The NHL has fined Boston Bruins rookie defenseman Michael Callahan $2,018.23 for cross-checking Anaheim forward Jansen Harkins during the Ducks' 6-2 home victory on Wednesday.

The fine, announced Thursday by the NHL's Department of Player Safety, is the maximum allowable under the collective bargaining agreement with the players' union. The money goes to the Players' Emergency Assistance Fund.

The incident occurred at 13:58 of the second period, with Callahan assessed a double minor penalty for high sticking. Callahan and Harkins were assessed penalties for fighting at the 4:12 mark of the third period.

Callahan, 25, has played 14 games and has zero points, a minus-4 rating, 11 blocks and five hits in averaging 13:32 of ice time. He earned his first penalty minutes of the season Wednesday.

BUFFALO, N.Y. -- The accomplishment was special. The result disappointing.

Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby sat slumped at his locker stall Thursday night focused more on his team's latest lopsided loss than the personal milestone of breaking an NHL record he shared with Wayne Gretzky for point-per-game consistency.

"It's tough when you play to win. And obviously it's a special milestone," Crosby said following a 7-3 loss to the Buffalo Sabres, inching the Penguins closer to missing the playoffs for a third straight season.

"But you know in a game like that, it's not really the same. So, yeah, just a tough night. Yeah, tough night."

With his parents in the Buffalo stands, Crosby provided the Penguins' lone highlight by scoring 8:49 into the first period to cut the Sabres' lead to 2-1. Set up in front by Rickard Rackell, Crosby used his right skate to kick the puck onto his stick and in one motion snapped a shot inside the right post.

It was his 26th goal and 80th point of the season in his 72nd game, after missing two with injury. With eight games left in Pittsburgh's season, Crosby is assured of finishing his 20th NHL season averaging at least a point per outing.

The Penguins captain surpassed the mark first set by Gretzky, who finished all but his 20th and final NHL season in 1998-99 averaging a point a game.

"He's a tremendous, special player and person," teammate Bryan Rust said. "There's a lot of people who can be good for one, two, five years. But to do it for that long, I think is incredibly special."

What stands out beyond the consistency to coach Mike Sullivan is Crosby's competitive drive.

"I've said it on so many occasions, just his passion for the game and his willingness to put the work in to continue to be at his best. It's just remarkable," Sullivan said.

This, after all, is a player who has upped his game since the 4 Nations tournament by combining for nine goals and 22 points in his past 17 outings in a bid to carry the Penguins back into playoff contention.

"I think when you're in circumstances like this, you find out a lot about people," Sullivan said. "And I think it exemplifies his leadership."

Since being selected by Pittsburgh with the No. 1 pick in 2005 draft, Crosby has led the franchise to win three Stanley Cup championships. He's a two-time NHL regular season MVP and twice won the league's regular-season points race.

"I think you have to continue to get better and learn, even after thjs long, you've got to continue to evolve and adjust," Crosby said of the keys to his consistency. "But I've been pretty lucky to play with some great players over that 20 years. And I think that's a big part of it, too."

Crosby's feat comes as Washington's Alex Ovechkin is five goals from breaking Gretzky's NHL career record of 894 career goals.

It shouldn't have been a surprise that Crosby scored against Buffalo. He has made a career of producing against the non-division rivals in leading all active players with 86 points (30 goals, 56 assists) in 61 career games against the Sabres.

Loss aside, the consolation for Crosby was having his parents on hand to share yet another memorable moment in a career that included him scoring the gold-medal clinching goal in a 3-2 overtime win over the U.S. at the 2010 Vancouver Games.

"They've been to a lot of games over the years and they've sacrificed so much and been so, so supportive," Crosby said. "To have them here for a moment like this is really special. And it's the least I could do."

ST. PAUL, Minn. -- Alex Ovechkin didn't score for Washington, staying at 889 career goals and six away from breaking Wayne Gretzky's all-time record.

But Ovechkin did initiate a memorable moment on the ice in Minnesota on Thursday night.

The three-time NHL MVP, who has been in the spotlight for months amid his pursuit of Gretzky's career goal mark, hustled over toward the tunnel behind the bench after the horn sounded on Washington's 4-2 loss to make sure all of the Capitals came back on the ice to shake hands with retiring Wild goalie Marc-Andre Fleury. Ovechkin was the first to greet Fleury at center ice as they shared a hug and a laugh.

Fleury, who's in his 21st and assuredly final season in the league, was on the home bench all night while Filip Gustavsson manned the net.

Ovechkin mentioned to the team in the morning that it would be the last matchup against Fleury, who faced Ovechkin and the Capitals frequently over the first 13 seasons of his career with Pittsburgh. Ovechkin had 28 goals in 47 games against Fleury, his most against any goalie.

"He's had so many battles with the Caps, with 'O,'" Washington coach Spencer Carbery said. "Pretty classy to be able to send him off and just say how impressive a career he had."

Capitals center Dylan Strome played briefly with Fleury in Chicago.

"Everyone knows he's one of the best people of all time in the game, so the little respect we can show him at the end of the game I think goes a long way," Strome said.

The Wild were impressed by the gesture, even if they weren't surprised.

"Every team we go to, you see the signs. Everyone loves him, and everyone loves playing against him," Gustavsson said. "I think no one really would say anything bad about him."

At some point soon, the Wild probably will find themselves doing their own internal tribute.

"It's awesome to see. It's fun for him, and I am happy for him," defenseman Jonas Brodin said. "He's a great person and one of the best I have ever played with, so it's pretty cool. It's special to have that when you quit hockey someday, that you played with that guy, for sure."

Heading into Friday's slate of six games, there are four teams within two points battling for the second Eastern Conference wild-card spot.

Three of those teams are in action Friday:

• The Montreal Canadiens, who hold the playoff spot at the moment, visit the Carolina Hurricanes (7 p.m. ET, ESPN+)

• Simultaneously, the Columbus Blue Jackets will host the Vancouver Canucks (7 p.m. ET, ESPN+)

• In the evening's nightcap, the New York Rangers will head to Orange County to take on the Anaheim Ducks (10 p.m. ET, ESPN+)

• The New York Islanders are idle, with their next game on Saturday against the Tampa Bay Lightning

Obviously, every point matters when it comes to these teams. But two specific games down the stretch will have an outsized impact: Islanders-Rangers on April 10, and Islanders-Blue Jackets on April 17 (the final day of the regular season).

Stathletes gives the Canadiens an edge right now (43.7% chance to make the playoffs), followed by the Blue Jackets (18.5%), Islanders (18.4%) and Rangers (18.1%); Montreal also has the best chance among the four to reach the second round (11.2%). Stay tuned.

There are less than three weeks left until April 17 and we'll help you track it all with the NHL playoff watch. As we traverse the final stretch, we'll provide details on all the playoff races, along with the teams jockeying for position in the 2025 NHL draft lottery.

Note: Playoff chances are via Stathletes.

Jump ahead:
Current playoff matchups
Today's schedule
Yesterday's scores
Expanded standings
Race for No. 1 pick

Current playoff matchups

Eastern Conference

A1 Toronto Maple Leafs vs. WC1 Ottawa Senators
A2 Florida Panthers vs. A3 Tampa Bay Lightning
M1 Washington Capitals vs. WC2 Montreal Canadiens
M2 Carolina Hurricanes vs. M3 New Jersey Devils

Western Conference

C1 Winnipeg Jets vs. WC2 St. Louis Blues
C2 Dallas Stars vs. C3 Colorado Avalanche
P1 Vegas Golden Knights vs. WC1 Minnesota Wild
P2 Los Angeles Kings vs. P3 Edmonton Oilers

Friday's games

Note: All times ET. All games not on TNT or NHL Network are available to stream on ESPN+ (local blackout restrictions apply).

Utah Hockey Club at Florida Panthers, 7 p.m. (NHLN)
Montreal Canadiens at Carolina Hurricanes, 7 p.m.
Vancouver Canucks at Columbus Blue Jackets, 7 p.m.
New Jersey Devils at Winnipeg Jets, 8 p.m.
Vegas Golden Knights at Chicago Blackhawks, 8:30 p.m.
New York Rangers at Anaheim Ducks, 10 p.m.

Thursday's scoreboard

Buffalo Sabres 7, Pittsburgh Penguins 3
Ottawa Senators 4, Detroit Red Wings 3
Tampa Bay Lightning 8, Utah Hockey Club 0
Philadelphia Flyers 6, Montreal Canadiens 4
Minnesota Wild 4, Washington Capitals 2
St. Louis Blues 3, Nashville Predators 2
Dallas Stars 5, Calgary Flames 2
Colorado Avalanche 4, Los Angeles Kings 0
Seattle Kraken 6, Edmonton Oilers 1
San Jose Sharks 6, Toronto Maple Leafs 5 (SO)

Expanded standings

Atlantic Division

Toronto Maple Leafs

Points: 90
Regulation wins: 35
Playoff position: A1
Games left: 10
Points pace: 102.5
Next game: @ LA (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 99.9%
Tragic number: N/A

Florida Panthers

Points: 89
Regulation wins: 35
Playoff position: A2
Games left: 11
Points pace: 102.8
Next game: vs. UTA (Friday)
Playoff chances: 99.9%
Tragic number: N/A

Tampa Bay Lightning

Points: 89
Regulation wins: 36
Playoff position: A3
Games left: 10
Points pace: 101.4
Next game: vs. NYI (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 99.9%
Tragic number: N/A

Ottawa Senators

Points: 81
Regulation wins: 29
Playoff position: WC1
Games left: 11
Points pace: 93.6
Next game: vs. CBJ (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 98.1%
Tragic number: N/A

Montreal Canadiens

Points: 75
Regulation wins: 24
Playoff position: WC2
Games left: 11
Points pace: 86.6
Next game: @ CAR (Friday)
Playoff chances: 43.7%
Tragic number: N/A

Detroit Red Wings

Points: 72
Regulation wins: 25
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 10
Points pace: 82.0
Next game: vs. BOS (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 4.5%
Tragic number: 18

Boston Bruins

Points: 69
Regulation wins: 23
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 9
Points pace: 77.5
Next game: @ DET (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 0.1%
Tragic number: 13

Buffalo Sabres

Points: 66
Regulation wins: 24
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 11
Points pace: 76.2
Next game: @ PHI (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 0.1%
Tragic number: 14

Metro Division

x - Washington Capitals

Points: 103
Regulation wins: 40
Playoff position: M1
Games left: 10
Points pace: 117.3
Next game: vs. BUF (Sunday)
Playoff chances: 100%
Tragic number: N/A

Carolina Hurricanes

Points: 90
Regulation wins: 38
Playoff position: M2
Games left: 11
Points pace: 103.9
Next game: vs. MTL (Friday)
Playoff chances: 99.9%
Tragic number: N/A

New Jersey Devils

Points: 83
Regulation wins: 34
Playoff position: M3
Games left: 9
Points pace: 93.2
Next game: @ WPG (Friday)
Playoff chances: 98.5%
Tragic number: N/A

New York Islanders

Points: 74
Regulation wins: 25
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 11
Points pace: 85.5
Next game: @ TB (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 18.4%
Tragic number: 22

New York Rangers

Points: 74
Regulation wins: 31
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 10
Points pace: 84.3
Next game: @ ANA (Friday)
Playoff chances: 18.1%
Tragic number: 20

Columbus Blue Jackets

Points: 73
Regulation wins: 23
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 12
Points pace: 85.5
Next game: vs. VAN (Friday)
Playoff chances: 18.5%
Tragic number: 23

Pittsburgh Penguins

Points: 69
Regulation wins: 20
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 8
Points pace: 76.5
Next game: vs. OTT (Sunday)
Playoff chances: 0.1%
Tragic number: 11

Philadelphia Flyers

Points: 67
Regulation wins: 18
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 8
Points pace: 74.2
Next game: vs. BUF (Saturday)
Playoff chances: ~0%
Tragic number: 9

Central Division

x - Winnipeg Jets

Points: 102
Regulation wins: 38
Playoff position: C1
Games left: 10
Points pace: 116.2
Next game: vs. NJ (Friday)
Playoff chances: 100%
Tragic number: N/A

Dallas Stars

Points: 98
Regulation wins: 38
Playoff position: C2
Games left: 10
Points pace: 111.6
Next game: @ SEA (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 99.9%
Tragic number: N/A

Colorado Avalanche

Points: 93
Regulation wins: 38
Playoff position: C3
Games left: 9
Points pace: 104.5
Next game: vs. STL (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 99.9%
Tragic number: N/A

Minnesota Wild

Points: 87
Regulation wins: 33
Playoff position: WC1
Games left: 9
Points pace: 97.7
Next game: vs. NJ (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 90.2%
Tragic number: N/A

St. Louis Blues

Points: 85
Regulation wins: 29
Playoff position: WC2
Games left: 8
Points pace: 94.2
Next game: @ COL (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 80.3%
Tragic number: N/A

Utah Hockey Club

Points: 75
Regulation wins: 24
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 10
Points pace: 85.4
Next game: @ FLA (Friday)
Playoff chances: 4%
Tragic number: 11

e - Nashville Predators

Points: 62
Regulation wins: 23
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 10
Points pace: 70.6
Next game: vs. VGK (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 0%
Tragic number: E

e - Chicago Blackhawks

Points: 51
Regulation wins: 18
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 10
Points pace: 58.1
Next game: vs. VGK (Friday)
Playoff chances: 0%
Tragic number: E

Pacific Division

Vegas Golden Knights

Points: 94
Regulation wins: 40
Playoff position: P1
Games left: 11
Points pace: 108.6
Next game: @ CHI (Friday)
Playoff chances: 99.9%
Tragic number: N/A

Los Angeles Kings

Points: 89
Regulation wins: 35
Playoff position: P3
Games left: 11
Points pace: 102.8
Next game: vs. TOR (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 99.9%
Tragic number: N/A

Edmonton Oilers

Points: 87
Regulation wins: 30
Playoff position: P2
Games left: 10
Points pace: 99.1
Next game: vs. CGY (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 98.2%
Tragic number: N/A

Vancouver Canucks

Points: 80
Regulation wins: 26
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 10
Points pace: 91.1
Next game: @ CBJ (Friday)
Playoff chances: 10.4%
Tragic number: 16

Calgary Flames

Points: 79
Regulation wins: 26
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 11
Points pace: 91.2
Next game: @ EDM (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 16.9%
Tragic number: 17

Anaheim Ducks

Points: 70
Regulation wins: 23
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 11
Points pace: 80.9
Next game: vs. NYR (Friday)
Playoff chances: 0.1%
Tragic number: 8

Seattle Kraken

Points: 68
Regulation wins: 25
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 9
Points pace: 76.4
Next game: vs. DAL (Saturday)
Playoff chances: ~0%
Tragic number: 2

e - San Jose Sharks

Points: 49
Regulation wins: 14
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 11
Points pace: 56.6
Next game: vs. NYR (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 0%
Tragic number: E

Note: An "x" means that the team has clinched a playoff berth. An "e" means that the team has been eliminated from playoff contention.

Race for the No. 1 pick

The NHL uses a draft lottery to determine the order of the first round, so the team that finishes in last place is not guaranteed the No. 1 selection. As of 2021, a team can move up a maximum of 10 spots if it wins the lottery, so only 11 teams are eligible for the No. 1 pick. Full details on the process are here. Matthew Schaefer, a defenseman for the OHL's Erie Otters, is No. 1 on the draft board.

1. San Jose Sharks

Points: 49
Regulation wins: 14

2. Chicago Blackhawks

Points: 51
Regulation wins: 18

3. Nashville Predators

Points: 62
Regulation wins: 23

4. Buffalo Sabres

Points: 66
Regulation wins: 24

5. Philadelphia Flyers

Points: 67
Regulation wins: 18

6. Seattle Kraken

Points: 68
Regulation wins: 25

7. Pittsburgh Penguins

Points: 69
Regulation wins: 20

8. Boston Bruins

Points: 69
Regulation wins: 23

9. Anaheim Ducks

Points: 70
Regulation wins: 23

10. Detroit Red Wings

Points: 72
Regulation wins: 25

11. Columbus Blue Jackets

Points: 73
Regulation wins: 23

12. New York Rangers

Points: 74
Regulation wins: 31

13. New York Islanders

Points: 74
Regulation wins: 25

14. Utah Hockey Club

Points: 75
Regulation wins: 24

15. Calgary Flames

Points: 79
Regulation wins: 26

16. Vancouver Canucks

Points: 80
Regulation wins: 26

Power plays in the NHL haven't been this dominant in decades.

The average conversion rate this season was 21.6% entering Tuesday night's games, according to ESPN Research. That's the best rate since the 1985-86 season, back when Wayne Gretzky's Edmonton Oilers were scoring at will against helpless penalty kills.

This season's power-play success is part of a multi-year trend. It would be the third straight season with power-play conversion rates higher than 21%, the first time that's happened since the mid-1980s.

But there's actually another trend that undercuts that dominance: Power plays in the NHL have also never been this rare.

The 2.71 power-play chances per team per game in 2024-25 is the lowest average of any season since the stat was first tracked by the NHL in 1977-78. The previous lows were 2.89 in both 2021-22 and 2020-21. Again, it's a multi-year trend: The NHL has averaged under three power-play chances per team per game in five of the last seven seasons.

Teams can't have power plays if there aren't penalty calls. Overall, the average penalty calls per team per game are at their lowest levels for an 82-game season in the last 20 years -- 3.48 penalties on average, with just 8.15 penalty minutes.

In 2014-15, those averages were 4.03 and 9.86, respectively.

Where have all the penalties gone?

"See, I'll say something and then I'll take six penalties tonight," New Jersey Devils center Cody Glass said, with a laugh. "I have no idea, to be honest. With some games you might have none and then some games you might have seven. It's all over the map."

Many players don't even realize power plays are down.

"It was one of those things where I had no idea until I read it about it," Calgary Flames winger Blake Coleman said. "I haven't noticed a lot of difference."

In speaking with NHL players, executives, data analysts and former referees, there are a handful of theories about why penalties and power plays have dipped historically low this season.

Here's a look at six of the most compelling ones:

The perils of parity

Entering Thursday night, 14 of the 16 teams in the Eastern Conference were either in a playoff seed or within six points of one. Thanks to the St. Louis Blues' recent surge, the field has narrowed in the Western Conference, but there are still 11 teams either in a playoff spot or within a reasonable distance from the last wild card.

When that many teams believe they can gain entry to the postseason party, every point matters. Which is why the league's parity is a factor in the decrease in penalties and power plays, according to Stephen Walkom, NHL executive vice president and director of officiating.

"When you have the competitive balance that we have in this league, teams just don't want to take any penalties," Walkom said.

The threat of guilt and shame can be a heck of a motivator, too.

"Nobody wants to be the guy that's in the box," Coleman said. "I can understand the decline in penalties because of parity. So many teams are trying to get into the playoffs. It's the importance of every point."

Dave Jackson, NHL rules analyst for ESPN, has observed a palpable difference in players as the games have grown more important in the standings this season.

"You can say that a lot of teams have been already playing playoff games," said Jackson, who was an NHL referee for over four decades. "Early in the season, you get a lot of penalties that are just pure laziness and retaliation. When you're playing in a playoff game, you don't get lazy penalties. You don't get retaliation penalties anymore. All you get are desperation penalties and accidental penalties from just competing too hard."

Given how tightly the standings have been packed, teams have been in playoff mode for quite a while.

Reinforcement of rules

This is tracking to be the second straight season in which penalty calls have technically declined, although the difference between the last two seasons was negligible (3.85 to 3.84). But there's a larger trend: The number of penalties called per team per game has precipitously dropped since the 2005-06 season.

In 2005-06, the number of minor penalties per team per game was 6.49. Five years later, it was 4.05 minors per game. Five years after that, it was 3.66 per game on average. This season, it's been 3.18 on average.

From 2010-11 through 2014-15, the average number of minor penalties per team per game was 3.84. Over the last five seasons, that average is 3.34.

Why have penalties declined in the last 20 years?

"I give the players credit for it more than anyone else," Walkom said. "You would think over 15 years of being called for hooking, you don't want to hook in the hands anymore. You don't want to slash on the hands anymore. So are players more disciplined? Possibly that's a reason for it. Are they taking more care not to take penalties? Possibly."

Players are informed about standards of enforcement every preseason. Devils forward Tomas Tatar, a 14-year veteran, said points of emphasis and the repetition of those rules standards have an effect on players.

"They were harping on us to not to use your stick around the gloves, hooks. That's probably one of the biggest warnings when you play -- you might get called for it," he said. "So we try to protect the hands of the player. I notice these calls getting called immediately if it's somewhere between or if it's on a line.

"You have to adapt. You either do that or you're going to get called on it."

It's possible this emphasis on certain penalties and reinforcement of officiating standards each season has paid off in the declining numbers.

"I think the most compelling argument is that we've reached a tipping point of players who have always played the game a certain way," one NHL executive said.

One of the hypotheticals that always comes up in rules debates: How many power plays do fans really want to see during games? It's a debate the players have themselves, too. Glass said most players would prefer not to have the game decided on special teams, but at 5-on-5.

"That's where you get the best hockey," Glass said. "You want the game to keep moving and it's good to have, if there's a penalty, call it, but if it's ticky-tacky stuff, obviously let us play. That's part of hockey: how rough it is."

Letting too much go?

Given the decline in penalty calls over the last 20 years, are on-ice officials now letting too much go?

The NHL tracks every game for penalties called as well as calls the referees should have made. "We look at missed calls and that percentage isn't up," Walkom said.

Both Walkom and Jackson pushed back on the idea that on-ice officials have allowed players to get away with more lately.

"Our standard hasn't changed. In fact, all we do is reinforce to the NHL standard. We have it for really every penalty now. And so that remains the same," Walkom said. "We support our guys to call it at any point in the game. And if it's not there, we don't want them to make it up."

Jackson said he's attended numerous NHL preseason officiating camps as a referee and an analyst.

"I've watched Gary Bettman talk in front of that room. His message to the guys is, 'We've just spent thousands of dollars bringing you to training camp. We've been showing you videos. You guys know what the standard is. If it meets the standard, call the penalty and I will support you.' And that's always been his message," he said.

Jackson said that consistency doesn't come from evening-up calls or managing a game -- something critics have accused NHL officials of doing for years -- but rather from adhering to that standard.

"It's about being true to the standard. That way the players know where they stand and it's far easier to justify a penalty," he said.

Peaks and valleys

Jackson has seen a certain cycle play out every decade with penalties. "It's a wave. High, then low, then high, then low," he said.

Jackson was an on-ice official during the 2005-06 season. When the previous season was cancelled due to a lockout, the NHL used that down time to revise its rulebook and reevaluate its rules enforcement, with average scoring having reached its lowest point since 1956.

The legalization of two-line stretch passes was one way to break through the defensive systems that had muzzled offenses, but the most aggressive remedy was when the NHL instructed its referees to take a "zero tolerance" stance on all obstruction penalties, such as interference, holding and hooking.

"When we brought in the obstruction standard in 2005, the penalties were way up," Jackson recalled.

Average power plays per team per game jumped from 4.24 in 2003-04 to 5.85 in 2005-06, the highest average since 1987-88. The reeducation of players would continue through the 2008-09 season, when power plays finally settled back down to 4.16 per team per game.

Jackson said that whenever the NHL emphasizes a rule that needs to be enforced, there's a spike in power plays. He points to the 2017-18 season, when power plays rose slightly during a crackdown on slashing, and in 2021-22, when the NHL's crackdown on cross-checking helped power-play chances plateau year-over-year and then rise in 2022-23.

Peaks and valleys. NHL players learn the hard way that the league won't tolerate one nefarious act, and then eventually move on to another underhanded tactic ... until the NHL declares war on that one, too.

"It's almost like cybercrime," Jackson said. "The criminals come up with a plan, everybody's getting hacked, and then [the authorities] figure out a way to stop it. That slows them down for a while. Then they come up with a new crime and numbers spike, and then that gets figured out and numbers come down again."

One theory Jackson buys about the sharp decline in power plays and penalties: The NHL isn't "cracking down" on anything in particular right now. There's no point of emphasis like there was with obstruction or cross-checking.

"There's no teachable moment right now. The game is where they want it to be," he said. "And the players are playing within the rules."

Fear of a dominant power play

In the past 40 years of NHL power plays, one would expect to see teams like the Edmonton Oilers and Detroit Red Wings show up among the top 10 in that span.

But take a closer look. Those aren't the Gretzky Oilers: The most effective power play since 1984-95 has been Connor McDavid's 2022-23 Oilers unit that converted at an astonishing 32.4%.

And those aren't Sergei Fedorov's Red Wings: Through 71 games this season, Dylan Larkin and the 2024-25 Red Wings had the fifth-best power-play conversion rate (29.1%) in the last 40 years. In total, eight of the 10 greatest single-season power plays of the past 40 years are from 2018-19 to the current season.

As mentioned earlier, this season's conversion rate of 21.6% is the best since 1985-86 (22.2%) on a per team per game basis. There are nine teams with a power-play conversion rate above 25% this season.

All of this success comes from teams having averaged an absurd 15.1% shooting percentage with the man advantage this season. To put that in context: Since the 2005-06 season, there's been only one campaign with an average shooting power-play shooting percentage above 14% (2022-23).

At the recent general managers meetings, the NHL trumpeted "offensive trends" that included a 10.5% league-wide shooting percentage in all situations, which the league said was the highest in 30 seasons.

Conversely, penalty kill save percentages are also at a 20-year low: .850, even lower than in the chaotic 2005-06 season (.860).

During a presentation to the media at the GM meetings, the NHL emphasized that these historic conversion rates play a "large part" in the average number of power plays being down. "Teams don't want to go down a man because of the overall success teams are having on the power play," noted Gary Meagher, NHL senior vice president.

Are the referees aware of this, too? Do the on-ice officials acknowledge that power plays are so good right now that they don't want to give certain teams the man advantage in situations that could put the game out of reach?

"No," Jackson said, tersely.

Generation Fast

At the GM meetings, the NHL proudly boasted that this is the fourth straight season in which average scoring per game was at six goals or better -- the first time in the last 30 campaigns that the league has had such a stretch.

Several factors combined to create that spike in scoring. In the short term, there have been increased shooting percentages and power-play success, plus two rounds of expansion that impacted rosters. In the long term, the rules changes set forth in 2005-06 created a style of play that emphasized offense and encouraged teams to build rosters with more overall speed. The days of hulking players with limited skating ability on the fourth line and in defense corps were waning.

"The game obviously got a lot faster than what it used to be. Guys are not as big. They're more agile, faster," Tatar said. "That comes with defensemen as well. Everybody can skate."

Players we spoke with theorized that speed is a reason that penalties have dropped over the last decade. Gone are the days when the less-skilled would waterski behind star players with a stick hooked around them, according to Coleman.

"Everyone is such a good skater now. I feel like it's a little easier to defend using your feet and your legs," he said.

There's a perception that the NHL has "gotten younger" during the last 20 years, but the data doesn't necessarily back that up. Cathy Squires of Pension Plan Puppets ran the numbers in September 2024 and found the average age of a player in 2023-24 who played half the season (27.72) was higher than it was in 2013-14 (27.36). James Mirtle of The Athletic noted that the average age on opening night rosters this season (28.3) was higher than it was three years earlier (27.6).

Coleman, 33, said he "wasn't the old school, but wasn't quite the new school" either. While the kids haven't taken over the league, he believes the generations that arrived after him in the NHL have created a cleaner game.

"You don't see as many headshots, for example," he said. "I don't know if guys just have a little more awareness. It's just been drilled into our heads [not to do it]. They've probably heard it too since they were little kids."

What it means for the playoffs

Jackson likes to play myth-buster when it comes to power play opportunities in the playoffs.

"In the first round of the playoffs, there are more penalties per game than there are in the regular season," he said. "I think that's because of the discrepancy in the talent. You've got a 1-vs-8 eight or a 1 vs. the last wild-card team, and they're being outclassed, so they just take desperation penalties."

Recently, a great power play has meant great success in the postseason. Travis Yost of TSN notes that six of the last eight Stanley Cup champions had a regular-season power play that ranked in the top eight. The 2019 St. Louis Blues were ranked 11th overall; the 2023 Vegas Golden Knights were the outlier at 18th in the regular season.

Current playoff teams with a power play ranked in the top eight entering Friday night: the Golden Knights, Winnipeg Jets, Devils, Toronto Maple Leafs, Tampa Bay Lightning, and Oilers. The Colorado Avalanche were less than a percentage point outside of that group.

All this is to say that power plays do play a critical role during a portion of the playoffs, and success on the power play is a shared trait among most champions. Will the conversion rates this season, and that astounding 15.1% shooting percentage, carry over to the postseason? There's no reason to believe a multi-season trend of power-play success will not.

But will the lack of power plays in this regular season also carry over to the postseason? The answer is that it might not matter. At some point in each series, the power plays dry up anyway.

Cam Charron, now a data analyst for the Pittsburgh Penguins, noted in a 2023 article that "there are at least 0.4 power plays per game more than expected in the first four games of the first round." But he also found that the refs do eventually put away their whistles late in series and in later playoff rounds.

"The data shows that while power-play opportunities do indeed go up in the playoffs, it's not uniform across the tournament," he wrote. "There's a big spike in power plays in the first few games of the first round, and then a sharp decline later on."

In the end, the postseason might end up looking like the regular season: It doesn't matter if there are historic power-play conversion rates if there aren't any power plays to convert.

Additional reporting by Kristen Shilton.

Brazil's two-time World Cup winner Ronaldo Nazario will lead a special task force created to try to eradicate racism, discrimination, and violence in South American soccer, the sport's continental governing body said Thursday.

"Its mission will be to design policies and establish prevention and sanction mechanisms that contribute to eradicating these behaviors that affect both sport and society," CONMEBOL said in a statement.

The 48-year-old Ronaldo retired in 2019 after a career that included World Cup titles in 1994 and in 2002.

The appointment followed a meeting of leaders, government officials, former players and player union representatives convened by CONMEBOL President Alejandro Domínguez to address the issues following his controversial statements about Brazilian football.

Domínguez created a furor when he said Brazilian clubs withdrawing from the Copa Libertadores because of episodes of racism would make the competition "like Tarzan without Cheetah."

CONMEBOL has been under increased pressure to act decisively against racism. Several Brazilian players and fans have been targeted by monkey chants at away matches in recent years, which has also brought more pressure on officials to act.

In addition to Ronaldo, former FIFA Secretary General Fatma Samoura and former Argentina player Sergio Marchi, president of FIFPRO South America, will be part of the task force.

Four Real Madrid players, including Kylian Mbappé and Vinícius Júnior, are being investigated for alleged "indecent conduct" during the Champions League game at Atlético Madrid on March 12, UEFA said on Thursday.

Madrid reached the quarterfinals by beating Atlético 4-2 on penalties at the Metropolitano stadium in the round-of-16 second leg after being 2-2 on aggregate.

UEFA said it has appointed an ethics and disciplinary inspector to study the unspecified allegations in the case, which also involves Antonio Rüdiger and Dani Ceballos.

The statement added that "further information regarding this matter will be made available in due course."

Rüdiger, Vinícius and Mbappé all started against Atlético, while Ceballos did not feature in the game.

Video clips circulating on social media showed Mbappé grabbing his crotch during celebrations on the field for Madrid winning a penalty shootout.

Any ban imposed would force a player to miss Madrid's game at Arsenal on April 8 in the first leg of the quarterfinals.

Rüdiger scored the decisive spot kick when Madrid advanced, then led teammates in an exuberant dancing run around Atlético's home field.

In a similar case prosecuted by UEFA at the European Championship last year, Madrid player Jude Bellingham was given a one-game ban suspended for a probationary period of one year.

Bellingham had scored a stoppage-time goal for England to level a round-of-16 game against Slovakia when he gestured his hand toward his crotch. England went on to win 2-1 in extra time.

UEFA disciplinary judges found Bellingham guilty of "violating the basic rules of decent conduct" and fined him 30,000 ($32,400).

Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.

BARCELONA, Spain -- Barcelona coach Hansi Flick said his team paid a "high price" for beating Osasuna 3-0 after losing Dani Olmo to injury in a game they were forced to play on Thursday.

The match was postponed earlier this month after the death of Barça's first team doctor, Carles Miñarro, and rearranged for this week on the back of the international break, despite protests from both teams.

Barça eased to victory with goals from Ferran Torres, Olmo and Robert Lewandowski to move three points clear at the top of LaLiga, but the win was tainted by Olmo's injury.

Sources told ESPN Olmo will undergo tests on an adductor problem on Friday, with initial estimates that he will be out for two to three weeks.

"Today we made the best of the situation we have," Flick said in the post-game news conference.

"It's not the right date for playing this match. After the international break, it was not good. We have three points more, but we paid a really high price for the injury of Dani, it's not good.

"We don't know how long he will be out. If it's two weeks it means a lot of matches. Or three weeks more matches. It's not a good situation. The price was very high for the three points."

Barça had to play the game without Raphinha, who was unavailable for selection after playing for Brazil against Argentina on Tuesday.

Ronald Araújo, meanwhile, was an unused substitute after returning from Uruguay duty late on Wednesday.

It was the first of seven games Barça will play in 20 days, with Sunday's league game against Girona kicking off 64 hours after the final whistle was blown against Osasuna.

Flick says the calendar is ruining the spectacle on the pitch, pointing out that this summer's FIFA Club World Cup, which Barça will not be involved in, will only make things worse.

"I think you have to listen to the players," he added. "This is the important thing. And also to the coaches. In summer there is the World Cup for the clubs. It's tough. The [UEFA] Nations League, international breaks...

"I don't think it's a good thing this World Cup, in my opinion. OK, you can earn a lot of money, but for the players it's not good. We have to stop and think about the players.

"Fans want every player to give 100%, to see a spectacle ... and when it goes on this way, I think it's not at this level. We cannot play on this level. Not only us, but also the other teams who will play the World Cup."

Barça defender Jules Koundé, who played 120 minutes for France on Sunday as they beat Croatia in the Nations League quarterfinal, echoed Flick's complaints.

"I am angry about the date chosen for this game, it's not normal," he told DAZN. "It's true I'm fortunate to do what I do, I know that, but it shows a lack of respect to the clubs, Barça and Osasuna, who both had international players, to select this date.

"We're not machines and to play our game and give the fans what we want, to put on a show and play with intensity, we need rest.

"More than anything, it shows a lack of respect to the players. All institutions have to understand this, not just LaLiga, everyone.

"We have not said anything before because we didn't want to look for excuses, but you reach a moment where your voice has to be heard. We are the main actors in this and they can't just do what they want."