The Nashville Predators won't look to deal Juuse Saros as long as they're in a postseason position, reports Daily Faceoff's Frank Seravalli.The Predators sat outside the playoff picture for much of this season, but they're now riding a five-game win streak that's vaulted them into the second wild-card spot in the Western Conference. They're four points ahead of the Minnesota Wild and St. Louis Blues, with one more game played than the former and two more than the latter.Nashville's early mediocrity led to speculation that they might trade Saros. In January, it was reported that the Predators' preference was to sign the netminder to a contract extension, but they would listen to serious offers.Saros has struggled this season compared to the standard he set in previous campaigns. The Finnish puck-stopper, who'll turn 29 in April, entered Tuesday with a .904 save percentage and a 23-21-2 record. He finished fourth in Vezina Trophy voting last season, third in 2021-22, and sixth in the abbreviated 2021 campaign.The goalie is signed through 2024-25 with a $5-million cap hit, according to CapFriendly. Nashville came into Tuesday's action with a 58.4% chance of making the playoffs, per MoneyPuck.The Predators' goaltender of the future, Yaroslav Askarov, is thriving in the AHL this season with a .920 save percentage over 29 games. Nashville selected him 11th overall in 2020.Saros has spent his entire nine-year career with the Predators, who drafted him 99th overall in 2013.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 split our sides and totals on Monday. The Senators were sunk by horrendous goaltending - Anton Forsberg allowed four goals on 10 shots - but the under of 6.5 cashed in Edmonton.Let's look at a couple of sides that pop off the page on Tuesday as we aim for a mini-sweep.Kings (+100) @ Flames (-120)The Kings are playing well of late but are in a tough spot on Tuesday night.Already without key players like Viktor Arvidsson and Mikey Anderson, they lost star winger Adrian Kempe in Monday night's game.Thus, the team will likely to without two of their best offensive players, as well as a stabilizing defender in Anderson, while playing in the latter half of a road back-to-back situation. That's less than ideal.Making matters worse, it'll be Cam Talbot between the pipes. His last couple of games were better, but his play this calendar year leaves a lot to be desired.He is conceding 4.18 goals above expected, the fourth-worst output among all goaltenders with double-digit starts in 2024.For perspective, Jacob Markstrom has saved 15.75 goals above expected over the same period. He should continue to excel against a fatigued Kings team missing weaponry.The Flames are more than capable of giving the Kings a run for their money. They just beat the Jets, Bruins, and Oilers and continue to chug along despite all the trade rumors surrounding key players on the team.Look for the Flames to extend their winning streak to four against the Kings.Bet: Flames (-120)Stars (+115) @ Avalanche (-135)The Avalanche have cooled off recently, dropping two in a row and seven of the past 10 overall.But I don't think they're playing as poorly as the results indicate. The Avs are generating quality chances at an efficient clip and rank sixth in high-danger chances per 60 minutes of five-on-five play.They are, however, struggling to score. Only four teams are finding the back of the net at five-on-five at a lower rate.The Avalanche aren't a super deep team, but they have as much firepower as anybody in the NHL. It's only a matter of time before they start to convert on the many chances they're creating.I expect that to begin against the Stars. The Avalanche torched them in recent head-to-head meetings, scoring 19 goals over four games in the past 11 months.It's also worth noting Jake Oettinger has not been his usual self this season. He owns a very mediocre .903 save percentage and has given up nearly three goals per game while playing behind an excellent lineup.Playing behind a tired team at altitude, Oettinger is likely to be tested early and often in this one.I think the Avalanche will break through offensively en route to a much-needed win over direct competition for a Central Division title.Bet: Avalanche (-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.

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 Monday night, cashing a pair of overs and a fade of John Carlson.We'll look to keep the ball rolling with three more shot props for Tuesday's massive slate of games.Sean Couturier: Over 2.5 shotsThe Flyers have been a surprisingly strong shot-generation team this season, particularly on home ice. Their new captain, Sean Couturier, is the perfect example.He registered at least three shots in 18 of 28 home dates this season (64% success rate), averaging a very healthy 3.6 shots per game.Couturier's home outputs are drastically better than on the road: He owns a 33% success rate away from Philadelphia and averages 1.2 fewer shots on goal per game.The good news for Couturier is he is at home against a Lightning team the Flyers might be fighting for a wild-card spot (the No. 3 slot in the Metropolitan is far from secured).Couturier will be tasked with slowing down Hart Trophy candidate Nikita Kucherov. Given the importance of the game, and the fact the Flyers are off until Friday after this one, Couturier will no doubt get a full workload and then some.He had six shots on eight attempts when the two sides met back in January. I don't expect that level of volume again, but Couturier should have ample opportunity to get a few pucks on net.Odds: -125 (playable to -140)Gabe Vilardi: Over 2.5 shotsVilardi has gone over his total in five consecutive games, four of which have come against weaker Jets opponents on the outside of the playoff picture.He's facing another team that fits the bill in the Blues. They've conceded shots at a high clip all season long, giving up a lot of volume even when the wins are there.The matchup at five-on-five doesn't get much better for Vilardi, as the Blues rank bottom five in shot suppression on the season and over the last 10 games.Vilardi has also taken on a larger role on the power play. The Jets have run things through Vilardi more of late, allowing him to operate with the puck below the dots. As a result, he leads the team in power-play shots and attempts over the past 10 games, which raises his shooting floor and ceiling.Vilardi recorded at least three shots in six of his last eight games versus bottom-10 shot-suppression teams. With another favorable matchup and a more significant role on the man advantage, I expect Vilardi to get the job done once again.Odds: -110 (playable to -130)Nathan MacKinnon: Over 4.5 shotsMacKinnon is starting to kick things into high gear. His shot volume has spiked lately, with the superstar center recording at least eight attempts in eight of his past 10 games.That is something of a sweet spot for MacKinnon, who has averaged 5.8 shots per game while posting a 62% success rate in games with at least eight attempts.There's plenty of reason to expect another high-volume effort in this one. The Avalanche and Stars are among three teams duking it out for top spot in the Central Division. MacKinnon will see a heavy workload in this extremely important game for the Avalanche.He should have 23-plus minutes against a team he has feasted on in recent years. MacKinnon recorded at least five shots in six of his last seven against the Stars, attempting more than 10 shots per game on average.With two big points on the line and the Stars on the latter half of a back-to-back, MacKinnon is primed to continue shooting the lights out.Odds: -130 (playable to -145)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.

Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Jamie Drysdale is considered week-to-week after a hard hit from Pittsburgh Penguins forward Jansen Harkins on Sunday, Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman reported Monday.The Flyers are hopeful Drysdale will return before the end of the season, Friedman added.Head coach John Tortorella said Tuesday he's unsure about the blue-liner's recovery timeline, according to NBC Sports Philadelphia's Jordan Hall.Drysdale left the ice immediately after the collision, seemingly favoring his left shoulder.

We hear plenty about pending unrestricted free agents - so-called "rentals" - at this time of year. The NHL trade-deadline hoopla revolves around that group of players.Every season, though, a handful of players under team control also change teams midseason. Usually, these younger players have fallen out of favor with their organizations by failing to meet expectations. A change of scenery, the thinking goes, could serve them well.theScore's Kyle Cushman recently wrote about prospects who could be on the move ahead of the March 8 deadline. Below are five more established players in the same boat.Alexander Holtz, Devils Rich Graessle / Getty ImagesHoltz was put on this earth to zip hockey pucks past goalies.OK, that's a tad dramatic. Still, the 22-year-old right-shot winger is very good at finding unoccupied areas of the offensive zone and deploying his absolute rocket of a shot once the puck finds him.On the flip side, Holtz is perceived as a liability defensively, and his usage this year has suffered because of it. "If you want to play more, don't get scored against," Devils coach Lindy Ruff said earlier this season when asked about Holtz's ice time, which through 58 games is only 11:39 per night.Holtz, the seventh pick in the 2020 draft, has 13 goals and added 11 assists in his first full NHL season while largely skating on the Devils' fourth line and second power-play unit. Among New Jersey forwards, he ranks 11th in five-on-five usage (10:06) and eighth in power-play usage (1:21). Elsa / Getty ImagesIt's hard to decipher from afar whether Ruff is simply offering tough love or the organization truly feels Holtz is a poor long-term fit. Regardless, if Devils general manager Tom Fitzgerald wants to acquire a decent goalie ahead of the trade deadline, putting Holtz on the trade block would spice up talks with rival executives. There's no doubt several teams would take a flier on the Swede.Holtz's counting stats through 86 career games are nothing special - 16 goals and 14 assists. So, unless he breaks out in a major way, the cap hit on Holtz's second contract, which would start in 2025-26, won't be terribly high.Arthur Kaliyev of the Kings is another young, shoot-first winger who could use a change of scenery. Like Holtz, Kaliyev's overall skill set has gaping holes that'll drive pretty much any NHL coach bananas. However, he also boasts a bomb of a shot. It takes just one enamoured club to jumpstart trade talks.Spencer Knight, PanthersAn NHL franchise can never have too many good goalies.That said, it was strange to see the Panthers use the 13th pick in 2019 on Knight, then sign Sergei Bobrovsky to an eight-year, $80-million deal 10 days later. Selecting a netminder in the top half of the first round is one thing; immediately blocking that hyped prospect's path to the starter's net for the foreseeable future is another. The sequence of events didn't quite add up. Jared C. Tilton / Getty ImagesIt's fair to say that signing Bobrovsky panned out. The Panthers competed in the 2023 Stanley Cup Final, and with Bobrovsky and backup Anthony Stolarz playing at an elite level this year, Florida's primed for another deep playoff run.Which brings us back to Knight: If GM Bill Zito wants to bolster his lineup before the deadline, the 22-year-old goalie would be one of his top trade chips. Remember, Florida doesn't have a first-round pick in 2024 or 2025, and it doesn't have many high-end prospects. (The Athletic's Scott Wheeler recently ranked its prospect pool 24th in the NHL.)While Knight's stock isn't what it used to be (he owns an .894 save percentage through 34 AHL games this year), he could be flipped for forward depth. Once billed as a future franchise pillar, Knight is still incredibly young by goalie standards and thus worth pursuing. He's back on track after spending a chunk of 2023 in the NHL/NHLPA player assistance program.The biggest hurdle for Zito would be finding another GM to take on Knight's contract: $4.5 million per year through 2025-26.Adam Boqvist, Blue JacketsChicago drafted Boqvist with the eighth pick in 2018, and he arrived in Columbus in the 2021 Seth Jones trade. He's since been unable to stay healthy enough to play a full season, with this year bringing a shoulder strain, and then a facial injury (thanks to an errant puck). Making matters worse, Blue Jackets coach Pascal Vincent has occasionally scratched a healthy Boqvist.Boqvist's a distressed asset. The 23-year-old could use a blank slate elsewhere. Jason Mowry / Getty ImagesThe smooth-skating right-handed defenseman moves the puck well and could provide value in a sheltered role at a $2.6-million cap hit through next season.Interestingly, Columbus appears to be showcasing No. 27 of late. Boqvist is skating alongside Zach Werenski on the first pairing at even strength and manning the point on the first-unit power play. This is all happening while defense prospects Denton Mateychuk and David Jiricek continue to excel in lower leagues. Both could see full-time NHL duty as early as this fall.Boqvist could draw interest from rebuilding or retooling teams that, when they squint hard enough, see untapped potential and (maybe?) an eventual top-four blue-liner. A heavy investment in player development would be key.Jake Bean, another Columbus defenseman, finds himself in a similar situation on the depth chart. The 25-year-old is headed toward restricted free agency.Pavel Buchnevich, Blues Icon Sportswire / Getty ImagesBuchnevich is the outlier in this group of change-of-scenery guys.He doesn't check the usual boxes of underperformance or low usage. Currently thriving, he may end up spending the rest of his career in St. Louis.But moving Buchnevich would arguably be the best outcome for both player and team. His current contract - a bargain $5.8 million a year through 2024-25 - doesn't align with the Blues' competitive timeline. He's chasing his first Cup ring, yet St. Louis isn't tracking for a deep run this year or next. Even if the Russian winger loves the franchise and city, he theoretically could be traded and then return as a 30-year-old UFA in 2025.The motivating factor for Blues GM Doug Armstrong would be the demand for Buchnevich. He could reel in a hefty package of picks and/or prospects.It's easy to picture rival execs salivating over Buchnevich's playoff-tailored skill set. The 6-foot-1, 196-pounder is fantastic along the boards, in transition, and in front of the net. He's averaged a point per game over almost three seasons with the Blues (St. Louis acquired him from the Rangers in 2021). Buchnevich could be an ace third wheel for a top-six scoring line on a contender.This isn't an easy situation for Armstrong to navigate, and Buchnevich has some power of his own - his contract includes a 12-team no-trade list.Elvis Merzlikins, Blue Jackets Jason Mowry / Getty ImagesMerzlikins' chances of playing out the remainder of his five-year, $27-million contract in a Blue Jackets uniform are slim. If his cap hit was a bit lower than $5.4 million, or his term was a bit shorter than three years beyond this season, he'd probably already be stopping pucks for another team.The 29-year-old's career statistics hint that he's an average or slightly below-average NHL starter prone to stretches of poor play. He's talked openly about seeking "a new scenario" where he's the No. 1 option, not a backup. Yet the situation is complicated.Blue Jackets president John Davidson is searching for a new GM after firing Jarmo Kekalainen. How do Davidson and this new GM view Merzlikins? Do they give the fiery Latvian a fresh start internally and double down on a Merzlikins-Daniil Tarasov tandem? Trade him? Buy him out?As for the market, goalie-starved New Jersey reportedly expressed interest in Merzlikins, who's holding down a decent .902 save percentage through 33 starts in front of a porous skater group. Clubs that have abundant cap space and runway to work with him - the Blackhawks, for instance - could be fits as well.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.

Find year-round coverage of betting news and insights for all sports by visiting our Betting section and subscribing to push notifications.We split our best bets on Friday night: The Sabres took care of business in Columbus, but the Oilers couldn't convert a 23-shot edge into a victory against the Wild.Let's dive into Monday's plays as we look to start the week off with a mini-sweep.Senators (-120) @ Capitals (+100)The Senators continue to quietly fire on all cylinders. They've won seven of their past 10 games and posted a 3-0-1 record over a tough four-game stretch in which they faced the Lightning, Panthers, Stars, and Golden Knights.The Sens looks like a completely different team of late. Shane Pinto's return has made them deep offensively, and they seem to be buying into what Jacques Martin is selling defensively. They're playing impressive five-on-five hockey and showing great discipline. No team has spent less time shorthanded over the past 10 games.That ability to stay out of the box is important heading into a clash with a suddenly hot Alex Ovechkin, who's feasted on the power play throughout his career.While the playoffs remain a massive long shot, Ottawa's strung together enough positive results that the postseason is at least in the realm of possibility. That should keep the players motivated, especially against a team in the wild-card mix.With a big advantage in the middle of the ice and a lot more team speed, the Senators should be able to do some damage at even strength.If they can continue to stay out of the box and draw a penalty or two more than they take, it'll be very difficult for the Capitals to get a result.Bet: Senators (-120)Kings (+130) @ Oilers (-150)Targeting an under is always scary when Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, and the Oilers are in the mix - but it's a plunge I'm going to take on Monday night.The Kings and Oilers are as good as it gets at limiting shots at even strength. Over the past 10 games, they rank second and third in that category, respectively.The clubs have played a lot of low-event games against each other of late. Their last four regular-season matchups featured an average of 3.75 goals.We probably shouldn't expect this game to be much different, even though the Oilers conceded an abnormal 16 goals in their three-game skid.Stuart Skinner has sprung a leak after playing over his head for months, so tightening the screws defensively and helping the goaltender will no doubt be a point of emphasis in Edmonton.Los Angeles, meanwhile, never needs to be incentivized to play low-event hockey. The Kings' top priority on any given night is slowing down the opponent as opposed to generating offense themselves. That will hold true against McDavid.L.A. can also feel pretty comfortable - relatively speaking - that it'll get saves when needed. David Rittich has saved 11.75 goals above expectation since the calendar flipped - the fifth-highest rate in the league.I'm expecting a 3-2 or 4-2 game here, tucking us in under a hefty 6.5-goal total.Bet: Under 6.5 (-105)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.

The trade deadline is almost upon us, meaning it's time we take stock of this year's Stanley Cup hopefuls.All these squads are fearsome as is, but there's always room for improvement. In this exercise, we took a dive into the needs of each contender and identified one dream player who would boost their chances of winning it all - within reason.First, a caveat. We left off the Vancouver Canucks and Winnipeg Jets, who are Cup contenders, but they've already made major moves by acquiring Elias Lindholm and Sean Monahan, respectively. Of course, that doesn't mean that either squad is done adding, but we've opted to focus on the teams that have been quiet so far.Too quiet.Boston Bruins Noah Hanifin Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / GettyGPGPATOI58113323:45Projected deadline cap space: $57.5KYou might be looking at the Bruins' limited cap space, relatively bare prospect cupboard, and lack of draft picks (they don't pick until the fourth round of this summer's draft) and assume this is a pipe dream. Bear with us.First, the fit. A pending UFA, Hanifin is a Boston native who grew up a Bruins fan. If GM Don Sweeney acquires him now, the Bruins will have a better chance of inking him to an extension than if they wait for the summer. Hanifin is also a left-handed shot, which Boston needs; both Matt Grzelcyk and Derek Forbort can become free agents in a few months. Also, an injury to Hampus Lindholm has made a blue-line upgrade a more pressing need.The problem here is cost. Hanifin carries a $4.95-million cap hit, which is too rich for Boston's blood as it currently stands. It doesn't sound like Lindholm's ailment will require a shift to long-term injured reserve, meaning the Bruins don't suddenly have an extra $6.5 million to work with. Boston has its first-round selection in the next three drafts after this one, but the Bruins haven't picked in the opening round since 2021. With limited resources at their disposal, the Bruins would have to move on from a roster player to get this done. Would Jake Debrusk - a streaky top-six winger who's struggled at times - move the needle? Trading DeBrusk would also clear $4 million off the books, but Boston is already thin on the wings as is.Acquiring Hanifin would handcuff the Bruins' ability to improve in other areas, but the idea of him enhancing a corps that already includes Charlie McAvoy, Brandon Carlo, and a hopefully healthy Lindholm may be too good to pass up. If it doesn't work out, depth options like Ilya Lyubushkin or Nick Seeler could serve Boston just fine.Carolina Hurricanes Pavel Buchnevich Ben Ludeman / National Hockey League / GettyGPGPATOI55224619:50Projected deadline cap space: $6.679MOK, the Hurricanes' situation in net is a bit of a mess, but listen: Four different goalies have made at least one start for them this season. Would trading for another guy with a middling save percentage provide any relief? Based on the realistic options available, probably not. So, what else could Carolina use?Well, the Hurricanes have scored around 15 fewer goals than expected at five-on-five this season, a trend that would be aided by someone like Buchnevich. In addition, every game of last spring's Eastern Conference Final was decided by just one goal, and Carolina was on the losing side of all four of them. That still has to sting.This one's a pretty big swing, but there's still some wiggle room in the Eastern Conference. Carolina may go all-in, given the number of pending UFAs on its books, four of which are forwards, with Teuvo Teravainen headlining that group. The good news for the Canes is that Buchnevich has one more year remaining on his contract after this one, which would lessen the blow if they can't keep Teravainen.Unlike most other contending teams in need of an impact forward, Carolina currently has the cap space to accommodate Buchnevich's $5.8-million price tag. There are two issues here, though. Firstly, the St. Louis Blues are in the playoff race and may be hard-pressed to part with Buchnevich, and secondly, it'd take a lot to get him, which isn't typically GM Don Waddell's midseason style. Carolina hasn't parted ways with a first-rounder at the deadline since 2020 when it scooped up Brady Skjei, who had four years remaining on his deal at the time. In the likely scenario this doesn't pan out, the Hurricanes could turn their attention to some less flashy options like Anthony Duclair, a center like Alex Wennberg, or a depth defenseman.Colorado Avalanche Marc-Andre Fleury Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / GettyGPSV%GAASO28 (12-10-3).8992.921Projected deadline cap space: $1.242MThe Avalanche are overreliant on Alexandar Georgiev, and GM Chris MacFarland knows it. He leads the league in games played (48) while ranking second in shots faced (1,342). What's more, Georgiev has started 11 of the Avs' last 14 games since MacFarland said he wanted his No. 1 to play less. Whoops.Colorado clearly doesn't trust youngsters Ivan Prosvetov or Justus Annunen enough to give them any significant amount of playing time, so MacFarland's only way to improve the situation is to explore the trade market for a capable netminder. Luckily for him, the perfect match might just be out there.Enter Fleury. Wild GM Bill Guerin previously made it clear that he wasn't eager to gauge the trade market for the beloved goalie, and to Fleury's credit, he said he doesn't want to abandon Minnesota in the throes of a playoff race. However, we're a little over a week out from the trade deadline, and the Wild are looking at a 24.6% chance to make the postseason, meaning Fleury's 17-year playoff streak is in jeopardy.Fleury has control over the situation thanks to his no-move clause, and he said in May that he has no interest in moving again, but this might be his last NHL season, so why not go Cup-chasing one more time? Georgiev would still be the Avalanche's starter, but there'd be a decent role for Fleury in Colorado. If the affable veteran is fully dedicated to staying in the fight with the Wild, there are other options available for the Avalanche, like Jake Allen (although salary retention would likely be required), James Reimer, or Kaapo Kahkonen.Dallas Stars Sean Walker Len Redkoles / National Hockey League / GettyGPGPATOI5952119:29Projected deadline cap space: $1.52MOnly three of the nine defensemen to play a game for the Stars this campaign are right-handed shots: Jani Hakanpaa, Nils Lundkvist, and Alexander Petrovic. Two of those options (Hakanpaa and Lundkvist) are currently injured, while the other (Petrovic) made his season debut in mid-February. Dallas' best option on the right is Miro Heiskanen, and it isn't even his strong side. When Peter DeBoer puts his best two rearguards together in Thomas Harley and Heiskanen, the blue line thins out even more.It's not ideal, especially for a team that has stiff competition to be the last squad standing in the Western Conference. Acquiring Walker - a right-handed shot - would provide immediate aid.Firstly, his presence in the top four would cut into the 31-year-old Hakanpaa's average ice time (18:59). Hakanpaa has spent the bulk of the season with Esa Lindell on his left, but the Stars fail to convincingly dictate play with the duo on the ice. Despite Hakanpaa and Lindell's struggles together, they comprise Dallas' most-utilized pair this season. In addition, even when Lundkvist was healthy, the Stars occasionally scratched him.Walker would also come cheaper than someone like Chris Tanev, thanks to his $2.65-million cap hit. However, the Flyers are still very much in the playoff picture and may not want to part ways with the pending UFA, who's been a difference-maker in Philadelphia. Another option could be Lyubushkin of the Anaheim Ducks, whose cap hit is a teensy bit higher than Walker's, but it wouldn't cost as much to acquire him.Edmonton Oilers Chris Tanev Terence Leung / National Hockey League / GettyGPGPATOI5511219:49Projected deadline cap space: $2.373MWhat is it people say, defense wins championships?Virtually every contender (and inexplicably the Ottawa Senators?) is interested in acquiring Tanev, and for good reason. The veteran is a capable shutdown blue-liner who has a near-sadistic love for blocking shots. He's also responsible with the puck and has a knack for making breakout passes.The Oilers sure could use someone like that to fortify their second pair behind Mattias Ekholm and Evan Bouchard. A right-handed shot, Tanev would be a slam-dunk upgrade over Cody Ceci next to Darnell Nurse. If we were Ken Holland, we'd pull the trigger, but it's never that easy.Firstly, the Calgary Flames may not want to send Tanev to their provincial rivals (he also has a 10-team no-trade list), but GM Craig Conroy has already made two trades with the Vancouver Canucks this season, so maybe he isn't picky about his dance partner as long as he gets the best deal. Next, Conroy is reportedly seeking a second-rounder and a prospect for the pending UFA, which Edmonton could swing, but the Oilers are going to have to ship out money to accommodate Tanev's $4.5-million cap hit. If Edmonton wants to dump Ceci's contract ($3.25 million for one more season) in the process or get the Flames to retain salary, then Holland would have to sweeten the deal.The market for Tanev is going to be competitive, so Holland could pivot to Walker or Alexandre Carrier. Their smaller price tags could give the Oilers more room to set their sights on a middle-six forward (Jordan Eberle, anyone?) or a backup goalie.Florida Panthers Anthony Duclair Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / GettyGPGPATOI51111915:55Projected deadline cap space: $5.72MThe Panthers could really use a winger to add some scoring touch to their third line, so why not stage a reunion?Yes, this one may be a bit far-fetched, seeing as GM Bill Zito is a mere eight months removed from trading Duclair to the San Jose Sharks to clear up cap space, but he's the exact type of player the Panthers are missing. Florida could use an upgrade on the trio of Eetu Luostarinen, Anton Lundell, and Nick Cousins, who've combined for 21 goals and 47 points. Now, to be fair, Duclair hasn't been tearing up the scoresheet, either, but he's only had the abysmal Sharks to work with.Duclair enjoyed his best offensive season in 2021-22 with the Panthers, putting up 31 goals and 58 points. He was mostly out of action last campaign thanks to an Achilles injury, but he chipped in with 11 points in 20 games during Florida's surprising run to the Stanley Cup Final. His $3-million cap hit is manageable under the Panthers' current projections, and his acquisition cost will be modest, but there may be an even cheaper option out there.Meet Arthur Kaliyev, a 22-year-old pending RFA with a cap hit of just under $900,000. He's sat as a fairly regular healthy scratch with the Los Angeles Kings this season, but there's potential there. The 2019 second-round pick scored 14 goals in 2021-22 and 13 last season. With his value tanking while he observes games from the press box, Kaliyev could be a low-risk, high-reward acquisition for the Panthers.New York Rangers Adam Henrique Harry How / Getty Images Sport / GettyGPGPATOI57163817:35Projected deadline cap space: $4.383MThose lucky Ducks. With Lindholm and Monahan off the board, Henrique has suddenly become the best center available at the deadline.The Rangers could also use a top-six right winger to replace Blake Wheeler (and they needed an upgrade even before he got hurt), but a center is arguably a more pressing need because of the loss of Filip Chytil. Henrique checks a lot of boxes. A solid two-way player, he's on pace for a career year offensively while winning 53.1% of his faceoffs, which is what New York would want in its third-line center behind Vincent Trocheck and Mika Zibanejad.Henrique is already 34 years old and wouldn't add much in the way of speed, but he might be the best option out there for the Rangers. He'd provide more pop than, say, Tyler Johnson, Nic Dowd, or Scott Laughton, and New York could get a deal done without having to sacrifice top prospects like Brennan Othmann and Gabriel Perreault or current lineup regular Will Cuylle. Lindholm and Monahan each fetched a first-round pick in their respective deals, and Henrique likely would as well, especially since the Rangers would need the Ducks to retain some of his $5.825-million salary. A first-rounder might be a bit steep for a pending UFA on the wrong side of 30, but it's an avenue GM Chris Drury should be serious about. Henrique does have some control over the situation thanks to his 10-team no-trade list.If the Rangers are fine with riding the recently extended Jonny Brodzinski as their third-line center, they could always go the right-winger route. Maybe they reunite with an old friend, like Frank Vatrano or Vladimir Tarasenko.Vegas Golden Knights Jason Zucker or... Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / GettyGPGPATOI4782314:06Projected deadline cap space: $6.864MWhat the Golden Knights need most of all is to get healthy and stay that way: Jack Eichel and Mark Stone are both out, Shea Theodore is finally back after missing 35 games, and Adin Hill was on and off the shelf earlier this season. Despite that, they're still one of the top squads in the Pacific. If we were to nitpick (assuming they'll be at 100% come playoff time, as no one has been ruled out for the spring), the reigning Stanley Cup champions could really use a middle-six winger. How about one that grew up in Las Vegas?Zucker proved he's still got plenty of good hockey left in the tank last season when he put up 27 goals - all but two of which came at even strength - and 48 points in 78 games with the Pittsburgh Penguins. He was rewarded with a one-year, $5.3-million deal with the Arizona Coyotes in the summer. With the Coyotes falling out of the playoff race, GM Bill Armstrong could flip Zucker at the deadline for a decent return. Arizona would absolutely have to retain some of his cap hit, which was an overpay when Zucker originally signed it, but even then, the Golden Knights wouldn't have to pay an arm and a leg to acquire him. The 32-year-old can play both wings, to boot.One thing to keep an eye on is if Stone and his $9.5-million cap hit get moved to LTIR, which would give GM Kelly McCrimmon more wiggle room to do something dramatic. In that case, a splashier name like Jake Guentzel could be a realistic option. Eichel is already on LTIR, but McCrimmon recently said he's "not far off" from returning, and the Knights would undoubtedly want him back in their ranks as they push for home-ice advantage in the playoffs.A pending UFA with a $6-million cap hit, Guentzel has hit the 20-goal mark in each of the last seven seasons and is primed to be a point-per-game player for the fourth time in the last five campaigns. Sounds like someone Vegas could use.(Analytics sources: Evolving-Hockey, Natural Stat Trick)(Salary figures: CapFriendly)(Playoff odds: MoneyPuck)Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Valeri Nichushkin has been cleared to resume practicing with the Colorado Avalanche and has entered the follow-up care phase of the NHL/NHLPA player assistance program, the league and the union jointly announced Monday.The forward has yet to be cleared to play in a game.Nichushkin entered the program in mid-January. He's been away from the club while receiving care.The Russian winger, who'll turn 29 on March 4, has 22 goals and 20 assists in 40 games this season.Columbus Blue Jackets forward Patrik Laine and Washington Capitals center Evgeny Kuznetsov also entered the program in 2023-24.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 have a small four-game slate in front of us to begin the week. Let's look at a few props that stand out as we hope to start things off on a high note.John Carlson: Under 2.5 shotsCarlson has gone over his total just 36% of the time this season and in only four of his last 15 games (27%).He's averaged only 5.2 shot attempts per game on the year. Although that volume sounds fine on the surface, it's not great for defensemen.They routinely have to shoot through multiple layers of defenders and from far greater distances, which results in a much higher percentage of their shots being blocked or missing the net relative to forwards.This has led to very low outputs when Carlson doesn't have a ceiling game in terms of attempts. Carlson has generated just 1.6 shots on goal over the 35 games he's attempted five shots or fewer this season.There's plenty of reason to believe Carlson is heading for such a game versus the Senators. They've been one of the best shot-suppression teams in the league over the last month. Ottawa has also done a terrific job staying out of the penalty box, spending just 2:42 shorthanded per game in February.The Sens aren't giving up many shots, nor are they taking many penalties and allowing opposing stars to be put in easy offensive situations.This is a matchup I expect Carlson to struggle in.Odds: -114 (playable to -135)Miro Heiskanen: Over 2.5 shots Heiskanen needs two things to have success shooting the puck: home ice and a weak opposing defense. Both boxes are checked tonight as the Stars host the Islanders.We'll start with home ice. Heiskanen has averaged 6.4 shot attempts per game in Dallas compared to just 4.8 on the road. Given the difficulty of getting shots through consistently, volume is especially important for defenders. Heiskanen generates it at home.He also has a mouthwatering matchup against the Islanders. Although they have tightened the screws a little bit under new head coach Patrick Roy, they're still a very targetable team.They rank 31st in shots against per game to defensemen this season, conceding more than all but the Sharks. They also rank inside the bottom 10 over the past 10 games.Likely to log over 24 minutes in a juicy matchup, Heiskanen is primed for an active night shooting the puck.Odds: -102 (playable to -120)Evander Kane: Over 2.5 shotsKane is one of the more consistent shooters in the NHL. He's averaged 3.1 shots on goal and gone over his total in 63% of his appearances this season.His numbers spike further in Edmonton, where Kane averages 3.3 shots per night and has posted a remarkably strong 67% success rate.What I love about Kane is matchups don't seem to matter to him in the slightest. Whether he's facing top-10 or bottom-10 defenses in terms of suppressing shots, the volume and success rates are nearly identical.That's very noteworthy heading into a game versus the Kings. They play a slower brand of hockey and have been excellent at limiting shots for years. That hasn't seemed to impact Kane. Playoffs included, he's recorded three or more shots in 16 of 19 games versus Los Angeles over the past couple of seasons.Odds: -145 (playable to -160)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.

Joseph Woll is on the mend and back in the NHL.The Toronto Maple Leafs recalled the goaltender from his conditioning loan with the AHL's Marlies, the NHL club announced Monday.Woll hasn't played at the highest level since departing a win over the Ottawa Senators on Dec. 7 due to a high ankle sprain. He was labeled week-to-week two days later.The 25-year-old played one game during his most recent stint with the Marlies, stopping all but one of 37 shots in a 4-1 victory over the Laval Rocket on Friday.Woll performed well for the Maple Leafs this season before his injury. He went 8-5-1 with a .916 save percentage over 15 games, starting 13 of them. The American netminder briefly grabbed the No. 1 job before being forced to sit out for over two months.Toronto is riding a seven-game win streak - its longest in 20 years - and got defenseman Morgan Rielly back from a five-game suspension Thursday.Ilya Samsonov earned six of those victories in the Leafs' crease, albeit with an .896 save percentage. The Russian goalie has a mark of .883 to go along with a 14-4-6 record in 26 games this season. Martin Jones hasn't fared much better, going 11-7-1 with a .907 save percentage while starting all but two of his 20 appearances in 2023-24.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The list of teams pursuing Chris Tanev continues to grow, as the Dallas Stars have shown strong interest in the Calgary Flames defenseman, reports The Athletic's Pierre LeBrun.Stars general manager Jim Nill wouldn't confirm that specifically, but he did acknowledge that he's eyeing an upgrade at the position."We've got a solid 13 forwards up top already, and then I know I've got a bunch of young guys down below," Nill told LeBrun. "Defense, you can never have enough defensemen. So that's something we're looking at. What's the cost of acquisition - what's the asset cost? That's what we're monitoring right now."The Stars have been known for their defensive play in recent years, but this season has been a different story. They entered Monday ranked fourth in goals per game but tied for 12th in goals against per contest."That's why I don't think we've reached our best performance yet," Nill said. "I still think there's another level we can go to. That's finding the balance between offense and defense. We've been a pretty dynamic team offensively, but we know if we're going to have success in the playoffs, we have to tighten up defensively."Tanev is one of the hottest commodities as the March 8 deadline approaches. The pending unrestricted free agent can invoke a 10-team no-trade list, but the Flames have already shipped out forward Elias Lindholm and may ultimately do the same with blue-liner Noah Hanifin.The Ottawa Senators and Toronto Maple Leafs have reportedly been interested in acquiring Tanev. The rugged defense-first rearguard has a $4.5-million cap hit, according to CapFriendly.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

This is the 10th in-season edition of theScore's NHL Power Rankings for the 2023-24 campaign. Check back for updated rankings every other Monday.In this edition, we look at each team's biggest trade-deadline need.1. New York Rangers (39-17-3)Previous rank: 5A good forward. Probably two. The Rangers need a top-six right-winger with Blake Wheeler no longer in the picture, and they could use a third-line center following Filip Chytil's injury. Maybe there's a way for New York to satisfy both needs with one trade?2. Florida Panthers (38-16-4)Previous rank: 4A top-nine winger. The Panthers are rolling and have already traded their next two first-round picks, so there isn't a need nor the assets to make a huge splash at the deadline. Florida does have some cap space to work with, so bringing in another solid winger would be worthwhile.3. Vancouver Canucks (38-16-6)Previous rank: 2Another impact forward. The Canucks already made a significant move by bringing in Elias Lindholm, but that shouldn't stop them from remaining active in the forward market. Vancouver is reportedly eyeing Jake Guentzel, so clearly general manager Patrik Allvin feels similarly.4. Boston Bruins (34-12-13)Previous rank: 1Center depth. The Bruins need to strengthen down the middle, and Patrice Bergeron ain't walking through the TD Garden doors. Boston is up against the cap and missed the boat on Elias Lindholm and Sean Monahan, so GM Don Sweeney will need to get creative.5. Dallas Stars (35-16-8) Sam Hodde / Getty Images Sport / GettyPrevious rank: 6A right-shot defenseman. The Stars' depth in that area was already a concern, but now Jani Hakanpaa and Nils Lundkvist are out with injuries. Dallas needs to fortify its blue line to boost its chances of coming out on top in the Western Conference.6. Winnipeg Jets (36-15-5)Previous rank: 9Depth defense. Most contenders are scanning the thin market for defensive help, and the Jets are no exception. Having already made a move for a center, Winnipeg could benefit from solidifying its bottom pair or bringing in a sturdy seventh option if injuries strike.7. Carolina Hurricanes (34-18-6)Previous rank: 7Insurance in net. Health concerns have kept Frederik Andersen on the sidelines and Antti Raanta has had an abysmal campaign, which has left the crease to Pyotr Kochetkov and waiver claim Spencer Martin. A reunion with someone like Alex Nedeljkovic could ease anxieties.8. Toronto Maple Leafs (33-16-8)Previous rank: 14A partner for Morgan Rielly. The Leafs' pairings of T.J. Brodie-Timothy Liljegren and Simon Benoit-Jake McCabe have been rolling, meaning Rielly has had to slot in next to William Lagesson since returning from suspension. GM Brad Treliving should prioritize finding his top blue-liner a right-shot stud to play with.9. Colorado Avalanche (35-19-5)Previous rank: 10A backup goalie. The Avalanche could also use another center, but they need to stop running Alexandar Georgiev into the ground. He leads all goalies in games played (48) and owns a subpar save percentage (.899). Colorado should get him a capable running mate so he's fresh for the spring.10. Edmonton Oilers (33-20-2) Derek Leung / Getty Images Sport / GettyPrevious rank: 3Top-six winger. There's a substantial drop-off in production from Edmonton's big guns to its depth guys. Ken Holland needs to shop for some reinforcements or hope the incumbents kick it into gear come playoff time.11. Detroit Red Wings (32-20-6)Previous rank: 13A cheap veteran. Detroit is playing with house money en route to its first playoff berth since 2016, so it feels unlikely that Steve Yzerman will mess with the chemistry of his up-and-coming group. That said, if the Red Wings stay in playoff position, it would be sensible to find an experienced veteran - forward or defenseman - who could help the club's youngsters learn what it takes to win.12. Tampa Bay Lightning (32-23-5)Previous rank: 12A way to replace Mikhail Sergachev. The Bolts have an enviable amount of cap space at their disposal with the blue-liner on LTIR, but they don't have a ton of assets to take a big swing. Your move, GM Julien BriseBois.13. Philadelphia Flyers (30-22-7)Previous rank: 11Focus on the task at hand. The Flyers are in prime position to make the playoffs in a year no one expected them to. Although they could recoup some strong assets for their players, keeping the band together is the smart play. Philadelphia is tough to play against and has a proven playoff tactician behind the bench. Making the playoffs - maybe even winning a round - would do wonders for Daniel Briere's rebuild.14. Vegas Golden Knights (32-19-7)Previous rank: 8Clarity on Mark Stone's status. If the captain misses the rest of the regular season (again), the Golden Knights would have some extra money to work with at the deadline, allowing them to target some bigger fish. Jake Guentzel looks good in yellow; we bet he'd look good in gold, too.15. Los Angeles Kings (29-17-10) Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / GettyPrevious rank: 16Goalie help. Cam Talbot has cooled off considerably after a blazing start to the year, and suddenly the Kings once again find themselves needing stability between the pipes. They have the assets to outbid other contenders seeking goalie help, so they might as well go for it.16. Nashville Predators (32-25-2)Previous rank: 21More future assets. Prospects and draft picks - those are what the Predators need. Already with 11 selections in the 2024 draft, GM Barry Trotz should continue to beef up the cupboards by selling off his handful of intriguing players on cheap, expiring contracts.17. Calgary Flames (28-25-5)Previous rank: 18For contenders to pay up. A whole bunch of Stanley Cup hopefuls could use someone on the Flames to aid their pursuit of glory, from Noah Hanifin to Chris Tanev to Jacob Markstrom. Offers would need to be substantial for Calgary to justify blowing up a team that's still hanging around in the wild-card race.18. Minnesota Wild (28-24-6)Previous rank: 26Right-side defense. The Wild are steadily creeping into the wild-card race, and the club appears to have bought in on pushing for the playoffs rather than selling. Minnesota's biggest area of need is a right shot on the blue line behind star rookie Brock Faber.19. St. Louis Blues (30-25-2)Previous rank: 15A major offer for Pavel Buchnevich. The Blues were on the playoff bubble this time last year and sold off significant assets. They could go the same route again but have fewer shiny pieces to offer. Buchnevich is far and away St. Louis' best, and if someone wants to pay a steep price for the talented winger, let them.20. New Jersey Devils (29-25-4) David Berding / Getty Images Sport / GettyPrevious rank: 17Jacob Markstrom. There's no beating around the bush here: Goaltending has been the Devils' biggest weakness, and the guy who could solve the problem seems to be available for the right price.21. Seattle Kraken (24-22-11)Previous rank: 22Value for pending UFAs. The Kraken must be careful not to fall in love with the group that made the playoffs last season. Amid a step back, cashing in on players like Jordan Eberle and Alex Wennberg, rather than inking them to deals further into their 30s, is necessary this year.22. Ottawa Senators (25-27-3)Previous rank: 24Business partners. The Senators are reportedly looking to buy and sell, as they're suddenly playing well in what appears to be a lost season. Making as many deals as possible might be what the franchise needs.23. Washington Capitals (26-21-9)Previous rank: 23Draft picks. Washington's a long shot to make the playoffs but has a handful of useful pending UFAs. Snagging as many draft picks as possible to revamp a depleted farm system should be priority No. 1.24. Pittsburgh Penguins (26-21-8)Previous rank: 20A bangin' package for Guentzel. The pending UFA is the Penguins' biggest asset at the deadline, and GM Kyle Dubas has expressed a desire for his team to get younger. Go reel in some top-notch prospects.25. New York Islanders (23-20-14) Mike Stobe / National Hockey League / GettyPrevious rank: 19Get younger. Whether it's moving some aging players off the roster, adding younger talent, or both, the third-oldest team in the league needs to get its average age down.26. Buffalo Sabres (27-27-4)Previous rank: 27An extension for Casey Mittelstadt. Buffalo's been a major disappointment this season, but quieting rumors of trading its leading scorer would be a small victory.27. Arizona Coyotes (23-29-5)Previous rank: 25A young NHL defender. The Coyotes have an outrageous number of second and third-round picks in the coming drafts. Arizona doesn't need more picks, so GM Bill Armstrong should be aggressive and pursue any young players who become available, particularly on the back end.28. Columbus Blue Jackets (19-28-10)Previous rank: 29A contender to take Elvis Merzlikins. The Blue Jackets netminder is one of the bigger names on the goalie trade block but has a cumbersome contract and mediocre stats. Ending the trade saga would be a positive step forward for a franchise stuck in the mud.29. Montreal Canadiens (22-28-8)Previous rank: 28A solution to the goalie problem. The Canadiens have been carrying three netminders - Jake Allen, Sam Montembeault, and Cayden Primeau - all season. GM Kent Hughes is more or less comfortable continuing that way if the right offer doesn't come, but that isn't ideal.30. Anaheim Ducks (20-35-3) Harry How / Getty Images Sport / GettyPrevious rank: 30A first-rounder. Centers are a hot commodity this time of year, and the Ducks have a good one to sell in Adam Henrique. Anaheim should be able to finagle a first-round pick for him based on trades involving pivots so far.31. San Jose Sharks (15-36-5)Previous rank: 31Middle-round picks. It may come as a surprise that the Sharks only have two selections from Rounds 3-6 in the upcoming draft. Being able to take more swings in the middle of the draft will be key for a team so far away from contending.32. Chicago Blackhawks (15-39-5)Previous rank: 32Destinations for all UFAs. Chicago has six pending UFAs on its roster and a major rebuild in the years ahead. The Blackhawks already have 26 picks in the next three drafts and might as well keep piling them up.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

This might be Marc-Andre Fleury's last season in the NHL, and he wants to ride it out with the Minnesota Wild as they battle for a playoff spot."I don't want to just quit, right?" he said, according to The Athletic's Joe Smith. "I like this. I like the guys. It's a great bunch of guys. When you're so close, you want to do it all for each other. It's been fun lately winning a bit more, too."Minnesota has been one of the league's best teams coming out of the All-Star break, owning a 7-1-1 record and the second-best points percentage (.833). The Wild ended Sunday four points behind the Nashville Predators for the second wild-card spot in the Western Conference as a result of the red-hot run."If we were last in the conference, maybe it'd be a little bit different," Fleury said. "But this is my team. We've been battling together, right? I take pride in winning with this team. I want us to make the playoffs. That's my first priority."I think being in the hunt, it's fun, it's challenging. And I want to be here and see this team make the playoffs."It's been a roller-coaster campaign for the Wild, who were in 30th place when they fired head coach Dean Evason in late November. Minnesota has since gone an admirable 23-14-2 under John Hynes, but even that stretch has been marred by some major dips: The Wild dropped eight out of nine contests earlier this winter.Fleury has been key to Minnesota's recent turnaround, boasting a .908 save percentage and a 4-1-0 record since Feb. 7.With many contenders in need of a serviceable backup goaltender, Fleury could be a valuable asset at the deadline. However, the affable veteran's future is entirely up to him, thanks to his full no-move clause. The Wild have five games remaining before March 8.Fleury has three Stanley Cup championships to his name, and he's made the playoffs in each of the last 17 seasons. Despite the Wild's improvement, his streak is still in danger, as Minnesota only has a 27.7% chance of making the postseason, per MoneyPuck.The 39-year-old took sole possession of second place on the NHL's all-time wins list earlier this season with his 552nd victory. Fleury owns a 12-10-3 record and an .899 save percentage on the campaign.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

It had to be him.Patrick Kane reminded Chicago Blackhawks fans of the glory days Sunday, burying the overtime winner with a top-shelf breakaway goal in his first game at his old stomping grounds as a member of the Detroit Red Wings.

Tyler Bertuzzi celebrated his 29th birthday in style with a hat trick as the Toronto Maple Leafs beat the Colorado Avalanche 4-3 on Saturday.The Maple Leafs have won seven consecutive games for the first time since the 2003-04 campaign.

A deep group of playoff contenders have Pittsburgh Penguins star Jake Guentzel on their radars leading up to the trade deadline.The Vegas Golden Knights, Vancouver Canucks, Edmonton Oilers, Carolina Hurricanes, and Florida Panthers are among the teams that have expressed interest in the pending unrestricted free agent, according to Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman.Guentzel would be arguably the biggest name available for this year's trade season, but the Penguins haven't made it clear if he's on the block. General manager Kyle Dubas is reportedly listening to trade offers for all non-core players as Pittsburgh fights for a playoff spot. The club is nine points back of both a wild-card and divisional seed with 28 games remaining.Dubas shut down rumors involving Guentzel in January, saying all trade talk was "pure speculation."Guentzel was sidelined for up to four weeks on Feb. 15 with an upper-body injury, halting a terrific season in which he's racked up 52 points in 50 games on Pittsburgh's top line. The 29-year-old is a two-time 40-goal scorer and has 58 points in 58 career playoff contests to go with a Stanley Cup in 2017.He currently carries a $6-million cap hit and is expected to land a notable raise on his next deal.The trade deadline is March 8.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Dallas Stars prospect Logan Stankoven took part in his first NHL game Saturday night against the Carolina Hurricanes.Stars forward Tyler Seguin sat out the tilt due to injury.Stankoven, who turns 21 on Monday, is thriving in his first season with the AHL's Texas Stars. Stankoven entered Saturday leading the league with 57 points while sitting in a tie for second with 24 goals in 47 outings.Stankoven similarly dominated the WHL last season, amassing a whopping 97 points (34 goals and 63 assists) in 48 outings as a member of the Kamloops Blazers. That was the fourth-highest total in the league even though Stankoven missed 20 games.Dallas selected Stankoven in the second round of the 2021 NHL Draft.The Stars have been relatively thin up front as of late. Evgenii Dadonov has missed the last four games because of a lower-body fracture, and the team shifted him to long-term injured reserve Sunday. Meanwhile, Matt Duchene was a late scratch during Monday's 4-3 shootout loss to the Boston Bruins. Dallas had to play a man short as a result.Dallas (34-16-8) came into Saturday sitting second to the Winnipeg Jets (35-15-5) in the Central Division by points percentage. The Stars led the Jets by a single point with Winnipeg having played three fewer games.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

If there was any doubt the Ottawa Senators would be active ahead of the upcoming NHL trade deadline, it can be put to rest.The Senators have untouchable players but are "open for business," league executives told Postmedia's Bruce Garrioch.Ottawa forwards Vladimir Tarasenko and Dominik Kubalik are prime candidates to be dealt before March 8 because of their status as pending unrestricted free agents. Tarasenko has a $5-million cap hit, while Kubalik's figure is half of that, according to CapFriendly.The Senators have reportedly listened to teams interested in defenseman Jakub Chychrun, who they acquired in a swap with the Arizona Coyotes last spring. Chychrun called the report "ridiculous" when asked about it in January. The blue-liner, who'll turn 26 on March 31, is under contract through 2024-25 with a $4.6-million cap hit.Ottawa might not just be a seller, though. The Sens were reportedly one of the teams interested in Calgary Flames rearguard Chris Tanev, who is among the most coveted deadline targets.In terms of untouchables, Ottawa has eight players signed through at least 2026-27. Team captain Brady Tkachuk (2027-28), Tim Stutzle (2030-31), Josh Norris (2029-30), Drake Batherson (2026-27), Thomas Chabot (2027-28), Artem Zub (2026-27), Jake Sanderson (2031-32), and Joonas Korpisalo (27-28) are all inked long term.The Senators entered Saturday sitting second last in the Atlantic Division by points percentage. They have the fewest points in the group but three games in hand on the Montreal Canadiens, who have one more point.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Winnipeg Jets chairman Mark Chipman doesn't seem confident that the club's dwindling attendance figures bode well for the future of his team.The Jets' season-ticket base has fallen from around 13,000 to roughly 9,500 in the last three years, the club confirmed, according to The Athletic's Chris Johnston."I wouldn't be honest with you if I didn't say, 'We've got to get back to 13,000,'" Chipman said. "This place we find ourselves in right now, it's not going to work over the long haul. It just isn't."The Jets' arena, now known as the Canada Life Centre, is the NHL's smallest permanent facility at a capacity of 15,225 for hockey games.Winnipeg is averaging only 13,098 in 28 home games this season, according to Hockey Reference. That exceeds only the Arizona Coyotes, who are playing in an NCAA building. The Jets' 87.3% capacity is the third-worst rate in the league ahead of only the Buffalo Sabres and San Jose Sharks.The Jets enjoyed sellout crowds for nearly a decade upon relocating from Atlanta in 2011. But their attendance has been trending downward since the pandemic, and Chipman acknowledged the NHL has taken notice."They pay attention," he said. "They see the numbers. They see where the league's at and where we're at. And we're an outlier right now. So, rightfully, they want to know, what are you doing? What's going on? What happened and what are you doing about it?"The Jets have exceeded expectations on the ice despite their attendance troubles. They entered Friday with the best points percentage in the Central Division, trailing the first-place Dallas Stars by three points and the second-place Colorado Avalanche by two with four fewer games played than both squads.In October, Chipman dismissed the notion that he'd sell or relocate the team."Because it happened once is it a concern it could happen again because you're the smallest market? I'd say, 'Not on our watch,'" he said.The original Jets left Winnipeg to become the Coyotes in 1996.Relocation and expansion have been hot topics in NHL circles lately. Last fall, NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly said some of the challenges the league faced in Atlanta could now be overcome. Then, in January, Utah Jazz owner Ryan Smith sent a letter to the NHL formally requesting expansion to Salt Lake City.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Vancouver Canucks have lost four games in a row for the first time this campaign, but goaltender Thatcher Demko said his team is well-equipped to handle this bump in the road."We're going to go through this. It's not going to be a perfect season," he said after Thursday's 5-2 loss to the Seattle Kraken. "This is the first bit of adversity that we've faced, so I'm sure it's fun to write that we're struggling or whatever, but it's part of the game, it's part of the sport. We're learning from it."Maybe the one good thing about the seasons that we've had in the past is that we've been through stretches like this. I like to think that we've learned a lot from those seasons."Vancouver has only made the playoffs once in the last eight seasons, with its most recent appearance coming in 2020. The Canucks are going to return to springtime relevancy this year thanks to an electric campaign that has them sitting atop the Pacific Division with a 10-point lead over the Vegas Golden Knights.The Canucks still lead the league in regulation victories (33) while ranking second in wins (37) and fourth in points percentage (.678). Though coach Rick Tocchet said he doesn't "want to go crazy" over Thursday's defeat, he acknowledged that his team has to "pick it up.""I mean, this is not even close to playoff hockey," he said. "(The Kraken) were desperate, but if these guys think playoff hockey is that, we're in trouble. There's been a couple of games here where we need some guys to get going. I don't care what our record is; it's been a little bit disturbing, some of the efforts from some of the guys right now."The Canucks have been outscored 22-12 over their current slump, with all four losses coming in regulation. Star defenseman Quinn Hughes said he's focused on not changing his mindset in the face of his squad's mini-skid."I've told (the media) the whole year that I was gonna try to be not too high, not too low," he said. I think I've done a really good job of that so far, and I think the guys in this room have done a really good job. ... There's obviously a level where we know to be better, but also no one's panicking."Vancouver's next chance to get back in the win column will come Saturday against Boston. The Bruins won their first meeting of the season 4-0.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."It's Friday, and all I want to do is dance, dance, dance." - Craig Kilborn, "The Late Late Show" (1999-2004).The "SportsCenter" host turned late-night entertainer used to send viewers into the weekend at peak vibes. Twenty years later, all anybody in this space wants to do amidst the dog days of February in the NHL is bet, bet, bet.Thursday's results opened up the opportunity for a handful of wagers worth making (at widely available prices) in the futures market before the stretch run of the season.Division winnerMetropolitan Division: Hurricanes (+150)The even-strength metrics love the Hurricanes. Surprise!Carolina is one of three teams with a better than 55% rate of expected goals and high-danger chance share at even strength. Meanwhile, the Rangers add up to a league-average team by those two metrics.What's bought the Blueshirts a lead in the Metropolitan Division has been Jonathan Quick's resurgence, saving a season in which Igor Shesterkin has struggled. The Rangers' incumbent hasn't shown much improvement in the new year, with a GSAx of minus-5.37 in 2024, and I'm willing to bet against the Rangers shifting more starts Quick's way and have that work out well.Meanwhile, the Hurricanes need only slightly better-than-average goaltending to kick their results into high gear. That's exactly what they've gotten recently, losing just four times in regulation since Jan. 1, including an epic shutout performance by Pyotr Kochetkov against the Panthers on Thursday.To make playoffsRed Wings: No (+200)Here are the worst teams in expected goals share this year:

Find year-round coverage of betting news and insights for all sports by visiting our Betting section and subscribing to push notifications.Although there are only three games on the board Friday night, a couple of sides still pop off the page. Let's dive in.Sabres (-140) @ Blue Jackets (+120)The Blue Jackets are having a miserable time defensively. They've allowed just under 33 shots per game this month and are giving up real quality as well. Only two teams - the Sharks and Predators - have conceded more expected goals per 60 minutes of five-on-five play.Their metrics would be concerning under any circumstances. That the best team they've faced in that span sits 13th in the NHL - and three of the five games were against clubs nowhere close to a playoff position - only makes matters worse.Columbus is putting a lot on its goaltenders, and there isn't reason to believe they can hold up.Elvis Merzlikins has allowed at least three goals in seven of eight starts in 2024. He also gave up two goals on two shots during his short cameo against a horrible Ducks team.Daniil Tarasov owns a .881 save percentage and has allowed upward of four goals per game this season.The Blue Jackets just can't get reliable saves, something they need with how many shots and chances they're giving up.For all the Sabres' faults, they've looked a lot better of late. They've generated 33.4 shots on goal per game since the calendar flipped, good for fourth most in the NHL during that span.The team has also gotten consistently excellent goaltending from Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, who sits second in the NHL in goals saved above expected in 2024.The Sabres are likely to heavily test the Blue Jackets' subpar goaltending. With an in-form UPL at the other end, this is a spot where Buffalo should take care of business.Bet: Sabres (-140)Wild (+155) @ Oilers (-185)The Oilers are firing on all cylinders offensively. They've scored 26 goals over the last five games and are full value for it, ranking third in high-danger chances during that span.With weapons like Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, Zach Hyman, and Co., the Oilers don't need a ton of opportunities to find the back of the net. That they're generating chances at such an extreme rate makes them borderline unstoppable.Filip Gustavsson likely won't be up to the task. His game has fallen off a cliff relative to where it was a year ago, and he's showing no signs of improvement.Gustavsson has allowed 10.44 goals above expectation since Jan. 1, the most of all NHL netminders. The Wild have often managed to outscore his struggles, but getting into a track meet with the Oilers is unlikely to end well.Minnesota has also struggled mightily to stay out of the penalty box of late. Parading to the bin would be a recipe for disaster against this lethal Oilers power play, which generates chances at a higher clip than any other team.This is a big step up in class for the Wild, whose recent success doesn't look as impressive when factoring in competition.Their wins this month have come against the Blackhawks, Coyotes, Penguins, an injury-battered Golden Knights team, and the Canucks in a game they scored on eight of 25 shots against a backup.Look for the Oilers to flex their muscles inside 60 minutes.Bet: Oilers in regulation (-120)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.

Before the NHL's trade deadline, a lot of attention goes to the buying teams - and rightfully so. Naturally, most fans are interested in which notable players will be dealt to contenders ahead of the campaign's home stretch.But what about the teams on the other side of those deals? Just as contending teams have a list of top targets to bolster their playoff lineups, selling clubs try to find the league's best available future assets.Here are seven intriguing prospects that could realistically be on the move by the March 8 trade deadline:Philip Broberg Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / GettyAs a former top-10 pick with excellent physical traits, Broberg is likely the best prospect that could be dealt at this year's trade deadline.The 22-year-old has suited up for 79 NHL games - making the prospect label a bit of a misnomer - but has played just 12:36 per contest in those outings. That's left Broberg unsettled with his situation, and the Oilers reportedly permitted him to seek a trade in December.Listed at 6-foot-3 with impressive mobility, Broberg is intriguing for any seller. He has a high draft pedigree and is among the AHL's best two-way defenders when playing top-pairing minutes with the Bakersfield Condors.Some defensemen simply need to play big minutes to be effective. Broberg could be one of them, and he'd have the chance to prove that he can be a legit top-four blue-liner on a selling team rather than a contending club like Edmonton.Lukas Cormier Andy Devlin / Getty Images Sport / GettyAll of the Golden Knights' blue-line regulars are over 6-feet, and only Shea Theodore comes in at under 200 pounds. The team's top defense prospect, Cormier, strays from that mold considerably: He's listed at 5-foot-10 and 176 pounds.The 2020 third-rounder had a great QMJHL career but hasn't taken the step many expected this season after a good AHL rookie campaign. But there are likely teams that covet the soon-to-be 22-year-old's puck-moving ability and NHL proximity.Considering Vegas has most of its defense core locked in for multiple seasons, Cormier is an asset that the team likely wouldn't be opposed to moving for the right player in the coming weeks.Seamus Casey BJORN LARSSON ROSVALL / AFP / GettyThe Devils have an embarrassment of riches on the back end. Whether it's veterans Dougie Hamilton and John Marino or budding young studs Luke Hughes and Simon Nemec, New Jersey has anchors on the blue line for years to come.Should general manager Tom Fitzgerald look to make a splash at the deadline with his team in the wild-card race, Casey would be a premium trade chip that would entice any team - and one that's expendable given the team's defensive makeup.The 20-year-old is scoring at a pace of over a point per game with Michigan and was a top-four defender on the American team that won gold at the world juniors. His exciting offense is a bit redundant considering the Devils' existing back end, but he has the potential to be an interesting piece in a deadline deal.The Devils could use the Canucks' use of Hunter Brzustewicz in the Elias Lindholm deal as a blueprint for a deadline swing that includes Casey.Ville Heinola Jonathan Kozub / National Hockey League / GettyHeinola has played NHL games every season since he was drafted, except for this campaign. In his fifth year in the Jets organization, a change of scenery might do the 2019 first-rounder some good.The Finnish blue-liner hasn't been able to latch onto a spot in Winnipeg's lineup over multiple NHL stints. A broken ankle kept Heinola on the sidelines until January this season, and he's again been a good two-way defender with the AHL's Manitoba Moose since returning to action.The Jets already dealt a first-round pick for Sean Monahan. If Winnipeg wants to dip back into the trade market amid a strong campaign, Heinola would be enticing to a selling team as he can step straight into an NHL lineup and has draft pedigree.Jonatan Berggren Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / GettyBerggren has found himself back in the AHL for much of the 2023-24 season after a solid rookie year with the Red Wings.The Swede tallied 15 goals and 28 points in 67 games with Detroit in 2022-23 and excelled at the Worlds with seven points in eight games.But a bolstered Red Wings depth chart meant the 23-year-old returned to the AHL's Grand Rapids Griffins rather than building on his freshman campaign. Berggren's been outstanding in the AHL with 16 goals and 38 points in 36 games and has registered five points in nine NHL games. But he hasn't found his way back into the Red Wings' full-time lineup.With Detroit battling for a playoff spot for the first time in years and Berggren in an awkward spot on the depth chart, utilizing the offensive winger as an asset before he requires waivers (and a potentially contentious arbitration case in the summer) would make a lot of sense for GM Steve Yzerman.Sasha Chmelevski SOPA Images / LightRocket / GettyIn January, ESPN's Kevin Weekes reported that teams have "high interest" in trading for Chmelevski's signing rights.Chmelevski's been impressive the past two seasons with the KHL's Salavat Yulaev Ufa. His 53 goals since the start of the 2022-23 campaign rank fifth in the league.The Huntington Beach, California native spent three seasons in San Jose's system before going to the KHL, accumulating 35 goals and 88 points in 122 AHL games. He had a notable 19-game stint with the Sharks in 2021-22, tallying eight assists and collecting favorable underlying metrics.As a right-shot center with some scoring upside, the 24-year-old could be a worthwhile swing, assuming he could be had for a mid to late-round pick.Jacob Truscott Richard T Gagnon / Getty Images Sport / GettyWe typically see one or two NCAA players flipped for draft picks before the trade deadline. Henry Thrun and Erik Portillo moved last year after indicating to their respective teams that they wouldn't be signing.Truscott appears to be in that position this season. He won't sign with the Canucks, CHEK's Rick Dhaliwal reported last week, which opens him up to either be traded for a pick or included in another deadline trade for Vancouver.The 21-year-old has been an anchor on Michigan's blue line for three seasons, earning the captaincy this year as a senior. Truscott's not a standout offensively on a team that currently boasts Casey and previously rostered Luke Hughes and Owen Power, but he's been a key defensive piece for the Wolverines.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.There are only three games on the docket for a quiet Friday night in the NHL. Let's take a closer look at a few of the best ways to attack them.Kyle Connor: Over 3.5 shotsConnor has played in only 38 games this season due to injury. He still leads the Jets in goals and expected goals and is right on the tail of Nikolaj Ehlers - who's played 54 games - in terms of shots on goal.Connor is clearly the focal point of the offense at even strength, as well as on the power play.As a result, his shot-generation outputs have been very consistent. The longest Connor has gone without recording four shots is three straight games, which just so happens to be the streak he's riding right now.Connor is in a very good spot to snap out of it on Friday night. The Blackhawks are a horrendous five-on-five team that spends a lot of time chasing in the defensive zone. That generally leads to high opposing shot totals - especially for wingers.The Blackhawks rank dead last in shots allowed versus wingers over the past 10 games. No team is giving up more to the position.Connor has gone quiet of late, scoring in just two of the past 11 games while going under his shot total in five of six. This is a great matchup for him to snap out of this funk and get back on track.Odds: +107 (playable to -125)Seth Jones: Under 2.5 shotsJones hasn't enjoyed much success shooting the puck. He's averaged just 2.3 shots per game this season and failed to clear his line 62% of the time.Although Jones plays a ton of minutes, that shouldn't be surprising. The Blackhawks just don't have many players who can help the team transition to the offensive zone, let alone make something happen when they get there. Jones has to spend the bulk of his time defending, which will no doubt be the case against the Jets.The Jets have done a great job of suppressing shots all season long, and that continues to be the case. They've been especially hard on opposing defensemen.Winnipeg has conceded just 6.4 shots on goal per game to defenders over the last 10, one of the best marks in the NHL.That's bad news for Jones, who's struggled to generate much against the Jets since Rick Bowness took over as head coach. Jones has recorded only seven shots over four games while posting mediocre attempt numbers.Odds: -150 (playable to -160)Connor McDavid: Over 0.5 power-play pointsThe Wild have played very good hockey of late, but they're still vulnerable in one key area: the penalty kill.It's not so much that they've struggled in undermanned situations; the team simply can't stay out of the box.The Wild have paraded to the sin bin on a nightly basis, with only the Kings spending more time shorthanded over the last 10 games.Taking penalties is a recipe for disaster against the Oilers. Led by McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, and Evan Bouchard, the Oilers possess the league's most dangerous power play. They lead the league in expected goals generation and sit third in terms of goals per minute. They're lethal.McDavid is the team's leader in assists and points on the power play and is as puck-dominant as anybody in the offensive zone. Almost every possession runs through him, offering ample opportunity to get involved in the buildup of goals.With team discipline an issue, the Wild will no doubt take their share of penalties trying to slow down the high-flying Oilers. Look for McDavid and Co. to take advantage at least once.Odds: +110 (playable to -115)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.

New York Rangers rookie Matt Rempe won't face further discipline for his hit to the head of New Jersey Devils forward Nathan Bastian, reports The Athletic's Peter Baugh.Rempe was ejected in the first period of Thursday's clash as a result of the collision. The play was determined to be a five-minute major penalty after review.

New Jersey Devils head coach Lindy Ruff took aim at an unexpected target when asked about the team's recent woes on the man advantage."When you're struggling, and I imagine you've asked every player, now they're feeling it," Ruff told reporters following a 5-1 loss to the New York Rangers on Thursday night."You guys are creating excess pressure," the bench boss continued. "Us, as a staff, we'll go through that power play. We changed things up. We met with individual groups tonight versus, usually, you meet with all 10 or 11 of your power-play guys. We'll go through the whole thing again and just try to keep getting better."The Devils enter Friday's action with the 15th-ranked power play in the NHL this season, converting 22% of the time. But it's been much worse lately, as they've scored in only two of 46 opportunities in the last 14 games. That's by far the worst rate in the league in that span.New Jersey has had to rely on two rookies, Luke Hughes and Simon Nemec, as power-play quarterbacks with Dougie Hamilton out long term due to injury."When we have two young defensemen that are anchoring, there's really not a replacement up top for us," Ruff said."They've probably done a better than expected job for me - both those kids - and they're going to continue to grow. There's a lot of stuff you like about their game. But ... with young defensemen, there are going to be mistakes and poor decisions at times. But you have to just live with that and grow through it."The Devils fell to 28-24-4 with the loss and now sit sixth in the Metropolitan Division by points percentage.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Pittsburgh Penguins acquired forward Emil Bemstrom from the Columbus Blue Jackets for forward Alex Nylander and a conditional 2026 sixth-round pick, the teams announced on Thursday.If Bemstrom scores six or more goals this season with Pittsburgh, the Columbus' draft selection becomes a 2026 third-round pick, The Athletic's Aaron Portzline reports.The trade is the Blue Jackets' first since firing general manager Jarmo Kekalainen on Feb. 15.Bemstrom has five goals and 11 points in 32 NHL games this season. He cleared waivers earlier in the campaign and torched the AHL with 10 goals and 14 points in eight contests with the Cleveland Monsters.The 24-year-old has a $900,000 cap hit and will be a restricted free agent this summer.Nylander, 25, will report to the Blue Jackets after spending most of the campaign in the AHL. He's failed to register a point in five NHL games this season and has 17 goals and 32 points in 43 outings with the AHL's Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. He's also set to become a restricted free agent at season's end.The Blue Jackets drafted Bemstrom 117th overall in 2017. Nylander was selected eighth overall in 2016 by the Buffalo Sabres, and was acquired by Pittsburgh from the Chicago Blackhawks for forward Sam Lafferty in 2022.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Chicago Blackhawks defenseman Seth Jones is doing his best to protect his team against complacency during another losing season."(My) motivation is always there to try to lead the team from the back end and be that guy on the ice that is just solid every game, even when things aren't going well," he told the Chicago Sun-Times' Ben Pope. "Everyone in here needs motivation to be better. Everyone is in here trying to prove something - from top to bottom, old to young. No one should be comfortable with the way they're playing."Jones added: "As soon as you get comfortable losing, you're effed."The 29-year-old signed an eight-year, $76-million extension after the Columbus Blue Jackets traded him to the Blackhawks during the 2021 offseason. Chicago owns a league-worst 69-130-22 record since Jones joined the team.Jones acknowledged that the constant losing is "not fun for anybody in here." The Blackhawks have dropped 21 consecutive road games, with all but one of those losses coming in regulation."That's terrible; that's embarrassing," he said. "But you have to go into the next game expecting to win, or else it's going to be 10-0 ... you'll have no chance from the drop of the puck. We do not want to get comfortable losing in here. That's the worst thing that could happen."In late October, head coach Luke Richardson said he was "tired" of moral victories and that he wanted to see more of his club during his second season behind the bench. Even with Connor Bedard making constant headlines, Chicago is on track to finish last in the league."Hopefully, we can continue to build and grow this thing to where it needs to be," Jones said. "But at the moment, it sucks. ... As an athlete, it just weighs on you, right? You play this game to win."Jones has chipped in with one goal and 16 points in 42 games this campaign while averaging almost 26 minutes per contest. He has six years remaining on his deal after this season, and his pact includes a full no-move clause.The Blackhawks will host the Winnipeg Jets on Friday.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 split our best bets on Wednesday night. The Blue Jackets and Ducks predictably found themselves in an offensive explosion, but unfortunately, the Oilers couldn't beat the Bruins in overtime.Let's take a look at a couple of plays that pop off the page Thursday night as we look for a mini-sweep.Canucks (-125) @ Kraken (+105)The Canucks have dropped three in a row, but I don't think there's much cause for concern.They mostly played well against a strong Jets team, generating nearly 40 shots, with Vezina favorite Connor Hellebuyck being the difference.The Canucks followed that up by losing to a red-hot Wild team in a game Casey DeSmith conceded eight goals on just 25 shots.Lastly, they lost 3-1 - with an empty-netter - in a hotly contested game against a contending Avalanche team.I happen to think the Canucks are still a very good team and deserve to be favored more heavily in this spot.The Kraken are a poor offensive team. They rank 28th in goals per game and struggle to convert on the chances they do get.Despite getting some bodies back up front, the Kraken still sit 30th in total shooting percentage this month.That doesn't bode well for their chances of success against the Canucks. They don't give up many shots, and Thatcher Demko is as good as it gets when it comes to stopping them.The Kraken will need to be efficient with their chances, something they struggle with at the best of times. I don't see that changing against a netminder who's saved more than 25 goals above expectation this season.Bet: Canucks (-125)Predators (+130) @ Kings (-150)Are the Kings back? It sure seems that way. They've won five of six games this month and posted sparkling numbers across the board.They've controlled 56% of the expected goals share at five-on-five, which is one of the best marks in the league.Excluding an absolute clunker against the Sabres, they've conceded only seven goals over five wins. They blanked the Oilers 4-0, held a healthier Devils squad to just one goal, beat the Bruins, and conceded just two total goals over the past two games.The Kings are starting to get contributions throughout the lineup. Rookie blue-liner Brandt Clarke is starting to make game-breaking plays that show why he was drafted so highly. Quinton Byfield is emerging as a star in the league, while Pierre-Luc Dubois is finally starting to produce at the level expected.So long as the Kings get good goaltending - and David Rittich is giving them that right now - they're a handful to deal with.I think they're going to cause a world of problems for the Predators in this spot. The Preds rank 28th in expected goals share at five-on-five in February. They'll likely get heavily outshot by the Kings in this matchup.That's problematic, given the level of goaltending we're seeing in Nashville. The Predators have conceded at least four goals in six of the past eight games. They simply can't keep the puck out.Look for Los Angeles to extend its winning streak to five games - and do so inside 60 minutes.Bet: Kings in regulation (+100)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.

Find year-round coverage of betting news and insights for all sports by visiting our Betting section and subscribing to push notifications.We had a bounce-back night with our player props, falling one Auston Matthews shot shy of a sweep.We'll look to keep the ball rolling with three more shot totals for a monster Thursday slate.Dylan Larkin: Over 2.5 shotsLarkin has been a steady shot-generator all season long. He's averaged 3.1 shots on goal per game and gone over his total a whopping 65% of the time.While we've seen a bit of a dip in his outputs of late, that appears to be matchup-related. Larkin failed to go over the number in four of the past five, but the opponents he faced in that span (Canucks, Flames, Kraken, and Oilers) are all low-event teams, excellent at suppressing shots, or a combination of the two.Larkin finds himself in a much better shooting environment tonight against the Avalanche. They've given up 33.3 shots per game over their last 10 road dates, which is tied for seventh-most in the NHL. They're a much different team on the road.The Avs also give up a lot of volume to opposing centers. They've allowed more than 17 shot attempts per game to the position over the last 10 games overall. Only the Canadiens, Coyotes, and Sharks - three rebuilding teams - have allowed more in that time.With the Red Wings heavily reliant on their captain in the thick of a heated playoff race, Larkin should be able to get a few shots on net in this one.Odds: -140 (playable to -150)Brayden Point: Over 2.5 shotsDeath, taxes, and Point at home. The Lightning star continues to chug along when playing in Tampa Bay. He's gone over his total in 21 of 28 games at home (75% success rate), including eight in a row and nine of the last 10.The matchup doesn't seem to matter for Point, who's hit against top-of-the-league teams like the Panthers and Avalanche during this hot streak. He's consistently hitting while posting strong underlying volume.Point has averaged a hair under six attempts per game over his last 10 at home. For perspective of how efficient Point is with his shots, he's registered at least three in 20 of the 25 games he recorded five attempts or more. That's an 80% success rate across all venues.As a bonus, the Lightning recently moved Anthony Cirelli to the top line instead of Point. This adds more balance to their lineup and makes Point the primary target on his unit, with him no longer needing to defer to Nikita Kucherov and Steven Stamkos to shoot the puck - at least not at five-on-five.The Capitals are bottom-10 in shots against per game over the last 10 and are laboring at five-on-five. Expect Point to take advantage.Odds: -134 (playable to -160)William Nylander: Over 3.5 shotsWe targeted the Golden Knights with a star winger last time out. Although Filip Forsberg didn't go over his number, it certainly wasn't for a lack of opportunity. He generated 10 shot attempts but managed to hit the net on just two of them. The process was there, but the result wasn't.I'm going to target the Golden Knights once again with Nylander. The Golden Knights have allowed more shot attempts per game versus wingers than any other team over the last 10 games. They're giving up absurd volume, and there's no reason to expect any different moving forward.Jack Eichel remains out, and now Mark Stone, one of the best two-way wingers in the sport, is injured and will be sidelined for the foreseeable future.The Golden Knights will use the William Karlsson line - their best defensive unit - against Matthews, which frees up the Nylander line to go up against weaker lines that give up a lot on the defensive side of the ice.Nylander registered seven shots on 10 attempts Wednesday night against a Coyotes team bleeding shots. I don't know that he'll reach those heights again in this game, but he should have little problem getting to four.Odds: -118 (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.

Toronto Maple Leafs star Auston Matthews added to his superhuman season Wednesday night, burying his 50th goal in only his 54th appearance.There is a bevy of mind-blowing stats and facts that illustrate how impressive Matthews has been leading up to his milestone marker. Here are some of the best:1: Matthews is the quickest American-born NHLer to hit 50 goals in a campaign, besting the previous record (62 games) shared by him in 2021-22 and Kevin Stevens in 1992-93.8: There have been eight instances of a player scoring 50 goals in 54 contests or fewer since 1989-90: Cam Neely, Brett Hull (three times), Mario Lemieux (twice), Alexander Mogilny, and Matthews. The all-time record holder in this department is still, and likely always will be, Wayne Gretzky's 50 in 39 in 1981-82.4: Matthews is one of four active players to have multiple 50-goal campaigns, joining Alex Ovechkin, Leon Draisaitl, and Steven Stamkos.2: Matthews joins Rick Vaive as the only Maple Leafs in franchise history to have multiple 50-goal seasons.0: No other player has hit the 40-goal mark yet in 2023-24.3rd: Matthews' 36 tallies since Dec. 2 - the night he ended a dry spell of one goal in nine games - would be tied for third in this season's "Rocket" Richard race.76: The 26-year-old is currently on pace for 76 goals this season, which would tie the fifth-highest total in league history. The 70-goal barrier hasn't been breached since 1992-93.535: Games played to hit 350 career goals, the sixth-fastest mark in league history.7th: Matthews entered Wednesday averaging 0.65 goals per contest for his career - the seventh most in NHL history among players to play at least 100 games.25.5: He has scored a quarter of Toronto's goals this season.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

St. Louis Blues forward Pavel Buchnevich has been generating a modest amount of trade buzz in recent weeks, but general manager Doug Armstrong isn't actively shopping him, a source told The Athletic's Jeremy Rutherford.Armstrong is reportedly willing to listen to offers for Buchnevich, but the Blues would need to be wowed by the return to seriously consider making a move.Buchnevich has totaled 19 goals and 43 points in 53 games this campaign and is on track for his fourth consecutive 20-goal season. Only five of his tallies have come at five-on-five, but he's generated almost nine individual expected goals in those situations, according to Natural Stat Trick.He has one more year remaining on his current deal with a $5.8-million cap hit. Buchnevich will be 30 years old once it expires. The versatile Russian winger would have some control over any potential deal thanks to his 12-team no-trade list.St. Louis underwent a major fire sale last season, parting ways with Vladimir Tarasenko, Ryan O'Reilly, and Ivan Barbashev.Even with that mass exodus, the Blues are challenging for a playoff spot this campaign. They currently occupy the second wild-card spot in the Western Conference, though they're a distant 13 points behind the Winnipeg Jets for third place in the Central Division despite playing one more game.Armstrong recently reiterated his hesitance to undergo a full rebuild in an interview with The Athletic's Pierre LeBrun."I know in our market - and I've talked to our ownership group about it, and I get their guidance on it - I don't think our fan base deserves or wants to be part of an eight-to-10-year rebuild," the executive explained.The Blues have gone 16-10-1 under interim head coach Drew Bannister since he replaced Craig Berube in mid-December. Their .611 points percentage is the 12th best in the league over that span.Next up for Buchnevich and St. Louis is a clash against the New York Islanders on Thursday.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Vegas Golden Knights captain Mark Stone is set to miss time after sustaining an upper-body injury in Tuesday's loss to the Nashville Predators, general manager Kelly McCrimmon revealed on "The Sick Podcast - The Eye Test.""He's going to be out of our lineup for a while is what I can tell you right now," McCrimmon said.The ailment is unrelated to Stone's previous back issues, sources told Adam Hill of the Las Vegas Review-Journal. Stone missed the third period of his club's latest game after he was involved in a collision with Yakov Trenin.

Kyle Dubas acknowledged that he's kept the Penguins on a long leash this season, but the general manager hinted that his tolerance is wearing thin as Pittsburgh drops further out of the playoff picture."I feel like out of respect to the group here and what they've accomplished, I'm trying to be as patient as possible and give the group the time, and I've outlined that to them, to show that we can really make a push and make a run at it," he said. "As we've continued to stay level or drop, we look up today at the standings, it's a daunting task."Is the group capable of it? Yes, I think we've shown this year that we are, but we're running out of time to show that we can do it consistently."The Penguins are in seventh place in the Metropolitan Division. They're eight points back of the Detroit Red Wings for the second wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference with two games in hand, but they'll need a swift turnaround to avoid missing the playoffs again. Pittsburgh currently has a 33.5% chance of making the postseason, according to MoneyPuck.TSN's Pierre LeBrun reported Tuesday that the Penguins were willing to listen to offers on all non-core players. Dubas addressed that report on Wednesday."I had another GM mention it to me today or ask me about it," he said. "I think we've received a lot of calls on a lot of our players, especially as our team has been in the spot that it's at."The Penguin generating the most headlines is Jake Guentzel, who can become a free agent this summer. Dubas didn't commit to keeping or moving the star player."I understand how valuable (Guentzel) has been as a teammate. ... But at the same time, we have to take stock of where we're at and be realistic about the fact that one of the issues we have is we need to get younger," he said. "We have a lot of guys in their 30s signed - some of them are some of the best players in the history of the franchise. It's tough with Jake - as I've said to him - because he's an excellent player and playing at an elite level."The executive said he hasn't asked anyone to waive any no-trade or no-movement clauses (Guentzel has a 12-team no-trade list). He has been looking to make a "hockey trade," but nothing has materialized.Though there's a lot of uncertainty in Pittsburgh, Dubas doesn't expect to become a serious buyer around the trade deadline."I can't see us moving future draft capital at this point to try to bolster the team," he said. "At the same time, are there moves that will allow us to add good younger players to the organization that can help to expedite things here and support the group that's already here?"Next up for the Penguins is a clash against the Montreal Canadiens on Thursday.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.Headlined by a clash between two of the league's top teams, we have a small but juicy five-game slate Wednesday night.Let's look at the best ways to attack it.Bruins (+120) @ Oilers (-140)The Oilers have been the NHL's best team over the last few months and continue to be worth backing on a nightly basis.Edmonton has as much high-end talent as anybody, and the process to match it. The club has consistently out-chanced opponents, controlling nearly 60% of the expected goals share at five-on-five in February.It doesn't take a rocket scientist to know the Oilers - equipped with Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, Zach Hyman, etc. - will win a ton of games if those guys are getting more opportunities to score than their opponents.That should again be the case versus the Bruins, who have stumbled a bit lately. They've won just four of the past 10 games, and their underlying metrics are heading in the wrong direction.Boston has posted a 48% expected goals share at five-on-five in February, sandwiching it between the Canadiens and Blue Jackets. That's not where you want to be as a contender.The Bruins have it in them to be much better than that. They also generally have enough firepower - not to mention goaltending - to compensate when they're not grinding out those edges in chances.But it's a tall order to ask them to do that against the Oilers. Boston doesn't have the edges in top-tier talent or depth compared to Edmonton, and it doesn't have the centers to match up. The Bruins' five-on-five process is also weaker. And the Stuart Skinner we've seen over the past few months can match the level of goaltending we generally see from Boston's great tandem.With the Oilers playing such a well-rounded game and having home ice, there's value in backing them to take care of business Wednesday.Bet: Oilers (-140)Blue Jackets (-105) @ Ducks (-115)Elvis Merzlikins started in goal Tuesday night for the Blue Jackets. That means they'll turn to Daniil Tarasov in the latter half of their road back-to-back.Goals tend to come in bunches when Tarasov is between the pipes. He's conceded at least three goals in nine of 11 appearances this season, averaging a hair under four per game.Tarasov owns a .877 save percentage and has allowed nearly 11 goals above expectation. That's no small feat considering Columbus gives up a lot of chances and expected goals.The Ducks won't be mistaken for an offensive juggernaut any time soon, but they can score. They've netted three-plus goals in seven of the past nine games and are poised to do it again versus a struggling goalie like Tarasov.Anaheim also ranks 28th in shot suppression and 27th in goals allowed per contest. It's a bad defensive team with up-and-down goaltending, and no club has spent more time shorthanded per game this campaign.This is a good matchup for the Blue Jackets - who surprisingly rank ninth in five-on-five goals over the last 10 contests - to net a few of their own.I see this as a high-event, back-and-forth affair, and I like it to go over the number.Bet: Over 6.5 (-110)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.

Find year-round coverage of betting news and insights for all sports by visiting our Betting section and subscribing to push notifications.We had a disappointing 1-2 night with shot props. Aleksander Barkov started things off with an over against the Senators, but Filip Forsberg hit the net only twice on 10 shot attempts in Vegas, while Viktor Arvidsson didn't even complete his first shift of the game before leaving with an injury.We'll take those losses on the chin and look to bounce back with three more props for a fruitful Wednesday card.Tage Thompson: Over 3.5 shotsThompson registered at least four shots on goal in five of the past six games, with the lone exception coming against a stingy Kings side.There is every reason to expect continued shooting success Wednesday night in Montreal.Thompson has Alex Tuch back on his right wing. That provides a boost to his shooting floor and ceiling, as Thompson generates five-on-five shots at a higher rate alongside Tuch than any other regular linemate.He should be able to pile them up in bulk against the Canadiens. Thompson's line will see a lot of Cole Caufield and Montreal's top unit, and, although that line is piping hot offensively, it gives up plenty of shot volume at the other end.It's also worth noting a good chunk of Thompson's shots come from power-play opportunities, and there will likely be plenty against a Canadiens side that leads the slate in shorthanded time per game over the last 10.Thompson's recent success has come against teams unable to stay out of the box (the Panthers, Ducks, Wild, etc.). Those extra power plays help push his shot outputs over the edge, which I expect to be the case again in this one.Odds: -106 (playable to -125)Frank Vatrano: Over 2.5 shotsVatrano is an absolute force on home ice. He has recorded three shots or more 20 times in 27 tries, good for a remarkable 74% success rate.A lot of those shots came without Troy Terry, who was recently moved onto his line and whose impact is certainly being felt as Vatrano's shot rates are skyrocketing even further.Vatrano is averaging nearly 14 shots on goal per 60 minutes of five-on-five play with Terry on his line.For perspective, Vatrano generated 11.31 with Adam Henrique, 9.21 with Ryan Strome, and 6.81 with Alex Killorn. Big differences.With such a low shot total, Vatrano is a prime target at home against any opponent - let alone the Blue Jackets, who have given up shots in bulk all season long. Their top line is the only one limiting shots at a decent rate, and Vatrano should see very little of them.Odds: -140 (playable to -150)Auston Matthews: Over 4.5 shotsThis matchup is as good as it gets, as the Coyotes have been an unmitigated disaster defensively of late, posting horrendous metrics across the board.They rank 30th in shot suppression at five-on-five over the last 10 games and 29th while killing penalties. The Coyotes compound their PK woes by parading to the box more than almost every team in the league.Arizona is conceding a ton of shot volume across all situations, and it just so happens a huge chunk of it comes from opposing centers.The Coyotes allowed just under 14 shots per game against centers over the past 10 contests. For added color, only one other team (the Canadiens) has conceded more than 12.10 shots per game to centers in that span.Matthews is one of the best volume shooters in the league and is pushing for 50 goals against his hometown team, a team that is bleeding shots to his position and taking penalties in bulk.The stars are aligning for another big shooting - and perhaps scoring - night for Matthews.Odds: -110 (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.

Patrick Kane's departure from the Chicago Blackhawks last season was well-documented, but he says it likely would never have happened had the organization committed to keeping him for the rest of his career.If they came to me and said, We want you to be a Blackhawk for life. Can we work something out?' I think it probably would have been tough to say no, just because of what happened there and the success we had and just the relationship with the organization," Kane told The Athletic's Scott Powers.The veteran forward waived his no-trade clause last February, allowing the Blackhawks to trade him to the New York Rangers. Kane departed Chicago after 16 seasons with the club that included three Stanley Cup championships."Being there for a long time and kind of being comfortable in the situation and just kind of what you do on a day-to-day basis, there's definitely some comfort in that," he said.But I think it's been good for me to have some new experiences. And even though it didn't go as well as I'd hoped in New York, I still thought that was a great experience for me. Even here, coming to Detroit, kind of a team on the rise that can have some success, it's been fun to be here and try and build that with this group."Kane's nagging hip injury limited him in his brief tenure with the Rangers. The American winger collected only five goals and seven assists over 19 games before adding a goal and five assists in seven playoff contests. His recovery from offseason hip surgery forced him to miss nearly two months to start this campaign before he signed with the Red Wings as a free agent in late November.Blackhawks general manager Kyle Davidson has overhauled the roster since taking over from Stan Bowman, who stepped down in October 2021. The futures of Kane and fellow ex-franchise fixture Jonathan Toews were persistent storylines last season as Davidson made it clear he was leaning toward more of a youth movement.Toews eventually decided to take time away from hockey this season, the first campaign the club has played without him since 2006-07. Kane and Toews both debuted with the Blackhawks in 2007-08.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Except for his star-laden core, Pittsburgh Penguins general manager Kyle Dubas is entertaining offers on his entire roster, according to TSN's Pierre LeBrun. Reilly Smith is among the candidates to be moved, LeBrun adds. Dubas acquired Smith, who has a 10-team no-trade clause, from the Vegas Golden Knights over the summer.Smith, 32, has managed 22 points in 46 games for Pittsburgh this season and is under contract through 2025 at a $5-million cap hit.Dubas' desire to keep Pittsburgh's core intact could end trade speculation around star forward Jake Guentzel. The pending unrestricted free agent has been involved in rumors throughout his contract year but is a mainstay on the Penguins' top line alongside Sidney Crosby when healthy.Pittsburgh is trending toward missing the playoffs for the second consecutive campaign. The team entered Tuesday's action nine points back of a wild-card seed and 10 points back of third place in the Metropolitan Division.The March 8 deadline is Dubas' first with the Penguins after a nine-year stint with the Toronto Maple Leafs.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Vegas Golden Knights defenseman Shea Theodore returned to the lineup Thursday versus the Nashville Predators after missing 35 games.Theodore hadn't played since Nov. 22 because of an upper-body injury. He underwent surgery to address the issue.Vegas went 18-13-4 in his absence and occupied the second spot in the Pacific Division heading into Tuesday's action."Great to be back, it's been a long time," Theodore said before the game. "The freshness is there and I feel good."He added, "At no part did they want to rush me back. It's a long season. Obviously it's tough taking a break right in the middle, but the most important part of the season is now."Theodore tallied four goals and 18 points in 20 games before suffering the ailment while averaging just over 23 minutes of ice time.The 28-year-old should provide a boost to Vegas' power play. Ten of his points this season came on the man advantage, and the Golden Knights' power play ranks 23rd in the league with a 17.4% success rate since Theodore was ruled out."We'll probably be cleaner on the exits, maybe some easier entries in the neutral zone," coach Bruce Cassidy said when asked what he expects from Theodore's return. "His ability to move the puck, find people at the right time, is just exceptional. ... I would assume we'll see more offensive growth in our game just because that's his strength."Theodore has consistently been one of the Golden Knights' top blue-liners. He was Sin City's second-most utilized player during last year's playoffs and led all Vegas defensemen with 13 points in 21 games.The Anaheim Ducks traded Theodore to the Golden Knights during the expansion draft in 2017. He is now Vegas' all-time leader in goals (65) and points (265) by a rearguard in 417 games.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

NHL commissioner Gary Bettman upheld Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Morgan Rielly's five-game suspension for cross-checking Ottawa Senators forward Ridly Greig, the league announced Tuesday."Based on my review of the video (of the incident), I find that Mr. Rielly's actions were not merely careless or reckless, they were intentional," Bettman wrote in a report of his ruling.Rielly appealed his ban during a hearing on Feb. 16. He sat out his team's last four games and is eligible to return Thursday against the Vegas Golden Knights. The Maple Leafs are undefeated during his absence.The 29-year-old earned the suspension in the dying seconds of Toronto's heated 5-3 loss to the Senators on Feb. 10. He cross-checked Greig up high after the rookie took a slap shot into the empty net to cap off the contest."This was not a case where Mr. Rielly and Mr. Greig had been engaging with one another, nor was this an inadvertent high stick during the course of play," Bettman explained. "Rather, as Mr. Rielly himself acknowledged, he sought retribution for what he perceived to be a 'disrespectful' act that he believed was intended to embarrass Toronto."The incident is the subject of much debate in the hockey world. Maple Leafs veteran Ryan Reaves backed his teammate's response, though it appears Rielly disagrees with the support he's received from around the league."I commend Mr. Rielly for forthrightly disavowing suggestions that have been made publicly by others that his actions were somehow appropriate," Bettman said.This is the first suspension of Rielly's 11-year NHL career.The Leafs will take on the Arizona Coyotes on Wednesday as they look to go a perfect 5-0-0 without the blue-liner within their ranks.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.Juuse Saros isn't good anymore.OK, that's an attention-grabbing statement made to accentuate a point: Bettors shouldn't rely on him for anything special. If you think we're picking on a frequent Vezina Trophy contender, the same could also be said about 2022 Vezina winner Igor Shesterkin. Looking at the stats, advanced and otherwise - both goaltenders have had disappointing seasons.PLAYERSAVE PCT.GAAGSAx/60Juuse Saros.9023.02.11Igor Shesterkin.9012.85.05OK, so it's not that Saros and Shesterkin aren't good anymore. However, coming into the season, the expectation was that each goaltender mattered to the moneyline. When they didn't play, there would need to be an adjustment to the Predators' and Rangers' rating in the betting market.However, with goals saved above expected (GSAx) numbers of a replacement-level NHL goaltender, neither has warranted that type of regard.The Rangers' presumptive backup goaltender, Jonathan Quick, has found a second act for his career (0.65 GSAx/60). Not only is a Shesterkin start no longer an advantage, but New York has been better off with Quick.The picture in Nashville's crease is less complicated, but that's a bad thing. Predators backup goalie Kevin Lankinen (and his -0.31 GSAx) is replacement-level at best. Unlike Quick, Lankinen hasn't skated through the opening Saros has provided for him to take over the No. 1 job.With better-than-average goaltending for most of Quick's 20 games, the Rangers are in first place in the Atlantic Division and hold a rating in the betting market of 10% above an average team. Meanwhile, the Predators (with their average goaltending) rate as league average and sit just outside a wild-card spot.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.It was a good weekend for our best bets as we picked up a mini-sweep. Martin Necas registered a point in short order against the Coyotes on Friday night and the Panthers followed it up by blowing out the Lightning on Saturday.We'll look to pick up where we left off with two more plays for Tuesday's card.Senators (+210) @ Panthers (-250)The Senators have played much better hockey of late, but they're still a team prone to let-down performances thanks to putrid goaltending.Take their two most recent losses, for example. The Senators outshot a horrendous Blackhawks team 42-22 and lost because of their .864 save percentage. They also outshot the Ducks 34-20 but were sunk by their .750 save percentage.What do those losses have in common? Joonas Korpisalo started in net.He's struggled mightily in his first season with the Senators, and there aren't really any signs of improvement.Of the 30 most utilized goaltenders since the start of 2024, Korpisalo ranks dead last in goals saved above expected. That's not a recipe for success against the Panthers.The Senators are in a back-to-back situation, so they'll have a harder time keeping up with a fresh team. Florida is also a dominant possession side that's generated expected goals at a higher clip than all but the Oilers this season.Korpisalo will likely be heavily tested, and he hasn't shown the ability to hold up.Look for Aleksander Barkov, Matthew Tkachuk, Sam Reinhart, and a high-powered Panthers attack to overwhelm Korpisalo en route to a multi-goal vicotry.Bet: Panthers -1.5 (-110)Wild (+130) @ Jets (-150)This should be a tight divisional clash between two teams desperate for points.The Jets are trying to keep up with the Avalanche and Stars in the hunt for the Central Division title - or at least home ice in the opening round of the playoffs.Meanwhile, the Wild are just two points back of a wild-card spot as they try and inch their way into the mix following an underwhelming start to the season.Both teams are in the latter half of back-to-backs. There's little reason for either side - both of which try to play structured, lower-event hockey - to push the pace and open things up offensively.The goaltending should be competent with Marc-Andre Fleury set to take on Laurent Brossoit.Fleury appears to be getting his game in order, having posted a .933 save percentage or better in five of his past seven games.Brossoit has been consistently excellent all season long. He's recorded a .920 save percentage or better in seven of his last eight games, allowing two goals or fewer in all but one.These are also two strong defensive teams. Even after Monday's barn burner, the Wild still sit first in expected goals against at five-on-five over the past three weeks.The Jets haven't fared as well in that area of late, but they hold one of the best marks in the NHL throughout the entire season.With a lot riding on this game for both teams, fatigue a factor on each side, and a solid goaltending matchup, I don't see a lot of offense in this one.Bet: Under 5.5 (+105)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.

The Detroit Red Wings signed forward Michael Rasmussen to a four-year extension on Tuesday with an average annual value of $3.2 million.Rasmussen could have become an arbitration-eligible restricted free agent this summer after playing out the final season of a three-year pact with a $1.46-million cap hit.The 24-year-old boasts 11 goals and 23 points in 55 outings this season and is on pace to set new career highs in both categories. He's also key to the Red Wings' improved penalty kill, which is currently tied for seventh in the league with an 82% success rate. Rasmussen averages 1:51 minutes of shorthanded ice time per contest, the third most among Detroit forwards.The Red Wings selected Rasmussen with the ninth overall pick at the 2017 NHL Draft. He's totaled 47 goals and 109 points in 293 career 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.We have a busy eight-game slate ahead of us Tuesday night and no shortage of props to choose from.Let's take a closer look at a few that pop off the page.Aleksander Barkov: Over 2.5 shotsBarkov's shot volume has decreased of late, but he finds himself in a good spot to get back on track.Despite facing the stiffest matchups at home, Barkov has been a more efficient shot-generator in Florida than on the road. He's averaged nearly one more attempt per game at home, which is not an inconsequential difference for someone who generates many of his shots close to the net and hits the target at an above-average rate.Barkov will take on the Senators, who've made their top line weaker defensively through some recent alterations. Ottawa's No. 1 unit has allowed shots at a noticeably higher rate with Shane Pinto centering Brady Tkachuk rather than Josh Norris or Tim Stutzle.Jacques Martin has also put Vladimir Tarasenko on the opposite wing of Tkachuk. He's a talented player, but his defensive impact is weak.With those two players on Tkachuk's line and the Senators in a back-to-back situation, they'll likely spend plenty of time in the defensive zone. Look for Barkov to take advantage.Odds: -106 (playable to -125)Filip Forsberg: Over 3.5 shotsThe Golden Knights have a reputation as a stingy defensive team, but that hasn't been the case of late. They've limited goals because of fantastic goaltending rather than excellent shot suppression.Las Vegas is struggling defensively in all situations, ranking in the bottom 10 in shots against at five-on-five and in the bottom five while killing penalties over the past 10 games.It's also worth noting no NHL team has allowed more shots per game to opposing wingers during that span.Even Vegas' best defensive personnel is laboring. Mark Stone is one of the league's best two-way players, yet he, William Karlsson, and Chandler Stephenson are allowing shots at a very high rate. They'll see a steady dose of Filip Forsberg.Simply put, the Golden Knights are giving up a lot of volume right now. Forsberg - the Predators' leader in shots by 45 - is the most likely candidate to capitalize.Odds: -134 (playable to -145)Viktor Arvidsson: Over 3.5 shotsArvidsson has hit the ground running since making his season debut. The veteran sniper has generated 12 shots on 21 attempts in three games since returning to the lineup, going over in two of the three.The Kings initially put Arvidsson on the other side of Trevor Moore on the second line. They've quickly pulled the plug on that, moving Moore to the top unit and putting Kevin Fiala on the other wing with Arvidsson. History tells us that's a big plus.Arvidsson has averaged more than 23 attempts and 14 shots on goal at five-on-five with Fiala on the other wing. That compares very favorably to the 18 attempts and nine shots on goal he generates with Moore.Arvidsson also has a fantastic matchup to look forward to against the Blue Jackets. They bleed shots at five-on-five and on the penalty kill. Arvidsson is primed to make some noise with top-six minutes at even strength and the role of a go-to shooter on the top power play.Odds: -102 (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.

William Nylander believes the Toronto Maple Leafs' four straight victories can be attributed to the club's desire to win without suspended defenseman Morgan Rielly."We've answered the bell, and I think Mo kind of lit the fire under the team, so I think, yeah, we're battling for Mo," Nylander said after his team defeated the St. Louis Blues 4-2 on Monday.Toronto has outscored opponents 21-7 during its streak, which matches a season high for consecutive wins set two other times (November and January) this season.The NHL suspended Rielly for five games after he cross-checked Ottawa Senators forward Ridly Greig, who took a slap shot into an empty net in his team's 5-3 win over the Leafs on Feb. 10.Matthew Knies echoed Nylander's comments about the experienced defenseman and added that they're playing for Rielly because he stood up for his teammates."It's been (a) huge (rallying point)," the rookie said. "He kind of defended the respect of our team, and I think we're playing really hard now. He's a valuable piece to us, and we're excited that he's going to come back here soon. But I think we're playing really good hockey, and I think (his absence has) given us a jump."Maple Leafs superstar Auston Matthews, who is this season's NHL goals leader, thinks it's more about adjustments than the suspension inspiring the team."I'm not sure (it's been) as much of a rallying point as much as just knowing that (we're) missing a very key piece of our team and our defensive core, and knowing you've got to step up collectively and do a job, and guys that are coming in and playing more minutes ... are going to be required to do more," Matthews said."So when you have that ... obviously it's great to have these guys come in ... and it just gives them more confidence and gives us confidence as a team."Following the loss to the Senators in which the Rielly-Greig incident occurred, the Maple Leafs defeated the Blues, the Philadelphia Flyers, and the Anaheim Ducks before prevailing over St. Louis again Monday.Rielly, the longest-tenured member of the squad, will sit out Wednesday's road meeting with the Arizona Coyotes but can return Thursday against the Vegas Golden Knights. Monday's win was the start of a four-game road swing for Toronto that concludes Saturday against the Colorado Avalanche.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Several NHL general managers have decisions to make regarding the direction they want to take their respective clubs with the trade deadline on the horizon. There are obvious buyers at the top of the standings and clear sellers near the bottom, but what about the cluster of teams in between? Below, we dive into how seven fringe playoff teams in particular should approach the deadline.Playoff chances and standings as of Feb. 20. Teams were ordered alphabetically.Detroit Red Wings Eliot J. Schechter / National Hockey League / GettyPlayoffs chances: 55%

The Wild and Canucks reset the definition of a barnburner on Monday, combining for 17 goals in Minnesota's 10-7 win over Vancouver.Here are some of the most mind-blowing stats from the goal-fest:10 - The Wild hit double digits in goals, setting a new franchise single-game record, surpassing the previous best of eight.7 - Minnesota struck for seven in the third period, a new franchise best for a single frame. No NHL team has scored more in a period since the Washington Capitals ran riot on the Tampa Bay Lightning on Feb. 3, 1999.6 - Wild forwards Kirill Kaprizov (3-3-6) and Joel Eriksson Ek (3-3-6), are the first teammates to each score six points since Wayne Gretzky (2-4-6) and Tomas Sandstrom (0-6-6) did so for the Los Angeles Kings on Oct. 9, 1993, in a 10-3 win over the Detroit Red Wings. Kaprizov and Eriksson Ek also matched the club record for points in a game, tying Marian Gaborik, who did so twice.5:45 - Minnesota scored six goals in under six minutes. It's the fourth-fastest mark to that tally in NHL history.4 - The Wild bombarded the Canucks' net over a span of 2:17, setting a new franchise record for the fastest four goals scored.3 - Kaprizov, Eriksson Ek, and Canucks forward J.T. Miller each scored a hat trick. This was the first game to feature three hat tricks since Jari Kurri, Luc Robitaille, and Mike Donnelly all scored three goals for the Kings in an 11-4 rout of the San Jose Sharks on Nov. 8, 1992..778 - It's an ugly save percentage for winning goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury, who replaced Filip Gustavsson (.688) in relief. Casey DeSmith (.680) played the entire game for Vancouver.66.7% - Minnesota was scorching hot on the power play, converting on four of six opportunities.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Takes, Thoughts, and Trends is theScore's biweekly hockey grab bag.When Travis Konecny heard back in June 2022 that John Tortorella was the new head coach of the Philadelphia Flyers, he reacted like anyone who didn't know the man but had seen his tense press conferences might."I was like, 'Here we go, this is gonna be a long couple of years,'" Konecny recalled in an interview earlier this month at All-Star Weekend in Toronto."But it couldn't be further from the truth," the forward quickly added. "First of all, if you're one of Torts' guys, he protects you. Because he loves his players. The other thing I found out early on is that as long as you're following the structure he teaches and demands that he has, he lets you play your game and he leaves you alone. As long as you're working hard, he's happy."Almost two years into Tortorella's tenure, Konecny is definitely in the coach's good graces. The Flyers earlier this week named Sean Couturier team captain and Scott Laughton and Konecny his alternates. Konecny's in the middle of his finest season yet: he leads Flyers skaters in goals (26) and points (51) through 55 games, and paces the forward group in average ice time (19:49). Mitchell Leff / Getty ImagesThe 29-19-7 Flyers are one of the top rush teams in the league, and no Flyer rushes the puck as often or effectively as Konecny. The 5-11 winger's 1.26 scoring chances off the rush per game ranks sixth in the NHL, according to Sportlogiq."He's really grown into the player he is over these last two years. I think he's really taken a big step forward," Couturier said of his "little brother."A fearless competitor, Konecny's evolved into the rare player who can record a Gordie Howe hat trick (goal, assist, fight) and receive minimal fanfare, like he recently did against the Jets. It's basically expected. That's TK being TK, as his teammates and coaches say. He's always in the mix."The intensity he plays with - he's such a catalyst for us," center Morgan Frost said. "You don't always see your top goal-scorer getting into scrums after every other whistle, or chirping a lot. But he does and it makes an impact." Jaylynn Nash / Getty Images"He's by-example," Tortorella said of Konecny's leadership qualities. "He's got an engine on him that doesn't stop. He's made big plays at key times. He does everything for us. He's a penalty killer for us, now power-play (minutes). I'd hate to think where we'd be if we didn't have his energy in our lineup."Philly may be missing a superstar (perhaps Russian Matvei Michkov, drafted seventh overall in 2023, is the long-term answer), but it seems like the club's ticked off several other boxes in the search for a fully formed nucleus. This season's been a real eye-opener.Couturier: elite two-way center. Owen Tippett: game-breaking sniper. Frost and Joel Farabee: playmakers. Travis Sanheim, Jamie Drysdale, and Cam York: building-block defensemen. Samuel Ersson: (potential) starting goalie.And, of course, Konecny: goal-scoring catalyst, rush-chance catalyst, energy catalyst. You can probably add "Torts catalyst" to the list.3 GMs who'll shape trade marketAll eyes are on Craig Conroy as March 8's trade deadline approaches.Calgary's general manager could move three major pieces: starting goalie Jacob Markstrom, plus top-four blue-liners Noah Hanifin and Chris Tanev. This Flames' crossroads period has been well-documented.As for other GMs to watch, three leap off the page. Jeff Vinnick / Getty ImagesSteve Yzerman will have several decisions to make on pending unrestricted free agents if Detroit's playoff positioning doesn't solidify soon. Forward David Perron and goalie James Reimer, both 35, could be useful depth for contenders. Bottom-six sniper Daniel Sprong and offensive defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere could help provide tertiary scoring elsewhere, too.Then there's Patrick Kane, who the Red Wings signed to a one-year, $2.75-million contract in November. With 20 points in 22 games, Kane will likely be open to waiving his no-trade clause if Yzerman enters sell mode. Kane didn't come back to miss the playoffs.Meanwhile, Flyers GM Daniel Briere is in an enviable spot - or unenviable, depending on how you look at it. The retool is ahead of schedule, but the roster remains under heavy construction. Defensemen Sean Walker and Nick Seeler, two pending UFAs who seemed destined to be flipped midseason, are playing well enough to warrant contract extensions. Laughton's situation is essentially the reverse: he's under contract through 2025-26 at a $3-million cap hit, but trade packages may be too hefty to pass up.Despite the Flyers' success, Briere probably won't be a deadline buyer. Gerry Thomas / Getty ImagesBriere's Metropolitan Division counterpart, Tom Fitzgerald, on the other hand, may be motivated to swing for the fences. Fitzgerald's Devils are in desperate need of a goalie and reportedly tried to acquire Markstrom.Prominent goalies rarely move midseason. But with John Gibson, Juuse Saros, Jake Allen, Elvis Merzlikins, and Marc-Andre Fleury also potentially available, Fitzgerald isn't necessarily boxed into a corner here. If he truly wants a goalie, he can likely pull off something spicy - even if he strikes out on Markstrom.Hypothetical 2025 Team Europe rosterThe 4 Nations Face-off will be in full swing at this time next year.The in-season tournament pits four nations - Canada, Finland, Sweden, and the U.S. - against each other in a nine-day, seven-game event. Russia (geopolitical reasons), Czechia, Germany, and other hockey nations won't be participating in this slimmed-down, likely one-off international competition. Patrick Smith / Getty ImagesThis also means a multi-country All-Star team won't be competing - despite Germany's Leon Draisaitl pushing for the return of Team Europe, which lost to Canada in the 2016 World Cup of Hockey final.What if Team Europe did return?For fun, here's a 23-man Team Europe roster featuring players from the same countries that comprised the 2016 team (Germany, Switzerland, Slovakia, Norway, Latvia, and Slovenia). Hint: This squad wouldn't be a pushover.Forwards

Last year's trade season was awesome, and we're here to remember it.There weren't many names left to be dealt by the time the deadline rolled around, but a deep collection of stars was moved in the weeks prior, generating enormous buzz for the season's playoff push. A year later, the ripple effects from all the wheeling and dealing are still being felt across the league. Below, we'll reflect on what worked and what didn't.Dubas' last hurrahKyle Dubas put his job in Toronto on the line, going all-in during the final season of his contract in hopes of finally making a playoff breakthrough. The Leafs' former general manager unloaded a bevy of assets to acquire Ryan O'Reilly, Noel Acciari, Jake McCabe, Sam Lafferty, Erik Gustafsson, and Luke Schenn in four separate trades to supplement a 111-point roster.Toronto got over the 19-year first-round hump with its revamped lineup but fell flat in the second round. Dubas left the organization in the offseason, and only McCabe is among the acquired Leafs still with Toronto. At the time, Dubas' coup felt like a big win. Looking back, this could serve as a cautionary tale about pushing all your chips into the middle.O'Reilly, Toronto's biggest get, looked like a great fit until he broke his hand in the regular season. The 2019 Conn Smythe winner was productive in the first round of the playoffs but went cold like the rest of the team against Florida, and then he walked in free agency. The rest of the Leafs' acquisitions, except Lafferty, left for nothing as well.Verdict: No number of new players can ensure playoff success.Devils win Meier sweepstakes Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / GettyMeier, who looked like a perfect piece for any playoff contender, was the biggest name available. The San Jose Sharks ultimately moved him to the New Jersey Devils in a complex nine-player trade that included three draft picks. Meier had 31 goals in 57 games for the Sharks. He then put up a respectable 14 points with New Jersey before a highly disappointing playoff showing.The Devils rewarded Meier's upside with an eight-year $70.4-million extension in the offseason. He's yet to live up to it, but it's too early to rule this trade a bust for New Jersey, especially since the team only dealt defensive prospect Shakir Mukhamadullin and 2023 first-rounder Quentin Musty. How those two impact San Jose's rebuild will go a long way in judging Mike Grier's first big deadline sale as GM in the Bay Area.Verdict: A potential blueprint for future big-name trades, but too early to call this a win or loss for either side.Golden Knights grab BarbashevVegas' acquisition of Barbashev from the St. Louis Blues for AHLer Zachary Dean flew under the radar, but it turned out to be a boon for the Golden Knights and their march to the Stanley Cup.Barbashev immediately clicked in Sin City, posting 16 points in 23 regular-season games before adding 18 in the playoffs. Half of those points came from Game 2 of the Western Conference Final onward, as Barbashev proved to be one of Vegas' most important players behind its usual cast of stars.He then parlayed his postseason success into a five-year, $25-million extension over the summer. Everybody wins.Verdict: Home run.Rangers snag veteran wingers Jared Silber / National Hockey League / GettyChris Drury was one of the league's most active GMs, making a series of trades headlined by the acquisitions of Vladimir Tarasenko and Patrick Kane. The Rangers also landed Tyler Motte and moved on from former ninth overall pick Vitali Kravtsov, but we're going to zero in on the big-name deals.Tarasenko arrived on Broadway well before the deadline in a surprising move that sent a first-round pick to St. Louis. The veteran showed some promise with 21 points in 31 regular-season appearances but struggled to make a consistent impact in the playoffs. He finished minus-3 in an ugly Game 7 loss to the Devils in Round 1.The entire hockey world knew Kane wanted to finish his contract year in New York. The Rangers and Blackhawks ultimately orchestrated a deal using the Coyotes as a salary broker while Chicago recouped some picks for one of the best players in franchise history. The hype around the trade was immense, but Kane's nagging hip injury made him a shell of his former self in the playoffs. The 2013 Conn Smythe winner, known for his postseason prowess, had five points in the first round but only registered two assists from Games 3 to 7 as the Rangers let a 2-0 series lead slip away.Kudos to Drury for going big. However, the Rangers' draft capital took a big hit from both deals, and they didn't win a single round.Verdict: Swing and a miss.Oilers nab EkholmEdmonton desperately needed help on its blue line before the playoffs. Swapping Tyson Barrie for Mattias Ekholm was a masterclass from Ken Holland. Ekholm brought experience, stability, and grit to the Oilers' lineup while providing a safety blanket for youngster Evan Bouchard. Edmonton went on an 18-2-1 run to close the regular season with Ekholm, and its power play hummed along at 33% over that span with Bouchard playing quarterback.Ekholm averaged nearly 22 minutes per night in the playoffs. He's set to be a key part of the Oilers' quest for a championship over the next few years while Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl are on their current contracts.Verdict: Perfect fit as it stands.Bruins bag Bertuzzi, Orlov Maddie Meyer / Getty Images Sport / GettyThe Bruins swung for the fences amid the best regular season in NHL history. Boston landed Dmitry Orlov and Tyler Bertuzzi in a pair of moves that made the team seem even more invincible than its unprecedented record indicated.Orlov was a seamless fit into the top four. He enjoyed an offensive uptick to the tune of 17 regular-season points and eight in the playoffs in Beantown. Orlov played major minutes but was on the ice for more goals against (11) than any other Bruins defender in the first round, an ominous stat considering the magnitude of Boston's historic collapse to the Panthers.Bertuzzi fit like a glove in Boston, both in terms of playing style and production. He co-led the club with 10 playoff points, but again, none of it mattered when the top-seeded Bruins were eliminated in Round 1 after holding a 3-1 series lead. Don Sweeney surrendered six draft picks, including two first-rounders, to acquire these players. While it's difficult to criticize the trades themselves, Boston's season couldn't have ended in a more crushing way.Verdict: High-price rentals for a single playoff round definitely stings.Canucks move Horvat, add HronekThe Canucks had a unique role last trade season. They sold former captain Bo Horvat with the playoffs well out of reach, then used the first-rounder they recouped from the New York Islanders to acquire Filip Hronek from the Detroit Red Wings a few weeks later.Vancouver did well to sell high on Horvat, who was on a shooting-percentage bender during his final year with the Canucks. Although he's produced this season, Vancouver's attack currently sits third in the league in goals without him. There were times last season when Horvat felt indispensable to Vancouver's long-term plans, but avoiding a big-ticket extension to open the vault for Quinn Hughes and Elias Pettersson (soon) is looking like shrewd business from the Canucks' front office.The Hronek trade was a bit of a shock as neither team was in playoff contention. It's paid off big time for Vancouver, as Hronek and Hughes have formed one of the league's best defensive partnerships. Among pairings to play at least 500 five-on-five minutes, they rank fourth in goal share (65.69%), sixth in shot attempts for (57.19%), and 12th in expected goals (53.35%). Hronek's turned out to be a terrific find, and the Canucks hold the leverage in upcoming contract negotiations with the impending restricted free agent.Verdict: Find Vancouver in the current NHL standings and judge for yourself.Sorry, how many picks for Jeannot? Mark LoMoglio / National Hockey League / GettyThe Tampa Bay Lightning blew the hockey world away when they sent the Nashville Predators five draft picks and a prospect for hard-nosed winger Tanner Jeannot. The package included a first-rounder in 2025, a second-rounder in 2024, and third-, fourth-, and fifth-round picks in 2023. Nashville couldn't resist accepting so many assets for a young, valued player.The Bolts' all-in deadline strategy has worked to their benefit in years past, but this one is quickly aging into a mess. Jeannot record four points in 20 games in Tampa Bay last season and was hurt in the club's first-round elimination to Toronto. This campaign, Jeannot is playing insignificant minutes and has mustered 12 points in 42 appearances. His physicality is impressive, but he profiles as a player you trade a late draft pick for, not one worth selling the farm.Verdict: The cost is still ridiculous a year later.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Pittsburgh Penguins retired the legendary Jaromir Jagr's No. 68 on Sunday.