Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Kris Letang is in COVID-19 protocol and unavailable for Saturday's contest versus the Toronto Maple Leafs, head coach Mike Sullivan announced.Letang returned a positive test and is in the process of getting that result confirmed, added Sullivan. Letang opened his 2021-22 campaign with four assists through four games.The star blue-liner is the latest Penguins player to be sidelined early in the season. The club is already without Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, and Bryan Rust due to injury, while Jeff Carter is also in COVID-19 protocol.Goaltender Tristan Jarry produced a false positive test earlier this week but will start Saturday against Toronto.The shorthanded Penguins have started the season 2-0-2.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

We're coming off a solid night on the ice, posting a 2-1 record with our best bets.The Calgary Flames blanked the Detroit Red Wings, while the San Jose Sharks moved to 3-0-0 with a win over the Ottawa Senators.The Colorado Avalanche kept us from a perfect night, as we were on the wrong end of a great performance by Florida Panthers goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky.Moving along, we have a busy weekend of action ahead. Let's take a look at a few games to target over the next couple of days.Bruins (-210) @ Sabres (+170)

Toronto Maple Leafs head coach Sheldon Keefe didn't want to scapegoat Nick Ritchie after benching him during a 5-3 defeat to the San Jose Sharks on Friday.After the loss, Keefe faced numerous questions about not playing Ritchie for a prolonged stretch, but the bench boss emphasized his top forward unit of Ritchie, Auston Matthews, and Mitch Marner struggled as a whole."It was more to me about the fact that that line wasn't going today," Keefe said, according to The Athletic's Jonas Siegel. "You should be asking as many questions about Matthews and Marner today as you should be (Ritchie)."Ritchie has disappointed since landing a top-line role out of training camp, but Keefe cautioned against fixating too much on the 25-year-old."I can tell the line of questioning I've been getting the last number of days, people want to pile on Nick Ritchie here, but let's not narrow the focus too much," the head coach said, according to NHL.com's Dave McCarthy.Ritchie sat for the final 8:44 of the second period and the opening 3:16 of the third.Matthews authored a stellar 59.38 expected goals for percentage and an even more impressive 68.42 scoring chances for percentage at five-on-five in the game, according to Natural Stat Trick. Marner posted a subpar 47.49 xGF% but a much more respectable 64.29 SCF% in the same situations.Ritchie played only 9:34 at five-on-five in the contest, but his underlying numbers were the least flattering of the trio. The winger produced a paltry 23.28 xGF% and an SCF% of 50.The former member of the Boston Bruins and Anaheim Ducks remains pointless after five games. The Maple Leafs signed him in July to a two-year contract carrying a $2.5-million cap hit.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The website the Carolina Hurricanes created to roast the Montreal Canadiens after handing them their fifth loss on Thursday looks a lot different.It appears someone has given didthehabslose.com a facelift on Friday, changing it into an anti-Hurricanes site instead.Rather than an animated image of Hurricanes forward Sebastian Aho scrolling through his phone and nodding, users are greeted with a stock image of a hockey rink with the title "Carolina Hurricanes suck" in all caps. didthehabslose.comBelow that, there's a message in smaller letters: "Just spreading the truth to a bunch of ... (it's copyrighted but you get it)." Hint: they mean "jerks."There's plenty of worthwhile information in the site's "About Us" section. Whoever made the changes wanted to make it loud and clear they, in fact, hate the Hurricanes and that they are "not even a real team." didthehabslose.com didthehabslose.comThe minds behind the Hurricanes knew not everyone was going to be pleased with the website."It's literally our jobs: to entertain and drive revenue. That did both of those things," Hurricanes vice president of marketing and brand strategy Mike Forman said, according to ESPN's Greg Wyshynski. "If you're a Montreal Canadiens fan, it probably rubbed you the wrong way. But we're not building our marketing plan around Canadiens fans or Canadian media, for that matter. We're building it for our fans."The Hurricanes reserved domains for four teams, including their own, and they've even mulled buying URLs for every single NHL team."We're not actual jerks. We're the figurative jerks. Our philosophy is that we won't throw a first punch. But we'll throw the second punch and we're going to try for it to be a knockout," Forman said.He added the website was hacked, and the Hurricanes are currently debating what to do with it."Honestly, it's just gaining more traction because of it," Forman said.The Hurricanes and Canadiens will square off again on Dec. 30 in Carolina.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby said there's no target date set for his return following offseason wrist surgery, according to NHL.com's Wes Crosby.The Penguins star underwent the procedure Sept. 8 and was expected to be sidelined for a minimum of six weeks, meaning his earliest return date would have been Saturday's game against the Toronto Maple Leafs. Crosby, however, was officially ruled out of that contest Thursday.Pittsburgh general manager Ron Hextall said at the time of the surgery that the wrist injury wasn't a new issue for Crosby, and the center confirmed that fact on Friday.The 34-year-old revealed his left wrist was initially injured by Ryan Reaves in a game shortly after the 2014 Winter Olympics. He'd been trying to manage the issue over the past seven years, including undergoing a scope last season, before opting to get surgery, per the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette's Mike DeFabo."We all felt like it was something that I wouldn't have gotten through the season if I didn't take care of it," Crosby said.He added: "I'm hoping it improves it a lot. This last year - with the scope and just dealing with it - it became more of an issue. Hopefully, it can feel a lot better here and I can kind of put it behind me."He practiced for the first time since the surgery Oct. 9 and participated again Friday but, before he can return to NHL action, he would like to shore up some aspects of his game."I haven't really had any force," he said, according to NHL.com's Crosby, "whether it be through faceoffs or lifting sticks. ... Those are things I haven't been able to do. When I can do that comfortably ... I think that will be a big step."Penguins forward Kasperi Kapanen provided an encouraging report about the veteran after Friday's session."I mean, it's Sidney Crosby. He's always going to be the best player out there," he said.The Penguins haven't lost a game outright in four contests without Crosby and Evgeni Malkin, going 2-0-2.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Because Jesperi Kotkaniemi scoring wasn't enough, the Carolina Hurricanes took their months-long taunting of the Montreal Canadiens to a new level after defeating them Thursday night.The Hurricanes continued poking fun at the Canadiens following a 4-1 victory during which Kotkaniemi - the former Habs forward who signed an offer sheet with Carolina in the offseason - scored in his return to Montreal.First came the obligatory French tweet, which the Hurricanes had done before.

Ottawa Senators center Shane Pinto was ruled out for the remainder of Thursday's game against the San Jose Sharks after suffering an upper-body injury in the first period, the team announced.Pinto crashed hard into the boards after taking a hit from Mario Ferraro on his first shift.

Team Canada will officially have six goalies to choose from when it comes time to build its roster for the upcoming Beijing Olympics.Carey Price, Jordan Binnington, Darcy Kuemper, Mackenzie Blackwood, Carter Hart, and Marc-Andre Fleury are the netminders on Canada's long list, TSN's Pierre LeBrun reported on Thursday's edition of "Insider Trading."Each country was required to submit a list of 55 NHL players who could make the Olympic roster last Friday.Countries were permitted to name 50 players and five goalies on each list, but Canada was given an exemption to name six given the uncertainty surrounding Price's availability. The netminder is currently taking part in the NHL/NHLPA player assistance program.The last time the NHL sent players to the Olympics was in 2014 in Sochi. Price was among the three goalies on the roster alongside Roberto Luongo and Mike Smith. Price went undefeated in five games en route to a gold medal and was named the best goaltender of the tournament.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Winnipeg Jets star Mark Scheifele remains in the NHL's COVID-19 protocol, the team announced Thursday.Scheifele tested positive Wednesday but is asymptomatic and returned one negative test, according to TSN's Chris Johnston. Scheifele produced another positive test Thursday, so he is still in the league's protocol and will miss Thursday's home opener against the Anaheim Ducks, Johnston added.Jets captain Blake Wheeler was placed in protocol earlier this week and later tested positive. Wheeler was displaying COVID-19 symptoms, so he will have to isolate for at least 10 days, per the NHL's rules.Fully vaccinated players who are asymptomatic do not have to isolate for 10 days before they can return to the team. They are, however, required to produce two straight negative tests on consecutive days.Scheifele led Winnipeg with 63 points over 56 games last season and has notched two assists across two contests in 2021-22.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

We had a quiet night Wednesday, filing just one official play. The Bruins outshot the Flyers by 15 and recorded 12 more high-danger chances, but unfortunately for us, the Bruins still came out on the wrong side of a 6-3 scoreline.It's a new day and tonight's massive slate offers plenty of opportunities to get back on track. Let's dive into our best bets.Sharks (-115) @ Senators (-105)The Sharks are off to a nice start, scoring nine goals in two early wins and controlling better than 57% of the expected goals at five-on-five. San Jose is playing legitimately well.Though the Senators are also out to a respectable 2-1 start, their underlying profile isn't nearly as strong. They own an expected goals share below 50%, which is hardly surprising considering the lack of depth on the Ottawa roster.While neither side is likely to challenge for a playoff spot, the Sharks are destined to be the better of the two with youngsters like William Eklund and Jonathan Dahlen supporting a veteran core.I expect that to shine through in this game, especially with Matt Murray between the pipes for the first time this season. Only Brian Elliott (-19.3), Martin Jones (-18.9), and Carter Hart (-18.3) conceded more goals above expectation than Murray a year ago.He is unlikely to bail out the Senators if they're outplayed tonight.Bet: Sharks -115Flames (-135) @ Red Wings (+115)The Flames remain winless on the year, but don't let that fool you - they've largely played well.Though Calgary dominated the Oilers on the shot clock in the season opener, Connor McDavid did Connor McDavid things and turned every Edmonton opportunity into a goal. Fair enough.The Flames responded by thoroughly outclassing the Ducks, winning the expected goals battle 3.88 to 1.87, but Calgary couldn't convert on its opportunities against a locked-in John Gibson and eventually paid the price by losing in overtime.While many are jumping off the Flames bandwagon, I think their results thus far have provided an opportunity to buy low.Calgary has out-chanced opponents 58-23 (71.60 SCF%) at five-on-five through two games. The Flames are showing the ability to control the run of play and, with Johnny Gaudreau, Matthew Tkachuk, and Elias Lindholm leading the charge, it's not as if they're devoid of talent to finish plays off.Still, they're getting little respect on the betting market. The odds imply a 57% chance of Calgary beating a rebuilding Red Wings team that won just 36 games from 2019-21 - let's take advantage of that.Bet: Flames -135Rapid fire: Colorado Avalanche (-105)With Nathan MacKinnon healthy and Gabriel Landeskog back from suspension, I think this line is a little short. The Panthers are a good team, but the Avalanche entered the season as Stanley Cup favorites and they're going up against Sergei Bobrovsky, one of the league's worst netminders over the last couple of seasons. Priced at a near coin flip, there is value backing the Avalanche to snap their mini losing streak.Todd Cordell is a sports betting writer at theScore. Be sure to follow him on Twitter @ToddCordell.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Edmonton Oilers placed goaltender Mike Smith on injured reserve, the club announced Wednesday.Stuart Skinner was recalled from the AHL's Bakersfield Condors in a corresponding move.Smith left Tuesday's game against the Anaheim Ducks in the second period after suffering a lower-body injury. The 39-year-old has posted a stellar .920 save percentage in three appearances.Skinner, a third-round pick in 2017, owns a .946 save percentage in two games with the Condors this season. He recorded a .914 save percentage in 31 AHL contests a year ago. The 22-year-old has made one NHL appearance, during which he allowed five goals on 38 shots.Mikko Koskinen is projected to handle the lion's share of the workload with Smith sidelined.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Montreal Canadiens general manager Marc Bergevin isn't pushing the panic button just yet amid his team's 0-4 start.The executive insisted during an impromptu press conference Wednesday that he won't shake things up just for the sake of it."I don't feel the need. It has nothing to do with cap space, it has to do with the group we have," Bergevin said.He added: "There's some pretty good hockey players that aren't playing up to their potential, and until they do, there's nothing I'm going to do to make a change."Change a fourth-line player just to say I made a change, I don't believe in that."The Canadiens have followed up their Cinderella run to the Stanley Cup Final last season by scoring just three goals in four contests so far this campaign. When asked why he was appearing before the media Wednesday, Bergevin explained that he wanted to show his support, and concern, for the team."Montreal's a different market, it's a special market," he said. "Sometimes (the) tension is higher than it should be. ... I believe the answer is within."Montreal is missing two massive parts of its lineup, as netminder Carey Price is taking part in the player assistance program while Shea Weber is out with a myriad of injuries.Bergevin said Weber hasn't undergone any recent surgeries or resumed training. He added that Weber won't return this season and said it's a "long shot" the defenseman will be able to resume playing at all.As for his own future, Bergevin said he'd like to continue being the Canadiens' GM "in a perfect world."His contract runs until the end of the 2021-22 season.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Ottawa Senators goaltender Matt Murray will make his regular-season debut Thursday versus the San Jose Sharks, according to Postmedia's Bruce Garrioch.Murray was placed on injured reserve last week with an illness. The Senators have started the season 2-1.Ottawa acquired Murray from the Pittsburgh Penguins prior to last season. The two-time Stanley Cup winner went 10-13-1 with a .893 save percentage in his first campaign with the club.The Senators will also welcome Brady Tkachuk back to the lineup Thursday. The star forward missed training camp and the preseason while negotiating a new contract.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

We have a very light schedule tonight, as there are just four teams slated to play.Let's take a look at the best way to attack this small slate.Bruins (-140) at Flyers (+120)These teams saw a lot of each other while playing in the East Division last season, and the action was rather one-sided.The Boston Bruins won six of eight games, picked up a point in one of the other two, and dominated in every sense of the word. They outscored the Flyers by 11 and controlled more than 56% of the expected goals across all game states.I expect the Bruins' success to continue Wednesday against the Philadelphia Flyers, who added some good pieces during the offseason - most notably Ryan Ellis - but also a couple of players who could cause more harm than good.Martin Jones posted a sub-.900 save percentage in three straight years prior to hitting the open market. There's no reason to believe he's a competent NHL goaltender, and yet he was the Flyers' solution to their backup woes. Jones will get his first start against a very good Boston team that features arguably the best top line in the NHL.Meanwhile, Rasmus Ristolainen - objectively one of the worst defenders in the league for years - is expected to make his Flyers debut. He's set for extended minutes, which is likely problematic for Philadelphia.The Bruins have more high-end talent and are a better defensive side, and Jeremy Swayman is more likely to provide a quality start than Jones.Even on the road, I'm comfortably backing the Bruins as clear favorites.Bet: Bruins -140Blues (+110) at Golden Knights (-130)This game isn't in range for me to play on either side.The St. Louis Blues aren't priced as well as I hoped considering Pavel Buchnevich is suspended. That's a big loss for them, especially on the road against the Vegas Golden Knights.Vegas is also missing some heavy artillery with Max Pacioretty and Mark Stone. Even so, its forward group is competent, and it has plenty of high-end talent on the backend.This is a line we'll have to watch throughout the day. If the Blues get into the +120 or +125 range, I'd be happy to pull the trigger.On the flip side, the Golden Knights - or perhaps the over of six goals - would deserve serious consideration if Ville Husso gets his first start of the campaign.Todd Cordell is a sports betting writer at theScore. Be sure to follow him on Twitter @ToddCordell.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Colorado Avalanche forward Nathan MacKinnon made his season debut Tuesday against the Washington Capitals.

Legendary New York Islanders forward Mike Bossy revealed on Tuesday that he's stepping away from his role with TVA Sports to battle lung cancer."Today, it's with great sorrow that I must take myself off your screens for an obligatory break," Bossy wrote. "A necessary pause during which I'll receive treatment for lung cancer. It's 1-0 for now, but I haven't said my last word."Bossy, 64, has been a color commentator with the Quebec-based sports channel since 2015."I can assure you all that I intend to fight with all the determination and all the spirit that you have seen me display on the ice and in my game," Bossy said."The battle I am about to wage will not be easy. Know that I will give 100%, nothing less, with the objective of meeting you again soon, after a very eventful hockey game."The Hall of Famer spent 10 seasons in the NHL - all with the Islanders - and recorded 573 goals with 553 assists in 752 games. Bossy won the Stanley Cup four consecutive times from 1980-83, has the third-highest all-time average points scored per contest in NHL history, and is one of five players to score 50 goals in 50 games.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The details surrounding Vegas Golden Knights captain Mark Stone's injury are still foggy, but head coach Peter DeBoer was able to provide one piece of good news.Stone saw another doctor, who determined the issue is "non-surgical," DeBoer said, according to The Athletic's Jesse Granger.The bench boss added that Stone's timetable is somewhere from day-to-day to week-to-week.

After a slight delay due to a lower-body injury, Mike Hoffman is set to make his Montreal Canadiens debut against the San Jose Sharks on Tuesday, head coach Dominique Ducharme announced.The Canadiens signed the 31-year-old to a three-year, $13.5-million deal as an unrestricted free agent this offseason. Hoffman suffered the injury before going to Montreal and was initially expected to miss the first week-and-a-half of the regular season.That puts his recovery slightly ahead of the originally targeted Oct. 23 game against the Detroit Red Wings as his debut."The body feels good and I'm ready to go," Hoffman said Monday before receiving the green light on Tuesday, according to The Athletic's Arpon Basu.Hoffman was on the third line at morning skate.

We started the week with a split. The St. Louis Blues throttled the Arizona Coyotes, storming back from an early deficit en route to a 7-4 victory.John Tavares did manage to find the scoresheet with an assist but, unfortunately, couldn't convert on his chances and net one against Igor Shesterkin. We move on!Though some of the value on tonight's 11-game slate was squeezed out overnight, plenty still remains. Let's dive into it with our best bets.Canucks (-155) at Sabres (+135)The Buffalo Sabres are off to a 2-0-0 start and have controlled more than 67% of the expected goals thus far, which leads the league. But it's important to put their success into context.Both games came on home soil against subpar teams. The Montreal Canadiens - still winless - played in Buffalo in the latter half of a back-to-back with their third-string goaltender between the pipes.In the Sabres' other game, they needed a shootout to beat a Coyotes side that has conceded 15 goals in two contests against teams outside of Buffalo. Again, hardly a remarkable win.The Vancouver Canucks have holes defensively, but I'm not overly concerned about Thatcher Demko - one of the best young goaltenders in the league - slowing down this pedestrian Sabres attack.Vancouver should be able to generate plenty of offense in this game. Its top nine is very strong and will be aided by the return of sniper Brock Boeser.Top to bottom, the Canucks are much more talented than the Sabres. With Boeser's return and Demko back between the pipes, I think the Canucks take care of business with relative ease in this one.Bets: Canucks ML (-155), Canucks in regulation (-105)Panthers (+100) at Lightning (-120) It's not often I'd consider, let alone bet an even-money team playing on the road against the back-to-back Stanley Cup champions. But that's the way to approach this game.The Tampa Bay Lightning have problems right now. Big problems. They lost the entirety of the Yanni Gourde line during the offseason, which has tested their depth. Now they're without superstar Nikita Kucherov, as well. His absence wasn't problematic a year ago, but the circumstances were much different; the Lightning were extremely deep.The Florida Panthers' top nine, on paper, is more potent than Tampa Bay's. Their defense is in good shape with a healthy Aaron Ekblad back in the mix, and they're giving Spencer Knight his first start of the season in this one. I see him as a clear upgrade over Sergei Bobrovsky.Even on the road, I'm happy to take what I consider the more talented side at plus money.Bet: Panthers ML (+100)Rapid fire: Nathan MacKinnon tested negative for COVID-19 on Monday and flew to meet the Colorado Avalanche in Washington. He tested negative again this morning, clearing him to play. I see real value on Colorado (-105).Watch out for goalie news in the Los Angeles Kings-Nashville Predators game. If Cal Petersen is confirmed to start, the Kings (+120) will be a definite play.Todd Cordell is a sports betting writer at theScore. Be sure to follow him on Twitter @ToddCordell.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Toronto Maple Leafs prospect Nick Robertson broke his leg Sunday while playing with the team's AHL affiliate and will miss a minimum of 10 weeks, the Toronto Marlies announced Tuesday.The injury, which is a non-displaced fracture of his right fibula, will not require surgery.Robertson got hit and landed awkwardly on his right leg in the second period of the Marlies' clash with the Manitoba Moose and was unable to return.A promising forward in the Leafs' pipeline, Robertson has played in just 10 career NHL games, including four playoff matchups, and has registered one goal and one assist. He made his debut during the Leafs' 2020 postseason series against the Columbus Blue Jackets.The 20-year-old was injured in his regular-season debut with the Leafs against the Ottawa Senators last year and was sidelined for four weeks.The Leafs selected Robertson in the second round of the 2019 draft. He has two assists in two AHL games this season.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Toronto Maple Leafs star Auston Matthews made his season debut Monday night against the New York Rangers.On Sunday, Matthews said he felt ready to return after undergoing offseason wrist surgery, according to TSN's Kristen Shilton. Head coach Sheldon Keefe later confirmed Matthews was going to return, according to The Hockey News' David Alter.Matthews missed the Maple Leafs' first three regular-season games. Toronto went 2-1-0 in his absence.The 24-year-old was a full participant in practice Sunday morning, skating in his normal spot on the top line and on the top power-play unit.

The NHL suspended Evander Kane for 21 regular-season games after he violated COVID-19 rules established by the league and NHLPA.As a result, he'll be ineligible to play until Nov. 30.In addition, the NHL didn't find evidence to support Kane's estranged wife Anna's accusations of domestic abuse, thereby ending the league's other investigation into the San Jose Sharks forward."I would like to apologize to my teammates, the San Jose Sharks organization, and all Sharks fans for violating the NHL COVID protocols," Kane said in a statement. "I made a mistake, one I sincerely regret and take responsibility for. During my suspension, I will continue to participate in counseling to help me make better decisions in the future. When my suspension is over, I plan to return to the ice with great effort, determination, and love for the game of hockey."​Meanwhile, the Sharks lauded Kane for his pledge to better himself but disapproved of his actions."While we are encouraged by Evander’s commitment to moving forward, we are extremely disappointed by his disregard for the health and safety protocols put in place by the NHL and the NHLPA," the team said in its own statement.The NHL reportedly looked into Kane's alleged use of a fake vaccination card while conducting a separate probe into Anna's claims. The league cleared him of gambling offenses in September after she said he bet on and threw his own games.Last week, San Jose designated Kane as a non-roster player pending the league's findings.The NHL/NHLPA COVID-19 protocol doesn't include specific punishments for violations. However, it indicates the penalties can consist of missed games, fines, and even forfeiture of draft picks.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Less than two weeks after Max Domi returned to the lineup far ahead of schedule, the Columbus Blue Jackets forward is dealing with a new injury.The Blue Jackets expect Domi to require two-to-four weeks to recover from a rib fracture sustained in Saturday's win over the Seattle Kraken.It was a difficult game for the 26-year-old, who got winded when he hit Kraken defenseman Adam Larsson in the first period and then briefly departed in the second frame to go through concussion protocol before he was cleared.Columbus head coach Brad Larsen said afterward that Domi's shoulder appeared to be unharmed after the Larsson hit.Domi underwent surgery to repair a labral tear in his right shoulder in June. He was originally given a five-to-six month timetable but played in the Blue Jackets' preseason finale as well as the team's first two regular-season games.He started strong in 2021-22 after underachieving in his first campaign with Columbus. Domi collected a goal and two assists in an 8-2 win over the Arizona Coyotes on Thursday before providing another helper in Saturday's victory.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Vancouver Canucks have placed defenseman Travis Hamonic on a mutually agreed-upon temporary leave of absence due to personal matters, the team announced Monday.Hamonic, 31, wasn't with the Canucks for training camp, the preseason, or the first week of the regular season. Vancouver waived him earlier in October and subsequently assigned him to the Abbotsford Canucks, but he wasn't on the AHL club's opening-night roster.Vancouver signed Hamonic to a two-year deal in July. He recorded 10 points in 38 games with the club last season.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Tampa Bay Lightning head coach Jon Cooper isn't expecting to see the injured Nikita Kucherov back on the ice anytime soon."It's definitely not a day-to-day thing, so we'll wait until we get an official word, but he's definitely out," Cooper said Monday, per NHL.com. "He's going to be out for a while here."Kucherov exited Saturday's game against the Washington Capitals in noticeable discomfort during the third period after a collision with Washington forward Garnet Hathaway.The Lightning defeated the Capitals in overtime with Kucherov sidelined to improve to 2-1 on the young season.Kucherov missed the entire 2020-21 regular season while recovering from hip surgery. He returned in time for the playoffs, posting 32 points in 23 games to help Tampa Bay capture its second consecutive Stanley Cup.The 28-year-old has led the Lightning in scoring in each of the past five seasons he's been healthy. Kucherov has four points in three games this campaign.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Ilya Kovalchuk has been named the Russian Olympic Committee's men's hockey general manager for the 2022 Beijing Games, the organization announced Monday.The ROC will rely on former NHLers behind the bench, too. Alexei Zhamnov will take on head coaching duties, while Sergei Fedorov, Evgeni Nabokov, and Sergei Gonchar will work as assistants, the team announced.Kovalchuk last played in the NHL in 2019-20, when he suited up for the Los Angeles Kings, Montreal Canadiens, and Washington Capitals. He competed in the KHL last campaign, winning the Gagarin Cup and recording 17 points in 16 regular-season games.The 38-year-old played 14 NHL campaigns and nine in the KHL. He's represented Russia several times in international tournaments and won a gold medal at the 2018 Pyeongchang Olympics.Superstars Alex Ovechkin, Nikita Kucherov, and Andrei Vasilevskiy were the first three players named to ROC's roster.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

We shook off a slow start for our NHL best bets to finish last week in style, winning two recommended plays on both Thursday and Friday.We'll look to pick up where we left off as we enter the second week of the 2021-22 NHL campaign.Blues (-170) @ Coyotes (+150)It's difficult to emphasize just how bad the Coyotes are. They conceded eight goals in the season opener against a Blue Jackets team expected to finish near the bottom of the league standings.Arizona followed that up with another loss to a team with no expectations in the Sabres. Though that game was decided in a shootout, it didn't take long to identify the better squad. That squad was Buffalo, as the Sabres outchanced the Coyotes 23-11 at five-on-five and controlled nearly 65% of the expected goals.So, Arizona lost by six goals and was then second-best against a team that will be in the thick of the Shane Wright sweepstakes. Yikes.The Coyotes are back at home tonight, which will surely provide a bit of a jolt, but it's unlikely to matter much against the Blues.St. Louis has far more talent than Arizona at every position. With the offseason additions of Brandon Saad and Pavel Buchnevich - as well as a healthy Vladimir Tarasenko back in the mix - the Blues are extremely deep up front.Expect St. Louis to dominate possession and overwhelm the Coyotes on the shot clock. With big edges in finishing talent and in goal, we like the Blues to take two points in regulation.Bet: Blues in regulation (-115)Rangers (+160) @ Maple Leafs (-180)There's not much value in picking winners on Monday's NHL slate. But there is value on Maple Leafs captain John Tavares to score his first goal of the season at +180 when Toronto battles the Rangers.Tavares has been everywhere through three games. He's amassed 21 shot attempts and 14 scoring chances, nine of which were considered high-danger opportunities. All of that has amounted to a team-leading 2.11 expected goals - and zero actual goals.He's a fantastic finisher, having scored on at least 10.8% of his shots every year since entering the NHL in 2009. Playing with William Nylander at even strength and net-front on a loaded power play, Tavares will certainly have no shortage of chances coming his way.It's only a matter of time before he converts.Bet: Tavares to score a goal (+180)Todd Cordell is a sports betting writer at theScore. Be sure to follow him on Twitter @ToddCordell.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The wait is almost over.Ottawa Senators newly signed star Brady Tkachuk is expected to make his season debut Thursday against the San Jose Sharks, head coach D.J. Smith said Sunday, according to Sportsnet's Wayne Scanlan.The 22-year-old inked a seven-year, $57.5-million deal prior to the Senators' first game of the campaign on Oct. 14. Ottawa opted to delay Tkachuk's debut since he missed all of training camp."We want Brady at his best, and my job is to put him in the best spot," Smith said ahead of Sunday's game against the Dallas Stars when explaining the decision not to dress Tkachuk for the contest.

San Jose Sharks defenseman Nikolai Knyzhov will undergo surgery Friday for a lower-body injury and will miss 8-10 weeks, the team announced Sunday, according to The Athletic.The Sharks were initially hopeful that Knyzhov's injury would heal on its own, but head coach Bob Boughner revealed earlier this week that the 23-year-old's "progression sort of stalled," per The Athletic's Kevin Kurz.Knyzhov sparkled last season for the Sharks during his rookie campaign, spending most of it paired with Erik Karlsson. He put up 10 points in 59 games while averaging 16:44 minutes of ice time a night. The 6-foot-2 left-handed shot had the third-most hits among all Sharks skaters with 84 and only 13 giveaways, according to Natural Stat Trick. He was voted the Sharks' rookie of the year.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Calgary Flames defenseman Rasmus Andersson was fined $5,000 for roughing Edmonton Oilers forward Kailer Yamamoto on Saturday night, the NHL's Department of Player Safety announced.In the season's first edition of the "Battle of Alberta," Andersson headbutted Yamamoto late in the first period, appearing to take exception to the winger encroaching on Flames goaltender Jacob Markstrom.Here's a closer look at the incident:

Erik Karlsson's self-confidence certainly hasn't taken a hit after a couple of down seasons."I obviously still think that I'm one of the best players in the world," the San Jose Sharks defenseman said Saturday, according to The Mercury News' Curtis Pashelka. "That's where I've been for a very long time, that's where I want to go, that's where I want to stay."Karlsson added: "For me, that's always going to be my expectation, and I hope that's going to be the case for the rest of my career, not only this year."Since entering the NHL in 2009, Karlsson leads all defensemen with 626 points. He won the Norris Trophy while with the Ottawa Senators in 2012 and 2015, and he remains the league's highest-paid defenseman after signing an eight-year, $92-million contract with the Sharks in 2019.However, Karlsson's play has been hampered by a number of injuries recently. After joining the Sharks in 2018, he underwent groin surgery in May 2019 and broke his thumb in February 2020. Karlson had the most unproductive campaign of his career last season with 22 points in 52 games.Head coach Bob Boughner believes Karlsson can return to his elite form this campaign."He's a prideful guy. I think he wants to have a rebound season. He's prepared for that," Boughner said. "He's got a sense of seriousness to his approach and I think great players figure it out. You can't teach what he has."Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

If the Buffalo Sabres commit to trading captain Jack Eichel, they want his contract fully off the books."One of the biggest hurdles right now to getting a Jack Eichel trade done is that the Sabres ... do not want to retain any salary," Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman reported Saturday on Hockey Night in Canada's "32 Thoughts.""Now, they are willing to talk about taking contracts back to facilitate a deal, but it's still difficult with so many teams close to the cap and also Eichel still having four more years at $10 million a season left on his salary."A potential Eichel trade has been in limbo since the outset of this past offseason. The team and player remain at odds over the best way to fix Eichel's ailing neck. Eichel wants an artificial disc replacement - which has never been done on an NHL player - while the Sabres prefer fusion surgery, which is more common but has a longer recovery time.Eichel is currently on long-term injured reserve. Since being drafted second overall by Buffalo in 2015, the soon-to-be 25-year-old's notched 355 points in 375 games.The Sabres have begun their 2021-22 campaign with consecutive wins.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

It's less than a week into the new season, and the Toronto Maple Leafs have already found themselves in a battle with the salary cap.The Leafs signed University of Toronto goaltender Alex Bishop to a one-day amateur tryout, according to Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman. He'll serve as Jack Campbell's backup Saturday night against the Ottawa Senators.Toronto, which made the move after netminder Petr Mrazek suffered a groin injury Thursday in Ottawa, was only carrying one extra skater due to its cap crunch. However, that extra skater, Timothy Liljegren, is needed to play on Saturday due to an illness to defenseman Justin Holl, head coach Sheldon Keefe announced, per TSN's Mark Masters.Mrazek's injury doesn't appear to be a long-term issue, Keefe added. So neither Mrazek, Holl, nor Auston Matthews - who was already ruled out for the first week of the season - are on long-term injured reserve. Thus, all three players still count against the cap even though they won't be active Saturday night.Once the Leafs play one game short an NHL player - as they will Saturday - they can recall third goalie Michael Hutchinson from the AHL on an emergency basis for their next tilt Monday, even if their injury and cap situation remains the same, per TSN's Chris Johnston.Bishop, a native of Richmond Hill, Ontario, posted a .922 save percentage in 24 games with the Varsity Blues in 2019-20. Prior to attending UofT, the 24-year-old played three seasons in the QMJHL and a year split between the OJHL and MHL.Here's the Leafs' full projected lineup Saturday:

Vegas Golden Knights sniper Max Pacioretty is out week-to-week, head coach Pete DeBoer announced Saturday.DeBoer revealed that Pacioretty suffered a fractured foot while blocking a shot in Thursday's contest against the Los Angeles Kings, according to The Athletic's Jesse Granger.The ailment is expected to keep him out for approximately six weeks, Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman reports.Pacioretty is the latest Golden Knight to go down, as the team is dealing with a litany of injuries up front.

Anaheim Ducks head coach Dallas Eakins isn't too happy with the incident that sidelined No. 1 netminder John Gibson ahead of his team's second game of the season Friday.Gibson took a hit from Winnipeg Jets forward Andrew Copp in the third period of the Ducks' season-opening victory Wednesday. Referees called Copp for goalie interference on the play. Gibson stayed in the contest, but Anaheim ruled the goalie out for its clash against the Minnesota Wild with a lower-body injury."That's just a dirty play," Eakins said Friday, according to the Orange County Register's Elliott Teaford. "That's what it is. That guy (Copp) knows exactly what he's doing. He's taking the net. He's going to take the goalie. Our goalie is playing quite well. That's what he's going to do. He (Copp) gets a two-minute penalty, and we lose our goalie."The 28-year-old made 33 saves en route to the 4-1 win Wednesday and shut out the Jets in the final frame after his run-in with Copp.It's unknown how long Gibson will be out. Anthony Stolarz took his place in the crease Friday.The Ducks will see the Jets again in Winnipeg on Oct. 21.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

We bounced back in a big way on Thursday night with two relatively easy wins. The Blue Jackets pummelled the Coyotes, 8-2, while the Stars and Rangers combined for just four goals in regulation, ensuring a clean win on the under of six goals.We'll look to keep the good times rolling as we head into a busy weekend of sports.Blackhawks (+115) @ Devils (-135)I was hoping to be on the Devils in this game - we're going to be fading the Blackhawks a lot this year - but, sadly, there isn't enough value on the line because of their injury concerns.The Devils will be without starting goaltender Mackenzie Blackwood due to a heel issue. They're also missing their second pairing of Ty Smith and Damon Severson, as well as depth winger Miles Wood. They'd probably still be my preferred side in this game but it's a long season - we don't need to force plays when the value isn't there.Instead, we're going to attack this contest with player props. I like backing Jack Hughes to record a point (-112) and/or an assist (+170) in what should be a high-scoring game.Chicago is a bad defensive side and they will remain one even with Seth Jones. They were out-chanced by 21 against a Colorado team missing Nathan MacKinnon, and a lot of those chances came with Jones on the ice.I think Jones' reputation far outweighs his value - especially defensively. Hughes is a great bet to take advantage of that.While his counting totals didn't pop off the page last season, Hughes did create chances at a high clip. With another summer of development and an improved supporting cast, I think Hughes is poised for a breakout campaign.It starts Friday against an overrated Chicago team expected to rest its starting goaltender.Wild (-170) @ Ducks (+150)The Anaheim Ducks rained on our parade against the Winnipeg Jets last time out. However, we're going right back to the well Friday with the Minnesota Wild.I do think the Wild take a bit of a step back this year - part of last season's success can be attributed to unsustainably high PDO - but they still shouldn't have much trouble against the Ducks.The Wild finished 14 spots ahead of the Ducks in expected goals for percentage at five-on-five, and both sides are returning similar rosters.Anaheim will have a difficult time creating offense at five-on-five, as no team gave up fewer high-danger chances than Minnesota a year ago. Despite the loss of Ryan Suter, I expect the Wild to continue to suffocate their opponents on a nightly basis this year.So long as Cam Talbot doesn't allow a softy, the Wild should take care of business.Bonus round: I have my eye on the Vancouver Canucks (+130) against the Philadelphia Flyers (-150). I'd recommend pulling the trigger if and when news comes out that Brock Boeser will be available.Todd Cordell is a sports betting writer at theScore. Be sure to follow him on Twitter @ToddCordell.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Boston Bruins locked up defenseman Charlie McAvoy with an eight-year contract extension that carries an average annual value of $9.5 million, the team announced Friday.McAvoy is in the final season of a three-year contract with a $4.9-million AAV. The new pact begins in 2022-23.McAvoy's $9.5-million AAV puts him in an eight-way tie for the 17th-highest-paid player in the league. It also ties him with Seth Jones as the fourth-highest-paid blue-liner, behind only Erik Karlsson, Drew Doughty, and Zach Werenski, per CapFriendly. It's also the richest contract in Bruins franchise history.McAvoy finished fifth in Norris Trophy voting last season after recording 30 points (three short of setting a career high) in just 51 games. His 0.59 points per game was a personal best.While he's yet to post the gaudy point totals some of his Norris Trophy-contending peers have, that can largely be chalked up to the fact he hasn't mastered the power play. The 23-year-old makes up for it in other ways, though. As seen below, he's excellent on the penalty kill and an elite play-driver at five-on-five. Evolving-Hockey.comMcAvoy did flash more offensive potential in the 2021 playoffs, recording a goal and 11 assists in 11 postseason contests. He also logged heavy minutes, averaging 26:39 of ice time per game.The Bruins selected McAvoy 14th overall at the 2016 draft.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

A few weeks ago, Tera Black, the chief operating officer of the Charlotte Checkers, received a phone call from American Hockey League headquarters in Massachusetts. League brass had a question about the Calder Cup, which Charlotte won in 2019: "Are you guys planning on sending that back ever?"The AHL championship trophy is 84 years old, and winners have repeated before, from the powerful World War II-era Buffalo Bisons to the Hershey Bears in 2009 and 2010. But no title reign has resembled Charlotte's.The Checkers claimed the Calder Cup as the Carolina Hurricanes' farm team, and they now represent the Florida Panthers. They haven't played a game since March 11, 2020 after opting out of last season for health and safety reasons. Two-thirds of the team's staff were laid off, and COVID-19 stopped the AHL from awarding the Cup for a second year.In a pandemic fluke, the silver bowl remained the Checkers' property - and they could call themselves reigning champions, give or take an asterisk.Before COVID-19 and later when precautions allowed, the Cup was on display at fan events and backyard parties in Charlotte. The team's top hockey executive brought it to his beer league title game. During the season off, the Checkers printed T-shirts to celebrate their "three-peat," monetizing the irony.

Vegas Golden Knights superstar Mark Stone was helped off the ice during the second period of Thursday's clash versus the Los Angeles Kings.Stone was in visible discomfort after a seemingly innocent play in the Kings' end. He didn't emerge from the dressing room for the final frame, according to The Athletic's Jesse Granger.

Brandon Tanev scored the eventual winner on an empty-netter as the Seattle Kraken notched their first regular-season win with a 4-3 defeat of the Nashville Predators at Bridgestone Arena on Thursday night.Alex Wennberg gave the Kraken a 3-2 lead midway through the second period, and Tanev's insurance marker provided Seattle with a two-goal cushion with under two minutes remaining.Predators forward Mikael Granlund brought Nashville back within one when he scored with 40 seconds left, but the Kraken ultimately held on.The Vegas Golden Knights prevailed 4-3 over Seattle in the expansion franchise's first regular-season game Tuesday night. The Kraken are starting their inaugural campaign on a five-game road trip.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Toronto Maple Leafs goaltender Petr Mrazek left Thursday's loss to the Ottawa Senators and didn't return due to a groin injury, the team announced.Mrazek was slow to get up after making a save in the dying seconds of the second period.

Colorado Avalanche captain Gabriel Landeskog was suspended two games for boarding Chicago Blackhawks forward Kirby Dach, the NHL Department of Player Safety announced Thursday.The questionable contact occurred late in the third period of Colorado's 4-2 victory Wednesday.

The New York Islanders inked defenseman Ryan Pulock to an eight-year contract extension carrying an average annual value of $6.15 million, reports The Athletic's Arthur Staple. The pact doesn't include any signing bonuses, Staple adds.It features a full no-trade clause in the first five years and a limited one over the final three, according to TSN's Darren Dreger.Pulock was a pending unrestricted free agent. He's in the final season of a two-year pact carrying a $5-million cap hit, according to CapFriendly.The 27-year-old plays on the Islanders' top pairing alongside Adam Pelech; New York signed Pelech to an eight-year extension with a $5.75-million average annual value in August.Pulock - who's known more as a shutdown defender than for his offense - posted two goals and 15 assists while averaging a career-high 22:27 of ice time and playing all 56 games last season. He's in his seventh campaign with the Islanders, who drafted him 15th overall in 2013.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Ottawa Senators re-signed forward Brady Tkachuk to a seven-year contract with an average annual value of $8.214 million, the team announced Thursday."This is an exciting day for the Ottawa Senators," general manager Pierre Dorion said. "Brady possesses a very dynamic skill set and is a prototypical power forward in today's NHL. He scores goals, he plays physical, and (he) exemplifies what it means to be a pro for all players in our organization."Tkachuk was the NHL's last restricted free agent without a contract.Negotiations lasted throughout the summer. It was reported earlier in October that Tkachuk wanted a short-term deal, while the club wanted a seven- or eight-year agreement.Ottawa head coach D.J. Smith said earlier Thursday that the club won't name a captain yet but its leadership group will include Tkachuk, Thomas Chabot, Nick Paul, Connor Brown, and Nikita Zaitsev, according to Sportsnet.The 22-year-old Tkachuk led the team in points last season for a second consecutive campaign, recording 36. He ranked second in the league in shots on goal (220), sixth in penalty minutes (69), and second in hits (248).The Senators selected Tkachuk with the fourth pick in the 2018 NHL Draft. He headlines a group of youthful talent in Ottawa alongside the likes of Chabot, Tim Stutzle, Drake Batherson, and Josh Norris.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Colorado Avalanche forward Gabriel Landeskog will have a hearing for boarding Chicago Blackhawks forward Kirby Dach during Wednesday night's contest, the NHL's Department of Player Safety announced.Here's a look at the hit that earned Landeskog a double-minor for roughing and boarding:

It was a tough night on the ice Wednesday. First, the New York Rangers pulled the rug out from beneath us by starting their backup goaltender. Then the Winnipeg Jets were beaten by three despite attempting nearly 30 more shots (67-39) than the Anaheim Ducks. Fun stuff!Fortunately, this is hockey. It's a marathon, not a sprint, and we have plenty of time to get where we want to be.There's a fun nine-game slate to attack tonight. Let's get to our best bets.Bet: Blue Jackets (-147)Some of the value on the Columbus Blue Jackets was squeezed out overnight; however, plenty still remains. While they might not be a good team this year, they should be much better than the Arizona Coyotes.Columbus' top-nine forwards look pretty good on paper. Each center - Alex Texier, Jack Roslovic, and Cole Sillinger - is inexperienced but talented, and there are plenty of weapons on the wing. With Patrik Laine, Jakub Voracek, Oliver Bjorkstrand, Gustav Nyquist, and a healthy Max Domi, generating offense shouldn't be a problem. The Jackets' advantage in talent and depth - especially up front - should tilt the ice significantly in their favor versus Arizona.The Coyotes possess some star power, but not nearly enough to make up for an appalling lack of depth. They're set to trot out Ryan Dzingel, Johan Larsson, and Loui Eriksson on the second line. The second! I'm not sure that's a fourth line on a competitive team.Arizona should be completely outclassed in this one. The Blue Jackets will almost certainly have their way on the shot clock, and with Carter Hutton (sub-.900 save percentage in consecutive years) in net for the Coyotes, I'm betting Columbus will make it count.Bet: Rangers/Stars under 6 goals (-121)The Rangers pulled a fast one on us last night, resting emerging star Igor Shesterkin in the team's season opener. That decision proved costly as Alexandar Georgiev struggled mightily in Washington, conceding five goals on 27 shots and just 1.92 expected goals.Gerard Gallant said he doesn't plan to announce his starters this season, but it's pretty apparent that Shesterkin will get the nod tonight. He's been one of the best goalies in the league since he entered the NHL and owns a .929 save percentage at five-on-five, which ties him with 2020-21 Vezina finalist Philipp Grubauer for eighth over that period.Unfortunately, the Dallas Stars are starting Braden Holtby instead of Anton Khudobin - who is second in five-on-five save percentage over the last two years - but this game still has the makings of a low-scoring affair.Despite the scoreline, New York didn't give up much defensively Wednesday night. The Rangers conceded fewer than two expected goals and allowed only five Grade A chances, even though they ran into penalty trouble. They tried to bottle things up. Playing in the latter half of a back-to-back, I doubt they'll loosen the screws and play fire-wagon hockey.Even if that is the Rangers' plan, it will be difficult to execute. Dallas is a very stingy defensive team. The Stars conceded fewer high-danger chances than any club but Colorado and Minnesota last season. With a healthier roster and Ryan Suter rounding out their top four, the Stars should be an excellent defensive side once again.I don't expect a ton of scoring opportunities in this one. If Holtby can hold up his end of the bargain, we should be in good shape.Todd Cordell is a sports betting writer at theScore. Be sure to follow him on Twitter @ToddCordell.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Alex Ovechkin is one step closer to making history.The Washington Capitals superstar took sole possession of fifth place on the NHL's all-time goals list, putting away his 732nd tally to surpass Marcel Dionne.

The Toronto Maple Leafs aren't as shorthanded as they could have been for their season opener against the Montreal Canadiens on Wednesday night.With Auston Matthews already sidelined, Mitch Marner drew into the contest after Maple Leafs head coach Sheldon Keefe labeled him a game-time decision Wednesday morning.Marner took part in line rushes during warmups, skating alongside Nick Ritchie and John Tavares on Toronto's top forward unit, according to TSN's Mark Masters. The Maple Leafs inserted him into the lineup just before puck drop.

Washington Capitals winger Tom Wilson isn't thinking about dropping the gloves against the New York Rangers when their season kicks off on Wednesday night.In fact, he's looking at the bigger picture."Having a big, physical first night with the Rangers isn't where we want to be this year," Wilson said Wednesday, according to The Athletic. "We have a lot of goals. I want to score goals. I want to be a leader. I want to take on more responsibility and get our team to the playoffs and hopefully more."The last two meetings between the Capitals and Rangers were tense. Wilson punched Pavel Buchnevich while he was down on the ice and rag-dolled a helmetless Artemi Panarin during a testy contest on May 3. When the squads squared off again two days later, then-Rangers defenseman Brendan Smith and Wilson got into a tussle.The Rangers made some additions this offseason to get tougher up front, mainly Ryan Reaves, who's available for tonight's clash after nursing a lower-body injury, and Barclay Goodrow."They got a lot of new faces, new personnel that I'm sure are going to try and make an impact on the game. ... If you ask them, this is a big rivalry now so we will expect that," Wilson added, according to Samantha Pell of The Washington Post.New Rangers head coach Gerard Gallant said in August that emotions won't "overtake" his team regardless of what Wilson has in store.NHL commissioner Gary Bettman is scheduled to be in attendance for the potentially heated matchup, according to The Athletic's Tarik El-Bashir.The game is set to begin at 7:30 p.m. ET in Washington.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Nashville Predators re-signed defenseman Mattias Ekholm to a four-year contract with an average annual value of $6.25 million, the team announced Wednesday.Ekholm was set to become a free agent at the conclusion of the season. The Predators were reportedly shopping him for the majority of last season but a deal never came to fruition. Instead, they shipped veteran blue-liner Ryan Ellis to the Philadelphia Flyers over the summer.Last season, Ekholm ranked third on the team in time ice (22:52), fourth in shots on goal (110), and fifth in blocked shots (46). He had six goals and 17 assists in 48 contests.The 31-year-old has spent his entire career with the Predators since making his NHL debut in 2011. He's collected 51 goals and 168 assists in 586 games.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.