of that and get ready for the rest of the year," Carlson said. "We're going pretty good right now, and the last thing we want to do is take our foot off the gas."
Just about everything has worked out for Washington, from Alex Ovechkin scoring 26 goals in 38 games around a broken left leg in hot pursuit of Wayne Gretzky's career record, to newcomers like Thompson, Mangiapane, center Pierre-Luc Dubois and defenseman Jakob Chychrun fitting in perfectly.
Only the best-in-the-West Winnipeg Jets have scored more goals, and the Capitals have allowed the second-fewest on average. They have the No. 1 ranked offense at even strength and have won games by scores that run the gamut from 1-0 to 7-4.
"Our depth really plays a role in it," Mangiapane said. "It's not just one guy kind of doing it every game. I feel like it's coming from all four lines, all D pairings and the goalies have been playing great. That's what winning teams have."
Some winning teams have a lot of players going to Montreal and then Boston for 4 Nations, most notably the Panthers. They've collectively played a lot of hockey after back-to-back trips to the final, but coach Paul Maurice wants his players in the tournament to "play as hard as they can and take the entire experience in," seeing in the past how making a national team is an injection of pride to those not accustomed to it.
"When a guy went up and got to walk into that room with all the great players from his country, he came back and he viewed himself differently," Maurice said. "We're not going to see any fatigue from these players. I think it's a huge boost to the confidence, speed. They view themselves differently. Now, they're part of the best in the league."
The Capitals don't have a player in the top 30 in scoring, and a couple of their better players are from countries not involved in the tournament: Ovechkin from Russia and 22-goal scorer Aliaksei Protas from Belarus. Defenseman Martin Fehervary, if healthy, will almost certainly play for Slovakia in Milan.
With that goal a long ways off, the immediate priority is navigating a stretch without hockey, something Carlson knows there's no perfect formula for.
"Just take care of yourself," the 35-year-old veteran said. "Mentally, it's a nice break. I think it's most useful, probably, for that, unless you're going through an injury or something like that and that time would be huge. But just the day-to-day mental load that we all have in here, it's nice to get away from it, get away from the meetings and the constant pressure of it all."
When the season resumes, the Caps will play 27 games in 55 days, looking to best position themselves for the playoffs. They have not won a series since their Stanley Cup run in 2018 and are aiming to end that drought.
"It's going to be a grind coming down the stretch," Carbery said. "We know that, and the way that we have to play, it's going to be taxing and it's going to be one of the hardest things these guys do is playing and hopefully playing for a long, long time into the spring."
NHL Power Rankings: Jets move into No. 1 spot, plus what's super about each team
It's Super Bowl week, and the focus is on New Orleans to see whether the Kansas City Chiefs can pull it off for a third straight time or if the Philadelphia Eagles can win for the first time since 2018.
In honor of one of the biggest sporting events in the world, we decided to pick one thing that's "Super" about each NHL team (and a couple of not-so-super things). Enjoy!
How we rank: A panel of ESPN hockey commentators, analysts, reporters and editors sends in a 1-32 poll based on the games through Wednesday, which generates our master list.
Note: Previous ranking for each team refers to the previous edition, published Jan. 31. Points percentages, paces and stats are through Thursday's games.
1. Winnipeg Jets
Previous ranking: 2
Points percentage: 71.82%
What's super: Being all the way back. The Jets were history-making levels of amazing to start the season, then cooled off, but they picked it back up again, going 8-2-0 in their past 10 with a six-game winning streak and reclaiming their perch atop the National Hockey League. They lead the show with a plus-64 goal differential.
Next eight days: vs. NYI (Feb. 7)
2. Washington Capitals
Previous ranking: 1
Points percentage: 73.15%
What's super: The team is very good. It's all about the Great Chase, as it should be. This is a once in a lifetime event. But the Capitals are good, the toast of the NHL -- the stars have aligned in the Nation's Capital. They are 7-1-2 in their last 10. I still say Ovi breaks it this season.
Next eight days: vs. UTA (Feb. 9)
3. Edmonton Oilers
Previous ranking: 3
Points percentage: 66.67%
What's super: Having an owner willing to spend. The Edmonton Journal recently published an article about Oilers owner Daryl Katz, noting that Edmonton now has the sixth-most valuable franchise in the NHL at $2.45 billion (3.53 billion Canadian). Sixth is the highest they've been ranked, up from seventh the previous three years and from a low of 30th ($86 million) in 2002. In 2012 the team was valued at $225 million. The article also notes that Katz is "willing to spend and do whatever it takes for his team in their pursuit of Edmonton's first Stanley Cup win since 1990."
Next eight days: vs. COL (Feb. 7)
4. Florida Panthers
Previous ranking: 7
Points percentage: 61.61%
What's super: Tkachuk on Team USA. With 4 Nations right around the corner, fans of Team USA will surely appreciate comments made by Matthew Tkachuk during the team's visit to the White House on Monday. The only U.S.-born player currently on the Cats who won a Cup with the team last season took the podium and said: "Being one of the few Americans, who loves this country so much, this is such an incredible day for myself. You wake up every day really grateful to be an American, so thank you." Tkachuk and Team USA open against Finland on Feb. 13 and then face Canada on Feb. 15 (8 p.m. ET on ABC/ESPN+).
Next eight days: vs. OTT (Feb. 8)
5. Dallas Stars
Previous ranking: 6
Points percentage: 65.09%
What's super: Their goal song. The Dallas Stars are certainly much more than this, as they sit second in the Central, but I will take any chance I get to give my humble opinion that the Dallas Stars have, and will forever have, the absolute best goal song in hockey. Pantera's "Puck Off" is like a shot of espresso to the soul. DUN DUN DALLAS ... DUN, STARS! The origin story of the song if also pretty cool. RIP Vinnie Paul.
Next eight days: @ LA (Feb. 7), @ SJ (Feb. 8)
6. Carolina Hurricanes
Previous ranking: 4
Points percentage: 61.82%
What's super: Super trades. The Mikko Rantanen trade was so massive that the NBA got jealous and had to conspire to get Luka Doncic to the Lakers. They couldn't let hockey have its moment, could they? The Hurricanes objectively leveled up their offensive firepower, an area they've been looking to beef up, and have resumed their role as Cup contenders.
Next eight days: vs. UTA (Feb. 8)
7. Vegas Golden Knights
Previous ranking: 5
Points percentage: 63.64%
What's super: Their entire existence. What have been the "lean years" for Vegas, truly? The "Lean year" in 2021-22 when they didn't make the playoffs? Last season when they lost in the first round after winning the Cup the previous year? I'm not even salty -- I'm impressed. Hockey in Vegas is thriving, and the team is keeping that aura going this season, currently standing in second in the Pacific.
Next eight days: @ BOS (Feb. 8)
8. Toronto Maple Leafs
Previous ranking: 8
Points percentage: 62.96%
What's super: The Leafs' gravitational pull. While some are focusing on what Mitch Marner could command in the offseason as he becomes an unrestricted free agent, others are already fantasizing about the (even if extremely minor) possibility of Connor McDavid considering heading to his hometown team when he becomes a free agent after the 2025-26 season. Obviously, this is all absolutely wild speculation and McDavid himself likes to chirp at Toronto when it comes into his barn in Edmonton. But that's not stopping some people from throwing out grandiose theories that certain fans in Toronto will absolutely eat up.
Next eight days: @ VAN (Feb. 8)
9. New Jersey Devils
Previous ranking: 10
Points percentage: 59.93%
What's super: An early start to weather the storm. The Devils haven't been great so far in 2025. They're 4-4-2 in their past 10 and don't look like the powerhouse team from a couple of months ago. Losing their No. 1 goalie (Jacob Markstrom) and captain (Nico Hischier) is certainly a challenge, but New Jersey remains third in a very crowded Metro.
Next eight days: @ MTL (Feb. 8)
10. Minnesota Wild
Previous ranking: 9
Points percentage: 61.82%
What's (not) super: The longest suspension in team history. Ryan Hartman was suspended for 10 games for ramming Tim Stutzle's face into the ice with his arm and body weight off a faceoff in the dying seconds of the Wild's game against the Senators. It's Hartman's fifth suspension.
Next eight days: vs. NYI (Feb. 8)
11. Colorado Avalanche
Previous ranking: 12
Points percentage: 58.93%
What's super: Super Marty-o. Martin Necas has fit in like a glove with the Colorado Avalanche. While much of the attention will certainly be on Mikko Rantanen leaving, Necas, along with Jack Drury, join an Avs team with Cup aspirations. Necas has five points in five games (including a highlight-reel goal) since joining the team and is already gaining plenty of fans in Denver.
Next eight days: @ EDM (Feb. 7)
12. Ottawa Senators
Previous ranking: 13
Points percentage: 56.36%
What's super: The Battle of Ontario. As of Monday, the Senators were third in the Atlantic and if the playoffs started tomorrow (emphasized for effect because we like to say this all the time), we would get a new chapter of The Battle Of Ontario. The early 2000s were a wonderful time along Highway 401 from Toronto to Ottawa, when both teams were competitive and the series were highly entertaining. This edition would be theater, with a built-in rivalry that wouldn't even take matches to ignite.
Next eight days: @ FLA (Feb. 8)
13. Tampa Bay Lightning
Previous ranking: 14
Points percentage: 58.49%
What's super: A passionate coach. Jon Cooper has been bench boss of the Tampa Bay Lightning for more than a decade -- three Cup Finals, two Cup wins. But Coop still has the drive and determination to steer his team to the postseason in a gauntlet of an Eastern Conference. This is an important week that sees Atlantic matchups against the Senators (twice), the Wings and the Habs. "This is four games with our playoff destiny -- you can't sit here and say right now it's in the balance -- but do you want to make it a little easier on yourselves or a little harder?" Cooper said after the Isles' loss on Saturday.
Next eight days: @ DET (Feb. 8), @ MTL (Feb. 9)
14. Los Angeles Kings
Previous ranking: 11
Points percentage: 60.78%
What's super: No Diggity, Yes Doughty. Drew Doughty returned to the lineup on Jan. 29. He's back to logging his usual serious minutes, including 27:43 on Jan. 30 in Tampa. As some players withdraw from 4 Nations because of injury, Doughty is looking to do the opposite. "I'm still hoping I have an outside chance of playing in that 4 Nations," he said. The two-time Stanley Cup champion has two gold medals for Team Canada at the Olympics and at the 2016 World Cup of Hockey.
Next eight days: vs. DAL (Feb. 7), vs. ANA (Feb. 8)
15. Detroit Red Wings
Previous ranking: 20
Points percentage: 56.48%
What's super: Being young. The Red Wings have recently clawed back into playoff contention. But what's a great sign for the Wings is that they are a competitive team fighting for playoff participation with a core group that is 24 and under. Moritz Seider and Lucas Raymond are leading that charge, but players such as Marco Kasper, Jonatan Berggren, Elmer Soderblom and Simon Edvinsson have been showing up and showing out.
Next eight days: vs. TB (Feb. 8)
16. Columbus Blue Jackets
Previous ranking: 16
Points percentage: 54.55%
What's super: Being competitive. Columbus has become a fun team to watch and one that could very well be in postseason contention until the bitter end. Could it play playoff hockey for the first time in five seasons? There's an aura around the city of Columbus. Between (The) Ohio State winning it all in college football and Alexa Bliss returning at the Royal Rumble, C-Bus is one Blue Jackets Stanley Cup run away from being the new City of Champions .
Next eight days: vs. NYR (Feb. 8)
17. Calgary Flames
Previous ranking: 15
Points percentage: 54.63%
What's super: A fresh start. The Flames traded Andrei Kuzmenko and Jakob Pelletier to the Flyers for Morgan Frost and Joel Farabee. Frost had his challenges in Philly, especially early in the season, and looks for a fresh start in Cowtown. "Ya, I had a tough start to the year and I've been building my game of late, but I think it can only benefit me," Frost told SportsNet in an interview.
"I pride myself on penalty killing, and little things away from the puck," Farabee said in the same article. Sometimes, a little change in scenery is exactly what you need.
Next eight days: vs. SEA (Feb. 8)
18. Boston Bruins
Previous ranking: 18
Points percentage: 53.57%
What's super: When they are super. This is a tough team to figure out this season -- the Bruins look spectacular on certain nights and abysmal on others. Against the Rangers this past Saturday, they were a complete team that saw familiar beats that likely made B's fans smile -- a hat trick from David Pastrnak and a Charlie McAvoy power play goal among them. But then they lost the follow-up to the Rangers on Wednesday, managing just 17 shots on goal. If we see more of the good Bruins team, Boston will be a very tough out the rest of the way.
Next eight days: vs. VGK (Feb. 8)
19. Vancouver Canucks
Previous ranking: 17
Points percentage: 56.48%
What's super: The end of drama. It appears the saga is at an end, as J.T. Miller has been traded to the New York Rangers. The Vancouver Canucks and the hockey world can now seemingly move on, and the Canucks will certainly want to do that, as they find themselves in contention for a wild-card spot. Quinn Hughes has been playing lights-out, is a good bet for the Norris and will probably earn a chunk of Hart votes, too.
Next eight days: vs. TOR (Feb. 8)
20. New York Rangers
Previous ranking: 19
Points percentage: 52.83%
What's super: Making it Quick. Jonathan Quick just became the 15th goalie in NHL history to win 400 games when he picked up the W against the Golden Knights on Sunday. He's the first American-born goalie to do it. Already a three time Stanley Cup champ with Los Angeles and Vegas and a future Hall of Famer, he will be key alongside Igor Shesterkin in the Rangers' hopes to climb into a playoff spot.
Next eight days: vs. PIT (Feb. 7), @ CBJ (Feb. 8)
21. New York Islanders
Previous ranking: 22
Points percentage: 53.77%
What's super: Winning streaks. Any team in the East is one big winning streak away from relevancy. The Isles are proof of that. They sailed out of the doldrums of the Eastern Conference basement to within striking distance of the wild card by going on a seven-game winning streak, with five of those games coming against East teams. The heater was snapped Sunday against the reigning Cup champs, but overall, that will still put a smile on coach Patrick Roy's face.
Next eight days: @ WPG (Feb. 7), @ MIN (Feb. 8)
22. Montreal Canadiens
Previous ranking: 21
Points percentage: 50.93%
What's super: Moments of Learning. Patrik Laine was benched in the third period of the game against the Anaheim Ducks. Coach Martin St. Louis said about Laine afterward, "I found he wasn't helping the team at that moment." Kirby Dach was also benched. The Habs have lost five of their past six and hope to see Laine return to form to right the ship.
Next eight days: vs. NJ (Feb. 8), vs. TB (Feb. 9)
23. Utah Hockey Club
Previous ranking: 24
Points percentage: 50.93%
What's super: Letting the fans decide. Since the U.S. Patent Office rejected the Utah Yetis because it could create market confusion with the Yeti Coolers (but for the record there are Stanley cups and a Stanley Cup), the team decided to let the fans vote on the name: Utah Hockey Club, Utah Mammoth and Utah Outlaws (which replaced Wasatch). I'm happy the fans have the power here, and my only hope is that we get a dope-looking mascot, because mascots rule.
Next eight days: @ CAR (Feb. 8), @ WSH (Feb. 9)
24. St. Louis Blues
Previous ranking: 25
Points percentage: 47.32%
What's super: Tough decisions. They aren't easy to make, but sometimes they must be -- at least in the eyes of management and in this case Bill Armstrong, deciding to put Brandon Saad on waivers. Saad would eventually sign a one-year deal with the Vegas Golden Knights, so both player and team get a clean separation and a new start. Saad, a two-time Cup winner with the Hawks, had seven goals and 16 points in 44 games this season for the Blues. He gave up roughly $5.4 million in salary to join Vegas and chase another Stanley Cup.
Next eight days: vs. CHI (Feb. 8)
25. Anaheim Ducks
Previous ranking: 28
Points percentage: 49.06%
What's super: Trade deadline speculation. Hockey fans love trade speculation. Elliotte Friedman on his "32 Thoughts" podcast noted that an NHL executive told him that he wants to see Colorado trade for Trevor Zegras. For the past few years this part of the calendar has been "Will John Gibson be traded" season, but this time it's involving the 23-year old Zegars, who has produced some of the most memorable highlights in recent memory in the NHL.
Next eight days: @ LA (Feb. 8)
26. Pittsburgh Penguins
Previous ranking: 26
Points percentage: 48.18%
What's super: Mario ... But also definitive answers. Death, taxes, Sidney Crosby staying in Pittsburgh. A week before being named Team Canada's captain at 4 Nations, around the time Mikko Rantanen was traded and scuttlebutt was out there that this might not be the biggest trade, NHL insider Chris Johnston stamped any flames (the fire, not the team) by saying without any doubt that Sidney Crosby was not leaving the Steel City (Pittsburgh, not Hamilton). It must be flattering to be so sought after that even if every single thing points to the contrary, people will still wonder. But hey, if Gretzky can get traded ...
Next eight days: @ NYR (Feb. 7), @ PHI (Feb. 8)
27. Philadelphia Flyers
Previous ranking: 23
Points percentage: 47.32%
What's super: It's only up from here. The Flyers were shut out in three straight games from Jan. 29-Feb. 2 (for those curious, the NHL record for most consecutive times shut out is eight, held by the 1928-29 Chicago Blackhawks). Other than continuing to get shut out, it can't get much worse. The team is second to last in the East but still only seven points out of a playoff spot.
Next eight days: vs. PIT (Feb. 8)
28. Buffalo Sabres
Previous ranking: 30
Points percentage: 46.23%
What's super: Their fans. Sabres fans have been through a lot. The team is again near the bottom of the standings, the playoff drought gets brought up all the time, it's another disappointing chapter in Buffalo Sabres hockey. Sabres fans deserve better. In many, many seasons they were the pinnacle of passion for their team in the NHL.
Next eight days: @ NSH (Feb. 8)
29. Seattle Kraken
Previous ranking: 29
Points percentage: 44.64%
What's super: Coach content. Assistant coach Jessica Campbell is a pioneer in the NHL as the first woman assistant coach -- by now that has been (rightfully) well documented. Another area where she deserves praise is her social media content -- her Instagram, for example, gives us a glimpse behind the scenes as a coach, interactions with fans and general life moments that we aren't accustomed to seeing from any NHL coaches. I welcome more of this content from coaches across the league -- maybe assistant coaches with other NHL teams can be the entry point for their fan bases. As coach Campbell's content clearly shows, it will be welcomed and embraced by the hockey world.
Next eight days: @ CGY (Feb. 8)
30. Nashville Predators
Previous ranking: 27
Points percentage: 41.35%
What's (not) super: Regulation losses. The Predators followed a four-game winning streak with five straight regulation losses, all of them to teams currently out of the playoffs, much like the Predators. Unfortunately, as things are going now, with no U2 concert to cancel in sight, the Preds will go down as one of the biggest disappointments of the season.
Next eight days: @ CHI (Feb. 7), vs. BUF (Feb. 8)
31. Chicago Blackhawks
Previous ranking: 31
Points percentage: 35.85%
What's super: Practice time. The Blackhawks called up 19-year old Artyom Levshunov, the No. 2 pick in last year's NHL draft. The reason? To practice with the team. "We felt this would be a good opportunity for Arty's development to come and get some NHL-level practice experience, something he was not able to do during training camp this season due to injury," GM Kyle Davidson said. "While we don't expect him to see any game action during his recall, we're confident the experience will be a positive one for Arty as he continues on his development path." Good for player and team to get a potential future piece some reps with the big team.
Next eight days: vs. NSH (Feb. 7), @ STL (Feb. 8)
32. San Jose Sharks
Previous ranking: 32
Points percentage: 33.04%
What's super: Excitement. It's been a theme almost all season, but the San Jose Sharks might be one of the most exciting and fun to watch "bad teams" in recent memory. They are in the bottom of the standings, but players such as Macklin Celebrini and Will Smith make the Sharks appointment viewing for hockey fans, or at the very least a longer pause on Celebrini highlights and pop off videos on social media.
Next eight days: vs. DAL (Feb. 8)
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