Former New Zealand assistant coach Wayne Smith has joined the country's women's team as technical coach as they prepare to host this year's World Cup.

The Black Ferns are aiming to secure their sixth World Cup triumph when they host the tournament between 8 October and 12 November.

However, they suffered four autumn Test defeats by France and England.

England secured a record 43-12 win over the world champions on 31 October before bettering that with a 56-15 success a week later, with New Zealand also losing twice to France in November.

Smith, 64, said he was inspired to come out of retirement by a commitment he made to his late friend Laurie O'Reilly, the first coach of the Black Ferns.

"I indicated to him before he passed away that I would help the women's rugby in whatever way I could, and now I get the chance," he said.

"The coaching group is all on the same page around the type of game we need to play to win the World Cup.

"There is a lot of work to be done to get there but it is going to be exhilarating."

After another busy weekend around the NHL, the Monday slate is a short one with just four games on the docket, although six of the eight teams are currently in playoff position. The most captivating matchups are intradivisional clashes, with Maple Leafs-Lightning at 7:30 p.m. ET, followed by Flames-Kings at 10:30.

The Leafs and Lightning are trading spots seemingly daily in the No. 2 vs. No. 3 matchup in the Atlantic Division, and the clubs have each won one game against the other thus far this season. Both teams enter the game on a relatively hot pace, with the Lightning 6-3-1 in their past 10 games and the Leafs 7-3-0 in theirs.

Out in the Pacific Division, the Kings and Flames haven't been quite as hot in their respective past 10 contests, and this will be the final game between the two clubs after they also split the opening two rounds. A win for the Kings will help them stave off the Edmonton Oilers in the seeding for the No. 2 vs. No. 3 matchup, while the Flames are pushing to distance themselves from everyone atop the division.

As we enter the final stretch of the 2021-22 regular season, it's time to check in on all the playoff races -- along with the teams jockeying for position in the 2022 NHL draft lottery.

Note: Playoff chances are via FiveThirtyEight. Tragic numbers are courtesy of Damian Echevarrieta of the NHL.

Jump ahead:
Current playoff matchups
Today's games
Last night's scores
Expanded standings
Race for No. 1 pick

Current playoff matchups

Eastern Conference

A1 Florida Panthers vs. WC2 Washington Capitals
A2 Toronto Maple Leafs vs. A3 Tampa Bay Lightning
M1 Carolina Hurricanes vs. WC1 Boston Bruins
M2 New York Rangers vs. M3 Pittsburgh Penguins

Western Conference

C1 Colorado Avalanche vs. WC2 Vegas Golden Knights
C2 Minnesota Wild vs. C3 St. Louis Blues
P1 Calgary Flames vs. WC1 Nashville Predators
P2 Los Angeles Kings vs. P3 Edmonton Oilers

Today's games

Note: All times Eastern. All out-of-market, non-NHL Network games available on ESPN+

Boston Bruins at Columbus Blue Jackets, 7 p.m.
Toronto Maple Leafs at Tampa Bay Lightning, 7:30 p.m. (NHLN)
Arizona Coyotes at St. Louis Blues, 8 p.m.
Calgary Flames at Los Angeles Kings, 10:30 p.m.

Last night's scoreboard

Watch In the Crease on ESPN+ for highlights from every game.

Florida Panthers 5, Buffalo Sabres 3
Ottawa Senators 5, Detroit Red Wings 2
New York Islanders 4, New Jersey Devils 3
Philadelphia Flyers 4, New York Rangers 3 (SO)
Minnesota Wild 5, Washington Capitals 1
Arizona Coyotes 3, Chicago Blackhawks 2 (OT)
Vegas Golden Knights 3, Vancouver Canucks 2 (OT)
Edmonton Oilers 6, Anaheim Ducks 1
Seattle Kraken 4, Dallas Stars 1

Expanded standings

Atlantic Division

Florida Panthers

Points: 102
Regulation wins: 36
Playoff position: A1
Games left: 13
Next game: vs. TOR (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: >99%
Tragic number: N/A

Toronto Maple Leafs

Points: 93
Regulation wins: 38
Playoff position: A2
Games left: 14
Next game: @ TB (Monday)
Playoff chances: >99%
Tragic number: N/A

Tampa Bay Lightning

Points: 93
Regulation wins: 32
Playoff position: A3
Games left: 14
Next game: vs. TOR (Monday)
Playoff chances: >99%
Tragic number: N/A

Boston Bruins

Points: 91
Regulation wins: 35
Playoff position: WC1
Games left: 14
Next game: @ CBJ (Monday)
Playoff chances: >99%
Tragic number: N/A

Buffalo Sabres

Points: 61
Regulation wins: 19
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 12
Next game: vs. CAR (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 1%
Tragic number: 2

Detroit Red Wings

Points: 61
Regulation wins: 15
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 13
Next game: vs. BOS (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 1%
Tragic number: 3

Ottawa Senators

Points: 56
Regulation wins: 21
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 14
Next game: @ MTL (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 1%
Tragic number: 1

e - Montreal Canadiens

Points: 49
Regulation wins: 13
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 13
Next game: vs. OTT (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 0%
Tragic number: E

Metropolitan Division

Carolina Hurricanes

Points: 98
Regulation wins: 39
Playoff position: M1
Games left: 13
Next game: @ BUF (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: >99%
Tragic number: N/A

New York Rangers

Points: 94
Regulation wins: 36
Playoff position: M2
Games left: 12
Next game: @ NJ (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: >99%
Tragic number: N/A

Pittsburgh Penguins

Points: 92
Regulation wins: 33
Playoff position: M3
Games left: 12
Next game: vs. COL (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: >99%
Tragic number: N/A

Washington Capitals

Points: 84
Regulation wins: 28
Playoff position: WC2
Games left: 13
Next game: vs. TB (Wednesday)
Playoff chances: 99%
Tragic number: N/A

New York Islanders

Points: 73
Regulation wins: 30
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 14
Next game: @ DAL (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 1%
Tragic number: 17

Columbus Blue Jackets

Points: 69
Regulation wins: 22
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 13
Next game: vs. BOS (Monday)
Playoff chances: 1%
Tragic number: 11

e - Philadelphia Flyers

Points: 55
Regulation wins: 17
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 13
Next game: vs. CBJ (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 0%
Tragic number: E

e - New Jersey Devils

Points: 54
Regulation wins: 16
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 13
Next game: vs. NYR (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 0%
Tragic number: E

Central Division

Colorado Avalanche

Points: 104
Regulation wins: 41
Playoff position: C1
Games left: 13
Next game: @ PIT (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: >99%
Tragic number: N/A

Minnesota Wild

Points: 91
Regulation wins: 31
Playoff position: C2
Games left: 14
Next game: @ NSH (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: >99%
Tragic number: N/A

St. Louis Blues

Points: 86
Regulation wins: 35
Playoff position: C3
Games left: 14
Next game: vs. ARI (Monday)
Playoff chances: 99%
Tragic number: N/A

Nashville Predators

Points: 82
Regulation wins: 32
Playoff position: WC1
Games left: 14
Next game: vs. MIN (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 88%
Tragic number: N/A

Dallas Stars

Points: 81
Regulation wins: 25
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 14
Next game: vs. NYI (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 89%
Tragic number: 27

Winnipeg Jets

Points: 76
Regulation wins: 26
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 12
Next game: vs. DET (Wednesday)
Playoff chances: 2%
Tragic number: 18

Chicago Blackhawks

Points: 59
Regulation wins: 15
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 12
Next game: vs. SEA (Thursday)
Playoff chances: 1%
Tragic number: 1

e - Arizona Coyotes

Points: 49
Regulation wins: 16
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 13
Next game: @ STL (Monday)
Playoff chances: 0%
Tragic number: E

Pacific Division

Calgary Flames

Points: 89
Regulation wins: 35
Playoff position: P1
Games left: 14
Next game: @ LA (Monday)
Playoff chances: >99%
Tragic number: N/A

Los Angeles Kings

Points: 86
Regulation wins: 29
Playoff position: P2
Games left: 11
Next game: vs. CGY (Monday)
Playoff chances: 88%
Tragic number: N/A

Edmonton Oilers

Points: 85
Regulation wins: 32
Playoff position: P3
Games left: 12
Next game: @ SJ (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 82%
Tragic number: N/A

Vegas Golden Knights

Points: 82
Regulation wins: 31
Playoff position: WC2
Games left: 11
Next game: vs. VAN (Wednesday)
Playoff chances: 51%
Tragic number: N/A

Vancouver Canucks

Points: 74
Regulation wins: 26
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 12
Next game: @ VGK (Wednesday)
Playoff chances: 3%
Tragic number: 16

Anaheim Ducks

Points: 68
Regulation wins: 19
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 11
Next game: vs. CGY (Wednesday)
Playoff chances: 1%
Tragic number: 8

San Jose Sharks

Points: 66
Regulation wins: 20
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 14
Next game: vs. EDM (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 1%
Tragic number: 12

e - Seattle Kraken

Points: 50
Regulation wins: 19
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 13
Next game: @ STL (Wednesday)
Playoff chances: 0%
Tragic number: E

Race for the No. 1 pick

The NHL uses a draft lottery to determine the order at the top of the first round, so the team that finishes in last place is not guaranteed the No. 1 selection. As of 2021, a team may move up a maximum of 10 spots if it wins the lottery, so only 11 teams are eligible for the draw for the No. 1 pick. Full details on the process can be found here.

1. Montreal Canadiens

Points: 49
Regulation wins: 13

2. Arizona Coyotes

Points: 49
Regulation wins: 16

3. Seattle Kraken

Points: 50
Regulation wins: 19

4. New Jersey Devils

Points: 54
Regulation wins: 16

5. Philadelphia Flyers

Points: 55
Regulation wins: 17

6. Ottawa Senators

Points: 56
Regulation wins: 21

7. Chicago Blackhawks

Points: 59
Regulation wins: 15

8. Detroit Red Wings

Points: 61
Regulation wins: 15

9. Buffalo Sabres

Points: 61
Regulation wins: 19

10. San Jose Sharks

Points: 66
Regulation wins: 20

11. Anaheim Ducks

Points: 68
Regulation wins: 19

12. Columbus Blue Jackets

Points: 69
Regulation wins: 22

13. New York Islanders

Points: 73
Regulation wins: 30

14. Vancouver Canucks

Points: 74
Regulation wins: 26

15. Winnipeg Jets

Points: 76
Regulation wins: 26

16. Dallas Stars

Points: 81
Regulation wins: 25

With dozens of NHL games on tap in the next seven days -- and much movement in the playoff races remaining prior to the final day of the regular season on April 29 -- it's hard to know which games you should be most closely monitoring.

We've gathered our panel of experts to break down all the big topics in the short term, including their take on the best playoff race, predictions for two key matchups this week -- Minnesota Wild vs. Nashville Predators and New York Rangers vs. Pittsburgh Penguins -- and more.

Paris Saint-Germain president Nasser Al-Khelaifi said the Champions League final should be a bigger spectacle than the Super Bowl and that it needs to evolve to capture a bigger audience.

He told The Athletic he "can't understand how the Super Bowl can feel bigger than the Champions League final," despite the fact that the 2021 Champions League final drew 700 million viewers and the 2022 Super Bowl only had 112 million viewers.

The 48-year-old Qatari businessman is said to have been debating ideas ahead of last week's European Club Association (ECA) General Assembly, for clubs to explore "new commercial opportunities."

"The Super Bowl, and the U.S. generally, have this mindset, creativity and entertainment. That's what I have suggested, to have an opening ceremony to the Champions League, to have one match on the opening night where the winners take on a big team -- maybe it is not a good idea, but at least let's challenge the status quo. Each match needs to be an event and entertainment."

The Champions League final tends to draw between 380 million-400 million spectators outside of the venue.

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Al-Khelaifi was opposed to the proposed breakaway European Super League last year and became a spokesperson who rejected the lead, before he became chair of the ECA.

The Champions League will expand to 36 teams from 32 in 2024, and from then media and commercial rights will be shared with the ECA. According to Al-Khelaifi, the change has been forecast to grow the commercial value of the men's game by 39%, but he added: "We still need to explore additional untapped revenue streams together" and explained the desire to explore new digital platforms.

"But of course, digital innovation is one of the things we are looking for. We're also thinking with UEFA about event formats and experiences. Take the Champions League -- by far the best club competition, but how do we make each match an event? My suggestion is to have a creative and entertainment department as part of the new joint venture between UEFA and ECA.

"How do we make the group stages compelling? The time difference is a problem for the U.S. and Asia. So how can we work on this for international rights which have huge potential? We are thinking about all kinds of things -- new venues, new markets, new formats."

If Marcus Rashford ever needed his deteriorating situation with Manchester United and England to be put into sharp focus, he surely got that in the space of 24 hours this weekend.

On Friday, the 24-year-old saw England's route to World Cup glory in Qatar mapped out following the draw which gave Gareth Southgate's team a favourable path to the latter stages of the competition. Having been overlooked for England's squad for the recent friendlies against Switzerland and Ivory Coast, Rashford will know he now has to fight his way back into Southgate's plans before the World Cup starts in November, but having been a central figure in the team which reached the semifinals at Russia 2018, he will undoubtedly picture himself being back in the fold before the squad fly out to Qatar.

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But by Saturday evening, Qatar would have been the furthest thing from Rashford's mind after his faltering United career hit another low point with interim manager Ralf Rangnick naming him among the substitutes against Leicester City and choosing instead to start with a team that did not include a single striker. With Cristiano Ronaldo ruled out due to illness and Edinson Cavani declaring himself unfit, Rangnick selected Bruno Fernandes as a false No. 9 and had Rashford on the bench for a game that United really needed to win to keep alive their hopes of a top-four finish.

United could only draw 1-1 at Old Trafford and Rashford, a 55th-minute substitute for midfielder Scott McTominay, was unable to make a positive impact after being sent on by Rangnick to help push the team to victory. During his 35 minutes on the pitch, Rashford touched the ball just 14 times and failed to register a shot, assist or tackle. It was a similar situation in the Manchester derby on March 6, with Rashford only coming off the bench after 64 minutes despite being the only recognised striker in the squad as United lost 4-1 at the Etihad, but at least that was an away match against the league leaders and defending champions.

Many will argue that Rashford's form this season -- he has scored just four goals in 20 Premier League appearances -- does not merit a starting spot in the United team and that, as a consequence, he should be nowhere the England squad. It is difficult to argue against that, especially as some of Rashford's recent performances have been so ineffective that sources have told ESPN that Rangnick and his staff believe he becomes a "ghost" in games by disappearing from the action.

But his failure to make the starting XI against Leicester was significant in that he was the only fit striker and had spent two weeks preparing for the game having not been away on international duty. Rashford should have been a guaranteed starter in the circumstances, so only making it on to the bench was a clear sign from Rangnick that he has little faith in a player who, not so long ago, was regarded as being the golden boy for club and country.

Rashford's decline is a complex story and neither the player nor United are blameless for his failure to be the player he should be right now. United, under a succession of managers, used him far too often, despite the obvious concerns of physical burnout in younger players. In five full seasons, between 2016-17 and 2020-21, Rashford made an average of 50.6 appearances a season, with international involvement at Euro 2016, the 2018 World Cup and Euro 2020 on top of that.

In January 2020, Rashford was ruled out for the rest of the season with a stress fracture of his back, only returning in June after the COVID-19 pandemic halted the campaign. Last season was his busiest yet, with 57 games for United, and it ended with Rashford undergoing shoulder surgery after the European Championship to correct an injury that he had continued playing with for months. He returned to action in October, without having a preseason campaign to recover his fitness, and has since made just 27 appearances in all competitions.

On top of Rashford's workload, sources have told ESPN that the United players have long been unhappy with the lack of top-class coaching at the club and the failure to improve players can be seen in the unfulfilled potential of the likes of Anthony Martial, Paul Pogba and Rashford.

United have let Rashford down by over-working him and not providing the elite coaches to make him a better player, but sources have also said that the club have, over the past 12 months, attempted to persuade Rashford to reduce his off-field work for good causes in order to focus more on regaining his best form, but so far, he has chosen to maintain his twin-track approach to commitments on and off the field.

So where does he go from here? At 24, Rashford should be approaching the peak years of his career. He has pace, a proven goal-scoring record and the ability to play anywhere across the front three -- qualities which could make him a star of the World Cup later this year and the leading light in (another) new era under a new coach at United.

Sources have told ESPN that United want him to sign a new contract to replace his present deal, which runs until June 2024 if the club trigger the option of a further 12 months next year, but Rashford may yet decide that United aren't delivering for him and the club's next full-time manager might regard him as a problem he can do without.

The one ray of light on the horizon is that a new boss offers Rashford the chance to press the reset button in time to not only re-ignite his United career, but also regain his England place ahead of the World Cup. Something needs to change for Rashford, though. His miserable weekend made that clearer than ever.