Wales and Cardiff Blues wing Hallam Amos will miss the rest of the season with a knee injury that needs surgery.

The 25-year-old sustained the injury during the Blues' Pro14 win over Benetton on 23 February.

Amos missed out on selection for Wales' Six Nations squad because of an ankle problem, before replacing the injured Owen Lane.

Fellow Wales and Blues wing Josh Adams will also miss the next three months because of an ankle injury.

Wales have injury concerns in the back three with George North failing a head injury assessment in the defeat against France.

Liam Williams has only just returned to full training after suffering an ankle injury before the World Cup semi-final against South Africa in October 2019.

Uncapped teenage wing Louis Rees Zammit missed Gloucester's match last weekend through illness.

Leigh Halfpenny, Johnny McNicholl and Jonah Holmes are the other back three options.

The rookie hype this preseason rightfully surrounded the top two picks of the most recent NHL draft. Jack Hughes and Kaapo Kakko were the two new stars of the biggest media market in the world, so it was only natural they were going to get most of the attention. Yet as we hit the final month of the 2019-20 regular season, there's not a whole lot of attention on either player, and that's also with good reason.

Hughes has 21 points through 56 games, while Kakko has managed 20 points in 60 games. If you extrapolate that out to 82-game rates, Hughes is on pace for 31 points and Kakko 27. The most recent first overall pick to have so few points in his first season is Nail Yakupov, who finished with 31 during the lockout-shortened 2012-13 campaign.

According to Hockey Reference data, 71 18-year-olds have appeared in at least 50 games in their rookie seasons in NHL history. Hughes and Kakko rank 50th and 54th, respectively, in points per game in that same group. While that is certainly not ideal, it's far from unprecedented. Three former No. 1 overall forwards actually rank below Hughes -- Vincent Lecavalier, Owen Nolan and Joe Thornton, who ranks 70th on this list. It's easy to forget now, but Thornton had just seven points in 55 games as an 18-year-old rookie with the Boston Bruins before going on to a career that will land him in the Hockey Hall of Fame after retirement. If there's panic, pump the brakes a little.

There are a couple of ways to look at that. For one, Hughes is the first player to go straight from the U.S. National Team Development Program to the NHL. Most players from that program go through at least a year of junior or college hockey before reaching the NHL. Meanwhile, Kakko is only the fourth Finn to transition directly from Liiga, Finland's top pro league, to the NHL by age 18, joining Aleksander Barkov, Jesperi Kotkaniemi and Patrik Laine. Hughes is still just 18, and Kakko just turned 19 two weeks ago. They're the youngest players in the league, and so far, it has really shown.

Both of them are still exceptional talents with bright futures. But both have had trouble finding ways to consistently impact the game.

In Hughes' case, he is one of the lighter players in the league and has never faced the level of adversity he has seen in the NHL. On top of on-ice struggles, the general manager who drafted him was fired, his first head coach was fired and there's at least a chance Hughes will be on his third head coach of his career by the start of next season. The Devils haven't exactly put their young star in a position to succeed, but Hughes is going to need a big summer to bulk up and find ways to play with older players. His older brother, Quinn, had the benefit of a late birthdate, playing college hockey in his draft year and choosing to stay another year just to be ready. The path for Jack has always been accelerated by comparison; so even though Quinn is 18 months older, he is nearly three years ahead in his development.

In Kakko's case, he has had to adjust to not being a consistent top-six option. That clearly wore on him earlier in the season. Before the Rangers looked as competitive as they have become, there was a reasonable argument that David Quinn should have just kept giving the young Finn minutes for the sake of his development -- but that's also not supposed to be how life works at the NHL level. The Rangers simply have better options right now, and Kakko hasn't done enough to earn top-six minutes for a team that's in a playoff chase. It's hard to blame the coach for that, especially when Kakko's underlying numbers have been especially poor.

Both players appear to be improving, though. Even if the points aren't coming, they're still getting valuable reps at the NHL level. To both teams' credit, they keep throwing both players over the boards. You can openly wonder if either was ready for the NHL, but given the way they both played last season, it was completely reasonable to assume they'd be NHL-ready.

Another factor at play here: We've been spoiled by some freakish first- and second-overall picks over the past few years. Connor McDavid, Auston Matthews and Laine have set an unreasonable bar. Rasmus Dahlin, who went No. 1 in 2018, had flashes of brilliance last season, but he has had some struggles this season. Kotkaniemi was sent to the AHL by Montreal this season after a strong rookie showing in 2018-19. Andrei Svechnikov, on the other hand, had a decent if unspectacular rookie season, and he is having a monster sophomore campaign.

These are all really good reminders that the NHL continues to become a more challenging league, and a player's development is not uniform. The game has never been faster, the players remain incredibly big and the teenagers are having a harder time making an impact right away.

The Calder Trophy has historically been won by older rookies. Only six 18-year-olds have won the rookie of the year award, and the average age of the past 10 winners is 19.4. When you look at the list of 10 players below, none is below the age of 20. The NHL has become a younger man's game, but there's still a learning curve. The youngest players deserve a little more benefit of the doubt that. Sometimes it's just going to require a bit more patience.

Here are the top 10 rookies in the NHL, with about a month remaining the 2019-20 campaign:

1. Quinn Hughes, D, Vancouver Canucks

The first rookie defenseman to reach the 50-point plateau since 1992-93, Hughes has been putting up points at a fairly alarming rate. He is closing in on the Canucks franchise record for points by a rookie defenseman, with Dale Tallon's 56 in his sights. Over the past two months, Hughes has averaged 0.92 points and 22:31 of ice time per game. When the Canucks are going, he is as much of an engine as anyone on the team.

2. Cale Makar, D, Colorado Avalanche

Hughes has officially surpassed Makar in raw points, but the Avs blueliner still has the slight edge in points per game for the whole season. Makar also is second on the Avalanche in scoring, while lagging way far behind Hart Trophy hopeful Nathan MacKinnon. After averaging a point per game over the first two months of the season, Makar has settled back to a still great but more human pace, scoring at about 0.70 points per game since Dec. 1. His ice time has gone up, however, with Makar playing the second-most minutes among defensemen on the Avs. Additionally, the Avs might have found something in pairing Makar with the more defensive-minded Ryan Graves; they've been a force together. Makar has been day-to-day lately, as he battles an upper-body injury.

3. Dominik Kubalik, RW, Chicago Blackhawks

Only Auston Matthews and Mika Zibanejad have scored more goals than Kubalik's 23 since Dec. 1. Kubalik has 29 for the season so far, and he has showcased an incredible shot with an ability to get it off from just about anywhere. Additionally, 25 of his goals have come at even strength. Kubalik has been one of the few bright spots on a struggling Blackhawks roster, and his growing ice time has reflected the increased faith in his offensive abilities. It took him a little while to get going, but now that he is scoring, he can't seem to stop.

4. Adam Fox, D, New York Rangers

The Rangers are exceedingly reliant on Fox at both ends of the ice. They control the puck at a much higher rate when Fox is on the ice, as he owns a 7.7% relative Corsi for percentage at even strength. He also is one of only three players on the team in the black when it comes to 5-on-5 Corsi for percentage. In watching the Rangers, Fox has been exceptional when it comes to breaking up plays in his own end. His ability to read the play and anticipate what the opposition is doing is next level. Takeaways can be a bit of a wonky stat in the NHL, but Fox has been credited with 55 so far this season, which ranks tops among all rookies and 11th overall in the league. The points aren't at the level of his peers here, but he is undoubtedly an impact player for his team right now.

5. Victor Olofsson, LW, Buffalo Sabres

After sustaining another apparent injury in Saturday's loss to the Coyotes, Olofsson could be on the shelf for a bit. He remains one of the top rookie scorers and also leads all first-year forwards in average time on ice, with 18:28 per game. He is a true top-sixer in a rookie forward class that is especially light on those. One thing of note is that Olofsson benefits from good linemates. Jack Eichel has been involved in 27 of Olofsson's 40 points this season. He's more than a coattail rider, but he slips down this particular list because he has yet to prove he can produce on his own like some of his peers on this list have done.

6. Nick Suzuki, C/W, Montreal Canadiens

An especially undersung rookie this season, Suzuki has been a real bright spot for the foundering Canadiens. Suzuki is tied with Olofsson for fourth in rookie scoring and ranks fifth on the Habs with 40 points. Suzuki has appeared in every game so far this season, and he has helped soften the disappointment of Jesperi Kotkaniemi's sophomore slump. Suzuki is looking like a long-term foundational piece for the Habs.

7. John Marino, D, Pittsburgh Penguins

Marino hasn't played in a month after suffering a facial fracture but apparently is close to returning after being cleared for contact. The Penguins have certainly missed his steady presence on the back end. Since Feb. 6, the Pens are 4-7-1 and have allowed 36 goals in that span. It isn't just Marino being out, of course, but when you're down a crucial, top-four defenseman, it's going to be a grind.

8. Martin Necas, C/W, Carolina Hurricanes

If he played a bigger role on his team, he probably would be up this list a bit more, but Necas has fit into a depth role quite nicely for the Canes. He also is tied with Quinn Hughes for third among rookies with 27 even-strength points. The addition of Vincent Trocheck to his line very well could lead to a boost in points for Necas, who has heated up a little bit more over the past two months.

9. Elvis Merzlikins, G, Columbus Blue Jackets

The last few weeks have seen Merzlikins and the Blue Jackets come back to earth a little bit. Additionally, Joonas Korpisalo has returned, which could limit the number of starts Merzlikins gets going forward. That said, Merzlikins still has great numbers, and he was a huge part of bolstering Columbus's playoff hopes over a good stretch of January and early February. Though he has lost his past seven decisions, Merzlikins ranks third in the NHL among players with at least 30 appearances with a .922 save percentage.

10. Mackenzie Blackwood, G, New Jersey Devils

Overshadowed by his team's struggles, Blackwood has shown some signs that he might be able to be its No. 1 goalie going forward. Despite the quality of the team in front of him, Blackwood has a .916 save percentage and the seventh-best even-strength save percentage in the NHL, at .928. He also has made 40 starts this season, more than any rookie by a significant margin. Blackwood did appear in 23 NHL games last season, so he is just barely a rookie by the NHL's standards, but he has made the race for the All-Rookie Team goalie spot very interesting.

It's undeniable that NHL awards campaigns can be made or abandoned in the last month of the season.

Recency bias is very much a thing, considering that the ballots aren't sent out until near the end of the season and the votes are sent in right up until the first game of the playoffs. This is especially true of the Hart Trophy race, for which players such as Taylor Hall, Corey Perry and Joe Thornton won tight races with late surges.

What does the awards picture look like as we sprint into the playoff races?

Here's the NHL Awards Watch for March. Again, this is a prediction of how I expect the voters would consider the current contenders as well as a look at their merits. Keep in mind that the Pro Hockey Writers Association (PHWA) votes for the Hart, Norris, Calder, Selke and Lady Byng; broadcasters vote for the Jack Adams; and general managers handle the Vezina. Also keep in mind the "You Gotta Be In It To Win It" protocol for the Hart and the Jack Adams.

All stats from Hockey-Reference.com, Natural Stat Trick and Evolving Hockey.

Jump ahead:
Ross | Richard | Hart
Norris | Selke | Vezina
Calder | Byng | Adams

Art Ross Trophy (points leader)

Current leader: Leon Draisaitl, Edmonton Oilers (107 points)
Watch out for: Connor McDavid, Edmonton Oilers (94 points)
Dark horse: David Pastrnak, Boston Bruins (91 points)

Rocket Richard Trophy (leading goal scorer)

Current leader: David Pastrnak, Boston Bruins (47 goals)
Watch out for: Alex Ovechkin, Washington Capitals (45 goals)
Dark horse: Auston Matthews, Toronto Maple Leafs (45 goals)

Hart Trophy (MVP)

Leader: Nathan MacKinnon, Colorado Avalanche
Finalists: Leon Draisaitl, Edmonton Oilers; Artemi Panarin, New York Rangers

In the most recent edition of Awards Watch, we told you that Connor McDavid's Hart Trophy candidacy had a Leon Draisaitl problem, and look what we have here: The Oilers' contenders have flip-flopped, thanks in no small part to Draisaitl's performance while McDavid missed some time recently: four goals, eight assists in six Connor-less games.

Draisaitl is starting to run away with the Art Ross Trophy too, and that's significant: Of the past 10 Hart Trophy winners, eight of them have led the league in either points or goals. The only two that didn't were Carey Price of the Montreal Canadiens, when he became just the second goalie since 1998 to win the award; and Taylor Hall of the New Jersey Devils, who carried that team on his back for a month to get them into the playoffs and led the next leading scorer on the team by 41 points. Which brings us to the cases for our next two hopefuls ...

The Rangers are close enough to the playoff bubble that our "Gotta Be In It To Win It" protocol doesn't apply to Panarin quite yet. If they do manage to get into the postseason, this is quite a case he has built for himself as MVP. Panarin has 90 points in 64 games en route to new career highs in points per game (1.41) and goals per game (0.50). He has 35 more points than the team's next leading scorer, Mika Zibanejad, who has 65 points in 52 games -- 24 of them on the power play, where he has spent the majority of time playing with Panarin.

The Russian winger leads the NHL in goals scored above average, at 24.6, and is running away with the wins-above-replacement lead (4.4). The transformative effect that he has had on that team and that roster is observable and quantifiable. It'll be hard to deny him the Hart if the Rangers get in, and there's about a 30% chance they will, per Money Puck.

There's about a 100% chance that the Avalanche are a playoff team, and MacKinnon's case for the Hart remains our favorite combination of team success and individual achievement. His 86 points in 65 games are nearly an identical pace to his 2017-18 campaign that saw him finish second for the Hart. That season, MacKinnon finished 13 points ahead of linemate Mikko Rantanen. This season, MacKinnon is 39 points (!) ahead of Cale Makar, the Avalanche's second-leading scorer, as of Monday night. MacKinnon is a very respectable 10th in goals scored above average (17.3), behind Panarin but well ahead of Draisaitl (13.5).

The downside for MacKinnon is that he is unlikely to lead the NHL in either goals or points like Draisaitl can; and MacKinnon already has seen what happens to his MVP chances in a season when one player single-handedly elevates a New York metropolitan team to an unlikely playoff berth.

But heading into the final month and a half of the season, MacKinnon is our leader.

Among the potential spoilers: David Pastrnak and Brad Marchand of the Boston Bruins; McDavid of the Oilers; Auston Matthews of the Toronto Maple Leafs; Alex Ovechkin of the Washington Capitals; and last year's winner, Nikita Kucherov of the Tampa Bay Lightning, especially now that Steven Stamkos is injured. In a perfect world, Connor Hellebuyck of the Winnipeg Jets would get some MVP love too, but we imagine that love will come in a different trophy form.

Norris Trophy (top defenseman)

Leader: John Carlson, Washington Capitals
Finalists: Victor Hedman, Tampa Bay Lightning; Roman Josi, Nashville Predators

Carlson's case for the Norris Trophy is an offensive one, and a historic one. His 1.12 points-per-game average would be the best scoring season by a defenseman since 1993-94 and the 11th best in the past 30 years -- and he is only 0.02 points per game away from being eighth best. He is on track for 92 points, which would be the highest point total for a defenseman since Phil Housley's 97 in 1992-93.

There are certainly knocks on Carlson's candidacy. His expected goals (9.4) ranks him 27th, and that's due to his defensive goals scored above average being in the negative (minus-3.4). His expected goals percentage is barely in the positive at 5-on-5 (50.72) despite scoring 47 of his points at even strength. He isn't a bad defender, just not as good as some other contenders. But none of them has been the offensive juggernaut thing that Carlson has.

Josi entered Monday second in the NHL in points by a defenseman (60 in 64 games), and from a glamor-stats perspective, it would be impressive to get that average back over a point per game. He actually leads the NHL's defensemen by a wide margin in individual scoring chances (121), and he is the only defenseman to play at least 1,000 minutes at 5-on-5 to have over 100 of them. Hence, he also leads all defensemen in individual expected goals (6.92). Josi has a plus-9.5 difference in expected goals, while Carlson is at plus-5.9.

Josi is sixth in goals scored above average (15.6). He also starts 50% of his shifts in the offensive zone, while Carlson starts over 53%.

If you want to make the case that Josi is the best all-around defenseman in the NHL this season, there is a good one to be made.

Hedman was third in the most recent NHL.com Trophy Tracker, voted on by their writers. That's fine. He has had a tremendous season for the Lightning, with 16.6 goals scored above average and 4.5 defensive points share, better than Josi or Carlson in both categories.

Alex Pietrangelo of the St. Louis Blues is having his best offensive season (0.75 points per game) but leaves something to be desired defensively.

Jaccob Slavin of the Hurricanes is the best defensive defensemen in the NHL and is right behind Hedman in goals scored above average (16.2) while skating 23:17 per game. With any justice, he gets into the top three. But that's a tall order when the other contenders make up the top three in defensemen scoring and Slavin is at No. 25 overall with 35 points. For context, he finished behind two rookies in the latest NHL.com Trophy Tracker.

Calder Trophy (top rookie)

Leader: Quinn Hughes, Vancouver Canucks
Finalists: Dominik Kubalik, Chicago Blackhawks; Cale Makar, Colorado Avalanche

Unless a goaltender sneaks into the top three, this is likely going to be the Calder Trophy field. And it's still a two-defenseman race.

Hughes leads all rookies with 51 points in 64 games, while Makar just edges him in points per game (0.84 in 56 games to Hughes' 0.80). Hughes plays slightly more (21:45 to Makar's 21:00 on average, heading into Monday), and Hughes is less sheltered, starting 58.1% of his shifts in the attacking zone to Makar's 62.6%.

But Makar has a strong analytics case. He leads in goals scored above average, with 14.2 to 11.1 for Hughes. His 7.4 expected goals plus/minus tops Hughes (1.3), as does his points share (7.1 to 6.6), which estimates the number of standings points contributed by a player to his team.

Hughes caused a stir this week by telling The Hockey News that, "I'm not the one making the call, but especially the last 30 games I don't know if anyone has been better than me." That might be true, but in the totality of this season, it's a neck-and-neck race between these young defensemen, and Makar was picked first by the PHWA midseason ballot and the latest NHL.com Trophy Tracker. But we have to give Hughes the edge here as long as he continues to lead all rookies in points.

Kubalik leads all rookies with 29 goals in 63 games. That puts him on pace for 36 goals, which would tie him with Patrik Laine for sixth most for a rookie since the 1999-00 season. Kubalik's 1.76 goals per 60 minutes leads all rookies, as well.

While Sabres forward Victor Olofsson (0.80 points per game in 50 games) is still in the mix, Kubalik's biggest concern is a collection of outstanding rookie goalies in the Devils' Mackenzie Blackwood (21-12-8, .916 SV%), the Capitals' Ilya Samsonov (16-6-1, .917 SV%), the Blue Jackets' Elvis Merzlikins (12-9-8, .922 SV%) and the Canucks' Thatcher Demko (11-8-2, .903 SV%). The Rangers' brilliant Igor Shesterkin is going to end up with some very flashy stats, but probably not the work rate to make the top three.

As for Rangers standout rookie defenseman Adam Fox? Son, you picked the wrong rookie crop in which to be this good.

Vezina Trophy (top goaltender)

Note: The NHL's general managers vote for this award

Leader: Connor Hellebuyck, Winnipeg Jets
Finalists: Ben Bishop, Dallas Stars; Tuukka Rask, Boston Bruins

Dedicated Awards Watch readers will note that Bishop led this category last month. But it has become an undeniable fact that no one who has played as many games as Hellebuyck (54) has had a better season ... because there's only one goalie (Carey Price) who has played more games.

The Vezina can sometimes function as a de facto goalie Hart Trophy, and if the general managers operate in that manner, then Hellebuyck is the only choice. He is 27-21-5 with a .919 save percentage that jumps to a .924 save percentage at even strength. He has a league-best five shutouts behind a defense that lost four of six players from last season's unit. Evolving Hockey's goals saved above average measurement has him leading the NHL (21.7), while Hockey Reference has him fourth (16.10). When it comes to expected goals saved above average, Hellebuyck is basically untouchable: He is at 12.49, and no other goalie is north of 10.

The sole reason the Jets are in a playoff race is because of this goaltender's performance this season -- his 11.1 points share puts him fourth among all players this season -- and one has to assume the general managers will take notice.

Bishop has had an outstanding season and is a three-time finalist, which makes him a known quantity to the voters. He had a better season in 2018-19 statistically, but 15.8 goals saved above average is nothing at which to sneeze. But his candidacy runs into the same problem that it did last season, whereas "backup" Anton Khudobin has just-as-good-to-better numbers in that Dallas system, albeit in fewer games.

Rask could be the leader for the Vezina at this point if Hellebuyck isn't. Sure, Rask sometimes runs into the same issue as that of Bishop, given how good Jaroslav Halak is as the Bruins' other netminder. But there's some separation between the two this season, as Rask has just simply been dominant. He has 20.55 goals saved above average and a .684 quality starts percentage per Hockey Reference data, to go along with a .928 save percentage and a 24-7-6 record.

Watch out for Tampa Bay's Andrei Vasilevskiy, who leads the NHL in wins (33), which is the most glamorous of glamor stats; Vancouver's Jacob Markstrom (23-16-4), who has been revelatory at times for the Canucks; and don't sleep on Colorado's Pavel Francouz, who is 19-5-3 in 29 starts with a .929 SV% for a team that could do quite well down the stretch. Has Francouz stolen the starting gig from the injured Philipp Grubauer?

Selke Trophy (best defensive forward)

Leader: Sean Couturier, Philadelphia Flyers
Finalists: Patrice Bergeron, Boston Bruins; Ryan O'Reilly, St. Louis Blues

We wish there was a way to get Anthony Cirelli of the Tampa Bay Lightning into this top three, because he is having an incredible season. He tops Bergeron in defensive goals above average, with 3.3 to the Bruin's 2.8, and their teams have identical 1.92 expected goals against per 60 when they're on the ice at even strength. Cirelli is in the top 25 in takeaways (49). The Lightning have an incredible .943 save percentage when Cirelli is on the ice at 5-on-5, and they are a plus-25 in goals scored. We'll allow that his 48.1 faceoff winning percentage is a bit underwhelming.

But is the 22-year-old Tampa center really going to be able to climb over O'Reilly, last season's Selke winner, or Bergeron, who is seemingly a preordained finalist any time he plays a (mostly) full season?

O'Reilly was third on the PHWA midseason ballot with some impressive numbers -- a 2.0 defensive points share, the Blues' 1.99 expected goals against per 60 minutes with O'Reilly on the ice -- and some specious ones, like a minus-6.24 in shot attempts against per 60 minutes relative to his teammates.

Bergeron was second on the PHWA ballot at midseason, and more importantly, he has been a Selke finalist for eight (!) straight seasons, whether he plays 80 games or 64 games. His numbers case hasn't given the voters any reason to drop him off this season.

Cirelli finished 11th for the Selke last season, and he likely will finish higher this time, but it takes a while before a worthy contender truly lands on the radar for this award.

Ask Couturier.

The Flyers center is wiring the field. He has an expected goals plus/minus of plus-10. He is winning faceoffs at a ridiculous 59.3% clip. He has a plus-7.15 shot attempts percentage relative to his teammates, and the Flyers have a .924 save percentage with him on the ice. He is right there with Bergeron (2.2) in defensive points shares, at 2.1. But more than anything, it feels like it has been Couturier's time all season, both in the numbers and in the eye test. He finished second for the award in 2018. The wait should be over for him this June.

Unless, of course, the voters decide to give another Selke to Bergeron to break the all-time wins tie (4) he currently has with Bob Gainey of the Montreal Canadiens.

Lady Byng Trophy (gentlemanly play)

This is the part where I mention that the Lady Byng Trophy for gentlemanly play should be voted on by the league's on-ice officials or by the National Hockey League Players' Association.

That said, this award is usually given to the best player (read: forward) with the fewest penalty minutes, and that would be Auston Matthews of the Toronto Maple Leafs, at eight penalty minutes in 66 games. But since we can't image the voters giving a "gentlemanly" award to someone with the kind of off-ice incident Matthews had last summer, we'll go with Nathan MacKinnon, who has 12 penalty minutes through 64 games.

But what if it was time for a defenseman to win this award? Brian Campbell's win in 2012 is the only such one since 1954! Minnesota Wild defenseman Ryan Suter has 12 penalty minutes, playing 24:34 per night. Maybe he should get one.

Jack Adams Award (best coach)

Note: The NHL Broadcasters' Association votes on this award.

Leader: Mike Sullivan, Pittsburgh Penguins
Finalists: Jared Bednar, Colorado Avalanche; John Tortorella, Columbus Blue Jackets

That the Blue Jackets could make the playoffs through offseason defections, significant injuries and a meat grinder of a division means Tortorella likely will be up for this award.

But Sullivan won the NHL.com Jack Adams poll this month, and he has a similar case when it comes to injuries and being in a competitive division. Except the players he lost at various points during this season -- including Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Kris Letang, Jake Guentzel, Patric Hornqvist, Nick Bjugstad, Brian Dumoulin and John Marino -- could have been its own all-NHL team.

Bednar, whose team has seen a bunch of top players miss a bunch of time and yet still has climbed up the standings, also has a similar case to make.

It'll be intriguing to see if any of the Pacific Division coaches with a stake in this race -- Travis Green of the Canucks, Dave Tippett of the Oilers, Rick Tocchet of the Coyotes -- can break through in the voting. Geoff Ward of the Flames and Rick Bowness of the Stars both took on their gigs under emergency conditions and have fared well. Then there's Bruce Cassidy, who followed up a Stanley Cup Final appearance with what looks to be a Presidents' Trophy win; and Barry Trotz, who will continue to get the lion's share of credit for the Islanders' success.

One name to watch: Alain Vigneault of the Flyers, who are surging at the right time with their coach having a palpable effect on this team. He last won the Jack Adams in 2007.

March 4: PSL - Lahore Qalandars v Islamabad United, Lahore

Our XI: Luke Ronchi, Colin Munro/Dawid Malan, Mohammad Hafeez, Chris Lynn, Rizwan Hussain, David Wiese, Shadab Khan, Shaheen Afridi, Dale Steyn, Ahmed Safi Abdullah, Muhammad Musa

Captain: Mohammad Hafeez

It feels like Hafeez's 98 not out came so many matches ago, but it was just a week-and-a-half back. Incidentally, it came against the same opponents, so expect him to go well against the same bowling attack again. He can pick up a wicket or two too.

Vice-captain: Shadab Khan

Khan has been in terrific form with the bat in the tournament even though he is primarily a bowler. His average at No. 4 and No. 5 this season is 72.5, the most among all who have played in those positions in PSL 2020. He has also picked up three wickets in the last three games.

Hot Picks

Luke Ronchi: Prior to the Lahore v Quetta Gladiators game on Tuesday, the veteran from New Zealand was the highest run-getter in the tournament with 194 runs at a strike rate of 156.45. And don't forget the dismissals behind the stumps.

Dale Steyn: Steyn started off his PSL campaign with a maiden but went for some runs later. But we are backing the experienced pacer to deliver against Lahore on a slightly better pitch for the bowlers. In his last five T20s, Steyn has picked up six wickets at an economy of 8.00.

Shaheen Afridi: Afridi has picked up the most number of wickets for a Pakistani at the Gadaffi Stadium since 2019 in all T20s - seven in four games at a strike rate of 13.7 and an economy rate of 5.06.

Value Picks

Rizwan Hussain: Hussain looked in ominous form during his cameo of 22 off 14 balls against Karachi Kings in his first game of PSL 2020. He has an impressive average of 33.15 in the format to go with his healthy strike rate of 132.20.

Ahmed Safi Abdullah: The 22-year-old left-arm spinner has been doing wonderfully without getting much credit. He has played three games in the tournament so far and has picked up four wickets at a strike rate of 12 and an economy rate of 8.12.

Points to note

• Wait for the toss and choose whichever among Munro and Malan is in the playing XI.

• In 2019, Islamabad won both the games against Lahore handsomely.

LAKELAND, Fla. -- The New York Yankees are heavy favorites to win the American League East, after adding Gerrit Cole. The Tampa Bay Rays won 96 games last year, and nearly derailed the Houston Astros' run to the World Series.

The Boston Red Sox, on the other hand, traded their best player, Mookie Betts, and lost Alex Cora, widely regarded as one of the game's best managers, to the sign-stealing scandal. Boston has dramatically slashed its payroll and Red Sox fans have been in talk-show revolt all winter.

But here are eight reasons why the 2020 Red Sox will be better than what you think.

British champions feature on the 10-strong squad for the World Athletics Half Marathon Championships in Gdynia, Poland

Chris Thompson and Lily Partridge lead a full British team of 10 for the World Athletics Half Marathon Championships in Gdynia, Poland, on March 29.

The Alan Storey-coached athletes both won British titles in London over the weekend, with Thompson finishing second behind Ethiopia’s Kenenisa Bekele in The Vitality Big Half, which incorporated the UK trials for the World Half, while Partridge claimed women’s race victory.

READ MORE: Kenenisa Bekele and Lily Partridge win Big Half in London

Thompson, the 2010 European 10,000m silver medallist, came close to his 2012 PB with his runner-up time of 61:07, with the performance earning the 38-year-old his first British vest on the road, 22 years after he made his international track debut at the World Junior Championships.

Fresh from lowering his British under-23 half-marathon record to 62:00 in London, Jake Smith joins Thompson in representing GB on the roads for the first time, having made his British track debut at last year’s European Under-23 Championships in Gävle, Sweden.

Ross Millington and Mohamud Aadan finished third and fourth respectively in the British trial race but declined selection for the championship, so other Gdynia-bound athletes are 2017 British marathon champion Josh Griffiths, Doha world championships representative Ben Connor and Matt Leach, who has twice run for Britain in the European 10,000m Cup.

READ MORE: Stephanie Davis, making big strides in a short time

On the women’s side, Partridge earns her first British vest since the 2018 European Championships in Berlin and will be joined by Samantha Harrison and Stephanie Davis, who also made the Big Half podium in London after respective personal bests of 71:01 and 71:15. They will make their international debuts.

Big Half fourth-placer Hayley Carruthers also earns her first British vest and completing the team is Sarah Inglis, who did not race at the trials but moved to 13th on the UK all-time list with a strong run of 70:24 in Houston in January.

READ MORE: Sarah Inglis hopes for hat-trick in Barbados

“The full squad of 10 for the World Athletics Half Marathon Championships in Gdynia showcases some of Great Britain’s most in-form athletes over the distance, exemplified by the performances at the trials and the form we have seen already this season,” said team leader Chris Jones.

“The team we have selected shows a good range of previous British international experience and features new names to the international scene and I hope this strength will be reflected in the overall outcome.

“The championships will serve as an excellent opportunity for athletes to continue their upward trajectory on the roads and I hope that we can achieve a strong team position overall.”

British team selected for the World Athletics Half Marathon Championships

Men
Ben Connor
Josh Griffiths
Matt Leach
Jake Smith
Chris Thompson

Women
Hayley Carruthers
Stephanie Davis
Samantha Harrison
Sarah Inglis
Lily Partridge

‘After a year of rehab, I needed two operations on a prolapsed disc’
INTERVIEW by ALAN THATCHER – Squash Mad Editor

Joe Lee is ready to put his body on the line again in full-time professional squash after suffering a serious back injury.

After two operations to cure a prolapsed disc, he is prepared to confront all the physical challenges that a brutal game like squash can offer up.

Having played in smaller PSA tournaments and in PSL matches for St. George’s Hill, we will see him in action when he plays Tom Ford in the Wild Card Challenge at the St. James’s Place Canary Wharf Classic on Friday, March 13. Ford is also attempting a return to the game as he deals with the problems caused by chronic fatigue.

Here, Joe discusses his treatment programme and his feelings about taking an enforced break from the sport he loves.

THE BIG INTERVIEW: 11 POINTS WITH JOE LEE

1: Joe, it’s great to see you back playing again after your long break from the game because of injury. Please tell us about the issues that caused you to step back from the PSA World Tour.

A: I had a prolapsed disc in my lower back, which was irritating my sciatic nerve and causing discomfort both in the back and hip.

2: How long did it take to get an accurate diagnosis?

A: It was around four months between first feeling the symptoms and having an MRI confirmed the prolapsed disc. I was playing some of my best squash at the time, which masked it to some degree. Gradually the discomfort became more severe and began to interrupt my training and I went to see my doctor at the EIS and I was referred for a scan.

3: What sort of treatment did you have to undergo?

A: After a year of rehab with little progress the decision was made to have surgery to tidy up the disc. Unfortunately this took two attempts, but since the second operation I have gone from strength to strength.

4: And how long was the recovery programme? What movements were you able to do, and what you were told not to do?

A: Whilst my doctor, physios and trainers have always been confident I could return to playing, it was unknown how my body would recover and respond to all the different elements of training. We did not adhere to any strict time frame; if you try to get back for a certain date you can lose clarity on how your body is feeling and as my World Ranking had already gone, there was no real reason to rush back.

For the first six months the main focus was on rebuilding strength and trying to encourage good form in basic movements. Gradually the intensity of my training was able to increase and I was able to get back on court. There weren’t many things that were ruled out but it was more a case of trial and error, learning what my body liked and didn’t like as we went along. For example, in the early days bike training was causing me to stiffen up (prolonged sitting isn’t great for lower backs and hips) so I switched to swimming. Now I am robust enough to do either.

5: How did you keep busy during that time? I saw you were doing some coaching around Surrey. How about your love of music?

A: I have been coaching at New Malden Sports Club, I am still doing a day or two a week and would like to stay involved with some of the juniors I am working with as I return to playing professionally. I also had more time to make and discover music, although I didn’t have much cash to fuel my record habit.

6: Your brother Charlie had some injury problems as well. How is he coming along?

A: He seems to be doing really well. I think we are at quite a similar level at the moment but we haven’t managed to get on court much yet!

7: A lot of players talk about their feelings for the game changing when they are out for a prolonged period. Did that happen to you? If so, please share those thoughts.

A: Through coaching I have witnessed the game at club level and I’ve realised that there is a lot more to squash than the PSA tour. I now have a better perspective of what the game means to people of all levels and how it has a positive impact on their lives.

8: While you were out of action, did you still follow all the news from the PSA World Tour, or did you have spells when you just wanted to switch off from it all?

A: At first it was actually quite refreshing mentally to detach from the Tour. I wouldn’t say I kept up much with it at all during my absence but since I have started to enter tournaments I have definitely become more engaged with what’s going on and it is nice to be able to watch with a fresh perspective.

9: Now that you are back in action, are you having to adapt your approach to training?

A: I have adapted my technique and movement with my coach Danny Massaro. Due to all of the physical work I have done I am much more robust and I feel that I am now hitting and moving in a way that is less stressful on my body.

10: You had a good battle with Declan James on your return in the Channel VAS tournament at St. George’s Hill. What were the positives you took out of that match?

A: It was good to get the feeling of competing back and to prove to myself that I can play at that level again. I came away from it happy enough with the performance but hungry to improve and do more in future.

11: I saw that you competed in Germany and Denmark but there was an 11-0 reverse in the fifth game in Odense. Was that a misprint or a bit of fatigue setting in?

A: It was just a small lapse of concentration and energy, really. Despite the fifth game scoreline, I was probably only a few good minutes of squash away from winning the match in the fourth. There is no substitute for that match experience and I think I’ve probably improved another 10% with that match under my belt. Credit to my opponent Farkas who got into a rhythm and played some classy squash.

Thank you, Joe. Good luck in the Wild Card Challenge.

Pictures courtesy of PSA, Channel VAS Open