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by Kayla Douglas on (#5WPP0)
With the Washington Capitals in a slump, general manager Brian MacLellan is thinking about switching up his approach to the March 21 trade deadline."I don't know that we're going to be as aggressive as we've been in the past," MacLellan told the media Wednesday. "Sometimes, just to add depth pieces, we might overpay a little bit because we felt, 'We have a good team, we're gonna go a long way, and we just need players.'"I don't know that we're in that mode, but we'd still like to try and improve the team."The Capitals were tied with the Tampa Bay Lightning for first in the league Dec. 31 with a points percentage of .712. Washington has since gone 8-12-2."In the beginning of the year, I would say (we were) a legit contender. There's probably three, four teams that are at the next level, but we're not next level. (We were) at the high end of that next level of teams," MacLellan said. "Now, I'd say we're at the low level of that next level of teams. We need to improve. We need to get back to where we were."MacLellan pointed to the Capitals' "inexperienced" goaltending duo of Ilya Samsonov and Vitek Vanecek as a potential area of improvement."The concerning thing for me is sometimes the goals, the timing of the goals, game-situation goals that some veteran guys would tighten it up and make that save," he said. "It's not the overall save percentage, it's when and how the goals happen."Samsonov owns a .901 save percentage across 32 appearances this season while Vanecek has authored a .915 save percentage in 25 showings.MacLellan said he's tested the goaltending market with less than one month to go before the deadline."We called around earlier. The difficult situation, I think, is it's gotta be an obvious upgrade for us for it to make sense, or otherwise, we go with our guys," he said. "Is this going to get us over a hump on the goaltending side? I don't know that there's that many guys out there that are that quality. There might be one or two."The Capitals are fourth in the Metropolitan Division with a 28-18-9 record.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.
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| Updated | 2024-11-24 05:30 |
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by John Matisz on (#5WP5P)
The Hart Trophy has been handed out 16 times in the salary-cap era. Eleven of those winners also won the Art Ross in the same year.It may seem elementary, but it's true: The player who collects the most points is often crowned the most valuable player in the NHL. Connor McDavid putting up an absurd 105 points in 56 games last season is a prime example.All of that said, the 2021-22 Hart race feels … different. The list of legitimate contenders is long and diverse enough that the current leader in points - McDavid, who else - is certainly in the conversation but, if ballots were cast this week, he wouldn't be a shoo-in to win his third MVP award.On Friday, theScore will publish its monthly Hart power rankings.Here, we're focusing on one player from each position who's enjoying a Hart-caliber season and laying out the cases for and against them winning MVP.Auston Matthews Kevin Sousa / Getty ImagesCase for: Where to start? Matthews, the sport's best pure goal-scorer, is tied for the NHL lead in goals with 37 in 50 games for the Toronto Maple Leafs. No one has bagged more than 53 in a single season since 2011-12, and Matthews is on pace for 58, which would smash his career high of 47.Goal-scoring is undeniably the most important and difficult offensive skill in hockey. Super sniper Alex Ovechkin has claimed the Hart three times for this reason, and right now it's the foundation of Matthews' MVP case.Thanks to 31 assists - 18 primary, 13 secondary - Matthews also ranks in the top five in points; his 68 trail only McDavid (77), Leon Draisaitl (76), and Jonathan Huberdeau (75). Those primary helpers are key, as nobody collects primary points at a rate higher than Matthews' 1.10 per game. (Johnny Gaudreau and Draisaitl, at 1.08 and 1.07 per game, aren't far behind.)Remarkably, Matthews' oversized value in the offensive zone is being paired with prowess in less glamorous areas of the ice. His two-way dominance - a relatively new development for the 24-year-old center - has vaulted him to the top of Evolving Hockey's Goals Above Replacement leaderboard.GAR is a catch-all metric "that attempts to assign a total value to each player" by factoring a variety of offensive and defensive inputs. This year, Matthews (21.3), Mikko Rantanen (21.0), Nazem Kadri (18.8), Gaudreau (18.7), McDavid (18.6), and Michael Bunting (18.0), Matthews' linemate, are top of the class. Vaughn Ridley / Getty ImagesAdditionally, the case for Matthews features six game-winning goals, 59 takeaways, a faceoff win percentage of 58.2, and a five-on-five on-ice expected goals for percentage of 62.0. He currently ranks in the top 10 in all four categories. Also of note, Toronto has rung up a 92-48 advantage in goals when Matthews is on the ice, which translates to a 65% share.Matthews, to lay it out in simpler fashion, is a game-breaking talent enjoying both a viscerally and intellectually impressive season. And the fact that he logs 20 minutes a night for a Maple Leafs team that boasts the best points percentage in franchise history only strengthens his case for MVP.Case against: There are a couple of important points to relay here. The first is admittedly a glass-half-empty look ahead, while the second is relevant today.If Matthews doesn't win the Maurice "Rocket" Richard Trophy (Draisaitl, Chris Kreider, Kyle Connor, and Ovechkin are also already 30-goal men), his candidacy takes a hit - even if he manages to finish in the neighborhood of 50 goals. Because - fair or not - leading the league in something is important to voters.Matthews' candidacy also takes a hit if his assist rate sags and he ends up sliding down the points leaderboard. (Currently, he's tied with Kadri, one up on Gaudreau, and three up on Rantanen.) Excluding goalie Carey Price, Taylor Hall's 2017-18 Hart is the only instance in the salary-cap era of a player claiming the award despite finishing outside the top five in points.Of course, it's possible Matthews' elite two-way game makes the above points moot. After all, Hall won the Hart largely due to an otherworldly performance down the stretch, where he willed the New Jersey Devils to a playoff berth. A sensational personal narrative can seduce voters, too.As for the second important point … well, as detailed below, Igor Shesterkin has arguably been more valuable to the Rangers than Matthews to the Leafs.Igor Shesterkin Jared Silber / Getty ImagesCase for: Generally speaking, the New York Rangers are trending in the right direction on the ice. However, as a middling defensive team that doesn't generate a ton of goals, New York isn't quite ready to contend for a Stanley Cup.That's a quick summary of the Rangers - if Shesterkin were excluded from the conversation. The reality is, Shesterkin's supreme goaltending has steered New York into a Metropolitan Division playoff spot. The Rangers aren't holding on for dear life, either - their .670 points percentage ranks ninth in the NHL.Shesterkin, a world-class goalie at just 26, has a fairly comfortable lead in all-situations save percentage (.941), even-strength save percentage (.942), and quality starts percentage (.818). Some context: A goalie has finished with an all-situations save percentage of .940 or higher only three times since the league began tracking the stat in 1955 - Jacques Plante in 1968-69 and 1970-71 and Brian Elliott in 2011-12.Amazingly, Shesterkin has consistently papered over the Rangers' suspect defense. Evolving Hockey lists Shesterkin as having already saved 34.6 goals above average and 31.0 goals above expected - which is a numerical way of expressing how regularly he's been able to turn should-be goals into saves. Bruce Bennett / Getty ImagesShesterkin's traditional stats are also noteworthy. He has an outstanding 25-6-3 record and a laughably low 1.95 goals-against average.While Ville Husso has been a nice story out of St. Louis, the Vezina Trophy is Shesterkin's to lose, and his eye-popping numbers are fueling a compelling Hart case. The trophy's supposed to reward the season's "most valuable" player, and Shesterkin's been immensely valuable to the Rangers.Case against: 2014-15 Hart winner Price is the lone goalie to win the award in the cap era, and Jose Theodore's 2001-02 run - also in a Montreal Canadiens uniform - is the only other time it happened this century.The Vezina is considered by many in the hockey world to be the position's MVP award, so goalies rarely garner legitimate Hart buzz, let alone finalist nods. It's ironic, given how integral solid goaltending is to winning hockey games at any level of the sport.Shesterkin's getting plenty of buzz this time around. If it's a coin-flip scenario between him and a skater, though, most voters would probably be biased toward the skater.Crease time could also affect Shesterkin's case. He's appeared in 34 of 53 Rangers games thus far, starting 33. That isn't a light workload, but labeling Shesterkin a workhorse would be a stretch when 10 of his peers have played between 250 and 670 minutes more in 2021-22.To be clear, this isn't a Shesterkin issue - the starter workload has been in decline across the league for several years - but it's a variable in the "most valuable" discussion. He provides no value sitting on the bench for full games.Cale Makar Michael Martin / Getty ImagesCase for: Stacked up against stunning seasons from Matthews and Shesterkin, Makar may seem out of place. The force-of-nature defenseman is a long shot for the Hart, not a frontrunner. Heck, even his candidacy for the Norris Trophy - while strong - isn't bulletproof (see: Hedman, Victor).Yet there are two unique angles to consider with Makar and the Hart.First, the Colorado Avalanche blue-liner leads all defensemen in goals (18, on pace for 28). If he keeps this rate, he would have a chance to join an exclusive club - only 17 times in history has a defenseman scored 30 (Mike Green in 2008-09 was the last). He also leads all defensemen in points (58, on pace for 90). At that pace, he could join another exclusive club - only 26 times has a D-man put up 90 (Ray Bourque in 1993-94 was the last).Voters love rewarding players who hit rare milestones, and what an accomplishment 30 goals or 90 points - or both - would be for the 23-year-old. (As an aside, the Avs have outscored their opposition 109-47 with Makar on the ice. The shot attempt share is almost as lopsided: 1,530-960.)The second angle is tied to the Avs being Stanley Cup favorites. Do voters gravitate to the best player on the NHL's best team? The Avs, owners of a .778 points percentage, aren't showing any sign of slowing down. If Colorado wins the Presidents' Trophy in convincing fashion, surely its best regular-season performer will get a bump in Hart votes. Makar could be that guy.Case against: While Makar currently has the strongest Hart case among NHL defensemen, he's climbing an uphill battle versus a handful of forwards (Matthews, McDavid, and Huberdeau to start) and Shesterkin.Similar to the Vezina and goalies, the Norris is seen as the de facto MVP for defensemen. The most recent Hart winner was Chris Pronger in 1999-00.The biggest challenge for Makar might be internal competition - Rantanen and Kadri have been equally as impressive in 2021-22. All three could conceivably receive votes for the Hart, splitting the vote.John Matisz is theScore's senior NHL writer. Follow John on Twitter (@MatiszJohn) or contact him via email (john.matisz@thescore.com).Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.
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by Todd Cordell on (#5WP31)
After a busy Tuesday, we have just four games on the docket for Wednesday's slate.Luckily, I still see plenty of value on the board. Let's comb through it.Predators (-175) @ Kraken (+145)The Kraken enter Wednesday night's game against the Predators in the midst of a seven-game losing streak. I think that will extend to eight.Seattle is an absolute disaster right now, routinely getting outplayed by significant margins. The Kraken have controlled just 44.77% of the expected goals at five-on-five over the last 10 games, ranking 30th in the NHL.They're not generating any chances, and the ones they do create rarely end up in the back of the net - especially without leading scorer Jared McCann.Meanwhile, Philipp Grubauer still can't make saves with any consistency. He ranks dead last in the league - by a lot - in Goals Saved Above Expectation (-30.2).In short, the Kraken aren't creating much, are allowing plenty, and can't rely on a save to bail them out.Although Nashville's five-on-five numbers aren't overly impressive of late, they should spend a lot of this game on the attack. The Preds also figure to have a big edge in goal with Juuse Saros, who slots behind only Igor Shesterkin, Frederik Andersen, and Andrei Vasilevskiy in GSAE this season.Bet: Predators in regulation (-110)Sabres (+325) @ Maple Leafs (-420)The Maple Leafs are likely going to dismantle the Sabres in tonight's game. Unfortunately, that is reflected in the odds. There isn't much value in backing Toronto, even on the puck line. That's why I'm getting creative.I think the Maple Leafs will come out hot and win the first period. They are one of the league's best sides in terms of starting on time. Only the Panthers (68) have scored more first-period goals than the Maple Leafs (65).By comparison, the Sabres have only netted 40 first-period goals. That slots them 23rd, and they're actually a little lower in terms of first-period goals per game.They struggle to generate offense until they're already playing from behind. It generally doesn't take long for them to fall behind, either, as only the Canadiens (63) have conceded more opening-period goals than the Sabres (61).Toronto is firmly in the mix for a division title. If they're going to beat out Florida and the Lightning, they can't afford to drop points in advantageous spots. They know that, and I expect that to show in their play early on.Bet: Maple Leafs -0.5 1st period (-125)Mark Giordano over 2.5 shots (+110)I love Giordano in this spot because the Predators have given up a lot of shots of late. They've conceded 350 over the last 10 games, which is more than all but the Coyotes and Blue Jackets.They're a team we can target with shooters right now, and Giordano is the best choice here. He has attempted 61 shots over the last 10, which is 15 clear of his next closest teammate.Making Giordano even more appealing is his prowess on home soil. He's piled up at least three shots in 59% of Seattle's home games, including seven of the last 10.The odds imply Giordano has a 47.5% chance of going over. Considering the sneaky good matchup and his encouraging home numbers, I see real value in backing him.Todd Cordell is a sports betting writer at theScore. Be sure to follow him on Twitter @ToddCordell.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.
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by Brandon Maron on (#5WNXF)
Columbus Blue Jackets general manager Jarmo Kekalainen has seen trade rumors revolving around his star player Patrik Laine, but he confirmed there's no substance to them."Yeah, it bothers me because people make up shit, that's what bothers me," Kekalainen said, according to The Athletic's Pierre LeBrun. "I understand that sometimes from conversations you have (with teams), some of it may leak out, and a name gets in there, but this is not a case like that. This is just somebody making shit up from their own speculation of what we might do. They make it up and hope for the headlines and hope for the clicks. I think that's unethical. And I don't have any time for it."Laine is set to become a restricted free agent again this offseason after signing a one-year, $7.5-million deal with the Blue Jackets last summer. The media has raised questions about Laine's future in Columbus ever since the Blue Jackets acquired him from the Winnipeg Jets in January 2021.The 23-year-old didn't perform to expectations last season, scoring 10 goals and adding 11 assists over 45 games in Columbus. This campaign has been a different story, with Laine recording 20 goals and 18 assists in 35 games and looking like a legitimate franchise star.Kekalainen added that he isn't in a rush to extend Laine at this point since the team has two more years of control due to his pending RFA status."When the time is right, we're going to sit down and look at all the options together and see if we can come to a solution that he will stay for us for a term that fits the need of both sides and for the dollars that meet the needs of both sides," Kekalainen said."Let's see if there's a marriage that we can get into. And if not, you know, that's hockey. I always say, every player that gets into the time frame when they can become (unrestricted) free agents, they can do that if they want to. And there's not much we can do about it."Since entering the NHL in 2016, Laine ranks eighth in the league with 170 goals in 386 games.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.
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by Brandon Maron on (#5WNVM)
The fifth edition of theScore's 2021-22 Vezina Trophy Power Rankings features one first-time entrant and the return of a previous member of the list.5. Andrei Vasilevskiy, Tampa Bay Lightning Patrick McDermott / National Hockey League / GettyPrevious ranking: N/ARECORDGAAXGA/60SV%HDSV%GSAA29-8-42.272.41.921.82514.77It was inevitable that Vasilevskiy would end up on this list at some point, though it's a bit shocking that this is the Lightning netminder's first appearance this season. While many goalies endure hot and cold streaks, Vasilevskiy has remained as consistent as they come. He's garnered less fanfare than usual because his numbers haven't been as dominant as in years past, but he's quietly having an excellent year. He's only allowed four goals or more in six appearances this year while playing the sixth-most minutes (2,479) among all NHL goaltenders.4. Juuse Saros, Nashville Predators Frederick Breedon / Getty Images Sport / GettyPrevious ranking: 3RECORDGAAXGA/60SV%HDSV%GSAA25-16-32.462.77.923.85420.18Few pegged the Predators as a playoff team entering the season, but Saros' superb play in net is a big reason the club is currently in the race. He's in the midst of a modest cold streak after dropping five of his last six contests, but his overall stats haven't taken much of a hit. He ranks fourth among all goalies with 20.18 goals saved above average.3. Jacob Markstrom, Calgary Flames Derek Leung / Getty Images Sport / GettyPrevious ranking: N/ARECORDGAAXGA/60SV%HDSV%GSAA25-11-52.102.42.927.85121.14Markstrom stumbled in December and January after a great start to the season. It looks like he's back on track, while the Flames have been one of the NHL's hottest teams of late. He's won nine of his last 10 starts and allowed two goals or fewer in eight of those victories. He also has an incredible eight shutouts on the season. With Calgary playing at an elite level, he should challenge for the trophy at the end of the season.2. Frederik Andersen, Carolina Hurricanes Len Redkoles / National Hockey League / GettyPrevious ranking: 2RECORDGAAXGA/60SV%HDSV%GSAA29-7-22.032.74.930.83622.30Andersen is having the best statistical season of his career and has the pleasure of backstopping one of the NHL's most well-rounded teams. The Hurricanes took a big gamble by completely shaking up their crease during the offseason, but the addition of Andersen - who struggled with the Maple Leafs last season - is paying dividends so far. Carolina sits atop the Metropolitan Division, and Andersen's play is a major reason for the team's success.1. Igor Shesterkin, New York Rangers Emilee Chinn / Getty Images Sport / GettyPrevious ranking: 1RECORDGAAXGA/60SV%HDSV%GSAA25-6-31.952.90.941.88434.57Shesterkin is showing no signs of slowing. He leads all goaltenders in virtually every statistical category and he's doing it while backstopping a less-than-stellar Rangers squad. At five-on-five, New York is second to last in the NHL with a 44.77 Corsi For rating and gives up the tenth-most high-danger scoring chances (664), so the team almost certainly wouldn't be sitting comfortably in a playoff spot if not for Shesterkin. Not only is he the front-runner for the Vezina, but he's also certainly in the mix for the Hart Trophy after Carey Price won the award in 2015 with a .933 save percentage and 1.96 goals against average.Honorable mentions: Tristan Jarry, Thatcher DemkoCopyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.
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by Kayla Douglas on (#5WNDE)
Jake DeBrusk's agent, Rick Valette, has informed teams they're willing to work on an extension in order to facilitate a trade from the Boston Bruins, TSN's Pierre LeBrun reported during Tuesday's "Insider Trading" segment.The 25-year-old forward is playing out the final season of a two-year deal, which carries a $3.675-million cap hit. He's a pending restricted free agent this offseason and could sign a $4.41-million qualifying offer."A lot of teams are concerned about the $4.4-million qualifying offer to retain his rights this summer," LeBrun said. "Maybe (if there's) an extension at a cheaper price, everyone goes home happy."DeBrusk thrived in the second half of February. He's logged seven goals and two assists in his last five contests, including his first career hat trick against the Los Angeles Kings on Monday. He managed just seven goals in the first 43 games of the campaign.The winger's trade request became public in late November, but there's been no movement yet."Bottom line is, if he keeps scoring and playing a bigger role, it might help the Bruins and general manager Don Sweeney get better offers than they've had to date," LeBrun said.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.
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by Kayla Douglas on (#5WNCE)
Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Ryan Ellis hasn't officially been ruled out of the rest of the season, but his chances at slotting back into the lineup aren't looking promising."Not much of an update. We're getting to the point in the season where it's looking less and less likely that he'll play, but nothing has been fully determined yet," Flyers interim head coach Mike Yeo told NHL.com's Adam Kimelman on Tuesday.Ellis was Philadelphia's splashiest acquisition in the offseason. The Flyers sent Philippe Myers and Nolan Patrick to the Nashville Predators in exchange for the veteran's services in July.The 31-year-old suited up for Philadelphia's first three games of the season and chipped in with one goal and three assists. He then missed the Flyers' next nine games with a lower-body injury and returned to the lineup against the Dallas Stars on Nov. 13, but he hasn't played since after aggravating the ailment.Ellis' initial return timetable in mid-November was four-to-six weeks. General manager Chuck Fletcher said in February that the team was trying to avoid surgery, per Kimelman.Yeo added that Ellis hasn't had a substantial skating session recently."I don't know if he skated in the last few days. I wouldn't even really call it skating, what he was doing, as far as just kind of ... gliding around," Yeo said. "Certainly not pushing himself to any point where we would think that he's a possibility to return at any point here."The Flyers are in last place of the Metropolitan Division with a record of 16-26-10.Ellis is in the third season of an eight-year, $50-million contract.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.
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by Sean O'Leary on (#5WNB8)
NHL player agent Dan Milstein says his Russian-born clients are experiencing harassment and discrimination following the country's invasion of Ukraine.Milstein was born in Kyiv, Ukraine, but immigrated to the United States in 1991 and is now a citizen. He represents 75% of the NHL's Russian and Belarusian players, including superstars such as Nikita Kucherov and Andrei Vasilevskiy."The discrimination and racism these Russian and Belarusian players are facing right now is remarkable," Milstein told ESPN's Emily Kaplan. "We're being set back 30 years. I have players calling me, parents calling me. They're concerned whether they'll be able to play, whether they'll be safe."The NHL released a statement Monday condemning Russia's actions while suspending relationships with business partners in the country. Equipment manufacturer CCM Hockey announced Tuesday it won't be using Russian stars like Alex Ovechkin, among others, in global marketing initiatives going forward.Milstein said some clients have been harassed on the street, while several have received death threats."He was yelled at to, 'Get back to your country,' and was called a Nazi and other words," Milstein said. "Clients are being called Nazis. People are wishing that they are dead. These are human beings. These are hockey players. These are guys contributing to our society, paying millions of dollars in taxes to support the U.S. and Canada, and doing all kinds of charity work back home. Stop looking at them as aggressors. Stop being racist."He added, "My clients aren't as nervous for themselves. But when they are on the road, and they have a wife and a newborn child at home that are alone, there are major concerns."Milstein also represents many Russian players in the AHL and junior leagues across North America, whom he says have been subject to harassment as well.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.
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by Kayla Douglas on (#5WN9Y)
Predators general manager David Poile is making it clear he wants to keep Filip Forsberg, a pending unrestricted free agent, in Nashville."No, I'm not trying to trade Filip Forsberg, I'm trying to sign Filip Forsberg," Poile told 102.5 The Game on Tuesday, according to NHL.com. "It hasn't been done. ... I don't have the crystal ball to say it will get done. Both sides want it to happen, but it hasn't happened now."Forsberg's name has entered the rumor mill ahead of the March 21 trade deadline as he plays out the final season of a six-year, $36-million contract. A potential extension between the two sides must have an average annual value higher than $8 million but lower than $9.059 million, according to Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman."Obviously, we don't agree where we are, or we would have had a deal done by now," Poile said, per NHL.com. "I think we just continue moving on. He knows that I haven't been shopping him. ... It's out there and you hear it, and then you have to react to it. That's where we are today."Forsberg, 27, leads all Predators with 27 goals in 40 games this season. He's also recording a career-high 1.13 points per contest for Nashville, which currently holds a playoff spot.The Swedish star has 430 points in 537 career NHL games, all as a Predator.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.
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by Josh Wegman on (#5WN6W)
CCM Hockey announced Monday it will stop using Washington Capitals star Alex Ovechkin and other Russian NHL players in its global marketing initiatives amid Russia's invasion of Ukraine."We are very sad to witness, like the rest of the world, what is happening in Ukraine," CCM chief executive Marrouane Nabih wrote in an email to TSN's Rick Westhead. "Although Mr. Ovechkin is not responsible for the Russian government's actions, we took the decision to not use him (or any Russian player) on any global CCM communication at this point."CCM pays Ovechkin over $500,000 per year plus a percentage of its sales within Russia, a source told Westhead. Though the company will no longer use Ovechkin or other Russian players for global marketing, the source said it's unlikely CCM will try to terminate its contracts with them.Nabih did not respond to follow-up questions from Westhead about the company's contracts with Ovechkin and other Russian players such as Pittsburgh Penguins star Evgeni Malkin and Capitals blue-liner Dmitry Orlov.Ovechkin has been a vocal supporter of Russian President Vladimir Putin throughout his career. His current profile picture on Instagram features him standing next to Putin while giving the "peace" sign.The 36-year-old said Friday he doesn't support Russia's invasion of Ukraine, but when asked if he still supports Putin, Ovechkin responded: "Well, he's my president. But how I said, I'm not in politics. I'm an athlete."The IIHF banned Russia and Belarus from all international hockey indefinitely Monday. The federation also removed Russia as host of the 2023 world juniors.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.
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by Josh Wegman on (#5WN50)
Winnipeg Jets center Mark Scheifele says he's willing to drop the gloves if Montreal Canadiens forward Jake Evans seeks out a fight to avenge the controversial hit Scheifele delivered in last year's playoffs."If Jake Evans wants to fight me, I'll answer the bell for sure," Scheifele said ahead of Tuesday's matchup between the Jets and Canadiens - the first meeting between the two clubs since the 2021 postseason.Scheifele laid out Evans in the final minute of Game 1 of Round 2 as the Canadiens forward tried to seal the contest with an empty-netter.Scheifele was suspended four games for the hit, a ban the 28-year-old called "excessive" at the time. Montreal swept Winnipeg in four games, making Tuesday's contest the Canadiens' first chance for retribution.But Evans, who suffered a concussion on the play and missed Montreal's next nine games, doesn't appear to be seeking vengeance."For me, it was handled last year in the playoffs," the 25-year-old told reporters. "I think the best way to get back at someone is winning a series and not even letting them play, so for me, it's done with. Like I said, I'm just happy I'm healthy."Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.
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by Todd Cordell on (#5WMY9)
Monday night featured just three games, which meant little value on the board in terms of sides and totals.We have a much juicer nine-game slate to pick through on Tuesday night. Let's waste no time getting into the best bets.Devils (+115) @ Blue Jackets (-140)The Devils own a 4-6-0 record over the last 10 games - but don't let that fool you. By and large, they're playing good hockey.They have controlled better than 52% of the expected goals at five-on-five, which slots them ahead of teams like the Golden Knights and Hurricanes. They're routinely out-chancing their opponents.Unsurprisingly, those chances are leading to goals and a lot of them. The Devils have averaged four goals per 60 at five-on-five over the last 10 games. That actually leads the league.So why has New Jersey lost most of its games over that stretch? Put simply, goaltending. The Devils haven't been able to get a save from anyone but Nico Daws all season. While Daws did start Monday night, I think there's a real chance he goes again in this game. Even if he doesn't, I still see enough for New Jersey to take out this Blue Jackets team.They can't defend a lick right now. At five-on-five, they rank 29th in expected goals against per 60 over the last 10. That spells trouble against this red-hot New Jersey offense, especially considering the goaltending Columbus has had of late.Projected starter Elvis Merzlikins owns an .893 save percentage since the calendar flipped to 2022. With the way he's playing right now, the Jackets might not even have a goaltending edge against a Devils team missing its No. 1 and No. 2 netminders.Back-to-back situation or not, I think the wrong team is favored here.Bet: Devils (+115)Oilers (-160) @ Flyers (+135)The Oilers are a little thinned out right now. With Jesse Puljujarvi, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, and Kailer Yamamoto all sidelined, they just don't have a lot of depth up front.Even so, I like Edmonton to rebound with a win in this spot. Its share of the expected goals is 6% higher than the Flyers' over the last 10 games. They should be able to control the run of play.They should also do real damage on the power play. Edmonton is lethal on the man advantage, and Philadelphia is putrid on the penalty kill. Only the Ducks have conceded shot attempts at a higher rate over the last 10, while no team has given up more power-play goals per 60 minutes than the Flyers.I expect the Oilers to keep things relatively even at five-on-five - if not win outright - while causing all kinds of problems on the man advantage.Bet: Oilers in regulation (-110)Flames (-118) @ Wild (-104)These teams combined for 10 goals the last time they met, but I think this contest is going to be played a little closer to the vest.If we isolate the last 10 games, the Flames and Wild are two of the best defensive sides in the NHL. Calgary has conceded fewer expected goals (2.06 per 60) at five-on-five than every team during that period.The Wild are not far behind. They've given up 2.25 expected goals per 60, which slots them fifth during the same span. Pretty good!Both teams also rank top-seven in limiting high-danger chances. It's not as if they're limiting total chances, but a lot of what they give up isn't high quality. Teams just aren't creating many great looks against either side.Now, these teams do possess the firepower necessary to blow any game open, but I don't think the Wild will do that against a potential Vezina finalist in Jacob Markstrom.While Cam Talbot's recent form is concerning, he has been a quality starter for some time. There's reason to expect more from him moving forward. And, quite frankly, if he struggles, there's enough wiggle room with a 6.5 total that we could still get there.Bet: Under 6.5 (-108)Todd Cordell is a sports betting writer at theScore. Be sure to follow him on Twitter @ToddCordell.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.
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by Kayla Douglas on (#5WM20)
The Chicago Blackhawks have named Kyle Davidson the 10th general manager in franchise history, the team announced Tuesday.Davidson had served as the team's interim general manager since October. He assumed the role after Stan Bowman stepped down following the conclusion of an independent investigation into former video coach Brad Aldrich's alleged sexual assault of Kyle Beach in 2010."We have a vision here for the future of Blackhawks hockey, and today we are a step closer to that coming together," Blackhawks CEO Danny Wirtz said. "As an organization, we know we have a lot of work to do on and off the ice, and Kyle is the leader we trust to oversee our hockey operations."The Blackhawks interviewed a variety of other candidates, including ex-Edmonton Oilers GM Peter Chiarelli, Carolina Hurricanes assistant GM Eric Tulsky, Tampa Bay Lightning director of hockey operations Mathieu Darche, former Montreal Canadiens assistant GM Scott Mellanby, and Chicago Cubs assistant GM Jeff Greenberg."The thorough process we undertook affirmed much of what we believed we had in Kyle, and he stepped up to lead and make tough decisions during his time in the interim role," Wirtz added. "He without a doubt met every qualification we were looking for, is passionate about the game, and represents the high character across everything we do."Chicago finished its evaluation process Thursday and aimed to fill the role on a full-time basis by the March 21 trade deadline. Former players Eddie Olczyk, Marian Hossa, and Patrick Sharp were enlisted to help its search.Davidson, 33, is the youngest general manager in Blackhawks history. He's been involved with the organization since 2010 in a variety of capacities and was promoted to assistant general manager in 2019.Despite his interim tag, Davidson oversaw the Blackhawks' coaching change that brought Derek King in to replace Jeremy Colliton earlier this season.Following the switch behind the bench, Wirtz said Davidson had the team's "full confidence and autonomy to make hockey decisions."The Blackhawks sit seventh in the Central Division with a record of 19-27-8.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.
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by Todd Cordell on (#5WMRD)
With 18 teams in action, we have a jam-packed NHL schedule to enjoy Tuesday night.That means there's no shortage of player props to comb through. Let's take a look at a few lines that stand out.Nikita Kucherov over 3.5 shots (-125)Until Kucherov's shot line jumps to 4.5 or the odds change drastically, I'll continue backing him to go over the number. His shooting floor has been remarkably consistent since he returned from injury.The Lightning star has registered at least four shots in 10 of 12 games following his return to the lineup, including four straight on home ice.Tuesday night brings a home date against the lowly Senators. Ottawa ranks dead last in shot attempts against per 60 minutes this season, and its current form isn't much better. Injuries and illnesses have also thinned an already bad lineup.Kucherov has a roughly 83% hit rate since being reinserted into the lineup, while this line implies only an approximate 55% chance of Kucherov capitalizing on a fantastic matchup. I'm happy to take my chances.Pierre-Luc Dubois over 2.5 shots (-143)The Canadiens have played much better with Martin St. Louis behind the bench. Even so, they're a team we can target, especially through a center of Dubois' caliber.Dubois is in the midst of one of his best shooting stretches of the season. The Jets forward has registered at least three shots in seven of his last 10 games while averaging 3.4 shots in that stretch.Montreal, meanwhile, has given up an abundance of shots to centers all season long. In fact, only the Blue Jackets concede more shots per game to the position. All of that makes Dubois very appealing here.Brendan Gallagher over 2.5 shots (-118)Gallagher has averaged half a shot per game more on home ice than on the road this season. Despite that, he's a player worth backing as the Canadiens visit Winnipeg.The Jets are playing horrendous defense right now. They've allowed more than 63 shot attempts against per 60 minutes at five-on-five over the last 10 games - better only than the Sharks and Coyotes.Winnipeg has also been extremely bad at defending the low slot, ranking bottom five in high-danger chances against per 60 minutes. Gallagher is a gritty, hard-nosed player who generates many of his chances around the net. If the Jets are struggling to defend that area, Gallagher is likely to take advantage.Todd Cordell is a sports betting writer at theScore. Be sure to follow him on Twitter @ToddCordell.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.
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by Sean O'Leary on (#5WMNY)
In our fifth edition of the 2021-22 Calder Trophy Power Rankings, we have a red-hot newcomer in the top three. The list at this point is incredibly tight from top to bottom, and watching this year's group of rookies battle to be finalists at season's end will be one of the most interesting subplots of the stretch run.5. Matt Boldy, Wild Jonathan Kozub / National Hockey League / GettyPrevious rank: 5thGPPATOIXGF%191816:2855.31Let's make one thing clear off the bat: Boldy is only No. 5 because of his small sample size. With another month playing like he has, the Wild youngster will shoot up our rankings and make the race for the top spot even more intriguing.Boldy continues to produce and owns the highest point-per-game clip (0.95) of all regular freshmen league-wide. The 20-year-old is a threat as a shooter and a playmaker, and his role in the top-six of a playoff-bound team should carry significant weight for voters at the end of the season.4. Lucas Raymond, Red Wings Dave Reginek / National Hockey League / GettyPrevious rank: 3rdGPPATOIXGF%534218:1048.85Raymond's rank this month is his lowest of the season, which may seem nonsensical considering he's retaken the lead in the rookie scoring race. There's a strong chance Raymond finishes the season as a finalist, but as of late, those ahead of Raymond on our list have outplayed him.He put up three points in Saturday's 1980s-esque barn burner against Toronto, but he only had four points for the month before the offensive outburst. If that performance is a sign of things to come for the stretch run, Raymond is a virtual lock to jump back into a top-three spot.3. Michael Bunting, Maple Leafs Claus Andersen / Getty Images Sport / GettyPrevious rank: N/AGPPATOIXGF%534115:2960.15Bunting's Calder eligibility is a controversial topic, and it's bound to cause more divisiveness if he keeps his recent play up. The 26-year-old just barely fits under multiple rookie of the year criteria, and a Calder win would make him the oldest winner since 31-year-old Sergei Makarov in 1990.While Bunting's age is likely to be a major detractor for voters by season's end, there's no denying his most recent month of play warrants real consideration. Bunting has rocketed to second in rookie scoring and leads his peers in goals and points since our last edition while posting sterling underlying numbers as a key contributor on the Maple Leafs' star-studded top line.2. Moritz Seider, Red Wings Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / GettyPrevious rank: 4thGPPATOIXGF%533922:5647.72Seider is right back in the thick of the race and rapidly closing the gap on the top spot after posting 10 points in February, ranking second among all rookies over that span. He's tied for third in outright rookie scoring and leads first-year players in average ice time by more than two full minutes.Do-it-all defensemen are immensely valuable in today's NHL, and Seider establishing himself as one as a 20-year-old is no small feat. His reputation is now well known among mainstream media and fans, so Seider should have no shortage of support when it comes time to vote.1. Trevor Zegras, Ducks Andy Devlin / National Hockey League / GettyPrevious rank: 1stGPPATOIXGF%493917:2153.41Zegras hasn't solidified the No. 1 spot due to a torrid stretch by any means, but he also hasn't done anything to warrant falling down the list, either. The Ducks dynamo is going about his business of late with a point-per-game clip over the past month.He hasn't gone viral for a show-stopping highlight lately (give him time), but he's still consistently finding the scoresheet and maintaining a positive impact in several key underlying metrics. Until Zegras starts getting noticeably out-performed, he belongs in the top spot.(Analytics source: Evolving-Hockey)Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.
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by Kayla Douglas on (#5WM14)
It's been a roller coaster of a campaign for Toronto Maple Leafs goaltender Jack Campbell.Prior to January, the busy Campbell was a surefire Vezina Trophy candidate who sat near the top of the league with a .937 save percentage and a 1.94 goals-against average.The 30-year-old cooled off considerably once the dead of winter set in, recording an .887 save percentage and a 3.49 goals-against average since Jan. 1.Campbell, who has a reputation for being tough on himself, is doing his best to stay levelheaded."For me, it's simple. I mean, I'm the same goalie I was to start the year as far as strategy and talent, things like that. It's just relaxing, having some fun and not beating myself up too much," Campbell told the media Monday, according to TSN. "I'm still working. It's a process, but I have great people in my life, great teammates. I'll snap out of it."Campbell's most recent speed bump was the Maple Leafs' wild 10-7 victory over the Detroit Red Wings on Saturday. Toronto had a comfortable 7-2 lead entering the third period, but the Red Wings potted four unanswered goals past Campbell in the opening 5:21.Maple Leafs head coach Sheldon Keefe pulled his No. 1 goaltender in an effort to stop the bleeding."Jack had earned all the attention and the accolades that were coming with his play. You have to be prepared for it to come the other way. ... We think there's a good goalie there that will find a level of consistency, and that's what he's continued to work through here now," Keefe said.He added, "It's a mental block kind of thing going on right now that he's gotta work his way through, but he'll get there."Campbell emphasized the fact that he's still learning in his first full season as a starting netminder."There's going to be a little bit of a tough stretch here and there. You look around, a lot of great goalies have had tough stretches, but it's about how you overcome it," he said. "That's what I'm focused on."Petr Mrazek will start when the Maple Leafs take on the Washington Capitals on Monday, according to Sportsnet's Luke Fox.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.
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by Josh Wegman on (#5WKVC)
The IIHF announced Monday it is banning Russia and Belarus from international hockey until further notice amid the invasion of Ukraine.The federation will move the 2023 world juniors to a different location after the Russian cities of Novosibirsk and Omsk were originally set to host the event from Dec. 26, 2022, to Jan. 5, 2023. The IIHF will initiate discussions in the coming months to find a new host.Russia is also slated to host the 2023 World Hockey Championship in May, but the IIHF has yet to make a decision on that tournament, according to TSN's Darren Dreger.The ban will keep Russia and Belarus out of multiple major international events, including the 2022 Worlds in May, the women's U18 tournament in June, and the rescheduled 2022 world juniors in August.Belarus is included in the ban because it has assisted Russia's invasion by allowing its territory to be used to station troops and launch military attacks."The IIHF is not a political entity and cannot influence the decisions being taken over the war in Ukraine," IIHF president Luc Tardif said in a statement. "We nevertheless have a duty of care to all of our members and participants and must therefore do all we can to ensure that we are able to operate our events in a safe environment for all teams taking part in the IIHF World Championship program.""We were incredibly shocked to see the images that have come out of Ukraine," added Tardif. "I have been in close contact with members of the Ice Hockey Federation of Ukraine, and we hope for all Ukrainians that this conflict can be resolved in a peaceful way and without the need for further violence."Hockey Canada backed the IIHF's decision Monday evening and said Russia and Belarus will be banned from events held in Canada that don't fall under the IIHF's jurisdiction.
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by Todd Cordell on (#5WM21)
The 2021-22 NHL campaign continues to breeze by. While it feels like we just hit the mid-way point, the reality is some teams have finished as much as 67% of their schedule.The trade deadline is not far out, with the 2022 Stanley Cup Playoffs soon to follow. Which teams offer the best value to make noise at the dance? Let's dive into just that.TEAMODDS (Feb. 28)ODDS (Jan. 27)Colorado Avalanche+400+500Florida Panthers+750+800Tampa Bay Lightning+750+800Vegas Golden Knights+750+800Toronto Maple Leafs+1000+900Carolina Hurricanes+1000+1200Calgary Flames+1300+2000Pittsburgh Penguins+1600+1800Boston Bruins+1800+1800Minnesota Wild+2000+1500New York Rangers+2000+2000Washington Capitals+2500+1600St. Louis Blues+2500+2500Edmonton Oilers+3000+2000Nashville Predators+3000+4500Dallas Stars+5000+3500Los Angeles Kings+6000+10000Anaheim Ducks+6000+4000New York Islanders+8000+6000Winnipeg Jets+9000+4000Vancouver Canucks+15000+9000Detroit Red Wings+20000+15000San Jose Sharks+20000+15000New Jersey Devils+50000+15000Philadelphia Flyers+50000+15000Chicago Blackhawks+50000+15000Columbus Blue Jackets+50000+15000Seattle Kraken+50000+20000Ottawa Senators+50000+30000Buffalo Sabres+100000+30000Montreal Canadiens+100000+20000Arizona Coyotes+100000+100000Colorado Avalanche (+400)These odds imply the Colorado Avalanche have a 20% chance of winning the Stanley Cup. Even considering hockey is a very random, luck-filled sport where anything can happen, I still think the Avs are undervalued on the market. This team has as much star power as any in hockey. Led by Darcy Kuemper and his .920 save percentage, their goaltending is better than it is given credit for. Injuries have riddled this team all season, but they still sit atop the league. And, they have room to add an impact player at the deadline - Claude Giroux, perhaps? - without moving a bunch of money out. I think this line should be around +250.Toronto Maple Leafs (+1000)Three teams have more wins than the Toronto Maple Leafs this season. Three. That fact is impressive without context. When you factor in that both of their goaltenders have struggled to make saves for a couple of months, it's even more impressive. The Maple Leafs own a .650 points percentage over the last 20 games, which ties them with the Boston Bruins for ninth in the NHL. They've accomplished that while getting worse goaltending than every single team in the league at five-on-five. Even the New Jersey Devils, for example, have gotten more out of Jon Gillies and Nico Daws. Yeah ... Toronto's goaltending has been that bad, and the team continued to win a lot of games.As bad as Jack Campbell and, to a slightly lesser extent, Petr Mrazek have performed, they're better than they've shown. Campbell is not the guy we saw at the start of the year. However, it's safe to assume he'll be closer to what we've seen over 124 NHL games to date (.917 save percentage) than the guy he's been over the Leafs' last 20 (.877 save percentage).Toronto's offense is lethal. With Rasmus Sandin's emergence, its defense is competent. I expect the Leafs to get more saves moving forward, and they'll no doubt look to add a piece or two at the deadline to better prepare for the playoffs. I'm not at all arguing Toronto should be the Cup favorite, but I do see value at this price.Calgary Flames (+1300)The Calgary Flames are probably the most complete team in Canada. They have one of the most dominant top lines in the NHL, a very responsible middle-six, and a stout defense core. Jacob Markstrom has also found his form and performed as one of the league's top goaltenders. The Flames needed more secondary scoring, and they look to have found that in Tyler Toffoli, who has four goals in six games since the trade. There aren't many (any?) glaring holes on this team, and they play in a weak division.The injury-plagued Vegas Golden Knights are probably the only club with a realistic shot at preventing the Flames from making the final four, which means there's value at +1300.Todd Cordell is a sports betting writer at theScore. Be sure to follow him on Twitter @ToddCordell.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.
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by Josh Wegman on (#5WKQD)
It appears Anaheim Ducks rookie general manager Pat Verbeek has a plan in place for three key pending free agents: Sign them to extensions or trade them.Forward Rickard Rakell and defensemen Hampus Lindholm and Josh Manson have generated plenty of buzz ahead of the trade deadline. All three will be UFAs at season's end, so Verbeek will have some decisions to make."I think going into this, I'm looking at it like we could make the playoffs, we could miss the playoffs," Verbeek told The Athletic's Pierre LeBrun. "At the end of the day, there's no guarantee I can get those three free agents back. I'm going to attempt to sign them, if it doesn’t happen, I just can't let them walk out the door free."The Ducks have a fourth key pending UFA in veteran captain Ryan Getzlaf, but his contract contains a full no-movement clause. He was in the same situation at last year's deadline and wanted to stay in Anaheim.Verbeek reportedly began extension talks with Lindholm's camp last week. The 28-year-old Swede would arguably be the biggest trade chip of the three. The 6-foot-4 shutdown defender has recorded 20 points and averaged 22:42 of ice time in 53 games this season. Lindholm's cap hit is $5.205 million.There's been no word of extension talks with Manson's camp, and the Ducks were reportedly open to trading him last season. The 6-foot-3 right-handed defenseman has registered only seven points in 43 games this season, but he brings the type of snarl and grit that teams covet come playoff time. The 30-year-old carries a $4.1-million cap hit.Rakell, a two-time 30-goal scorer, is having a second consecutive down year by his standards. The winger has tallied 14 goals and 11 assists in 45 games. The 28-year-old's cap hit is $3.789 million."We've got a game plan, and we'll see if we can execute it over the next three weeks and in the next four months leading to free agency," Verbeek added.The Ducks started off the season hot but currently sit sixth in the Pacific Division and 11th in the Western Conference.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.
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by Matt Russell on (#5WKQE)
The NHL's loudest fan base almost found themselves quieted again on Saturday night. The Maple Leafs took a 7-2 lead into the second intermission in Detroit and looked to be cruising to victory as -200 favorites. For those smart enough to bet the over, there was no reason to watch the third period. For those who bet a side, things got interesting after the underdog Red Wings scored four goals in the first 5:21 of the third period.Unless you're betting the total, it's never over until it's over in the NHL. Of course, if you bet the over on Sunday afternoon in the Oilers-Hurricanes game, you were infuriated by multiple goals getting called back because linesmen were letting offsides go during the action, only to have them disallowed after review.That was a day after the Oilers won a game they had no business winning. Based on how they played against Florida, the Panthers would have won that game 84% of the time, according to Moneypuck.com.Basically, if you bet on an Edmonton game this weekend, you had a wilder ride than Leafs fans in the third period on Saturday night. This is the unpredictability of the NHL. As bettors, the best we can do is put ourselves in the best position to be profitable long term by finding the smallest edges where available.The recipeBefore the 2021-22 campaign, we provided a three-chapter series on how to use the regular-season point-total market to create team ratings, how to interpret home-ice advantage, and then how to use those to create your own moneylines.The first half of this season was a mess as COVID-19 ripped up rosters on a nightly basis. Some games were postponed, while others provided skewed matchups that were nearly impossible to evaluate. With the calendar turning to March and testing policies relaxed, we can weight our ratings using 70% of this season's metrics with 30% weighted for preseason priors.With our ratings weighted to this season's on-ice product, we can put more emphasis on team metrics without going all-in on what's happened in a still relatively small sample size that contains some tainted results.The cheat sheetThe following includes my fair price on the matchups (true moneyline) and the moneyline price I would need to bet either side. I just need a 1% edge for a favorite if we're getting better than a fair price on the team that's more likely to win. For the underdog, I'll need 4% or better to make it a bet. On games that I have projected will be a near coin flip, a 2.5% edge is enough to make it a worthwhile wager. I also have a 5% win probability consideration for a side playing in the second game of a back-to-back with travel and 3% for without travel.DATEGAMETRUE MLPRICE TO BETFeb. 28TOR@WSH-109/+109TOR +101/WSH +121VAN@NJD+136/-136VAN +160/NJD -130BOS@LAK+109/-109BOS +128/LAK -104Mar. 1NJD@CBJ+112/-112NJD +132/CBJ -108OTT@TB+244/-244OTT +298/TB -232EDM@PHI-138/+138EDM -132/PHI +163CAR@DET-111/+111CAR -107/DET +131CGY@MIN+102/-102CGY +112/MIN +109MTL@WPG+151/-151MTL +179/WPG -145NYI@COL+138/-138NYI +163/COL -133SJS@VGK+171/-171SJS +204/VGK -164BOS@ANA-122/+122BOS -117/ANA +143Mar. 2STL@NYR+114/-114STL +134/NYR -110BUF@TOR+236/-236BUF +288/TOR -225LAK@DAL+121/-121LAK +143/DAL -117NSH@SEA-101/+101NSH +109/SEA +112Mar. 3MIN@PHI-124/+124MIN -119/PHI +146OTT@FLA+262/-262OTT +324/FLA -250CAR@WSH+110/-110CAR +130/WSH -106PIT@TBL+141/-141PIT +166/TBL -135VAN@NYI+127/-127VAN +150/NYI -122EDM@CHI-132/+132EDM -126/CHI +155BOS@VGK+117/-117BOS +138/VGK -113MTL@CGY+181/-181MTL +216/CGY -173COL@ARI-185/+185COL -177/ARI +222Matt Russell is a betting writer for theScore. If there’s a bad beat to be had, Matt will find it. Find him on Twitter @mrussauthentic.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.
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by Todd Cordell on (#5WKJ2)
We again closed the week in style, hitting both bets in the weekend preview.We'll look to pick up where we left off and continue stacking wins as we start anew with a three-game slate Monday night.Canucks (+100) @ Devils (-120)The New Jersey Devils are slowly starting to turn a corner. Emphasis on slowly.They own a respectable 3-3-0 record over the last six games, and their numbers beneath the surface suggest those results don't do the team justice.New Jersey has controlled 54% of the expected goals at five-on-five during this spell, which slots it just ahead of the New York Rangers, Toronto Maple Leafs, and Carolina Hurricanes. Sure, it's a small sample size, but the Devils' advanced metrics have trended upward for a while now.Two issues caused the losses to pile up anyway. For one, they weren't healthy. Without Dougie Hamilton and Jesper Bratt, both of whom recently returned to the lineup, the team didn't have the star power to convert on the chances they generated. That's no longer an issue. Believe it or not, the Devils lead the league in goals - at five-on-five and overall - over the last six contests.At the other end, New Jersey can't buy a save, with Mackenzie Blackwood and Jonathan Bernier sidelined. That's long been a problem and remains one. However, the Devils have the talent to outscore their mistakes so long as they continue to control the run of play.I expect they'll be able to do that against the Vancouver Canucks. The Canucks' share of the expected goals is below 47% over the last couple of weeks, and they're playing in the latter half of a back-to-back. New Jersey figures to have the leg up there.The gap in goaltending talent should also be significantly smaller for the Devils, with Thatcher Demko likely getting the night off. Jaroslav Halak owns a .899 save percentage this season, which is well below average. He should have trouble slowing down New Jersey's red-hot attack.Bet: Devils (-120)Anze Kopitar over 2.5 shots (-112)Anze Kopitar is a beast on home soil. He's averaged 3.2 shots on goal per game in Los Angeles while recording at least three shots in 18 of 27 contests, good for a 66.66% hit rate.That's a stark contrast from what we've seen from Kopitar on the road. He's averaging nearly a full shot less (2.3 per game) and has gone over 2.5 shots only 42% of the time.What's especially appealing about Kopitar, beyond home success and an upward trend (he's averaged 3.4 shots over the last 10 contests), is his ability to hit against the best teams.During this hot spell, Kopitar registered four shots while hosting the Nashville Predators, four shots while hosting the Colorado Avalanche, and six shots at home to the Tampa Bay Lightning.The Boston Bruins are a difficult matchup, but Kopitar's consistency against quality clubs leaves me confident he can come through for us again.John Carlson over 2.5 shots (-125)John Carlson is another guy with extreme home/road splits, especially lately. He's averaging just 2.2 shots on goal over his last 10 road games. It's been a much different story in Washington, where he's averaged 3.3 shots over the previous 10 contests at Capital One Arena.I expect Carlson's home success to continue. He's playing in what should be a high-event game against a Toronto Maple Leafs team that likes to push the pace and force opponents to keep up.Todd Cordell is a sports betting writer at theScore. Be sure to follow him on Twitter @ToddCordell.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.
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by theScore Staff on (#5WKCP)
This is the 11th edition of theScore's NHL Power Rankings for the 2021-22 campaign. Check back for updated rankings every second Monday during the regular season.In this edition, we examine each club's most tantalizing asset ahead of the March 21 trade deadline.1. Colorado Avalanche (39-10-4)Previous rank: 1stConsidering the Avs' draft starts in the third round this summer, you can bet their 2023 first-rounder will be in play at the deadline. Colorado is likely to be in business for a rental, and if the league leaders want someone big, that pick will be the starting point in any package.2. Carolina Hurricanes (37-11-4)Previous rank: 5thThe Hurricanes have been adamant Jesperi Kotkaniemi is a part of their future, but packaging him with some picks for a bigger fish has to be worth some consideration. The former Hab is averaging only 12 minutes per night this season.3. Tampa Bay Lightning (34-11-6)Previous rank: 3rdJulien BriseBois is a different kind of asset. He's not going anywhere, but the Lightning general manager has built a bulletproof roster and won two Stanley Cups by making key moves at each of the past two deadlines. He's sure to be active again, and Eastern Conference rivals should be on high alert.4. Florida Panthers (35-13-5)Previous rank: 2ndPatric Hornqvist isn't producing or playing as much as he used to. The veteran winger has plenty of playoff pedigree but makes $5.3 million per year, which the Panthers could better allocate across the roster to make a serious Cup run.5. Calgary Flames (31-14-6) Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / GettyPrevious rank: 8thThe Flames already made their big move by landing Tyler Toffoli, and they managed to do so without dishing out one of their top prospects. The club doesn't own its first-, third-, fourth-, or sixth-round picks this year but has two second-rounders in its pocket. With little cap space remaining, Calgary would have to get creative to make another splash.6. Toronto Maple Leafs (34-14-4)Previous rank: 7thAfter moving their 2021 first-round pick to acquire Nick Foligno at the deadline last season in a deal that didn't pan out, the Maple Leafs may be a little more hesitant to move their top-round selection in 2022. However, the team boasts a strong prospect pipeline featuring potential league regulars like Nick Robertson and Topi Niemela.7. New York Rangers (33-15-5)Previous rank: 9thThe Rangers have a ton of cap space available to them this season. Projected to have just under $32 million in room at the deadline, they can go all-in on the rental market. They own all of their draft picks over the next three years except for a 2022 third-rounder and have a decent selection of prospects they can dish out.8. Pittsburgh Penguins (33-14-8)Previous rank: 6thThe Penguins have a barren prospect pipeline, hardly any cap space, and no surplus of upcoming draft picks. The allure for newcomers of playing with Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin in pursuit of a Cup is perhaps Pittsburgh's best asset.9. St. Louis Blues (32-14-6)Previous rank: 12thThe Blues are highly unlikely to subtract from their roster ahead of the deadline. Zachary Bolduc and Jake Neighbours are two top prospects likely to draw interest if St. Louis chooses to add.10. Boston Bruins (31-17-4) Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / GettyPrevious rank: 11thJake DeBrusk. Earlier this season, his agent said he and the Bruins were working to facilitate a trade for the 25-year-old. It's no secret the last few years in Boston have been tough for DeBrusk, but his potential is still high and a change of scenery could be a spark for him. Parting ways with DeBrusk should help the Bruins land an established top-six forward to boost their offense.11. Minnesota Wild (31-16-3)Previous rank: 4thThe Wild are projected to have over $10.5 million in cap space, which is a lot more flexibility than most contenders. If Minnesota wants to go for it and be players at the deadline, this is the year.12. Los Angeles Kings (29-17-7)Previous rank: 16thTheir deep, talented prospect pool. With Drew Doughty, Anze Kopitar, and Jonathan Quick all playing good hockey, the Kings are looking like a legitimate dark-horse threat. Perhaps L.A. leverages one of its blue-chip prospects to make some noise on the trade market.13. Washington Capitals (28-17-9)Previous rank: 13thJustin Schultz is a serviceable, veteran blue-liner, but with a $4-million cap hit and an expiring contract attached to his name, the Capitals would do well to move him and shore up other parts of the roster.14. Nashville Predators (30-19-4)Previous rank: 14thThe Predators are currently sitting in a playoff spot, so it seems outlandish to trade Filip Forsberg, whose 1.13 points-per-game rate leads Nashville. Barring a new deal, he'll be an unrestricted free agent this offseason, and it isn't a good look if the Predators lose him for nothing. Priority No. 1 is re-signing him, but they should consider moving Forsberg if they can't get a deal done by the deadline.15. Edmonton Oilers (29-21-3) Codie McLachlan / Getty Images Sport / GettyPrevious rank: 15thTyson Barrie's role as Edmonton's offensive catalyst from the back end has diminished with Evan Bouchard's emergence this season. He'd be a tantalizing add for contenders looking to boost their power play, and the Oilers could find a more defensive-minded blue-liner to fill Barrie's spot in the lineup.16. Vegas Golden Knights (29-20-4)Previous rank: 10thThe Golden Knights solved their cap issues by placing Mark Stone on long-term injured reserve to accommodate Jack Eichel's $10-million cap hit, but what if Stone can return before the playoffs? Reilly Smith is a pending unrestricted free agent with an average annual value of $5 million. Moving him can bag Vegas some picks while helping to ease a potential cap crunch.17. Dallas Stars (29-20-3)Previous rank: 17thIt seems there are never enough talented, right-handed defensemen to go around in this league, and luckily for the Stars, they've got a premium one in John Klingberg. The 29-year-old can be an unrestricted free agent this offseason and all signs point to him wanting to break up with Dallas, so the Stars can certainly fetch a nice return for Klingberg.18. Vancouver Canucks (26-22-6)Previous rank: 19thJ.T. Miller. The Canucks will need a lot to go their way to end up in the playoffs, but they've been playing extremely well since Bruce Boudreau's arrival. If the team decides to sell and prepare for next season, getting a king's ransom for Miller would go a long way in setting Vancouver up for the future.19. Anaheim Ducks (25-21-9)Previous rank: 18thNew GM Pat Verbeek inherited a rebuilding Ducks team that's exceeded expectations this season, but he has tough decisions to make regarding a trio of key, pending unrestricted free agents in Rickard Rakell, Josh Manson, and Hampus Lindholm. Anaheim will have to find a way to navigate its future on top of a potential surprise playoff run this season.20. Columbus Blue Jackets (27-25-1) Kirk Irwin / Getty Images Sport / GettyPrevious rank: 21stLuckily for the Blue Jackets, Patrik Laine has looked like the 40-goal scorer he once was during his recent hot streak. The 23-year-old isn't always consistent, but he'd be a valuable asset to contending squads in need of a talented winger.21. Winnipeg Jets (23-21-9)Previous rank: 20thThe Jets are straight-up not having a good time this season. Sure, they could eke their way into a playoff spot, but right now, things look pretty shambolic. So, the Jets might as well see what they can get for pending unrestricted free agent Andrew Copp. As of Feb. 28, he's fifth in Winnipeg with 28 points in 47 games, and his defensive skill will be coveted by contenders.22. Detroit Red Wings (23-24-6)Previous rank: 23rdThe Red Wings still have a ton of cap space and should look to acquire some bad contracts in exchange for assets. The team's rebuild is coming along smoothly, and the Wings will be back to being a contender in the next few years. This may be one of Detroit's last opportunities to load up on draft picks or prospects before taking off.23. San Jose Sharks (24-23-6)Previous rank: 22ndOf course the Sharks are interested in keeping fan favorite Tomas Hertl. However, the pending unrestricted free agent would move the needle for several contending teams looking to make a playoff run even as a rental, and he'd likely net a significant return.24. New York Islanders (20-21-8)Previous rank: 24thScott Mayfield is in the middle of the Islanders' blue-line depth chart and is the type of stay-at-home, physical defender GMs salivate over. With an extra season on his contract at an affordable $1.45 million, New York would be wise to cash in while Mayfield's value is at its highest.25. Ottawa Senators (19-27-5) Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / GettyPrevious rank: 25thThe Senators don't have a ton to offer in yet another year of the rebuild, but they could go fishing for picks with a few of their pending unrestricted free-agent forwards like Tyler Ennis, Chris Tierney, and Nick Paul. Playoff teams are going to want depth up front.26. Chicago Blackhawks (19-27-8)Previous rank: 26thMarc-Andre Fleury. A handful of teams vying for the playoffs are in need of goaltending, and Fleury is far and away the best option on the market. The Blackhawks got him virtually for free, so getting anything in return for him would be a big win.27. New Jersey Devils (18-29-5)Previous rank: 29thThe Devils don't have a lot of upcoming unrestricted free agents, but there is P.K. Subban. He isn't the same defenseman he used to be, but it'd still be worth it for New Jersey to get something for him on the trade market. The Devils would most likely have to retain some of his $9-million cap hit, but they have the space to do it.28. Philadelphia Flyers (16-26-10)Previous rank: 30thClaude Giroux. It seems inevitable the Flyers will part ways with their longtime captain, but the timing couldn't be better. Philadelphia needs to shake things up, and Giroux would be one of the most coveted players on the trade market.29. Buffalo Sabres (16-30-8)Previous rank: 28thTake your pick between Cody Eakin, Robert Hagg, and Mark Pysyk. All three players are on expiring contracts and would be nice depth adds for teams headed to the playoffs.30. Seattle Kraken (16-34-5) Christopher Mast / National Hockey League / GettyPrevious rank: 27thMark Giordano. The Kraken will reportedly try to move their captain ahead of the deadline, and plenty of teams will be lining up to try to grab him. It's not often that a veteran of Giordano's stature becomes available, and his leadership will be a priceless intangible for any playoff team.31. Montreal Canadiens (13-33-7)Previous rank: 32ndBen Chiarot. The Canadiens have a handful of players they may or may not move by the deadline, but the bruising defenseman is one of the most surefire trades we'll see at some point in the next month. Teams typically dish out a ton for blue-liners, so Montreal will have to dig around to find the best deal out there.32. Arizona Coyotes (14-35-4)Previous rank: 31stThe Coyotes' mission at the deadline will be to acquire more assets, and they'll surely get a nice return for defenseman Jakob Chychrun. Arizona's asking price for the 23-year-old is high, but there'll likely be a good fit that'll send some juicy pieces to the desert.(Analytics sources: Evolving Hockey, Natural Stat Trick)Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.
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by Kayla Douglas on (#5WJS9)
San Jose Sharks defenseman Mario Ferraro is expected to miss six-to-eight weeks after undergoing surgery Sunday to repair a fracture in his lower left fibula, the team announced.The 23-year-old blue-liner suffered the injury during the second period of Saturday's 3-1 loss to the Boston Bruins.While in pursuit of the puck in Boston's zone, Bruins forward Taylor Hall pushed Ferraro, causing him to slide feet first into the boards. Ferraro needed to be helped off the ice and didn't return to the game.
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by Kayla Douglas on (#5WJ5B)
New York Islanders star Mathew Barzal and veteran defenseman Zdeno Chara are both day-to-day after sustaining injuries during Saturday's 5-2 loss to the Los Angeles Kings, the team announced Sunday.Barzal has a lower-body ailment, while Chara is dealing with an upper-body injury. They're unavailable for the Islanders' contest against the Anaheim Ducks on Sunday night.Barzal got tangled up with Kings forward Phillip Danault along the boards in Los Angeles' zone halfway through the middle frame; his ankle appeared to get caught underneath him. The 24-year-old seemed to initially have trouble putting weight on his left leg and had to be helped off the ice.
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by Brandon Maron on (#5WJHK)
Winnipeg Jets captain Blake Wheeler wasn't pleased Saturday when a reporter raised questions about the team's leadership group.With the Jets enduring a rocky 2021-22 season, Jeff Hamilton of The Winnipeg Free Press asked Wheeler how much responsibility for the team's outlook falls on the players who wear letters on their sweaters."Well, I guess that's the real joy of being in that position. When things go good, nobody says a word about you, and when things go bad, it's your fault," Wheeler responded. "So I'm comfortable if you need to write a negative story, you can write it about me. No different than in the past. I think the fact that I'm still here talking to you instead of doing something else speaks volumes."Hamilton replied by asking Wheeler if he feels he hasn't garnered enough praise during his time in Winnipeg."I was just being a little bit sarcastic," Wheeler said.He added: "I mean, are you looking to get into a pissing match, you and I?"The Jets currently sit sixth in the Central Division with a 22-21-9 record. They're in the midst of a four-game losing streak and have just five wins in their last 18 contests.Longtime head coach Paul Maurice abruptly stepped down from his role in December, leaving Dave Lowry to take over in the interim. Maurice said at the time that the club needed a new voice and that he knew he needed to resign.Wheeler, 35, started the season with just seven points in his first 17 games but is now up to six goals and 34 points in 38 games.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.
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by Kayla Douglas on (#5WJ4K)
Wayne Gretzky believes the international hockey world should make a statement against Russia in response to the nation's ongoing invasion of Ukraine, a conflict the Great One called a "senseless war.""I think international hockey should say, 'We're not gonna let them play in the world junior hockey tournament,'" Gretzky said during NHL on TNT on Saturday night. "I think we gotta, as Canadians, take that stance since the games are going to be played in Edmonton."The 2022 World Junior Championship initially kicked off in December but was canceled during the round-robin stage due to COVID-19. Organizers rescheduled the tournament to mid-August, with Alberta staying on as the host.Gretzky pointed to the Polish men's soccer team's actions as inspiration. Poland announced Saturday that it intends to boycott its World Cup playoff against Russia on March 24 in protest of the invasion."We wish everybody in the Ukraine all our best and our thoughts and prayers are with them," Gretzky said.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.
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by Sean O'Leary on (#5WJ3Z)
The Toronto Maple Leafs appeared to be in cruise control Saturday night against the Detroit Red Wings, opening the third period with a commanding 7-2 lead.Then, chaos ensued.The Red Wings swiftly potted four unanswered goals in the opening 5:21 of the closing frame, and breathless back-and-forth action saw the final score read 10-7 in favor of Toronto."I don't even know if I can really put it into words," superstar Auston Matthews said, according to The Leafs Nation's David Alter."I've never played a game like that, I don't think in junior and youth hockey. It was pretty crazy, the whole period, right? Obviously not a position or situation we'd like to be in. But I think just the way that we responded when shit hit the fan and some big goals to get our lead back and stuff like that. I don't really have words for that third."Linemate Michael Bunting, who had five points in the win, had similar feelings."It was crazy," Bunting said, according to Sportsnet's Luke Fox. "It wasn't that fun to be a part of because we were getting scored on, and then it was fun again. It was up and down emotions."Saturday's high-octane clash featured the most goals in a single game since the Philadelphia Flyers and Winnipeg Jets combined for 17 in October 2011, per NHL Public Relations.The outing also marked the first time the Maple Leafs recorded 10 goals in a contest without a power-play tally since 1947 and their first time hitting double digits outright since 2007.Each pulled their netminders as the pucks continuously poured in, and the Red Wings yanked both Alex Nedeljkovic and Thomas Greiss at different points. The 17 goals scored on 4.8 expected between the two teams marks the worst combined goalie performance since the NHL began event tracking in 2007, according to MoneyPuck.Despite the theatrics and near monumental collapse, Toronto head coach Sheldon Keefe is focused on the positives from the opening 40 minutes."I thought we played an excellent game," he said. "I mean, let's not let the craziness of the third period take away from the fact that we played an excellent game. Even in the third period with all of that nonsense."Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.
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by Brandon Maron on (#5WHYY)
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — The Flyers have been playing better of late without much to show for it. Now, they hope a rare win will help turn things around.Cam Atkinson had a goal and an assist, and Claude Giroux also scored to lead Philadelphia to a 2-1 victory over the Washington Capitals on Saturday.Carter Hart made 27 saves for the Flyers, who snapped a six-game losing streak and won for just the third time in 22 games.“Big getting the win, maybe that’ll help,” interim coach Mike Yeo said. “I feel like we’ve been building our game, and now we’ve got to make sure that the results follow it."Giroux tied Hall of Famer Eric Lindros for eighth place on the Flyers’ all-time scoring list with the 290th goal of his career just 11 seconds into the game to put Philadelphia up early. Atkinson outraced Martin Fehervary to the puck in the Philadelphia zone, then fed Giroux for a wrist shot from the slot that beat Ilya Samsonov on the blocker side for his 17th of the season.The goal was tied for the third-fastest in a regular-season game in club history, equaling Bobby Clarke’s 11-second tally to open a contest on Jan. 27, 1983. Tim Kerr holds the record, scoring in eight seconds on March 7, 1989.Philadelphia increased its advantage to 2-0 with 1:22 left in the period when Atkinson netted his team-leading 18th of the season with a stellar individual effort from the side of the net to corral Scott Laughton’s pass with his skates, find his stick and then shoot off Samsonov and high into the net.“A lot of energy,” Atkinson said of his game. “When I bring it, I hope I drag guys into the fight.”T.J. Oshie scored for the Capitals, who lost their second straight.Washington bemoaned its start, from which the Capitals never recovered.“They pretty much owned the (first) period, owned possession,” coach Peter Laviolette said. “There’s no excuse for it. We weren’t ready in the first period.”Oshie pulled the Capitals within a goal with 13:07 left in the second on a power play. He drew an interference penalty from Isaac Ratcliffe and then quickly made the Flyers pay on the man-advantage, scoring on a one-timer from the slot for his sixth of the season and first since Jan. 10.Both goalies made fantastic saves in the period. Samsonov robbed Travis Konecny with 14:05 left with a glove save, and Hart denied Joe Snively’s backhander try from close range with 10:51 to play.Washington continued to apply pressure in Philadelphia’s zone but couldn’t come up with the equalizer. Hart preserved the victory with a sprawling pad save on Evgeny Kuznetsov’s try in the final minute after Washington pulled Samsonov for a 6-on-5 situation.It all came back to the start.“That first period is something we want back, can’t let that happen, the way they dominated us in the first,” Capitals winger Carl Hagelin said. “Dig yourself a hole like that, it’s hard to come back. It doesn’t matter how well you play the rest of the game. That’s something we can’t let happen. We should take over a game like that if they score early. We should just man up and take over that game and we didn’t do that. That’s unacceptable.”FIGHT NIGHTThe first period featured a fight between heavyweights Zack MacEwen and Washington’s Tom Wilson. MacEwen took exception to a hard hit on him by Wilson, and they fought to a draw, with MacEwen picking up a roughing minor in addition to the fighting major. The game remained physical from that point.TRAINER’S ROOMCapitals: D Justin Schultz didn’t play. Schultz sat out the Feb. 17 meeting between the teams with an upper-body injury but played in the Capitals’ next game, Thursday’s 4-1 loss at the Rangers. Laviolette said Schultz sat out Friday’s practice for a maintenance day.Flyers: Hart returned to the lineup after missing the last two with an eye infection. … C Derick Brassard (hip) played for just the fourth time since Nov. 23. In each of the previous three outings, Brassard had a prolonged absence after appearing in one game. … Joel Farabee (upper body) also was back on the ice after sitting for the previous 11 games. He notched a secondary assist on Giroux’s goal.GIVING BACKThe Flyers donated $400,000 to the Ed Snider Youth Hockey Foundation to build a street hockey rink at Scanlon Recreation Center in the Kensington section of Philadelphia.UP NEXTCapitals: Start a three-game homestand against Toronto on Monday.Flyers: Host Edmonton on Tuesday in the fourth contest of a club-record eight-game homestand.___More AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/NHL and https://twitter.com/AP_SportsCopyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.
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by Brandon Maron on (#5WH0K)
Washington Capitals star Alex Ovechkin shared his thoughts on Russia's ongoing invasion of Ukraine."Obviously, it's a hard situation. I have lots of friends in Russia and Ukraine, and it's hard to see the war," Ovechkin told reporters after practice Friday. "I hope soon it's going to be over, and there's going to be peace in the whole world."He added: "Please, no more war. It doesn't matter who is in the war - Russia, Ukraine, different countries - I think we live in a world, like, we have to live in peace and a great world."Russia launched its invasion of Ukraine in the early hours of Thursday morning. Missile strikes have reportedly hit several areas throughout Ukraine, and Russian troops have been deployed on the ground, prompting thousands of Ukrainians to flee the country.The 36-year-old has been an outspoken supporter of Russian President Vladimir Putin throughout his career. His Instagram profile picture features him standing alongside Putin, and he has posted several pictures with him in the past.When asked if he still supports Putin amid the ongoing crisis, Ovechkin - a Moscow native - said the following:"Well, he's my president. But how I said, I'm not in politics. I'm an athlete, and you know how I said, I hope everything is going to be done soon. It's a hard situation right now for both sides and everything. Everything I hope is going to end. I'm not (in) control of this situation."Ovechkin joins tennis players Andrey Rublev and Daniil Medvedev as Russian athletes that have called for peace.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.
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by Josh Wegman on (#5WGRQ)
The Toronto Maple Leafs spoke to the Dallas Stars about defenseman John Klingberg and the Vancouver Canucks about forward J.T. Miller, according to Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman.Klingberg is a pending unrestricted free agent with a cap hit of $4.25 million, per CapFriendly. The right-handed blue-liner is having an off year by his standards with only one goal and 25 assists over 44 games this season. The 29-year-old Swede was spectacular in the 2020 playoff bubble, recording 21 points in 26 contests as Dallas reached the Stanley Cup Final.The Carolina Hurricanes are reportedly among the teams to previously show interest in Klingberg.The Leafs already added Ilya Lyubushkin on defense from the Arizona Coyotes on Saturday, but Friedman notes "they aren't finished trying to tinker with their blue line."Toronto placed defenseman Jake Muzzin on long-term injured reserve Wednesday with a concussion. His absence creates a void on the Leafs' blue line, and some additional cap space until he returns - which is unknown at this point.Miller is signed through next season with a $5.25-million cap hit before becoming a UFA. The versatile forward - capable of playing both center and wing - has registered 20 goals and 37 assists in 51 games this season. However, Friedman noted the 28-year-old likely isn't Toronto's top priority.The New York Rangers are reportedly among the other clubs to show interest in Miller thus far.As for what the Leafs may have to give up in a potential deadline deal, Friedman reported the team has made it clear their desire to hold on to top prospects Matthew Knies and Topi Niemela - especially for rentals or shorter-term options. Nick Robertson, who was recalled from the AHL on Friday, is also unlikely to be traded for a rental, he added.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.
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by Josh Wegman on (#5WH0J)
It appears Sean Avery's comeback is over before it even started.The ECHL's Orlando Solar Bears released Avery from his standard player contract Friday, two days after signing the deal.Avery did not appear in any games with the Solar Bears, an affiliate of the Tampa Bay Lightning.The 41-year-old said Wednesday that signing in the ECHL was a stepping stone to try and return to the NHL next season."I've got seven months to be physically ready to walk onto an NHL training camp," Avery said Wednesday. "That is a lot of time based on how I feel right now physically and how I feel on the ice after skating six times after not skating for 10 years. My timing is coming back and it's getting sharper every single time. I can feel it happening."Avery played 10 NHL seasons with the Detroit Red Wings, Los Angeles Kings, New York Rangers, and Dallas Stars, recording 247 points and 1,533 penalty minutes in 580 games. He retired in 2012 and hasn't played competitively since.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.
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by Josh Wegman on (#5WGWT)
The Toronto Maple Leafs recalled prospect Nick Robertson from the AHL's Toronto Marlies on Friday, the Leafs announced.Robertson will be in the lineup Saturday against the Detroit Red Wings, head coach Sheldon Keefe confirmed to reporters, including TSN's Mark Masters.The 20-year-old winger recorded eight points in nine games with the Marlies this season. He recently returned to the lineup after suffering a broken leg in October.A non-COVID illness is circulating among the Leafs, so multiple players were absent from practice, including John Tavares, Ilya Mikheyev, and Pierre Engvall. Robertson skated on the fourth line with veterans Jason Spezza and Wayne Simmonds, according to Masters.Robertson was a second-round pick by the Leafs in 2019. He's played in 10 NHL games - four during the 2020 playoffs and six last season - and tallied a goal and an assist.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.
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by John Matisz on (#5WGTY)
Numbers don't tell the whole story in hockey. We know this. But we also know numbers can be intriguing, illustrative, enlightening, and sometimes even fun.Using data from Hockey Reference and Evolving-Hockey - and borrowing ESPN football writer Bill Barnwell's "blind items" format - we're going to break down notable NHL numbers in a unique way.In the four sections below, you'll be greeted by a table featuring a bunch of statistics assigned to unnamed players. By the end of each section, you'll understand exactly why these particular stats have been grouped together.All right, let's have some fun here.Blind item No. 1A good place to look for offensive dominance is the primary points leaderboard. A secondary assist can be valuable but not nearly as much as a goal or primary assist. To truly get a feel for the cream of the crop, we'll also exclude special-teams action and focus solely on five-on-five production. After all, it's more impressive to dominate at even strength, right?This filtration process brings us to the mystery players above.Player A is Edmonton's Leon Draisaitl in 2019-20. At five-on-five that season, Draisaitl recorded 22 goals and 21 primary assists in 71 games. He went on to win the Hart Trophy as the most valuable player.Player B is Oilers captain Connor McDavid in 2020-21. At five-on-five that season, McDavid put up 18 goals and 28 primary assists in 56 games. McDavid, the best hockey player on the planet, earned the second MVP award of his career. Icon Sportswire / Getty ImagesPlayer C is Johnny Gaudreau in 2021-22. At five-on-five this season, Calgary's crafty winger has racked up 14 goals and 26 primary assists in 50 games. Gaudreau's nightly primary points rate (0.80) is better than the 2019-20 Hart winner, mirrors the 2020-21 Hart winner, and paces all 2021-22 NHLers.Most impressively, the creative and elusive Flames star has a commanding lead in the five-on-five primary points category. As of Friday morning, Gaudreau's 40 is followed by Kirill Kaprizov (32); Nazem Kadri and Matthew Tkachuk (31); Auston Matthews (30); Dylan Larkin (29); and McDavid, Draisaitl, and Alex Ovechkin (28).Gaudreau, a pending unrestricted free agent, isn't a shoo-in to win the Hart. But he's certainly a contender, with 64 total points (tied for fourth in the league) and strong defensive metrics. Gaudreau, Tkachuk, and center Elias Lindholm are a frightening trio in all three zones of the ice - a gigantic reason the Flames sit atop the Pacific Division and look primed for a deep playoff run.Blind item No. 2The goalie statistics above are admittedly unsophisticated, but that's on purpose. History has told us the voting body for the Vezina Trophy - a.k.a NHL general managers - tends to hold all-situations save percentage and all-situations goals-against average, as well as wins, in particularly high regard.Another goalie stat GMs love: Games started. And in the case of the two players above, workload is a major differentiator. This year, among NHL goalies, Player A is 17th in starts while Player B is tied for 39th.Player A is Igor Shesterkin, who has started 32 contests for the New York Rangers - 15 more than backup Alexandar Georgiev. Player B is Ville Husso, who's started 18 games for the St. Louis Blues - seven fewer than Jordan Binnington, the main masked man during the club's Stanley Cup run in 2019.Even though Husso is way below the usual starts threshold for a Vezina contender, this side-by-side comparison complements both goalies.Shesterkin, who's maintained elite numbers all season despite playing behind a so-so defensive squad, is worthy not only of Vezina buzz but also Hart consideration. The Rangers' skaters are indebted to the 26-year-old Russian.Husso, meanwhile, is providing by far the best bang-for-your-buck goaltending in the league at a $750,000 cap hit. If the Blues don't ink him to an extension before July, he'll be a hot commodity on the free-agent market.Blind item No. 3A fun way to reveal Player C's identity is to first show the others: Player A is Sidney Crosby and Player B is Patrick Kane. There's no denying those are two of the NHL's most prolific playmakers over the past handful of years - and, evidently, so is Florida Panthers winger Jonathan Huberdeau, who is Player C.Huberdeau, perhaps surprisingly to some, ranks ninth in primary assists per game since 2017-18, the season in which he broke out offensively. Huberdeau's per-game rate (0.47) is just behind Crosby and Kane (0.48) and just ahead of Brad Marchand and Draisaitl (0.46). (For what it's worth, the rest of the top 10 is McDavid at 0.63; Nathan MacKinnon at 0.52; Mitch Marner at 0.51; and Artemi Panarin, Blake Wheeler, and Nikita Kucherov at 0.50.)What really jumps off the page is Huberdeau's age. At 28, he isn't finished growing as a player. Crosby and Kane have both found extra gears - or, at least, different gears - in their 30s. Why can't Huberdeau? How far up the charts will he rise? And will he also add elements to other parts of his game?Flashing a mix of speed, smarts, and finesse on a nightly basis year after year, Huberdeau's no longer in Aleksander Barkov's lofty shadow in South Florida. Finally. Yet he's still underrated among the league's fans. If Huberdeau were playing in his native Canada, he'd be a megastar every day of the week.Blind item No. 4The numbers above are career stats from five-on-five action only. Player A is Jack Hughes of the New Jersey Devils, and Player B is Quinn Hughes of the Vancouver Canucks. To start, let's contextualize their careers more broadly ...Based on raw production, 22-year-old Quinn is currently setting the family standard, accumulating 138 points in 178 games as a defenseman (0.78 per game). Jack, 20, has 85 points in 148 games as a forward (0.57).Keep in mind, Quinn, the seventh overall selection in the 2018 draft, arrived on the scene with far less hype than Jack, the No. 1 pick in 2019. On the surface, then, Quinn has lived up to expectations better than Jack. That dynamic could definitely change in the years to come, but there's no debate right now - especially since Jack's defensive metrics aren't sparkling either. Jeff Vinnick / Getty ImagesAs for the five-on-five stats, it's interesting to see the brothers line up similarly in the first two categories - both of their teams' shot-attempt differentials are around 51% when they're on the ice, and both brothers are being deployed in offensive roles. And then there's Jack beating Quinn in points per 60, which can be a better measurement than points per game because of differing ice times.Underlying numbers can sometimes hint that something's bubbling beneath the surface. That, perhaps, it's ice time, quality of linemates, or percentages - not talent - holding a player back. Will we be talking about Jack breaking out next season because he's seeing a bump in ice time, surrounded by more talent, and getting the bounces? Does that five-on-five points rate continue to climb alongside improved power-play production?The curveball is the third Hughes brother, Luke. The University of Michigan defenseman, picked fourth overall by Jack's Devils last year, is on his way.John Matisz is theScore's senior NHL writer. Follow John on Twitter (@MatiszJohn) or contact him via email (john.matisz@thescore.com).Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.
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by Brandon Maron on (#5WGTZ)
Ottawa Senators forward Colin White is set to make his season debut against the Montreal Canadiens on Saturday, head coach D.J. Smith confirmed, according to The Athletic's Ian Mendes.White has been sidelined since October due to a dislocated shoulder he suffered during a preseason game. He centered the team's fourth line during practice on Friday.
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by Todd Cordell on (#5WGRP)
Thursday night was a mixed bag for best bets. We were on the New Jersey Devils at +1.5 goals and they needed no cushion, stomping the Pittsburgh Penguins 6-1.We were also on the over in Nashville and, well, only two goals were scored inside 65 minutes of hockey. Not great!Let's finish things off on a high note as we look at the best value for the weekend ahead.Kings (-115) @ Ducks (-105)
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by Todd Cordell on (#5WGRR)
Thursday was a good night for shot props. Dougie Hamilton breezed past his over, registering five shots on goal in his return to the lineup. Following a slow start, Mathew Barzal came on late and ended up with four shots in his plus matchup against the Sharks.We'll aim for similar results Friday as we look to kick off the weekend with another winning effort.Alex Tuch over 3.5 shots (+100)It's a day that ends with "y," which means we're backing Tuch. It's impossible not to with the volume he's generating on a nightly basis.Tuch has registered at least four shots on goal in nine of the last 11 games, good for an 82% hit rate.The Blues are a solid hockey team, but certainly not one we have to avoid targeting. Believe it or not, they rank 25th in five-on-five shots allowed per 60 this season. That puts them just ahead of teams like the Red Wings, Senators, and Coyotes. Their goaltenders see plenty of rubber.Only three players have piled up more shots on target than Tuch over the last 11 games, so I'm confident he'll enjoy success against this Blues team.Seth Jones over 2.5 shots (+105)Jones is one of the many players who's significantly more productive on home soil. He averages 2.95 shots on goal in Chicago this season compared to 2.28 on the road. That's a stark contrast.What's especially enticing about Jones tonight - beyond getting an attractive price to hit his average - is the matchup. The Devils give up a lot to opposing defenders.They have conceded 9.82 shots per game to defensemen this season, fourth-worst in the NHL. They've also given up as many goals as any other team.Offensive defenders are routinely more involved against New Jersey. I expect that to be the case with Jones in this game.Jakob Chychrun over 2.5 shots (-125)Chychrun has averaged 3.4 shots on goal in Arizona this season. He's gone over the number (2.5 shots) in 12 of 18 tries, good for a 67% success rate.His average shot total drops to 2.7 on the road. Unsurprisingly, his hit rate is also much lower, registering three shots or more just 10 times through 22 games (45%).Simply put, Chychrun is generally overpriced on the road and underpriced at home. It just so happens Friday night's game is in Arizona.While the Golden Knights are a very good side in terms of limiting volume to defensemen, Chychrun went over 2.5 in their only meeting this season.He has also been very successful historically against Vegas, registering three shots or more in five of his last six against the Golden Knights.Todd Cordell is a sports betting writer at theScore. Be sure to follow him on Twitter @ToddCordell.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.
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by Matt Russell on (#5WGP6)
Valuable NHL underdogs come in various shapes and forms. We've discussed the hapless teams that haven't drawn interest from bettors, but there are some underdogs that come about due to who they're playing.The Bruins rolled on Monday afternoon against the Avalanche as home underdogs in a holiday matinee, making one wonder how Boston was priced as such, even without the suspended Brad Marchand.Meanwhile, those willing to take a chance by fading the Maple Leafs this week, against the Canadiens and Blue Jackets, were rewarded when Toronto lost back-to-back games as big road favorites. It's never fun to fade the big team with the famous logo, but there are spots throughout a long season when even the top teams see a dip in form.In those cases, or with any other reason to back an underdog, we'll use our ratings guide to see if we're getting any implicit value beyond the handicap of the game.The recipeBefore the campaign, we provided a three-chapter series on how to use the regular-season point-total market to create team ratings, how to interpret home-ice advantage, and then how to use those to create your own moneylines.Two months ago, I posted my 2021-22 season ratings that use the metrics I deem important to predict future success. Since we've gotten through the All-Star break and COVID-19-related roster inconsistencies are now few and far between, we'll increase the ratio between current season metrics and priors to a 70-30 split.With our ratings weighted to this season's on-ice product, we can put more emphasis on team metrics without going all-in on what's happened in a still relatively small sample size.The cheat sheetThe following includes my fair price on the matchups (true moneyline) and the moneyline price I would need to bet either side. I just need a 1% edge for a favorite if we're getting better than a fair price on the team that's more likely to win. For the underdog, I'll need 4% or better to make it a bet. On games that I have projected will be a near coin flip, a 2.5% edge is enough to make it a worthwhile wager. I also have a 5% win probability consideration for a side playing in the second game of a back-to-back with travel and 3% for without travel.DATEGAMETRUE MLPRICE TO BETFeb. 25CBJ@CAR+179/-179CBJ +215/CAR -172BUF@STL+205/-205BUF +247/STL -196NJD@CHI+130/-130NJD +153/CHI -125WPG@COL+152/-152WPG +180/COL -146VGK@ARI-151/+151VGK -145/ARI +179LAK@ANA-113/+113LAK -109/ANA +133Feb. 26EDM@FLA+119/-119EDM +139/FLA -114WSH@PHI-121/+121WSH -116/PHI +142NYR@PIT+113/-113NYR +133/PIT -109MTL@OTT+125/-125MTL +147/OTT -120TBL@NSH-126/+126TBL -121/NSH +148TOR@DET-127/+127TOR -122/DET +150BOS@SJS-120/+120BOS -115/SJS +141COL@VGK+101/-101COL +112/VGK +109MIN@CGY+105/-105MIN +116/CGY +106NYI@LAK+110/-110NYI +129/LAK -106Feb. 27EDM@CAR+105/-105EDM +115/CAR +105BUF@DAL+197/-197BUF +237/DAL -189STL@CHI-101/+101STL +109/CHI +112WPG@ARI-127/+127WPG -122/ARI +150PIT@CBJ-121/+121PIT -116/CBJ +143VAN@NYR+124/-124VAN +147/NYR -119NYI@ANA-107/+107NYI +103/ANA +119SEA@SJS+104/-104SEA +114/SJS +107Matt Russell is a betting writer for theScore. If there’s a bad beat to be had, Matt will find it. Find him on Twitter @mrussauthentic.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.
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by Kayla Douglas on (#5WG2Z)
The Montreal Canadiens stepped way out of the box earlier this month when they hired the inexperienced Martin St. Louis as interim head coach, and it appears their creative approach is here to stay.The Habs will continue to shy away from the typical rebuild model and are planning to be competitive when free agency opens in July, TSN's Pierre LeBrun reported on Thursday's "Insider Trading.""What we're hearing is that, yes, the Canadiens are still on the lookout for picks and prospects in their roster makeover. But further proof that this is not necessarily a traditional rebuild and more of a roster transformation is that I'm told the Habs intend to be pretty aggressive in free agency come July 13," LeBrun said."They hope to be a player. While they want to get younger in some parts of the team, they also want to lure a big star or two to Montreal as part of this roster transformation."St. Louis could potentially attract free agents to Montreal if he stays on as head coach beyond this season, another NHL club told LeBrun. The basement-dwelling Canadiens lost their first three games under the Hall of Famer's tenure after taking the reins on Feb. 9, but they've since rattled off four straight victories, including a 5-2 win against the Toronto Maple Leafs.In his introductory press conference, St. Louis said that he didn't come to Montreal "to be a substitute teacher" and planned on being with the team for "a long time."The Canadiens have been at the heart of a handful of rumors, with the March 21 trade deadline nearing. Veteran defenseman and pending unrestricted free agent Ben Chiarot has reportedly drawn interest from contending teams, while general manager Kent Hughes said the club would move on from blue-liner Jeff Petry if there's a fit.Hughes said in January that the Habs aren't feeling any pressure to get everything done by the trade deadline, but they're open to all potential deals, according to The Athletic.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.
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by Sean O'Leary on (#5WG30)
It appears Mark Giordano's tenure with the NHL's newest franchise will be a short one.The veteran defenseman and Seattle Kraken general manager Ron Francis recently met to discuss Giordano's future, and the pending unrestricted free agent is expected to be moved ahead of the March 21 trade deadline, TSN's Pierre LeBrun reported on Thursday's "Insider Trading.""What the two have decided is that Seattle will explore the trade market for their veteran captain, see what's out there, and most likely move him," LeBrun said.Seattle selected Giordano from the Calgary Flames in the previous offseason's expansion draft and subsequently named him captain. The 38-year-old was left exposed after playing 15 seasons in Alberta.The Kraken sit at the bottom of the Pacific Division with 36 points through 53 games."In general, I'm told the Kraken hope to be aggressive with all their cap space in terms of making other moves," LeBrun said.Seattle projects to have over $34 million in deadline cap space, according to Cap Friendly.Giordano carries a $6.75-million cap hit, but the Kraken could easily accommodate salary retention in any potential deal.The 2019 Norris Trophy winner has registered 531 points in 996 career games and averaged more than 20 minutes per contest in each season since the 2009-10 campaign.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.
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by Josh Wegman on (#5WFMM)
Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Tony DeAngelo will miss about a month with an injury to his midsection, head coach Rod Brind'Amour said Thursday, according to Chip Alexander of the Raleigh News & Observer.DeAngelo's first season with the Canes has been a successful one. He's recorded 40 points in 43 games - tied for third-most on the team and tied for eight-most among NHL defensemen.The 26-year-old has been playing on the top pair with Jaccob Slavin. Here's how the defense looks with DeAngelo sidelined:LDRDJaccob SlavinBrett PesceBrady SkjeiJalen ChatfieldIan ColeEthan BearDeAngelo signed a one-year, $1-million contract with Carolina in the offseason after he was bought out by the New York Rangers.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.
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by Todd Cordell on (#5WFMN)
We have a busy eight-game slate to look forward to on Thursday night. Let's waste no time diving into the best way to attack it.Devils (+260) @ Penguins (-325)The Devils are on the best 2-8-0 run you'll ever see. At five-on-five, they've controlled 52% of the expected goals and 53% of the high-danger chances. They've routinely gotten better chances but haven't had the firepower to finish them. Meanwhile, seemingly every chance New Jersey has conceded has ended up in the back of the net.While there isn't much reason to expect the latter to change - not with Mackenzie Blackwood and Jonathan Bernier both sidelined - the Devils are getting some significant reinforcements to help their offense.The team's extended pause has given plenty of time for their players to recover from injuries and get healthy again. Dougie Hamilton, Jesper Bratt, and Andreas Johnsson are all expected to return to the lineup Thursday night. That's a No. 1 defenseman, a near point-per-game winger, and a middle-sixer producing at a 46-point clip over 82 games.If the Devils can keep things relatively even in the chance department, which they've done of late, they now have the firepower to keep this game within striking distance.At plus money, I'm happy to roll the dice with this Devils team getting a goal cushion.Bet: Devils +1.5 (+105)Stars (+130) @ Predators (-155)The Stars and Predators are known more for their defense than offense, but I think this game has sneaky scoring potential.With Jake Oettinger getting the nod in goal Wednesday night, it's reasonable to assume the Stars will turn to Braden Holtby. That hasn't been a recipe for success, as his play has fallen off following a strong start to the campaign.Holtby owns a woeful .898 save percentage over his last 12 appearances and has conceded just under three goals per game in that time. The Predators, fresh off an impressive six-goal showing against the Panthers, should be able to net a few in this game.I think the Stars will be able to hold up their end of the bargain as well. They have been awfully good at generating high-danger chances of late, sitting seventh - just below the Avalanche - in five-on-five chances per 60 over the last 10 games.Projected starter Juuse Saros will see his fair share of difficult shots. Based on the level of play we've seen from him of late, that could be more problematic than we've come to expect. He has conceded 15 goals over his last four starts and posted an .880 save percentage in that time.Expect both sides to do their share of damage while pushing this game over the number.Bet: Over 5.5 (-110)Todd Cordell is a sports betting writer at theScore. Be sure to follow him on Twitter @ToddCordell.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.
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by Todd Cordell on (#5WFJF)
Wednesday was a solid 2-1 night for our player props. Nikita Kucherov and Alex Tuch came through for us, while Drew Doughty was a couple of shots shy in a smash spot against the Coyotes.We'll look to put together another profitable night as we comb through the best values for Thursday's slate.Dougie Hamilton over 2.5 shots (-134)Hamilton has played but one game in 2022 due to injury. It would seem his extended absence caused everyone to forget just how effective he is as a shot generator because this line is far too low.If you exclude the game Hamilton left after playing just two minutes, he registered at least three shots on goal in seven straight games prior to his absence. Hamilton put up four shots or more five times in that span. He wasn't just scraping by; he was hitting overs with room to spare.While the Penguins are an above-average shot suppression team, that hasn't stopped Hamilton from enjoying success against them. He has eight shots in two games versus Pittsburgh this season, hitting the over (2.5 shots) in each meeting.Expect him to pick up where he left off in this game.Mathew Barzal over 2.5 shots (+100)You don't generally want to target Islanders with shot props. However, Barzal has been a pretty consistent shot generator - especially on the road.Barzal has averaged a full three shots per game on the road this season. He has a hit rate of 62% away from home soil and has registered three shots or more in six of the last eight games (75%).He seems likely to continue his hot streak against the Sharks. Why? They're playing truly putrid defense right now.Over the last 10 games, they rank dead last in shot attempts against per 60 minutes of five-on-five play. No other team has come close to allowing the volume San Jose has. For perspective, the gap between the 32nd-placed Sharks and 31st-placed Coyotes (7.33 attempts per 60) is larger than the one between the Coyotes and Lightning (6.0).Suffice to say, the Sharks are a team we want to target on a nightly basis right now - and Barzal stands out as the best way to do that.Todd Cordell is a sports betting writer at theScore. Be sure to follow him on Twitter @ToddCordell.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.
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by Josh Gold-Smith on (#5WF2H)
The Toronto Maple Leafs moved Jake Muzzin to long-term injured reserve Wednesday, according to CapFriendly.The defenseman must miss 10 games and 24 days, during which time the club can acquire players up to a maximum of his $5.625-million cap hit.Muzzin exited during the second period of the Maple Leafs' loss to the Montreal Canadiens on Monday after inadvertently colliding with opposing blue-liner Chris Wideman.The Leafs held Muzzin out for the remainder of that contest as a precaution, and he stayed in Montreal overnight for observation and testing.He then missed Tuesday's defeat against the Columbus Blue Jackets. Before that matchup, Toronto head coach Sheldon Keefe said Muzzin was back home in concussion protocol and that the 33-year-old had a "positive day."Muzzin missed seven games earlier this season after sustaining a concussion in January, and he returned on Feb. 10.The veteran is in his third full campaign with the Maple Leafs, who acquired him in a trade with the Los Angeles Kings in 2018-19. Muzzin has collected 12 points while averaging 21 minutes of ice time over 41 contests in 2021-22.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.
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by Josh Wegman on (#5WEJV)
Colorado Avalanche superstar Nathan MacKinnon won't play Wednesday against the Detroit Red Wings out of precaution due to a lingering lower-body injury, head coach Jared Bednar announced.MacKinnon's lower-body issue hasn't been getting better, Bednar added, per The Athletic's Peter Baugh.Bednar is hopeful his star center will return on Friday against the Winnipeg Jets.MacKinnon has recorded 48 points in 36 games this season.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.
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by Josh Wegman on (#5WEJW)
The Calgary Flames are hiring former Anaheim Ducks general manager Bob Murray as a scout, sources told The Athletic's Eric Stephens.Murray resigned from his post with the Ducks in November after the club placed him on leave amid an investigation into his professional conduct. He allegedly created a toxic work culture through repeated verbal abuse of Ducks players, staff, and personnel, along with temper tantrums and intimidation tactics.The 67-year-old announced he would enter an alcohol abuse program upon his resignation.Murray and current Flames head coach Darryl Sutter were teammates on the Chicago Blackhawks in the 1980s. The two have formed a close bond over the years, per Stephens.Murray was Anaheim's GM for parts of 14 seasons. The Ducks recently hired Pat Verbeek as his replacement.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.
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by Josh Wegman on (#5WEF6)
It appears Sean Avery is making a comeback.The 41-year-old signed a standard player contract with the ECHL's Orlando Solar Bears on Wednesday, the team announced. The Solar Bears are an affiliate of the Tampa Bay Lightning."I've got seven months to be physically ready to walk onto an NHL training camp," Avery said on the "Blackballed with James Di Fiore" podcast. "That is a lot of time based on how I feel right now physically and how I feel on the ice after skating six times after not skating for 10 years. My timing is coming back and it's getting sharper every single time. I can feel it happening."Avery retired a decade ago. He last played professional hockey during the 2011-12 campaign where he split his time between the New York Rangers and the AHL's Connecticut Whale.He played 10 seasons in the NHL with the Detroit Red Wings, Los Angeles Kings, Rangers, and Dallas Stars. He racked up 247 points and 1,533 penalty minutes in 580 career games.Avery was better known for controversies than for his playing ability. While with the Rangers in the 2008 playoffs, Avery turned his back on the play in order to screen New Jersey Devils goaltender Martin Brodeur by waving his stick and hands in the air. The following day, the NHL announced such actions would result in an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty, which is now known as "The Avery Rule."The next season, while he was playing for the Stars, the NHL suspended Avery for six games for "conduct detrimental to the league or the game of hockey" after he said other NHL players who were dating his ex-girlfriends were falling in love with his "sloppy seconds." After the suspension, the Stars announced he wouldn't return to the team.While with the Kings, Avery mocked Dustin Brown about Brown's lisp and his then-girlfriend (now wife). In 2016, a restraining order was issued against Avery for harassing his mother-in-law.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.
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by Todd Cordell on (#5WEF7)
Tuesday night was a mixed bag for shot props. Aaron Ekblad came through for us with relative ease, but Jordan Eberle was blanked by the New York Islanders.We'll set our sights higher as we look to turn a profit with shot totals Wednesday night.Alex Tuch over 3.5 shots (-118)Alex Tuch might be the hottest shooter in the NHL. He's registered at least four shots in eight of the last 10 games, averaging an absurd 4.6 per contest over that span.He should have no problem continuing his success in this one. While the Montreal Canadiens have been more competent under new head coach Martin St. Louis, they're still a poor team that can be exposed defensively. The Canadiens are in the bottom 10 in five-on-five shot suppression over the last 10 games, and, just over a week ago, Tuch dinged them for five shots.He should find success again Wednesday.Nikita Kucherov over 3.5 shots (-112)If Tuch isn't the most consistent shot generator in the league right now, that crown goes to Nikita Kucherov.Kucherov has recorded at least four shots on goal in nine of his last 10 games while finding success against elite teams such as the Boston Bruins (five shots) and Colorado Avalanche (eight).Like Montreal, the Edmonton Oilers have benefited from a coaching change. They're far from bulletproof, though, and I think Kucherov will benefit from an advantageous matchup on home soil.Drew Doughty over 2.5 shots (-125)Drew Doughty's shot volume is up and down. He's a guy you have to pick your spots with. It just so happens, once again, that he has a dream matchup against the Arizona Coyotes.Doughty piled up five shots on goal against the Coyotes just a few days ago. I don't know that he'll reach that number again, but I love his chances of getting at least three.Arizona gives up plenty of shot volume, particularly to opposing defensemen. No team has conceded more shots - overall or on a per-game basis - to the position than the Coyotes. Any big-minute defender is in play for them, especially one who quarterbacks the top power play and likes to get involved at five-on-five.Todd Cordell is a sports betting writer at theScore. Be sure to follow him on Twitter @ToddCordell.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.
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by Todd Cordell on (#5WEF8)
Our 7-1 run came to an abrupt halt Tuesday night as we lost both of our best bets.We'll look to get back on track Wednesday as we comb through a couple of plays that stand out the most.Sabres (-110) @ Canadiens (-110)The Buffalo Sabres and Montreal Canadiens are both bad hockey teams. Terrible, even. They're consistently outshot and outchanced, and neither side has a reliable goaltender it can fall back on.For me, this play falls down to talent. I believe the Sabres have more firepower than the Canadiens.It starts with the big line up front. Tage Thompson, Alex Tuch, and Jeff Skinner have been fantastic since they were put on a line together. They've controlled better than 50% of the chances and expected goals - no small feat on the Sabres - and have outscored opponents by four goals through 136 minutes of five-on-five play.Montreal's top line had a big game last time out, but the group's underlying offensive metrics aren't as strong as its counterpart's.I also like that Buffalo has more depth up the middle. Dylan Cozens is a promising sophomore, while Casey Mittelstadt has produced half a point per game since the beginning of last season. Those are solid outputs from your third center. The Canadiens, meanwhile, have next to nothing after Nick Suzuki.Buffalo has a little more pop in its attack, and I expect that to be the difference.Bet: Sabres (-110)Avalanche (-310) @ Red Wings (+245)This Detroit Red Wings team isn't the pushover it's been in recent years. Even so, I expect the Colorado Avalanche to have their way against the Wings on Wednesday.Coming off a blowout loss to the Boston Bruins, the Avalanche will no doubt look to respond with a strong showing in Detroit.They have plenty of paths to do just that. For one, they're the much better five-on-five side. Colorado is 11 spots ahead of Detroit in expected goal share over the last 10 games. The Avalanche should be able to generate chances in bulk, which is problematic given the Red Wings' level of goaltending.Projected starter Thomas Greiss owns a subpar .902 save percentage and is a negative in terms of Goals Saved Above Expected.That spells trouble against this Colorado team, especially considering it appears poised for a huge breakout. The Avs sit 22nd in five-on-five goals over the last 10 games despite ranking inside the top five in high-danger chance generation.Put another way, they've created dangerous opportunities in bulk; they just haven't gone in (Colorado sits 28th in shooting percentage during this spell).The Avalanche have far too much talent to stay bottled up forever. If the chances continue to be there, the goals will follow. I expect that to be the case in this one against Greiss.As an added bonus, Detroit has lost by at least two in five straight defeats and eight of 11 in 2022. When the Wings lose, it's generally by multiple goals.I expect that to be the case in this one, and even more so if captain Dylan Larkin - who's questionable - is unable to play.Bet: Avalanche -1.5 (-120)Todd Cordell is a sports betting writer at theScore. Be sure to follow him on Twitter @ToddCordell.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.
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by Josh Wegman on (#5WE8Y)
Toronto Maple Leafs prospect Rodion Amirov has been diagnosed with a brain tumor, general manager Kyle Dubas announced in a statement Wednesday."Rodion commenced the 2021-22 season with Salavat Ufa of the KHL but suffered an injury to open the season. During the course of his recovery from this injury, he developed some new, unrelated symptoms that required ongoing extensive investigations over the last few months," Dubas said.Amirov is currently at a medical facility in Germany undergoing treatment. The forward, who's with his family, won't return to play for the remainder of the campaign."He is skating three times per week and working out every day," Amirov's agent, Dan Milstein, said in a statement. "Rodion is in good spirits and is determined to return back to professional hockey."Amirov said he's focused on keeping a positive outlook."Never give up," he told Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman, as translated by Milstein. "The challenges you are given in life are for you to overcome."Always stay positive."The 20-year-old winger produced a goal and two helpers in 10 KHL games this season. A year earlier, he led Russia with six points in seven contests at the world juniors.The Maple Leafs drafted Amirov 15th overall in 2020.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.
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by Josh Gold-Smith on (#5WDQ6)
The Anaheim Ducks have opened contract negotiations with pending unrestricted free-agent defenseman Hampus Lindholm."One of the first things that (general manager) Pat Verbeek ... has done, according to our sources, is reach out to Lindholm's camp led by agent Claude Lemieux and start the process of seeing if there's enough common ground to sign an extension before the trade deadline to remove Hampus Lindholm from the trade market," TSN's Pierre LeBrun reported on Tuesday's edition of "Insider Trading."Lindholm is in the final season of a six-year pact he inked with the Ducks in the fall of 2016 that carries a cap hit of approximately $5.2 million, according to CapFriendly.It's unclear whether Anaheim will be sellers ahead of the March 21 deadline, but the 28-year-old would be among the most coveted rental blue-liners if he's available.The Swedish rearguard is a fixture on the Ducks' back end, averaging 22:46 of ice time this campaign while collecting 20 points in 50 games entering Tuesday's action.Anaheim also has decisions to make on pending UFA forwards Ryan Getzlaf and Rickard Rakell, among others. The club came into Tuesday night's slate sitting fifth in the Pacific Division in both points and point percentage.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.
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