Sidney Crosby remains the NHL's most complete player, according to his peers.

The annual NHL Players' Association poll was released on Tuesday, with 663 members chiming in on 12 hockey-related questions. It's the 10th edition of the players poll.

Crosby, the 37-year-old Pittsburgh Penguins star, was named the NHL's most complete player for the sixth straight season. But there's a challenger to his throne: Crosby earned 33.81% of the votes with Florida Panthers star Aleksander Barkov (30.95%) right behind him. Year over year, Barkov has cut Crosby's lead for the award from 140 votes to just 18 votes.

Crosby was also named the NHL's smartest player (27.02%) over Tampa Bay Lightning star Nikita Kucherov (24.71%), as well as the player his peers would most rely on to win a faceoff (20.39%) overtaking Nashville Predators center Ryan O'Reilly (9.95%), who won the category last season. Kucherov was named the NHL's best playmaker (48.25%).

Edmonton Oilers star Connor McDavid was also a multiple category winner, taking best overall forward in a romp (73.89%) over Nathan MacKinnon of the Colorado Avalanche (9.62%); and best overall skater (66.41%) over Cale Makar of the Avalanche (11.41%), who was named the NHL's best overall defenseman (71.78%) by a wide margin over Quinn Hughes of the Vancouver Canucks (7.44%).

The vote for best goaltender offered the poll's most surprising result. Connor Hellebuyck for the Winnipeg Jets, who is expected to win his second straight Vezina Trophy as the league's top goaltender, placed third in the vote (15.57%) behind Tampa Bay's Andrei Vasilevskiy (31.13%) and Igor Shesterkin of the New York Rangers (23.58%).

In other superlatives, Boston Bruins forward David Pastrnak and Toronto Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews tied for the player with the best fashion sense (15.75%), while Kevin Hayes of the Penguins was named the player who would make the best broadcaster after their playing career is done. Bell Centre in Montreal won for best ice (44.96%) for the seventh straight season.

Finally, the NHLPA members were asked what innovative rule from the Professional Women's Hockey League they'd like to see ported over to the NHL. The "Jailbreak Goal" rule won with 29.70% of the vote, in which a power play for a minor penalty ends if a short-handed goal is scored. Right behind it was the PWHL's standings format of three points for a regulation win, two points for a shootout or overtime win, and one point for a shootout or overtime loss.

DENVER -- Gabriel Landeskog is rejoining the Colorado Avalanche after taking part in a two-game minor league rehab assignment.

The team said Tuesday that the captain's conditioning loan to the American Hockey League's Colorado Eagles has been terminated. He played games for them Friday and Saturday in the latest progress toward a return from a knee injury that has led to two surgeries and caused him to miss the past two seasons.

Landeskog, 32, has not played in the NHL since hoisting the Stanley Cup in late June 2022. The Swedish forward could be activated as soon as the end of the regular season to play this weekend in Game 1 of the Avalanche's first-round playoff series against the Dallas Stars.

His return is a major boost for Colorado, especially given the difficult path through the Western Conference.

Real Madrid's website defiantly told fans that "anything is possible" before they attempt to overcome a three-goal deficit to Arsenal in the Champions League.

A video showed Madrid's memorable comebacks in recent years, mentioning the "team of dreams" and the club's achievements "in this stadium, in this competition."

"Bernabéu, again," was the headline on the website ahead of the second leg of the quarterfinals on Wednesday.

Madrid lost the first leg 3-0 at the Emirates Stadium last week. Only four times has a home team erased a first-leg deficit of three goals or more, according to UEFA.

Madrid rival Barcelona recovered after a 4-0 loss at Paris Saint-Germain with a historic 6-1 home victory in the round of 16 in the 2016-17 season. In the 2018-19 semifinals, Liverpool lost 3-0 at Barcelona but advanced with a 4-0 home victory. A season earlier in the quarterfinals, Barçawere involved again -- after beating Roma 4-1 at home, they lost the second leg 3-0 in the Italian capital.

The only other three-goal comeback by the home team came in 2004 in the quarterfinals, when Spanish club Deportivo La Coruna lost 4-1 at AC Milan and then won 4-0 at home to advance.

Madrid have a recent history of comebacks in the Champions League that has given fans hope of another magical night at the Bernabéu.

Madrid won their 14th Champions League title in 2022 after rallying their way through the knockout rounds. They looked beaten at the Bernabéu in the round of 16 against PSG, in the quarterfinals against Chelsea and in the semifinals against Manchester City, but every time they found a way to advance.

Against City, Madrid needed two late goals by forward Rodrygo -- in the 90th minute and in stoppage time -- to force extra time, when Karim Benzema converted a decisive penalty kick to put Madrid in the final, where they beat Liverpool.

"Real Madrid are the only team that has done it many times, but we'll try to do it once again," coach Carlo Ancelotti said last week. "We're aware of how much our fans and the stadium can help us. We're going to try until the last minute and until the last ball, starting tomorrow."

Arsenal haven't conceded three or more goals in nearly 80 matches across all competitions, since a 4-3 win at Luton in the Premier League in December 2023.

The English side last overcame Madrid in the Champions League knockout stage in 2005-06, when they reached the final and eventually lost the title to Barcelona.

Arsenal are looking to reach the European semifinals for the first time since 2009, when they were eliminated by Manchester United.

Madrid will be without midfielder Eduardo Camavinga on Wednesday because of a red card late in the first leg.

Former Manchester United football director John Murtough has joined Atalanta as director of global development, the Serie A club confirmed on Tuesday.

Murtough spent more than 10 years at Old Trafford before leaving the club in April 2024, soon after Sir Jim Ratcliffe took control of football operations at the club.

"The 54-year-old English executive, who will report directly to Sporting Director Tony D'Amico, will play a pivotal role in enhancing the club's international strategy and vision," Atalanta said in a statement.

"The Percassi and Pagliuca families, together with the entire club, extend a warm welcome to Mr. Murtough and wish him every success in his new role within Atalanta BC's Sports Department."

The role is Murtough's first outside England, with the 54-year-old also having spells at Everton, Fulham, Coventry City and the English Football Association.

Argentina captain Lionel Messi wants to play at the 2026 World Cup, according to his Inter Miami teammate Luis Suárez.

Messi, 37, the Most Valuable Player at the last World Cup, has not announced if he intends to play in next year's tournament, which will be held in the United States, Canada and Mexico.

Suárez, when asked if he has spoken about retirement with Messi, told El Pais: "No, we do talk [about it]. Jokingly, many times, but he [Messi] also has that desire to play in next year's World Cup. Obviously, after being away from the national team for a while, that desire is fading more on my side than on his, but we haven't talked about it [retirement] yet."

Eight-time Ballon d'Or winner Messi enjoyed perhaps his finest hour at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar where Argentina bounced back from a surprise 2-1 loss to Saudi Arabia in their opener to win the tournament. Messi followed that triumph with another by leading Argentina to the 2024 Copa América.

Argentina have already qualified for next year's World Cup.

However, the Uruguay forward stopped short of confirming Messi will play.

When asked if Messi had told him if he will play at the event, Suárez said: "No, no, no, I don't ask him either ... I know what he is like and I don't ask him anything regarding that. Time will tell."

Meanwhile, Suárez has not decided when he is going to stop playing.

Asked if he is considering retiring from football at the end of the year, Suarez said: "Time will tell how long I'll be able to do it [for], but I still have that flame of wanting to play, of wanting to compete.

"As long as that flame is lit I will want to continue competing until I can take it no longer. I don't have a deadline of this [year] or the next. But as long as I'm still keen, still up to it and showing it, I'm going to continue enjoying it."

Suárez said he still has targets to reach.

The former Barcelona forward is 13 goals away from reaching 600 career goals and 34 goals away from entering the top 10 all-time leading scorers in football history.

"Despite being 38 years old, I set my mind on reaching a figure which, for a Uruguayan footballer, would be something unique, something incredible, like finishing in the top 10 of the all-time leading goalscorers in football history," he said.

"I try to enjoy it, I feel this desire to keep adding these aims to achieve them."

Suárez, who has scored four goals and set up six more in 13 appearances in his second season at Inter Miami, is not ruling out extending his contract with the Herons which expires at the end of the year.

"If I feel capable and they [Inter Miami] see that I am capable of helping, they are willing [to renew]," he said. "But it [the season] has just started, we have been going for a couple of months, we are going to see how both the club and I finish the year, and then we will see what happens.

"I'm happy about the club's current situation, that for the first time in its history it has reached the semifinals of the [Concacaf Champions Cup]. I'm really excited and enjoying the growth of the team."

Jude Bellingham has said Wednesday's Champions League quarterfinal second leg against Arsenal is "a night made for Real Madrid," backing his team to deliver a comeback "that would go down in history" at the Bernabéu.

Madrid are famed for their Champions League comebacks -- including in their run to the 2022 final, when they upset the odds to eliminate Paris Saint-Germain, Chelsea and Manchester City at the Bernabéu -- but have never overturned a 3-0 first leg deficit.

The European champions were poor last week at the Emirates, collapsing to concede three goals in 17 minutes during the second half, but speaking in a pre-match news conference on Tuesday, Bellingham said Madrid are "confident" of producing another comeback.

"I've heard it a million times since last week," Bellingham said. "It's a night made for Real Madrid, a night that would go down in history ... It's a weird environment. [Losing 3-0] was one of the worst results we could possibly imagine away, and for some reason everyone thinks it's nailed on that we'll come back. It's a nice feeling in a way."

Bellingham joined Madrid in 2023, winning a Champions League and LaLiga double in his debut season, and has already been involved in some memorable comebacks of his own, including last year's semifinal when forward Joselu scored two late goals in two minutes at the Bernabéu to knock out Bayern Munich.

"It's something you want to be a part of, to add to the history of this club," Bellingham said, when asked about the prospect of another comeback against Arsenal. "There's not much you can do at this club that hasn't been done before, and tomorrow we want to do something for the first time."

"What makes us confident is the quality we have, the history of the club, the aura of the Bernabéu," Bellingham added. "I think we felt that even though we played as badly as we possibly could [in the first leg], we still had chances, moments, where it felt like if we just increased our level and were more attentive, we could be in [the game]."

Madrid have faced criticism for their performances in recent weeks, going three games without a win -- a 4-4 draw with Real Sociedad in the Copa del Rey, a 2-1 defeat to Valencia and the Arsenal loss -- before Saturday's narrow 1-0 win at Alavés.

"We've definitely shown in some games this year that we're capable of doing something special," Bellingham insisted. "I've got to be confident in the team, and that's nothing to do with history. It's to do with the lads I see in training every single day."

Coach Carlo Ancelotti said he "doesn't think" that Wednesday's result will decide his future as manager -- amid speculation that the Italian could depart this summer if Madrid fail to land major trophies -- and said forward Kylian Mbappé is "motivated" after his red card against Alavés.

"He was hurt, and disappointed," Ancelotti said. "He trained well yesterday ... We have to score goals, and this season he's scored a lot of goals. We need his goals more than ever tomorrow."

FRISCO, Texas -- Nearly two months after Zack Martin retired, another Dallas Cowboys offensive lineman has decided to walk away from the game in eight-time Pro Bowl left tackle Tyron Smith.

Smith will sign a ceremonial deal with the Cowboys on Wednesday in order to retire with the team that took him No. 9 overall in the 2011 draft.

Smith played 12 of his 13 seasons with the Cowboys, ending his career with the New York Jets in 2024. He started all 171 career games he played and was named to the Pro Bowl from 2013-19 and 2021.

It is possible Martin and Smith could be elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame when they are eligible for the first time in 2030.

Smith was a Day 1 starter who quickly established himself as one of the game's best blindside blockers. He began his career by protecting Tony Romo and he ended it with Aaron Rodgers as his quarterback.

In 2011, Smith became the first offensive lineman selected in the first round by the Cowboys since 1981 when they took Howard Richards. In the next three years, the Cowboys selected Pro Bowl center Travis Frederick (2013) and Martin (2014) in the first round, forming one of the best offensive lines in the NFL.

Smith, 34, missed just one game in his first five seasons, but injuries started to take their toll.

He missed games because of knee, neck, back, hamstring and ankle injuries. In 2020, he played in just two games before undergoing neck surgery. He missed 13 games in 2022 with a hamstring avulsion that required surgery during training camp.

After reworking his contract, Smith played in 13 games in 2023 with the Cowboys. He joined the Jets on a one-year deal and started 10 games before ending the year on injured reserve with a neck injury.

At his best, Smith was the prototype left tackle with long arms and athleticism to handle the NFL's best pass rushers. He began his career at right tackle before moving to left tackle in 2012 for good.

Four times in a five-year span, Smith, Frederick and Martin were named to the Pro Bowl together.

Frederick retired after the 2019 season making good on a return after missing the previous season dealing with the effects of Guillaine-Barre Syndrome, an autoimmune disease that impacts the nervous system.

Martin entered 2024 all but knowing it would be his final season. An ankle injury limited him to 10 games and required season-ending surgery.

Only Smith went on to play for another team, but he has retired as a Cowboy and closes the circle on one of the best offensive line trios the Cowboys have ever had.

SALEM, N.J. -- The family of NHL hockey player Johnny Gaudreau and his brother Matthew listened in pain Tuesday as lawyers debated whether the men's own drinking contributed to their deaths when they were hit by an allegedly drunken and enraged driver as they cycled at night.

After nearly two hours of argument, a judge agreed the issue was moot under New Jersey criminal law -- upholding all of the charges against the driver, including manslaughter and vehicular homicide.

"There's no credence in the argument there was contributory negligence on the part of the cyclists," Superior Court Judge Michael Silvanio said.

According to the defense, the Gaudreaus had blood alcohol levels of .129 or above, higher than the .08 legal limit in New Jersey and the .087 blood alcohol content that police recorded for Sean Higgins. His lawyers had hoped to have the manslaughter and vehicular homicide charges reduced or dismissed.

"To say that their BACs may have contributed to the cause of death is a reach to say the least," assistant prosecutor Michael Mestern argued.

Other drivers told police the brothers were riding safely on the edge of the road, not weaving into traffic, he said. Prosecutors have accused Higgins of being impaired by alcohol and fueled by road rage when he ran into them.

"There are four witnesses that witnessed the defendant speeding and illegally passing the Bronco on the right when he struck the brothers. The witnesses also saw the brothers riding single file, with the flow of traffic, on the fog line just prior to being struck by the defendant," Mestern wrote in a memo this month.

The Gaudreaus were bicycling near their hometown in southern New Jersey on the eve of their sister's wedding on Aug. 29, 2024. Both of their wives have since given birth to sons. Johnny Gaudreau's widow, Meredith, gave birth to their third child on April 1. The Gaudreaus' sister's wedding was postponed until this summer.

Johnny Gaudreau, known as "Johnny Hockey," was set to start his third season with the Columbus Blue Jackets after eight seasons with the Calgary Flames. Matthew played hockey at Boston College, like his older brother, and was working as a high school coach.

Higgins, 44, of nearby Woodstown, New Jersey, is charged with two counts each of reckless vehicular homicide and aggravated manslaughter, along with evidence tampering and leaving the scene of an accident. He was found beside his damaged vehicle, which had stalled about a quarter mile from the crash scene.

A combat veteran and married father of two who worked for an addiction treatment company, Higgins told police he had consumed about a half-dozen beers that day, some while driving, after an upsetting phone call with his mother.

Higgins' lawyers -- while also noting that the Gaudreaus were cycling without lights after dark -- said they were not trying to cast blame or contribute to the family's pain, but only to give their client a robust defense.

"Mr. [Richard] Klineburger and I are not blaming the two bicyclists for the incident. That would be ridiculous. That would be wrong," lawyer Matthew Portella said as the Gaudreaus' parents and sisters grimaced.

Portella instead argued that the grand jury did not hear all of the facts before it approved charges that allege Higgins was intentionally reckless and left the scene.

Mestern called the indictment sound and the judge agreed, sending the charges to trial and scheduling the next hearing for June 10.

Higgins faces a maximum of 70 years in prison if convicted on all counts. His lawyers have rejected a plea offer of 35 years.

The Miami Dolphins are having trade talks with other NFL teams about star cornerback Jalen Ramsey, general manager Chris Grier confirmed Tuesday.

Grier said that after discussions between the team and Ramsey, "we decided it was probably in the best interest for all parties to move forward."

Grier added that Ramsey did not ask for a trade.

Grier was also asked about the status of Tyreek Hill and again said the team was not trying to trade the star wide receiver.

"That is not anything that we're pursuing, [but] like I said, who knows, if someone wants to come and give me two first-round picks, then we'd consider it. But as of right now, it's not something we're considering."