The NHL is making headlines as rumors escalate over a number of players being sent on the trading block, such as Buffalo Sabres members Tyler Myers, Jhonas Enroth and Michael Neuvirth, Headlines and Global News reported.
Rumors have it that the team's general manager Tim Murray is already fielding calls for Myers. As for Enroth and Neuvirth, however, it's rumored that Murray has no plans to sign both to the team again; rather he's thinking of signing one and trading the other.
Another team also rumored to be undergoing a lineup change is the Edmonton Oilers, which already lost their coach Dallas Eakins due to their season losses, according to Sporting News.
Eakins is already off the team and another name being bandied about it for a trade off is left wing Taylor Hall. Rumors have it that the reason mostly stems from Hall not willing to adapt and reportedly not listening to his coaches.
According to rumors, Hall is very specific in how he needs to play and how the team a whole needs to play, and is not the kind of person open to the idea of change, which is causing problems, according to My NHL Trade Rumors.
Other names reportedly on the tradeoff chopping block, according to Bleacher Report includes Buffalo winger Chris Stewart, who is said to have struggled a lot this season; Columbus Blue Jackets player Ryan Johansen; and numerous members of the Arizona Coyotes, such as Antoine Vermette, Shane Doan, Keith Yandle, Mikkel Boedker and Zbynek Michalek
Another team making headlines is the Pittsburgh Penguins, but this time, it's not for the trade rumors that is sweeping the league.
The Pittsburgh Penguins are in trouble as forward Beau Bennett is starting to exhibit symptoms of mumps, following captain Sidney Crosby who was diagnosed over the weekend, CBC reported.
Penguins captain Crosby was unable to play against Tampa Bay on Monday night after he was diagnosed, but the team's general manager Jim Rutherford had positive news to give when he said that Crosby was already past the infectious stage.
The situation was considered surprising as Crosby was given a booster shot last February before traveling to Russia for the Winter Olympics and initial testing performed weeks ago showed that Crosby was unlikely to contract the virus, according to ESPN.
However, everything seemed to have gone well for Crosby now, following Rutherford's claims. The manager also stated that if all goes well and the captain is cleared, there was a chance would be able to play by Tuesday, according to CBC.
The same cannot be said for Bennett though, who looked like he might have contracted the virus. After showing symptoms of mumps, which included swelling in the face and fatigability, Bennett was taken for a checkup and Rutherford said they had taken care to make sure he was quarantined.
"He is not tested to be positive," Rutherford said, and explained that people that have made contact with Bennett is still being tested, according to CBC. . For now, the player has been taken out of the games with reports on his health still being waited on.
The two players were not the only ones who were afflicted with the virus though as the NHL had seen players be affected with the mumps during the past few months, according to Yahoo Sports.
In October, several players from the St. Louis Blues were tested positive for the virus, and while Jori Lehtera and Joakim Lindstrom were seen exhibiting symptoms, none of it was confirmed. Keith Ballard of the Minnesota Wild also missed a game, which was reportedly due to mumps.
In November, two players of the Anaheim Ducks, Corey Perry and Francois Beauchemin, had mumps. He was followed by New York Rangers player Tanner Glass, and Crosby, who was caught on camera with signs of the mumps.
This December, Bennett followed his captain, Crosby.
The lead epidemiologist for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, Dr. Greg Wallace, told ESPN that it was unknown as to how long the outbreak will affect the league, especially as the mumps took two to three weeks to incubate and were still contagious during that period of time.
