FOXSports.com News for NHL

• How to spice up the All-Star Game

You want to make the All-Star Game relevant again? Spector has two solutions for making even casual fans watch.

• Scrap mettle

Weaklings: Go home. Hockey's all about toughness, and toughness is about fighting. Check out the best brawls from this season.

• Most top teams facing free-agent cash crunch

The difference between the Sharks and the rest of the NHL's top four clubs? They have the cap room to keep it up, Spector says.

• Things the NHL should resolve to do

Lose a couple franchises. Lose the composite sticks. Lose the commish. Al Strachan has lots of advice for the NHL in 2009.

• Sabres' Rivet ready to return; Afinogenov hurt

Sabres captain Craig Rivet is ready to return after missing nearly a month with a shoulder injury, but forward Maxim Afinogenov is out indefinitely after hurting his groin last weekend. Sabres coach Lindy Ruff said after practice Monday that he expects Rivet back in the lineup on Tuesday, when Buffalo hosts Ottawa. Acquired in an offseason trade with San Jose, the defenseman has missed 11 straight games since getting hurt during a 3-2 loss at Montreal on Nov. 29.

• Avs' Foote, Laperriere won't make trip to Nashville

The injury-riddled Colorado Avalanche will be without forward Ian Laperriere and defenseman Adam Foote when they travel to Nashville for a game against the Predators on Tuesday night. Foote sustained a triceps injury Sunday night in a game against Minnesota. He'll be re-evaluated later this week. Laperriere has a stiff back and is listed as day-to-day.

• 'Hawks extinguish Flames to get back on track
• Devils edge Senators on OT power play
• Crosby, Malkin top NHL All-Star Game rosters

Only Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin prevented the Montreal Canadiens from an All-Star sweep. The NHL announced the starting lineups Saturday for the midseason classic, and the host Canadiens filled four of the six slots for the Eastern Conference. Crosby and Malkin, teammates and linemates with the defending East champion Pittsburgh Penguins, both broke the record for the most votes and claimed two forward positions. They will be joined up front by Montreal's Alex Kovalev.