NHL commissioner Gary Bettman chose not to hold back in his assessment of Bryant Gumbel when asked about the TV host by Bob Costas. Back during the NBA lockout, Gumbel played up what he felt was a racial side to the labor dispute during a commentary about NBA commissioner David Stern. "David Stern was eager to be seen as some kind of modern plantation overseer treating NBA men as if they were boys," Gumbel said on Real Sports. Bettman didn't hold back when Costas asked his reaction to that. "That is probably the most ignorant, stupidest statement I've ever heard," Bettman said, as reported by USA Today. The NHL commissioner made that statement on "Costas Tonight," which will air on the NBC Sports Network Thursday night at 8 p.m.

Chants of "Fire Wilson!" echoed through Air Canada Centre on Tuesday night as the Panthers put the finishing touches on a 5-3 win over the sinking Maple Leafs. It was the ninth loss in 10 games for a team GM Brian Burke decided against tinkering with the club ahead of Monday's trade deadline. Even coach Ron Wilson couldn't blame the fans for calling for his job. "It's frustrating, but understandable," he said. "We didn't do anything at the trade deadline and we came out tentative to say the least. We talked ad nauseum to the team about the (last) 20 games and finding our focus and we weren't ready to start the game."

Robin Lehner stopped 32 shots for his first career shutout and Erik Karlsson scored the lone goal, lifting surging Ottawa to a 1-0 win over Boston on Tuesday night. It was the Senators' first victory in five games against the Bruins this season.

With Detroit on a three-game losing streak, Henrik Zetterberg's go-ahead goal meant a whole lot to the slumping Red Wings. Zetterberg's shot touched off a flurry of four goals, and Joey MacDonald did the rest in the Red Wings' 5-2 victory over the Blue Jackets on Tuesday night. "We really needed a win," Zetterberg said. "We had a few bodies out. The guys that came out did a really good job."

Sharks head coach Todd McLellan will miss the team's game against the Flyers tonight because of concussion symptoms. GM Doug Wilson said Tuesday that McLellan has not been cleared by doctors to return to the bench after being hit in the head by a stick in Minnesota on Sunday.

Rick Nash had difficulty sleeping Monday night after it became known that he had asked the Blue Jackets to trade him. After spending nine seasons, Nash is now uncertain of the reaction from fans who have idolized him but now might see him as just another opportunist. "I'm not too sure what to expect," he said Tuesday in his first public comments after it was revealed he had asked to be dealt. "I've been with these fans my whole career here. I love them no matter what. They're a great fan base, loyal. They've been patient with this organization and with this team. No matter what the reception is I'll always have a soft spot in my heart for our fans."

The Ducks announced today that the club has acquired right wing Dale Mitchell from the Maple Leafs in exchange for defenseman Mark Fraser. Mitchell has appeared in 60 career AHL contests with the Toronto Marlies, scoring 7-9=16 points with 33 penalty minutes (and a +3 rating. Selected by Toronto in the third round (74th overall) of the 2007 NHL Entry Draft, Mitchell is a two-time Memorial Cup winner with the Windsor Spitfires of the OHL in both 2009 and 2010. Fraser appeared in 25 contests with Syracuse this season (Anaheim's AHL affiliate), scoring 0-5=5 points with 35 PIM. Fraser has played in 98 career NHL contests with the Devils, earning 3-5=8 points and 86 PIM.

Rick Nash, the biggest prize available, wasn't dealt before the NHL's trade deadline on Monday. But the real shocker is that it was Nash who had asked the Blue Jackets to trade him. Most had believed that the Blue Jackets, stuck with by far the worst record in the league at 18-37-7 for 43 points, were dealing him out of desperation. As it turns out, it was the team captain's idea. "He obviously wants a change," said GM Scott Howson, who said he was so surprised when Nash asked to be traded in January that it took time for him to process the request.

The Ducks announced today that the club has acquired defenseman Sebastian Erixon from the Canucks in exchange for right wing Andrew Gordon. Erixon appeared in 30 contests for the Chicago Wolves of the AHL this season, scoring 1-7=8 points with 10 penalty minutes. A native of Sundsvall, Sweden, Erixon scored his first goal on Dec. 10 vs. Milwaukee in a 4-2 Wolves win. The 5-10, 183-pound blueliner played three full seasons (2008-11) and portions of two seasons (2006-08) with Timra IK of the Swedish Elite League, earning 12-22=34 points in 167 career games. Gordon scored 2-3=5 points with six PIM in 37 games with the Ducks this season. Signed by Anaheim as a free agent on July 2, 2011, Gordon also played in 19 contests with Syracuse (AHL) in 2011-12, scoring 3-5=8 points with 10 PIM.

Predators President of Hockey Operations/GM David Poile announced today that the club has acquired forward Paul Gaustad and a fourth-round pick in the 2013 Entry Draft from the Sabres for a first-round pick in the 2012 Entry Draft. Gaustad has 17 points and 70 penalty minutes in 56 games for the Sabres this season, in addition to ranking 10th in the League in face-off efficiency (56.8 percent) and eighth among forwards in average shorthanded ice time (2:52). The center has finished among the NHL's Top 10 in face-offs each of the past two seasons (third in 2010-11, 59.8 percent and sixth in 2009-10, 57.4 percent).