The NHL Evening Skate for Dec. 4

Heading into this evening's action, here are the day's top NHL storylines:

NHL adds Seattle as league's 32nd team, play begins in 2021

Seattle is getting a National Hockey League team. It will just have to wait a little bit longer to drop the puck. The NHL Board of Governors unanimously approved adding Seattle as the league's 32nd franchise on Tuesday, with play set to begin in 2021 instead of 2020 to allow enough time for arena renovations. [More]

Was Kyle Dubas wise to let us in on promise to William Nylander?

Leafs GM Kyle Dubas said that it shouldn't be a surprise to anyone that the Leafs have no intention on trading Nylander as long as he's in charge, saying simply and with only a smidge of condescension, "he's an excellent young player. I don't think we want to be in the business of not having excellent young players." But keeping the Maple Leafs' ultra talented core in tact without pillaging its surrounding skill is proving to be a more difficult task than originally planned. [More]

Ryan Getzlaf on players holding out

The Anaheim Ducks veteran addresses the Nylander drama, offering his opinion on players who hold out during contract negotiations on the latest episode of the Jack and Soph podcast. [Watch]

Lamp-lighters

Power Rankings: The Avalanche are sticking around

The Avalanche make a run up the leaderboard, joining the Leafs, Lightning , Flames and Predators in the Top 5 of our latest power rankings. [More]

Nikita Kucherov and Brayden Point are on absolute tears right now

To say that Kucherov and Point have been a big part of the Lightning's success would be a major understatement. In his last ten games, Kucherov has five goals and 19 assists for 24 points. Point, now in his third NHL season, has had the benefit of playing with Kucherov during this stretch, racking up 11 goals and seven assists in that time. [More]

Red Wings RW Anthony Mantha to miss 4-6 weeks with hand injury

The Red Wings lost more than their game against the Avalanche on Sunday, as right winger Anthony Mantha will miss 4-6 weeks after he hurt his hand fighting Avalanche defenseman Patrik Nemeth . [More]

Game of the night

Toronto Maple Leafs at Buffalo Sabres

As the Leafs welcome back Nylander, who won't be in the lineup tonight, they face the Sabres in a battle between the two of the top teams in the Atlantic Division. After a 2-1 defeat to the Western Conference-leading Nashville Predators Monday night, the Sabres have now lost three straight games all by one goal. The Maple Leafs will have to find a way to slow down red-hot Jeff Skinner , who has six goals in his last seven games. [Full preview]

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