RALEIGH, N.C. -- Carolina Hurricanes forward Jiri Tlusty has spent his six-year professional career split nearly evenly between Toronto and his current team. Given that the beginning of his NHL career was a constant shuttle between the Maple Leafs and the American Hockey League's Toronto Marlies, those early years are now disappearing from his view.

"I spent [parts of four] years there, and I'm such a different player," Tlusty said. "I've learned so many things from the roles that I've been playing over here."

The 13th pick in the 2006 NHL Draft, Tlusty always knew expectations were high. Equally adept at setting up a scoring chance and finishing one, he also was willing to do hard work deep in the offensive zone.

WINNIPEG -- This prairie city of 750,000 knows a goal scorer when it sees one.

Bobby Hull put the Winnipeg Jets on the pro hockey map and on an instant path to credibility more than 40 years ago. Then Dale Hawerchuk powered the original Jets in the 1980s in their annual Smythe Division battle to keep pace with the Edmonton Oilers, and a 76-goal 1992-93 rookie season still affords Teemu Selanne rock-star status.

Now Jets left wing Evander Kane is motoring past some initial hurdles in a quest to become the next great sniper in Winnipeg hockey history. All members of the NHL's 500-goal club, Hull used his slap shot, Hawerchuk utilized hockey sense and Selanne's hands make him one of the NHL's all-time pure scorers.

Kane scores his goals in his own fashion, an approach that he brings to many areas of his life. The 21-year-old power forward possesses a combination of speed and sheer power that scouts foresaw when the Atlanta Thrashers made the Vancouver native the fourth pick in the 2009 NHL Draft. Kane possesses excellent speed and hands, and he is as apt to crash opposing nets as he is to unleash one of the NHL's most dangerous wrist shots.

Adam Larsson has earned more responsibility on the penalty kill this season, averaging 1:18 of ice time per game with his team shorthanded. (Photo: Getty Images)

NEWARK, N.J. -- It's never unusual to spot New Jersey Devils defenseman Adam Larsson sitting at his locker stall in a reflective state of mind immediately following a game or practice.

Life as a young defenseman in the NHL is unforgiving; the talent and speed of the players in today's game can create some tense moments for any player backing into position.

Larsson is proof of that, particularly as someone who only began playing in North America as an 18-year-old NHL rookie last season.

"You want to improve every day, and this year it's a little bit unique since we have eight [defensemen] here, so you have to earn a spot in the lineup … it's tough, but also good at the same time," Larsson told NHL.com.

TORONTO -- "Jake Gardiner is free," exclaimed Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Mike Komisarek as he walked by the throng of reporters assembled in front of Jake Gardiner's dressing room stall.

Gardiner smirked a little during that moment but was otherwise serious as he answered question after question regarding his return to the Maple Leafs lineup when they face the Tampa Bay Lightning on Thursday at Air Canada Centre.

Gardiner has been under the spotlight in Toronto ever since his agent, Ben Hankinson, tweeted the words, "#FreeJakeGardiner" after a Maple Leafs loss to the Winnipeg Jets over one week ago.

Jake Gardiner

Defense - TOR

GOALS: 0 | ASST: 0 | PTS: 0
SOG: 4 | +/-: -1

"Right now I'm kind of getting a second chance, so I have to make sure I play well and help get this team a win," Gardiner said. "I feel like I have definitely gotten better each game [in the AHL]. I still think I have a long way to go to be where I want to be. Whether it's every game or every practice, I want to keep getting better."

DETROIT -- If anybody knows just how much Nicklas Lidstrom did for the Detroit Red Wings, it is countryman and former teammate Niklas Kronwall.

Lidstrom, the Red Wings' legendary former captain, left a gaping hole for Detroit when he retired last spring. He quarterbacked the power play to near perfection, rarely made a mistake defensively and handled all responsibilities that come with wearing the "C" in a Red Wings uniform -- both on the ice and in the locker room.

To his credit, Kronwall has never pretended he could replace Lidstrom and his many qualities. The 32-year-old has, however, filled in nicely as Detroit's top blueliner.

"He's in a tough spot," Jonathan Ericsson, Kronwall's defense partner, told NHL.com. "He's absolutely our No. 1 defensemen and he's got some big shoes to fill ... but you know, it's Nick Lidstrom and you can't really do that. Nick's got what, seven Norris trophies? That pretty much says it all, but without [Kronwall], it would've been tough to be where we're at."

ST. LOUIS -- When Jake Allen was a teenager, he had quite the dilemma on his hands. It had nothing to do with everyday teen issues.

Allen was faced with the prospect of sticking with hockey or trying to become the next great golfing sensation.

As it turned out, becoming the next Tiger Woods only was a dream, apparently.

"I wish," Allen told NHL.com. "I love golf. I absolutely love it, but you finally have to pick one sport and go with it. I think I finally realized when I was like 15, I sort of stuck with hockey and it's worked out."

Worked out may be understating it a bit for the Fredericton, New Brunswick native, who not only has stabilized the St. Louis Blues' goaltending situation, but has become somewhat of a fan sensation in the Gateway City.

PITTSBURGH -- Ask Kris Letang to handicap the Norris Trophy race he is very much a part of and he clams up.

"You guys [in the media] think about it," the Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman said after a recent midweek practice. "I don't."

One thing Letang does think about, though, is what qualities he evaluates in the best defensemen.

Don't bring up Letang's chances of winning a Norris if an answer is desired. But ask him what he thinks a Norris winner should play like and he opens up.

"You have to measure the way the guy played defensively, if he plays against tough lines every night, if he's a guy that is used in every situation," Letang said. "There's a lot of things you evaluate.

"I don't think you can measure that just on statistics."

Too bad for Letang, because solely judging by the points, he is having a season unmatched in the NHL.

BOSTON -- Even with a Norris Trophy, a Stanley Cup championship and multiple All-Star and Olympic team selections in his past, Zdeno Chara still strives to improve.

And as much has he utilizes an aggressive workout regimen, atomic slap shot and brute strength as the NHL's tallest player ever (6-foot-9) to achieve his goals, the Boston Bruins star defenseman uses a tool many mere mortals also put to use when they need to remember things or organize thoughts.

Chara keeps a notebook every day in an effort to make sure he continues getting better.

"I try to write down things that I think I can do better or more adjust to either new rules or the game," Chara said. "Certain things that maybe I can back off a little bit or others than I can work more on.

Alex Ovechkin scored career points 700 and 701 on Thursday night in the Washington Capitals' 3-2 comeback win against the Carolina Hurricanes in Raleigh, N.C.

Alex Ovechkin

Left Wing - WSH

GOALS: 10 | ASST: 12 | PTS: 22
SOG: 107 | +/-: -6

Only 209 players in NHL history have more career points than Ovechkin, who is still just 27 years old. Since 2005-06, no player has more points than Ovechkin.

That's not too bad for a guy who has been consistently criticized during his career by just about every hockey analyst in North America.

"For me it doesn't matter," Ovechkin told reporters about reaching 700 points. "Right now the most important thing is to get back on track and just stay fight for the playoff spot."

It was a year ago that questions surrounded Sidney Crosby's NHL future.

When would the Pittsburgh Penguins captain return to the lineup? If he did return, what kind of player would he be? Could he still be the dominant force he was prior to the concussion and neck injuries that took him out of the lineup for most of a 14-month span?

As we reach the one-year anniversary of Crosby's most recent return, he again is right where he was when he began his injury ordeal: on top of the NHL scoring race and regarded as the best player in the game.

"I get to play with the best player in the world every night," Chris Kunitz, Crosby's linemate, told the Penguins' website. "It makes going out and playing a lot of fun."