IRVINE, Calif. – Mazda Motorsports has selected Flis Performance as the new constructor of the Global Mazda MX-5 Cup car.

Based on the world’s best-selling sports car, the Mazda MX-5 Miata, the Global Mazda MX-5 Cup car is one of the most exciting and affordable entries into professional road racing.

By employing a single constructor for all Mazda MX-5 Cup cars, and with strict limits to modifications and tuning, drivers are ensured a level playing field.

Since 2015, 218 Mazda MX-5 Cup cars have been sold.

Mazda MX-5 Cup cars begin as road cars assembled at Mazda’s Hiroshima, Japan factory before being converted to race cars. Starting in 2020, that conversion will take place at Flis Performance in Daytona Beach, Fla.

Flis Performance has extensive experience in amateur and professional racing, and has competed at the highest levels of sports car racing in North America.

“Ensuring that Mazda Motorsports found the right partner to build the Global Mazda MX-5 Cup car was incredibly important for the health of our program,” said Nelson Cosgrove, Director, Mazda Motorsports. “It’s very clear that the staff at Flis Performance understands what what our goals are with the MX-5 Cup car – to continue to build upon the value and excitement of the MX-5 Cup platform, to support new and prospective racers in the Global MX-5 Cup series, and to ensure that the cars constructed at Flis Performance are equal in performance and quality to the over 200 MX-5 Cup cars that our customers are currently enjoying.”

The 2020 Battery Tender Global Mazda MX-5 Cup presented by BFGoodrich, which races alongside the NTT IndyCar Series, will begin its season April 3-5 at Barber Motorsports Park in Birmingham, Ala.

For 2020, the series’ prize package is valued at over $500,000 – including a $200,000 career advancement scholarship for the season champion.

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – American Flat Track has announced a multi-year renewal of its long-standing agreement with Vance & Hines.

As the AFT SuperTwins class makes its season debut, the premier class of AFT will once again hold Vance & Hines as its presenting sponsor.

The sponsorship is a natural for Vance & Hines, a company with its roots in racing and its focus on performance. Vance & Hines is the market leader in motorcycle exhaust, air flow and performance management electronics. Through its 40-year history the company has operated factory race programs for several manufacturers and provided the performance that delivered championships in almost every type of motorcycle racing.

The California-based leader in motorcycle performance has stirred up real excitement with its AFT SuperTwins presented by Vance & Hines rider roster. With veterans Bryan Smith and Jarod Vanderkooi leading the charge with young protege Dalton Gauthier, the V&H-powered Harley-Davidson XG750R-mounted pilots will be a formidable force against the competition.

“Vance & Hines are a long-standing supporter of AFT and a fierce competitor in our race paddock,” said Michael Lock, CEO of American Flat Track. “We are proud to embark on a new multiyear partnership with them, and fans all across the country eagerly await their progress on the tracks in the 2020 series.”

“We couldn’t be more excited about being part of AFT SuperTwins, the premier class in American flat track racing,” said Mike Kennedy, president of Vance & Hines. “At Vance & Hines, racing is in our blood and this series is a perfect way for us to highlight how we deliver exhilaration on the track and on the street.”

SANTA CLARITA Clarita, Calif. – Honda Performance Development has announced the creation of a scholarship that will allow the reigning F3 Americas Championship to compete in a full year of Indy Lights competition.

This annual HPD scholarship will be used to support the F3 Champion’s chosen Indy Lights team in the following year’s season and will be transferable to any HPD partner team supporting the F3 Drivers’ champion in the Indy Lights or NTT IndyCar Series.

“The F3 Americas Championship has produced drivers that are ready for the next step of open wheel competition,” said John Whiteman, manager, HPD Commercial Motorsports. “We are pleased to be able to offer access to Honda’s winning teams and provide a critical contribution toward young driver’s professional racing aspirations.”

The regional F3 championship is sanctioned by SCCA Pro Racing, and features the F3-FIA spec JS F3 chassis designed and sold by Ligier Automotive in North Carolina, which meets the most advanced global FIA safety specifications, including the first North American application of a race car Halo.

The car, running on Hankook tires, is powered by a 303-horsepower Honda Performance Development version of the Honda Civic Type-R turbocharged K20C1 motor. The engine is manufactured in the United States at Honda’s Anna Engine Plant in Ohio, and the engines are shipped to HPD in Santa Clarita, Calif., for racing modifications, including installation of a dry sump and other race-specific components.

The F3 Americas Championship aligns with the global FIA development ladder philosophy of using common components to provide a cost-efficient, reliable, and powerful racing structure as drivers ascend through the levels on their way to U.S. or global racing success.

“Since the beginning, the F4 U.S. Championship and F3 Americas Championship have focused on giving young drivers the tools and track time they need to nurture and demonstrate their abilities,” said Dan Helman, president of SCCA Pro Racing. “Along with the great racing venues, instructional curricula, and veteran racing experience shared with drivers, there’s no question that this increased award will attract talented racers to this modern, competitive racing series.”

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Friday night’s NASCAR Hall of Fame induction ceremony marked the end of a long-awaited road for late driver and broadcaster Buddy Baker.

After six years on the Hall of Fame voting ballot, it was finally Baker’s time to be in the limelight.

The man known as NASCAR’s Gentle Giant was one of five new inductees into the Hall of Fame, comprising a part of the Class of 2020 and taking his place forevermore among stock-car racing’s elite.

Baker won 19 times during a 35-year Cup Series career, including the 1980 Daytona 500, where he set a race-record speed of 177.602 mph that still stands four decades later as the event’s fastest running.

He only ran a full season twice – back-to-back years in 1976 and 1977 – but finished among the top 10 in Cup Series points five times, including a career-best fifth during his 1977 campaign with Bud Moore.

But Baker’s most well-known attribute was his sheer speed behind the wheel.

In addition to his record-setting Daytona 500 win, Baker was the first man to crack the 200-mph threshold, hitting the hallowed speed during testing at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway and leading to the nickname “Leadfoot” by some of his contemporaries.

It was a quality that Roush Fenway Racing’s Ryan Newman nodded to when he introduced Baker to the Hall of Fame audience in attendance during Friday night’s induction ceremony.

“You can tell you’re in trouble when you feel the air on the back of your neck instead of in your face,” Newman said, quoting the late Baker. “It’s a motto I live by every time I take the track.

“The only thing faster than Buddy’s wit was his speed in a race car. Once he got out front, no one was getting by him.”

After his driving days ended, Baker went on to a long broadcasting career in both television and radio, representing some of the most well-known brands in the sport: TNN, TBS, CBS, and later SiriusXM.

Baker was first nominated for the NASCAR Hall of Fame ahead of the vote for the class of 2015, but much like the Harley J. Earl Trophy, a nod by voters to put him in the Hall of Fame remained elusive.

Five times his name was on the nomination list, but all five times, his name was never called.

That finally changed last May, as Baker was selected on 70 percent of the 57 ballots cast and finally was awarded his place in NASCAR history for all time – a place many felt was long overdue.

Waddell Wilson, Baker’s former crew chief who was also enshrined on Friday night, spoke to that fact during his post-induction availability with media members at the Charlotte Convention Center.

“It’s a shame he couldn’t be here with us to enjoy this, because it’s a moment that he would have dreamed about,” Wilson said. “He definitely deserved to be in, for a lot of reasons. “People don’t know it, but back in the 60s when they first built Daytona with (Big) Bill (France) in ‘59, Buddy probably did more testing at Daytona than any human being, with Firestone at the time when they were in NASCAR and then with Goodyear. Nobody had the amount of laps that he did at Daytona.

“I remember when he was getting ready for the ‘80 Daytona 500, he came to me and he said, ‘I’ve been trying for 19 years to win this race; I sure would love to win it,’” recalled Wilson. “And I was so happy for him when he won it, because you could see him coming down pit road and I’d never seen a smile like that on his face like it was that day. I imagine that’s what he would have been like tonight if he’d been here.”

During his final SiriusXM show in 2015, a month before he passed away, Baker revealed his diagnosis of inoperable lung cancer to the fans listening nationwide and asked a simple request of them all.

“Do not shed a tear, but give a smile when you say my name,” Baker noted.

And Baker would have been happy to see all the beaming grins surrounding the induction ceremony when his name was called one more time on Friday night.

After a long wait, the Gentle Giant’s legacy became cemented once more.

BUFFALO, N.Y. -- Sabres captain Jack Eichel is doing everything within his power to prevent his team from falling into an all-too-familiar, late-season rut.

The fifth-year player is enjoying a breakout season with a career-best 31 goals -- seven of them game-winners -- as he displays on-ice consistency. And then there are continuing signs that the 23-year-old is maturing into a well-rounded leader.

Eichel might still show an occasional outburst of frustration, such as when he smashed his stick over Buffalo's net in the closing moments of a 3-1 loss to Montreal last week. What has been more apparent is the self-restraint Eichel has displayed in not allowing his emotions to roll into the following day.

"The biggest thing, I think, is being able to regroup," he said, before pausing to gather his thoughts a day after the loss to Montreal. "It's not like last year."

That's still to be decided, though. Buffalo unraveled last year, by turning a 17-6-2 start into a 33-39-10 finish that led to coach Phil Housley's firing. And this year -- Eichel's numbers notwithstanding -- they are 10 points out of playoff positioning in the Eastern Conference with 30 games left.

"We've been through these times where we take a couple of hits at this time of year ... and then all of a sudden the wheels fall off," he said. "That's not happening here."

In the game following the loss to Montreal, Eichel backed up his words by scoring 36 seconds into overtime of a 2-1 victory over Columbus. But Buffalo needs more of those wins. At 23-22-7, chances are high that the NHL's longest active playoff drought pushes to a ninth year.

All that said, the victory over Columbus was significant in how it briefly silenced a disgruntled fan base voicing its displeasure over a team displaying modest hints of development under its fifth coach and third general manager in six years.

"Everyone knows what's going on. We're not stupid," goaltender Carter Hutton said. "The outside, and the pressure that comes with the situation we're in -- so it was a big answer."

The Sabres spent much of last week careening toward a state of crisis after coming out of a 10-day break with home losses to Ottawa and Montreal. The disgruntled masses gained a voice when 32-year-old fan Duane Steinel phoned into the Sabres' flagship station, WGR-Radio, to deliver a three-plus-minute tirade on the franchise's shortcomings. His criticisms ranged from questioning the Sabres' inconsistencies to citing issues beyond the team's control, such as an inability to print out-of-stock jerseys as part of the franchise's silver-anniversary celebrations.

The clip went viral on social media and was picked up by radio stations in Canada.

"I just want (the Sabres) to care. I just want them to matter again," Steinel said, admitting his frustrations were prompted by Buffalo's 5-2 loss to Ottawa. "It was depressing. I just looked around in the arena, even when the game was tied, there was nobody cheering. The atmosphere was so bad, and it's been like this for so long, man."

Two nights later, the Sabres were booed off the ice against Montreal.

First-year coach Ralph Krueger can feel the fans' pain, even though he's trying to block it out so as not to distract from his message to the team.

"It's not that we're sticking our heads in the sand, and whatever noise is out there is out there," Krueger said. "But I really don't let it into my head or my space because I need to work with this group on a daily basis as constructively as possible.

"Do fans deserve to boo us after games like Ottawa and Montreal? Yes. Do we need to take that? Yes. And it should fuel us to continue to work in the right direction."

Buffalo's season has been a series of peaks and valleys, with the Sabres following a 9-2-1 start with a 1-7-2 slump, before going 13-13-4 since. Krueger blames the inconsistencies on the team failing to stick to fundamentals.

"Sometimes it takes pain like we're feeling right now to implement those (fundamentals) to become normal for us, and they aren't yet," he said.

Eichel has been the Sabres' one consistent bright spot and is getting mentioned in the NHL MVP conversation despite Buffalo's struggles. He's fourth in the league in scoring and tied for seventh in points. Eichel has been held without a point 12 times this season, and just three times in his past 33 games, a stretch in which he has combined for 23 goals and 23 assists.

Difficult as it might sound, Eichel insisted he can do more.

"Everyone needs to kind of look in the mirror and expect more out of themselves going forward," he said. "That includes me."

Though hopeful about the future, Eichel acknowledged the team's inconsistencies have worn on him.

"Wouldn't it wear on you?" Eichel asked. "Yeah, I think it wears on everyone. But that's my job as a hockey player, as a leader, as a person, to be able to find a way to regroup every day, come to work and get better."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Toronto Maple Leafs goaltender Frederik Andersen left Monday night's 5-3 loss to the Florida Panthers after the first period due to an upper-body injury and did not return.

Andersen was involved in a collision with Panthers winger Frank Vatrano in the first period but remained in the game.

Michael Hutchinson took over in the Toronto net for the start of the second period. Holding a 2-1 lead, he gave up four third-period goals.

Andersen came into the game with a 2.87 goals-against average and .190 save percentage, having played in 41 of Toronto's 52 games.

BOSTON -- Brendan van Riemsdyk scored the tie-breaking goal, Craig Pantano stopped 27 shots and two-time defending champion Northeastern beat Harvard 3-1 in the opening round of the 68th Beanpot on Monday night.

The Huskies (15-7-2) have never won three straight Beanpot titles but will try for it next Monday night against the winner of the other opening round game between longtime rivals Boston University and Boston College. That game was played later Monday.

"It's emotionally draining," Northeastern coach Jim Madigan said. "Guys don't sleep well the night before. ... For all our seniors, this is our last kick at the can, so we want to have a lasting image for them."

Northeastern has six titles, the least of the four schools and far behind BU's 30 and BC's 20. Harvard has won 11, its last in 2017.

"I know it's going to be a big thing all week long because we haven't done that," said Madigan, a 1986 Northeastern grad, of getting three in a row. "I was fortunate to be on the 1984 and '85 teams that won it back-to-back."

Northeastern, ranked No. 13 in the nation, took a 2-1 lead in the final half-minute of the second period when Grant Jozefek sent a pass from the right corner out front to van Riemsdyk, where he redirected it from the top of the crease past the stick of goalie Mitchell Gibson inside the right post. The goal stood after a lengthy video review to see if the play was onside.

"It was a good play by their guy. He threw it kind of blind at the edge of the crease," Harvard coach Ted Donato said. "It was a lack of communication leaving the net-front open."

Van Riemsdyk is the younger brother of NHL veterans, James, a forward for the Flyers, and Trevor, a defenseman for the Hurricanes.

Ryan Shea scored an empty-netter with 51 seconds left.

"It kind of caught edge a little bit, it was going left and right," Shea said of his clearing shot that rolled into the net. "Once it went in, I was like, 'Here we go. We're going back to the championship.'"

The teams had traded first-period power-play goals. Jack Drury gave 16th-ranked Harvard (10-7-4) a 1-0 edge 5:17 into the game before Zach Solow tied it just over seven minutes later.

The Huskies survived being shorthanded two players for nearly two minutes early in the third. Pantano made a nice blocker stop on defenseman Reilly Walsh's bid from in close. Walsh also hit a post.

Gibson made 21 saves.

The annual tournament features the four local Boston-area Division I college programs, which are located within a few miles of each other, and is played the first two Monday nights in February. The tourney, often well-attended by draft scouts, has seen some of its best performances come from players who've moved onto the NHL.

As is the tradition, all four school bands combined with thousands of students to fill student sections around TD Garden, home of the Bruins and Celtics.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Every week, we'll mine the waiver wire for lesser-owned assets to help your squad, whether you favor dynasty or the redraft format, and we'll also toss in some tips for DFS players out there. Finally, we will look at some former go-to fantasy assets who may be overvalued -- in the short term or long term -- for one reason or another.

Forwards

Kailer Yamamoto, RW/C, Edmonton Oilers (24.8%): Competing on a forward unit with Leon Draisaitl and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins has a discernible upside -- as made evident by Yamamoto's recent run of three goals and two assists (plus-six) in four games. Contributing at a near point-per-game pace since his promotion from the minors in late December, the 21-year-old is proving he can hang with the best. And serve as a valuable fantasy asset in all but the shallowest of ESPN.com leagues.

Nick Suzuki, C, Montreal Canadiens (21.9%): While I'm curious to see how Montreal's lines shuffle once Jonathan Drouin returns -- late this week/early next? -- there's little fault to find with the rookie's current productive streak at four games and counting (six points). As long as he continues to center the Habs' second line and power play, Suzuki deserves rostering in most conventional scoring leagues. Less so if he tumbles down the lineup. But, for now, coach Claude Julien has little cause to shift the 2017 first-round draft selection anywhere else.

Brandon Saad, LW/RW, Chicago Blackhawks (20.7%): Skating on a line with Patrick Kane and now rookie Kirby Dach -- featured in this space last week -- Saad has four goals (15 shots) in four games after sitting out a month with an ankle injury. As streaky as they come, the 27-year-old veteran definitely merits fantasy investment as long as he sticks beside Kane.

Joel Farabee, LW, Philadelphia Flyers (3.8%): Receiving attention in this space not long ago, the Flyers rookie merits another mention as an underappreciated asset in the ESPN.com fantasyverse. Skating on a forward line and power play with Sean Couturier and Jakub Voracek, the 19-year-old has four goals and two assists in five recent contests. This kid is just getting started and he already appears to be the real deal. I don't get why he isn't more popular.

Zach Sanford, LW, St. Louis Blues (2.8%): Widely available, Sanford is sizzling at present with seven points in five games. As long as he remains on a scoring line with David Perron and Ryan O'Reilly, the 25-year-old winger has a place in deeper conventional leagues. But if interested, don't delay -- he won't likely fly under the radar much longer.

Defenders

Matt Niskanen, Philadelphia Flyers (28.7%): Seeing heavy minutes altogether and serving on the Flyers' power play, the experienced D-man is riding hot with a goal and five helpers in six games. Sitting second in blue-line scoring only two points shy of leader Ivan Provorov, Niskanen is available in nearly three-quarters of ESPN.com leagues. Unlike Provorov. Consider grabbing the 33-year-old if your own blue line could use a boost.

Goaltenders

Carter Hutton, Buffalo Sabres (24.1%): So far, so good. Two games into reclaiming Buffalo's net for his own, and Hutton appears his solid self of brighter days with a .942 SV%. Do I trust the 34-year-old to continue to impress against all comers, game in and out? Absolutely not. Not after his disastrous run through November and December. But fantasy managers with their own issues in net might consider rolling the dice on Hutton as a what's-there-to-lose option. Linus Ullmark isn't expected back from a leg injury for at least another three weeks.

James Reimer, Carolina Hurricanes (18.8%): Understudy to Petr Mrazek, Reimer is cobbling together a convincing case to see more and more action as the Hurricanes battle for a playoff spot in the tight Metropolitan division (only two points separating third and sixth spots). While Mrazek hasn't been bad, Carolina's backup has been stellar, boasting a .957 SV% over his past four starts, including a 41-save shutout win versus the Kings. If Mrazek stumbles at all, coach Rod Brind'Amour won't hesitate to ride the hotter hand. At minimum, Reimer makes for an attractive daily fantasy option in the meanwhile.

Brian Elliott, Philadelphia Flyers (16.8%): We're getting at least one more week of Elliot while Carter Hart continues to recover from an abdominal issue. Which includes games against the Red Wings and Devils. I like the veteran netminder -- who's been mostly solid this past month -- as a daily fantasy asset in both of those meetings. Particularly Monday's tilt in Detroit.

Lowered expectations

Tuukka Rask, G, Boston Bruins (95.6%): Only because he's projected to play part time until we hit the playoffs. The Bruins have been clear with their intentions to split the workload between Rask and Jaroslav Halak -- who's been great of late -- in an effort to save their No. 1 for a hoped-for lengthy postseason run. Not an ideal fantasy scenario, outside of daily formats.

With the All-Star Weekend in the rearview mirror, teams are hunkering down for a big stretch run. Plenty of teams are still in the race, so it should be a good one.

For this week's column, I did a big notebook dump to tell you about the 10 storylines I'll be following for the next two months: everything from trade deadline moves, to goalie controversies, to coach firings, to which teams could find themselves sneaking into the postseason picture. Let's roll:

1. Can the Buffalo Sabres save themselves, or are we looking at another implosion?

Terry and Kim Pegula bought the Sabres in 2011. The team made the playoffs that spring, lost in the first round to the Philadelphia Flyers, and hasn't been back to the postseason since. Buffalo is now on its sixth coach in that span, and third general manager. And for the second straight season, a promising start by the Sabres has been derailed. Entering this week, Buffalo is 10 points out of a playoff spot. Fans are frustrated. Word is the owners are, too.

If the Sabres end up making the playoffs, it's likely because Jack Eichel -- having a Hart Trophy-worthy season, already setting a career-high with 31 goals through 51 games -- dragged them there. If they miss, it's because Eichel didn't have enough support.

Back in October, GM Jason Botterill reminded me: "Something that is kind of forgotten at times is just how young we are." The Sabres are young, and it doesn't help that players like Casey Mittelstadt (the No. 8 pick in the 2017 draft) haven't been able to make an impact. Mittelstadt is currently on an AHL demotion.

We'll see if the Pegulas want to make more change in the offseason if the Sabres miss the playoffs yet again, extending their NHL-high drought. But I'd be shocked if coach Ralph Krueger is a one-and-done. Eichel is the team's most important player, and he was gushing about his coach at All-Star Weekend. It's clear Eichel has a ton of respect for the coach, and is responding to his style well.

"He's a special human being," Eichel said of Krueger. "He's a privilege to be around every day -- the way that he handles his business, the way he handles our team, it's very impressive. His energy and his enthusiasm and his positiveness is very impressive. For a group like ours that has obviously been through a lot the last few years, for him to be so patient with us as he has, it's really fed into the locker room. He never carries his emotions from one day to another. He's so good at resetting after a bad game or a bad day and getting us back on track, and that's so important for our team this year."

2. The Washington Capitals' goalie situation

In 2017-18, the Caps entered the playoffs with a bit of a goalie controversy. Backup Philipp Grubauer got the nod in the first round against the Columbus Blue Jackets over a struggling Braden Holtby, which produced shockwaves. It didn't last long. Holtby replaced Grubauer by the third playoff game, then led the team to its first Stanley Cup.

This season, it's worth monitoring Washington's situation in net yet again. Top young goalie Ilya Samsonov got the nod as Holtby's backup this season (over Pheonix Copley) and the 22-year-old Russian has been fantastic. He's 10-0-0 on the road, joining Brent Johnson as the only goalies to win their first 10 road decisions in the NHL.

On Sunday, the Caps gave Samsonov the start against Pittsburgh -- in a nationally televised game, no less -- marking his second consecutive start of the season. The Caps have quashed any controversy, especially since Holtby has been strong after a shaky start, and was named an All-Star. But it's hard not to read the tea leaves here. Holtby is on the final year of a five-year deal, and unlike with Nicklas Backstrom, the team is not negotiating with Holtby during the season. With Samsonov on a rookie contract, he's a far cheaper and more viable future option; Holtby may simply be too expensive to fit into future plans, especially after the Capitals pay Backstrom. Keep an eye on how this plays out.

3. The Battle of Alberta rages

The two games between the Oilers and Flames last week were the most hyped non-Winter Classic regular-season games I can remember since I began covering the NHL beat. After escalating tension before the All-Star break, the NHL sent Director of the Department of Player Safety George Parros and Head of Officiating Stephen Walkom to be on site for the game on Wednesday night; everyone knew something would go down.

"Whether or not my presence here adds to the circus effect, I don't think so," Parros told reporters before the game. "I'm just here to make sure everyone is paying attention."

Nothing too unruly ensued, though Matthew Tkachuk fought Zack Kassian, and in a rematch two days later, we got a goalie fight between Mike Smith and Cam Talbot.

Is this type of rivalry good for the NHL? We can debate the merits of fighting, though there are two things that are true:

1. Players largely believe fighting helps regulate the game.
2. Casual fans find it entertaining.

So if somebody is going to tune in to the game for the antics, and happens to start paying attention to the excellence of Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, so be it. It's getting people to watch, and it's adding importance to regular-season games.

The teams have just one more contest in the regular season, on April 4. They're nearly neck-and-neck in the standings, and both are fighting for a playoff spot. Just imagine if these teams square off in the postseason.

4. Can the Chicago Blackhawks sneak into the playoffs?

Last season, the Blackhawks started slow, fired coach Joel Quenneville, then took time to adjust to rookie coach Jeremy Colliton. But from Jan. 20 on, they were one of the best teams in the league, tying for sixth in points in that span, and second in goals (3.70). Chicago's second-half surge almost led the Blackhawks to the playoffs, though they missed by six points.

Don't look now, but the Blackhawks are gearing up for another push. And lucky for them, they started about a week earlier this season. The Blackhawks have won six of seven since Jan. 11, and sit just three points out of the wild card. They're also getting healthy at the right time, welcoming back Drake Caggiula, Brandon Saad and Dylan Strome.

"I think we have a pretty dangerous team, to be honest with you," Patrick Kane said at All-Star Weekend. "Some teams might look at us and think we're easy to play against, but I think we're kind of changing that. I think we're playing a more controlled game and a better team game lately. We have a lot of experience, but we haven't been in the playoffs for a little bit, so it would be nice to get back there and feel that pressure of playing some meaningful games and playoff hockey. I think that would be huge for our team."

GM Stan Bowman is taking a patient approach ahead of the trade deadline; if his team is in good position, I wouldn't expect much action from it (i.e. don't look for either Corey Crawford or Robin Lehner to be traded, but maybe Chicago will take an offer on Erik Gustafsson, who hits free agency this summer). If the Blackhawks crumble, however, I wouldn't be surprised if there's an offseason shakeup in either the coaching staff, management, or both.

5. Who is going to improve the most at the trade deadline?

The two teams in which I'm most interested have been two of the best teams in the NHL's first half: the Pittsburgh Penguins and St. Louis Blues.

Pittsburgh GM Jim Rutherford is a transaction-happy guy, and he typically telegraphs when he wants to make a move. He has expressed an interest in adding to his group, rewarding it for performing so admirably despite unrelenting injuries through the first half. Ideally, the Penguins add an elite wing to replace Jake Guentzel. In an even better situation, they find a trading partner who will take on Alex Galchenyuk, who hasn't been the best fit since coming over in a trade this summer.

As for the Blues, the key is Vladimir Tarasenko's health. The sniper underwent surgery on his left shoulder in late October, and a timeline for return was right around the end of the regular season. If Tarasenko returns before the end of the regular season, the Blues need to account for his $7.5 million salary in order to be cap-compliant. If he doesn't come back before then -- and makes his return in the playoffs, a la Patrick Kane in 2015 -- the Blues can spend that money. And I get the sense that GM Doug Armstrong wants to, despite how impressive his team has been in its Stanley Cup defense.

6. The case for a quiet trade deadline

One thing a GM told me recently: This season, everyone is looking for player with term. The pure rentals just aren't as attractive. Will that quiet the trade deadline market? Possibly.

Two of the most coveted rental players, Chris Kreider and Ilya Kovalchuk, could be on the move, but it seems just as likely that they stick with their respective clubs. The Los Angeles Kings are happy to get rid of any aging contracts, which mean they could be the busiest team, trading away mainstays like Alec Martinez (who hits free agency in 2021) and Tyler Toffoli (a free agent this summer). It's unclear what another bottom feeder, the New Jersey Devils, will do under interim GM Tom Fitzgerald. Defenseman Sami Vatanen is the big name to watch there.

Plenty of teams will be interested in Ottawa's Jean-Gabriel Pageau, but could the Senators' asking price be too high? And while there is some scuttlebutt about goalies on the move, it feels like the Rangers could get a better deal for Alexandar Georgiev if they wait until the draft; and as mentioned earlier, the Blackhawks aren't itching to get rid of either of their goalies, who have been fantastic so far.

7. A new record for goal scoring?

Parity has never been more apparent in the NHL, and games have never been more dynamic. By midseason, we had 33 wins by teams that were trailing by multiple goals in the third period -- the highest total in NHL history through 638 games of a season. And we're seeing a record pace of scoring: Through 805 games, the NHL was averaging 6.10 goals per game -- an uptick from last season's 6.02, which was the highest total since 2005-06 and the second-highest total since 1993-94.

8. The MVP race will come down to the wire

In the Professional Hockey Writers Association midseason awards, Connor McDavid was voted No. 1 for the Hart Trophy, followed by Colorado's Nathan MacKinnon and Boston's David Pastrnak. All players are worthy, and this race could swing in a few different ways down the stretch.

And if their respective teams make the playoffs, don't count out the Rangers' Artemi Panarin or Eichel as dark horses.

9. Will we see more coaching turnover?

It's been a brutal season of firings in the NHL, as the coaching carousel has been spinning nearly nonstop. Seven teams had fired their coach by midseason. It feels like we're past the worst of it, but in this climate, who knows?

Most likely, we'll get a few more changes this offseason. Detroit Red Wings GM Steve Yzerman is building a contender from scratch, and Jeff Blashill's status feels tenuous. Similarly, the new GM in Minnesota, Bill Guerin, may want the opportunity to hire his own guy, meaning he will part with Bruce Boudreau this offseason. Paul Maurice in Winnipeg is on the last year of his deal. And as mentioned earlier, keep tabs on the Blackhawks, depending on how they finish.

10. The Florida Panthers, Arizona Coyotes try to nail down playoff spots down the stretch

Florida and Arizona both have self-imposed pressure to return to the playoffs this spring. They both spent big money to bring in big names -- for Arizona, it was Phil Kessel and Taylor Hall; for Florida, it was Joel Quenneville and Sergei Bobrovsky -- which was designed to help the teams win, but also drum up excitement in two markets that are always looking to grow their fan base. (As Quenneville told me in November: "If we win, the place will be full. But we've got to win.")

The Panthers are sitting just outside the playoffs in the East, and Arizona is clinging to the last wild-card spot in the West. That means performance over the next two-plus months is crucial for each franchise.

Jump ahead:
What we liked this week | What we didn't like
Three stars of the week | Biggest games coming up

Emptying the notebook

Last February, I traveled to Nashville to attend a meetup of the Black Girl Hockey Club, a group that created a safe space for women of color to discuss and watch the sport they love. Renee Hess, an academic from California, founded the club, and the members had their inaugural meetup in 2018.

I wanted to check in with Hess and see how things were going, as it had been a little time since we'd last spoken. I talked to Hess on Sunday, right after she got off a flight from Pittsburgh to New York, and she is quite a busy person. BGHC has six events in five weeks; it kicked off Jan. 31 in Pittsburgh, where Hess says the Penguins "rolled out the red carpet for us." Hess brought a group of 50, and not only did they go to the Penguins game plus a reception, but they also hosted a screening of "Soul on Ice" and did an activation of ball hockey in an elementary school in the Hill District, a predominantly black neighborhood. The Penguins also set up a group link for tickets to the game under the Black Girl Hockey Club umbrella, and sold another 350 tickets.

Hess will participate in a panel discussion before an upcoming Rangers game, then the BGHC will be in New Jersey on Feb. 8, Brooklyn on Feb. 11, Raleigh on Feb. 16 and Columbus on March 1. Hess does most of the legwork herself, coordinating with the individual clubs, but she has felt strong support from the NHL.

"I really feel like the National Hockey League has gotten behind us," she said. "Maybe they've felt they've been pushed to participate in more diversion and inclusion activities. But it's really good they're taking these necessary steps, talking to their upper management and acknowledging there needs to be a culture shift. It's cool Black Hockey Club has been a part of it."

It's been a troubling few months for diversity in hockey. In November, Akim Aliu came forward and said that then-coach Bill Peters used racist language toward him when they were in the minors 10 years ago. Even though there were witnesses (who later corroborated the account), Aliu said he didn't feel comfortable for nearly a decade to come forward with his story. Last month, AHL defenseman Brandon Manning was suspended for using racist language toward Ontario Reign winger Bokondji Imama in a game.

"I wouldn't even say these incidents were setbacks," Hess said. "If you are a black hockey fan or black hockey player, you know these things happen all the time."

Hess said she sent a message to Aliu after he went public, and said, "I just want you to know there are a group of black women who have your back, and want you to succeed."

Since Hess lives in California, she is trying to arrange some time to meet Imama, and let him know the same thing she told Aliu.

"That's all we can do," Hess said. "The club is all about creating communities, and a space where not only can we have a good time and enjoy games, but also provide support."

What we liked this week

• Really cool gesture by Elias Pettersson following the All-Star Game, per Harman Dayal of The Athletic. Pettersson won $10,000 for a charity of his choice after hitting over 100 mph on both of his tries in the hardest shot competition. He split the donation between the Parkinson Society of British Columbia and the Minnesota chapter of the American Parkinson Disease Association, in honor of teammate Brock Boeser's father, Duke. You can read more about Boeser and his father in this feature I wrote last season.

• Super interesting charts at the end of this piece by FiveThirtyEight. There's 63 minutes of game action in an average NHL broadcast -- which is quite a bit more than in the NBA, MLB or NFL (but not as much as in the EPL).

• It's hard to understate how impressive the Blue Jackets' goaltending has been, which is a big reason they're in playoff position. As Joonas Korpisalo still works his way back from a torn meniscus, Elvis Merzlikins improved to 6-0-0 in his past six appearances, extending the longest win streak by a rookie goaltender in Blue Jackets history.

• I absolutely love this. According to Michael Smith of the official Hurricanes website, Jake Gardiner's brother-in-law is a multisport Special Olympics athlete in Minnesota. So his teammates showed up in support, and did the polar plunge in Lake Raleigh:

Thanks to the @Canes for taking the plunge today in support of our athletes! When the ice melts, we plunge! pic.twitter.com/oplpLOGOKQ

— Special Olympics North Carolina (@SONorthCarolina) February 1, 2020

What we didn't like this week

• The San Jose Sharks' season from hell continues as Tomas Hertl is out for the season after tearing his ACL and MCL in his left knee. Hertl -- second on the team in goals, and one of the true bright spots for this team this season -- is scheduled to have surgery on Monday.

• I hated how viral the "leak" of Seattle choosing the Kraken as a team name became this week -- mostly because the reporting felt flimsy. If you listen to the SiriusXM NHL Network radio interview with John Hoven of mayorsmanor.com -- where he broke the news -- he wasn't exactly 100% confident. "I do just want to say, in one of these situations like this, I'm always a little reluctant if there's somebody trying to do the ultimate swerve and mislead information," Hoven said. "I was told by a source that's very connected to the situation that it is the Kraken. I believe that it's the Kraken. But save your tweets if they end up doing a giant swerve on everybody and going with something completely different like the Totems, or the Seattle Swarm, or whatever one of the million other names are out there." At the All-Star Game, I learned that Seattle is close to revealing its name, but nothing is imminent. (Don't expect an announcement this week.) It has been a tedious process for all involved, and the team is still debating how it wants to make the announcement. The team responded to the Kraken rumors with some humor:

While we're aware of some fishy rumors surrounding our team name, please rest assured we're doing our due diligence by scouring the depths of the ocean, the tallest mountains, and the densest parts of the forest to find the right name for our great, green city.

— NHL Seattle (@NHLSeattle_) January 29, 2020

• It stinks that Alex Ovechkin had to miss a game for a suspension (due to not playing in the All-Star Game) because he rarely misses time at all. In his NHL career, which began in 2005-06, Ovechkin has missed 17 games for injury, 10 games for a suspension, two games for family reasons, one game for oversleeping a morning skate, and one game when a lot of starters rested for the final game of the season.

Three stars of the week

Steven Stamkos, C, Tampa Bay Lightning

The Lightning are back, and so is their captain. He had five goals and three assists in four games this week, a sweep of the California teams. Stamkos is riding a seven-game point streak.

Leon Draisaitl, C, Edmonton Oilers

Draisaitl added to his 11-game point streak by scoring two goals and eight assists in three games this week, including a pair of goals against the defending Stanley Cup champion Blues. He's up to 83 points in just 52 games.

Carey Price, G, Montreal Canadiens

Price, who has now started six straight games for the Habs, has been red hot, seemingly trying to will this team into the playoffs by himself. He won two of his four starts this past week, but saved 108 of 115 shots (a .939 save percentage) including a 29-save shutout over the Panthers on Saturday.

Games of the week

Tuesday, Feb. 4: Edmonton Oilers at Arizona Coyotes (ESPN+)

Taylor Hall has been out of the news for a bit. That's going to change in this important Pacific Division battle. Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl & Co. visit the desert, where they'll square off against Hall -- you know, the one who got away.

Wednesday, Feb. 5: Boston Bruins at Chicago Blackhawks

The Blackhawks are making what is now their annual second-half push, winning six of seven entering this week. The Bruins, meanwhile, have looked like an Eastern Conference contender pretty much all season. Patrick Kane loves to face off against fellow superstars, and it will be fun to see Kane and David Pastrnak try to one-up each other. Also, expect some stellar goaltending in this game.

Thursday, Feb. 6: Pittsburgh Penguins at Tampa Bay Lightning

The Lightning have woken up from their early-season slumber, and are once again looking like one of the best teams in the league. They have a league-high 31 points since Dec. 23 (15-2-1). No better way to test yourself than against Sidney Crosby and the Penguins.

Quote of the week

"Thanks, kid. I appreciate you doing this." -- What Zack Kassian said he told Matthew Tkachuk right before they fought in the Battle of Alberta, according to Ryan Rishaug of TSN. Hockey culture, everyone.

For the first time since his U.S. Open-winning season in 2012, Webb Simpson is ranked inside the top 10 in the world.

Simpson’s victory at the Waste Management Phoenix Open moved him from 11^th to seventh in the Official World Golf Ranking. His highest-ever ranking is fifth, which occurred following his major triumph at Olympic Club eight years ago.

This was Simpson’s sixth career PGA Tour victory, but his rise in the rankings has been thanks to a steady diet of top-3 finishes. He has five in his last 10 Tour starts.

Graeme McDowell also made a significant jump, thanks to his win at the Saudi International. The Northern Irishman moved from 104^th to 47^th. A year ago at this time, McDowell was 262^nd in the world, but has since won on the PGA Tour in the Dominican Republic and this past week on the European Tour.

Phil Mickelson, who tied for third in Saudi Arabia, jumped 14 spots, to No. 72. It’s the first time since he won at Pebble Beach last year that Mickelson has made a positive move in the OWGR. He will attempt to defend his AT&T title this week.

Other notable movers included Bubba Watson (T-3, WMPO), from 55^th to 44^th, and Jordan Spieth (MC, WMPO), from 51^st to 55^th.

The top six players in the rankings remained the same: Brooks Koepka, Rory McIlroy, Jon Rahm, Justin Thomas, Dustin Johnson and Tiger Woods.

Following Simpson, Patrick Cantlay is No. 8 and Xander Schauffele is No. 9.

Former world No. 1 Justin Rose dropped from eighth to 10^th. The Englishman hasn’t been outside of the top 10 since the end of the 2017 Tour season.