Florida Panthers defenseman Aaron Ekblad underwent successful surgery Monday to repair a fracture in his lower extremities, the team announced. He's expected to be out of the lineup for 12 weeks.Ekblad suffered a fracture in his left leg Sunday against the Dallas Stars, according to TSN's Frank Seravalli.After taking a hit from Stars defenseman Esa Lindell, Ekblad fell into the boards and landed awkwardly on his left leg.The arena's medical staff applied an aircast to his leg before stretchering him off."To be without a player of Aaron's caliber and character is an irreplaceable loss to our hockey club," general manager Bill Zito said. "Aaron is an incredibly driven and talented young player and a tremendous leader for our team. He has the heartfelt support of our organization, his teammates, and fans as we wish him the best in his recovery and his eventual return."The former No. 1 overall pick was enjoying the best season of his career. He's currently tied for the league lead in goals among defensemen (11). Ekblad also collected 11 assists over 35 games.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Ottawa Senators have traded defenseman Christian Wolanin to the Los Angeles Kings for forward Mike Amadio, the team announced Monday.Ottawa recently placed Wolanin on waivers, but he went unclaimed. The 26-year-old was the Senators' fourth-round pick in 2015, and he's posted three assists in 15 games this season.Amadio has appeared in 20 contests with the Kings this season, collecting two assists. The 24-year-old has registered 39 points over 168 career NHL games.This is the second deal Los Angeles has made in as many days leading up to the April 12 trade deadline. The Kings acquired Brendan Lemieux from the New York Rangers on Sunday.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Carter Hart may have avoided the dreaded sophomore slump, but his third NHL campaign has certainly not gone as planned.The Philadelphia Flyers netminder will be a healthy scratch for the club's next two games on Monday and Wednesday, and head coach Alain Vigneault wants the 22-year-old to work his way back into the crease."This is not a rest day for Carter, this is a work day for him," Vigneault said Monday, according to NHL.com's Adam Kimelman."He's going to skate today in practice, stay on after, practice with the team tomorrow, stay on after. Wednesday he'll do the same thing ... he needs to work on his game. He needs to work harder, he needs to work better. I've had good conversations with him and Kim (Dillabaugh, goalie coach) about my expectations about his practice habits and him stopping the puck."Hart cemented himself as one of the top young goalies in the league after his dominant playoff run in the bubble last summer. He posted a .926 save percentage and a 2.23 goals-against average over 14 starts to help lead the Flyers to the second round.The 22-year-old has failed to replicate that level of play this season, however. Hart has allowed four or more goals in five of his last six starts and ranks dead last among all netminders (minimum 11 games played) in save percentage (.869) and goals saved above average (-23.06)."I just need to find more ways to stop pucks. Just go out and play," Hart said earlier this month. "Not overthink things and just trust my game. It's just shitty right now."Brian Elliott will start Monday against the last-place Buffalo Sabres, who are winless in their last 17 games.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Ottawa Senators placed veteran forward Artem Anisimov on waivers Monday, according to Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman.Anisimov, 32, is in the final year of a five-year deal with an annual cap hit of $4.55 million. He's set to become an unrestricted free agent after this season.The 6-foot-4 pivot has two goals and two assists through 14 games in his second campaign with the Senators after tallying 15 goals last season.Ottawa acquired Anisimov from the Chicago Blackhawks in July 2019. The four-time 20-goal scorer has amassed 180 tallies and 371 points over 766 career NHL outings.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Florida Panthers defenseman Aaron Ekblad was stretchered off midway through the second period of Sunday's game against the Dallas Stars with an apparent leg injury.Ekblad went into the boards and his left leg came down awkwardly after Stars blue-liner Esa Lindell hit him.The arena's medical staff applied an aircast to Ekblad's leg before removing him from the ice.Panthers head coach Joel Quenneville didn't provide a definitive timeline when asked about his talented rearguard following the team's 4-1 victory, but he wasn't optimistic."We think he's going to be out for an extensive time," the bench boss said, according to WPLG's David Dwork. Quenneville added that Ekblad will accompany the club on the flight home Sunday night, and the Panthers expect to know more about the injury Monday.Florida forward Jonathan Huberdeau said postgame that the team was playing for Ekblad."He’s a great guy, a great teammate," Huberdeau said. "... We had to come out in the third period and play well. We got the win for him tonight."The Panthers defenseman was enjoying a career season, collecting 11 goals and 11 assists over 35 games, including a helper Sunday. He was tied for the NHL lead in goals among defensemen entering Sunday's action.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Stanley Cup Playoffs will be delayed by at least one day.The NHL released its latest round of rescheduled games on Sunday, and 19 contests have been either moved to a new date or given a new start time. Two regular-season games are now slated for May 11, a date the league previously earmarked for the first day of the postseason.Most of Sunday's updates were due to COVID-19 postponements, except for a game between the St. Louis Blues and Los Angeles Kings that needed to be pushed after inclement weather prevented the Kings from flying out of Denver earlier this month.Here are the games that have been rescheduled to a different date:All times in p.m. EST.VisitorHomeOriginal DateNew Date (Time)Edmonton OilersMontreal CanadiensMarch 22March 30 (7:00)Washington CapitalsBoston BruinsApril 20April 11 (7:00)Ottawa SenatorsCanadiensMarch 28April 17 (4:00)BruinsBuffalo SabresMarch 20April 20 (7:00)CanadiensOilersApril 20April 21 (10:00)CanadiensCalgary FlamesApril 22April 23 (9:00)CanadiensSenatorsMarch 30May 5 (7:00)CanadiensMaple LeafsMay 7May 6 (7:00)OilersCanadiensMarch 24May 10 (5:30)Tampa Bay LightningFlorida PanthersMay 6May 10 (7:00)New York IslandersBruinsMarch 23May 10 (7:00)Toronto Maple LeafsSenatorsMay 5May 10 (8:00)BluesKingsMarch 15May 10 (10:00)OilersCanadiensMarch 26May 11 (7:00)BruinsCapitalsApril 11May 11 (7:00)And here are the matchups that have been given new start times:VisitorHomeDateOriginal TimeNew TimeFlamesCanadiensApril 167:006:00Maple LeafsWinnipeg JetsApril 218:007:00CanadiensFlamesApril 2610:006:30OilersJetsApril 268:009:00The final day of the 2021 regular season was originally set for May 8, though all of the league's original critical dates were subject to change.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The St. Louis Blues made forward Mike Hoffman a healthy scratch for Sunday's loss to the Anaheim Ducks, Blues head coach Craig Berube confirmed postgame."I just want more out of him," Berube said, according to The Athletic's Jeremy Rutherford. "I just made a decision to not play him. ... That's basically what it boils down to."I need more effort and competitiveness from him. He hasn't scored in 10 games."Hoffman, whom the Blues signed to a one-year, $4-million contract on the eve of this season, has been held pointless over his last five games, and he's collected only one goal and one assist in his last 10.The 31-year-old is averaging just 15:24 of ice time per game in 2021, which would be his lowest since 2014-15 if he sustains that pace for the duration of the campaign.Hoffman has posted a goals for percentage of 50, but an expected goals percentage of only 43.43 this season, according to Natural Stat Trick.The veteran winger has produced eight goals and 12 assists across 33 games in 2021.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Toronto Maple Leafs have inked forward Alex Steeves to a three-year entry-level contract beginning in 2021-22, the team announced Sunday.The 21-year-old just wrapped up a three-year collegiate career at Notre Dame. He led the Fighting Irish and finished 10th among NCAA skaters with 32 points over 29 games during the 2020-21 campaign.Steeves went undrafted in 2018 despite a strong season with the USHL's Dubuque Fighting Saints when he tallied 20 goals and 37 assists over 55 games. He was also the recipient of the USHL Scholar-Athlete Award that season.The Eden Prairie, Minnesota native is listed at 5-foot-11 and 185 pounds.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Every week, theScore offers a fantasy hockey column detailing a handful of moves you should make. This edition focuses on Week 11. Roster percentages and position eligibility are courtesy of Yahoo.Add Kirby DachTeam: Blackhawks

Aaron Ekblad wasn't going to be denied in his quest to score the decisive marker against the Dallas Stars on Saturday night.The Florida Panthers defenseman thought he netted the winner with about 44 seconds left in overtime. However, the officials reviewed the play and overturned that goal after determining the Panthers went offside.But Ekblad wasn't done. The star blue-liner took a pass from Jonathan Huberdeau and shoveled it home on the backhand with 10 seconds left in the extra frame for the unquestioned winner.

Eric Staal is ready for a fresh start.The Montreal Canadiens' newest forward is excited to be back in the playoff race after spending the first half of the campaign with the historically poor Buffalo Sabres."Well, the good part for me right now is I don't really need to explain," Staal said Sunday, according to The Athletic's John Vogl."I can kind of put that behind me and focus on what I can do for the Montreal Canadiens, which is what I'm going to try and do ... for me, having this chance to be a Montreal Canadien and join this team, with a lot of great players and talent, is exciting for me."Montreal acquired the 36-year-old on Saturday in exchange for a pair of draft picks. Staal tallied three goals and 10 points over 32 games for Buffalo, which is currently enduring a franchise-worst 17-game winless streak.The Sabres have been hit with several setbacks this season. A COVID-19 outbreak sidelined the club for the first two weeks of February, and Buffalo has since lost captain Jack Eichel and starting goalie Linus Ullmark to long-term injuries."There were so many hurdles, there were so many things that just didn't line up the way we envisioned," Staal said, per Vogl."The reality is we started OK, we had an up and down first two weeks or so, we were kind of finding our game, filling our roles, and then we got hit with COVID. It went through our room like wildfire, and it wasn't great. Two weeks of guys battling that, and a couple of guys battling it pretty hard, it was difficult. We kind of, after that, coming back, never found any footing."Staal has tallied 439 goals and 1,031 points through 1,272 career outings but has appeared in the playoffs just five times since capturing the Stanley Cup with the Carolina Hurricanes during his sophomore season in 2005-06.The Canadiens occupy the fourth seed in the North Division entering Sunday's slate of games.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Thatcher Demko's emergence as the Vancouver Canucks No. 1 option in goal has been a welcome revelation for the club, and his teammates believe his brilliance is no longer a secret after a dominant March."I don't know about underrated, but I know he's really good, and we all know he's really good," J.T. Miller said Thursday on Dropping the Gloves podcast. "He's super competitive, practices really hard, and gives us a chance to win every game, and that's all you can really ask for."Demko has been a steady presence in goal since his incredible playoff run in the bubble, but he took a massive leap in his development this month. The 25-year-old has collected eight wins while posting a .937 save percentage and a 2.15 goals-against average over 11 starts in March.The California native's also faced one of the heaviest workloads all season on a Canucks' team that's been a wreck defensively. Demko ranks second in shots faced among all netminders and fourth in minutes played, while Vancouver sits among the bottom teams in Corsi For %, shot share, and expected goals share at five-on-five, according to Natural Stat Trick."He's a huge part of our team, keeps us in a lot of games when we're not bringing our A-game, and he's an awesome guy too," Miller said."It's obviously a really bright future for him, and obviously, he's playing like one of the best goalies in the league right now, so we expect nothing less, and I know he's challenged himself to be that guy."Demko is in line for a new contract following this campaign. Braden Holtby, who the Canucks inked to a two-year, $8.6-million deal in October, has turned into an expensive backup, and Vancouver could look into trading him to clear more cap space for stars Elias Pettersson and Quinn Hughes, who are also up for new deals this summer.The Canucks sit sixth in the North Division entering Sunday's action. Vancouver is two points shy of a playoff spot, but the math is heavily against the franchise, with the fourth-place Montreal Canadiens having six games in hand.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Montreal Canadiens inked forward Cole Caufield to a three-year, entry-level contract, the club announced Saturday.Caufield, whose NCAA season ended Friday, is one of 10 finalists for the Hobey Baker Award, handed out annually to the nation's top collegiate men's hockey player.The 20-year-old led all Division I skaters with 30 goals and posted a Big Ten-best 52 points in 31 games for the University of Wisconsin this season. He was named the conference's player of the year and helped the Badgers claim the Big Ten title during the regular season.Montreal selected Caufield 15th overall in 2019.Bemidji State upset Wisconsin 6-3 in the NCAA tournament's opening round Friday.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The New York Rangers traded forward Brendan Lemieux to the Los Angeles Kings for a 2021 fourth-round pick, the Rangers confirmed Saturday.It is the Kings' own selection heading to the Rangers, reports TSN's Pierre LeBrun. Los Angeles also possesses another fourth-rounder in the upcoming draft, which the team landed from the Calgary Flames in a trade for Derek Forbort in February 2020.The Rangers had to open up a roster spot amid several looming decisions.

Boston Bruins star forward Brad Marchand has been placed on the NHL's COVID-19 protocol list, the team announced.Boston recently had two games postponed due to COVID-19 protocols. The club returned to the ice Thursday versus the New York Islanders.Marchand has put together another strong campaign in 2021, posting 12 goals and 22 assists in 29 games to lead the Bruins in scoring while averaging nearly 19 minutes of ice time per contest.The Bruins took Saturday's clash 3-2, extending the Sabres' winless streak to 17 games.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Montreal Canadiens acquired forward Eric Staal from the Buffalo Sabres on Friday for a third- and fifth-round pick in 2021, the team announced.The Sabres are retaining 50% of Staal's salary in the deal, according to Cap Friendly.Montreal still has two picks in both the third and fifth rounds of the upcoming draft to run its total to 12.Staal is a pending unrestricted free agent. The Minnesota Wild dealt him to Buffalo during the offseason, and he posted 10 points in 32 games in 2021 for the last-place Sabres, who are expected to be major sellers prior to the April 12 trade deadline.The 36-year-old has 51 points in 62 career playoff games and won a Stanley Cup with the Carolina Hurricanes in 2006. He provides the Canadiens with quality depth at center down the stretch and into the postseason.The Canadian government and seven teams north of the border reportedly agreed to lower the mandatory quarantine for U.S. players from 14 to seven days, and though it's not official yet, Staal is expected to be eligible for the new rule, reports Sportsnet's Chris Johnston.On Thursday, Canadiens general manager Marc Bergevin said it's "very unlikely" he makes a trade due to salary-cap constraints. Montreal is projected to have just over $800,000 in deadline cap space after the Staal trade, according to Cap Friendly.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Boston Bruins goaltender Tuukka Rask will miss both of the club's games this weekend due to an upper-body injury, head coach Bruce Cassidy confirmed Friday, according to NHL.com's Amalie Benjamin.Rask was hurt in Thursday's loss to the New York Islanders. He played the first period but was unable to return after the intermission."Hopefully there's (nothing) major there, but obviously something's going on where he had to leave the game again with a similar injury the last time," Cassidy said.Rask's start versus New York was his first since March 7 due to a previous injury.The 34-year-old has appeared in 15 games in 2021, posting eight wins with a .907 save percentage.Boston plays the Buffalo Sabres on Saturday afternoon before hosting the New Jersey Devils on Sunday. The Bruins currently sit fourth in the East Division but hold games in hand on every team ahead or behind them in the standings.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Calgary Flames forward Matthew Tkachuk became the first NHLer to release a minted non-fungible token (NFT) - a piece of digital memorabilia that's taken the sports world by storm largely due to the success of NBA Top Shot.He explained the idea on Twitter:

Warning: Story contains coarse languagePhiladelphia Flyers defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere didn't mince words after an embarrassing 8-3 defeat to the New York Rangers on Thursday."This team has really lost its identity," Gostisbehere told reporters. "From where we were at the beginning of the year to where we are now. It sucks right now."It's just unacceptable. It's just straight not good enough right now. We're letting guys just absolutely f------ beat us up right now in front of the net. It makes our goaltenders look like absolute shit. It's not fair."Philadelphia's loss Thursday was its fourth in a row and 10th in 14 games. The defeat also marked the second time in a week the Rangers blew out the Flyers, as Philly suffered a 9-0 beatdown to New York on March 17.The Flyers entered March with an 11-4-3 record and now sit sixth in the East Division, three points outside the playoff picture with three more games played than the fourth-place Bruins.Gostisbehere is in his seventh season with Philly. The 27-year-old has notched five goals and five assists in 23 games in 2021 while averaging over 20 minutes per contest.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby recorded his 1,300th-career point Thursday after registering three assists against the Buffalo Sabres.Crosby is the eighth-fastest player to reach the milestone, putting him in elite company.

Boston Bruins goaltender Tuukka Rask was ruled out for the remainder of Thursday's game against the New York Islanders with an upper-body injury, the team announced.The 34-year-old finished the first period, turning aside all six shots he faced. It's unclear when he suffered the injury.Rask was sidelined for the last few weeks, and he was making his return to the crease against the Islanders. He last appeared in a game on March 7.Jaroslav Halak was in net to start the second period.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Buffalo Sabres interim head coach Don Granato and interim assistant coach Matt Ellis will miss Thursday's game against the Pittsburgh Penguins after being placed in the NHL's COVID-19 protocol, the team announced.General manager Kevyn Adams will serve as Buffalo's head coach.This marks the second time a Sabres coach has been affected by the league's protocol. Earlier in the year, ex-bench boss Ralph Krueger revealed he contracted COVID-19.Adams, a former NHL player, was an assistant coach with the Sabres from 2011-2013.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Canadian government is poised to approve a seven-day quarantine period with extra testing for NHL players who are traded from American to Canadian clubs prior to the April 12 deadline, a source told CBC News.All provinces with NHL teams have approved the measures, according to CBC.Those crossing the U.S.-Canada border are required to quarantine for 14 days once they enter Canada.The current two-week quarantine requirement makes it difficult for the seven Canadian teams to trade for players on U.S. clubs.The Winnipeg Jets acquired forward Pierre-Luc Dubois from the Columbus Blue Jackets on Jan. 23, but the 22-year-old wasn't able to play his first game for the club until Feb. 9.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Montreal Canadiens general manager Marc Bergevin doesn't anticipate his team will be very active on the trade market ahead of the April 12 deadline.Bergevin said it's difficult to make a trade due to the team's tight salary-cap situation, and any possible move has to be a pure hockey deal."We have no cap space, so I mean it's money in, money out," Bergevin told reporters Thursday. "Expectation to do something at the deadline is probably very unlikely."Montreal has just over $1 million in projected cap space, according to CapFriendly.The Habs, along with the six other Canadian teams, face another significant hurdle when it comes to making a trade. Players must complete the mandated 14-day quarantine period upon crossing the U.S.-Canada border.Bergevin said the quarantine rule won't impact the timing of a potential deal and circled back to the club's cap crunch being the main issue."We do have conversations daily, but at the end of the day you go back to always the cap," he said. "Once you become a team against the cap, it's money in money out unless you start giving up assets."He added: "Honestly, I'm not worried about it. I like our team, we'll make the best of the situation of the condensed schedule for the rest of the year, but I still like our team a lot."The Canadiens won't play until at least March 30 after having four games postponed due to COVID-19 protocol. Montreal sits fourth in the North Division entering Thursday's action.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Buffalo Sabres lost a franchise-worst 15th straight game Wednesday after falling 5-2 to the Pittsburgh Penguins.The Sabres surrendered the first two goals of the contest before Rasmus Dahlin cut the lead to one in the first period. The Penguins controlled the game from there, scoring three more times and outshooting Buffalo 42-28.With an 0-13-2 record in their past 15 games, the Sabres now hold the longest winless skid since the shootout was introduced in 2005-06, according to The Athletic's John Vogl.The longest losing streak in NHL history is 18 games, which the Pittsburgh Penguins slumped to in the 2003-04 season.With their starting goaltender Linus Ullmark sidelined for the entire losing streak due to an injury, the Sabres have been outscored 63-25 over the 15-game span.Buffalo's last win came against the New Jersey Devils on Feb. 23.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Brian Burke is approaching his first trade deadline as a member of the Pittsburgh Penguins' front office, and he's ready to make some moves."We have an agreement with ownership," Burke told The Athletic's Josh Yohe. "And part of that agreement is to see how much we can help this group win right now."Burke was hired as Pittsburgh's president of hockey operations in February. He was brought in with general manager Ron Hextall - who was appointed in the aftermath of Jim Rutherford's surprise resignation - and many wondered what approach the duo would take for an aging Penguins core struggling to string together wins in 2021."We are looking to do something, very much. Hexy is working the phones hard right now," Burke said.He continued, "We like our group. We'd like to make it better. Here's the thing: We don't have any picks left. We aren't putting our top kids in play. So, we don't necessarily have certain things to offer that other teams do. The things we can offer are a little different than other teams, maybe. But if we can add, we're going to add."Pittsburgh has one of the league's emptiest prospect pipelines and only owns one pick in the first four rounds of the 2021 draft. The club is also right against the $81.5-million salary cap, making a move of significance before the April 12 deadline difficult.The Penguins boast the league's third-best record since their front-office shakeup at 15-6-1. They currently sit third in the East Division with 42 points but have played five more games than the fourth-place Bruins.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Welcome to the third edition of theScore's Norris Trophy Power Rankings, where we have five brand-new entrants.These rankings focus on analytics and all-around ability at the position rather than just points.

The Tampa Bay Lightning traded forward Alexander Volkov to the Anaheim Ducks for a conditional 2023 seventh-round pick and prospect Antoine Morand, the team announced Wednesday.Lightning GM Julien BriseBois chalked up the deal as a cap dump."With more cap space, I would have liked to hold on to Alex but considering how tight we are against the salary cap, and with Mitch Stephens coming back in the not too distant future, something had to give," BriseBois said, according to Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman.Volkov, 23, has collected three goals and three assists in 28 career regular-season NHL games. The Bolts picked him in the second round of the 2017 draft.The 6-foot-1 winger is in the last year of a contract carrying the league-minimum $700,000 cap hit. He'll be a restricted free agent with arbitration rights at season's end, according to CapFriendly.Morand, 22, was also a second-round pick in 2017 by the Ducks. The forward has recorded no goals and five assists in 20 games this year with the AHL's San Diego Gulls.If Anaheim's 2023 seventh-round pick is unavailable due to conditions of a previous trade, the Lightning will receive the Ducks' 2024 seventh-rounder.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Tim Peel became Twitter's main character Tuesday night when he inadvertently opened the curtain to what NHL referees think and act upon in games. The league was swift in its punishment of Peel but left unaddressed the larger disgruntlement fans have with officiating.There has always been a disconnect between what the paying customers see and the seemingly inexplicable events that are triggered by game officials on the court/field/ice.During the Red Wings-Predators game, a hot mic appeared to catch Peel saying that makeup calls and "evening things out" do exist in the NHL. The league banished Peel for the final few weeks of the regular season, though the 53-year-old was scheduled to retire anyway.But Tim Peel's dismissal is not just an NHL story. It ought to be a reminder to all leagues that accountability from the participants in major professional sports doesn't stop with teams and the players. Leagues have rules about making players available to the media but fail to hold themselves and their game officials to the same standard.The NBA is the most progressive with its last two-minute reports and the decision to keep the bubble addition of courtside microphones for referees to explain which elements of a play they are reviewing. Leagues otherwise make officials available for postgame interviews only in rare circumstances.NBA referees Scott Foster, left, and Tom Washington examine a replay during a January game in Utah. Garrett Ellwood / NBA / Getty ImagesLeagues have always placed a cloak of secrecy around their game officials and the way they're managed. And anything that is shielded from the public (via their agents in the media) can go off the rails.The public generally believes that game officials put their thumb on the scale in the name of "fairness," such as makeup calls to cover over a previous bad call. The public also generally believes that established players are treated more favorably than rookies and stars in many sports can get away with just about anything.Offensive holding calls noticeably dropped in the NFL in 2020 - only 477 were called in regular- and postseason games versus 732 in 2019. The difference represented nearly 2,500 fewer yards lost. The league briefly addressed the trend after Week 1, with Walt Anderson, the senior vice president of officiating training and development, telling NFL.com that officials were instructed to only call "clear and obvious" penalties.The transparency is fine, but it doesn't explain why holding penalties specifically dropped 35% when penalties overall dropped only 16%.If the NFL wants to goose offensive production, it should just say so. Otherwise, fans are left to draw their own conclusions.You can easily point to your own example in any sport. Baseball umpires, for example, made up their own strike zones for years. In the '90s, umpires' strike zones became so distorted that we eventually reached Game 5 of the 1997 National League Championship Series. Marlins starter Livan Hernandez famously struck out 15 Braves. Umpire Eric Gregg's strike zone was so wide that hitters had no choice but to try to swing and foul off unhittable pitches off the plate.Joe Brinkman's strike zone in Game 6 of the 1995 World Series was similarly bloated. This is not to denigrate those two umpires. But the strike zone was more art than science in the 1990s and people knew it.Through much of the 1970s, National League umpires wore chest protectors inside their shirts while the American League maintained the practice of using the balloon protectors held in front of them. The leagues operated separately back then, with their own presidents and league offices and umpiring crews. It all gave rise to the public perception that NL umps could properly call strikes at the knees, while encumbered AL umps had a high strike zone.Joe Brinkman holding an outside chest protector during a 1976 American League game. Bettmann Archives / Getty ImagesThere are any number of ways to erode the public's confidence in the outcome through inconsistent officiating.Calling the strike zone has gotten better in the data age, partly because broadcasts now show the location of pitches during every at-bat. Holding umpires accountable resulted in a more consistent product.All of this is not to say that game officials need to be scrutinized by reporters after every game. But leagues can bolster public confidence in the games. Game officials should be as accountable to the public as any other participant in the game. And when their bosses judge that their work falls short of the standard, the public deserves to know what punishments have been meted out.As North American jurisdictions decriminalize sports betting, confidence in the product becomes paramount. Leagues have decided they want to profit from betting. In return, they need to continue to lift the veil draped over their game officials.Guy Spurrier is theScore's features editor.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Igor Shesterkin is ready to return to the crease.The New York Rangers netminder will start against the Philadelphia Flyers on Thursday after missing the club's previous 10 games with a mild groin strain, the team announced Wednesday.Shesterkin, 25, suffered the injury on March 4 against the New Jersey Devils when he slid across the net to make a save. He remained down for several moments and needed to be helped off the ice.The Russian puck-stopper has collected six wins and owns a .921 save percentage and a 2.31 goals-against average over 15 appearances this season.New York went 5-4-1 with Shesterkin out of the lineup, with backups Alexandar Georgiev and Keith Kinkaid combining for a subpar .890 save percentage over that span.The Rangers own a 14-13-4 record and sit sixth in the East Division entering Wednesday's action.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Toronto Maple Leafs goaltender Frederik Andersen will be out at least one more week as he recovers from a lower-body injury, head coach Sheldon Keefe told TSN's Mark Masters on Wednesday.Andersen played Friday versus the Calgary Flames but didn't dress Saturday due to the ailment. Jack Campbell will assume the starter's role, with Michael Hutchinson serving as his backup.The Maple Leafs play four games over the next seven days without any back-to-backs, so it's likely Campbell gets the nod in each contest. He's battled injury this season, as well, but is 4-0 in 2021 with two shutouts and a .965 save percentage.Andersen's managed a 13-8-2 record this season but owns a save percentage of .897. He's won only one of his six latest appearances, with a .862 clip over that span.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Warning: Story contains coarse languageMatt Duchene said former NHL referee Tim Peel was speaking to Nashville Predators winger Filip Forsberg when he admitted to targeting the club for a penalty during Tuesday's 2-0 win over the Detroit Red Wings."The crazy part is, he was talking to Filip Forsberg in that clip," Duchene said Wednesday on ESPN 102.5 The Game. "He told our bench that, so I mean (it was) really bizarre and I just think that can't happen.""Imagine the scenario where they score on that power play, we lose the game, and we miss the playoffs by one point," Duchene added.The incident occurred during the second period of Tuesday's clash when Peel whistled Predators forward Viktor Arvidsson for tripping."It wasn't much, but I wanted to get a fucking penalty against Nashville early in the ... " Peel said before a TV timeout.The league fired Peel - who was set to retire after this season - on Wednesday morning.Duchene expressed his frustration with the possibility that some officials target clubs for penalties to keep the calls balanced throughout the game."I don't think there's a place in hockey for that," he said. "You have to call the game. ... I've always been frustrated when I've seen even-up calls or stuff like that. If one team is earning power plays, you can't punish them because the other team is not."Peel was an on-ice official since 1999. He refereed over 1,300 NHL regular-season contests and 90 playoff games.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Tim Ohashi is quick to admit he was a mediocre hockey player despite appearing in 10 games for Bates College in the late 2000s.In fact, the plodding defenseman concluded early in his stay at the school he was actually most valuable as an unofficial assistant coach/team manager. So after recording one collegiate point - a goal - he transitioned from being in the thick of the action to being adjacent to it."It sounds more impressive when you learn it was a game-winning goal. It sounds less impressive when you learn it was the third goal in an 18-2 victory," Ohashi joked during a recent interview with theScore.A decade removed from graduating from Bates with this modicum of hockey operations experience, Ohashi is now the head video analyst for the Seattle Kraken. The 32-year-old has been spearheading all of the expansion franchise's video-related efforts in the lead-up to its 2021-22 season debut while also liaising between various arms of GM Ron Francis' ever-growing hockey ops department.Here's how Ohashi made his way to Seattle, what his jack-of-all-trades role with the Kraken entails, and what his rise reveals about the modern NHL.––––––––––Tim Ohashi hoists the Stanley Cup in June 2018 Courtesy of Washington CapitalsWorking in hockey, never mind the NHL, wasn't a part of Ohashi's original plan.He studied mathematics and psychology at Bates, and then education at Brown University. Everything was on schedule until a serious back problem forced him to take a leave from school around 2013. While recovering from surgery at his parents' home in Bethesda, Maryland, Ohashi had plenty of time to ponder his future. He soon realized teaching middle schoolers math wasn't an ideal long-term fit, so he shifted his attention to mapping out a way to make a living out a lifelong passion - sports. He enrolled in a sports management program at Georgetown University and was instantly hooked.Ohashi applied for internships in multiple departments with his favorite team, the Washington Capitals. Video coach Brett Leonhardt was looking for help, and Ohashi won him over. He then impressed head coach Barry Trotz enough during the internship to slide into a full-time video analyst job in 2015-16 and kept it for four additional seasons.Those entry-level years with the Caps were formative for Ohashi, who, according to Trotz, "just kept growing and growing" alongside Leonhardt. "Tim's very, very bright, very organized, and he's a forward thinker," the coach said.Trotz - who left Washington following its 2018 Stanley Cup run to coach the New York Islanders - singles out Ohashi's analytical brain. "He did a really good job thinking out of the box. Timmy, to me, was almost like Radar (O'Reilly) in M*A*S*H," Trotz said, referring to the exceptionally smart and intuitive character in the iconic TV show. "You'd have something in your mind or you'd start to talk about something and then you'd say, 'Timmy, can you pull up …' And he'd go, 'It's right here. I got it. It's right in front of ya.'"Leonhardt himself called Ohashi "the smartest processor of information I know" back in 2016.Winnipeg Jets players view video on the bench Jonathan Kozub / Getty ImagesVideo coaches/analysts are mostly invisible to fans, but they have a sizeable impact on the win-loss record for NHL teams. Among other duties, they help with coach's challenges, participate in or lead a variety of meetings, and generally collaborate with the coaching, managing, scouting, and analytics staff.Ohashi's background in math, psychology, and education proved to be advantageous in the Caps' dressing room. He felt at ease running video sessions for large groups of players, even though not everyone's first language was English and not everyone's preferred learning style was visual."Being a video coach, outside of the analyzing hockey part, is teaching," Ohashi said. "At the end of the day, you're in a room, you're using a screen, a TV, a board, and you're teaching a group of people. That's your class."Nobody enjoyed a teacher that did the same lesson every time in the exact same way," he added later. "It just gets stale and old and maybe it works for some of the kids in the class but it doesn't work for everybody. I try to take the approach of, video's great, and I love video, but words are great, text (is great). Let's try and give the players information in as many ways as possible."Ohashi has been described as the kind of person who never seems to have a bad day at the rink - which helps explain why he and Caps forward Tom Wilson became friends during his internship season and remain in touch."People that I've worked with would certainly say I like to keep things pretty loose and I like to joke around," Ohashi said. "But, when it comes to game time, there's nobody who likes to win more than I do, and it's all business then."––––––––––Merchandise at the Kraken's retail store Jim Bennett / Getty ImagesWith no players, coaches, or games, life in Seattle has been a tad strange for Ohashi. The typical daily grind, where you feel every win and loss, is absent. He's instead adopted a "three-pronged" approach to begin his Kraken tenure.For one, he's scouting teams across the NHL to build up Seattle's database of video footage. When the head coach arrives - presumably shortly after the 2020-21 season finishes - Ohashi wants him to be equipped with, say, the latest power-play clips of Seattle's Pacific Division rival San Jose Sharks.Ohashi is also working closely with the Kraken's five-person research and development team. He attends weekly meetings and contributes to big-picture data projects. Right now, the bulk of the R&D group's focus is on the immensely important expansion and amateur drafts scheduled for mid-July."Where Tim provides so much value, in addition to being able to support analysis with video, is that he knows the game so well. He knows the X's and O's," said Alexandra Mandrycky, the Kraken's director of hockey strategy and research. "When we say something like, 'Oh, we think this player is poor defensively,' he can go to the video and try to figure out, well, is it a team system thing? Is it a player style thing? What's actually happening in those micro events? Maybe there's a reason we have a player rated poorly, but maybe he's not actually as bad as we think?"The third prong is less about hockey and more about business. Expansion teams are gifted a blank canvas with no fixed culture or best practices. In Ohashi's world, this means significantly reducing the amount of paper used in hockey ops by digitalizing all stats packs; identifying the most appropriate locations for video rooms and TV screens inside the club's practice facility and home rink; choosing the proper video software partners and services. Some of it is minutiae, Ohashi notes, while other decisions are critical.The opportunity to help build a foundation was a huge selling point."Coming into an expansion team, you're not set in older ways," he said. "Nothing drives me crazier than being told, 'That's how it's always been done.' That's not really an answer on why something's done. If there's a better way to do things, let's do it that way. And we don't have those barriers."Ron Francis at the 2015 NHL Draft Dave Sandford / Getty ImagesOhashi's responsibilities will switch from the macro to the micro soon enough. Next season he and a yet-to-be-hired second video person will be tethered to the coaching staff, producing game reviews and pre-scouts, running off-day and intermission meetings, and, if the head coach operates like Trotz, deciding whether to challenge offside and goalie interference calls."It will be up to that person to decide if they want to be the one who's ultimately deciding whether to challenge or not. I'll be helping queue up the replays, if nothing else," Ohashi explained, before joking, "if we get (the challenges) wrong, though, we can say I'm not involved."As NHL teams have warmed up to advanced statistical analysis over the past decade or so, there has been a greater need for a conduit between the coaches and front office. Ohashi - whose depth of knowledge includes equal emphasis on the eye test and analytics - will be a buffer for Seattle in a manner similar to Lee Stempniak in Arizona. The former NHL winger was hired by the Coyotes in January as the team's hockey data strategist, or official "liaison."There's a competitive advantage to be gained if all members of an NHL team's hockey ops department are on the same page - from the old-school scouts to the new-school analysts."It seems like there's some places where coaching and management and analytics are all on the same team but not really working together, and that's something we're trying to avoid here," Ohashi said. "We have these great resources, this great brain power. How do we leverage it to help ourselves? How can, ultimately, (the research and development arm) make our lives easier and vice versa? Because we both bring something valuable to the table, and it's even more so if we can find a way to intertwine and connect."––––––––––Former Anaheim Ducks superstar Paul Kariya Brian Bahr / Getty ImagesOhashi has recently seen an uptick in unsolicited emails from people who aspire to work in the NHL. Some reach out because they've watched him climb the sport's ranks without high-level playing experience or connections to the establishment. Others ping him because they see representation.Ohashi is biracial. His dad, who became a cult hero among Caps fans, was born and raised in Japan, while his mom, who's from the Boston area, is white. Growing up in the 1990s, Ohashi admired Paul Kariya, the electric Japanese-Canadian forward who was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2017."It helped normalize that, hey, I could belong in this circle or I could play this sport and it's not weird," Ohashi said of Kariya's heavy influence on his love for hockey. "Because I certainly heard that growing up. Sort of, 'Why do you play a white person's sport?' Or, 'You should be playing baseball.' Or, 'You should be doing math.' As ridiculous as those statements sound, they're real things that I heard on the playground and on the sports fields."There's a lack of diversity in hockey and elsewhere in the sports world. Ohashi was encouraged by the Miami Marlins' decision to hire Kim Ng as their new GM last November. Then again, he isn't willing to take a victory lap yet."I followed in the footsteps of others and other people are now following in those footsteps and hopefully it continues to grow to a point where it's not a novelty, so to speak, and it's just normal," he said. "Certainly there's a lot of people of color and women who are qualified to work in roles - whether it's coaching, management, analytics, training, anything - there's no reason you couldn't and shouldn't have more diversity within the game. There's been some good steps forward and I think there's a lot of work left to be done."John Matisz is theScore's senior hockey writer. You can follow John on Twitter (@MatiszJohn) and contact him via email (john.matisz@thescore.com).Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Warning: Tweet and video contain coarse languageReferee Tim Peel will no longer work NHL games following his comments during Tuesday's contest between the Detroit Red Wings and Nashville Predators, the league announced.Peel could be heard on a hot mic admitting to targeting the Predators for a penalty after whistling forward Viktor Arvidsson for tripping in the second period.

Andre Tourigny signed a one-year contract to be a part of Canada's coaching staff for four upcoming international events, Hockey Canada announced Wednesday.Tourigny will serve as an assistant coach at the 2021 world championship in Riga as well as the 2022 Olympics in Beijing, and will be head coach for the world juniors and world championship in 2022."We are extremely excited to welcome Andre Tourigny to Hockey Canada as a full-time coach for the 2021-22 season, as his extensive hockey pedigree makes him a key asset to our national teams," executive Scott Salmond said. "Andre’s knowledge, insight, and international experience will be a critical factor in supporting our Olympic preparation in addition to leading Canada’s national junior team for the second consecutive year at the IIHF World Junior Championship. Andre will also contribute to our work with our NextGen players and coaches through his involvement with our development programs."Tourigny is taking a one-year leave from the Ottawa 67s to fulfill international duties. When his contract with Hockey Canada expires, he'll return to the OHL.The 46-year-old coached Canada to a silver medal at this year's world juniors, and won gold as an assistant in 2020. He won QMJHL Coach of the Year in 2005-06, and is a two-time recipient of OHL Coach of the Year.Tourigny also has experience in the NHL, serving as an assistant for the Colorado Avalanche (2013-15) and Ottawa Senators (2015-16).Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

In the third edition of theScore's 2021 Vezina Trophy Power Rankings, we take a look at which netminders lead the race past the midway point of the season.GAA = Goals against average

Warning: Story and video contain coarse languageNHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly says the league is looking into an incident involving a referee that occurred during Tuesday's matchup between the Nashville Predators and Detroit Red Wings, according to The Athletic's Adam Vingan.One of the on-ice officials called a questionable tripping penalty against Nashville forward Viktor Arvidsson, the team's first infraction of the contest, in the second period. During the game's broadcast, the referee could be heard on a hot mic admitting to targeting the Predators for a penalty.

The Nashville Predators' asking price for defenseman Mattias Ekholm is steep ahead of this season's trade deadline."It is a three-asset ask to get in on the bidding for Mattias Ekholm," reported TSN's Pierre LeBrun on Tuesday's edition of "Insider Trading," citing sources. "Which is a first-round pick, an elite prospect, and a third asset, which can take on different forms."The Boston Bruins and Winnipeg Jets have reportedly shown interest in acquiring Ekholm. The NHL's top available blue-liner has another year remaining on his current deal, which carries a $3.75-million cap hit.Ekholm, 30, is a strong two-way defenseman. He's recorded five goals and nine assists in 25 games this season while averaging 22:46 of ice time per contest.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The NHL's board of governors formally approved the league's requested changes to the draft lottery, the league confirmed Tuesday.Key alterations include:

The Montreal Canadiens won't play again until at least March 30 after the NHL postponed the club's games through Sunday due to COVID-19 protocol.Montreal was supposed to host the Edmonton Oilers on Wednesday and Friday before playing the Ottawa Senators at the Bell Centre on Sunday. The Canadiens are scheduled to take on the Senators next Tuesday in a road contest.Montreal forwards Jesperi Kotkaniemi and Joel Armia landed in COVID-19 protocol Monday, forcing the postponement of that night's home game against the Oilers. It was the first postponed game in the North Division this season.The league expects the team to reopen their practice facilities next Monday, pending test results in the coming days.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Toronto Maple Leafs superstar Auston Matthews has seen his torrid goal-scoring pace dip recently, but he isn't going to change his approach.Despite being in the midst of a four-game goalless drought, Matthews believes the bounces will go his way again if he sticks to his game."I think you go through stretches like that. You try not to get too frustrated and just continue to do the things that make me successful," Matthews said, per TSN.He continued: "When the puck's not going in the net, I think it's important to find other ways to be effective. For me, I'm just going to keep shooting."After bagging 18 goals in his first 18 games, Matthews has found the back of the net only three times in his last 11 contests.He missed two games with a lingering wrist injury earlier this month. Head coach Sheldon Keefe previously said the ailment is affecting Matthews' play.Toronto's top pivot long held a commanding lead in the league's goal-scoring race. However, his recent drought allowed MVP favorite Connor McDavid to tie him at 21 tallies apiece.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Calgary Flames defenseman Rasmus Andersson clarified he had no malicious intent to steal the game puck after Monday's 2-1 loss to the Ottawa Senators."Honestly, it was in the heat of the moment," Andersson said Tuesday via TSN. "I picked the puck up, and I didn't really think about anything. I was just really pissed off because they scored obviously a late one there. As soon as I realized it was his first NHL win and their whole team was yelling toward me, I chucked the puck back. It was nothing intentional or anything like that."Senators rookie goaltender Filip Gustavsson earned his first NHL victory Monday after turning aside 35 shots. Andersson appeared to be taking the puck with him off the ice following the final horn before Ottawa's Brady Tkachuk got his attention to give Gustavsson the memento.

With the Dallas Stars playing their 28th game on Sunday, every team has now begun the second half of the NHL season.That makes this as good a time as any to evaluate the latest Stanley Cup oddsboard, taking what we know from the first half of the campaign and using it to gauge which teams are worth backing, and which need to be avoided at the current price.TeamOdds (3/23)Odds (2/24)Vegas Golden Knights+400+400Tampa Bay Lightning+450+450Colorado Avalanche+550+450Toronto Maple Leafs+700+1050Carolina Hurricanes+1000+1300Boston Bruins+1100+800New York Islanders+1200+2200Minnesota Wild+1500+4800Florida Panthers+1600+2500Philadelphia Flyers+1800+1200St. Louis Blues+1800+1600Washington Capitals+1800+2000Montreal Canadiens+2200+1500Winnipeg Jets+2200+2500Pittsburgh Penguins+2400+2200Edmonton Oilers+2500+2500Dallas Stars+3200+2000Calgary Flames+3800+3200Chicago Blackhawks+3800+5000New York Rangers+5000+3200Vancouver Canucks+5000+12500Columbus Blue Jackets+6000+4500New Jersey Devils+7000+7500Arizona Coyotes+7500+6000Nashville Predators+8500+6500Los Angeles Kings+10000+10000Anaheim Ducks+50000+10000Buffalo Sabres+50000+7500San Jose Sharks+50000+12500Detroit Red Wings+75000+40000Ottawa Senators+75000+50000(Odds source: theScore Bet)BuyColorado Avalanche (+550)It's a short price, but is it short enough? In reality, +550 is buying low on the Avalanche, as we won't see a better number for the rest of this season. Colorado has climbed back within three points of the Golden Knights for the division lead after seven straight wins, and a healthy Cale Makar has finally returned to the Avalanche's lineup.But it's not just that the Avalanche are winning, it's how they're winning. They're the league's runaway leaders in both xGF% (59.77%) and CF% (59.99%) at five-on-five, and the team is only just hitting its stride. Since March 3, Colorado has posted an otherworldly xGF% of 69.09% at five-on-five. The next-best mark over that span is the Islanders' 57.94%.Carolina Hurricanes (+1000)Despite the Lightning's torrid pace, the Hurricanes remain neck-and-neck in the Central Division race. Carolina has impressively managed to keep up despite significant injury woes. Starting goalie Petr Mrazek has played just four games, Teuvo Teravainen has missed more than half the season, and Vincent Trocheck has been on the shelf for the last two weeks.The Hurricanes rank third in the NHL in xGF% and CF% at five-on-five, and they boast both the league's top power-play unit and a top-10 penalty kill. When fully healthy, this roster is every bit as good as the Lightning, but you're getting it at more than double the price.Dallas Stars (+3200)As bad as things have looked for the Stars, there's hope below the surface. They currently sit seventh in the Central, but are fifth on points percentage and still well-positioned to claim the division's final playoff spot. COVID-19 issues hampered them to begin the season, and an injury-ravaged team has also dealt with a handful of weather-related postponements.Despite the adversity, the underlying numbers are kind to Dallas, a top-10 club in both expected goals and Corsi percentage, and a top-five squad over the past month. Positive regression is expected here.The road to the Stanley Cup won't be easy, but this is a deep and experienced group that will be getting Tyler Seguin and Ben Bishop back over the next few weeks.SellToronto Maple Leafs (+700)There's a lot to like about this Leafs roster and the team's to come out of the North Division, but this call boils down to goaltending. Frederik Andersen looks finished, and that's been true for some time now. That puts a lot of pressure on Jack Campbell to rescue Toronto. Could he be the guy? Sure. Should you pay such a short price to find out? Absolutely not.Looking elsewhere at the goaltending in the North Division sparks plenty of concern about the Leafs heading into the playoffs. Will Connor Hellebuyck stonewall them once more? What about the born-again Mike Smith?And if Toronto does escape the North, the gauntlet of teams waiting for it on the other side is awfully intimidating. The Leafs' concerns in goal are legitimate and aren't something the league's other top teams need to navigate. Steer clear of them at this short price.Philadelphia Flyers (+1800)The same thinking applies to the Flyers, except the concerns run deeper. While Toronto is struggling to get saves, the team is playing excellent hockey overall. But that's not the case for Philadelphia. The Flyers' goaltending is disastrous, and they're also below average at five-on-five and rank in the bottom third on special teams.The Leafs are a borderline lock to make the playoffs too, while the Flyers will likely miss the postseason. There isn't an ounce of logic that goes into backing Philly at 18-1 when you can get its Eastern Division foes the Washington Capitals and Pittsburgh Penguins at the same or better prices - you know, teams that will actually make the playoffs.St. Louis Blues (+1800)The Blues are only this high up the oddsboard because they won the Stanley Cup two years ago. If you changed their name and jerseys, it would be hard to differentiate them from teams like the Blackhawks or Predators based on the numbers. St. Louis' underlying metrics are really poor, even amid a soft schedule.The Blues have played 26 of their 32 games this campaign against the Coyotes, Ducks, Kings, and Sharks, but their season is about to get a lot tougher. Of their remaining 24 games, 18 are against the Avalanche, Knights, and Wild. Given how poor the Blues' numbers have been, the increasing difficulty of their schedule, and Jordan Binnington's struggles, it's possible the Kings or Coyotes could beat St. Louis out for the West Division's final playoff spot.Alex Moretto is theScore's supervising editor of sports betting. A journalism graduate from Guelph-Humber University, he has worked in sports media for over a decade. He will bet on anything from the Super Bowl to amateur soccer, strongly believes in the power of the jinx, and will never trust a kicker. Find him on Twitter @alexjmoretto.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Ottawa Senators rookie goaltender Filip Gustavsson earned his first NHL win Monday against the Calgary Flames. When teammate Brady Tkachuk went to retrieve the game puck for the netminder to commemorate the milestone, he ran into a bit of trouble with their opponents.

We feature three new rookies in the third edition of theScore's 2021 Calder Trophy Power Rankings, while the runaway favorite for the award remains in the top spot.5. Oliver Wahlstrom, IslandersPrevious Ranking: Not ranked Elsa / Getty Images Sport / GettyGPPATOIxGF%261511:4454.00Wahlstrom has come on strong with the Islanders lately and rocketed up our rankings as a result. The 11th overall pick in 2018 scored the second-most points among all freshmen since our February installment, with 12 in the last 15 games. He's managed to produce despite logging minimal minutes in a defense-based system under head coach Barry Trotz.Wahlstrom is also among rookie leaders in several underlying metrics, including points per 60 minutes at five-on-five (1.84), and has even dropped the mitts to further endear himself to Isles faithful.4. Jason Robertson, StarsPrevious Ranking: Not ranked Glenn James / National Hockey League / GettyGPPATOIxGF%231714:5059.94Robertson is another rookie that firmly established himself as an NHLer this past month with impressive play. The 21-year-old is tied for third on the Stars in scoring and has collected 11 points - 10 at even strength - since the last edition of the rankings. Dallas' youngster drives offense very well and is developing into a promising piece for the future on a roster built around an aging core.3. Tim Stutzle, SenatorsPrevious Ranking: 2 Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / GettyGPPATOIxGF%311915:5144.04Stutzle remains in the mix as a finalist for rookie of the year despite registering just one goal this past month. The Senators phenom ranks second in scoring among first-year players this season and routinely shows off his dynamic skill set with dazzling passes or strong drives to the net. He's only going to keep getting better as he gains more experience. An uptick in shooting percentage over the rest of the season - he's converted just 5.2% of shots this month - could drastically enhance his raw totals.2. Kaapo Kahkonen, WildPrevious Ranking: Not ranked Michael Martin / National Hockey League / GettyGPWSV%GSAA1712.9216.30Kahkonen makes his debut on our list after a dominant month between the pipes for the Wild. The 24-year-old recently had a nine-game win streak snapped, and he posted a .947 save percentage over that span. Kahkonen ranks 10th among all netminders in goals saved above average this season and is the main reason Minnesota is in good shape to qualify for the playoffs in the top-heavy West Division.1. Kirill Kaprizov, WildPrevious Ranking: 1 Bruce Kluckhohn / National Hockey League / GettyGPPATOIxGF%302518:1549.17It's going to take something significant to knock Kaprizov off his perch as the Calder Trophy favorite. He still leads his competition in every category by significant margins. The winger has exceeded expectations in his first year in North America and almost single-handedly transformed into must-watch TV. Kaprizov is one of the league's most dynamic skaters, and his vision and hockey IQ in the offensive zone makes him a truly special player.There may be criticism at season's end about a 23-year-old with multiple years of pro experience winning the Calder Trophy, but one thing is undeniable: the NHL is a better place with talents like Kaprizov in it.(Analytics source: Natural Stat Trick)Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Buffalo Sabres goaltender Carter Hutton left Monday's game against New York after a collision with Rangers forward Julien Gauthier.The Sabres later ruled Hutton out for the remainder of the contest.Hutton appeared to injure his leg during the collision. He was in visible pain afterward and needed to be helped to the dressing room.

Monday night's matchup between the Montreal Canadiens and Edmonton Oilers has been postponed, the NHL announced. The league made the decision after Montreal placed forwards Jesperi Kotkaniemi and Joel Armia on the NHL's COVID-19 protocol list earlier Monday.This move marks the first postponement of the season for a game in the North Division.The Canadiens and Oilers are set to play a three-game series this week in Montreal. Whether the other games will be affected remains unclear.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Carolina Hurricanes and Dougie Hamilton are putting aside contract negotiations until the conclusion of the current campaign."We've kind of decided that it would be best for both (sides to) just wait until the end of the (season)," Hurricanes general manager Don Waddell said on the "DFO Rundown" podcast. "Let's sit down and see if we can hammer out a deal, (but) put it on the back burner so Dougie can worry about playing hockey at this point."Waddell clarified that the delay doesn't mean there isn't a mutual interest in reaching a deal."Dougie wants to stay here," the GM said. "We've talked to him, he wants to stay here. We want to keep Dougie. We love Dougie. He fits in well with our team, (and our) coaches like him."Waddell added that both sides talked last weekend before coming to their current understanding.Hamilton is a pending unrestricted free agent who would be the best defenseman available if he opts to test the market this summer.In early March, there was reportedly a "tangible gap" between what the Hurricanes and Hamilton were seeking in talks, and negotiations had cooled since February. In November, Waddell said he was hoping to get the deal done before the start of the season in January.Hamilton is Carolina's No. 1 rearguard and has helped form one of the NHL's top defensive pairs alongside Jaccob Slavin. In addition to posting excellent possession figures, Hamilton has racked up 24 points across 30 games in 2021.The Hurricanes acquired the 27-year-old in a trade with the Calgary Flames in 2018.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

We enter a busy week of hockey at 85-78 (+5.57 units) and looking to heat up again heading into the last week of March - a month that hasn't been kind to us.Winning some money is a great way to start the week, so let's try to do just that.Oilers (+110) @ Canadiens (-130)This is a bad time for the injury bug to hit the Canadiens, as the scorching-hot Oilers arrive in town for a three-game set this week, which comes with massive playoff implications. Already without Ben Chiarot - who's been missed dearly on the left side of Montreal's defense - the Canadiens now must also cope without leading scorer Tyler Toffoli this week, whose forthcoming absence was confirmed this morning.Montreal can't afford to lose any scoring against the Oilers - who have scored 30 goals over their last seven games - especially without knowing which version of Carey Price will show up. Price appeared to turn a corner after the Canadiens' coaching change, but he's been struggling again over his last two starts.Montreal's inconsistencies in goal, coupled with injuries up front and on the back end, results in the Oilers being great value at this price.Pick: Oilers (+110)Hurricanes (-155) @ Blue Jackets (+135)This is a prime revenge spot for the Hurricanes after dropping consecutive games (both 3-2 in overtime/shootout) to the Blue Jackets to close out last week. Elvis Merzlikins stood on his head for Columbus during Saturday's win while producing a save-of-the-year candidate in overtime, and Carolina also endured a disallowed goal in the extra frame for offside.Those two results don't truly reflect what happened in the games. Carolina was dominant while controlling 63.2% of the expected goal share at five-on-five, making the Hurricanes due for serious positive regression tonight in Columbus.The goaltending matchup is also working in our favor. Alex Nedeljkovic (5.22 GSAA, 4.77 GSAx) starts over James Reimer (0.52 GSAA, minus-1.19 GSAx) for Carolina, and Joonas Korpisalo (minus-5.19 GSAA, minus-8.86 GSAx) gets the nod over Merzlikins (1.52 GSAA, minus-5.03 GSAx) for Columbus. Add in a massive five-on-five and special-teams edge for the Hurricanes, and they're well worth the juice tonight.Pick: Hurricanes (-155)Flames (-165) @ Senators (+145)This feels like the week that will either make or break the Flames' season. They sit four points out of a playoff spot ahead of this stretch of four games over six nights against the Senators and Jets. The first two against Ottawa seem like must-win contests for Darryl Sutter's team.This isn't to dismiss those pesky Sens as a punching bag, but Ottawa is simply a club the Flames can't afford to drop points against - especially with the Senators down to their fifth-string goaltender. Filip Gustavsson is set to make his first NHL start tonight, and while unproven players can often surprise, let's go by what we know. Gustavsson has posted a pedestrian .892 save percentage during his AHL career, and he now faces a big step up in class.The Flames have been noticeably better under Sutter while looking like a cohesive unit defensively and when in possession. They're systemically much stronger than under Geoff Ward, and when factoring in their edge at all strengths - and a massive advantage in goal with Jacob Markstrom vs. Gustavsson - there's a strong case to pay up for Calgary on Monday.Pick: Flames (-165)(Odds source: theScore Bet)Alex Moretto is theScore's supervising editor of sports betting. A journalism graduate from Guelph-Humber University, he has worked in sports media for over a decade. He will bet on anything from the Super Bowl to amateur soccer, despises how the NHL handles starting goalie announcements, and will never trust a kicker. Find him on Twitter @alexjmoretto.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Vancouver Canucks claimed forward Travis Boyd off waivers from the Toronto Maple Leafs, the team announced Monday.Boyd, 27, signed a one-year, $700,000 deal with the Maple Leafs in October, and he'll become an unrestricted free agent after this season.The 6-foot pivot tallied three goals and eight points over 20 games while playing a depth role for Toronto.Boyd has amassed 11 goals and 39 points over 105 career contests after the Washington Capitals selected him during the sixth round in 2011.Vancouver also claimed winger Jimmy Vesey off waivers from Toronto last week.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.