Rosters for the upcoming 2022 Beijing Olympics continue to take shape, with half of the participating countries naming three players to their rosters.NHL players return to the Olympics for the first time since 2014. Each country was required to submit a list to the IIHF of three players who - provided they remain healthy - will be included on the final rosters.Here are the first three players of each team so far:CanadaConnor McDavid

Ottawa Senators head coach D.J. Smith announced Thursday that forward Colin White will undergo surgery to repair a dislocated shoulder and is expected to miss four-to-six months, according to Sportsnet's Kyle Bukauskas.White, 24, suffered the injury during a preseason game Monday after getting tangled up with Toronto Maple Leafs forward David Kampf.

The Ottawa Senators signed forward Tyler Ennis to a one-year contract worth $900,000, the team announced Thursday.Ennis participated in the Senators' training camp on a professional tryout agreement."Tyler has had a strong training camp," general manager Pierre Dorion said. "He's a highly skilled veteran whose leadership qualities should prove as valuable as they were here two seasons ago. He's capable of generating offense both at five-on-five and on the power play, and, with an ability to play both wing positions, he'll be a good addition for us at forward."Ennis, 32, appeared in 30 games with the Edmonton Oilers last season and collected nine points. He previously played with the Senators during the 2018-19 season, totaling 33 points in 61 contests.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

New York Rangers enforcer Ryan Reaves is day-to-day with a lower-body injury after colliding with P.K. Subban in the first period of Wednesday's exhibition contest versus the New Jersey Devils, Rangers head coach Gerard Gallant said postgame, according to NHL.com's Dan Rosen.Subban's skate clipped Reaves' leg as they went into the corner for a loose puck. Reaves, 34, fell awkwardly and couldn't put pressure on his left leg as he left the ice.

Los Angeles Kings forward Quinton Byfield is out indefinitely with a fractured ankle and has been placed on injured reserve, the team announced Wednesday.Byfield suffered the injury during an awkward collision in Tuesday's clash versus the Arizona Coyotes.

Montreal Canadiens goaltender Carey Price will miss the start of the regular season as he recovers from a non-COVID-19 illness, head coach Dominique Ducharme announced Wednesday, per Sportsnet's Eric Engels.The plan is to ease Price back into the lineup. The veteran goaltender isn't expected to practice with the team before Montreal's season opens Oct. 13.Price is also healing from offseason knee surgery. The 34-year-old was sidelined through the summer after having an operation on a torn meniscus.Jake Allen will assume Montreal's starting job with Price out.Price posted a .901 save percentage in 25 regular-season starts in 2020-21. He elevated his game significantly in the playoffs, registering a .924 clip in 22 contests as the Canadiens lost in the Stanley Cup Final.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Alex Ovechkin has won the Rocket Richard seven times over the last nine seasons, with the shortened 2021 campaign serving as one of the lone exceptions.Is there value in backing Ovechkin to reclaim his throne, or has his time passed?We'll examine that and more as we dive into our best bets.PLAYER ODDSAuston Matthews+350Leon Draisaitl+700Connor McDavid+750Alex Ovechkin+1000David Pastrnak+1200Alex DeBrincat+1700Kirill Kaprizov+1700Kyle Connor+1700Mika Zibanejad+1700Nathan MacKinnon+1700Brayden Point+2000Mikko Rantanen+2000Nikita Kucherov+2000Sebastian Aho+2000Aleksander Barkov+2500Brad Marchand+2500Jake Guentzel+2500Max Pacioretty+2500Patrick Kane+2500Nikolaj Ehlers+3000Steven Stamkos+3000Artemi Panarin+3500Bryan Rust+3500Elias Pettersson+3500Mark Scheifele+3500Patrice Bergeron+3500Sam Reinhart+3500Elias Lindholm+4000Gabriel Landeskog+4000John Tavares+4000Jonathan Huberdeau+4000Mark Stone+4000Sidney Crosby+4000Only displaying players with odds 40-1 or shorterAuston Matthews (+350)Matthews is the NHL's best goalscorer. He leads all players in tallies over the last three seasons and has netted 18 more than anybody at five-on-five since 2019.Goals count the same regardless of game state, of course, but it's important not to be one-dimensional. Matthews doesn't rely on power-play opportunities as heavily as others. He can score consistently without them, or when things aren't clicking on the man advantage. That helps separate Matthews from everyone else. And if Toronto's power play, which ranked 15th in goals per minute last season, gets better, it'll only raise Matthews' already high ceiling.His wrist shouldn't be a problem following offseason surgery, and we should expect a motivated Matthews after another excruciating playoff disappointment.Alex Ovechkin (+1000)I realize Ovechkin is getting up there in age and is no longer in his prime, but this line feels disrespectful to arguably the best goalscorer we've ever seen.The guy is 36, and yet only Matthews has scored more goals per game over the last two seasons. That's right: just one player was more efficient on a per-game basis than Ovi, while nobody generated more shot attempts.Despite his absurd track record of scoring goals, and his unrivaled shot volume, the odds imply Ovechkin has a 9% chance of leading the league in tallies. That feels very low, especially considering he's chasing Wayne Gretzky's scoring record. Ovechkin will be pushing for each and every tuck he can get.Sebastian Aho (+2000)If you want to go value hunting and back a bit of a wild card, Aho may be your guy.He's not necessarily someone you think of as an elite sniper, but he has the numbers to back it up. Only seven players have scored more times over the last two seasons.It's no coincidence that Aho has ranked so high. In fact, he was unlucky not to finish higher. Aho generated more expected goals than all but three players (Matthews, Leon Draisaitl, and Brady Tkachuk) during that time. Yes, he even finished ahead of Ovechkin.Goals usually come to those who are best at generating chances, and very few have matched Aho in that regard. If you think the best is still to come for the 24-year-old, there's value in backing him here.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 Arizona Coyotes announced Wednesday that they signed forward Alex Galchenyuk to a one-year contract.The deal is worth $750,000, reports TSN's Darren Dreger.Galchenyuk joined the Coyotes on a professional tryout in September. He spent last season split between the Ottawa Senators and Toronto Maple Leafs, managing 13 points over 34 games.The 27-year-old previously suited up for the Coyotes during the 2018-19 campaign. The Montreal Canadiens dealt him to the desert, and he was flipped to the Pittsburgh Penguins after one season.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Vegas Golden Knights have won the Pacific Division two out of the three years they've played in it.Might the newest expansion team, the Seattle Kraken, be the best bet to stop Vegas from doing it again?We'll get into that and more as we look at the best way to attack the Pacific Division futures market.TeamOdds to win divisionVegas Golden Knights-280Edmonton Oilers+550Seattle Kraken+1000Vancouver Canucks+1400Calgary Flames+1500L.A. Kings+1800San Jose Sharks+6000Anaheim Ducks+20000The favoritesWith implied odds of 73.7%, Vegas (-280) is a heavy favorite to win the Pacific. Rightfully so. They made the final four just a few months ago and by all accounts were a dominant team in the regular season. They won more games than anybody while only Colorado fared better in terms of five-on-five goal share. Outside of Marc-Andre Fleury, whose departure will sting, the Golden Knights' most notable "losses" were Tomas Nosek, Ryan Reaves, and Cody Glass, who was struggling to establish himself in the lineup. Almost the entire cast is returning, which means the Golden Knights are positioned nicely to win a poor division.The restI have a hard time believing the Oilers (+550) can give the Golden Knights a run for their money. Their top six are as potent as anyone's and they have a lethal power play, but the list of positives ends there. Defensive play is almost certainly going to be a problem. It wasn't a great group last season and they replaced Ethan Bear, a promising up-and-comer, and Adam Larsson, a stout in-zone defender, with Duncan Keith and Cody Ceci. The former is long past his best-before date and Ceci, simply put, is not very good. Put that weak blue line in front of questionable goaltending and it's a recipe for disaster. Yes, Mike Smith was good last season. His track record in recent years isn't, though, and the 39-year-old is a likely candidate to regress. Mikko Koskinen isn't capable of carrying the load if and when that happens. This team is going to have a hard time outscoring its problems, which is saying something considering the Oilers have two of the best players in the league up front.Seattle (+1000) is an attractive alternative to Vegas. People are down on them because they didn't have a flashy draft and left some talent on the table. I get it, but the pieces are still there to be solid. While the Kraken may be lacking high-end talent up front, Jordan Eberle, Jaden Schwartz, Jared McCann, and Yanni Gourde (who is ahead of schedule in his recovery), should help score enough to get by, especially considering the quality depth behind them. The Kraken also have the potential to be one of the best defensive sides in the NHL. Larsson, Mark Giordano, Jamie Oleksiak, and even Carson Soucy are all strong in-zone defenders. Vince Dunn is an underrated threat ready to explode with more opportunity. The pieces are all there to be a formidable group. The Kraken have a fantastic one-two punch in goal, too, with Philipp Grubauer and Chris Driedger. They might not play a sexy brand of hockey, but they have the potential to grind out a lot of wins in this division.I don't want anything to do with the Canucks (+1400) this season. Their forwards are solid, and I love Thatcher Demko in goal, but I just can't look past their defense core. It is, in a word, horrible. Oliver Ekman-Larsson is a shell of his former self. Tyler Myers is overpaid and overused. Tucker Poolman, Travis Hamonic, and Luke Schenn are a third pairing at best. It's Quinn Hughes, who does have shortcomings defensively, and a bunch of "blah." This team is going to be in tough to make the playoffs, let alone contend for a division title.Calgary (+1500) should be a more competitive side in its first full season under Darryl Sutter. They have a few stars on the roster to work with and a bunch of "Sutter guys" - none more so than Blake Coleman - who fit into the coach's play style. The Flames should also have strong goaltending with Jacob Markstrom and newcomer Daniel Vladar manning the crease. There's potential here.Los Angeles (+1800) is on the up. The Kings have a ton of quality prospects and made some nice moves this offseason to improve right now. They do have surprise potential in this division, but they're likely a year or two away from making some noise.The Sharks (+6000) are a disaster. Their roster is littered with declining, overpaid players who will be used in prominent roles. Given where they're at, they kind of have to accept defeat and suffer through a couple of poor seasons while they try and clear things out. This team will not be good.I have no idea what the Ducks (+20000) are doing. There's no plan with the team. It's a bad club - and has been bad for years - yet it's making almost no changes. They're not moving big-ticket players. They're not using veterans on expiring contracts to stockpile pieces for a rebuild. They're just keeping the band together, which is puzzling considering the lack of floor and ceiling this team has.Best value: Calgary Flames (+1500)This Flames team is interesting. Their top-six forwards, overall, are good at both ends of the ice. Mikael Backlund is an elite 3C. The defense core - led by the Chris Tanev and Noah Hanifin pairing, which was dominant last season - is competent, and they're in excellent shape in goal. They could grind out a lot of 2-1 and 3-2 wins. Vegas would need to be hit with the injury bug for Calgary to have a real shot but at +1500 the Flames are certainly worth consideration.Best bet: Seattle Kraken (+1000)I backed the Kraken to make the playoffs so I might as well sprinkle in some division futures. They should be a strong defensive side with excellent goaltending. If, like Vegas a few years ago, they can benefit from a couple of players popping with more opportunity coming their way, this team could surprise.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.

Ottawa Senators forward Brady Tkachuk isn't ready to commit to a long-term seven- or eight-year contract with the club, reports Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman.It's expected the league's salary cap should be much higher in a few years once the losses from the COVID-19 pandemic are recuperated. The rise would provide Tkachuk with more flexibility and possibilities on a long-term deal.Tkachuk is one of the final restricted free agents left to be signed in the NHL with the 2021-22 season less than a week away. Head coach D.J. Smith said on Tuesday he must prepare to start the season without his star forward.The Senators are in the midst of a complete rebuild and boast a considerable amount of youthful talent in the lineup. In September, general manager Pierre Dorion said the rebuild is complete and he feels it's time for the club to start winning again.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Additional access to Jack Eichel's medical file has once again sparked trade negotiations surrounding the Buffalo Sabres superstar, reports TSN's Darren Dreger.

Vincent Trocheck strides through the front door like he owns the place. He's inside the clubhouse at Old Chatham, a 400-acre private golf club lined with towering pine trees. Beyond the reception area and to his right, there's an extensive selection of scotch behind glass casing. To his left, a small library of leather-bound books and a cozy fireplace.A middle-aged man having lunch near the fireplace extends his hand to Trocheck and asks the Carolina Hurricanes forward how he's doing. He works in real estate here in the Raleigh-Durham area. Trocheck tells him he'll buy a home, no question, if he signs a long-term extension. Right now, in early September, with a season left on his deal, the Trocheck family is fine renting.Trocheck takes a seat one table over. While scarfing down a quesadilla, waffle fries, and a beer, he gushes over head coach Rod Brind'Amour's impact on his experience so far in Carolina. In fact, he says, he's never played for a better coach. Brind'Amour and Trocheck hooked up for a round of golf the other day. They talked a little business - including the recent addition of young forward and potential future linemate Jesperi Kotkaniemi - but mostly chatted about non-hockey matters.Trocheck takes a swing at the range John Matisz / theScoreTo Trocheck, Brind'Amour and the Hurricanes were just another rival and the laid-back Raleigh-Durham area was just another stopover as recently as 18 months ago. In the early going of trade deadline day last February, Florida Panthers general manager Dale Tallon called Trocheck to deliver the news that he'd been traded to Carolina for four lesser-known skaters. The GM and player met in the Panthers' Vegas hotel to discuss why Tallon had parted with the core piece. The conversation grew into a heart-to-heart."We talked more about life than the trade," Trocheck says. He's now on the Old Chatham driving range, whistling between swings. A few minutes ago, as Trocheck walked across the parking lot connecting the clubhouse and range, a few teammates chirped him from their vehicles, wondering where he'd been for the past 30 minutes.Trocheck, who, at the moment, is the only Hurricanes player with a membership at the club, hosted about a dozen of them for 18 holes and lunch but left the group to eat inside with a guest. It's abundantly clear by the way teammates interact with Trocheck that he's a cultural catalyst, a 5-foot-10, 183-pound bridge between up-and-comers and veterans.On the ice, Trocheck is a top-six center for a squad that, despite a polarizing offseason, believes it's on the cusp of something special. The 28-year-old has appeared in just 19 playoff games since breaking into the league in 2014. He needs more."Winning's been everything since Day 1," Trocheck says. "Since I was 3 years old."Around the Hurricanes organization, the names Tom, Don, and Rod are attached to every conversation relating to the on-ice product. There's no siloing between owner Tom Dundon, president and general manager Don Waddell, and Brind'Amour, the NHL's reigning coach of the year.Dundon is so heavily involved in the day-to-day activity that he's drawn comparisons to the Dallas Cowboys' Jerry Jones. Waddell holds the final vote on trades, signings, and draft picks and also presides over the business arms of the Hurricanes and PNC Arena. Brind'Amour is the rare coach who both chats one-on-one with ownership on a regular basis and serves as a consultant to the GM on personnel decisions.Brind'Amour running practice Icon Sportswire / Getty ImagesFor a moment in the spring, it looked as if the trio might be on the verge of becoming a duo. But, following months of negotiations, Dundon and Brind'Amour came to terms on a deal to keep the face of the franchise behind the bench for three more years. From there, the Hurricanes got after it, turning over nine spots on the 23-man roster."That part is not ideal. I'll be honest with you; I didn't want to make any changes," Brind'Amour says during a lengthy interview at the Hurricanes' practice facility. "Why would we? We had the (third)-best record in the NHL. We lost to Tampa. Tampa's the best team in the league. We're knocking on the door. Part of the reason why we had so much success last year is, if you go back to a year ago, we had one change. One player."In the next breath, Brind'Amour concedes that to expect little to no year-over-year changes would be foolish with the salary cap flattened by the pandemic. Key people are bound to move on, he says, referring to Dougie Hamilton, the Norris Trophy-caliber defenseman who, on the first day of free agency, inked a seven-year, $63-million contract with the New Jersey Devils.Free-agent signee Tony DeAngelo and trade acquisition Ethan Bear are tasked with filling the Hamilton-sized hole on the right side. Waddell believes Carolina's revamped blue line, which also features incumbents Jaccob Slavin, Brett Pesce, and Brady Skjei, and newcomers Ian Cole and Brendan Smith, should be better defensively in 2021-22. But, the GM admits Hamilton's offensive punch will be difficult to replace.If anybody is capable of moving the puck, joining the rush, or running a power play close to Hamilton's standards, it's DeAngelo. (He tied for fourth in points among NHL defensemen in 2019-20.) Conversely, if anybody is capable of disrupting a dressing room and dividing a fan base, it's DeAngelo. His past is checkered with incidents in which he harassed teammates and abused on-ice officials. The New York Rangers benched him for maturity issues and then, after a physical confrontation with a teammate, placed him on waivers for the purpose of buying out the remainder of his contract. On social media, DeAngelo has downplayed COVID-19's impact and fought with other users over hot-button political issues.The Hurricanes say signing DeAngelo to a one-year, $1-million contract wasn't an impulsive decision. They did their homework. Brind'Amour had multiple probing conversations with DeAngelo and the team interviewed numerous ex-teammates and coaches, including David Quinn, Jesper Fast, and Skjei, all formerly of the Rangers.DeAngelo with the Rangers in Jan. 2021 Kevin Hoffman / Getty ImagesAccording to Waddell, the main takeaway from the process was that DeAngelo has "learned his lesson" and is "remorseful" about his past. "He also knows that, hey, we have high standards here. I go to the contract. He's probably, what, a $4-million player? If we paid him $4 million, I couldn't say all of these things. We paid him $1 million. We said, 'Tony, you come in and prove to us. Forget about the playing side. That's going to take care of itself. But prove to us that you can be the person that this organization wants to move forward with. And if you do that, everything's going to work out fine.'"Brind'Amour brings up an anecdote involving his wife. "She just kind of looked at me and said, 'Well, if you don't give him a chance - he's admitted to (indiscretions), things he's not proud of - who's going to give him an opportunity? Are you just going to throw him out and be over at (25) years old?' Well, that doesn't make a lot of sense either. To have a willingness to let people change or show that they've changed seems kind of easy."Amazingly, DeAngelo wasn't the signing that attracted the most national attention during Carolina's hectic offseason. The late-August offer sheet to Kotkaniemi counts as the biggest splash, especially since Kotkaniemi's old team, the Montreal Canadiens, ultimately chose not to match the one-year, $6.1-million deal. (Mind you, the social media pettiness associated with the offer sheet - which we'll discuss later - certainly supercharged outside interest in the transaction.)The Hurricanes also traded their Calder Trophy finalist, goalie Alex Nedeljkovic, in late July, and then replaced him and his veteran partners with two goalies with recent injury issues, Frederik Andersen and Antti Raanta. That would normally be a spicy talking point coming into a season, but aside from the initial reactions to the additions and subtractions, the goaltending overhaul has largely flown under the radar. The DeAngelo and Kotkaniemi signings have commanded almost all of the oxygen.Carolina's offseason has left many observers puzzled. Some are skeptical or cynical, or a combination of both. For example, the Hurricanes garnered the No. 1 spot on one publication's league-wide list of "most bizarre offseasons"; finished first with a 9.6 (out of 10) rating on an offseason "bizarro-meter ranking"; and inspired a frank question, "Did the Hurricanes outsmart themselves?"Dundon, a Texas billionaire, became sole owner of the franchise this past June. He originally purchased a majority stake in the franchise in late 2017, which means the 2021-22 campaign will be Tom, Don, and Rod's fourth full season running the show. So far, the team has made the playoffs every year, winning four postseason series in total.While Waddell says the upcoming 82-game slog will be the proving ground, the GM is confident they've built the "most talented" roster of the young but eventful Dundon era.A day after his latest round at Old Chatham, Trocheck is sitting on a couch in his living room staring at the assembly instructions for a miniature hockey game. It's early afternoon and the work day - time in the gym and on the ice - has already wrapped.Within arm's reach are Lennon, 10 months and sporting a stained shirt, and Leo, an inquisitive 3-year-old obsessed with hockey. Leo asks if he can place sticker logos of both the Hurricanes and Panthers on the plastic game. Dad allows it. Romeo, an overly friendly Goldendoodle, and Porter, a docile Golden Retriever, trot around the humans.Trocheck multi-tasking at home John Matisz / theScoreThe Trocheck residence is simultaneously chaotic and quiet. This is life as a young dad."I love the friendship aspect of it," Trocheck says of fatherhood. "Leo's now my best friend. I can hang out with him." Of Lennon, he says she's "the most chill, happy baby on the planet." It's still a thrill for him to see her face light up when he comes home from the rink.Trocheck and his wife, Hillary, met roughly a decade ago in a high school economics class in Saginaw, Michigan. Trocheck, who was born and raised in Pittsburgh, moved to Detroit at 12 to play in a more competitive minor hockey loop. He then spent his entire junior career with Michigan-based OHL teams in Saginaw and Plymouth. It wasn't until he turned pro that he left the state, splitting his rookie season between AHL San Antonio and NHL Florida, which drafted him in the third round, 64th overall, in 2011.Trocheck, like every NHLer, will never forget his first big-league call-up in March 2014. Along with the delight of skating in the world's best league and sharing the ice with legends Roberto Luongo and Ed Jovanovski, he can vividly recall the presence of the late Jimmy Hayes; specifically, how Hayes, who was new to the team too, made him feel welcome."He was the first one to come knock on my door and ask me to go to dinner with the guys - like I had known him for 20 years," Trocheck says of Hayes, who died in August. (Trocheck was one of hundreds from the hockey community to attend Hayes' funeral in Boston.) "That always stuck out to me as something that made me feel more comfortable in my first few games," he adds. "It's tough for guys coming into the league. You're nervous, don't want to say too much, too little, and he made it a seamless transition."Hayes and Trocheck celebrate a goal Eliot J. Schechter / Getty ImagesTrocheck posted a solid 30 points in his first 70 NHL games. He leveled up in 2015-16, with 53 points in 76 contests, and has never looked back. He blossomed in Florida alongside franchise cornerstones Aleksander Barkov, Jonathan Huberdeau, and Aaron Ekblad. Team success was a problem, though, as the Panthers made the postseason only once during Trocheck's tenure. He played for five different head coaches in seven years.Despite the lack of success, Trocheck looks back fondly on his Florida days. He could have done without the injuries - chiefly the broken right fibula he suffered in 2018. Trocheck and an opponent had been battling for position when his leg pretzeled. His chilling screams filled the arena as play came to a halt and a stretcher arrived.At that exact moment, all Trocheck could think about was Alex Smith. The NFL quarterback had recently suffered such a severe injury, and doctors were considering amputating Smith's leg because of an infection. "I was just hoping it wasn't serious enough that I was going to be done for my career," Trocheck says. Luckily, tests showed he had no ligament or muscle damage. The surgeon inserted a plate and some screws. Otherwise, he would be alright.Trocheck faced another setback in 2019, cracking his left tibia blocking a shot. Somehow, he still suited up in 55 contests for the Panthers prior to the trade deadline, recovering fully only when the NHL went on its COVID-19 hiatus. There's more: In the 2020-21 playoffs, he suffered a Grade 2 MCL sprain in Game 2 of the Hurricanes' second-round meeting with the Tampa Bay Lightning. By Trocheck's estimation, he was at 30% health when he returned to the lineup for the fifth and final game of the series.Not requiring surgery on his knee, Trocheck rehabbed this summer and felt 100% prior to training camp. In camp, he's missed two practices due to a "middle-body" injury, though Brind'Amour has told reporters he should be all set for the season opener next Thursday. The center position was barely touched in the offseason, so his spot in the lineup is unchanged: Sebastian Aho remains the top guy, Trocheck is the 2C, Jordan Staal is 3C, and veteran Derek Stepan is the new 4C.Trocheck lines up for a face-off Mike Ehrmann / Getty ImagesWhat makes Trocheck so effective as a center is how he's able to blend a low center of gravity and elite strength with speed, offensive instincts, and a pesty streak. He possesses the toolbox of a finesse player and the mentality of a grinder. The first thought to pop into Staal's head when Carolina acquired Trocheck was how much he hated playing against him. "Those are the guys that you want on your team, right?" Staal says.Adds Brind'Amour: "The competitive nature of this group is really good and you have to have that. Troch is a ringleader in that. That's part of his deal."Trocheck, who is mellow off the ice, admits to being some kind of a pest on it."Sure, I like to get under people's skin," he says on his back patio, as Hillary handles childcare duties inside. "It's just my competitive nature. I can't really hold it back."The Philadelphia Flyers traded Brind'Amour to Carolina in 2000. It didn't take the future Hall of Famer long to spot the difference between a traditional and nontraditional market."I asked for directions to get to the arena here, and the people I asked didn't know what or where the arena was," Brind'Amour says. Over two-plus decades, though, he's watched the franchise - which arrived from Hartford in 1997 - come of age alongside the fan base. "Night and day would kind of be an understatement," he says.Brind'Amour breaks it down: In the early years, before the salary cap was implemented in 2005, the Hurricanes "were doing the best" they could. Great, committed people. However, ownership lacked financial might, so the player payroll was low, staffing budget was tight, and facilities were subpar. Internal expectations were relatively low. (With arena construction delayed, the team actually played its first two seasons in a minor-league rink located 80 miles west of Raleigh.) In 2001-02, the Hurricanes finally broke through on the ice, making the Stanley Cup Final. The powerhouse Detroit Red Wings - whose payroll was essentially twice as large - disposed of them in five games.The cap's introduction helped level the playing field with big-market teams for a while. Yet it became painfully obvious over time that teams spending to the upper limit would have a far greater chance of maintaining success than those who don't. According to CapFriendly, The Hurricanes were in the bottom three in cap spending for the three seasons before Dundon acquired controlling interest in the team from original owner Peter Karmanos.Dundon increased spending the past two seasons and is projected to hit the upper limit in 2021-22. "Now, all of a sudden ...," Brind'Amour says before snapping his fingers. "That, to me, is the biggest thing. People talk about all of (these other factors), but at the end of the day, you've got to have the players. That's it. If you don't, you have no chance."Dundon fires up the storm siren in 2018 Gregg Forwerck / Getty ImagesDundon, a hockey outsider who made his money in subprime automobile lending, has brought a fresh outlook to the boardroom. North Carolina is a college basketball state. The ACC schools - Duke, North Carolina, NC State, and Wake Forest - dominate the sports landscape, and the Hurricanes won't change that anytime soon. What they can do is appeal to fans by developing a brand that prioritizes entertainment."We're in a market that we feel like we have to continue to sell the game. Not just on the ice, we have to sell it off the ice," Waddell says during a sit-down at PNC Arena. "We've put a lot of effort into and really ramped up our social team a few years ago."Ah, yes, social media. The Storm Surge celebration doesn't become a phenomenon in 2018-19 without it going viral. The "Bunch of Jerks" nickname (and merchandise jackpot) doesn't persist if the Hurricanes don't embrace grumpy Don Cherry's commentary about the player-led Storm Surge. The David Ayres story of 2019-20 - remember him, the cuddly emergency backup goalie in Toronto? - isn't part of the NHL news cycle for a week straight if Carolina doesn't take full advantage of the moment.This offseason, the Hurricanes doubled down in the wake of the Kotkaniemi acquisition. The offer sheet was partly revenge for the Canadiens presenting an offer sheet to Aho two years ago, so, of course, there was a cheeky $20 signing bonus baked into Kotkamiemi's deal, a reference to Aho's jersey number. There was also a "people don't forget" tweet; reverse Uno card tweet; matching press release quote; and French-language signing announcement. It was obnoxiously passive-aggressive, and Dundon signed off on all of it. "There's a lot of decisions we can make and move on," Waddell says of Dundon chiming in. "Something this big, everybody was involved."Two days before the Kotkaniemi offer sheet was tabled, the team announced an eight-year extension for star forward Andrei Svechnikov. Fans apparently responded positively to all of the buzz, with a team spokesman confirming 2021-22 will be the Hurricanes' best year for season-ticket sales since 2007. (Carolina won its only Cup in 2006.)Stormy, the Hurricanes' mascot Brian Babineau / Getty ImagesBrind'Amour, the captain of the '06 team, is one of the organization's prized assets. At the rink, he is the tone-setter not only with respect to Xs and Os, but also culture building and work ethic. (Famously, the 51-year-old stays in game shape, continuing to keep his "Rod the Bod" nickname relevant.) He seems to be universally adored by his players, too. "I wouldn't say there's been a lot of times where a coach has been make-or-break for a team I've played on," Trocheck says. "But I think Roddy really puts us over the edge."A part of the appeal with Brind'Amour is that he's refreshingly authentic. There's absolutely no fluff. A multimillionaire several times over from his playing days, he drives an old GMC Sierra truck. And he'll drill cliches into his players' brains not because he feels that's what a coach should be doing, but because he really does swear by phrases like "Earn it" and "Win the day 1-0." Both are displayed prominently inside the team's practice facility."We were always an OK team, a good team, and we're now moving towards being the best," says Staal, a Hurricane since 2012. "That's the bar that we've raised here."Trocheck is big on family. The black ink on his left arm is permanent proof.Among a full sleeve of intricate tattoos are number sets for his parents' birthdates; music notes for his dad's saxophone- and piano-playing skills; haircut shears for the multiple hairdressers in his extended family; and grapevines for his Italian heritage.Lennon, Vince, Hillary, and Leo Trocheck John Matisz / theScoreThe Hurricanes view themselves as a family, which helps explain, at least in part, why Trocheck has meshed so well. He's a dressing room DJ. He's slowly making a name for himself as a legitimately good singer on the karaoke mic. And over the past month, he's brokered club memberships between five eager teammates and Old Chatham.Every player on Carolina's roster and staff is fully vaccinated, so the fast-approaching season should be as normal as possible in terms of being able to bond on the road. These interactions pay dividends, Trocheck says. One example: The 2015-16 Panthers' 12-game winning streak followed a trip to New York City and the annual rookie party. "Things like that, it brings people together," he says. "You get close with the guys. If it's not the same team that it was the year prior, those are times you get to know everybody, really."The new-look Hurricanes will have plenty of mingling to do on and off the ice. They must come together in short order, too, with the Metropolitan Division boasting five other strong but imperfect teams in the New York Islanders, Washington Capitals, Pittsburgh Penguins, New York Rangers, and Flyers. Carolina possesses one of the NHL's deepest forward groups and a formidable defense corps, even without Hamilton. The fate of the Hurricanes' season may rest on the shoulders of a high-risk, high-reward goalie tandem.Trocheck, who's coming off an excellent season in which he tied his career high in points per game, has been lining up alongside Kotkaniemi and Teuvo Teravainen in preseason action. The trio might not stay together - preseason is for experimenting - yet Trocheck will nonetheless receive top-six minutes at even strength and a starring role on the power play. The pending free agent has an outside chance of making Team USA for the Beijing Olympics, as well."We're going to sit down at some point here and talk to (his representative) about a long-term deal," Waddell says. "He's a piece that, for multiple reasons, we'd like to keep around."Trocheck loves it in North Carolina. He says the contract is not on his mind on the eve of the season, but he would consider signing long term. You can bet his coach is on board."He fits with what we expect out of a Carolina Hurricane," Brind'Amour says.John Matisz is theScore's senior NHL writer.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Every new NHL season brings numerous question marks, and there are more than usual heading into 2021-22.The league returns to an 82-game schedule after each team played 26 fewer contests in 2021, and after the 2019-20 regular season was cut short before those playoffs took place in bubbles.Additionally, the Seattle Kraken embark on their inaugural campaign. Many wondered whether they'd take the NHL by storm as the Golden Knights did in 2017-18, but that appears unlikely with opposing organizations better prepared for the 2021 expansion draft and that now-perennially elite Vegas team in the same division.Here are five significant questions as the upcoming campaign draws near:Can the Lightning pull off a 3-peat? Scott Iskowitz / National Hockey League / GettyThe Tampa Bay Lightning accomplished an impressive feat with their second consecutive Stanley Cup championship in July, but it's not going to be easy to win a third straight. The last time an NHL team won the Cup three times in a row was nearly four decades ago when the New York Islanders prevailed in four straight years from 1980 to 1983.It's also much harder to do it in the salary cap era. The Lightning lost Blake Coleman, Yanni Gourde, David Savard, and Tyler Johnson this offseason, and they added Corey Perry, Pierre-Edouard Bellemare, and Zach Bogosian, among others.However, if any team can do it, it's this powerhouse Tampa Bay squad. Nikita Kucherov, Victor Hedman, Andrei Vasilevskiy, Brayden Point, and Steven Stamkos lead a dominant core full of all-world talent that remains intact, and the club's depth is still solid enough to ensure another Cup run.How will the Eichel saga end? Patrick McDermott / National Hockey League / GettyFew expected Jack Eichel to still be with the Buffalo Sabres at this point. With the regular season about a week away, we'll see how the drama finally concludes after everything that's transpired.It seemed the Sabres would move Eichel during the offseason, but that didn't come to fruition, presumably because other teams felt Buffalo's asking price was too high considering the risks. The internal rift between the center's camp and the club over the type of surgery he ultimately undergoes is further complicating a resolution, as well.The Sabres stripped Eichel of his captaincy after he failed his physical at training camp, and the soon-to-be 25-year-old is now on injured reserve. That doesn't mean he'll never play for Buffalo again, but it's hard to imagine the 2015 second overall pick remaining with the team long term. However, he'll need to demonstrate he's healthy before another organization parts with assets to land him, and there's no telling when or if that'll happen, so this situation may not be settled for a while.What will McDavid do for an encore? Francois Lacasse / National Hockey League / GettyConnor McDavid's 2021 season was one for the ages, so what does he have in store for the upcoming campaign? The Edmonton Oilers superstar racked up an unbelievable league-best 105 points while playing in all 56 games. His 72 assists were 19 more than the next-closest player's - his teammate, Leon Draisaitl - and his point total topped Draisaitl's for first by 21.McDavid became only the second player ever - the other being Wayne Gretzky in 1981-82 - to win the Hart Trophy unanimously. And he may match, or even exceed, that performance if offseason signing Zach Hyman's puck-retrieval skills give McDavid more opportunities than he's had previously.The Edmonton captain is already entering his seventh season, but he's still only 24 years old. The fact that McDavid has already achieved so much personal success and hasn't even entered his prime yet is a scary thought for opponents and their fans, but it's exciting for the game as a whole.Can the Maple Leafs finally win a playoff round? Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / GettyThe Toronto Maple Leafs' repeated playoff failures have become a source of amusement for opposing fans, especially considering how much the club pays its top four forwards. But the team's postseason struggles are no laughing matter in Toronto, where the pressure to win is among the highest of any market.The Maple Leafs have failed to make it out of the first round in four of the last five years and didn't even reach that stage in the other, losing in the qualifying round in 2020. They had an easier road last season thanks to the NHL's temporary divisional realignment, but the Montreal Canadiens rallied to eliminate them in seven games. Toronto's offseason was underwhelming, and now the Maple Leafs are back in the loaded Atlantic Division with the two-time defending Stanley Cup champions, among other perennially competitive adversaries.Toronto is clearly a talented team and has been for a handful of years, but it needs to end its string of premature exits to avoid a potential major shakeup. The Maple Leafs certainly can win a first-round series in 2021-22 to silence the criticism, but the subject will loom over them until the day they do it.How will COVID-19 affect the NHL over a full season? Bruce Bennett / Getty Images Sport / GettyThe NHL is bringing back the usual schedule, but COVID-19 is still prevalent in many parts of North America. So how will the league handle a complete regular-season slate amid those conditions?Very few NHL personnel tested positive to begin the last campaign, but numerous players, coaches, and executives contracted the virus as 2021 progressed, even with an increased vaccination rate toward season's end. More importantly, many arenas relaxed capacity restrictions despite the continuing spread.Nearly all NHL players are vaccinated heading into this season, which is definitely encouraging. The league's new COVID-19 protocols also appear prudent, as they limit what unvaccinated players can do while allowing teams to discipline them. But even with most personnel fully vaccinated in 2021-22, it could still be a challenge to keep team members and fans safe over an eight-month season.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Toronto Maple Leafs have released forward Nikita Gusev from his professional tryout, while Josh Ho-Sang has converted his opportunity into an AHL contract with the Toronto Marlies, the team announced Tuesday.Gusev joined the Leafs for training camp after spending last season with the Florida Panthers and New Jersey Devils, managing 10 points in 31 games between the two clubs.Ho-Sang will report to the Marlies, but signing an AHL deal exempts him from waivers for the time being. If the Leafs want to call him up, they can ink him to an NHL contract.The 25-year-old former first-round pick played in the Swedish Hockey League last campaign after the New York Islanders waived him.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Vegas Golden Knights goaltender Robin Lehner held a press conference Tuesday to explain why he took to Twitter to call out the league over various issues this past weekend.Lehner scolded the NHLPA online for its mishandling of the Jack Eichel situation and then went after Philadelphia Flyers head coach Alain Vigneault, claiming the veteran bench boss has a history of mistreating his players."The last 72 hours have been incredibly difficult, but also incredibly valuable to me, to my career, to my life goals," Lehner said."I had a great talk with the NHL and the NHLPA over the last day. I'm excited for the potential change that can be made to protect the younger generation. This is something I've been advocating for for years, and I'm encouraged about the approach they want to take."Lehner has long been outspoken about the value of mental health. He says his online exploits were a last resort to finally break down barriers and start making changes. Lehner added all future discussions between him and the league will occur behind closed doors."I'm always going to advocate for mental health, and advocate for this league," Lehner said."But moving forward, I'm looking to help in a more private matter. This weekend was a cry for help from this league, the league I love that has given me so much. But I'm just looking to protect the younger players. The only way to affect change, in my mind, is to do it in a non-public fashion."Lehner was also adamant he didn't stir the pot online for attention."I'm not comfortable with this. I did it anyway," Lehner said. "I'm not comfortable doing any of this. It's extremely hard, especially, again, not to hide behind anything as a proud bipolar person. It's not easy, with a storm like this, and people think I just seek attention and stuff like that. I really don't. I really don't like it, it's not easy for me mentally. But I don't think I have to do that anymore."Lehner, 30, is entering his 12th NHL campaign.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The NHL's investigation into Evander Kane's violation of COVID-19 protocols is based around the San Jose Sharks forward allegedly using a fake vaccination card, according to reports that Front Office Sports first published.Kane was cleared in a gambling investigation in September, but the NHL subsequently announced it would be looking into two separate allegations against the veteran winger."Both allege potential wrongdoing by Mr. Kane, one involving serious accusations relating to his past behavior toward Ms. Kane and the other involving allegations of inappropriate behavior potentially jeopardizing the health and safety of club members," the league said at the time.Fake vaccine cards are illegal in both the U.S. and Canada. The NHL hasn't outlined specific punishments for COVID-19 violations, but league rules state that if teams and players don't comply with protocols, sanctions can include forfeiture of games, fines, reimbursements of expenses, and loss of draft choices.Kane is under contract with the Sharks through 2024-25. The team previously announced he won't participate in club activities while under investigation.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

It appears Phil Kessel is a prime candidate to be traded during the 2021-22 season."Kessel is in the final year of his contract with the Arizona Coyotes. We also know that (general manager) Bill Armstrong and the Coyotes have defined the direction that they're going in, and that will not include Phil Kessel," TSN's Darren Dreger said on Tuesday's edition of "Insider Trading.""He wants a fresh start, he wants to earn a new contract somewhere in the National Hockey League," Dreger continued. "He's got some no-trade protection, he wants to go to a competitive, if not a contending team, if you will."He's got the big cap hit, but the salary is only $1 million. So if you have an injury, or team that's struggling offensively, he could be a fit later in the season."Kessel is entering the final campaign of an eight-year, $64-million contract signed with the Toronto Maple Leafs in 2013. The Coyotes, meanwhile, parted with several significant assets this past summer while beginning a full-scale rebuild.Arizona acquired Kessel from the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2019. There's a list of eight teams he'd accept a trade to in his contract, according to Cap Friendly.The 34-year-old registered 20 goals and 23 assists over 56 contests last season while averaging 17 minutes per game. His active Ironman streak of 900 consecutive games is the fifth-longest in NHL history. However, the impressive feat could be in jeopardy because he's been sidelined with a foot injury during training camp.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Just one team - the Nashville Predators in 2017-18 and 2018-19 - has won the Central Division in consecutive seasons over the last 12 years. The parity has been unrivaled.While the Colorado Avalanche are likely to buck that trend, there isn't much value in backing them to do so.Today, we'll be exploring the best way to attack the Central Division futures market.TeamOdds to winColorado Avalanche-340Dallas Stars+800Minnesota Wild+800St. Louis Blues+1500Winnipeg Jets+1500Chicago Blackhawks+2200Nashville Predators+6000Arizona Coyotes+10000The favoritesThe Avalanche (-340) have the shortest odds of any team in the NHL to win their division. Understandably so.There is no Achilles heel with this team. Offensively, they're as good as anyone. Nathan MacKinnon, Mikko Rantanen, and Gabriel Landeskog spearhead the attack - at even strength and on the power play - and there's no shortage of quality depth behind them.Defensively, they're much more stout than they get credit for. Everyone knows about the production Cale Makar, Sam Girard, and Co. bring to the table. But their defense core can also defend with the best of them. The Avalanche actually allowed expected goals at a lesser rate than every team in the NHL at five-on-five. They really don't give up much.When they do, they figure to be in good hands with Darcy Kuemper and a healthy Pavel Francouz. Each netminder owns a .925 save percentage at five-on-five over the last three years which, for perspective, puts them on par with annual Vezina candidate Connor Hellebuyck (.924 save percentage).Unless this team suffers a multitude of injuries, they're winning the Central.The restThe Dallas Stars (+800) figure to be a strong team this season. They finished third in expected goals share a year ago despite an overwhelming amount of injuries. With better health and the addition of Ryan Suter to stabilize the top four on defense, they should win a lot of games. Enough to make the Avs sweat? Probably not.The Minnesota Wild (+800) are likely to take at least a small step back. The Wild shot the lights out in 2021, leading the league in five-on-five shooting percentage and benefiting from the highest PDO (shooting percentage plus save percentage) in the NHL. They have talent on the roster, but probably not enough to sustain those kinds of numbers. Replacing Suter with Alex Goligoski is a step in the wrong direction, and the team's stable of high-end prospects probably needs at least another year before making an impact.The St. Louis Blues (+1500) don't strike me as a team with a chance of knocking off the Avalanche. Only the Detroit Red Wings generated expected goals at a lesser rate than St. Louis last season. The Blues did their best to rectify that, bringing in the likes of Brandon Saad and Pavel Buchnevich to round out the top six. I don't know if Craig Berube is the coach to get the most out of those guys, though, and it's anyone's guess how much longer Vladimir Tarasenko sticks around. Their defense isn't as good as it gets credit for, either. On paper it looks fine, but they ranked 18th in expected goals against per 60 and 20th in high-danger chances against last season, and have no real upgrades. The only notable difference is they lost Vince Dunn to the Seattle Kraken.The Winnipeg Jets (+1500) are an interesting side to consider. They have a potent offense and one of the league's best netminders. What's largely held them back in recent years is their blue line, which should be much better in 2021-22. Brenden Dillon is a rock-solid defensive defender and Nate Schmidt is only a year removed from playing at a borderline top-pairing level. They're not world-beaters, but they're quality pieces that significantly upgrade the top four.The Chicago Blackhawks (+2500) are a better team than a year ago but the hill is much too large to climb. They're overrated on the betting market, as I recently explained. They just don't have much scoring depth and their overall team defense is not where it needs to be to compete in such a strong division.Nashville (+6000) was only able to sneak into the playoffs last season despite all-world goaltending from Juuse Saros. There isn't much reason to believe they'll be better this year, especially with the departure of Ryan Ellis.You don't need me to tell you the Arizona Coyotes (+10000) are a complete write-off. They lack high-end talent, depth, and their goaltending tandem might be the league's worst. Let's call a spade a spade. It's tank season for Arizona.Best bet: Winnipeg Jets (+1500)Let me preface this by saying, again, I fully expect the Avalanche to win the division. It would take an alarming string of injuries, suspensions, or unforeseen circumstances to prevent that from happening. But with the odds implying a 77.8% chance of winning the Central, there simply isn't much value.That's why I'm going with the Jets. Led by Mark Scheifele, Kyle Connor, and Nik Ehlers, we know the offense is formidable. The Jets are also in great hands with Hellebuyck routinely stealing games in net. If the defense is better, as it should be, they have arguably the highest ceiling in the division outside of Colorado.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.

Every hockey player develops at their own pace. Some are instant stars in the NHL, while others take longer to find their footing. Below, we look at five players primed for breakout seasons who could provide immense value relative to their fantasy draft slot.Eeli Tolvanen, LW/RW, Predators Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / GettyIt's taken Tolvanen longer to establish himself in the NHL than many expected after he set the KHL record for goals by a teenager in 2017-18. He didn't produce out-of-this-world numbers in the AHL in subsequent seasons, but he finally arrived in 2020-21, tallying 11 goals and 11 assists in 40 games for the Predators during his rookie campaign last season.Tolvanen, 22, especially caught fire down the stretch, recording 13 points in his final 18 contests, which has him trending in the right direction entering 2021-22.The Preds are entering a transition stage, having sold off assets such as Viktor Arvidsson in the offseason. That opens the door for Tolvanen to grab a top-six role and run with it. He currently projects to be on the team's second line and top power-play unit, putting him in a strong position to log more than the 14:48 per game he did a season ago.Tolvanen also offers substantial upside in leagues that reward hits, as he averaged nearly two per game last season.Jared McCann, C/LW, Kraken Abbie Parr / Getty Images Sport / GettyMcCann is set for a huge breakout season, largely thanks to his new surroundings in Seattle. The 25-year-old has spent most of his career as a secondary player, but with the Kraken, he's projected to center the team's top line alongside Jaden Schwartz and Jordan Eberle and play the left flank on the top power-play unit.Last year with the Pittsburgh Penguins, McCann recorded 14 goals and 18 assists in 43 games while averaging 14:07 per contest. A career-high 15.1 shooting percentage helped his personal-best season, and while that figure may not be sustainable, playing four-plus more minutes per night should more than make up for it.Sam Bennett, C/LW, Panthers Joel Auerbach / Getty Images Sport / GettyNo player benefited from a change of scenery last year more than Bennett did. After struggling to carve out a consistent top-nine role for himself in six seasons with the Calgary Flames, the 25-year-old hit his stride after being dealt to the Panthers, racking up 15 points in 10 games while averaging 18:04 with his new club down the stretch. He also added a goal and four assists in five playoff contests.Yes, it was a small sample size with his new team, but it provided a glimpse of what the former fourth overall pick is capable of over 82 games. Bennett is firmly entrenched as Florida's No. 2 center behind Aleksander Barkov, but he'll get the benefit of playing on a line with an elite playmaker in Jonathan Huberdeau and skating on the team's No. 1 power-play unit.Bennett also averaged over two hits per game last season and nearly three per contest after he got dealt to the Panthers, giving him added value in leagues that reward such stats.Rasmus Dahlin, D, Sabres Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / GettyDahlin appeared bound for stardom after his rookie 2018-19 campaign, in which he recorded the second-most points ever (44) for an 18-year-old defenseman. He followed that up with another strong season, but 2020-21 was a disaster for both him and the team on multiple fronts.Ralph Krueger's ultra-safe system proved to be ineffective and also counterproductive to the development of the team's young players. Dahlin seemed restricted and unsure of himself in his first 28 games. After Don Granato took over for the final 28 contests, Dahlin started to play with more confidence.The difference didn't show up in his basic counting stats, but it did in the underlying numbers. Under Granato, Dahlin's expected goals share increased by 4% and his individual expected goals per 60 minutes doubled, per Natural Stat Trick.The team around him isn't great, but with Granato back as full-time head coach, look for the uber-talented Dahlin to take a massive leap in his development.Miro Heiskanen, D, Stars Glenn James / National Hockey League / GettyHeiskanen is already an elite defenseman at age 22. However, he hasn't quite fulfilled his offensive potential, as he's played at around a 40-point pace in each of the last two seasons. The 2017 third overall pick is capable of much more, though.Banking on a breakout campaign from Heiskanen is simply just betting on his abilities. He's one of the most talented skaters in the entire league, and he possesses exceptional intelligence, vision, and puck skills to go with it. It's only a matter of time before he grows offensively and produces in the 50-to-60-point range. Don't be surprised if it's this season.Josh Wegman has been theScore's resident fantasy hockey expert since 2015. Find him on Twitter @JoshWegman_.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Edmonton Oilers star Connor McDavid wasn't happy with the officiating in Monday night's 4-3 preseason win over the Calgary Flames.The play that irked McDavid happened in the third period as he was cutting toward the net before the game-tying goal. Flames defenseman Chris Tanev tripped McDavid up which caused him to crash into Calgary netminder Jacob Markstrom.

The Ottawa Senators are getting ready to begin the 2021-22 season without Brady Tkachuk.Head coach D.J. Smith said Tuesday that he is preparing to start the campaign without the star forward, according to Postmedia's Bruce Garrioch, as Tkachuk remains without a new contract.The 22-year-old restricted free agent has yet to strike a new deal or report to training camp. The Senators' season begins Oct. 14.It was reported in September that the two sides were progressing toward an agreement on a long-term pact. Tkachuk is one of the final restricted free agents who doesn't have a new contract after the Vancouver Canucks inked Elias Pettersson and Quinn Hughes last week.The Senators drafted Tkachuk fourth overall in 2018, and he quickly turned into one of the team's biggest stars alongside Thomas Chabot and Tim Stutzle. He scored 17 goals last season and led the team with 36 points.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

This past NHL offseason truly had it all - a successful offer sheet, an expansion draft, several blockbuster trades, and hundreds of millions of dollars in cash doled out in shiny new contracts for players across the league.Keeping up with the wide variety of storylines was an exhausting and chaotic task at times. As we wait to see how it all pans out this coming year, let's reflect on some moves that still have us scratching our heads.5. Oilers splurge for Keith Chase Agnello-Dean / National Hockey League / GettyThe Edmonton Oilers entered the offseason with a solid chunk of cap space but immediately handcuffed themselves by acquiring Duncan Keith. The Oilers brought in the 38-year-old future Hall of Fame defenseman in exchange for Caleb Jones and a conditional pick in 2022. While the cost wasn't outrageous, it made little sense for Edmonton to take on Keith's entire $5.538-million cap hit and full no-movement clause for the next two seasons.Keith's legacy is undeniable. Three Stanley Cups, two Olympic gold medals, two Norris trophies, and a Conn Smythe make him one of the greats of his generation. But he's been an ineffective defender for years now. Keith hasn't posted a positive expected goals rate at five-on-five since 2015-16 and has been below 50% in shot share in each of the last three seasons.There's no question the Oilers needed to add a blue-liner this summer. However, targeting Keith doesn't solve any of their defensive problems, especially considering Adam Larsson joined Seattle and Cody Ceci and Tyson Barrie - the club's only other signings on the back end - are prone to surrendering a ton of chances.4. Flyers add Ristolainen Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / GettyThe Philadelphia Flyers were one of the league's busiest teams this offseason, setting out to make significant changes after a disappointing 2020-21 campaign in which they missed the playoffs. Some of the club's moves should genuinely help the cause, while others, like trading a first-round pick for Rasmus Ristolainen, are less likely to do so.Ristolainen has been one of the NHL's worst defenders by almost every metric for years. Here's a peek at his overall impact over the past three seasons. In the chart below, red is bad. Evolving-Hockey.comIt's difficult to excel when playing for a Buffalo Sabres team constantly spinning their tires in a seemingly never-ending rebuild, but Ristolainen has a big enough sample size under his belt to indicate that he likely won't change at this point in his career.Philadelphia's decision to pay such a high price for Ristolainen looks worse when you consider he's an unrestricted free agent next summer. Trading Shayne Gostisbehere for literally nothing to accommodate Ristolainen's $5.4-million cap hit only adds to the mystery of what general manager Chuck Fletcher envisions for his defensive corps this season.3. Hurricanes send Nedeljkovic to Red Wings Gregg Forwerck / National Hockey League / GettyIt feels like only yesterday the Carolina Hurricanes had their future in goal stabilized by a young netminder up for the Calder Trophy. Then they traded him for peanuts.Alex Nedeljkovic took over No. 1 netminding duties for the Canes last year and led the NHL in save percentage (.932) and goals-against average (1.90) while shining in several underlying metrics. With incumbents Petr Mrazek and James Reimer set for unrestricted free agency, it seemed like the perfect time for Carolina to commit to Nedeljkovic, who was a restricted free agent himself.Instead, the Hurricanes traded Nedeljkovic to the Detroit Red Wings for Jonathan Bernier's signing rights and a third-round pick. Carolina let Bernier walk and then committed $6.5 million for the next two seasons to an uncertain veteran tandem in Frederik Andersen and Antti Raanta. Meanwhile, Detroit locked up Nedeljkovic to a modest two-year, $6-million contract.That's a price the Hurricanes could afford, but perhaps they weren't ready to commit to a goalie with only 29 NHL appearances. After all, Carolina's front office is privy to much more information than we are, but on the surface, this trade was curious at best and one that could backfire immensely at worst.2. Golden Knights dump Fleury Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / GettyFrom a hockey ops perspective, the Vegas Golden Knights can't afford to pay their goalie tandem $12 million if they want to compete for Stanley Cups perennially. As the older, more expensive, closer-to-free-agency option, it made sense for the Golden Knights to trade Marc-Andre Fleury.From a personal perspective, the heartless way Vegas cut ties with the face of its franchise is puzzling. Fleury had been the Golden Knights' heart and soul since being selected in the expansion draft. He was a fan favorite from the get-go and played an enormous role in the club's immediate success. Despite the future Hall of Famer's popularity and stature within the organization, Fleury was left in the dark about the stunning move and found out he'd been traded over Twitter.Making matters more bizarre, Vegas dumped Fleury for Mikael Hakkarainen, a 23-year-old fifth-round pick of the Chicago Blackhawks who's bounced between the ECHL and AHL since 2019.Fleury's tenure in Vegas always felt like an unlikely fairytale. He revived his career, backboned the most successful expansion franchise in league history, won a Vezina Trophy, and became a household name in a hockey market many believed was destined for failure. For it to end in such an ugly fashion was the final chapter no one saw coming.1. Eichel, Sabres in limbo Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / GettyAt the outset of the offseason, the narrative surrounding a Jack Eichel trade was a matter of when and not if. It was supposed to be the story of the year - a young, disgruntled superstar dealt in the prime of his career for a king's ransom. Now just days away from the start of the 2021-22 season, it still hasn't happened.The team and player remain at odds about the best course of action for Eichel's ailing neck. Amid the stalemate, Eichel has fired and replaced his agent, been stripped of his captaincy, and had former teammates, as well as commissioner Gary Bettman, publicly address the dubious twists and turns this saga has taken.What was once a gigantic storyline for hockey fans to look forward to has now evolved into an unprecedented game of chicken that neither side will benefit from any time soon. How can the Sabres establish fair value in a trade at this point? When can we reasonably expect Eichel to retake the ice? What is his quality of life like as he awaits significant neck surgery?How and when this all gets resolved remains a mystery.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

There are many different philosophies when it comes to drafting goaltending in fantasy, but, ultimately, teams usually only go as far as their netminders take them.A number of goaltenders should, obviously, be targeted at the top of your drafts, including Andrei Vasilevskiy, Connor Hellebuyck, and Robin Lehner. For that reason, we'll focus on shot-stoppers who aren't necessarily ranked among the top but could provide considerable value.TargetJuuse Saros, Nashville Predators John Russell / National Hockey League / GettySaros is currently going off the board as the 10th goalie in Yahoo drafts, which is a great value spot for a Vezina-caliber goaltender who will get the bulk of the starts with the Predators.Nashville rewarded the 26-year-old with a four-year, $20-million contract over the summer after he put together his best season in his first campaign as the clear-cut No. 1 starter. He ranked first among goalies with a dazzling 24.64 goals saved above average at five-on-five and fourth with a .868 high-danger save percentage.Wins might be harder to come by this year as Nashville took a bit of a step back during the offseason with the departures of some key players. However, Saros' peripheral stats should remain stellar as the team still has some rock-solid defensemen playing in front of him.Carter Hart, Philadelphia Flyers Tim Nwachukwu / Getty Images Sport / GettyHart had an absolutely miserable campaign last year with the Flyers after an impressive first two NHL campaigns. Despite putting up a grotesque .877 save percentage and 3.67 goals-against average, head coach Alain Vigneault repeatedly confirmed his belief in the young goalie's ability to bounce back.It seems many people forget that Hart was just 22 years old last season, which is extremely young for a starting NHL goalie. His talent is clear, and his down year could have easily just been the result of a shortened campaign marred with COVID-19 rules and restrictions.Hart's currently going as the 26th goalie off the board, and that's a pick that could ultimately win you your pool if he bounces back. The Flyers brought in Martin Jones to serve as backup, which shouldn't be too threatening to Hart's workload. With a massive chip on his shoulder, bank on the youngster to rebound and re-emerge as of the league's better goalies.Cal Petersen, Los Angeles Kings Andrew D. Bernstein / National Hockey League / GettyThe Jonathan Quick era in L.A. is all but over despite him still having two years left on his deal with the Kings. Petersen assumed the starting role last season and performed quite well for a young goalie in his first year manning the crease, posting a .911 save percentage in 35 appearances.Petersen is going extremely low in drafts for seemingly no good reason. He's being selected as the 46th goalie in Yahoo drafts and could easily post great stats, as he'll likely get the majority of starts in Los Angeles. Last year, he ranked 12th in the NHL with 5.28 goals saved above expected at even strength, according to Evolving Hockey.The Kings are dark horses this year playing in arguably the NHL's weakest division. Their defensive game should drastically improve with the addition of Philip Danault, and the arrival of Alex Edler also provides a bit of a boost on the blue line. If you manage to snatch up Petersen as your third goalie in one of the final rounds, you'll be in great shape entering the year.AvoidMarc-Andre Fleury, Chicago Blackhawks Jonathan Daniel / Getty Images Sport / GettyIt's not often you'd want to avoid the reigning Vezina Trophy winner, but it's equally rare that such a player gets traded to a significantly worse team over the summer. Fleury is being picked too soon - near the start of the fourth round on average as the sixth goalie. There are more reliable options still available at that point in fantasy drafts.The three-time Stanley Cup champion had a career year in 2021 while playing for the Vegas Golden Knights, who boasted the NHL's No. 3 offense while allowing the fewest goals in the league. Fleury obviously played a big part in that, but his trade to the Blackhawks doesn't bode well for his value.Fleury's new team ranked 16th in goals per game last season despite possessing two of the league's top offensive players in Patrick Kane and Alex DeBrincat. The club also posted the NHL's worst expected goals for percentage at five-on-five. Newcomers Seth Jones and Jake McCabe will bolster Chicago's porous defense, but Fleury remains a risky pick regardless.The goalie's peripheral numbers will likely decline in addition to his win total, considering not only the inferior players in front of him but also the fact that he'll turn 37 next month. Yes, Fleury excelled at age 36, but he played for a far better team at both ends of the ice.All Dallas Stars goalies Andy Devlin / National Hockey League / GettyThe Stars are entering the season with one of the most crowded creases imaginable. With Ben Bishop, Anton Khudobin, Braden Holtby, and Jake Oettinger all available, it's essentially a toss-up as to who will start on any given night.Bishop's health is a big question mark entering the year as he continues to recover from knee surgery, which kept him out all of last year. Even if Bishop is out of the picture, there's no discernable difference between the other three netminders.Oettinger is likely the odd man out with the presence of veterans Holtby and Khudobin. Still, the split between those two goalies will be hard to predict and will lower both of their values. It simply seems like an avoidable headache for fantasy managers to monitor on a game-by-game basis. If Bishop re-enters the fold at some point, it'll be an even bigger mess.(Analytics source: Natural Stat Trick)Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The NHL is returning to an 82-game regular season for 2021-22, which can only mean one thing: More games equals more ice time for the league's biggest stars, which means more points. It's simple math.Regardless of their final point totals, these five players will certainly feature on every highlight reel as the top contenders in the race for the Art Ross Trophy.5. Artemi Panarin, New York Rangers Elsa / Getty Images Sport / Getty2020-21 stats: 42 games played, 17 goals, 41 assists, 18 power-play pointsPanarin had a monster year in 2020-21. With 58 points in 42 contests, he was on pace to score 113 points in 82 games. Despite missing 14 games, he finished tied for 13th in league scoring and trailed only Leon Draisaitl and Connor McDavid in points per game for the second straight season.What makes Panarin's case even more compelling is that he isn't backed by a plethora of star power. McDavid has Draisaitl, Nathan MacKinnon has Mikko Rantanen and Gabriel Landeskog, and Nikita Kucherov has Brayden Point and Steven Stamkos. Panarin may play with a former 40-goal scorer in Mika Zibanejad and the reigning Norris Trophy winner in Adam Fox, but there's a reason he was a Hart Trophy finalist in 2019-20 - the same season he tied David Pastrnak for third in scoring.Panarin, 29, has led the Rangers in points in two consecutive campaigns and holds the reins of a young squad facing heightened expectations. Expect the Breadman to thrive under new head coach Gerard Gallant, who helped the misfit Golden Knights reach unexpected heights.4. Nathan MacKinnon, Colorado Avalanche Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / Getty2020-21 stats: 48 games played, 20 goals, 45 assists, 25 power-play pointsAn angry MacKinnon is a scary MacKinnon. After leading the Avalanche with 15 points in 10 playoff games, the 26-year-old ended the year royally ticked off thanks to a third straight second-round exit. In his own words, MacKinnon is entering his ninth NHL campaign and hasn't "won shit."The intense star is clearly motivated and looks primed to unleash his wrath on the Central Division. He has 212 points in 216 career games against his current Central opponents.MacKinnon ranked fourth with 1.35 points per game last season and averaged the same production in 2019-20. His 65 points in 48 contests translated to a 111-point pace across 82 games, and he remained the most crucial component of the Avalanche's power play. After finishing third in power-play points in 2020-21, he should continue to feast on a division that featured three of the league's 10 worst penalty-killing units last season in the Blues, Blackhawks, and Predators.A Hart Trophy finalist in three of the last four seasons, MacKinnon seems poised to guide the defending Presidents' Trophy winners to a big year.3. Nikita Kucherov, Tampa Bay Lightning Mike Ehrmann / Getty Images Sport / Getty2020-21 stats: 23 games played, 8 goals, 24 assists, 19 power-play points*Playoff stats onlyAfter the Russian star led all players in postseason scoring en route to the Lightning's second straight Stanley Cup win, 2021-22 will mark the official return of regular-season Kucherov.It's been a while since the 28-year-old winger played a non-playoff contest, so here's a refresher on how that usually goes. Kucherov notched 85 points in 68 games in 2019-20, leading the Bolts and ranking seventh in the NHL. He put up an absurd 128 points in 82 games the year prior, a showing that won him the 2019 Art Ross and Hart trophies. All told, he's averaged more than a point per game since the 2016-17 campaign.Extrapolating somewhat, his 32 points in 23 playoff contests last year translates to 114 points over 82 games. That's despite a 12.9% shooting percentage below his regular-season average of 14.9%.Even a return to a stronger Atlantic Division shouldn't faze him too much. Kucherov has 27 career points across 26 contests against the Maple Leafs and Sabres, 29 points in 25 games against the Red Wings, and 31 points in 27 outings against the Senators.Look out, league. He's back.2. Leon Draisaitl, Edmonton Oilers Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / Getty2020-21 stats: 56 games played, 31 goals, 53 assists, 32 power-play pointsWith an incredible 84 points in 56 games last season, Draisaitl would have won his second straight Art Ross Trophy if not for McDavid.An absolute workhorse, Draisaitl played the third-most minutes among all forwards last season, trailing only Patrick Kane and Mitch Marner. The 25-year-old has played at a 1.5 points-per-game pace for the past two seasons and looks primed to do it again; the Pacific Division features four teams that finished among the league's bottom 10 in goal differential last season.The German star has also proven he's more than McDavid's running mate. The two freakish forwards spent far more time apart at five-on-five than they did together in 2020-21, and Draisaitl performed better in some categories without McDavid than McDavid did without Draisaitl. The Oilers scored 58% of the goals at five-on-five when Draisaitl was on the ice without McDavid, but they broke even with 31 goals for and 31 goals against when McDavid played at five-on-five without Draisaitl, according to Natural Stat Trick.There's plenty of overlap in the arguments for Draisaitl and the player who takes No. 1 on this list, so let's move on. Bet you can't guess who it is.1. Connor McDavid, Oilers Francois Lacasse / National Hockey League / Getty2020-21 stats: 56 games played, 33 goals, 72 assists, 37 power-play pointsThere are no hot takes to be found here. There's simply no way McDavid and Draisaitl don't belong at the top of this list, and McDavid has the edge after eclipsing 100 points in a shortened campaign. It can be argued that the North Division featured weaker goaltending and defense than the rest of the league last season, but was it really all that bad? After all, the Canadian squads were the only ones that had to defend against Edmonton's terrifying duo.Regardless, McDavid made history by notching 105 points in 56 games - an outlandish 154-point clip over 82 contests. That doesn't happen by accident. Now, the 2021 Art Ross Trophy and Hart Trophy winner gets to feast on the likes of the Ducks, Kings, and Sharks; he already has 75 points in 56 career games against the California teams.McDavid led the league in power-play points last season, while Draisaitl finished first in power-play goals with 15. The Oilers boasted the league's top power play in 2020-21, and their success on the man advantage depends entirely on the pair's connection. Luckily for Edmonton, neither player should have much trouble following a return to the Pacific. The Flames, Ducks, Canucks, and Sharks were all firmly in the middle of the pack on the penalty kill last season.Further fueling the McDavid supremacy argument is the Oilers' free-agency addition of Zach Hyman. The forechecking aficionado put up 33 points in 43 contests with the Maple Leafs in 2020-21 and was a vital part of their top six. With Hyman on the ice at five-on-five, Toronto controlled 52% of the shot attempts and 63% of the high-danger chances, according to Natural Stat Trick. He'll undoubtedly provide a boost for Edmonton's forward corps and can only make McDavid - and Draisaitl - even more dangerous.It certainly looks like the Art Ross Trophy will be heading to Edmonton for the third straight year.Honorable mentions:

The NHL's goaltending landscape has drastically changed in recent years. Long gone are the days of Martin Brodeur appearing in 78 contests during a season. Teams are increasingly embracing the idea of having multiple NHL-ready goalies on the roster, which has led to numerous impressive duos forming around the league.This list takes into account both goalies' individual talent rather than the overall strength of a team's tandem. For this reason, a duo like Andrei Vasilevskiy and Brian Elliott doesn't appear on here due to the lack of stability in the backup role.5. Spencer Knight and Sergei Bobrovsky, Florida Panthers Eliot J. Schechter / National Hockey League / GettyBobrovsky hasn't found his footing with the Panthers since signing a monster contract in 2019. He finished last season with a .906 save percentage and seemed to take a small step forward, but he still had a measly minus-2.50 goals saved above average.Knight has been the most talked-about goalie prospect in the NHL since the Panthers selected him with the 13th pick in the 2019 NHL Draft. He appeared in just four regular-season games last year but won them all and showed he might be worth all of the hype. Knight also played in two playoff contests, recording an impressive .933 save percentage by allowing four goals on 60 shots.Bobrovsky is a two-time Vezina Trophy winner, so there's no reason to believe his talent vanished the moment he showed up in Florida. The team committed a ton of money and years to him, and he'll likely be the club's de facto No. 1 for the near future despite Knight breathing down his neck. The duo possesses a ton of talent between them, but a lot of it is riding on Bobrovsky finally rebounding and Knight producing a stellar rookie season.4. Thatcher Demko and Jaroslav Halak, Vancouver Canucks Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / GettyDemko shined last year in his first season as the Canucks' starter. His counterpart Braden Holtby didn't fare as well, as he struggled for most of the year and was eventually bought out by the club. Vancouver replaced Holtby with Halak, who served as one of the NHL's best backups while playing behind Tuukka Rask on the Boston Bruins the last three seasons.Demko is the clear-cut starter in Vancouver, and Halak's arrival will complement him greatly. Halak's .918 save percentage over the last three seasons ranks 16th among all goalies, and he's shown that he can handle a big workload if needed.Demko's NHL sample size is small, with just 72 games to his name, but he's done exceptionally well since entering the league. He's posted a career record of 34-31-1 with a .911 save percentage. The Canucks are expecting to make the jump back to being a playoff contender this year, and a lot will be riding on Demko and Halak's play.3. Carey Price and Jake Allen, Montreal Canadiens Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / GettyPrice had another subpar regular season last year but reminded the hockey world just how good he can be during the Canadiens' surprise run to the Stanley Cup Final. There's no doubt the 34-year-old is still among the league's best, but he struggles with consistency.Meanwhile, Allen performed adequately last season with a hot run of games during Price's lengthy injury absence. He managed a .907 save percentage and 2.68 goals-against average over 29 games in 2020-21. Allen undoubtedly played more than he would have expected when he initially signed in Montreal, but he held the fort for the most part.All eyes will be on Price this upcoming campaign to see if he can build off his playoff performance and return to being dominant during the regular season. It'll be helpful to have a seasoned veteran in Allen to relieve a good chunk of the workload and allow Price to stay rested.2. Philipp Grubauer and Chris Driedger, Seattle Kraken Christopher Mast / National Hockey League / GettyThe Kraken are entering the NHL with one of the league's best goaltending tandems. After revealing Driedger as Seattle's No. 1 goalie alongside Vitek Vanecek and Joey Daccord at the expansion draft, the team went a different direction when free agency opened by snatching up Grubauer.Grubauer had a stellar 2020-21 campaign with the Colorado Avalanche, recording a 30-9-1 record while posting a .922 save percentage and 1.95 goals-against average. He hasn't produced a season save percentage below .916, but that comes with a caveat that he's only played on some stacked Avalanche and Washington Capitals squads.Driedger has considerably less experience with just 38 games under his belt. It's a small sample size, but he was the Panthers' best goalie over the last two seasons and consistently outperformed Bobrovsky. Driedger has a .929 career save percentage, and playing alongside Grubauer could be beneficial as it takes considerable pressure off him as the pair will likely split starts.1. Ilya Sorokin and Semyon Varlamov, New York Islanders Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / GettySorokin absolutely lived up to the hype surrounding him during his rookie year last season, and Varlamov continued to be as reliable as they come. The pair certainly combine to be the league's best tandem, with each goalie more than capable of stealing a game on any given night.Varlamov still seems to be the true No. 1 in Long Island entering the season. He ranked second in the league last year with 16.75 goals saved above average and received the bulk of the starts during the team's lengthy playoff run. Still, Sorokin had an impressive debut campaign with a .918 save percentage after dominating the KHL for five seasons.The team in front of the goalies plays an extremely tight defensive game, ranking eighth in high-danger scoring chances against at five-on-five last year (402). This makes the netminders' lives much easier, but it doesn't take away from the fact they're both supremely talented and among the league's best at their position.Honorable mentions: Jack Campbell and Petr Mrazek, Mackenzie Blackwood and Jonathan Bernier, Linus Ullmark and Tuukka Rask (injured)Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

A handful of NHL players who underwhelmed in 2021 are now well-positioned to return to form.Some could benefit from a change of scenery, while others should thrive after healing from injuries or simply have better puck luck this time around. One player on this list could conceivably do all three.Here are four forwards and a goaltender who should improve in the upcoming campaign.Viktor Arvidsson Juan Ocampo / National Hockey League / GettyThe Los Angeles Kings pulled off one of the sneakiest moves of the offseason in July when they acquired Arvidsson from the Nashville Predators for a pair of draft picks. The once-productive 28-year-old struggled over the last two campaigns, but there are several reasons why he should rediscover his game with his new club.Firstly, his shooting percentage of 6.6 in 2021 suggests misfortune was a factor. It was his lowest conversion rate since his rookie season and well below his 12.1% average through the previous five-plus campaigns. Arvidsson also posted an encouraging 53.17 expected goals for percentage. Secondly, he'll likely be skating on the Kings' top line alongside Anze Kopitar and Dustin Brown, who drove possession last season despite playing for a team that didn't do so as a whole.Lastly, St. Louis Blues defenseman Robert Bortuzzo blew out both of Arvidsson's MCLs during a game early in 2019-20. The Swede returned but may not have fully healed in either of the last two campaigns. Arvidsson's now another year removed from that, and considering his new situation, he should be primed to notch around 25 goals and 30 assists with Los Angeles in 2021.Travis Konecny Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / GettyKonecny disappointed last season, but many points explain why he'll likely get back on track in the upcoming campaign. For one thing, the Philadelphia Flyers' leading scorer in 2019-20 should have a better squad around him after the club upgraded its defense over the summer. Ryan Ellis is as dependable as they come, and even the flawed Rasmus Ristolainen is an improvement over who he's replacing.Bad luck is also partly responsible for the skilled forward's dip in production in 2021. Konecny's 48.15 goals for percentage wasn't favorable, but his expected goals for percentage of 52.21 showed he could have been driving possession with a few more generous bounces.Another reason to bank on Konecny's resurgence is his age. He's only 24 years old and already has five seasons under his belt. Konecny hasn't even entered his prime yet, and the Flyers remain deep enough up front to ensure he'll get an ample number of chances to fulfil his potential once again.Frederik Andersen Kevin Sousa / National Hockey League / GettyExpectations aren't exactly high for Andersen, who's coming off the worst campaign of his career - both from health and statistical standpoints. But if he's able to put his injury woes behind him in his new surroundings, the Danish goaltender could certainly bounce back with the Carolina Hurricanes.The big question, of course, is whether he's fully healed from a knee injury after playing through it, losing his starting job, and being limited to 24 games with the Toronto Maple Leafs in 2021. However, the Hurricanes present an intriguing opportunity for the veteran, who turned 32 on Saturday.If Andersen is healthy, he'll be set up for success on a competitive Carolina club that should drive possession and remain defensively sound despite losing Dougie Hamilton. But the other question is how Andersen will share the crease with fellow newcomer Antti Raanta, who's also dealt with his fair share of injuries. If Andersen even gets around 60% of the starts this season, he'll warrant fantasy consideration.Tyler Johnson Scott Audette / National Hockey League / GettyThis is a case of a solid but unspectacular player who could return to his prime form if his situation remains as is throughout 2021-22. Johnson didn't produce much offensively over his last two campaigns with the Tampa Bay Lightning because he was playing a different role than he had for many of his first six-plus seasons.However, the Chicago Blackhawks acquired Johnson from the Lightning in a July trade, and he now finds himself centering his new squad's top line between Alex DeBrincat and Patrick Kane. That assignment alone bodes well for his offensive resurgence if it sticks, and he's proven capable of impressive numbers in the past.Johnson tied his career high with 29 goals as recently as 2018-19, and while the 31-year-old may not match that considering how much his linemates fill the net, merely being on the same forward unit as those two snipers should ensure Johnson has no problem piling up points.Rickard Rakell Michael Martin / National Hockey League / GettyBefore 2021, the primary concern regarding Rakell was his inability to play a full campaign due to injuries. But despite missing 30 games over the previous two seasons, the talented Anaheim Ducks winger suited up for all but four contests this past year.Rakell's bigger problem last campaign was that he was supremely unlucky. He scored only nine goals to go along with 19 assists, shooting a career-worst 6.3%, which paled into comparison to his rate of 11.9 in seven-plus prior seasons. Rakell led the Ducks by 50 with 144 shots on goal in 2021, and if he'd converted at his usual clip, he'd have scored 17 or 27 times over an 82-game pace.The 28-year-old will likely skate alongside Ryan Getzlaf on Anaheim's second line as well as on the team's top power-play unit. The Ducks produced the fewest goals in the league in 2021, but the expected progression of their young phenoms should make the side a bit better, and Rakell should have even more opportunities to hit the scoresheet than he did last season.(Analytics source: Natural Stat Trick)Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

When it comes to winning fantasy hockey championships, quality depth is just as important as securing stars. With the season around the corner, here are five sleepers to target late in the draft that can push your team over the top.Average draft position and lineup eligibility courtesy: Yahoo!5. MacKenzie Weegar, D, Panthers Mike Ehrmann / Getty Images Sport / Getty2020-21 stats: 6 G, 30 A, 3 PPP, 101 SOG, 118 HIT, 83 BLK

As important as it is to have a dangerous top line, icing an elite defense pairing who can shut them down and turn play in the other direction is just as - if not more - integral to success.Below, we rank the five best blue-line duos in the NHL entering the new campaign.All stats are from the 2020-21 season at five-on-five:

NHL commissioner Gary Bettman said Monday the league is monitoring Jack Eichel's stalemate with the Buffalo Sabres but didn't offer much insight on a potential resolution."We're pretty up to speed in terms of what's going on," Bettman said on Sportsnet's "The Jeff Marek Show" on Monday. "And there's a legitimate disagreement among doctors as to what the course of treatment would be best both in the short term and the long term, and that's something everybody's wrestling with."Eichel and the Sabres have been at odds for the past several months over treatment for the star center's ailing neck. Eichel has been adamant in his desire to undergo an artificial disc replacement procedure, but the club has denied his request and wants him to undergo spinal fusion surgery.The 24-year-old's preferred surgery has been proven to yield better long-term results than spinal fusion, but there is extremely limited research on its viability for active athletes in contact sports. Artificial disc replacement has never been performed on an NHL player."It's a terrible situation. I don't think it's fair to point the finger at anybody in terms of who's right or who's wrong," Bettman said. "I think everybody's approaching this with the best intentions, and the injury is complex both in its diagnosis and its treatment, and I think people need to be a little more patient."Eichel fired his agents Peter Fish and Peter Donatelli in late August after a trade from the Sabres failed to materialize; Fish and Donatelli originally anticipated a deal by the start of free agency in mid-July. Eichel is now represented by Pat Brisson of CAA.Vegas Golden Knights goaltender Robin Lehner - one of Eichel's former Sabres teammates - voiced his displeasure this past weekend with the National Hockey League Players' Association's handling of the situation, calling the stalemate an attack on Eichel's "freedom of choice."The Sabres stripped Eichel of his captaincy on Sept. 23 after he failed his physical. With the 2021-22 season set to begin Oct. 12, it remains unclear if Eichel will be able to suit up at any point during the coming campaign.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

As a byproduct of realignment, there was no Metro Division in the NHL last season.The Washington Capitals look to pick up where they left off a year prior and extend their streak to six consecutive Metro titles.Three teams have shorter odds than the Capitals to claim the division title ahead of the 2021-22 season. Is there value in backing a changing of the guard?TEAM ODDSNew York Islanders+350Carolina Hurricanes+400New York Rangers+400Washington Capitals+450Pittsburgh Penguins+500Philadelphia Flyers+550New Jersey Devils+1800Columbus Blue Jackets+15000The favoritesUnlike the other three divisions, there's no clear-cut favorite atop the Metro. The implied odds suggest six different teams have at least a 15% chance of winning the division.Most heavily favored are the Islanders (+350), who made it to the Final Four just last season. Their roster isn't littered with flashy stars, but they have more than enough offense to get by given the impeccable defensive structure implemented by coach Barry Trotz. They're positioned well in goal, too, with Semyon Varlamov and super sophomore Ilya Sorokin manning the crease on a nightly basis. They're a safe bet to flirt with a point total in the high 90s and a division title.Next in line are the Hurricanes (+400). They look extremely potent up front, though there are some red flags. Dougie Hamilton, arguably the best play-driving defenseman in the NHL, is a huge loss on the back end. Ethan Bear and Tony DeAngelo, while useful players, are unlikely to make up for the value departing.I also have some concerns about the Hurricanes in goal. They finished second in team save percentage at five-on-five last season, yet are returning zero of the three goaltenders they used. Instead, they're going with free-agent signings Frederik Andersen and Antti Raanta. The former ranks 71st in goals saved above expectation over the last two seasons and has dealt with some injury concerns; Raanta has played only 12 games in two of the last three years due to a laundry list of injuries. Not ideal.The Rangers (+400) are overvalued in the betting market, as we addressed last week. They had fairly good health a year ago yet couldn't make the playoffs. Now with first-line winger Pavel Buchnevich gone, and nothing but grit and intangibles added to the roster, they're implied to have only a 37% chance of missing the playoffs in a tough division? I'm not buying that for a second.Washington (+450) is a solid but flawed team. They have star power up front and a consistently strong power play, but goaltending is a concern. Ilya Samsonov and Vitek Vanecek both allowed at least six more goals than expected last season. If they take a step forward, which is possible given their youth, the Capitals could win the division. They'll fall short otherwise.Backing Pittsburgh (+500) to win the division seems difficult to stomach. They've routinely been in the mix despite waves of injuries. With better health, it's easy to see value in the Penguins. But better health simply doesn't appear to be in the cards. The season hasn't even started yet and both Evgeni Malkin and Sidney Crosby are on the shelf.Philadelphia (+550) should be more competitive. They have a deep group up front, Carter Hart couldn't play worse than a season ago, and the addition of Ryan Ellis makes the top pairing a whole lot better. But there could be some self-inflicted damage holding the team back. Rasmus Ristolainen is destined to be significantly overused in a top-four role. Meanwhile, Martin Jones, who has posted a sub-.900 save percentage three years in a row, hardly seems like an ideal safety net behind Hart. Those two players, in particular, could offset a lot of the good the rest of the roster does.Best value: New Jersey Devils (+1800)This will be no surprise to those who saw my best bets to make the playoffs, but the Devils fit the bill here. Are they likely to win the division? Of course not, but their chances are better than their implied odds of 5.3% suggest.Their forward core figures to be quite potent. Jack Hughes, Nico Hischier, Yegor Sharangovich, and Jesper Bratt are all very good young players poised to take the next step, while the addition of Tomas Tatar gives them some quality veteran support in the top six.New Jersey's defense is in much better shape as well. Hamilton is a true No. 1 capable of playing big minutes and producing against anybody. Ryan Graves also provides some much-needed stability in the top four and penalty kill. Those additions help the likes of Damon Severson, Ty Smith, and P.K. Subban slot into more appropriate roles.In goal, Mackenzie Blackwood is a solid bounce-back candidate, especially with the improvements defensively, and Jonathan Bernier is a strong platoon partner.Top to bottom, this team is much improved. If the kids are ready for prime time, the Devils will be much better than most expect.Best bet: Washington Capitals (+450)I'd like to back the Islanders, who appear to be the least flawed team in the division, but we bet numbers, not teams - and there's more value on Washington.Led by Alexander Ovechkin, the offense is always potent. We can bank on that and what should once again be a strong power play.The team's defense was also surprisingly stingy in Peter Laviolette's debut season as Washington's coach. The Capitals ranked seventh in expected goals against at five-on-five, slotting them just behind the powerhouse Tampa Bay Lightning. That's why the Capitals were just a point shy from an East Division title last year despite subpar goaltending.If either Samsonov or Vanecek can take a step forward, the Capitals have a real chance at winning the Metro. I'm happy to take a stab at +450.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.

While learning is a life-long exercise - especially when it comes to sports betting - this is the final class before the big test: The NHL regular season. We're going to take the team ratings from part one, add home-ice advantage from part two, and put it all together to create our own moneylines so we can have an idea of what value truly means when the real games start.So grab a pen and paper or your favorite spreadsheet ...Step one: Make your ratingsAs you'll recall from part one, we used the team ratings derived from the campaign's point total markets. Any number you disagree with you can bet into, but instead of just making one bet and waiting months to get paid, you can put that opinion to work right away.First, make your ratings, starting with point totals of your own.Think the Maple Leafs' number is too high at 106.5? What should it be?Is the Canadiens' number too low? Write down the number of points you think they'll finish with.Do that for every team in the league, but make sure the total adds up to somewhere around 2,930 - the approximate number of points all the teams have earned this season, thanks to the three-point game.Next, to get each club's rating, take your point total for each and divide it by the NHL's average number of points, which we know from part one is 91.5.Here's how your work might look:TEAMYOUR POINT TOTALRATINGAvalanche1171.28Lightning1081.18Golden Knights1071.17Bruins1061.16Panthers1041.14Hurricanes1041.14Penguins1031.13Oilers1021.12Rangers1011.10Islanders991.08Maple Leafs991.08Wild971.06Stars961.05Capitals961.05Blues951.04Jets941.03Flyers941.03Flames931.02Blackhawks921.01Devils921.01Canadiens90.98Kraken88.96Canucks87.95Predators85.93Kings84.92Sharks81.89Senators77.84Red Wings76.83Blue Jackets72.78Ducks70.77Sabres64.70Coyotes61.67Now that you have your team ratings, you can take the difference between two clubs to create win probabilities for any matchup on the schedule.For example, Montreal's visit to Toronto on the campaign's second night:Toronto (1.08) - Montreal (.98) = .10Using our formula from part one:(1.00 - .10) / 2 = .450The Habs' neutral-ice win probability is 45%, while the Leafs' win probability is 55%.Step two: Home-ice advantageNow that you have neutral ice win probabilities, you can factor in home-ice advantage, as discussed in part two. To do that, you average a side's home/road win percentage difference with the league average home win probability of +3.5%, which allows for some regression to the mean.In this case, Toronto has shown it is just 1.4% more likely to win at home than on the road, but since the NHL average is 3.5%, my expected home-ice advantage for the Leafs is 2.45%.On the flip side, since I've done the same thing with Montreal, I know the squad's 2.75% less likely to win on the road.Splitting the difference to find the home-ice advantage for this specific contest adds a 2.6% increase in win probability to Toronto's 55% neutral win probability when this matchup takes place at Scotiabank Arena.MONTREALTORONTO42.4%57.6%Now that we have win probabilities with home-ice accounted for, we can turn that into a true moneyline. Here's that formula from part one, using the Canadiens' 42.4% win probability:(100/0.424) - 100 = 136Our true moneyline is MTL +136 / TOR -136Step 3: Where's the value?Now we compare our true moneyline to what the betting market is offering. The odds for this matchup are MTL +165/TOR -185.We'll take those moneylines from the sportsbook and turn them into win probabilities using the following formulas, which includes converting minus odds for a favorite into a positive for the sake of simple math:Favorite Formula:ML / (ML + 100) * 100 = Win Probability185 / (185 + 100) * 100 = 64.9%Underdog Formula:100 / (ML + 100) = Win Probability100 / (165 + 100) = 37.7%Note: When adding those percentages together, the closer the result gets to 100%, the less hold the sportsbook is taking and the more advantageous that is for you. In the above example, the sportsbook takes a 2.6% hold, which is standard.Enough value to make a bet?Lastly, you need to determine what your threshold is for a bet. Let's compare the sportsbooks' win probabilities to ours:CANADIENSMAPLE LEAFSOur True Win Prob.42.35%57.65%Market Win Prob37.7%64.9%Difference+4.65%-7.25%Personally, with a sportsbooks' common hold of 2.6%, I need at least a 3% edge to make a bet based on my numbers. A +4.65% edge on the Habs under our hypothetical ratings is good enough for me to fire on the underdog.So there it is. Now you're equipped with the tools to build your own moneylines using your own ratings. How you come up with those ratings is up to you. Once you do, you can compare the moneylines you create to the moneylines available to you by sportsbooks and test your knowledge against the oddsmakers.Matt 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 © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Philadelphia Flyers head coach Alain Vigneault doesn't agree with Vegas Golden Knights goaltender Robin Lehner's criticisms of his leadership.Lehner tweeted about several issues in the NHL, including the allegedly widespread improper distribution of prescription drugs, which drew the attention of the league. He took aim at Vigneault specifically on Saturday night.

The Canadian men's hockey team for the Beijing Olympics is starting to take form.Edmonton Oilers forward Connor McDavid, Pittsburgh Penguins forward Sidney Crosby, and Vegas Golden Knights defenseman Alex Pietrangelo are the first three names submitted to be part of the Canadian team, general manager Doug Armstrong confirmed, according to NHL.com's Mike Zeisberger.Participating teams were asked to each declare three players last month."It goes without saying that Sid is Sid, Connor is Connor, and Alex has got a wealth of experience from the (2014 Sochi Olympics) team, to the (World Cup of Hockey 2016) team, to the captain of a Stanley Cup champion (St. Louis Blues in 2019)," Armstrong said Friday. "Those guys are at the top of their game in the league, too, and they're proven winners."This will be Crosby's third time playing for Canada at the Olympics. He delivered the memorable golden goal at the 2010 Winter Games and led the team to gold again in 2014 as its captain.Armstrong didn't go as far as to name Crosby the captain of this year's team, but he sees him as the undisputed leader."He'll lead our team. He'll be a great help to the coaching staff by delivering their message to the rest of the players," Armstrong said. "To me, he's just Sidney Crosby. He's the best player on the planet for more than a decade."McDavid, 24, has yet to play on an Olympic team after the NHL didn't send players in 2018. This will mark Pietrangelo's second appearance after playing in 2014.The next item on the agenda for Armstrong and Team Canada's management group is to submit a list on Oct. 15 of 55 players who will be candidates to make the team in Beijing, which begins on Feb. 4.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Edmonton Oilers forward Josh Archibald is out indefinitely due to myocarditis and had COVID-19 over the summer, head coach Dave Tippett said Sunday.In late September, Oilers general manager Ken Holland confirmed Archibald was unvaccinated.The forward is the second Edmonton player to have myocarditis, the inflammation of the heart muscle, after contracting COVID-19. Goaltender Alex Stalock is expected to miss this entire season after suffering the same fate.Archibald has previously shared vaccine conspiracy theories. He was Canada's only unvaccinated NHL player, according to Sportsnet's Mark Spector.The 28-year-old played the last two seasons with the Oilers. He collected seven goals and six assists over 52 games in 2021, which he spent largely in a bottom-six role. Archibald has also suited up for the Arizona Coyotes and the Pittsburgh Penguins, who drafted him 174th overall in 2011.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Montreal Canadiens signed forward Jake Evans to a three-year contract extension with an average annual value of $1.7 million, general manager Marc Bergevin announced Sunday.Evans, selected 207th overall by the Canadiens in the 2014 draft, tallied three goals and 10 assists across 47 regular-season games with Montreal during the 2020-21 campaign. The Toronto, Ontario, native also posted one goal and one assist in seven appearances over the team's run to the Stanley Cup Final last postseason.The 25-year-old is projected to slot in as Montreal's third-line center behind Nick Suzuki and Christian Dvorak to begin the 2021-22 season.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Tampa Bay Lightning and head coach Jon Cooper have begun discussing a contract extension, reports The Athletic's Pierre LeBrun.Cooper is entering the final season of a three-year deal worth $3.5 million annually, according to LeBrun. Cooper inked that pact in March 2019.The 54-year-old guided the Lightning to their second straight Stanley Cup championship in early July. About a month later, Hockey Canada named him bench boss of the nation's Olympic men's hockey team for next year.Cooper also helped Tampa Bay reach the Cup Final in 2015 and the Eastern Conference Final in 2016 and 2018.The NHL's longest-tenured head coach helmed the Lightning for the last eight full seasons and for 16 games in 2012-13. Tampa Bay hired Cooper to lead its AHL affiliate - then the Norfolk Admirals - in 2010, and he led them to the Calder Cup in 2011-12. After the Lightning changed affiliations for the following season, he began the campaign as head coach of the Syracuse Crunch before Tampa Bay promoted him.Joel Quenneville of the Florida Panthers is reportedly the NHL's highest-paid head coach with a salary of approximately $6 million.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Vancouver Canucks locked up two key pieces of their core.Vancouver agreed to terms with forward Elias Pettersson on a three-year deal worth $7.35 million per season and defenseman Quinn Hughes on a six-year pact worth $7.85 million annually.The combined cap hit of $15.2 million puts the Canucks nearly $1.5 million over the cap ceiling with a roster size of 22, according to CapFriendly. However, the team can create an additional $3.5 million in space by placing forward Micheal Ferland on long-term injured reserve.Pettersson, the 2019 Calder Trophy winner, recorded 21 points in 26 games during an injury-plagued 2020-21 campaign. The highly skilled Swede projected to center Vancouver's top line this season.Hughes, the 2020 Calder runner-up, tallied 41 points in 56 contests last season. He's expected to anchor the Canucks' top defense pairing and quarterback their No. 1 power-play unit in 2021-22.The Canucks selected Pettersson fifth overall in the 2017 NHL Draft and took Hughes seventh overall a year later.Ottawa Senators winger Brady Tkachuk is the only remaining prominent restricted free agent in the league.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Montreal Canadiens defenseman Sami Niku sustained a concussion in Friday night's exhibition loss to the Ottawa Senators, Canadiens head coach Dominique Ducharme said Saturday.Senators forward Josh Norris hit Niku into the boards from behind early in the first period of Ottawa's 7-2 win. Niku left the game and later returned for several more shifts in the opening frame, but he didn't play over the final 40 minutes. Norris wasn't penalized for the incident.Niku signed a two-way contract with the Canadiens in late September after he and the Winnipeg Jets agreed to terminate his previous pact.The rearguard, who turns 25 on Oct. 10, spent his first four North American seasons with the Jets after coming over from Finland. Winnipeg drafted him 198th overall in 2015.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Robin Lehner is going to bat for his former teammate.The Vegas Golden Knights goaltender called out the NHL Players' Association on Friday amid drama surrounding Buffalo Sabres captain Jack Eichel.

The Columbus Blue Jackets aren't allowing Zac Rinaldo to play in the organization this season due to his vaccination status.The 31-year-old signed a one-year, two-way deal with the club this offseason. He cleared waivers Friday but won't be assigned to the AHL, the team announced.However, the Blue Jackets will still honor his contract."Given the impact COVID-19 continues to have in our communities, we believe the best course of action given Zac's vaccination status is to not have him report to Cleveland at this time," general manager Jarmo Kekalainen said.He added: "While we respect an individual's right to make a personal choice with regards to being vaccinated or not, we have a responsibility to do what we believe is best for our organization. We will honor Zac's contract, but if he wants to pursue any other opportunities to play this season we will allow him to do so."Rinaldo has recorded 18 goals, 24 assists, and 758 penalty minutes in 374 career NHL games with five different teams.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Montreal Canadiens are a truly historic franchise that has succeeded in pretty much every way imaginable.However, believe it or not, the Canadiens haven't rostered a Calder Trophy winner since Ken Dryden in the 1971-72 season.This looks to be the year that changes.PlayerOdds to winCole Caufield+300Trevor Zegras+500Alex Nedeljkovic+1000Spencer Knight+1000Marco Rossi+1200Moritz Seider+1200Alex Newhook+1500Vasily Podkolzin+1500Quinton Byfield+1500Jamie Drysdale+1800Bowen Byram+2200Nick Robertson+2500Vitali Kravtsov+2500Jeremy Swaymon+2500Lucas Raymond+2500Matt Boldy+3000Only listing players with odds 30-1 or shorter.Cole Caufield (+300)There are a lot of unknowns with rookies. You generally can't predict how quickly they'll pick up the NHL game, what kind of role they'll play, or which players they'll skate on a line with prior to getting money down. That's not the case here, which is why we start things out with some chalk.A lot of these rookies might be good NHL players - we already know Caufield is. He has eight goals and 17 points through 30 games (playoffs included) and is one of the biggest offensive threats on the roster. He actually led all Canadiens in points per minute at five-on-five during their run to the Stanley Cup Final. That was no fluke as he generated scoring chances at a more efficient clip than all but Brendan Gallagher.Caufield is a dynamic and productive player who will get all the opportunity in the world playing alongside Tyler Toffoli and Nick Suzuki on the top line. As long as he stays healthy, it's hard to see another rookie putting together a better season.Spencer Knight (+1000)This is both a pro-Knight play and an anti-Sergei Bobrovsky play. Knight is one of the best prospects in hockey. He was a high pick, dominated the NCAA ranks, and showed well during his cup of coffee with the Florida Panthers late last season.Simply put, he appears ready for a prominent role at the NHL level. That's good news because the Panthers likely need him to take one.Bobrovsky, despite his enormous salary, is a subpar goaltender at this stage of his career. While the Panthers aren't going to throw him by the wayside entirely, it's within the realm of possibility he loses his job as the starter.Should that be the case, you're looking at a top-tier goaltending prospect playing regularly for a team that - if the netminding holds up - could challenge for a division title.It's a good environment for Knight to pile up wins and enjoy success in his rookie campaign.Lucas Raymond (+2500)The Detroit Red Wings are heading for yet another long season. They're a bad hockey team and play in an unforgiving division, featuring the Tampa Bay Lightning, Toronto Maple Leafs, Boston Bruins, and Panthers, among others.Add in the fact one of their best players, Jakub Vrana, is already out long term with an injury, and the outlook for the Red Wings is even bleaker.There's always a bright spot, though, and Raymond is destined to be that for Detroit. Last season he averaged more than .50 points per game in the SHL, which is very impressive for an 18-year-old playing in a professional league.The ultra-talented winger should step into Detroit's lineup immediately and see plenty of ice. Developing youngsters like Raymond is priority No. 1 for the Red Wings. There's even more opportunity to go around with Vrana out of the picture. If you want to take a stab on a wild card, so to speak, Raymond is the guy.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.

If you're going to bet on one position group in hockey while hoping for predictable consistency, it would be literally any other market than goaltenders. There hasn't been a back-to-back Vezina winner since Martin Brodeur, who turns 50 next year.To make things harder to predict, there are just 32 voters. They're the NHL's general managers, who spend the whole season worrying about their own teams and then are asked to pick the league's top goalie.Here's how the oddsboard shapes up prior to the 2021-22 season:(Only players with 40-1 odds or shorter are listed)GoalieOddsAndrei Vasilevskiy+380Connor Hellebuyck+900Darcy Kuemper+1000Marc-Andre Fleury+1000Carey Price+1400Philipp Grubauer+1500Robin Lehner+1600Semyon Varlamov+1700Thatcher Demko+1700Frederik Andersen+1800Petr Mrazek+1800Igor Shesterkin+2100Jeremy Swayman+2200Spencer Knight+2200Jordan Binnington+2300Alex Nedeljkovic+2400Jack Campbell+2400Juuse Saros+2400Chris Driedger+2500Ilya Sorokin+2500Ilya Samsonov+2600Cam Talbot+3200Carter Hart+3200Anton Khudobin+3300Sergei Bobrovsky+3300Ben Bishop+3400Linus Ullmark+3400John Gibson+3500Calvin Peterson+3800Tuukka Rask+3800Elvis Merzlikins+4000Jacob Markstrom+4000Mackenzie Blackwood+4000Who usually wins?Let's take a look back to 2008 at the age of the goalie when they won, their team's point percentage that season, and their goals saved above average (GSAA) the year prior to winning.YearWinnerAgeTeam's point %Previous year GSAA2021Marc-Andre Fleury3673.2-6.502020Connor Hellebuyck2656.35.862019Andrei Vasilevskiy2478.015.122018Pekka Rinne3571.38.052017Sergei Bobrovsky2865.8-7.692016Braden Holtby2673.217.462015Carey Price3167.123.512014Tuukka Rask2671.316.322013Sergei Bobrovsky2457.3-11.512012Henrik Lundqvist2966.519.182011Tim Thomas3662.84.342010Ryan Miller2960.917.252009Tim Thomas3470.721.252008Martin Brodeur3560.435.76Marc-Andre Fleury's win last year - in addition to Thomas and Brodeur taking the honor - pull the average age for a winner up. But the key takeaway is there have been both young and old winners.Connor Hellebuyck is the outlier as far as team performance goes. Every other goaltender listed played for a club that finished with a points percentage above 60% and was at least a 99-point team.Lastly, a netminder doesn't need to play well the season prior. There are a few negative GSAA seasons listed, and a few more single-digit ones.Which is why the Vezina Trophy market is difficult to predict. Still, here are three netminders worth backing this season:Robin Lehner +1600Lehner is a physical monster who turned 30 this summer, and he's got the net to himself for the first time in his career. He's also starting for a Stanley Cup contender, and the Golden Knights' defensive infrastructure factored into Fleury's Vezina-winning season.Vegas gave Lehner a vote of confidence while shipping Fleury to Chicago. The team no doubt hopes he can return to his pre-pandemic form when the Swede claimed the starting job with the league's seventh-best GSAA.Thatcher Demko +1700Demko has also been handed sole possession of the crease. The Canucks' absurd move to make him split time with Braden Holtby last year never made sense. While the season was a complete disaster on many levels for Vancouver, Demko followed his epic playoff run in the bubble with the eighth-best GSAA.Now he should receive close to 60 starts, and the Canucks might be able to reach the 99-point threshold if they get everyone signed and healthy for the first time since last summer. Demko would get a ton of credit if the team reaches that mark, especially after stealing playoff games in 2020 to initially get on NHL radars.Juuse Saros +2400While last year's stats aren't nearly the perfect predictor, the 26-year-old Nashville Predator was the league's best goaltender starting in mid-February.Like the aforementioned two goalies, there was a veteran (Pekka Rinne) stealing starts from Saros. Following a rough three-game stretch during the first week of February - in which he allowed 15 goals over three games - Saros went on a ridiculous run, posting a .940 save percentage and a 1.90 goals-against average over the rest of the season.Saros single-handedly dragged the Predators into the playoffs, and then he finished among the top five in Vezina voting. Now he'll get a chance to do it again for a full season with Rinne retired.If he does, Saros will win the award this time around.Matt 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 © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Men's rosters for the 2022 Olympics in Beijing will be finalized in early January, according to TSN's Pierre LeBrun.Competing countries have until Oct. 15 to submit their long list - roughly 50 players - so they can be subject to drug testing, LeBrun adds.The NHL, IIHF, NHLPA, and IOC struck an agreement to return to the Olympics in September. The NHL sent players to the games from 1998-14, but sat out the 2018 tournament in PyeongChang.The men's tournament is scheduled to run from Feb. 9 to Feb. 20.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The last six Norris Trophy recipients have all been first-time winners, and today we're looking at three other defensemen who are good value to extend that run.PlayerOdds to winCale Makar+350Adam Fox+700Victor Hedman+700Charlie McAvoy+1200Dougie Hamilton+1200Jaccob Slavin+1700Miro Heiskanen+1700Quinn Hughes+1700Roman Josi+1700Jared Spurgeon+2000Morgan Rielly+2000John Carlson+2000Shea Theodore+2000Alex Pietrangelo+2000Ryan Pulock+2000Aaron Ekblad+2000Devon Toews+2500Jeff Petry+2500Adam Pelech+3000Brent Burns+3000Kris Letang+3000Torey Krug+3000Ryan Ellis+3000John Klingberg+3000Nate Schmidt+3000Drew Doughty+3500Jakob Chychrun+3500Mark Giordano+3500Mackenzie Weegar+3500Darnell Nurse+4000Matt Dumba+4000Josh Morrissey+4000Alex Edler+4000Matt Grzelcyk+4000Only listing players with odds 40-1 or shorter.Dougie Hamilton (+1200)Hamilton doesn't get enough credit for how good he is. Over the last three years at five-on-five, he's led all defensemen in Corsi For rating and expected goals for percentage. He also posted a strong plus-38 goal differential in that span. He's as good as there is in terms of driving play and tilting the ice in his team's favor.Hamilton is also a remarkably consistent offensive producer. He has scored at least 10 goals in seven consecutive seasons. His overall production has quietly reached new heights, as he's averaged 66 points per 82 games over the last two years.He is walking into a pretty nice situation in New Jersey, where he'll be the undisputed No. 1 defenseman and play a ton of minutes in all situations. There's plenty of talent to move the puck up to, headlined by former first overall picks Nico Hischier and Jack Hughes. And the system is tailor-made for a player like Hamilton; Lindy Ruff is all about playing with pace and will give the green light to Hamilton when it comes to jumping into the play.If Hamilton has a big offensive season and can help the Devils sneak into the playoffs, he'll garner real consideration for some hardware.Aaron Ekblad (+2000)Ekblad was the talk of the town in the first half of the COVID-19-shortened 2021 season. He was logging more than 25 minutes per night for the surprisingly good Panthers and scoring goals at a torrid pace, finding the back of the net 11 times in just 35 games.His season ended prematurely due to injury, but the level at which Ekblad was playing was extremely high, and people were taking notice. He received a lot of the credit for Florida's eye-opening season.The Panthers are now firmly on everyone's radar and, on paper, could be even better than a year ago. A full season of Sam Bennett - who was fantastic following a change of scenery - and newly acquired Sam Reinhart will make Florida more potent up front. Ekblad's return makes them that much better on defense.If the 2021-22 version of Ekblad is anything like the guy we saw prior to his injury, he could become the first Panthers player to win the Norris.Darnell Nurse (+4000)Personally, I think Nurse is a little overrated. That doesn't matter, though because I'm not the one voting on the awards.On the surface, it's easy to see why so many voters love him. Nurse is a big, strong defender who isn't afraid to throw his weight around, which endears him to a lot of people; so does his ability to handle extreme workloads. Nurse played upward of 26 minutes per game a season ago. Logging big minutes, playing physical, and producing points are all things that get you noticed. Nurse meets the criteria.While Dave Tippett would probably like to lessen the burden on Nurse - 25-plus minutes is a lot to play over an 82-game season - I'm not sure the Oilers have the horses on defense to make that happen.Nurse is likely heading for extreme usage once again. Whether he's efficient or not, he's going to put up a bunch of points. Doing so, while playing the physical style many traditionalists gravitate toward, makes him a great value to win the Norris.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 Vancouver Canucks are inching closer toward signing their two key restricted free agents.Vancouver made progress Thursday morning in contract talks with Elias Pettersson and Quinn Hughes' agent, sources told The Athletic's Thomas Drance.Both players are represented by Pat Brisson of CAA Sports, according to PuckPedia.The Canucks have $13.7 million in cap space, but they can create $3.5 million in additional flexibility if they place Micheal Ferland on long-term injured reserve, according to CapFriendly.Pettersson, the 2019 Calder Trophy winner, recorded 21 points in 26 games during an injury-plagued 2020-21 campaign and is expected to center the team's top line.Hughes, the Calder runner-up in 2020, amassed 41 points in 56 contests last season and is projected to anchor the club's top defense pairing.The pair have been skating together in Michigan with Ottawa Senators forward Brady Tkachuk - another RFA holdout - to stay in game shape.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Toronto Maple Leafs have signed head coach Sheldon Keefe to a two-year contract extension, sources told TSN's Pierre LeBrun.Keefe was entering the final year of his previous deal. His new contract will run through the 2023-24 campaign.The 41-year-old took over for Mike Babcock during the 2019-20 season. In parts of two years with the Leafs, Keefe has led the team to a 62-29-12 regular-season record and a division title in 2020-21. His .660 points percentage is the best in franchise history, edging out Frank Carroll and Pat Quinn.However, Keefe has been unable to get the team over the hump in the playoffs. Toronto lost to the Columbus Blue Jackets during the qualifying round of the 2020 postseason before collapsing in the first round of the 2021 playoffs against the Montreal Canadiens.Prior to his NHL promotion, Keefe worked under current Leafs general manager Kyle Dubas as the head coach of the OHL's Soo Greyhounds and the AHL's Toronto Marlies. Keefe led the Marlies to a Calder Cup in 2018.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

One of the NHL's loudest rinks will be at max volume for the start of the 2021-22 campaign.Quebec health authorities are lifting some COVID-19 restrictions within the province, and as a result, the Bell Centre will be allowed to operate at full capacity by the time the Montreal Canadiens drop the puck on their regular season, according to The Canadian Press.Fans in Montreal will be required to show proof of vaccination and wear masks.Last week, the NHL said it expected all arenas except for the Bell Centre and Rogers Arena - home of the Vancouver Canucks - to host at full capacity this season. In the memo, the league said the Canadiens could fill a maximum of 33% of seats.Quebec officials allowed a portion of fans into the Bell Centre this past summer as the Canadiens marched to the Stanley Cup Final.Montreal's first home game of the regular season is scheduled for Oct. 16 versus the New York Rangers.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Eugene Kolychev, general manager of the Ukrainian Hockey League, tweeted Thursday that he's been fired for speaking out against racism in the wake of the Jalen Smereck incident.

Detroit Red Wings forward Jakub Vrana will undergo shoulder surgery and is expected to miss at least four months, head coach Jeff Blashill announced Thursday.Detroit acquired Vrana at last season's trade deadline in a blockbuster deal that sent Anthony Mantha to the Washington Capitals.Vrana instantly fit into the Red Wings' top six, registering 11 points across 11 games to close out his 2020-21 campaign. He inked a three-year contract worth $15.75 million with Detroit in August.The rebuilding Red Wings begin their regular season on Oct. 14 versus the Tampa Bay Lightning.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Arizona Coyotes will be the first NHL team to utilize a fully relaxed dress code, according to an ESPN survey of all 32 franchises.The NHL is the only major North American league that carries a strict dress code. Exhibit 14, Paragraph 5 of the collective bargaining agreement states: "Players are required to wear jackets, ties and dress pants to all club games and while traveling to and from such games unless otherwise specified by the head coach or general manager."Coyotes chief brand officer Alex Meruelo Jr. floated the idea of ditching suits to the team last season, and they're going to run with it full time in 2021-22."(Meruelo) is very open to the idea of going to the game and growing our fan base and anything we can do to be a little unique and different, they're always open to trying different things," Coyotes defenseman Jakob Chychrun said to ESPN's Emily Kaplan."To be the first team to go no dress code was awesome. The guys loved it. I think it's great to be able to show a bit of your personality and your closet other than just your suits. I had fun with it. I enjoyed it. I'm glad it's something we'll continue to do."The NHL allowed players to dress as they wished for the 2020 bubble playoffs in Toronto and Edmonton but went back to traditional rules last season.Sources told Kaplan that the NHLPA has been pushing for a league-wide change to dress code rules so players can express their personalities and help build individual brands.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.