NHL season resumes Tuesday in Buffalo

Once the NHL roster freeze ends at 12:01 a.m. ET Monday, the League formally re-opens for business following a two-week break for the 2014 Sochi Olympics.

And with the lifting of roster freezes, rumors and activity leading up to the March 5 NHL Trade Deadline will reach a fever pitch. Among the names who could be on the move are Buffalo Sabres goalie Ryan Miller, New York Rangers forward Ryan Callahan, New York Islanders forward Thomas Vanek and defenseman Andrew MacDonald, and perhaps New Jersey Devils goalie Martin Brodeur.

The games resume Tuesday when the Carolina Hurricanes play the Buffalo Sabres (7 p.m. ET, NHLN-US) in a matchup originally scheduled for Jan. 7 at First Niagara Center until it was postponed due to a snowstorm. The Hurricanes returned to practice Thursday and the Sabres on Friday, when interim coach Ted Nolan returned from his stint coaching Latvia at the Olympics.

"It has been a long break but we're not that far removed," Carolina captain Eric Staal told the Hurricanes website. "The rust comes off a lot quicker here than a summer break."

Four more games appear on the schedule Wednesday, highlighted by the Sabres hosting the Boston Bruins in the Wednesday Night Rivalry game (7:30 p.m. ET, NBCSN, TSN2). Then it's full steam ahead when 12 games dot the schedule, including a marquee matchup between the Chicago Blackhawks and the New York Rangers (7 p.m. ET, NHLN-US).