Gourde and Oliver Bjorkstrand waited for three hours — until two players cleared waivers for the Lightning — before they could be informed they were heading to Tampa Bay as the main pieces of a three-team trade that also included the Red Wings.

The Carolina Hurricanes have been exploring the trade market for Mikko Rantanen after not getting a definitive answer from the winger, and a new contender has emerged in the now financially flexible Florida Panthers.

Selected by Columbus in the third round (No. 89) of the 2013 NHL Draft, Bjorkstrand has 375 points (167 goals, 208 assists) in 606 regular-season games for the Kraken and Blue Jackets and 20 points (10 goals, 10 assists) in 45 Stanley Cup Playoff games.

The Toronto Maple Leafs are reportedly in talks with the New York Islanders about one of their bigger, nastier defensemen ahead of Friday's trade deadline.

Nate Schmidt and Carter Verhaeghe had third-period goals, Anton Lundell had a goal and two assists and the Florida Panthers topped the Edmonton Oilers 4-3 on Thursday night. Uvis Balinskis also scored for Florida,

The depleted Celtics will be missing at least four rotation players when they host the Philadelphia 76ers on Thursday night.

Who is the best team in the Eastern Conference, aside from the Washington Capitals? There is no clear answer currently. The Tampa Bay Lightning are red-hot. The

SportsLine's model just revealed its college basketball picks for the FAU Owls vs. UAB Blazers on Thursday night

The Atlantic East Conference is launching its first varsity women's flag football season this spring, making it the first NCAA conference to do so and increasing optimism that flag football will ultimately be recognized by the NCAA as an official championship sport.

Uvis Balinskis also scored for Florida, which jumped Toronto for first in the Atlantic Division. Leon Draisaitl scored his 44th goal for the Oilers, who also got goals from Brett Kulak and Zach Hyman.