The Latest Breaking News from Canucks

The conference imbalance this season likely won’t matter to the Blackhawks, who remain early in their rebuilding timeline. But for aspiring East contenders like the Red Wings, Sabres and Senators, it’s a huge handicap.

Plus, an encouraging stat for Zach Wilson and the Jets.

ANAHEIM, Calif. — The door to the NHL’s cellar cracked open Tuesday for the Ducks as the "race" to the bottom of the NHL standings took an unexpected and eventful turn thousands of miles away in Pittsburgh and Philadelphia.

WASHINGTON — Bo Horvat apologized before the game for a comment that sounded like a dig against his former team. All of the Islanders should be saying sorry for a weak effort against the depleted, playing-out-the-string Capitals in a game that may keep them out of the playoffs.

The 28-year-old center compared the fans in New York to that of Vancouver, where he played for nine years.

The Canucks slipped past the Hawks 3-0 on Thursday, scoring once off Seth Jones’ stick. Goals like that have been extremely common this year against the Hawks, who remained tied for last place.

Wednesday morning felt better than Sunday morning for Toews, who will make his third consecutive appearance Thursday against the Canucks and who anticipates making four more during the season’s final week.

VANCOUVER, B.C. — Going down two men in an early second period penalty-kill situation while already trailing by a goal didn’t immediately seem like a Kraken tonic to turn Tuesday night’s contest around.

The last-place Hawks are bringing nine defensemen to face the Flames, Canucks and Kraken. Alex Vlasic and Wyatt Kaiser have begun spending time alongside Seth Jones, while Nikita Zaitsev has somehow cemented a role above Andreas Englund.