Does anyone want the final two playoff spots in the NHL's Eastern Conference?Six teams in the East have clinched, but third place in the Metropolitan Division and the second wild-card spot remain wide open. It's been a turtle race as of late, with none of the five clubs alive truly separating themselves from the pack. The five teams are separated by just two points, which should make for plenty of drama down the stretch.Below, we break down each of the hopefuls, ordered by points percentage.Playoff odds courtesy MoneyPuck.New York Islanders Bruce Bennett / Getty Images Sport / GettyPoints: 85 (.552)

Scottsdale mayor David Ortega directly opposes the Arizona Coyotes' plans to purchase a plot of land in North Phoenix that would house a new arena and entertainment district."The prospect of a rookie developer attempting to buy Arizona State Trust Land with absolutely no infrastructure ... at the doorstep of Scottsdale is not feasible, or welcome," he wrote in the Arizona Digital Free Press.Ortega added that the Coyotes' "fantasy" renderings for the new arena, released last week, were "presented without mention of market demand for a new entertainment venue disguised as a hockey arena, or congested highway access, or questionable arena-zoning entitlement."

Pittsburgh Penguins winger Michael Bunting hopes his second trip back to Toronto is just as successful as the first one.Bunting scored a goal in the Carolina Hurricanes' 3-2 win over the Maple Leafs in December when he played for the Canes."Coming back to (play) an old team and coming back home is always fun. It's easy to wake up for this game," the Scarborough, Ontario, native said Monday ahead of Pittsburgh's clash with Toronto. "Especially how big this game is for us. We're fighting for our lives here and we know it's a big one so I'll be ready to go."Bunting was traded to Pittsburgh as part of the blockbuster deal that sent Jake Guentzel to Carolina. Bunting's production has increased since the trade: He's recorded five goals and eight assists in 16 games for the Penguins, including scoring a crucial game-winner on Saturday against the Tampa Bay Lightning to keep Pittsburgh's playoff hopes alive.The 28-year-old signed a three-year, $13.5-million contract with the Hurricanes as a free agent this offseason. But he's averaging a minute-and-a-half more per game since the swap, skating on Pittsburgh's second line with Evgeni Malkin and Rickard Rakell and playing on the top power-play unit."I wouldn't say that Carolina wasn't a good fit. It was a lot of fun ... and I made some really good friends," Bunting said. "But I just came here and got the opportunity to play bigger minutes and I've gelled with my line really well. I just had confidence in my game and just wanted to prove that I still belong and am still an impactful player."Bunting spent two seasons with the Maple Leafs from 2021-23, recording 112 points in 161 games while finishing as a Calder Trophy finalist in 2022. He garnered a reputation as a pest during his time in Toronto, but Leafs forward William Nylander plans on giving Bunting a taste of his own medicine."I'll get under his skin," Nylander said playfully, per Postmedia's Lance Hornby.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Landon DuPont is the first exceptional status defenseman in WHL history.The league granted the Calgary-born blue-liner the rare designation Monday on behalf of Hockey Canada and Hockey Alberta.DuPont is a 14-year-old who'll turn 15 on May 28. He'll be eligible for the upcoming WHL draft on May 9.The five-foot-11, 170-pound rearguard played this season at Edge School, an under-18 prep team in the Canadian Sport School Hockey League. He racked up 62 points (including 19 goals) in 30 regular-season games, finishing first at the position and third overall in scoring while leading his school to the league title.The only other WHLer to gain exceptional status was Connor Bedard in 2020. DuPont is the ninth CHLer and third defenseman to earn the distinction, which the latter league introduced for the three leagues under its umbrella (also including the OHL and QMJHL) in 2005.Connor McDavid (2012), Aaron Ekblad (2011), and John Tavares (2005) are among the others to have been granted exceptional status. Seven players carrying the label graduated from the CHL, and six of them were selected in the first round of the NHL draft. The four aforementioned players were all taken first overall.Michael Misa is the most recent player to earn the honor, doing so ahead of last season. He's now a productive 17-year-old winger for the OHL's Saginaw Spirit and is projected to be a top prospect in next year's NHL draft.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Tampa Bay Lightning's Mikhail Sergachev returned to practice Monday in a red non-contact jersey for the first time since suffering a leg injury, but head coach Jon Cooper poured cold water on the idea that the defenseman is nearing a return."He's making progress, but don't read into it that he's going to be a first-round playoff participant because he won't be," Cooper said, per NHL.com's Chris Krenn. "But who knows? We win a round or two, never say never. Like I said, great to have him out there."The Lightning clinched a playoff berth for the seventh straight year Friday.Sergachev hasn't played since fracturing his tibia and fibula on Feb. 7. That game was his first after he suffered a foot injury that caused him to miss nearly two months.The 25-year-old has recorded 19 points in 34 games this season as Tampa's No. 2 defenseman behind Victor Hedman.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Find year-round coverage of betting news and insights for all sports by visiting our Betting section and subscribing to push notifications.We discovered last week that it hasn't been so simple for teams to turn strong expected goals share metrics into playoff success.The 2023 Golden Knights had the 16th-best xG% during the regular season and only marginally improved that rate in the playoffs, and all they did was win the Stanley Cup.Instead, Vegas scored on its even-strength high-danger chances (ES HDC) at a ridiculously opportunistic rate: 21.2%. Was something like that predictable? No, but if a team shows it has the high-end talent to turn a chance - estimated at a fraction of an expected goal - into an actual goal during the regular season, bettors may be inclined to believe an above-average conversion rate can be predictive.Some teams boast more talented scorers than others. For example, an Auston Matthews shot from close range has a better chance of going in than almost anyone else's.A team's best measurable scoring opportunity is an ES HDC or power play (league average: 20.8%). The teams with the most talent have a good power play (PP) and are also likely to score at an above-average rate on ES HDC (league average: 12.5%).Adding PP and ES HDC goals together and dividing them by power-play opportunities and high-danger chances gets you a metric we call SNIPES percentage.The league average for SNIPES is 14.5%. Here's how the last 12 teams to make a conference final fared during the regular season and then in the playoffs:Is there a correlation to playoff success?Eleven of the 12 teams in the above table were above average in SNIPES percentage during the regular season. Only last year's Hurricanes came into the playoffs below average. Carolina had the best regular-season xG% and was third during the playoffs, which can make up for low conversion rates for two rounds.While some teams saw their efficiency drop, just three fell below average: the 2021 Canadiens, 2021 Golden Knights, and 2023 Panthers. Later this week, we'll see how those three managed to thrive in the postseason when we look at how teams keep the puck out of the net.The lesson? If any of the above teams score more often relative to how many chances they get in the playoffs, it shouldn't come as a total surprise.The cheat sheetThe dirty little secret in the betting world is that while there are no bad bets at the right price, the discovery process of what a good price looks like is hidden.Each week, we balance market information from regular-season point totals and in-season advanced metrics - with an even-strength focus - to determine the win probability for each team and the moneyline needed to bet on either side. The idea is to remove the cognitive bias of win-loss records, which can be skewed by outliers like special-team results, poor goaltending performances, and other unreliable events.You can use whatever parameters you like to decide how much of an edge you need to trigger a bet, but here are mine:

Find year-round coverage of betting news and insights for all sports by visiting our Betting section and subscribing to push notifications.There are only two games on Monday's NHL schedule, but there is still plenty of value on the board. Let's take a closer look.Auston Matthews: Over 4.5 shotsMitch Marner returned to the Maple Leafs' lineup Saturday, and Sheldon Keefe still kept Max Domi on the top unit. That's great news for Matthews' shot rate.Matthews has flourished at getting pucks on net alongside Domi. He averages 18 shots and nearly 32 attempts per 60 minutes of five-on-five play with Domi on his right.For perspective, Matthews averages 11 shots and 20 attempts with Marner and 10 on 22 attempts with William Nylander holding the spot. His outputs with Domi are at a completely different level.Domi doesn't shoot as frequently as either of those players and isn't as puck-dominant, which has led to even more falling on Matthews' plate.The Penguins are a mid-tier shot-suppression team, and their top line - a group Matthews should see plenty of - tends to play at a fast pace.Matthews has led the NHL in shots over the past couple of weeks. This is a good spot for him to continue piling them up.Odds: -110 (playable to -130)Jack Eichel: Over 3.5 shotsEichel is as consistent as they come. He's recorded four-plus shots in 11 of his past 15 games, falling only one shot shy in each exception. Eichel gets the job done almost nightly and always gives himself a legitimate chance.Tough matchups have made little impact on Eichel, as he's hit his number against strong defensive teams like the Canucks, Jets, and Predators of late.While Vancouver has done a fantastic job of limiting shots overall, it doesn't seem to have an answer for Eichel. He's gone over this total in all three meetings versus the Canucks this season, combining for 19 shots on 28 attempts.The Golden Knights are jockeying for position in the Western Conference playoff race and still have plenty to play for. Monday's contest is also a potential first-round playoff matchup. It's a meaningful game, and Eichel's usage should reflect that.Odds: -134 (playable to -150)Shea Theodore: Over 0.5 pointsWe've targeted Theodore a lot lately, and we'll go back to the well Monday night. Theodore has 39 points through 41 games, with the blue-liner continuing to have a plus-money price tag attached to him.While the Canucks are a strong defensive team, they haven't done as good of a job keeping the puck out of the net. That's largely due to Thatcher Demko's absence.Casey DeSmith has taken over as the starter, and the results haven't been great. He's conceded 28 goals and owns a .877 save percentage over nine appearances since Demko went down.The Golden Knights are in good offensive form and are adding another lethal weapon to their arsenal, with Tomas Hertl expected to debut Monday.Win or lose, I expect Vegas to score a few in this one. Look for the club's best offensive defenseman to get in on the action.Odds: +125 (playable to -130)Todd Cordell is a sports betting writer at theScore. You can follow him on X at @ToddCordell.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Colorado Avalanche head coach Jared Bednar wasn't impressed with his club's defensive effort in Sunday's 7-4 loss to the division-rival Dallas Stars."The defending breakdowns we had, we did some dumb stuff today," Bednar said postgame, according to DNVR. "They all led to really good scoring chances against."Bednar was quick to defend goaltender Alexandar Georgiev, who allowed six goals on 36 shots."I thought he was great tonight, I did," Bednar said. "You can't fault him on any of the goals. I think there's probably one he would like back."Dallas generated 6.68 expected goals in the contest, compared to Colorado's 3.86, per Natural Stat Trick.Georgiev has been a workhorse this season, ranking second in the NHL with 60 appearances. But his .898 save percentage on the campaign pales in comparison to the .918 mark he posted a year ago. His save percentage over his last three games is just .833.Rookie Justus Annunen has been Colorado's best goalie of late, sporting a .931 save percentage since his recall in January. The 24-year-old has only faced three playoff teams in his 12 appearances, though.The Stars now hold a five-point edge over the Avalanche for the Central Division title.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

This is the 13th and final in-season edition of theScore's NHL Power Rankings for the 2023-24 campaign. Check back for updated rankings before the playoffs begin.In this edition, we break down each team's best hope to win an individual award at the end of the season. Note that most awards are legit, but some have been creatively thought up.1. New York Rangers (53-21-4)Previous rank: 2Artemi Panarin (Hart Trophy). The "Bread Man" has been on the fringes of the MVP discussion or better for most of the season. He's not going to win it, and he may not even be a finalist. But Panarin has carried the Blueshirts in 2023-24 with nearly 40 more points than his next-closest teammate.2. Dallas Stars (49-20-9)Previous rank: 6Miro Heiskanen (Norris Trophy). Much like Panarin's quest for the Hart, Heiskanen isn't a favorite to win the Norris, but he's been a down-ballot contender. He's had a stellar season defensively - staking his claim as arguably the best blue-liner in the league in that regard - along with being strong offensively.3. Boston Bruins (46-17-15)Previous rank: 7Jim Montgomery (Jack Adams Award). Nobody has won the award in consecutive years since Jacques Demers from 1987-88, but Montgomery is as deserving as any. He more than likely won't win, but the job "Monty" has done keeping the Bruins a powerhouse after losing Patrice Bergeron, David Krejci, and others in the offseason is truly remarkable.4. Carolina Hurricanes (49-22-7)Previous rank: 3Frederik Andersen (Bill Masterton Trophy). Andersen was sidelined for four months due to a blood-clot issue but has been outstanding between the pipes since his return, sporting an 8-1-0 record with a .954 save percentage. There may be no better candidate for the NHL's perseverance award.5. Colorado Avalanche (48-24-6) Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / GettyPrevious rank: 1Nathan MacKinnon (Hart Trophy). MacKinnon has long been the bridesmaid, but never the bride. That should change this year when the three-time finalist - and two-time runner-up - takes home the award for most valuable player. Others have compelling cases, but we get the feeling voters will skew toward a first-time winner. "Nate Dogg" is more than deserving, too.6. Edmonton Oilers (47-24-5)Previous rank: 8Connor McDavid (Art Ross Trophy). Look, McDavid is always the Oilers' best shot at winning an individual award, and this season is no different. We easily could have put him down for the Hart Trophy, but we've pegged him to win his fourth straight Art Ross Trophy. The superstar leads the league with 120 points in 63 games since Edmonton's coaching change.7. Vancouver Canucks (47-22-8)Previous rank: 4Quinn Hughes (Norris Trophy). Hughes is the favorite to win, leading all defensemen with 86 points. He's also morphed into a true 200-foot player by cleaning up his defensive game. Cale Makar and Roman Josi make strong cases, but expect Hughes to take home his first Norris after a career year.8. Winnipeg Jets (47-24-6)Previous rank: 10Connor Hellebuyck (Vezina Trophy). The Jets' workhorse goaltender is primed to win the award for the second time in his career, leading all netminders with 35.9 goals saved above expected. His .920 save percentage is also the best among goalies with at least 30 starts.9. Florida Panthers (48-24-6)Previous rank: 5Aleksander Barkov (Selke Trophy). The Panthers captain leads all NHL centers in defensive goals above replacement, putting him on track to win the award for the second time in his career. With Bergeron out of the picture, Barkov could have a few more Selkes in his future.10. Toronto Maple Leafs (44-23-9) Mark Blinch / National Hockey League / GettyPrevious rank: 13Auston Matthews (Maurice "Rocket" Richard Trophy). Matthews has it locked up for the third time in four years with a staggering 64 goals in 75 games. He has six games left to reach 70 goals, a feat that hasn't been accomplished in over 30 years. If he gets there, he'll have a compelling Hart Trophy case. Matthews could also be a Selke Trophy finalist after killing penalties for the first time in his career.11. Vegas Golden Knights (42-26-8)Previous rank: 14Most Annoying Team Award. At least according to all the other fan bases. The Golden Knights have come under fire for their crafty usage of LTIR, which allowed them to add Noah Hanifin, Tomas Hertl, and Anthony Mantha. Nothing fishy is happening here, if you ask GM Kelly McCrimmon. Don't hate the player, hate the game.12. Los Angeles Kings (41-25-11)Previous rank: 11Jekyll and Hyde Award. It's been a tale of two seasons for the Kings. They lost more games than they won (23-15-10) before firing Todd McLellan on Feb. 2 but have gone 18-10-1 since the coaching change with largely the same roster. The Oilers would probably win this if it were real, but Los Angeles would definitely have a shot at it.13. Tampa Bay Lightning (43-27-7)Previous rank: 12Nikita Kucherov (Art Ross Trophy). Kucherov's poor defensive game should prevent him from making a serious run at the Hart Trophy - especially compared to two-way centers MacKinnon, McDavid, and Matthews - but he has a good shot to take the Art Ross, as he leads the league with 136 points.14. Nashville Predators (45-29-4)Previous rank: 9Gustav Nyquist (Lady Byng Trophy). Josi has a chance at the Norris, but we thought it would be fitting to highlight Nyquist, who would be a good choice for the award that goes to the player who displays sportsmanship, gentlemanly conduct, and high-level playing ability. The 34-year-old shattered his previous career high in points and has only tallied eight penalty minutes.15. Pittsburgh Penguins (36-30-11) Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / GettyPrevious rank: 25Sidney Crosby (Mark Messier Leadership Award). Sid likely won't be a Hart finalist, but if he drags the Penguins to the playoffs, he'll get some down-ballot love and could finish fifth. The Penguins captain is also a strong candidate for the Messier, which he previously won in 2009-10. Sid hit the 40-goal mark for the third time on Saturday and recently became the second player in NHL history with 19 straight point-per-game seasons.16. New York Islanders (35-27-15)Previous rank: 20Noah Dobson (Norris Trophy). He won't win, but Dobson is in line for a top-five finish for the league's top defenseman honor. The 24-year-old has been the Islanders' most valuable player, ranking second on the team with 68 points in 77 games.17. Detroit Red Wings (38-31-8)Previous rank: 19Dylan Larkin (Red Wings-Specific Hart Trophy). Detroit's captain doesn't have any hope of winning the actual MVP award, but the Red Wings have shown this season that they really need him in the lineup. They're 34-21-8 with Larkin and 4-10-0 without him in 2023-24. He's healthy now, and that makes a difference for a team fighting for a wild-card spot.18. Washington Capitals (36-30-11)Previous rank: 15Alex Ovechkin (Old Man Strength Award). Ovi's still got it at 38 years old. He's just one goal away from notching 30 for the 18th time in 19 seasons (the lone time he fell short came in the COVID-19-shortened 2021 campaign). Ovechkin needs just 43 tallies to tie Wayne Gretzky's all-time record for a career, and it would be unwise to bet against him.19. St. Louis Blues (41-32-5)Previous rank: 17Joel Hofer (You're Dead To Me Award). Hofer's been a solid streaming option in fantasy this season, boasting comparable numbers to starter Jordan Binnington. But those rightfully expecting him to notch two wins against the atrocious San Jose Sharks in a seven-day span this past week instead got a pair of defeats, which undoubtedly affected numerous fantasy playoff matchups.20. Minnesota Wild (37-31-9) David Berding / Getty Images Sport / GettyPrevious rank: 18Brock Faber (Calder Trophy). The rookie defenseman has been a revelation for the Wild this season, and he's been admirably pushing Connor Bedard for the hardware. Faber ranks third among all first-year players with 43 points in 77 games while averaging over 25 minutes of ice time per contest.21. Philadelphia Flyers (36-31-11)Previous rank: 16John Tortorella (Jack Adams Award). The only reason the skidding Flyers even have a chance at the playoffs is because of the tremendous job Torts has done behind the bench. His hard-nosed demeanor rubs certain people the wrong way, but it's hard to argue with the results. A third Jack Adams win for Tortorella is unlikely, though a top-five finish is in the cards.22. Buffalo Sabres (37-36-5)Previous rank: 24Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen (Exceeded Expectations Award). As a team, the Sabres would be in the mix for the Failed To Meet Expectations Award, if such a thing existed. But Luukkonnen has been one of the lone bright spots for Buffalo this season. He grabbed the reins in goal with surprisingly reliable play, buying Sabres goalie of the future Devon Levi some time to develop in the AHL.23. New Jersey Devils (37-36-5)Previous rank: 21Most Baffling Choices Award. Few teams have left us as befuddled as the Devils this season. Yes, they eventually made the right choices in firing head coach Lindy Ruff and trading for a couple of goaltenders, but those moves happened in March with the Devils largely out of the playoff race. Who knows where New Jersey would be if GM Tom Fitzgerald acted sooner?24. Seattle Kraken (32-31-13)Previous rank: 23Matty Beniers (Sophomore Skid Award). Beniers certainly isn't the first Calder winner to stumble in the following season. The 2021 second overall pick is playing almost a minute more per game in 2023-24 than he did a year ago, but that hasn't helped him build on his hardware-worthy exploits of 2022-23.25. Arizona Coyotes (33-39-5) Norm Hall / National Hockey League / GettyPrevious rank: 27Michael Carcone (Cy Young Award). Carcone's goal-to-assist ratio of 21-to-8 most closely resembles a Cy Young-winning MLB pitcher's win-loss record. The 27-year-old journeyman has been a nice story for the Coyotes, as he only had six goals in 30 career games entering the season.26. Ottawa Senators (34-39-4)Previous rank: 29theScore's Award for Excellence in Drama. The Senators' season hasn't been short on theatrics. They were docked a first-round pick, they fired their GM and head coach, a player was suspended half the season for violating gambling rules, that slap shot happened, and their captain just threw a fit over a post-buzzer empty-netter. It's been messy, OK?27. Montreal Canadiens (29-36-12)Previous rank: 26Juraj Slafkovsky (Most Improved Player Award). Yes, we are stealing this from the NBA, but if the NHL gave out a similar trophy, the 2022 first overall pick would certainly be in contention. Slafkovsky has racked up 16 goals and 45 points in 77 games this season, a vast improvement from the 10 points he managed in his injury-riddled rookie campaign.28. Calgary Flames (34-37-5)Previous rank: 22The "Extreme Makeover" Award. The Flames arguably underwent the most amount of change this season, dealing Nikita Zadorov, Elias Lindholm, Chris Tanev, and Hanifin. The makeover didn't make them prettier, but they aren't downright awful, either.29. Columbus Blue Jackets (26-40-12)Previous rank: 28Most Dysfunctional Franchise Award. Among teams that actually play in NHL-sized arenas, the Blue Jackets would be a shoo-in for this award. Columbus is in line for its second straight last-place finish in the Eastern Conference and has made the playoffs just six times in its 23-season history. This season was full of negative headlines, with the Mike Babcock saga, multiple trade requests, injuries, and a GM firing.30. Chicago Blackhawks (23-49-5) Patrick McDermott / Getty Images Sport / GettyPrevious rank: 30Connor Bedard (Calder Trophy). The 2023 first overall pick has come as advertised with 22 goals and 59 points in 63 games in his first NHL season, and he's undoubtedly a front-runner for the hardware despite missing time with a broken jaw. Bedard is already the Blackhawks' main source of offense, and he's only 18.31. Anaheim Ducks (25-48-5)Previous rank: 31Cam Fowler (Green Jacket). Masters week is here, so it's only fitting to note that Fowler (minus-37) is in contention for the Green Jacket, awarded to the NHL player with the worst plus-minus rating. It'll most likely go to somebody on our No. 32-ranked team, but we've seen epic comebacks at Augusta before.32. San Jose Sharks (18-51-8)Previous rank: 32Michel Therrien Award. Remember when the former Pittsburgh coach famously said, "I really start to believe their goal is to be the worst defensive squad in the league" about the 2005-06 Penguins? That screams 2023-24 Sharks, who rank last in virtually every important defensive statistic this season and have no chance of winning an individual award.(Analytics sources: Evolving-Hockey, Natural Stat Trick)Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Tomas Hertl will likely make his Vegas Golden Knights debut Monday against the Vancouver Canucks, head coach Bruce Cassidy told reporters Sunday.The Golden Knights acquired Hertl from the San Jose Sharks in a stunning deadline deal, but the forward hasn't played since Jan. 27 while recovering from knee surgery.Though normally a center, Hertl skated at left wing alongside Chandler Stephenson and Michael Amadio during Sunday's practice.A two-time 30-goal scorer, Hertl had recorded 15 goals and 19 assists in 48 games with the Sharks before the injury.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Brady Tkachuk got upset with Nico Hischier for sliding a puck into an empty net after time expired, two months after reveling in watching a teammate take a slap shot into an open cage.The Ottawa Senators captain took issue when his New Jersey Devils counterpart guided the puck into the empty net with time having already run out in the Metropolitan Division squad's 4-3 win Saturday night.Hischier carried the puck into the Devils' defensive zone just as the clock ran down to zero. He then skated toward the net and slid the puck in before leaving the scene. Tkachuk immediately expressed disbelief and went right after Hischier, causing a line brawl to break out.

Referee Steve Kozari had to be stretchered off the ice after colliding with Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Haydn Fleury during Saturday's game between the Bolts and the Pittsburgh Penguins.

This article was written by Jay Neemeyer as part of the Professional Hockey Writers Association and To Hockey With Love Mentorship Program. See the bottom of the article for more on the program.Perhaps unexpectedly, a Seattle Pride Hockey Association (SPHA) executive is thankful the NHL stopped allowing specialty warmup jerseys and briefly banned its players from using Pride Tape earlier this season."It allowed the community to find each other," SPHA co-founder Joey Gale said in a recent interview. "We were able to create friendships and partnerships with organizations like ours."SPHA is one of several LGBTQ-focused hockey organizations experiencing growth in the wake of inconsistent messaging on social causes from the NHL. In some cases, individual NHL clubs and players have proven to be important allies to the community. Brian Liesse / Seattle Pride Hockey AssociationThe SPHA's annual Seattle Pride Classic, for instance, has been held at the Seattle Kraken's practice facility since 2022. Kraken radio play-by-play announcer Everett Fitzhugh has been part of the event since its debut in 2021 - before the NHL's 32nd franchise even played a game.Though the Kraken didn't have many resources to offer the first Classic, the team's administration was excited to get behind the tournament from its inception. "We wanted to do whatever we could to encourage (the SPHA) and to highlight them and tell their story," said Kyle Boyd, the Kraken's director of fan development.The Classic aspires to be "the most inclusive Pride hockey tournament in the country." The number of registered players more than doubled between 2021 and 2022, and since 2022, scholarships are available to players who need financial assistance to attend the event. In early March, the SPHA added a wait-list to its online landing page for the 2024 Classic; the tournament's completely sold out."I think it only proves that inclusion work is really welcoming to all," Boyd said. "It's important that we continue to celebrate and make space for people to come in and feel included whenever we can." Brian Liesse / Seattle Pride Hockey AssociationTwo teams composed entirely of transgender and nonbinary players are scheduled to play in June: Team Trans and Trans Wave.Originally a project launched by Boston Pride Hockey in 2019, Team Trans is starting to organize into regional chapters to help transgender and nonbinary players compete with and against peers in their local areas."It's less expensive to travel across a region than it is across the U.S. to go and do events," said Team Trans Twin Cities president Annie Bell, who's also the director of expansion for Team Trans. "So, our goal is to create more hockey (competitions) in these regions that are regionally specific, so anybody in those states can go and play," Bell added.Team Trans sent two squads to Seattle last year, with one competing in the high division and another in the recreational division. The high-division team won the tournament's Empowers Cup, which is adorned with Pride tape and weighs - like the Stanley Cup - 35 pounds.Sarah Antaya started playing hockey at seven years old but didn't feel fully accepted at the rink until recently. "Hockey was one of those things" that "kept me denying who I was for so many years," Antaya said. She won a state hockey championship at 13, and the most recent Empowers Cup. "It was a feeling that I never in a million years thought I was going to feel again," Antaya said of the 2023 title. "I never thought I'd be able to experience that type of intensity, that type of joy, in a hockey game ever again."Antaya first found out about Team Trans by reading about Jessica Platt, who she shared ice with at the Classic. Early in her transition, Antaya was "in that mindset of, 'Oh my gosh, what am I going to have to give up in my life to be who I am?'" At one point, she searched online for "trans hockey players" and found an article that mentioned the trailblazing Platt.Platt was pro hockey's first openly transgender player, and she wrote about her experience.Jessica Platt in 2017 Steve Russell / Getty Images"There was Jessica's story," Antaya said. "All these dots just got connected. I can potentially still play hockey and not be forcefully excluded for who I am, or have to fight to be included."Antaya also played with Trans Wave in the Chelsea Challenge in New York City and with Team Trans in the Canada Cup, which alternates between Montreal and Toronto. She said LGBTQ+ hockey doesn't have much of a presence in Michigan, where's she's from."When I get to play, it's with Team Trans events or other similar events," Antaya said.Of the more than 750 players registered with Team Trans worldwide, more than 150 are members of Team Trans Twin Cities, which serves Minnesota, Michigan, Wisconsin, and other Midwestern areas. Bell said other states, like Arizona, are "rapidly expanding."Multiple players have taken their first skating strides thanks to local LGBTQ+ hockey organizations. Alpha, who uses one name, started playing hockey with the Madison Gay Hockey Association (MGHA) 10 years ago, before Team Trans existed."Without the community, without the MGHA, I wouldn't have played any sport," Alpha said. "I just wasn't offered opportunities to play sports in the household I grew up in."Alpha said even though they didn't have an athletic background, their teammates and coach were encouraging as they learned to play. "Having that supportive, loving system ... sure, I'm not joining the NHL anytime soon, but that doesn't mean people don't cheer me on and help encourage me," they said. Patrick McDermott / Getty ImagesNow that the MGHA's an established presence in Madison, Alpha seeks to help other trans people have fun, even if they're just learning or have been away from the game for a while.An even newer player is Yrica Butt, who's been playing hockey for less than a year as a member of both the Twin Cities chapter of Team Trans and Twin Cities Queer Hockey Association (TCQHA). Butt moved to Minnesota from Indiana and quickly became involved in both groups.She's been to two tournaments already and has applied for the SPHA's scholarship to play in Seattle. In addition to games, she helped staff an information and outreach table for TCQHA at PWHL Minnesota's Pride Night in February and has been to the Twin Cities Pride Festival.PWHL Pride Night was especially meaningful to Butt after the Minnesota Wild didn't wear Pride jerseys in 2023. The team was scheduled to wear the jerseys in warmup, but the Wild and other clubs preemptively discarded them shortly after Ivan Provorov and other players in the league refused to wear them."To go to the PWHL game and the rainbows are there the whole time - there's rainbow pride logos on everything, we're selling out of all of our merch - it was a phenomenal experience for me," Butt said.Another positive experience for Butt was meeting Wild defenseman Jon Merrill, who refereed the championship game of the TCQHA's Salad Classic. Though Butt's team wasn't in the final, she had the chance to speak with Merrill and his wife at the event.With the possible exception of (Minnesota governor Tim) Walz, I don't think anyone has done quite as much for queer people in Minnesota as having an NHL player on our team saying loudly, 'I will not stand for homophobia. I stand with queer and trans people,'" Butt said.Merrill is Twin Cities Pride's Ally of the Year and wore a pin with the TCQHA logo into the Xcel Energy Center before Wild Pride Night on March 12. He donated tickets for local LGBTQ+ community members and families to attend the game. He said several of his teammates and members of the Wild staff also contributed tickets.Jon Merrill wearing a Pride Night jersey in 2022 Bruce Kluckhohn / National Hockey League / Getty"(My wife Jess and I are) definitely in support of what they're doing, and anytime they need help from us, we're happy to help," Merrill said. He met TCQHA league director Dani Bennett-Danek "a year or two ago." Bennett-Danek invited Merrill to the Salad Classic when the two crossed paths at the 2023 Twin Cities Pride Parade.Stories like these are becoming more common.In Pittsburgh, Rayden Sorock ran into the city's LGBTQ+ hockey team, the Tigers, at a pride march about 10 years ago. He hadn't played hockey since the end of high school. He's now the vice president of the Tigers' board.The Penguins' mascot has marched alongside the Tigers in the city's pride parade for the past few years. The Penguins also support the Tigers directly by funding their ice-time fees through a substantial donation from the Penguins Foundation.The Tigers play their games at the Penguins' practice arena about 20 miles outside the city. They also have events at other rinks, including the Hunt Armory Ice Rink, the "home to the Pittsburgh Penguins diversity and community programming," according to the Penguins' community webpage for the rink.Fans who followed NHL All-Star Weekend in Toronto this year may have read about the Pride Cup, a ball-hockey game held as part of Fan Fair. Two teams of players from the Toronto Gay Hockey Association (TGHA), which has more than 200 total members, competed, and NHL commissioner Gary Bettman presented the TGHA with a check worth $25,000 following the game."That was a bit of a surprise - and obviously welcome," said TGHA inclusion director Ron Lo.Lo was first introduced to the TGHA about 12 years ago when longtime executive Brian Burke mentioned it on a Maple Leafs broadcast. Burke's a vocal ally of the LGBTQ+ community in honor of his late son Brendan, who was gay. Lo, at that point in his life, said he was still "in denial" about his sexuality. He joined the league after the end of COVID-19 lockdowns. Maddie Meyer / Getty Images"It was 2019, 2020, I'd accepted my sexuality and was looking for a way to find my way into the gay community," Lo said. The TGHA plays every Sunday between September and March, and Lo looks forward to each game."It's essentially become like a second family," Lo said.This article was written by Jay Neemeyer, who's part of the Professional Hockey Writers Association and To Hockey With Love Mentorship Program. The program pairs aspiring writers with established members of the association across North America to create opportunities for marginalized people who aren't traditionally published on larger platforms covering hockey. To Hockey With Love is a weekly newsletter covering a range of topics in hockey, from the scandals of the week to critical analysis of the sportCopyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Colorado Avalanche winger Mikko Rantanen will be "under evaluation for a while" after suffering an injury Friday against the Edmonton Oilers, head coach Jared Bednar told reporters postgame.Rantanen was on the receiving end of a huge hit by Oilers defenseman Mattias Ekholm during the second period and didn't return. The collision visibly shook him up, and Colorado later ruled him out with an upper-body injury.

The Toronto Maple Leafs, Edmonton Oilers, and Tampa Bay Lightning clinched Stanley Cup Playoffs berths Friday.Toronto did so after the Philadelphia Flyers and Washington Capitals lost. Tampa Bay secured its spot moments later following the Detroit Red Wings' defeat.Edmonton clinched with a 6-2 win over the Colorado Avalanche.The Maple Leafs make the postseason for the eighth straight year. It's their longest streak in 43 years.The Lightning head back to the playoffs for the seventh campaign in a row. Tampa has made the Stanley Cup Final three times during this span, winning it twice.The Oilers were 10 points out of a playoff spot at American Thanksgiving. Edmonton stormed back up the standings after hiring Kris Knoblauch as head coach on Nov. 12 to secure a playoff berth for the fifth straight season.Toronto and Tampa Bay join the Boston Bruins, Florida Panthers, New York Rangers, and Carolina Hurricanes as Eastern Conference teams to have clinched postseason berths.Edmonton is the fifth Western Conference club to secure a playoff spot, joining the Dallas Stars, Avalanche, Winnipeg Jets, and Vancouver Canucks.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Toronto Maple Leafs winger Mitch Marner is expected to return to the lineup Saturday against the Montreal Canadiens, TSN's Mark Masters reports."Excited," Marner said. "Just want to get back, get back in the rhythm of things, and try and contribute to help our team win games."Marner has been sidelined since March 7 with an ankle injury, missing 12 games.The 2022-23 Selke Trophy finalist skated on the club's second line alongside captain John Tavares during Friday's practice, according to Masters. The Leafs notably had Marner, Auston Matthews, and William Nylander on three different lines.LWCRWTyler BertuzziAuston MatthewsMax DomiBobby McMannJohn TavaresMitch MarnerMatthew KniesPontus HolmbergWilliam NylanderConnor DewarDavid KampfRyan ReavesMarner also rejoined the top power-play unit alongside Matthews, Nylander, Tavares, and Morgan Rielly.Marner has 25 goals and 51 assists in 62 games this season. He ranks third on the team in points and leads all Leafs forwards in average time on ice (21:20).Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Find year-round coverage of betting news and insights for all sports by visiting our Betting section and subscribing to push notifications.What does it take to win the Stanley Cup?The qualitative answers to such an all-encompassing question include toughness, determination, resilience, strength, skill, and a whole lot of luck.Approaching the playoffs, we look for quantitative hints to spring's biggest question. Thinking about it logically, we want our team to do three things:

Jonathan Drouin went to the Colorado Avalanche surrounded by significant question marks.On the ice, he was coming off a season in which he scored just two goals in 58 games. He had failed to reach double-digit tallies since 2018-19. And he had a reputation as a poor defensive player.Off the ice, he had dealt with anxiety and insomnia that caused him to miss an extended portion of the 2020-21 season.But Drouin has put together one of his best campaigns, entering Friday with 17 goals and 34 assists in 73 games. He's three points away from establishing a new career high. That perseverance is part of the reason why Drouin was announced as Colorado's nominee for the Bill Masterton Trophy on Friday."He comes in here, and to me it's his attitude and really working at his game, adding tools to his toolbox, especially when it comes to being a well-rounded player on the checking side of it," Avalanche coach Jared Bednar said, per The Denver Post's Corey Masisak. "He's become a real trusted guy for us."The image that he had, he's been able to completely change that for me in a short period of time and do whatever it takes to be successful for a new coach, a new organization, new teammates. I think it is something that should be recognized."The Avalanche were an obvious landing spot for Drouin in free agency because of his prior relationship with Nathan MacKinnon. The two players starred for the QMJHL's Halifax Mooseheads together before turning pro. Colorado drafted MacKinnon first overall in 2013, while Drouin went to the Tampa Bay Lightning two picks later."He's very dedicated. He brings it every day," MacKinnon said. "He has a great attitude, a great work ethic. He's always trying to get better and he loves the game. He's always trying to learn and loves talking about it. It's fun to be around guys like that. He definitely deserves that recognition, for sure."With a cap hit of $825,000 this season, Drouin has been one of the league's best bargains. Excluding players on entry-level contracts, the 29-year-old leads all NHL skaters in cost per point, per CapFriendly. He's put himself in line for a notable pay raise this summer.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Find year-round coverage of betting news and insights for all sports by visiting our Betting section and subscribing to push notifications.We swept the board with our player props Thursday night. We'll look to keep the ball rolling with three plays for Friday's stacked slate.Evan Bouchard: Over 2.5 shotsBouchard is an Avalanche killer. He always seems to have his offensive juices flowing when his Oilers square off against them. He's gone over his shot total in seven of their past 11 matchups, averaging 3.5 shots on 8.5 attempts.He's played especially well when the two meet in Edmonton. Bouchard went over the number in five of six home games versus the Avalanche and posted ridiculous outputs, averaging 4.7 shots on 10.2 attempts.There's no reason to expect any different this time around. Both teams rank among the top five in total pace over the past 10 games. Colorado also ranks lower at suppressing shots from defensemen than any other position in that span.Bouchard should log a lot of ice time and have plenty of opportunity to shoot in what figures to be an incredibly high-paced affair.Odds: -130 (playable to -150)Cale Makar: Over 0.5 assistsMakar is an assist machine. He's recorded 63 through 71 games and at least one in 13 of his last 18 contests.Unsurprisingly, the supremely dynamic defenseman performs well against the Oilers. Makar has picked up an assist in seven of the past nine head-to-head meetings and 12 total during that span.With dynamic puck skills and effortless skating ability, he's built perfectly for the fast-paced games that occur whenever these two square off.The Avalanche are trying to catch the Stars for the top spot in the Central Division. Even in a back-to-back situation, head coach Jared Bednar will undoubtedly ride the team's best players - Makar among them - to get a result against the very good and very hungry Oilers.Win or lose, the Avalanche should score their share of goals in this one. Expect Makar to pick up a helper in the process.Odds: -130 (playable to -150)Shea Theodore: Over 0.5 pointsTheodore has found the scoresheet in 14 of his last 20 outings despite failing to do so in three straight games against a difficult string of opponents.A date with the Coyotes is just what he needs to get back on track. They rank 28th in goals against per game over the past couple of weeks and have been one of the league's worst shot-suppression teams.The Golden Knights have won six of seven, and their offense has drastically picked up since the arrivals of Anthony Mantha and Noah Hanifin, which coincided with Jack Eichel's return.The offense should explode in this game - and I like Theodore's chances of getting in on the action.Odds: +100 (playable to -135)Todd Cordell is a sports betting writer at theScore. You can follow him on X at @ToddCordell.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

There's a new Mavrik in Dallas, and he doesn't play basketball.The Dallas Stars recalled top prospect Mavrik Bourque from the AHL's Texas Stars on Friday, the team announced.The 22-year-old has produced a league-leading 72 points in 66 games with Texas this season. He's yet to make his NHL debut, but could get a chance Saturday against the Chicago Blackhawks.Dallas selected Bourque 30th overall in the 2020 NHL Draft.Bourque is the second promising AHL standout to earn a call-up from the Stars this season. Fellow top prospect Logan Stankoven has tallied 13 points in 18 games with the big club.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Part 1 of our offseason lookahead series examined what the Montreal Canadiens can do to keep their rebuild on the right track. Part 2 broke down what the Ottawa Senators must do to get over the hump. In Part 3, we analyze the best direction the Calgary Flames can go.The Flames will miss the playoffs for the second straight year following a season with no shortage of distractions. Calgary entered the campaign with a rookie general manager in Craig Conroy, a rookie head coach in Ryan Huska, and a staggering five key pending unrestricted free agents. That's not an easy situation for anyone to handle.Calgary extended captain Mikael Backlund before the start of the season but ended up trading the other four pending UFAs: Nikita Zadorov, Elias Lindholm, Chris Tanev, and Noah Hanifin.The Flames now enter the offseason with eight picks in the first four rounds of the 2024 NHL Draft, several young up-and-coming players, and a core of aging veterans. Where do Conroy and Co. go from here?Embrace a rebuild Gerry Thomas / National Hockey League / GettyThe Flames could go all-in, adding immediate help to try and win before Jonathan Huberdeau, Nazem Kadri, and MacKenzie Weegar - three 30-plus players signed through at least 2028-29 - get too old. But that strategy would likely lead to more long-term pain.We're not saying Conroy needs to completely tear the team down to its core, but he must resist the urge to hand out more long-term contracts to aging players and instead continue to try and get younger.The Flames should be open for business. There are obvious trade candidates - like goalie Jacob Markstrom and 2025 pending UFAs Andrew Mangiapane and Andrei Kuzmenko - but nothing should be off the table if a team steps up with the right offer.Without a new arena deal, a rebuild may have been out of the question. But after locking in a 35-year commitment to stay in Calgary - and a new rink coming by 2026 or 2027 - the Flames have the luxury of rebuilding the right way without having to worry about how plummeting attendance could put the franchise at risk of moving.The Flames have only drafted in the top five once in the last 50 years and have never drafted in the top three in that span. Bottoming out and getting a chance to select a homegrown superstar over the next few years would be a great way to turn the franchise around.Trade Markstrom Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / GettyThe Markstrom saga has been a prominent distraction during the 2023-24 season. The Flames and New Jersey Devils reportedly came close to a trade for the veteran goalie, which ultimately fell through. Markstrom, whose contract contains a no-movement clause, said he wasn't happy with how the Flames' front office handled his situation.It's clear that both sides need to move on, and the Devils reportedly still plan to pursue Markstrom in the offseason. That's good news for the Flames, who should try and work out a deal to turn the page as soon as possible.It's important to trade Markstrom this offseason because of how volatile the goaltending position is. He's in the midst of a stellar season with a .906 save percentage and 28.4 goals saved above expected - the second-most in the league, per Evolving-Hockey.But Markstrom posted one of the worst seasons of his career last season with an .892 save percentage and 1.5 goals saved above expected. If he were to return to his 2022-23 form for the Flames next year, it could torpedo his trade value. That'd be far from ideal considering he's 34 years old and signed for two more seasons with a $6-million cap hit.Extend Sharangovich Gerry Thomas / National Hockey League / GettyOne 2025 UFA the Flames should look to keep is Yegor Sharangovich. At just 25 years old, he could still be part of the solution when the Flames try to turn the corner in a few years. He's been a great fit with the club, establishing new career highs in goals (29), assists (25), and points (54) through 75 games this season. A 17.8 shooting percentage may be unsustainable, but there's still some room for growth in other areas of his game.A four- or five-year extension with an average annual value of around $5 million could be a good deal for both sides.Weaponize cap space Bruce Bennett / Getty Images Sport / GettyEven before trading anyone, the Flames will have about $18 million of cap space at their disposal. With Dustin Wolf as the team's only notable pending restricted free agent, Conroy should use that cap space to further improve his team's draft pick pool and prospect pipeline.Contending teams are always trying to clear cap space ahead of free agency, and they're typically willing to add sweeteners to trades if it means ditching a bad contract. As long as it's a short-term deal, the Flames should definitely be willing to take on an unwanted player if it'll net them a premium draft pick or prospect.The Flames should also be willing to retain salary as a third-party broker if it scores them a draft pick.Sign playoff-type UFAs for trade bait Mitchell Leff / Getty Images Sport / GettyEven as a rebuilding team, the Flames still have several holes on the roster they'll need to fill for the 2024-25 season - the majority of which are on defense.Weegar, Rasmus Andersson, and Daniil Miromanov should be lineup mainstays. Joel Hanley and Brayden Pachal are good depth options. But otherwise, the Flames could use two-to-three blue-liners to fill out their lineup.Oliver Kylington is a logical candidate to be re-signed. The smooth-skating Swede was understandably rusty after initially rejoining the lineup following a near two-year absence. But he's started to look more like his normal self of late. Trying to re-sign him to a one-year deal would be a wise move.The Flames should also try and target UFA defensemen on one-year deals who they could flip at the deadline for draft picks. Even third-pairing-caliber defensemen can net third-round picks, as evidenced by the return the Washington Capitals received for Joel Edmundson this past deadline.Targeting physical defenders whom playoff teams will covet should be Conroy's free-agent strategy. Edmundson, Brenden Dillon, Ian Cole, Derek Forbort, and Ilya Lyubushkin would all make sense on cost-friendly, short-term deals.The Flames are largely set up front, but they could use another middle-six center option. Sharangovich has mostly played center since the deadline, but he's a better fit on the wing. UFA centers who'd make sense on short-term deals include Alexander Wennberg, Max Domi, Chandler Stephenson, Teddy Blueger, and Kevin Stenlund.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Ottawa Senators had their show run by the Florida Panthers on Thursday night, and for captain Brady Tkachuk, the blowout loss came with a reminder that his team has a long way to go before becoming a contender."I mean, looking at the games we've played against them this year - 5-0, lose in overtime, and lose 6-0 - I guess you can say that's a team that you look at," he said. "Even missing one of their top guys (in Carter Verhaeghe), they just roll you over."All four lines, D, they're missing (Aaron Ekblad), too. Yeah, I guess it's something to look at ... and compare ourselves to. We have a lot more work to do."Both Tkachuk and defenseman Jake Sanderson used the word "embarrassing" to describe the Senators' performance. The 17,653 fans in attendance at Canadian Tire Centre appeared to agree with their assessment, booing the team off the ice.Ottawa was behind the eight ball almost immediately, surrendering two goals before the two-minute mark of the first period."This morning, we emphasized on having a good start," Sanderson said. "We knew they were gonna come out strong. We didn't match, and (it) kinda snowballed the rest of the game."The Panthers ended up chasing Joonas Korpisalo with their fourth goal early in the second period. Florida outshot Ottawa 31-30 while controlling 72.2% of the high-danger chances and 63.7% of the expected goals at five-on-five, per Natural Stat Trick. The Senators also went an abysmal 0-for-6 on the power play.Florida was struggling heading into Thursday's clash, with just one regulation win in its last 10 games. Ottawa, meanwhile, had won five of its last six games.Senators interim head coach Jacques Martin pushed back on the notion that it's hard for his team to stay motivated with a playoff berth more or less out of reach."I think there's a lot of guys that are playing for something," he said. "I think ... there's several players on this team that are playing for jobs. So I think there's always a purpose, and also, you've gotta have pride in your play."Tkachuk echoed Martin's sentiment but added that the players need to think about more than just themselves with seven games remaining on their schedule."We're playing for the people that got us here, playing for the people who spend money to come watch us, and playing for all the support that people have in us through thick and thin," he said.The Senators will square off against the New Jersey Devils on Saturday.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Calgary Flames forward Martin Pospisil was given a five-minute major and a game misconduct for elbowing Winnipeg Jets defenseman Josh Morrissey on Thursday.Pospisil caught Morrissey high with less than a minute remaining in the second period.

The Winnipeg Jets secured their spot in the Stanley Cup Playoffs on Thursday with losses from the St. Louis Blues and Minnesota Wild.The Jets are the third Central Division team and the fourth club from the Western Conference to clinch a postseason berth.Winnipeg will go to the playoffs for the sixth time in seven seasons, with the exception being the 2021-22 campaign. Forwards Adam Lowry and Mark Scheifele have played in every playoff appearance for the franchise since it returned to Manitoba.The Jets emphasized clinching a postseason spot by beating the Calgary Flames 5-2. Gabriel Vilardi picked up his first NHL hat trick in the victory.Winnipeg lost in five games against the Vegas Golden Knights in the first round last year.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The San Jose Sharks signed Quinnipiac University product Collin Graf to an entry-level contract beginning in 2023-24, the team announced Thursday.Graf was widely considered the best NCAA free agent this year."His on-ice awareness allows him to process the game at a high level, and (he) is a unique player with a quality 200-foot game who excels in the offensive zone," Sharks general manager Mike Grier said. "We are excited to have him join the organization."The 21-year-old forward has been a Hobey Baker top-10 finalist in each of the last two seasons. He helped the Bobcats win the national championship in 2023, leading the club in goals (21) and assists (38) in 41 games. He paced the team again with 49 points in 34 contests this past season.With the Sharks sitting last in the league's standings, Graf could get to make his NHL debut in the near future.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Florida Panthers defenseman Aaron Ekblad will likely miss the remainder of the regular season, head coach Paul Maurice said Thursday, per Jameson Olive of the team's website.However, Maurice said the club is "quite confident" that the stalwart blue-liner will be ready for Game 1 of the postseason."This is not new and it's not unknown to us, what it is," the bench boss said. "He's got a real good handle on how long it's going to take. He's progressing really well."Ekblad left Tuesday's game against the Montreal Canadiens for undisclosed reasons. He returned just a week ago from a lower-body injury that kept him out of the lineup for seven games. The 28-year-old has missed 25 games in total this season.Injuries have plagued Ekblad in recent campaigns: He missed 11 contests last season and 21 games apiece in 2021-22 and 2020-21.Ekblad has recorded four goals and 14 assists in 51 games this season. He's averaging 20:52 per contest - the lowest in his 10-year NHL career and third-most among Panthers blue-liners.Florida selected Ekblad first overall in 2014. He finished as high as sixth in Norris Trophy voting in 2021-22 when he racked up 15 goals and 42 assists in 61 games.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Find year-round coverage of betting news and insights for all sports by visiting our Betting section and subscribing to push notifications.Wednesday was a mixed bag on the ice. We split our player props but dropped the over between the Lightning and Maple Leafs. It was pacing well with four goals scored in the first 29 minutes, but the two sides unfortunately combined to find the back of the net once over the final 31.We'll look to get back on track with three props for Thursday's massive slate.Alex Ovechkin: Over 3.5 shotsOvechkin let us down last time out, falling one shot shy in a blowout loss to the Sabres. I like his chances of getting back on track against the Penguins.The Penguins rank bottom 10 in shot suppression since the trade deadline. They've been most susceptible to giving up volume vs. wingers, slotting 26th in shots against them in that span. It's their worst ranking against any position group.This is a good matchup for Ovechkin in a game with massive playoff implications. He should get plenty of ice since he's logged 19 minutes or more in five of the past six games. The Capitals are leaning on their captain with the season on the line.Ovechkin's recorded four shots or more in 62% of his games when logging at least 19 minutes dating back to last season. He's also surpassed his shot total in four of the past five against the Penguins.Odds: -114 (playable to -130)Bo Horvat: Over 2.5 shotsThe Blue Jackets have bled shots all season and show no signs of defensive improvement. They rank dead last in shot suppression over the past 10 games in all game situations.That's good news for Horvat and the go-to Islanders shooters. Horvat's excelled against poor defensive teams, combining for 13 shots over recent games against the Blackhawks, Devils, and Red Wings.He should have no problem working his way into shooting areas against the Blue Jackets. Horvat's feasted on them over the past couple of seasons, going over his total in six of the last seven head-to-head matchups, including both games this season.With the Islanders in a heated playoff race, Horvat should see a full workload in a very advantageous matchup.Odds: -140 (playable to -155)Roman Josi: Over 3.5 shotsJosi has extreme home/road splits. He's generated 3.7 shots per game on 8.2 attempts in Nashville and has gone over this line 57% of the time.His numbers are much lower on the road, where he's averaged 2.8 shots on 6.4 attempts while posting a putrid 27% success rate.Josi is back home Thursday and has a great matchup against the Blues, who rank 30th in five-on-five shot suppression over the last 10 games and have played at one of the league's highest paces.The Blues have struggled mightily against opposing defensemen, allowing more shots to the position than all but Columbus and Detroit in the past 10 games.With home ice and a pace-up spot against a team that bleeds shots, Josi's primed for an active shooting performance.Odds: -122 (playable to -135)Todd Cordell is a sports betting writer at theScore. You can follow him on X at @ToddCordell.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Whoa, there's a lot of bad blood between the New York Rangers and New Jersey Devils.A full-blown line brawl interrupted the start of Wednesday's 4-3 Rangers win, resulting in eight players being ejected from the game: Matt Rempe, Barclay Goodrow, K'Andre Miller, and Jacob Trouba for New York, as well as Kurtis MacDermid, Chris Tierney, Kevin Bahl, and John Marino for the Devils.

John Tortorella expects more from his Philadelphia Flyers down the stretch and feels his players are buying into a narrative that isn't giving them enough credit.The outspoken head coach explained Wednesday what he believes is troubling the club at this crucial juncture of the campaign but dismissed the idea that players would tune him out."It always comes down to, 'Oh, they're going to quit on him.' It follows me around. And so be it," Tortorella told reporters Wednesday. "If a player is going to quit on me, or players are going to quit on me because I'm trying to make them better people or better athletes, you've got the wrong damn coach here, and you've got the wrong damn people here."Tortorella harshly criticized his team following Monday's overtime loss to the New York Islanders, saying only "one guy played - the goalie (newcomer Ivan Fedotov)." He also called out "certain people" who "don't have it in them to play in these types of situations" and described the Flyers' second-period performance as embarrassing.The bench boss didn't back down from those comments Wednesday."I was in control the other night," he said. "What I said, I meant. And quite honestly, when I watch the tape now, I'm more concerned than just the second period. Because of, I'm so proud of the team getting here."I guess now the narrative out there is - because I've heard from other people - that they're young, they're not supposed to be here. Bullshit. We're here. We're here. Face it. And let's be better. And I don't think we're ready to be better, and that's my problem with us right now. And it is my job - I have not done a good enough job to get them over the hump. ... I haven't done a good enough job to make them understand we have to be different now."

Find year-round coverage of betting news and insights for all sports by visiting our Betting section and subscribing to push notifications.We have a small but exciting five-game slate on the docket Wednesday night. Let's look at a few of my favorite ways to attack it.Lightning (+110) @ Maple Leafs (-130)Offense tends to explode when the Lightning and Maple Leafs square off. Seven of their past eight regular-season meetings have featured seven goals or more, with an average of 7.75 goals per game.There's no reason to expect different in this game. Even with Mitch Marner sidelined, Toronto is firing on all cylinders offensively. Led by Nikita Kucherov and Brayden Point, the same can be said of Tampa Bay.The Lightning have scored 3.64 goals per 60 minutes since the calendar flipped, which ties them for third in the NHL. The Maple Leafs have scored 3.72 goals per 60 over the same period. That puts them ahead of every team but the Avalanche.The abundance of firepower in this game means goals will be scored in bulk because of the efficiency and talent of the shooters. On top of that, the goaltending matchup doesn't look all that great.Andrei Vasilevskiy isn't playing anywhere close to the level we've come to expect from him. It's not getting better, either: Vasilevskiy has conceded three or more goals in 13 of his past 17 starts.Joseph Woll has allowed 19 goals over his last six starts (3.16 per game), so it's not like he's untouchable at the other end of the ice.Expect Auston Matthews, William Nylander, Kucherov, Point, and all the dynamic stars in this game to make plenty happen en route to another high-scoring affair.Bet: Over 6.5 (-115)Mika Zibanejad: Over 2.5 shotsThe Devils are struggling defensively. They're banged up on the back end and playing very fast, resulting in a ton of shot volume against them on a nightly basis.A lot of the shots are coming from opposing centers. The Devils have conceded 13.30 shots per game to the position over the last 10, according to ShotPropz. No team has allowed more.That puts Zibanejad firmly on the radar. The Swede has gone over his total in five of the past six games, averaging 6.33 shot attempts in that span. He also has a strong history against the Devils, surpassing his total in four straight regular-season contests. He's also in good shooting form right now.With Zibanejad rested and playing at home against a Devils team that played Tuesday, this is a great spot for him to continue firing away.Odds: -134 (playable to -150)Conor Garland: Over 2.5 shotsGarland is in his best shooting form of the season. He surpassed his total in seven of the past nine games and is consistently hovering around the five-attempt mark. He plays a hard-nosed game and lives around the net, so he needs fewer attempts than perimeter shooters to cash this bet.His uptick in shots stems from more opportunity. Garland is riding shotgun with J.T. Miller at even strength and skates on the top power-play unit. He routinely logs 15 minutes in his current role alongside the team's best weapons and is in ideal situations for generating offense.He should have no problem continuing his current trajectory against the Coyotes. They bleed shots at five-on-five and have the worst shot suppression numbers in the NHL while undermanned.It's also worth noting there's a bit of a revenge factor. Garland has gone over his total in five of seven contests against his former team, producing an average of 3.4 shots on goal.Expect that to continue on Wednesday night.Odds: -114 (playable to -125)Todd Cordell is a sports betting writer at theScore. You can follow him on X at @ToddCordell.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Florida Panthers star Sam Reinhart insists he's not preoccupied with the fact he could become an unrestricted free agent for the first time in his 10-year career.Of course, sitting on 52 goals in 76 games and being due a sizeable raise may have something to do with his nonchalance."It hasn't been an issue at all, honestly," the Florida Panthers forward told The Athletic's Pierre LeBrun this week. "I think (when) you get off to a good start, it makes everything easier. You're able to just put it behind you. I think the relationship that we have, me and (general manager) Billy (Zito), me and the organization, it's all positive, all mutual."I'm very comfortable with it being ongoing. We've got bigger things in mind the next couple of months, hopefully. But I'm not losing sleep over it by any means."Reinhart's three-year contract signed with the Panthers in August 2021 carries a $6.5-million cap hit, according to CapFriendly.Both Reinhart and the Panthers have been riding high this season. The 28-year-old forward entered Wednesday tied for second in the league in goals, while the Cats occupied second place in the Atlantic Division at 47-24-5.Florida is looking to build on last season's unexpected playoff success when the club eliminated the historically dominant Boston Bruins in the first round and ultimately reached the Stanley Cup Final. Reinhart said he believes he'll come to an agreement to stay in the Sunshine State and made it clear his top priority is to help the Panthers win it all."I've got all the confidence it's going to work out," he said. "I'm very comfortable with where it is. Billy respects that ... he knows there's bigger things that I'm worried about, too."Reinhart is far outpacing his previous production in his contract year. The Canadian obliterated his old career best of 33 goals notched in 2021-22, and his 87 points in 2023-24 are five more than he collected two seasons ago.He's scored more than half of his goals (27) on the power play - a fact Florida will undoubtedly raise in contract talks - but his expected goals for and scoring chances for percentages at five-on-five are stellar at nearly 59% in both cases, according to Natural Stat Trick.Reinhart is playing his third season with the Panthers, who acquired him in a July 2021 trade with the Buffalo Sabres. Florida shipped out young goaltender Devon Levi and a first-round pick the Sabres used to select promising forward prospect Jiri Kulich.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

While flowers bloom in April, preseason predictions wither. Those who doubted the Washington Capitals expected their year would be completely different.Rather than snipe at will for a lottery team, Alex Ovechkin drove less offense than usual for a surprising playoff contender. The Capitals rank 28th in the NHL in goals scored (2.69 per game) and are 27th in goal differential (minus-35) entering Wednesday's action. Somehow, they're a point back of third place in the Metropolitan Division.Six Eastern Conference foes and five Western clubs are on track to miss the playoffs with stronger goal differentials. The improbability of Washington's push is historic.Contrasts define this former Stanley Cup champion. Only two teams - the lowly Sharks and Blackhawks - get blown out more often by three or more goals, per Stathead.When a result's undecided, the Capitals salvage points. Their record in one-goal games is 18-2-10. That amounts to a .767 situational points percentage.Their roster took hits throughout the season. The degeneration of Nicklas Backstrom's hip, combined with trades that shipped out Joel Edmundson, Evgeny Kuznetsov, and Anthony Mantha, weakened Washington's depth. But Dylan Strome has scored reliably, and in net, the breakout of 30-year-old career backup Charlie Lindgren offset Darcy Kuemper's abrupt decline.The Flyers, Red Wings, and Islanders stalled in the standings as certain Capitals stepped up. A 13-7-2 run since mid-February helped Washington catch those teams and the sluggish Devils and Penguins. Twelve of Ovechkin's 26 goals, nine of Connor McMichael's 17, nine of Sonny Milano's 13, and six of Hendrix Lapierre's eight were tallied during the hot streak.The Capitals are tied in points with ninth-place Detroit, but have two more regulation wins and a game in hand. Both teams, or one plus the Islanders, could make the playoffs if Philadelphia slides below the wild-card cutline. The circumstances give Washington a chance to do something rare.Charlie Lindgren. Julian Avram / Icon Sportswire / Getty ImagesBrett Hull (left) and Wayne Gretzky teamed up for the 1995-96 Blues. M. Desjardins / Bruce Bennett Collection / Getty ImagesThe last statistically bad team to advance in the postseason iced seven future Hall of Famers. Wayne Gretzky's arrival in a February trade helped the aging, underperforming 1995-96 Blues (minus-29 goal differential) belatedly discover their scoring touch. Those Blues dragged the powerhouse Red Wings to Game 7 of the second round. Steve Yzerman's famous slapper finally eliminated them in double overtime.A recent comparable, the 2011-12 Panthers (minus-24 differential), tied an NHL record with 18 losses after regulation. Key players for the lackluster Southeast Division champ included Tomas Fleischmann, Stephen Weiss, Kris Versteeg, and the Jose Theodore-Scott Clemmensen goalie tandem. Florida scared the eventual Stanley Cup finalist Devils in the opening round but fittingly gave up OT winners in Games 6 and 7.Revitalized after a creaky start, Ovechkin's trying to complete a record 18th 30-goal season. He needs 46 more goals to equal Gretzky's career benchmark of 894. Give the Capitals credit: Without winning a series since their Cup breakthrough, they've found new and unique ways to stay relevant.Nick Faris is a features writer at theScore.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Vancouver Canucks defenseman Nikita Zadorov was handed a five-minute major and a game misconduct for boarding Golden Knights forward Brett Howden in Tuesday's 6-3 loss to Vegas.The incident happened in the dying seconds of the first period with Vegas up 4-1.

Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Morgan Rielly is on the verge of returning to the lineup Wednesday against the Tampa Bay Lightning.Maple Leafs head coach Sheldon Keefe stopped short of saying Rielly would suit up against their Atlantic Division rivals but revealed Tuesday that the blue-liner will be an option."Morgan will be available for us," Keefe said.Rielly was cautiously optimistic about his status."I feel good," he said. "I think it's just kind of day by day right now. So we'll see tomorrow, but I feel good."The blue-liner has missed the last four games with an upper-body injury.Rielly leads all Maple Leafs skaters with 23:49 of ice time per game. He averages more than two minutes of playing time over second-ranked TJ Brodie (21:48) and is a fixture on Toronto's top pairing.The 30-year-old's defensive deficiencies are well-documented, but he's having another strong offensive season with seven goals and 44 assists in 65 games. The NHL suspended Rielly in February for five contests for cross-checking Ridly Greig in the head after the Ottawa Senators forward scored an empty-netter with a slap shot from close range.Mitch Marner, another key Maple Leafs player sidelined with an injury, likely won't return as soon as Rielly. Marner has missed the last 11 games with an ankle ailment."I haven't had a chance to discuss with (Marner) here yet since he's come off the ice, but I think with him, we're just going to feel it out and talk to him and likely make it more of a target for the weekend," Keefe said.The Maple Leafs have Thursday and Friday off from game action before facing the Montreal Canadiens at the Bell Centre on Saturday night. Toronto has eight games remaining on its regular-season schedule and sits third in the Atlantic at 43-22-9.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Minnesota Wild forward Ryan Hartman knows "there's no place" for the stick-throwing incident that led to his fourth career suspension, but he's hopeful his reputation as a repeat offender isn't impacting his ability to get calls."I mean, it shouldn't," he told reporters Tuesday. "We all have our jobs to come in each game as a fresh game. ... Penalties are penalties, unbiased, whatever. It shouldn't be, 'Oh, he did this this game, so I'm not going to call it.'"Every game's a different game in my mind. That's how we as players feel. I'm sure that's how refs feel. That's something that's part of the job, to be an unbiased official. I think they do a pretty good job at that. If that is what's going on, I don't know, but I don't feel that way."Hartman was handed a three-game ban for tossing his stick in the direction of an official at the end of the Wild's 2-1 overtime loss to the Vegas Golden Knights on Saturday.He confirmed that part of his irritation came from a missed high-sticking call late in the game.

St. Louis Blues top prospect Jimmy Snuggerud will return to the University of Minnesota for the 2024-25 campaign, the winger announced Tuesday."It was a tough ending to this season, and I feel like we have some unfinished business to accomplish," he wrote in a statement posted to the program's X account. "I am committed to this team and excited for the opportunity next year with the Gophers."The Blues selected Snuggerud 23rd overall at the 2022 NHL Draft. He just completed his sophomore season with the Golden Gophers, notching 21 goals and 34 points in 39 games.The 19-year-old was named a finalist for the Big Ten Freshman of the Year award in 2022-23 after a strong rookie campaign in which he registered 50 points in 40 outings.Minnesota's season ended with a 6-3 loss to Boston University in the NCAA Men's Hockey Championship tournament on Saturday.There was speculation that St. Louis hoped it could get Snuggerud signed and into the Blues' lineup for Thursday's game against the Nashville Predators.St. Louis general manager Doug Armstrong said the organization "fully supports" Snuggerud's decision to return to Minnesota."We look forward to watching his continued development towards becoming a solid contributor for the St. Louis Blues in the future by playing a lead role for the Golden Gophers against top college competition next year," the executive said in a statement.Last year, Logan Cooley committed to return to the University of Minnesota for his sophomore season in 2022-23, but he ended up changing his mind two months later, signing a three-year, entry-level deal with the Arizona Coyotes.Snuggerud said his decision to stay was inspired by current Minnesota Wild rookie standout Brock Faber. The two were teammates on the Golden Gophers in 2022-23."I watched Brock Faber come back for his junior year, and I feel like I can take the same path as Brock to the NHL and help the Gophers win a national championship," he said.Snuggerud has represented the United States at the past two World Junior Championships, helping the team win bronze in 2023 and gold at this year's tournament.The Blues are in the playoff hunt with seven games remaining on their schedule. They're currently three points behind Los Angeles for the second wild-card spot in the Western Conference, though the Kings have one game in hand."They're the team that drafted me, and I'm excited to see if they can make this playoff run," Snuggerud told The Athletic's Jeremy Rutherford. "I have so much respect for the staff there and everyone that has helped me through this. (Armstrong) especially, he's such a great person, and he has my best interests in mind."I'm so happy to see the Blues succeed."Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The ECHL's Newfoundland Growlers ceased operations on Tuesday, the team and league announced.Newfoundland had been the Toronto Maple Leafs' ECHL affiliate since entering the league in 2018. Seven Growlers alumni went on to play in the NHL, including the Maple Leafs' Timothy Liljegren and Bobby McMann, as well as Boston Bruins forward Justin Brazeau.The league cited "failure to fulfill obligations under the ECHL bylaws" as the reason for terminating the Growlers' membership.Deacon Sports and Entertainment, owners of the Growlers and the Trois-Rivieres Lions, were given a league mandate to sell the teams by Tuesday. An agreement was made on a sale for the Lions, an affiliate of the Montreal Canadiens, and the team will continue to play for the rest of the season."We are saddened to lose ECHL hockey in the Newfoundland market," league commissioner Ryan Crelin said in a statement. "We'd like to thank the Growlers fans and partners for their support of the team throughout their existence and are hopeful that hockey can return to the region for their dedicated and passionate fan base."There had been issues regarding payments to the cities and the league for some time, Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman reported on Saturday. The owners have debts of $1.1 million to the city of Trois-Rivieres for the use of Colisee Videotron, per VOCM.Players under contract with the Growlers become unrestricted free agents. Those signed to NHL or AHL contracts will return to their respective teams.Goaltender Vyacheslav Peksa was the lone Maple Leafs prospect with the Growlers this season. Former Hobey Baker winner Dryden McKay also featured regularly for Newfoundland.

Florida Panthers forward Carter Verhaeghe is week-to-week with an upper-body injury, head coach Paul Maurice announced Tuesday, per NHL.com's Jameson Olive.Maurice added that while he doesn't expect Verhaeghe to miss any playoff games, he might not be able to return before they start.The Panthers clinched their spot in the postseason on Thursday but are in a battle with the Boston Bruins for the top spot in the Atlantic Division. Florida is currently two points back of the reigning President's Trophy winners.Verhaeghe exited early in the third period of the Panthers' 6-4 loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs on Monday and was unable to return to the contest.During his final shift, he was pushed into the boards by rearguard Simon Benoit in the Leafs' zone, and the two went on to engage in a netfront battle.

It's a strange time for NHL goaltending.The league-average save percentage has dropped from .915 to .904 over the past 10 years. Teams are allocating fewer salary-cap dollars to the position. Starters' workloads have been reduced as splitting crease time has become the norm. A few teams are strategically carrying three goalies on their NHL roster.High-pedigree, workhorse goalies have weathered this instability. General managers and coaches still value elite performance over long stretches, and roughly 10 starters - Andrei Vasilevskiy, Connor Hellebuyck, Ilya Sorokin, Juuse Saros, and Thatcher Demko, to name a handful - can provide just that. Jeff Vinnick / Getty ImagesAnother way to carve out a niche is to become a career backup. First and foremost, the backup must give his team a chance to win when his number's called. The rest of the role is largely between the ears. "You have to find a way to become a supportive partner to somebody who has the job you always dreamed of," is how private goalie trainer Adam Francilia recently put it."Most people probably don't understand how difficult it is - mentally, emotionally, physically - to master the career-backup role," added Francilia, who works with a dozen NHLers, including star No. 1s and veteran No. 2s.Let's unpack this inner game of being an NHL backup.'Shit end of the stick' Glenn James / Getty ImagesScott Wedgewood, the Stars' backup the past two seasons, broke into pro hockey in 2012 and spent a decade accumulating 49 ECHL, 190 AHL, and 69 NHL games as a member of five organizations. He was the definition of a journeyman and still would be if not for a few enlightening interactions.The first came in 2017 when a Devils official informed Wedgewood that top prospect Mackenzie Blackwood would be prioritized over him in the AHL. This hinted at two impacts: fewer starts and worse odds of getting an NHL call-up."What the f--k? I'm the guy to go up!" Wedgewood recalled of his initial reaction to the Devils' plan. He then held the team's decision against Blackwood, even though it wasn't Blackwood's fault. Weeks later, Wedgewood was traded to Arizona for a fifth-round draft pick.Wedgewood and Blackwood again became partners for New Jersey in fall 2020 - this time as NHLers. Blackwood immediately noticed a difference in Wedgewood's demeanor. He'd learned to stop riding the daily highs and lows."I didn't mean to be rude back then. It just felt like my chance was being taken away," Wedgewood said. "You have to take a look in the mirror at some point, and I'm better for doing that. Blackwood and I are good now. But I hate that at first maybe he didn't love me as a partner. That's completely on me." Andy Marlin / Getty ImagesOne thing that hasn't changed over Wedgewood's career: Backups live a privileged, private jet-flying lifestyle, but they also "get the shit end of the stick."Typically, the No. 2 guy starts the second game of back-to-back sets, the last game of long road trips, and groggy afternoon games. The backup tends to be left in the net regardless of the score. He's peppered with pucks in practice. Optional skates are not optional for him. Anything to rest the starter.On the surface, it can look like the backup is being set up to fail. The magic is in how they reckon with all of these unglamorous responsibilities, which still have to be fulfilled no matter how the other facets of their life are going."You can sit there and create a picture of the toughest week of your life," Wedgewood said. "You had bad sleep, you didn't get a good workout in, the food wasn't cooked properly for your pregame meal, whatever. You can get all of this in your head and it's negative, negative, negative. What do you think's going to happen? You're going to be frustrated when you get on the ice."Wedgewood said Scott Clemmensen, who made a 12-year career out of being a low-maintenance backup for Martin Brodeur and other high-volume starters, once offered him sage advice: Extend your runway in the best league on the planet by being pleasant to be around. Simply be a good guy."Are they a reluctant backup or a welcoming backup?" Francilia said of a question he often ponders and sometimes asks his clients to consider, too. Bruce Bennett / Getty ImagesThe 2020 postseason bubble brought Wedgewood closer to the "welcoming" label. He manned the crease nearly every day for two months straight so the Lightning's scratched skaters could stay sharp, one time vomiting due to exhaustion. He stood in front of countless Steven Stamkos shots before the captain's thrilling comeback goal in the Stanley Cup Final - and it didn't go unnoticed."One of my favorite memories of my entire hockey career came after we won. We took the Cup back up to our meal room and Frantz Jean, the goalie coach, came over to me," Wedgewood recalled. "Tears in his eyes, Frantz told me I never complained. He told me I helped Stammer get back to a good place."At 31, Wedgewood's still fine-tuning his outlook. He works with independent high-performance coach Eric Hoffberg and Stars mental skills consultant Chad Bohling to attack the backup role with enthusiasm, purpose, and pride.Wedgewood arrived in Dallas in March 2022 and was driven to play his best hockey. Yet he went out of his way to tell Jake Oettinger that he wasn't trying to steal the No. 1 job. He signed a two-year, one-way contract that offseason - security, finally. And this season, with Oettinger struggling and battling injury, Wedgewood will finish with the second-most minutes played of his career.'Control what you can control'It's 12:42 p.m. on a Tuesday in late March and Eric Comrie is standing in the hallway connecting the Sabres' dressing room to the KeyBank Center ice.He's in full gear, his mask is resting on the top of his head, and he's flashing a wide grin Sabres fans know well. Practice began 102 minutes ago, his teammates are long gone, but it's only now that Comrie is starting to unwind.One of three goalies on Buffalo's roster for most of the season, Comrie has logged 460 minutes in the NHL - the equivalent of 7.7 60-minute games - plus four full AHL games in 2023-24. I asked him how he's managed to stay sane with such limited game action over a stretch approaching six months."You just try to keep getting better every single day. Just try to work on little things and try to stay in the moment as best you can," Comrie, 28, said. Bill Wippert / Getty ImagesHe added that his goal in practice was to keep his heart rate up and work on glove placement and stance adjustments. He had plans later in the day to study video assistant coach Mike Bales captured during certain drills.Comrie, whose season was sidetracked in late October thanks to a minor injury, last started for the Sabres on March 7, and Feb. 15 before that. Those are his lone NHL appearances in 2024. The Sabres have leaned heavily on 25-year-old Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen (29 starts in 2024) while sprinkling in 22-year-old Devon Levi (six starts). Both have long-term starter potential."The three-goalie rotation sucks. Anyway you can put it - it just sucks," said Comrie, a pending unrestricted free agent. "Ask any goalie, they don't like it because you lose rhythm, you lose reps, you lose different things."It's essential for goalies in Comrie's situation to separate the supportive aspects of the role (which by all accounts Comrie excels at) and the personal development element. Getting the most out of every day has to be the objective."You can only control what you can control," Comrie said. Jaylynn Nash / Getty ImagesLogan Thompson of the Golden Knights can relate. He started 17 games in 2021-22, 36 last season, and he is up to 37 this campaign. Those workloads, which have been influenced by injuries, have often put him in backup mode.Thompson becomes "more of a cheerleader" on days partner Adin Hill is starting. He'll stay out longer at the morning skate, stay out of Hill's way before the game to avoid being a distraction, and stay dialed into each shift."Me and Hillsy will talk at the bench during breaks. I'll let him know what I'm seeing," said Thompson, an undrafted 27-year-old. "I'll try to get into his mind and dissect the game a little bit, do whatever I can do to help him out there."'I swear I'm on the team'Carter Hutton couldn't help but share the absurdity every once in a while."I swear I'm on the team," he'd quip in a midgame text message to buddies from his hometown of Thunder Bay, Ontario. Accompanying the text was a photo of Hutton, the visiting backup with no seat on or near the bench, sitting in the dressing room alone, geared up, with one hand buried in a giant popcorn bag. Norm Hall / Getty ImagesHutton, who retired in 2022 after a 10-year run with five different NHL teams, found it relatively easy to embrace the backup life. He wasn't a star player growing up and went through a phase of imposter's syndrome at each level. His ability to adapt to his surroundings and see the big picture mixed well with regularly sitting on a stool and wearing a baseball cap."I felt like I had conquered those demons at lower levels," Hutton said. "So I was able to feel grateful for every opportunity that came along in the NHL."Not every netminder is wired like Hutton. Accepting one's place in the goaltending hierarchy can require mental jiu-jitsu. On one hand, trainer Francilia explains, the goalie must be realistic about his trajectory and adjust expectations accordingly. On the other, he can't stop working on his craft."There's a pivotal moment in these guys' careers, where they realize what they've become," Francilia said. "It's a sensitive topic. You can have this existential discussion with them, but you don't want them to just give up." Eliot J. Schechter / Getty ImagesEvery goalie's personal journey is unique. But as a general rule, if by 30 a goalie hasn't held down a No. 1 job for an extended period, the chances are slim that a full-time starter's role is in their future. Time to let go of the dream."Take that extra bit of pressure, which has now become a detriment to you," Francilia will tell clients, "and redirect that emotional, mental, and psychological energy into more fruitful gain. Pour it into your goaltending. Pour it into genuine, real, non-toxic support for your partner."Red Wings goalie James Reimer, who works with Francilia, is one game shy of 500, a mark only 79 other goalies in history have reached. Incredibly, the 36-year-old has never made more than 48 appearances in a season.Recently retired Brian Elliott, with 543 career games, and Curtis McElhinney, 249, count as others who accepted their fate and ran with the backup role. Icon Sportswire / Getty ImagesLuck is a factor, too. The early 2010s Predators needed a no-frills backup when Hutton entered the league. Then a staph infection to starter Pekka Rinne created an opening for extra starts and time with goalie coach Mitch Korn."The Preds want to re-sign you," Rinne told Hutton over a pregame meal late in the backup's first season in Nashville."Oh really? How do you know?" Hutton replied."Well, David Poile called me last week," Rinne said of the longtime Preds GM, "and he asked if I wanted to play with you again."Poile wouldn't have called Rinne if Hutton wasn't playing well enough to justify a one-way contract. But GMs and coaches want a happy starter, and like in most professions, relationships matter. If a backup's save percentage is in the same range as his peers, familiarity and trust can be the tiebreaker."The top 10, 15 guys in the world are just better than everybody else," Hutton said. "The rest? It's more of a matter of getting in. Because once you're in, if you have the right mindset, you basically have to play your way out."John Matisz is theScore's senior NHL writer. Follow John on Twitter (@MatiszJohn) or contact him via email (john.matisz@thescore.com).Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Jarmo Kekalainen believes he'd be much improved if given another opportunity to be an NHL executive."I'd be a lot better general manager the second time around," Kekalainen told NHL.com's Jon Lane. "I'm also realizing that I'm not ready to retire, so I'm staying active. I've (scouted) some games to make sure that I stay current with the other prospects coming into the NHL, which is a lot of NHL hockey, college hockey, major junior, (AHL), so I'm definitely full of energy and ready for the next challenge as well."The Columbus Blue Jackets fired Kekalainen on Feb. 15, almost exactly 11 years after they hired him on Feb. 13, 2013. He became the first European GM in NHL history, and the club went 410-362-97 in 869 regular-season games during his tenure.The Jackets made the playoffs five times in that span, including in 2019 when they swept the 62-win Tampa Bay Lightning in the first round to win a series for the first time since joining the league in 2000-01. They reached the postseason in four straight years from 2017-2020, though they were bounced in the first round in the other three.But Columbus struggled mightily in recent years, finishing no higher than sixth in the Metropolitan Division in the last three seasons and missing the playoffs in each of them. The Blue Jackets sat last in the Eastern Conference when they fired Kekalainen, who explained this week that he tried not to fixate on his future amid all the losing."You try to put it aside," he said. "When things go bad for an extended period it might creep up a little bit, but you just try to concentrate on your job and do the best you can, and other people make the decisions on your tenure."The 57-year-old started his NHL executive career as director of player personnel with the Ottawa Senators in 1999, moving on to the St. Louis Blues as assistant GM and director of amateur scouting in 2002. When the Blues hired Doug Armstrong as GM over Kekalainen, the Finn returned to his homeland to occupy that position with Jokerit. He remained there until the Blue Jackets came calling in 2013."I've heard a saying that in this business, it's not a matter of if (you'll get fired), it's a matter of when," Kekalainen said. "It happened for the first time to me now, getting fired, so that's obviously not something that I wanted to experience."Now that I've gone through it, it's part of the business and I'm very appreciative of all the opportunities that I got here. The ownership is unbelievable and supportive and let you do your job. I've worked with John Davidson in two different organizations, with the Blues and then the Blue Jackets. He's a great man and I've enjoyed working with him."Davidson was part of the Blue Jackets front office staff that hired Kekalainen 11 years ago. After returning to the club in 2021, he was also part of the group that let Kekalainen go in February.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

John Tortorella was only happy with one player during the Philadelphia Flyers' "soft" second period against the New York Islanders on Monday: Ivan Fedotov, the man making his NHL debut in relief."Totally impressed," the hard-nosed head coach said after the Flyers' 4-3 overtime loss. "I put him in a hell of a spot, and he's the only goddamn player that played in the second period."Fedotov was called into action at the end of the first intermission after Samuel Ersson allowed two goals on six shots in the opening stanza.He was under siege during his first 20 minutes of NHL action but turned aside 16 of 17 shots in the second period. He made 19 saves on 21 shots on the night, good for a .905 save percentage.The Russian's first major save came on a Mat Barzal breakaway.

Find year-round coverage of betting news and insights for all sports by visiting our Betting section and subscribing to push notifications.We started the week strong, cashing two of three player props on Monday night.We'll look to build on a solid foundation with three more plays for Tuesday's fruitful card.Alex Ovechkin: Over 3.5 shotsThe Capitals are holding onto a playoff spot by the skin of their teeth. They'll need their captain to carry a heavy load to get the team over the finish line.We're already seeing that from Ovechkin, as he's logged 20 minutes or more in four of the past five games. Washington hasn't played since Saturday, so he's well-rested and likely heading toward another healthy chunk of ice time.Ovechkin has fared very well coming off of two days' rest this season. He's gone over his total in seven of the past 11 games in such situations, falling only one shot shy in three of the four deficits. He's getting the job done - or at least knocking on the door - each time out.When logging 20 minutes this season, Ovechkin's success rate is slightly under 60% - and I expect him to clear that time on ice bar in this one.It's also worth noting that Ovechkin is a Sabres killer. He's averaged 1.4 points, 5.4 shots and well over 10 attempts over his last seven games against Buffalo.The Sabres aren't strong defensively, have taken plenty of penalties of late (which bodes well for a power play marksman like Ovechkin), and the Capitals are desperate for every point. Ovechkin should get a lot of ice and be heavily involved offensively.Odds: -102 (playable to -125)David Pastrnak: Over 4.5 shotsPastrnak is in a bit of a shooting rut, recording four shots or fewer in five consecutive games.Although the Predators are competent in their own end, they mark a great opportunity for Pastrnak to get back on track.The Preds play extremely high-event hockey: They rank second in five-on-five pace over the past 10 games. The Bruins sit 32nd over the same span, so the Predators should be able to drag more out of them - which would benefit Pastrnak. More shots flying in both directions means more opportunity for the Bruins' best shot generator.Pastrnak took full advantage in a contest against Nashville earlier this season, firing six shots on 10 attempts despite only 17 minutes of ice.He's logged at least 20 minutes in five straight games and is coming off multiple days of rest, so he should get a full workload in a pace-up spot. Look for him to capitalize on it.Odds: -106 (playable to -125)Jack Eichel: Over 3.5 shotsI generally prefer to avoid targeting shooters against the defensively sound Canucks. Eichel is worth the exception.He's recorded at least four shots in 13 of his past 16 games, averaging more than five per game in that span. He collected three shots each time he fell short, meaning there was always an opportunity for him to get the job done.Eichel has consistently gone over the number, no matter how difficult the matchup. He registered four shots against the Jets, seven against the Predators, four against the Bruins, four against the Avalanche, and six against these same Canucks during this hot streak.The Golden Knights are jockeying for home ice in the Pacific Division - with a win tonight, they'd only be three points behind the Oilers - so Eichel will see all the ice he can handle. He's proven capable of making the most of it, no matter the opponent.Odds: -125 (playable to -140)Todd Cordell is a sports betting writer at theScore. You can follow him on X at @ToddCordell.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Montreal Canadiens head coach Martin St. Louis is hoping Josh Anderson's down season will just be a "one-off" for the two-time 20-goal scorer."We know Josh can score goals in this league. ... There's a lot in that player," the bench boss said Monday."He hasn't forgotten how to score goals," St. Louis continued. "Sometimes, the game gets hard a little bit, and it's hard to come out of it. We know there's more in there, and he'll get that back."Anderson mustered just eight goals and 18 points in 69 games this season while being handcuffed to an abysmal 6.3 shooting percentage. However, he has generated around 17 individual expected goals at all strengths, per Natural Stat Trick.The 29-year-old suited up for exactly 69 outings in each of his previous two campaigns but garnered far better results than this season.SeasonGPP/GPS%2021-2219320.4612.62022-2321320.4612.8It took Anderson until Dec. 4 to score his first goal of the 2023-24 campaign, which kicked off a run in which he potted six tallies in 10 games. However, he quickly fell into another slump and scored just once in 22 outings.A lower-body injury forced him to miss four games during that stretch."I think the effort is there, I think the intentions are there," St. Louis said. "It could be a hard year for him. I think he expects more."He added: "For him, it's just, try to find some confidence down the stretch here, feel good about himself going into the summer."Anderson has nine more games to turn his performances around. He's currently riding a 12-game goalless streak."I think (these games) are really important individually and for our team," Anderson said. "I think that for me personally, I just gotta keep doing the right things, get back to my game, using speed, physicality, and trying to shoot as many pucks as I can."Keep it simple."Anderson is signed for three more seasons with a $5-million cap hit. His pact includes a five-team no-trade list.The Canadiens take on the Florida Panthers on Tuesday.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Minnesota Wild forward Ryan Hartman will sit three games for unsportsmanlike conduct, the NHL's Department of Player Safety announced Monday.Hartman threw his stick in the direction of an official at the end of Saturday's game against the Vegas Golden Knights. Jonathan Marchessault had just scored into the Wild's empty net in overtime.

Find year-round coverage of betting news and insights for all sports by visiting our Betting section and subscribing to push notifications.Don't look now, but it's April.Even though teams still have more than a handful of games left, we haven't checked in on the betting market's power ratings since the All-Star break. What do those who put their money where their mouth is think of each team?As a reminder, moneylines are a function of win probability, so each team's rating is based on how much better (plus) or worse (minus) it is than an average team on neutral ice. For example, if your favorite club flies to Sweden and is -150 (60% likely) to beat a league-average (zero) team like the Wild, the betting market has deemed your club 20% better than average.Below is an estimation of how the betting market rates each team based on recent moneylines. Luckily, at the moment, there are very few player injuries throughout the NHL drastically affecting a team's rating.NHL betting market power ratingsWe included teams' preseason market rating - based on their regular-season points total before the season started - and our estimated rating at the All-Star break (teams with an asterisk are currently in playoff position).TEAMCURRENT (%)ASB (%)PRESEASON (%)Oilers*+25+20+16Hurricanes*+25+17.5+17.5Bruins*+20+17.5+9.5Panthers*+20+15+8Stars*+20+15+15Avalanche*+20+10+16.5Kings*+20+10+10Golden Knights*+15+15+12Canucks*+15+10-2.5Rangers*+15+10+11.5Devils+10+17.5+17.5Jets*+10+12.50Maple Leafs*+10+10+16.5Lightning*+10+2.5+4.5Predators*+50-5Wild00+5.5Penguins-5+10+6.7Sabres-50+1.2Islanders-5-3+1.2Flyers*-5-5-17.5Blues-5-15-7.5Flames-10-3+3Kraken-10-5+1.5Senators-10-7.50Capitals*-10-10-7Red Wings-10-15-6.5Coyotes-20-12.5-16.5Canadiens-25-27.5-21Blue Jackets-30-25-20Ducks-35-32.5-26Blackhawks-40-25-22.5Sharks-45-40-27Conceptually, the standings measure what happened yesterday, while market ratings measure what'll happen tomorrow.The market's still giving the Devils credit as a good team but has backtracked on the Penguins relative to All-Star break expectations. The Flyers and Capitals are currently taking what the market thinks should have been playoff spots for New Jersey and Pittsburgh.The Predators' rating rose as high as 10% above an average team during their 18-game points streak, but two losses have caused a dip.There are two types of market scenarios:

Philadelphia Flyers legend Eric Lindros says he would've handled Cutter Gauthier's trade request differently if it were up to him."I would have focused on just saying, 'We wanted Jamie Drysdale and we had to give up this player,'" Lindros told The Hockey News' Michael Traikos. "That's how I would have dealt with it. I wouldn't have publicized the situation. I would have just traded the kid."Philadelphia shocked the hockey world in January by trading Gauthier - the 2022 No. 5 pick - to the Anaheim Ducks in exchange for 2020 No. 6 pick Jamie Drysdale.General manager Daniel Briere and president of hockey operations Keith Jones were both candid about the reasons for the trade, saying the prospect "didn't want to be a Flyer" despite draft day assurances that he was eager to sign with the club. Jones and Lindros, notably, were teammates for two seasons with the Flyers.Gauthier said he received death threats from Flyers fans. Though he never provided an exact reason as to why he didn't want to play for Philadelphia, he said "multiple, re-occurring issues" that he'd seen in the organization led to the request.Lindros can speak on the situation from a unique perspective. He was drafted first overall by the Quebec Nordiques in 1991 but refused to play for them, citing issues with ownership. He was eventually traded to the Flyers for a package including fellow eventual Hockey Hall of Famer Peter Forsberg.The 51-year-old believes more players should feel free to decide where they want to play."I had a great time in Philly," Lindros said. "But if he thinks he's going to have a better time someplace else, then go for it. It's a player's right. The better the city and the organization treats a guy, the more it's going to attract guys. That's a big part of it."I don't think a player puts his head down anymore and says, 'Thank you.' Especially a free agent or someone who has been around the league."Lindros spent eight of his 13 NHL seasons in the City of Brotherly Love, winning the Hart Trophy in 1995.Gauthier's Boston College Eagles advanced to the Frozen Four with Sunday's win over Quinnipiac. He could turn pro and sign with the Ducks following the completion of the NCAA tournament.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Find year-round coverage of betting news and insights for all sports by visiting our Betting section and subscribing to push notifications.The NHL is back in full force with an eight-game slate coming out of the holiday weekend. Let's waste no time getting to the best ways to attack it.Miles Wood: Over 2.5 shotsI don't normally target third-liners for overs, but this is an appropriate time to make an exception. Wood has piled up the shots of late, soaring past his total in nine of the past 10 games while averaging 3.8 per night.He's feasted playing alongside Ross Colton and Zach Parise. Parise has been surprisingly impactful on Wood's shot rates. Wood has averaged 16.21 shots on goal per 60 minutes with Parise on his line at five-on-five, which is top-tier production.Auston Matthews is the only player in the NHL with more five-on-five shots than Wood over the last 10 games.Now he draws a mouthwatering matchup against a Blue Jackets team that ranks dead last in five-on-five shot suppression over the same period of time. The Jackets also sit 32nd in terms of preventing shots against wingers.Wood generated five shots on eight attempts when these teams met a couple of weeks ago. With a generous plus-money price attached, I think there's significant value in backing him to get three.Odds: +125 (playable to +100)Zach Hyman: Over 3.5 shotsHyman continues to produce while riding shotgun alongside Connor McDavid. He's registered at least four shots on goal in seven straight and nine of his past 10 games overall with an average of slightly under five in that span.Hyman is tied with Wood for second in the NHL in five-on-five shots over his past 10 games. I think it's important to note his prowess at even strength because the Blues don't take a lot of penalties.The heavy lifting must come at five-on-five, which shouldn't be a problem for Hyman. He's ultra-efficient at generating shots, while the Blues struggle to prevent them. Only five teams have conceded more over the past 10 games.This game should also feature plenty of pace. The Oilers are third in five-on-five pace the past 10 games, while the Blues come in at 12th.Hyman has seen St. Louis twice this season and combined for 11 shots on 15 attempts over those matchups.Look for him to get the job done again this time around.Odds: -114 (playable to -130)Brayden Point: Over 2.5 shotsDeath, taxes, and Point at home. He continues to be a shooting machine when playing in Tampa Bay.Point has recorded three shots or more in 25 of 35 games at home (71%). He's showing absolutely no signs of slowing down, having gone over his total in 12 of the past 15 (80%) at Amalie Arena.I don't see the Red Wings being the team to stop him. They haven't defended well this season, especially when playing on the road. Only the Sharks have conceded more shots per game on the road this campaign.The Wings also give up a ton of shots to centers. They rank in the bottom five over the past 10 games and 30th for the entire season.Point's odds are a little shorter than most props I target, but, based solely on this season's hit rate of 71%, a fair price would be closer to -200.Odds: -150 (playable to -175)Todd Cordell is a sports betting writer at theScore. You can follow him on X at @ToddCordell.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

In a span of less than 24 hours, the Vancouver Canucks clinched their spot in the playoffs and then beat the Anaheim Ducks to secure their 100th point of the season.Head coach Rick Tocchet acknowledged the "big" moment but isn't about to take his foot off the gas."Coming into this situation, we were supposed to be a bubble (team). ... It was good that the players didn't hear the outside noise and they just believed in themselves," he told reporters after Vancouver's 3-2 win Sunday."I thought they did a hell of a job this year to get us to this situation, but now it's go time," he added. "We need some guys to find their game. Our team's gotta find our game."The Canucks now have a six-point edge over Edmonton for first place in the Pacific, though the Oilers have played two fewer games.The Canucks haven't appeared in the playoffs since 2020 when they fell to the Vegas Golden Knights in the second round. Those games took place in Edmonton because of the pandemic, so the last time Vancouver's Rogers Arena hosted a playoff game was in 2015.Canucks forward Conor Garland knows how much a return to the postseason means to the hockey-hungry city."To play in a Canadian market, there's a lot of pressure," he said, per Sportsnet. "But the reward is when you can play in the playoffs and have that crowd behind you, have the city behind you."We've earned that right to have a home game here in Game 1."Only six players on the roster - Tyler Myers, Brock Boeser, Quinn Hughes, Elias Pettersson, J.T. Miller, and Thatcher Demko - were part of the Canucks' playoff run four years ago.Dakota Joshua, meanwhile, only has one game of playoff experience under his belt."We can feel and tell how important it is, not only player-to-player, but for everybody involved," he said. "It was a goal of ours when we started off. Just to get into the dance is the first step, then you go from there."Vancouver last eclipsed the 100-point mark in 2014-15. That team was led by Daniel and Henrik Sedin, who had 76 and 73 points in 82 games, respectively. Hughes, Pettersson, and Miller have already surpassed those offensive marks with eight games remaining this season.The Canucks will face the Golden Knights on Tuesday.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Seattle Kraken promoted their top prospect Shane Wright from the AHL's Coachella Valley Firebirds on Sunday, the club announced.Wright has recorded 20 goals and 23 assists with the Firebirds this season. He spent three games up with the Kraken earlier in the campaign but failed to record a point. The 20-year-old center also played in eight games with Seattle last season, notching a goal and an assist.The Kraken selected Wright with the No. 4 pick in the 2022 NHL Draft. For a long time, he was projected to go first overall after he was granted exceptional status into the OHL as a 15-year-old.Wright enjoyed a stellar OHL career with 197 points in 141 career games between the Kingston Frontenacs and the Windsor Spitfires. He also captained Canada to a gold medal at the 2023 World Junior Championship.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Mats Zuccarello has some jokes for his old buddy Chris Kreider.Kreider scored his 300th career goal in his 807th game Saturday against the Arizona Coyotes, but Zuccarello said his presence could've expedited the process."I mean, in front of the net, he's probably best in the league," Zuccarello told The Athletic's Arthur Staple about what makes Kreider unique. "They've got a good power play, of course, he's playing with good players, and he's a good player, too. It's impressive. Too bad I got traded, or he would have gotten (to 300) faster."Kreider and Zuccarello spent parts of seven seasons together with the New York Rangers before the latter was dealt to the Dallas Stars at the 2019 trade deadline. Zuccarello has since spent the last five seasons with the Minnesota Wild.With Kreider being a north-south power forward and Zuccarello being a shifty playmaker, the duo complemented each other well during their time together. Zuccarello assisted on 38 of Kreider's 300 goals - tied for fourth-most of any player."He turned out to be a great guy, good friend, and we have lots of good memories from the years we played together," Zuccarello said. "I'm really happy for him, and I hope he keeps it going."Kreider is showing no signs of slowing down in his age-32 campaign. He's racked up 35 goals and 32 assists in 74 games this season. His 300 career goals rank third in Rangers history, trailing Rod Gilbert (406) and Jean Ratelle (336).Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.