Brian Boyle signed a one-year contract with the Florida Panthers, the team announced Sunday.The 34-year-old had conversations with multiple teams, but it's believed his preferred destination was Florida, according to TSN's Bob McKenzie.Boyle's deal will carry a cap hit of less than $1 million, adds McKenzie."With over 700 games played in the NHL and over 100 more in the playoffs, Brian brings a wealth of experience to our club," said Panthers president of hockey operations and general manager Dale Tallon. "He adds versatility and character to our lineup."Boyle split last season between the New Jersey Devils and Nashville Predators, scoring 18 goals and amassing 24 points across 73 games.The veteran center has been a reliable faceoff man throughout his career, winning 50.2% of his draws.Boyle was the 2018 recipient of the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy after his comeback from chronic myeloid leukemia.He was selected 26th overall by the Los Angeles Kings in the 2003 NHL Draft.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Toronto Maple Leafs are apparently looking to move forward Nic Petan, Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman reported on "Saturday Headlines."With defenseman Travis Dermott and forward Zach Hyman nearing respective returns from injured reserve, the club will need to clear players off its roster to become cap compliant.Petan has appeared in three of the Maple Leafs' nine games this season, during which he's recorded one assist.Toronto acquired Petan from the Winnipeg Jets in February for forward Par Lindholm. The 24-year-old then inked a two-year, $1.55-million deal with the Maple Leafs in March.The British Columbia native has tallied six goals and 25 points in 116 games since debuting in 2015-16.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Jason Zucker regrets calling out head coach Bruce Boudreau earlier this week."I'll start by first apologizing to Bruce. There was no reason for me to use his name in that quote in any way," Zucker said to the media on Saturday. "My intention with the quote was to state that everybody needs to be better ... 99.9% of that is on the players."Zucker's comments were made after the Minnesota Wild lost 4-0 to the Montreal Canadiens on Thursday, dropping their record to 1-6-0.Despite the harsh criticism, it seems Boudreau understood where his player was coming from."His whole thing was that everyone has to be better. He didn't intend, or want to center me out," Boudreau said.The veteran forward clarified he still wants to see a stronger effort from his teammates."I stand by the fact that A) it was my mistake, but I also stand by the fact that everybody does need to be better."Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Warning: Story contains coarse languageAnton Khudobin appeared to be searching for answers as the Dallas Stars suffered their eighth defeat in nine games Friday night.The club's backup netminder, who stopped 29 of 32 shots in a 4-2 loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins, was at a loss for words - to an extent - postgame."What else can you say? We just got another L, fucking, I don’t know," Khudobin said, according to the Dallas Morning News' Matthew DeFranks. "We just have to keep going and do something."The veteran goalie said the team isn't angry enough and was asked how the players can get angrier."Just getting tired of losing," he replied. "That's how."Dallas dropped to 1-7-1 on the season, equaling the worst nine-game start in franchise history, according to DeFranks.Friday's loss was the Stars' fifth straight. They have yet to win a game in regulation, with their lone victory coming in overtime against the Washington Capitals on Oct. 8.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

John Carlson has exploded out of the gate for the Washington Capitals.The star defenseman collected three assists in a 5-2 win over the New York Rangers on Friday night, pushing his season totals to 14 helpers and 17 points in nine games.Carlson notched three points in three of those contests, and only two blue-liners in NHL history have produced more three-point games than Carlson has through the first nine games.Paul Coffey and Paul Reinhart both authored four of them during the 1988-89 and 1989-90 seasons, respectively. The Capitals rearguard is tied with Bobby Orr, Gaston Gingras, and Harry Cameron on that list.With his second assist Friday, Carlson became the first defenseman in franchise history to record at least 15 points in the month of October.His 16th point gave him the most by a Capitals blue-liner in any calendar month since Mike Green notched 20 in February 2009.Carlson's latest three-point effort temporarily vaulted him into a tie for first with Edmonton Oilers superstar Connor McDavid in the NHL's points race. McDavid was also in action Friday night and will still have a game in hand after his contest.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Colorado Avalanche didn't have to play Friday night's game against the Florida Panthers without their most dynamic player, as Nathan MacKinnon was in the lineup.MacKinnon had been a game-time decision due to a leg bruise he suffered Wednesday.The perennial Hart Trophy candidate took part in Friday's pregame warmup in his usual spot between Gabriel Landeskog and Mikko Rantanen on Colorado's top line, according to The Athletic's Ryan S. Clark.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The New Jersey Devils have signed 2017 first overall pick Nico Hischier to a seven-year contract extension with an average annual value of $7.25 million, the team announced Friday.Here's the breakdown of the new pact, according to Sportsnet's Chris Johnston, who adds that it includes a modified no-trade clause in the eligible years.

Find line reports, best bets, and subscribe to push notifications in the Betting News section.An Original Six rivalry highlights this weekend's slate as the Boston Bruins head north of the border aiming to continue their dominance over the Toronto Maple Leafs.Of course, that's just one of 22 games scheduled over the next three days, as the NHL season starts to kick into high gear. Here's your guide to making the weekend a profitable one:Game bettingDallas Stars at Pittsburgh Penguins (Friday)With one win in their first eight games, the Stars are simply trying to stop the bleeding. Winning hockey starts with defense, which is one thing Dallas has managed to do well over the first two weeks - the goals have just dried up. Injuries have left the Penguins shorthanded up front, and Pittsburgh's last six home games against Western Conference teams are 5-0-1 to the under. Dallas' last 11 away contests against Eastern Conference clubs are 7-2-2 to the under. With the total set at six in this game, look for a tight, low-scoring affair.Carolina Hurricanes at Anaheim Ducks (Friday)This is a really tough spot for the Hurricanes, who face their fifth game in eight nights and their third in four, including a pair of back-to-backs. Anaheim has been a juggernaut early in the season, thanks in large part to stellar goaltender John Gibson. Teams are still looking to get their legs under them this early in the campaign, and fatigue will definitely play a part for Carolina against a stingy Ducks team. The hosts are small underdogs here and are well worth a bet to kick-start the weekend.Boston Bruins at Toronto Maple Leafs (Saturday)News that Leafs captain John Tavares will miss at least two weeks with a broken finger is poorly timed as the team welcomes the Bruins to town Saturday night. Boston has played well early in the year and should rebound here after losing to the Lightning in a shootout Thursday. The Leafs lack the depth to absorb the loss of their captain, have struggled against good teams, and are typically owned by the Bruins.Buffalo Sabres at San Jose Sharks (Saturday)Don't look now, but the Sharks have turned things around after a poor start, winning three in a row as they head into Saturday's contest on two days rest while in the midst of a homestand. The Sabres, and Carter Hutton, have been on a tear, but this is a tough spot as they conclude their California road trip with a third game in four nights.Edmonton Oilers at Winnipeg Jets (Sunday)Credit the Jets for avoiding a miserable start despite trotting out a depleted defense, but they've still been vulnerable on the penalty kill. Winnipeg owns the league's worst penalty kill (56.3%) heading into the weekend and will welcome the Oilers, who own the league's best power play (45.5%), to town. Those numbers really don't bode well for the Jets. Look for the Oilers to keep their hot start alive, courtesy of their special teams.Calgary Flames at Anaheim Ducks (Sunday)Not sure exactly who in the league offices the Flames pissed off, but it was someone. Calgary wraps up a brutal opening stretch - six games in nine days - in Anaheim, following an unenviable travel schedule that saw the team head from Dallas to Vegas to San Jose to Calgary to Los Angeles. This game concludes the Flames' second back-to-back in a week and it comes against the white-hot Ducks. It also doesn't help that Calgary has lost 32 of its last 33 games in Anaheim. That's not a typo. This is one of those empty-the-bankroll type of plays.Game propsNew York Rangers at Washington Capitals (Friday)With the Rangers on a back-to-back, Henrik Lundqvist gets the start for them in Washington. He's a shell of the goalie he once was and is in for a long night as he plays behind a tired team against the free-scoring Capitals. You should be jumping at Washington -1 in regulation at +125.Montreal Canadiens at St. Louis Blues (Saturday)After beating the Blues 6-3 in Montreal last week, the Canadiens travel to St. Louis for a return date with the Stanley Cup champions. The Habs don't typically excel in matinees, and with the Blues out for revenge, this should be a much tighter, lower-scoring game than what we saw Saturday at the Bell Centre. Playing Montreal's team total under 2.5 should be profitable in this spot.Calgary Flames at Anaheim Ducks (Sunday)As mentioned above, this really is the perfect storm. The Flames, who already suck in Anaheim, will be playing the Ducks under brutal conditions. John Gibson might be in line for a shutout. Play Calgary's team total under 2.5, as well as 1.5, the latter of which should be priced around +350.Player propsBoston Bruins at Toronto Maple Leafs (Saturday)Is there anyone Leafs fans are more tired of seeing than David Pastrnak? He owns the Leafs like the Yankees owned Pedro Martinez. In fact, Boston's whole top line does. The Bruins should have even more success with Tavares missing from Toronto's top line. The man they call Pasta torched the Leafs for six goals in four games last season and he should be celebrating another at Scotiabank Arena on Saturday night.Edmonton Oilers at Winnipeg Jets (Sunday)By now you know about the mismatch between the Oilers' powerplay and the Jets' penalty kill. James Neal has been one of the catalysts of Edmonton's powerplay, with six of his eight goals coming on the man advantage. He's got a great chance to add to that tally against the league's worst penalty kill Sunday.Alex Moretto is a sports betting writer for theScore. A journalism graduate from Guelph-Humber University, he has worked in sports media for over a decade. He will bet on anything from the Super Bowl to amateur soccer, is too impatient for futures, and will never trust a kicker. Find him on Twitter @alexjmoretto.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Detroit Red Wings forward Darren Helm has been fined $5,000 for slashing Calgary Flames forward Elias Lindholm on Thursday night, the NHL's Department of Player Safety announced.Helm and Lindholm went at it throughout a third-period shift. The back-and-forth culminated with Lindholm elbowing Helm up high before Helm responded by two-handing Lindholm in the back of the leg.Helm was ejected from the contest, while Lindholm received an interference minor.Lindholm left the game and didn't return. Calgary head coach Bill Peters offered no update on the right winger's condition postgame.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Colorado Avalanche forward Nathan MacKinnon is considered a game-time decision for Friday's tilt against the Florida Panthers due to a sore leg, head coach Jared Bednar told assembled media, including Mike Chambers of the Denver Post.The Avs superstar suffered a deep bruise to his leg/hip on a check from Patric Hornqvist during Wednesday night's game against the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Jason Zucker is sick of losing.The Minnesota Wild forward called out his entire team, including head coach Bruce Boudreau, following its 4-0 loss to the Montreal Canadiens on Thursday night."I think more than (a meeting's) going to have to jump-start us to be honest with you," Zucker said, according to The Athletic's Michael Russo. "It's going to be each individual guy from Bruce on down. Bruce has got to be better. We've got to be better. Everybody's got to be better. That's it."The Wild have just one victory in seven contests to start the season and are struggling to keep the puck out of their net. Minnesota ranks 30th defensively, as it has allowed 4.14 goals per game with a team save percentage of .870.Zucker, along with several other key players, including Zach Parise, Eric Staal, Mats Zuccarello, and Mikko Koivu, have yet to score a goal at five-on-five this season."No one else is going to get us out of it," Zucker said. "This is the team we have. We've got to figure it out. We’ve got to be better. This is unacceptable, that’s for sure."Boudreau, who is in his fourth season behind the bench in Minnesota, said he didn't share a message with the team after the game and that the players "closed the door and had their own meeting," according to Star Tribune Sports' Sarah McLellan.The Wild will look to bounce back when they host the Canadiens on Sunday night.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Carter Hutton had a night to remember as the Buffalo Sabres knocked off the Los Angeles Kings 3-0 on Thursday.The 33-year-old turned aside all 47 shots he faced, including 19 in the third period, to set a new franchise record for saves in a regular-season shutout.Hutton has now recorded back-to-back shutouts after blanking the Dallas Stars on Monday. Overall, the 6-foot-1 puck-stopper is 5-0 this season with a 1.39 goals-against average and a .950 save percentage.The Sabres record for saves in a shutout, including playoffs, belongs to Dominik Hasek, who stopped all 70 shots on goal in a win over the New Jersey Devils during the 1994 postseason.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Detroit Red Wings forward Darren Helm was tossed from Thursday's game against the Calgary Flames after slashing Elias Lindholm.Helm caught Lindholm from behind just over five minutes into the third period.The Red Wings center was assessed a five-minute slashing major and game misconduct, while the Flames winger was simultaneously handed an interference minor, as he hit Helm up high beforehand.Lindholm, who scored his fifth goal of the season in the second period, left the game and didn't return. Helm potted his third marker of the campaign less than 30 seconds after Lindholm's goal.Flames head coach Bill Peters had no update on Lindholm's condition postgame, according to Postmedia's Wes Gilbertson.The Flames defeated the Red Wings 5-1.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Mathew Barzal has apparently been keeping up with the Kardashians - up to a point, at least.The New York Islanders phenom compared himself to a certain reality TV star when MSG's Shannon Hogan asked him about his abnormally large lip caused by a couple of high sticks in Thursday night's game against the Winnipeg Jets.

The Carolina Hurricanes may be looking to add to their forward depth."They've made inquiries, and one of them is Josh Ho-Sang," TSN's Pierre LeBrun reported on Thursday's edition of "Insider Trading." "Jesse Puljujarvi ... that's another player that I'm told the Hurricanes have kicked tires on."The New York Islanders selected Ho-Sang 28th overall in 2014, but the forward has struggled to crack their NHL roster. He's appeared in just 53 games since being drafted.Puljujarvi, who was taken fourth overall in the 2016 draft by the Edmonton Oilers, has also failed to produce with his club, registering 37 points in 139 games. He began this season playing in the Finnish Elite League, where he's put up 12 points in 12 games."At some point in time, I think the Hurricanes, who are off to a good start, feel they need to add one more top-nine forward in their lineup," LeBrun added.The Hurricanes sit atop the Metropolitan Division with a 6-2-0 record.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Toronto Maple Leafs suffered a devastating blow Thursday, as captain John Tavares will miss a minimum of two weeks with a broken finger.For the top-heavy Maple Leafs, losing one of their elite centers stings a little more than it might for any other club. The 29-year-old scored a career-high 47 goals last season and was riding a four-game point streak in the early stages of this campaign.There is now a gaping hole down the middle of Toronto's lineup. It appears unlikely the Maple Leafs will recall a forward, so let's take a look at the players who are already on the roster and determine the team's best options moving forward, in no particular order:Option 1: Spezza gets bigger roleIcon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / GettyLWCRWAndreas JohnssonAuston MatthewsWilliam NylanderIlya MikheyevAlexander KerfootMitch MarnerTrevor MooreJason SpezzaKasperi KapanenDmytro TimashovFrederik GauthierNick ShoreNic PetanThe Maple Leafs' best line of Johnsson, Matthews, and Nylander stays intact in this shuffle. Kerfoot has played well in his first season with the club and gets rewarded with a promotion to the top six and a chance to play with Marner.Spezza has been in head coach Mike Babcock's dog house since his arrival this summer, but he'd get to play in a more offensive role on the team's third line. The 36-year-old doesn't move around the ice as quickly as he used to but would be flanked by two speedy, hard-working wingers in Moore and Kapanen. Moore and Mikheyev could also easily be flipped in any of these scenarios.Option 2: Goat gets rewardedPatrick Smith / Getty Images Sport / GettyLWCRWAndreas JohnssonAuston MatthewsWilliam NylanderIlya MikheyevAlexander KerfootMitch MarnerTrevor MooreFrederik GauthierKasperi KapanenDmytro TimashovJason SpezzaNic PetanNick ShoreThe top six from Option 1 remain the same here. The big difference is that Gauthier gets a chance to center the team's third line. "The Goat" has played surprisingly well this season and seemed to earn the trust of Babcock, as he's played in all eight of the team's games while the other fourth-liners rotate.Gauthier's offensive ceiling is severely limited, though, and he's probably better in a fourth-line role despite his strong play in the early going.We've also inserted Petan into the lineup as there's no longer a need for Shore's right-handed faceoff abilities with Spezza back on the fourth line.Option 3: Nylander moves to centerKevin Sousa / National Hockey League / GettyLWCRWAndreas JohnssonAuston MatthewsMitch MarnerIlya MikheyevWilliam NylanderKasperi KapanenTrevor MooreAlexander KerfootJason SpezzaDmytro TimashovFrederik GauthierNick ShoreNic PetanOption 3 makes for the biggest shake-up. We've moved Nylander to his natural position of center and split up the top line. Though he's probably better suited for the wing, Nylander has performed adequately here in the past. This gives the team its best possible center depth, as it moves Kerfoot back down to the third line.This also gives Matthews and Marner a rare chance to play together at five-on-five. Babcock has been reluctant to do so since the pair entered the league in 2016, but this could be the best time to see if it works for an extended period.Like Option 1, Spezza gets a top-nine role in this scenario, though he's handed far less responsibility playing on the wing.Who goes to the top power play?Kevin Sousa / National Hockey League / GettyWith new assistant coaches, Toronto's power play has featured a new look this year. Defenseman Morgan Rielly remains at the point, but Marner and Matthews flipped sides to be in better shooting positions. Tavares moved from in front of the net to the slot/bumper position, and Johnsson is in front of the net.Tavares' absence changes things. The most logical solution is to promote Nylander to the No. 1 power play. He's the team's most skilled - and perhaps deserving - player who's not on the top unit, and could easily slide into Tavares' spot.Blue-liner Tyson Barrie also provides an intriguing option after racking up 25 power-play points with the Colorado Avalanche last season. He could give the top unit a right-handed one-timer from the left half-wall, which would force Marner to move into the middle where Tavares was. This would require Jake Muzzin to play the point on the second power-play unit.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Welcome to Puck Pursuit, a weekly NHL podcast hosted by John Matisz, theScore's national hockey writer.Subscribe to the show on iTunes, SoundCloud, Stitcher, and Spotify.This week, ex-NHL tough guy Stu Grimson joins the show to discuss a wide range of topics:

Toronto Maple Leafs captain John Tavares will miss a minimum of two weeks after suffering a broken finger in Wednesday's loss to the Washington Capitals, the team announced on Thursday.Tavares was hurt late in the contest, and medical staff will reassess him after the initial set time frame. The Leafs play six games - including back-to-back games twice - over the next two weeks.The 29-year-old pivot has been incredibly durable throughout his career, suiting up in at least 77 games in each of the past five seasons. However, he was ruled out of the World Championship in May due to an oblique injury that sidelined him for a month.Tavares had registered three goals and four assists before suffering the injury. He's in his second season with the Maple Leafs and was named team captain earlier this month.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Jack Hughes and Kaapo Kakko aren't adding any fuel to the fire before their first NHL matchup.This year's top two picks - Hughes to the New Jersey Devils and Kakko to the rival New York Rangers - will clash for the first time Thursday in Newark, but both rookies are focused on a good team result rather than their headlining status."It was a big deal when those teams got the first and second picks," Hughes told NHL.com's Dan Rosen. "I mean, it doesn't happen often when those picks go to rivalries, rivalry games. I think the media makes a big deal out of it, but for me and him I'm sure it's just about our teams and trying to get a win.""It's Rangers against Devils and that's it," Kakko added.Hughes and Kakko were huge parts of their teams' respective rebuilding plans over the summer. The Devils and Rangers were both busy, with New Jersey bringing in P.K. Subban, Nikita Gusev, and Wayne Simmonds, while New York made significant splashes by adding Artemi Panarin, Jacob Trouba, and Adam Fox.The remodeling hasn't paid dividends so far for the Devils, who are 0-4-2 to start the season. Hughes has yet to record a point through six games.The Rangers, meanwhile, have only played three contests to date - the fewest among all teams - but Kakko notched his first career goal in his last outing.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Connor McDavid's latest efforts have him in rarefied air.The Edmonton Oilers superstar tied a career high with five points and established a new career best with four assists in a 6-3 victory over the Philadelphia Flyers on Wednesday night.McDavid became the second player in Oilers history to notch 17 points through the first seven games of a season, joining Wayne Gretzky, who did it five times in the 1980s.The Oilers captain also became the 15th different NHL player in the modern era, and the third in the last 26 years, to record 17 or more points through the first seven contests of a campaign, joining Gretzky and Mario Lemieux.McDavid scored a tremendous goal Wednesday and has five markers to go along with 12 helpers to begin the season. He was held off the scoresheet Monday against the Chicago Blackhawks but has at least a point in every other contest, including multi-point efforts in five of seven.The 22-year-old's five-point output Wednesday night vaulted him to the top of the leaderboard in the early Art Ross Trophy race.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Washington Capitals started rookie netminder Ilya Samsonov over a struggling Braden Holtby on Wednesday versus the Toronto Maple Leafs, but head coach Todd Reirden insisted prior to the game the decision was not worth reading into."It's not a goaltending controversy at this point. Braden's our No. 1 goalie," Reirden said after the team's morning skate, per Sportsnet's Chris Johnston.Holtby, the club's No. 1 since 2013, hasn't been good enough to start the 2019-20 campaign. In five games, the 30-year-old has posted a .846 save percentage and was yanked from his last start after allowing three goals on three shots.While Reirden doesn't believe Holtby is handing over the reins just yet, pressure has certainly begun to mount on the veteran netminder, who is set to become an unrestricted free agent July 1.Samsonov was a first-round pick of the Caps in 2015, and after spending four years in the KHL and one in the AHL, has looked impressive to start his career in Washington. The 22-year-old owns a .944 save percentage in three games so far and he'll be tasked with shutting down a Leafs offense tied for first in the NHL with 28 goals for through seven contests.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Corey Perry suited up for his first game with the Dallas Stars on Wednesday versus the Columbus Blue Jackets.Perry signed a one-year, $1.5-million contract with Dallas over the summer after the Anaheim Ducks bought him out, but he'd been sidelined to this point due to a foot fracture.The 34-year-old winger battled injuries last year, too, and posted 10 points in 31 games. For his career, he's notched 751 points in 932 contests to go with a Stanley Cup, a Hart Trophy, and a Maurice "Rocket" Richard Trophy.A bounce-back campaign from Perry would certainly be welcomed by the Stars, who've struggled out of the gate to a 1-5-1 record and rank 24th in goals for.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

New Jersey Devils assistant general manager Tom Fitzgerald will join John Hynes' coaching staff and serve as an assistant coach, the team announced Wednesday.There is no timeline for Fitzgerald's duties behind the bench. He will serve as a sounding board for coaches and players until the club "gets on track," the team's public relations department said, per NHL.com's Mike Morreale.Hynes suggested having Fitzgerald on the coaching staff, according to Devils reporter Amanda Stein.On Oct. 8, Hynes was listed at +900 to be the first coach fired this season. This trailed only Jim Montgomery (+400), Peter DeBoer (+500), Rick Tocchet (+600), and Bruce Boudreau (+700), and tied him with Paul Maurice.Hynes is in his fifth season as New Jersey's head coach and has just one postseason appearance to his name.On Tuesday, TSN's Bob McKenzie reported Devils GM Ray Shero is not considering a coaching change at this time.Shero made a number of splashes this offseason, trading for P.K. Subban and Nikita Gusev, signing Wayne Simmonds in free agency, and drafting Jack Hughes first overall. The overhaul came with high expectations, but the club is off to an 0-4-2 start.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Toronto Maple Leafs and defenseman Jake Muzzin have yet to discuss a contract extension, TSN's Pierre LeBrun reported on Wednesday's edition of "Insider Trading.""Jake Muzzin, their best defender early this season, there have been no contract talks at all. Not this summer, not early in the season between his camp and the Toronto Maple Leafs," LeBrun said.Muzzin is an impending unrestricted free agent and is eligible to sign an extension at any time. Yet the Leafs are reportedly waiting to see how blue-liners Tyson Barrie and Cody Ceci fit before engaging in contract discussions with any of their other defensemen. Barrie and Ceci were acquired in July and are also impending UFAs.Toronto's contract extension with Mitch Marner, among several other transactions over the offseason, presumably pushed a potential Muzzin extension down the team's list of priorities. However, Morgan Rielly is the club's only blue-liner under contract beyond this season.Muzzin was acquired by the Maple Leafs in January for a 2019 first-round pick, as well as prospects Carl Grundstrom and Sean Durzi. He currently carries a cap hit of $4 million.The 30-year-old has been rock solid for Toronto so far this season. In seven games, Muzzin has notched three points while averaging over 23 minutes per night. He also has strong underlying numbers, sporting a 55.11% Corsi For rating and 52.66% of expected goals, according to Natural Stat Trick.Toronto has a projected $65.5 million committed to its 2020-21 roster.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Three bench bosses for struggling clubs reportedly aren't on the hot seat just yet.Bruce Boudreau of the Minnesota Wild, John Hynes of the New Jersey Devils, and Jim Montgomery of the Dallas Stars are all safe for now, according to TSN's Darren Dreger, Bob McKenzie, and Pierre LeBrun."In speaking with (Wild general manager) Bill Guerin on Tuesday, he said, 'Listen, I respect Bruce Boudreau, I'm going to be patient here,' and when he says 'patient,' not just with him but with the entire roster before he starts making big changes," LeBrun reported on Tuesday's edition of "Insider Trading."McKenzie said there was no truth to the notion shared by a fake Twitter account Tuesday that Hynes had been fired."It was not true at all, and it's not something that general manager Ray Shero is considering at this time," McKenzie said in the same segment, before adding that while Shero may have to eventually do something to shore up his lineup, "firing the coach at this moment in time is not one of those considerations."Dreger then addressed the situation in Dallas."The Stars organization believes that they are a better team than their record clearly indicates," he said. "There's no sense of panic coming from management or the coaching staff."The Wild fell to 1-5-0 following a loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs on Tuesday night. Minnesota's lone win came against the rebuilding Ottawa Senators.Expectations are high in New Jersey after the Devils traded for P.K. Subban and Nikita Gusev while drafting Jack Hughes first overall. However, the team is winless with only two points in the standings through six games.The Stars are 1-5-1 through their first seven contests.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The 2019 Stanley Cup champion St. Louis Blues visited the White House on Tuesday, and President Donald Trump was pleased to have them in the Oval Office.

As a kid, Josh Manson would dart out the door, hop on his bicycle, and pedal down a Saskatchewan dirt road to his grandparents' cabin. There, the future NHLer would often find his grandpa Harold fiddling around in the garage. The image, though simple, is forever etched onto Manson's brain.The Anaheim Ducks defenseman couldn't help but think of Harold, an amputee, late last month as he welcomed sled hockey player Lera Doederlein into the organization's inner circle. Manson handed Doederlein a customized jersey to congratulate her on becoming the 21st Duck, an annual honor bestowed upon one fan "who embodies perseverance, character, courage, and inspiration."Harold Manson, who died in 2012, lived an active life for 81 years. Doederlein, 16, is doing the same; two amputees from different generations and with different stories, both unwilling to be defined by their challenges."When I knew him, it was never a limitation," Manson said recently, reflecting on how Harold coped with losing a leg during a railroad accident in the mid-1950s. "He was a very strong man. I don't think there was ever a point where we were feeling bad for him. That was not what he wanted."It's all about your mindset, and that's something Lera has as well. For her to have gone through (so much) and to have the attitude that she has - a nothing-you-can't-accomplish mindset - it's inspiring."––––––––––Lera Doederlein was born Chueva Valeria Valerivna in Russia on April 15, 2003.Immediately, doctors in the southwestern city of Saratov identified a serious problem: She had joint contractures in both of her legs and would later be diagnosed with arthrogryposis multiplex congenita, a rare, incurable condition that severely limits mobility.Valeria was put up for adoption the next day. It was at a nearby orphanage where she took on the nickname of Lera and, about 15 months later, endeared herself to her future parents.David and Fami Doederlein, devout Christians from Minnesota with three biological children, were a world away when they first laid eyes on her. In a video shared by a friend, Lera won them over instantly. "It was her bright eyes, inquisitive look, and the way that she was very attentive," David recalled.The adoption process took about six months. Not yet 2, Lera had gained a new family, a new country, and a culture willing to confront her medical condition."The attitude in Eastern Europe is very different than it is around here," David said. "I would say those attitudes are somewhat backward, knowing what we know about people with special needs being able to thrive in so many ways. When Lera was born - and her doctor and her mother saw she had these birth defects below the hip - the doctor encouraged her mother to give her up for adoption because they lived in a very poor area of Russia. He convinced her that, if she were adopted, she might have a better chance at a better life."Lera at age 9. Doederlein familyLera was unable to do much physically growing up, confined by braces that would run from her ankles to her knees, and a set of complex crutches. Surgeries offered little relief. So, at age 14, Lera opted to undergo a double above-knee amputation."I just wanted to take control of my life," Lera said of her decision. "From there, I had no idea what would happen, but obviously it took a good turn."The medical bill - which included the operation, physical therapy, prosthetics, and a wheelchair - was offset somewhat by insurance and a fundraising drive run by Lera's brother Isaac Doederlein, a professional Brazilian jiu-jitsu competitor. The family covered a large sum out of pocket, but the payoff has been immeasurable.Lera had so desperately wanted to be free, mobile in some way, and prosthetics granted her that freedom. Not long after the surgery, she took an interest in adaptive sports like surfing, hand cycling, and sled hockey. She was invigorated."Getting her legs gave her such a sense of freedom that she can do all of these things that she didn't think she could do before," said Sarah Bettencourt, Lera's teammate on the San Diego Ducks sled hockey team. "That's her mentality, her personality that we all love. She's willing to try anything, and give it a go, see what sticks and see what doesn't."Manson, Lera, and Getzlaf salute the crowd Debora Robinson / Getty ImagesIt was San Diego coach Nick Hurd who nominated Lera to become the 21st Duck, largely because she's blossomed into one of the top ambassadors for the adaptive sports community. Not only is she excelling in the sled hockey world - where only two-and-a-half years into her career she's joined Bettencourt as a member of the U.S. national development team - but she's also a strong surfer and cyclist, competing in national events in those sports as well."A lot of people get into other sports in the offseason, dabble with it to stay in shape," Hurd said, "but she's really excelling in hand cycling and surfing, really anything that people are putting in front of her. She's taking the bull by the horns and going with it."Lera, the fourth recipient of the 21st Duck honor, recently shared her story with Anaheim players before joining them on the Honda Center ice for practice. She then arrived at the home opener in a sports car driven by team captain Ryan Getzlaf, walked the ceremonial orange carpet with him, and received a standing ovation under a spotlight during player introductions."It shows you there's a lot more important things in hockey out there," Manson said. "At the end of the day, we're very fortunate to go out and play a sport for a living."Lera on the orange carpet with Getzlaf Debora Robinson / Getty ImagesLera had her own stall inside Anaheim's dressing room on that first day with the players, and one of the perks of being the 21st Duck is a season-long open invitation to participate in practice sessions. The Ducks opened the season with two home wins and on Monday wrapped up a four-game road trip. The club is now 4-2.Manson is impressed by Lera's resilience, maturity, disposition, and on-ice skills: "I'd love to get on a sled and try it one day," he said. "She'd skate circles around me, I'm sure. It doesn't look easy (overall), but she makes it look pretty effortless."Lera, who's described as a quick, aggressive, cerebral forward with a scoring touch, has thought about studying biomedical engineering at university. Still in 10th grade, she's in no rush to pick a career path, though something involving prosthetics and orthotics is possible."Part of my motto is to always stay positive and to look at the brightest side possible," Lera said. "You should always surround yourself with good people who care about you and your life."John Matisz is theScore's national hockey writer.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

For the first time in the 53-year history of the program, the Johnstown Warriors Cambria Youth Hockey Program rostered an all-girls team this season, and Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby played a big role in making it happen.Each player on the 12-and-under team, which is based outside of Pittsburgh, first began playing the game in Crosby's Little Penguins "Learn to Play Hockey" program, and the squad was surprised with tickets to see their idol play last week versus the Anaheim Ducks."Every single girl, all 17 of them, started with the Little Penguins. That's why we have a team now," head coach Sheri Hudspeth told Michelle Crechiolo of the Penguins' website. "This doesn't happen without him. We are so grateful."

Find line reports, best bets, and subscribe to push notifications in the Betting News section.Although this midweek preview consists of only three days as a result of the holiday, there's no shortage of games for us to pad our wallets ahead of the weekend.Among them, the Toronto Maple Leafs head to the United States capital, two Atlantic Division heavyweights clash at TD Garden, and the New Jersey Devils search for their first win.Game bettingTampa Bay Lightning at Montreal Canadiens (Tuesday)The Canadiens are playing a fast, exciting brand of hockey early in the season, and the Lightning can score goals at will. However, Claude Julien tends to tighten things up against offensive powerhouses, while Tampa will be eager to get things in order on the back end. The total is set at 6.5, but eight of the last 10 meetings between these teams have finished under that number.Arizona Coyotes at Winnipeg Jets (Tuesday)Following a disappointing start to the season, the Coyotes appear to be rounding into form, though scoring has proved to be a real issue for them, which should play right into the hands of the defensively shorthanded Jets. Arizona have lost all nine of their visits to Winnipeg since the 2012-13 lockout. At a short price of -130, back the Jets to make it 10 in a row over the Coyotes north of the border.Dallas Stars at Columbus Blue Jackets (Wednesday)It's hard to pass up getting the better team (the Stars) at a significant discount due to their poor start to the season. Dallas' losses have come against the Bruins, Blues, Red Wings, Flames, Capitals, and Sabres. It's been a tough schedule, but four of those five losses have been by just a goal. Expect a bounce back from the Stars after being blanked in Buffalo.Tampa Bay Lightning at Boston Bruins (Thursday)The Bruins are home on two days rest after hosting the Ducks on Monday. It's a spot they typically excel in under Butch Cassidy, going 7-2 since he took over for Claude Julien. Back the scorching-hot Bruins at a short price on Thursday.New York Rangers at New Jersey Devils (Thursday)This is a strange spot for the Rangers, who will be playing just their fourth game of the season when they take on the Devils at the Prudential Center. The Rangers are 2-6 in their last eight games in New Jersey, while losing nine of their last 10 on at least four days rest, which is what they have here. Bet the Devils to finally claim their first win of the season in what will be their seventh game.Game propsNashville Predators at Vegas Golden Knights (Tuesday)This will be the seventh all-time meeting between the Predators and Golden Knights. There have been just four goals scored in the first period of their previous six contests, with each of them staying under 1.5 goals in the opening frame. At +135, that's gravy.Toronto Maple Leafs at Washington Capitals (Wednesday)The Leafs faced this situation four times last season - traveling for the second game of a back-to-back after playing the first at home. They were 1-3 in those contests, but more importantly, allowed 23 goals over that span. Play the Capitals team total over 3.5 at plus-money, as well as the over 4.5 at close to +300 if you're feeling it on hump day.Nashville Predators at Arizona Coyotes (Thursday)Arizona may not be scoring many goals these days, but it isn't conceding many either. The Predators have scored just 11 goals in their last seven visits to the desert. Play their team total under 2.5 at plus-money, while the under 1.5 in the first period is also worth a strong look.Buffalo Sabres at Los Angeles Kings (Thursday)In their last four road games in the second of a back-to-back, the Sabres have just four goals. They've also been shut out in four of their last six visits to Los Angeles, with the Kings winning each of those games 2-0. Buffalo's team total under 2.5 should be priced around +140 given the rate they've been scoring, and certainly warrants a play here.Player propsToronto Maple Leafs at Washington Capitals (Wednesday)Alex Ovechkin has a higher goals per game rate against Toronto than any other Eastern Conference team with 39 goals in 48 career games. He's also potted six in his last six against the Leafs the past two seasons. Back him to add to his total in this game.Tampa Bay Lightning at Boston Bruins (Thursday)Over the past three seasons, David Pastrnak has 15 points in 12 games against the Lightning. He had six in three against them last season, including five assists. Trust him to get another helper on Thursday at the Garden.Alex Moretto is a sports betting writer for theScore. A journalism graduate from Guelph-Humber University, he has worked in sports media for over a decade. He will bet on anything from the Super Bowl to amateur soccer, is too impatient for futures, and will never trust a kicker. Find him on Twitter @alexjmoretto.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

James Neal continues to prove his scoring touch is back.The Edmonton Oilers forward has passed his goal total from last season after notching his eighth marker of this campaign in the veteran's sixth game on Monday against the Chicago Blackhawks.

David Pastrnak continues to prove his elite scoring pedigree.The Boston Bruins sniper tallied each of the club's four goals in its 4-2 victory over the Anaheim Ducks on Monday. He now has six goals in as many contests.Pastrnak scored 4:34 into the third period to complete his first career four-goal outing.

Washington Capitals netminder Braden Holtby owned his tough outing Monday after being pulled during the team's 6-3 loss to the Colorado Avalanche before recording a single save."I needed to fight harder to find that first one and find a way to make a save on maybe the second," Holtby said, according to The Athletic's Tarik El-Bashir. "It's unacceptable on my half. The last few games here I feel like I (can) put a lot of that weight on my shoulders. ... I need to be better."The veteran puck-stopper was replaced by Ilya Samsonov less than eight minutes into the game after allowing three goals on three shots.The loss makes for consecutive outings to forget for Holtby, who conceded six goals in a 6-5 defeat against the Nashville Predators on Thursday.Holtby has struggled to find his game this season following a subpar campaign in 2018-19. Through five starts, he has just one victory and owns a goals-against average of 4.27 with a .846 save percentage.The 30-year-old is in the final year of his current deal, which carries a cap hit of $6.1 million. He's scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Vancouver Canucks have granted netminder Jacob Markstrom a leave of absence to tend to a family matter, general manager Jim Benning announced Monday.Markstrom is expected to rejoin the club on the road this weekend against either the New Jersey Devils or the New York Rangers.The 29-year-old puck-stopper has had a strong start to the campaign, collecting a pair of wins with a 2.23 goals-against average and a .926 save percentage over four starts.Vancouver will lean on backup Thatcher Demko as Markstrom is likely to miss at least two games this week. The Canucks host the Detroit Red Wings on Tuesday before heading to St. Louis for a date with the Blues on Thursday.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

This is the second edition of theScore's NHL Power Rankings for 2019-20. Check back for updated rankings every second Monday during the regular season.In this edition, we jump to way-too-early conclusions after the first two weeks of the new campaign.1. Colorado Avalanche (4-0-0)Previous rank: 9Quarterbacking a loaded power play, Cale Makar will break the NHL record for points by a first-year defenseman (80) set by Mark Howe in 1979-80. Makar already has five points in four games - four of which have come with the man advantage.2. Carolina Hurricanes (5-1-0)Previous rank: 10Step aside, Devils, Rangers, and Panthers: The Hurricanes, despite not making an earth-shattering move this summer, were the winners of the offseason. Erik Haula and Ryan Dzingel brought much-needed scoring depth, Jake Gardiner and Joel Edmundson helped solidify a sturdy back end, and James Reimer may steal Petr Mrazek's starting gig between the pipes.3. Boston Bruins (4-1-0)Previous rank: 2Tuukka Rask and Jaroslav Halak, the best one-two goalie punch in the league, have alternated starts thus far - a trend that will continue for the entire season, with each netminder starting exactly 41 games.4. Edmonton Oilers (5-0-0)Previous rank: 25James Neal, whose seven goals in five games match his total from all of last season, will not only enjoy a bounce-back year, but he'll also surpass his career high of 40 goals and help the Oilers return to the playoffs.5. Buffalo Sabres (4-0-1)Bruce Bennett / Getty Images Sport / GettyPrevious rank: 24Personnel was never the main issue in Buffalo. New head coach Ralph Krueger is the right man to lead the charge in Western New York, and he'll capture the Jack Adams Trophy as coach of the year.6. Washington Capitals (3-1-2)Previous rank: 11In what will be his last season with the Capitals, Braden Holtby will be relegated to backup duties behind Ilya Samsonov, the club's goalie of the future and the present.7. Tampa Bay Lightning (2-2-1)Previous rank: 1Brayden Point, who missed the Lightning's first three games, is the straw that stirs the drink. Even with Nikita Kucherov, Steven Stamkos, and Victor Hedman on the roster, Point is the club's most complete player.8. Vegas Golden Knights (4-2-0)Previous rank: 5Two-way star Mark Stone, who's on pace for a career year offensively, will not only win the Selke Trophy as the league's best defensive forward, but he'll also garner serious Hart Trophy consideration.9. St. Louis Blues (3-1-1)Previous rank: 3The Blues are as tough to play against as any team in the league. Last season's title wasn't just a second-half miracle. They're legit, and they will enjoy another deep playoff run.10. Toronto Maple Leafs (3-2-1)Francois Lacasse / National Hockey League / GettyPrevious rank: 6William Nylander has come out of the gate playing the best of hockey of his career, and he'll finish the season with more points than teammate Mitch Marner.11. Philadelphia Flyers (2-0-1)Previous rank: 20Not only have the Flyers found a legitimate No. 1 goalie in Carter Hart, but the 21-year-old will be the youngest netminder to win the Vezina Trophy since Tom Barrasso did it as an 18-year-old in 1983-84 (Jim Carey won in his age-21 campaign in 1995-96, but he'd turned 22 by season's end).12. Nashville Predators (3-2-0)Previous rank: 8After the addition of Matt Duchene, combined with the decline of Pekka Rinne, the Predators will finish with a top-five offense for the second time in franchise history, but they'll end up in the bottom half of the league in goals against for the first time since 2013-14.13. Pittsburgh Penguins (4-2-0)Previous rank: 14A healthy Kris Letang is more important to the Penguins than a healthy Evgeni Malkin. The next month or so will provide the evidence.14. Winnipeg Jets (4-3-0)Previous rank: 16Though they have offensive firepower, the Jets don't boast a formidable enough blue line to make the postseason.15. Calgary Flames (2-3-1)Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / GettyPrevious rank: 7David Rittich has started five of Calgary's first six games, but it'll be Cam Talbot who eventually runs away with the No. 1 gig.16. Anaheim Ducks (4-1-0)Previous rank: 28John Gibson is the best goalie in the league, and it isn't close. With a new voice behind the bench in Dallas Eakins, the Ducks shouldn't be slept on as a playoff contender.17. Vancouver Canucks (2-2-0)Previous rank: 23Jacob Markstrom's stellar play in the crease has jolted the Canucks to begin the campaign. With the talented Thatcher Demko playing second fiddle, Vancouver's goaltending tandem looks like it has enough game to propel it to the playoffs.18. Montreal Canadiens (2-1-2)Previous rank: 17Jonathan Drouin has finally arrived in Montreal. The 24-year-old forward has six points in five contests and will keep the club in the wild-card race while becoming the first Canadiens player to eclipse the 80-point mark this decade.19. San Jose Sharks (2-4-0)Previous rank: 4Martin Jones is not who we thought he was. The 29-year-old puck-stopper has carried his subpar play from last season into 2019-20 with 13 goals against and an .887 save percentage through four starts. San Jose won't get the goaltending it needs to separate from the pack and will find itself in a tight playoff race all season.20. New York Rangers (2-1-0)Andre Ringuette / National Hockey League / GettyPrevious rank: 19Despite adding Artemi Panarin and Kappo Kakko this offseason, Mika Zibanejad is the best and most important player on the Rangers. The Swedish center already has eight points in three games this season and should be named the franchise's next captain.21. Detroit Red Wings (3-2-0)Previous rank: 30Anthony Mantha's goal-scoring ability has finally translated from junior to the NHL level. Come March, the Red Wings will likely be near the bottom of the standings, but Mantha's name will still be bandied about when discussing the "Rocket" Richard Trophy race.22. New York Islanders (2-3-0)Previous rank: 18The Islanders have only mustered 11 goals in five contests and haven't received the same all-world goaltending that helped them to 47 wins last season. Inking netminder Semyon Varlamov for $20 million over four years was a mistake, and New York will end the year closer to a lottery position than a postseason berth.23. Florida Panthers (1-2-2)Previous rank: 13It's happening again. The Panthers are off to another slow start as their record falls to 7-12-6 in October since 2017. In an Atlantic Division that offers little room for error, the Panthers will once again miss the postseason by a sliver.24. Los Angeles Kings (2-3-0)Previous rank: 29It's been a nightmare between the pipes for Jonathan Quick. The veteran has allowed 19 goals on 92 shots through three starts. Jack Campbell has a pair of wins despite posting mediocre numbers and will earn more starts than Quick this season.25. Columbus Blue Jackets (2-3-0)Robert Mayer-USA TODAY Sports / USA TODAY SportsPrevious rank: 27Sergei Bobrovsky's departure could set the Blue Jackets back years. Joonas Korpisalo has been subpar as the starting netminder and youngster Elvis Merzlikins was shelled for seven goals in his NHL debut.26. Arizona Coyotes (1-2-1)Previous rank: 22The Coyotes still can't find the back of the net and Phil Kessel has not come as advertised. The perennial goal-scorer has yet to find twine through his first four games with the club, and his lack of production will lead to the demise of Arizona's playoff aspirations.27. Dallas Stars (1-4-1)Previous rank: 12The Stars' top talents are past their prime. Jamie Benn, Joe Pavelski, Tyler Seguin, and Alex Radulov have combined for four goals in six games, and the club's offensive deficiencies will hinder its playoff chances in a competitive Central Division.28. Ottawa Senators (1-3-0)Previous rank: 31The Senators' victory over the Lightning shows that they're to be taken seriously on a nightly basis. Maybe Ottawa isn't the worst team in the Eastern Conference after all?29. Chicago Blackhawks (0-2-1)Previous rank: 21The Blackhawks made an assertive effort to bolster their defensive depth this summer, but they're winless through three games and have allowed 12 goals. Chicago looks poised to be the league's most entertaining non-playoff team once again.30. New Jersey Devils (0-3-2)Andy Marlin / National Hockey League / GettyPrevious rank: 15After an exciting summer, the new-look Devils are the league's biggest disappointment. Is John Hynes the right man for the job? A new voice behind the bench could serve the club well.31. Minnesota Wild (0-4-0)Previous rank: 26The Wild can't keep the puck out of their net and lack the firepower up front to keep games balanced. Mats Zuccarello's five-year, $30-million deal is the worst signing of the offseason and Devan Dubnyk's best days are in the rearview. General manager Bill Guerin will be a big-time seller at the trade deadline.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Arizona Coyotes are expected to be without defenseman Niklas Hjalmarsson for approximately three months after he suffered a cracked fibula during Saturday's loss to the Colorado Avalanche, sources told The Athletic's Craig Morgan.Hjalmarsson was injured when he blocked a slap shot from Erik Johnson early in the first period of Arizona's overtime defeat. He was later seen exiting the arena on crutches.The 32-year-old is one of the Coyotes' most reliable blue-liners and is one of the league's premier defensive specialists. Hjalmarsson has never topped 26 points in a season, but he's blocked more than 100 shots in nine of the last 10 campaigns and has averaged over 20 minutes of ice time per game for the majority of his career.The Coyotes, who were ravaged by injuries throughout the 2018-19 season, have started the new campaign with a 1-2-1 record. Their next game is set for Tuesday in Winnipeg.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Toronto Maple Leafs sent rookie defenseman Rasmus Sandin to the AHL and recalled blue-liner Kevin Gravel, the team announced Monday.Sandin impressed in the preseason and made the Leafs' roster straight out of training camp. The 19-year-old then appeared on the third defensive pairing in each of Toronto's first six games, recording two assists while averaging just over 12 minutes per night.The first year of Sandin's entry-level contract will only kick in once he hits the 10-game mark in the NHL.Gravel, 27, has recorded 13 points in 106 career games. He signed with Toronto this past summer.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Every Monday, theScore offers a weekly fantasy hockey column detailing a handful of moves you should make. This week's edition focuses on Week 2. Ownership percentages (as of Sunday, Oct. 13) and position eligibility are courtesy of Yahoo.Add Ondrej KaseTeam: Ducks

The Ottawa Senators have shut down their search for a president of hockey operations until at least the end of this season, Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman reports.Friedman added it was unclear whether the club would resume its search.Back in March, the team said it intended to make the hire "to support and provide guidance" to general manager Pierre Dorion while filling the void left by the late Bryan Murray.The team also said at the time that the potential new hire wouldn't threaten Dorion's position.Murray, the club's former general manager and head coach, died of cancer in August 2017. He stepped down as GM in April 2016, and Dorion took over the role with Murray staying on as a senior advisor until his death.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Toronto Maple Leafs could have themselves a gem in offseason addition Ilya Mikheyev.The Russian import added a goal and an assist in the club's 5-2 victory over the Detroit Red Wings on Saturday night to push his point total to five in six games. Despite his early NHL success, Mikheyev is doing his best to stay in the moment."I don't think about this," Mikheyev said, according to TSN's Mark Masters. "I just work, because this is my 1st NHL season, I (am in) other country, other mentality, and a new system for me ... I (am) very happy every day, when I come to practice rink or Scotiabank Arena on the game I (am) very happy."The 25-year-old put his speed on display to score his second goal of the season. Mikheyev won a tight foot race against Red Wings defenseman Madison Bowey before zooming around netminder Jimmy Howard and depositing the puck."We saw a great example tonight of what he's capable of," teammate Jake Muzzin said. "Good speed, hard on the puck, hard worker, smart. Great for us. Great teammate."Mikheyev, who played the last four seasons with the KHL's Omsk Avangard, signed a one-year, $925,000 deal with the Leafs ahead of the 2019-20 season.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

There's now a "Blank Space" in the Staples Center rafters.The Los Angeles Kings covered up a banner commemorating Taylor Swift before Saturday's home opener against the Nashville Predators.The banner, which lauded Swift for having the most sold-out performances at the arena, won't be removed entirely but will continue to be covered up at Kings games going forward, according to the Los Angeles Times' Arash Markazi.

Vladislav Namestnikov picked the perfect time to score his first goal with the Ottawa Senators.The former Tampa Bay Lightning forward netted the eventual winning goal against his old club Saturday off a feed from Connor Brown with just over three minutes left.

The red-hot Edmonton Oilers topped the New York Rangers 4-1 on Saturday afternoon to move to 5-0-0 to start the 2019-20 season.It's the first time the Oilers have won their opening five contests since 1985-86.More to come.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Antti Raanta is on the verge of his long-awaited return to the crease.The Arizona Coyotes goaltender will start Saturday's road game against the Colorado Avalanche, Coyotes head coach Rick Tocchet confirmed Friday, according to The Athletic's Craig Morgan.Raanta was recalled last week after earning a 19-save shutout with Arizona's AHL affiliate, the Tucson Roadrunners, while on a conditioning stint due to a minor injury he suffered in the preseason.The 30-year-old last played in the NHL on Nov. 27, 2018, when he suffered an injury in a game against the Minnesota Wild. He was placed on injured reserve in December and missed the rest of the season.Raanta posted a .906 save percentage across 12 contests in 2018-19. He authored a .930 mark over 47 games in 2017-18, his first campaign with the Coyotes.Arizona acquired him in a draft-day trade with the New York Rangers in 2017.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

TORONTO - Anthony Cirelli has never met a hockey puck he didn't want.The unassuming Tampa Bay Lightning center is inherently drawn to the little rubber disc and will do everything in his power to retrieve it: waving his left-handed stick in passing lanes, poking at feet and shin pads, mucking it up along the boards, and generally harassing puck carriers.They are not acts of intimidation. Gaining possession is the sole focus."If I'm not skating, I'm pretty useless out there," Cirelli said Thursday afternoon from his stall at Scotiabank Arena, sweat-soaked after a workout ahead of Tampa's statement win over the Toronto Maple Leafs. "I don't know where it came from. I've just always had that 'go' mentality."Claus Andersen / Getty ImagesCirelli, one of the NHL's top faceoff men last year, wasn't at his best in the circle during Thursday's game, winning just seven of 17 draws against the Leafs. Two of those wins, however, quickly resulted in goals for the Lightning. By night's end, he'd quietly collected three assists. Though Cirelli was on the ice for 20 even-strength shot attempts against and only nine attempts for in a season-low 17 minutes of action, he still found a way to make an impact.He approaches each shift as if it's his last moment on Earth, grinding away until something positive materializes even when the opposition's best - in this case, Auston Matthews, John Tavares, and Mitch Marner - are staring back."His determination to get his job done, to get the puck and to battle, it's really something you admire," Lightning defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk said. "His compete level on 50-50 pucks is tremendous. He has a low center of gravity, seems to really drive in, so he's strong on his skates. For that reason, he comes out of a lot of those battles with the puck."Cirelli's well-roundedness as a center legitimizes head coach Jon Cooper's willingness to load up his top line - which is exactly what he did against Toronto when top pivot Brayden Point made his season debut. On a star-studded crew featuring Point, super-sniper Steven Stamkos, and reigning MVP Nikita Kucherov, Cirelli is easily the Lightning's fourth-most important forward. There's plenty to like about his two-way game."I guess the better question would be, 'What don't I like?'" Cooper cracked. "When you ask players on our team who plays the game right, it's (rare) that Cirelli's name doesn't come up."Stamkos agreed."As a rookie last year, it was his responsibility on this team to shoulder the workload of shutting down other team's top lines, taking big faceoffs, being out there at the end of games," the Lightning captain said. "It's rare to find someone that young (and responsible). ... He's a huge part of our team. Everywhere he's gone he's kind of been that player, and he's that for us as well."Scott Audette / NHL / Getty ImagesCirelli's path has been well documented. He was just another minor hockey player, unknown until the age of 17 when the OHL's Oshawa Generals discovered him. He's been on a rocket-fueled trajectory ever since, scoring multiple championship-winning goals in junior, going to the Lightning in the third round of the 2015 NHL Draft, representing Canada twice at high-profile tournaments, and finishing sixth in 2018-19 Calder Trophy voting.Now established at the NHL level, Cirelli's ready to assert himself during his second full season. Cooper has mentioned numerous times that Cirelli has the potential to be the next Patrice Bergeron, the Boston Bruins' two-way leader who owns a record-tying four Selke Trophies. And the coach isn't the only one who thinks so."The sky's the limit for him, really. It seems like he's trending toward the Bergeron-type of player," Shattenkirk said, the comparison unprompted. "He's everywhere at all times, taking care of everyone's job for them while doing his own."For his career, Cirelli has a cool 53% Corsi For rating - despite starting 57% of his even-strength shifts in the defensive zone and typically shadowing opponents' best lines. What's more, he's drawn 15 more penalties than he's taken (32-17). As a key member of the first unit of a top-five penalty-killing team, he's already bagged five shorthanded goals in 104 regular-season games.Thanks to his instincts and solid skating, Cirelli finds himself on breakaways or partial breaks fairly often for a player not known for his speed. He recorded a respectable 19 goals and 20 assists in 82 games last season, and he's been the driving force between veteran wingers Ondrej Palat and Alex Killorn through four games this year. Though he's rarely used on the power play - an average of five seconds per game right now - two of Cirelli's four assists thus far have come with the man advantage. Promoted this season to second-line center, there's ample opportunity for Cirelli to produce more offense.Icon Sportswire / Getty ImagesCirelli has spent the past few offseasons tweaking his skating mechanics with Barb Underhill, Tampa Bay's skating guru. He's learned, for instance, to swing his arms in a more efficient manner. The Toronto-area native also spent hours refining his shot each day this past summer, first during on-ice sessions led by instructors and then alone at his family's home. After a rigorous day of workouts at the gym and rink, he'd shoot 150-200 pucks before bed.Cirelli's trainer, Dan Noble of Noble Sport and Performance, considers the 6-foot, 193-pounder a unique player because he had limited exposure to specialized coaches as a youngster. Relying on smarts and hard work to climb the ranks, Cirelli can still improve drastically within a single summer. His no-quit mentality doesn't hurt, either."Anthony's got zero ego," Noble said. "The humility he has, the desire to get better, it's there."Re-examining the 2015 draft, it's comical to see Cirelli's name way down in the third round, sandwiched between Jean-Christophe Beaudin and Vili Saarijarvi, neither of whom has played an NHL game. Of the 30 third-round picks that year, Cirelli is the only one to have appeared in more than 17 games. Despite going 72nd overall, he ranks 28th in his entire draft class in games played, trailing third overall pick Dylan Strome by just three contests.Mike Carlson / Getty ImagesSince the Lightning burned the first season of his three-year, entry-level deal in 2017-18 by giving him 18 regular-season appearances and 17 playoff games, Cirelli is a pending restricted free agent. Having only turned 22 in July, he's already playing a crucial role for his team while making just $728,333 this season.That's especially important for the cap-strapped Lightning, whose other big-time contributors - namely Stamkos, Kucherov, Point, No. 1 defenseman Victor Hedman, workhorse blue-liner Ryan McDonagh, and starting goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy - combine to eat up a large portion of the club's payroll."That's what you need," Stamkos said of Cirelli's rise. "In a salary-cap world, you need young guys to come in and have an impact right away. And he's one of those guys."Cirelli said there's been no talk of an extension between his agent and the team. Of course, there's plenty of time to work out a deal between now and next season. For what it's worth, Cirelli appears perfectly content with his place within the Lightning's "well-run, unbelievable organization."Already playing second-line minutes and on the verge of a healthy raise, Cirelli is not done growing. History tells us he will reach for the next rung on the developmental ladder as feverishly as he hounds a loose puck."You always have to have a chip on your shoulder," Cirelli said. "You can never be comfortable with where you're at."John Matisz is theScore's national hockey writer.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Find line reports, best bets, and subscribe to push notifications in the Betting News section.Happy Thanksgiving, Canada. And a happy Columbus Day to Americans.The long weekend treats us to an extra-busy NHL schedule, including a handful of Monday matinees. Enjoy the holiday, and here's to making it a profitable one.Game bettingAnaheim Ducks at Columbus Blue Jackets (Friday)No strangers to a Friday night home game, the Blue Jackets are typically stingy in these contests. Eight of the last nine have gone under the total (one push), while they've lost seven of 10. With John Gibson in town, a low-scoring Ducks win warrants a long look.Winnipeg Jets at Chicago Blackhawks (Saturday)If there's one thing the Jets and Blackhawks do well, it's score goals. Neither team puts much of an emphasis on keeping them out. The four meetings between them last season produced 34 goals, with at least seven in each game. You would be wise to give the over strong consideration.St. Louis Blues at Montreal Canadiens (Saturday)There's a reason Carey Price has earned the nickname "Mr. Saturday Night." The Canadiens goalie thrives on Hockey Night in Canada, especially at the Bell Centre. He should be locked in for a visit from the Stanley Cup champion Blues, guiding the Habs to another Saturday night win.Toronto Maple Leafs at Detroit Red Wings (Saturday)It's Leafs and Red Wings on HNIC. Both teams have been scoring for fun early in the season, but 10 of their last 12 meetings in Motown have gone under 5.5 goals. Six of them have gone under 4.5. Toronto should emphasize bouncing back defensively after allowing seven goals to the Lightning. With a high total projected for Saturday night, this is a great spot to get in on the under.Philadelphia Flyers at Vancouver Canucks (Saturday)The Canucks haven't enjoyed the best start to the season, but they're in a great spot Saturday as they play their second contest of a three-game homestand that spans 11 days. The Flyers are hardly as lucky - they fly back from their season opener in Prague for a solitary home game before having to fly across the country and north of the border for this one. That much travel in a short span borders on cruel. Back Vancouver.Calgary Flames at San Jose Sharks (Sunday)It's a daunting weekend for the Flames, who visit Vegas on Saturday and then immediately fly to San Jose for a date with the Sharks. San Jose got the monkey off its back by defeating the Blackhawks on Thursday night, and Patrick Marleau looks 25 again. I get the sense the Sharks are about to hit their stride. They're too good not to.Anaheim Ducks at Boston Bruins (Monday, 1 p.m. ET)Over the past three seasons, the Ducks are 3-10 in away games after playing a back-to-back, which they have Thursday-Friday against Pittsburgh and Columbus. Making matters worse for Anaheim is an early start against the Bruins, with puck drop scheduled for 10 a.m. PT.Game propsWinnipeg Jets at Chicago Blackhawks (Saturday)Not only are a lot of goals scored when these teams meet, but it tends to happen early: Of the 34 goals across their four matchups last season, the highest percentage of them came in the first period (12). Hit the over in the opening 20 minutes here and don't look back.Toronto Maple Leafs at Detroit Red Wings (Saturday)This is another spot to double down. The last 12 meetings between these teams in Detroit produced just eight first-period goals. Under 1.5, anyone?Columbus Blue Jackets at Carolina Hurricanes (Saturday)Both of these teams play Friday and Saturday. The Hurricanes are on a 12-1 run in the second game of a home back-to-back, while the Blue Jackets were 0-5 last season on the road when playing at home the night before. Lower the likely juice on the Canes here by taking them to win in regulation.Calgary Flames at Vegas Golden Knights (Saturday)The Flames have never won in Vegas and have four goals in four visits. They were shut out twice by the Golden Knights. Take their team total under and their alternate team total under 1.5 if you're feeling especially frisky.Player propsFlorida Panthers at Buffalo Sabres (Friday)Aleksander Barkov is still looking for his first goal in the infant stages of the season and you know an explosion is coming soon. Back the Panthers sophomore as he faces a Sabres team he put up eight points on (four goals, four assists) in four games last season.Toronto Maple Leafs at Detroit Red Wings (Saturday)Keep riding Auston Matthews to score in October. He's up to 31 goals in 37 October games in his career, more than he has in any other month by far. He will run cold soon - he always does - but take him Saturday; he has 10 goals in 11 career contests against the Red Wings.Columbus Blue Jackets at Carolina Hurricanes (Saturday)The Andrei Svechnikov breakout is upon us. I promise. He's yet to find the back of the net but he has been buzzing, with six assists through Carolina's first four games. He's driving play and it's a matter of time before the goals follow. Against a Blue Jackets team that's conceding goals in bunches, back Svech to get on the scoresheet.Alex Moretto is a sports betting writer for theScore. A journalism graduate from Guelph-Humber University, he has worked in sports media for over a decade. He will bet on anything from the Super Bowl to amateur soccer, is too impatient for futures, and will never trust a kicker. Find him on Twitter @alexjmoretto.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

When Peko Hosoi competes against her 12-year-old nieces in fantasy football, she abides by a firm rule: never play for money. In a family of self-proclaimed "excellent smack talkers," bragging rights alone constitute a worthy prize. And she’d rather not veer too close to fraught ethical territory; as the founder of the MIT Sports Lab in Boston, she has firsthand access to a trove of data about the results of games played through the daily fantasy provider FanDuel.Based on the insights Hosoi has gleaned from that data, even the staunchest fantasy football players among us - the diehards who mine draft rankings to find potential steals and monitor the waiver wire all week to optimize their shot at dominating Sunday - will realize they can't prepare for every twist of fate.In U.S. and Canadian daily fantasy sports, football is the toughest game in which to make an easy buck, given how influential random chance can be in determining the outcomes of its matchups. Deep knowledge of NFL depth charts, or proficient navigation of the weekly transactional churn, is often not sufficient to guarantee victory, at least compared to the experience of expert players in fantasy baseball, basketball, and hockey.This quirk is a major takeaway from a 2018 research paper co-authored by Hosoi. She and her colleagues devised a metric to quantify the extent to which luck and skill decide winners and losers in different daily fantasy sports - a mathematical answer to the initial policy question of whether these games were skill-based enough to convince state legislatures that they should be legalized.Data from Luck and the Law: Quantifying Chance in Fantasy Sports and Other ContestsHosoi's findings seem particularly relevant in October, the only time of year that the MLB, NBA, NFL, and NHL calendars - and, with them, each league's parallel fantasy universe - all intersect. For the millions of fans across those sports who manage a team of their own, one glance at the above spectrum should be enough to process another lesson."If you're somebody who's trying to make a bunch of money out of this," Hosoi said, "play fantasy basketball."In order to situate each fantasy sport on the spectrum, Hosoi and her fellow researchers set out a few years ago to study the results of salary-capped baseball, basketball, football, and hockey games played on FanDuel during the 2013-14 and 2014-15 seasons. If skill tended to trump luck in those competitions, a straightforward comparison - a player's average performance in the first half of a season versus their average performance in the second half - would illuminate its impact."One of the hallmarks of skill is persistence," Hosoi said. If a game is mostly based on skill, a player who wins more often than not remains likely to keep winning all season. If you lose in a blowout every week, it would be reasonable to expect that dispiriting trend to continue."Whereas if I'm flipping coins," Hosoi said, referencing an activity that appears on the spectrum for context, "and I happen to do well (at) flipping coins in February, that's in no way predictive of what I'm going to do in March."Peko Hosoi. Lillie Paquette / MIT SoEBy delving into win splits, Hosoi and her team found that victory in all four fantasy sports - and in their real-world versions - depends mainly on skill, though to varying degrees. The actual NBA, where teams play 82 games and hoist nearly a hundred shots per night, rewards aptitude more than any other competition. The actual NHL, where teams play 82 games but generate far fewer quality scoring chances, hews closer to the midpoint of the scale - closer to flipping a coin.Devoted hockey fans already know that a single fortunate bounce can mean a lot on any given night. The spectrum's innovation is showcasing the rapport between the balance of luck and skill in a real sport and the balance of luck and skill in most corresponding fantasy variants. In both types of basketball, talent is overwhelmingly likely to prevail, since it's a more predictable game. Hockey, in whichever form, is comparatively chaotic.Two points initially struck Hosoi as odd, she said: "One of them I can explain and one of them I can't."The first of those surprises is that fantasy baseball scored higher on the skill spectrum than the sport itself. Her theory? The proliferation of advanced stats in baseball has created a gulf between the best fantasy players and the rest of the field that exceeds the distance between MLB championship contenders and cellar-dwellers. Equipped with their detailed spreadsheets, these fantasy managers are better positioned to exploit a skill gap than they would be in other games.Harry How / Getty ImagesIt's harder to explain the NFL's close proximity to the pure-skill end of the spectrum. The gap between luck's hold on fantasy football and on actual football is greater than in other sports, even though logic suggests that random chance should be consequential in a league whose teams play only 16 games and don't score all that much."I'm going to speculate wildly," Hosoi said, putting forth two ideas as to why skill carries the day on the field. Maybe, like in fantasy baseball, there is a vast talent imbalance between NFL rosters, and it doesn't take many games for the proper pecking order to take hold. Maybe, as one of her students has hypothesized, it doesn't matter that scoring plays are infrequent because every down is a scoring opportunity, increasing the likelihood that the best teams will win out over time.Individual skill doesn't carry the same sway in fantasy football, which many players who compete in leagues against their friends may intuitively understand. Despite that, football is the favorite fantasy sport of two-thirds of the 59.3 million people who play all manner of such games in the U.S. and Canada, according to 2017 data from the Fantasy Sports Trade Association.To Hosoi, fantasy football's popularity goes hand in hand with its accessibility. When even diehard players need a little intangible help to win, odds are better that parity will reign."It's a game where a lot of people can participate regardless of their ability," she said. "You don't want to walk into a game where you're just going to get trounced every time. The way you make that fun for that population is you have to add an element of chance."Nick Faris is a features writer at theScore.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Jake DeBrusk almost had a goal and an assist on Thursday night against the Colorado Avalanche, but the winger remains pointless on the season due to a couple of calls that went against his Boston Bruins.First, DeBrusk assisted this disallowed goal by Karson Kuhlman, which was called back for goalie interference on David Krejci.

Toronto Maple Leafs captain John Tavares didn't mince words when assessing his team's performance in its 7-3 loss on home ice to the Tampa Bay Lightning on Thursday night."We have to do a lot better job of defending," Tavares said postgame, according to TSN's Mark Masters. "Letting seven in at home is just unacceptable."Tavares, who scored his first goal of the season in the opening frame, knows his club needs to be better."We just didn't execute at a very high level and they did," he said. "We just didn't do the right things that are going to consistently lead to good things and lead to results. That effort tonight isn't going to win us many hockey games."For the third time in four home games this season, the Leafs surrendered the first goal in the opening 2:30 of the contest.The Lightning struck for four first-period goals on Leafs netminder Frederik Andersen, including a pair on the power play. It was the first time in his career that Andersen has allowed four goals in the opening stanza of a regular-season matchup, according to Sportsnet Stats.Toronto is now 1-2-1 at Scotiabank Arena to start the campaign. The Leafs will travel to Detroit to face the Red Wings on Saturday night before hosting the Minnesota Wild next Tuesday.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.