The Rangers erased a three-goal deficit against the Islanders to storm back and win 6-5 in an outdoor edition of the Battle of New York on Sunday.The game was held at MetLife Stadium in - ironically - East Rutherford, New Jersey.Artemi Panarin scored the winner 10 seconds into overtime off a costly turnover by Noah Dobson. The play was reviewed momentarily as the net was knocked off its moorings before the puck crossed the line, but the goal was allowed after it was determined the Islanders dislodged the pipes.The Rangers trailed 4-1 early in the second period and 5-3 early in the third. Chris Kreider and Mika Zibanejad scored less than three minutes apart late in the third to force the extra frame. Both goals came at 6-on-4 with the goalie pulled and the Rangers on the power play.Igor Shesterkin struggled early between the pipes, allowing three goals before the midway mark of the opening period. But head coach Peter Laviolette stuck by his All-Star netminder, who settled in the rest of the way.It was the second game at MetLife Stadium - home of the NFL's New York Giants and New York Jets - in as many days after the New Jersey Devils defeated the Philadelphia Flyers in the first matchup of the Stadium Series on Saturday.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The New York Islanders will host the 2026 NHL All-Star Game at UBS Arena, the league announced Sunday.It'll be the Islanders' first time hosting the event since 1983."We have been looking forward to UBS Arena playing host to one of our major league events since before construction of this wonderful arena began," NHL commissioner Gary Bettman said.There will be no 2025 All-Star Game because of the 4 Nations Face-Off. The 2026 All-Star Game will be played ahead of the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan, which will be the first time NHLers compete since 2014.Bettman said at All-Star Weekend in Toronto that the league plans on "using the (2026) All-Star Game as a send-off to the Olympics," meaning the players competing in both will travel from New York to Milan together.The NHL didn't have All-Star Games before the Winter Olympics in 2006, 2010, and 2014. It did use the All-Star Game as a send-off ahead of the 2002 and 1998 Winter Games, though.The 17,255-seat UBS Arena opened in 2021 at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Jaromir Jagr played for nine teams over his 24-season NHL career, but the future Hall of Famer made it abundantly clear before his jersey retirement on Sunday that he considers Pittsburgh home."Yes, I do, and I always did," Jagr said. "If you ask anyone about Jaromir Jagr, they will say Pittsburgh Penguins."Jagr will have his iconic No. 68 raised to the rafters before the Penguins' game against the Los Angeles Kings. He played 806 games in a Pittsburgh jersey from 1990-2001, accumulating 1,079 points, five Art Ross Trophies, a Hart Trophy, and two Stanley Cups.The 52-year-old noted he's looking forward to being cheered again in Pittsburgh after last playing for the Penguins over 23 years ago."I hear a lot of boos lately. It was understandable, I was playing for a different team," he said, per NHL.com's Wes Crosby. "It'll mean a lot."Jagr returned to the NHL in 2011 with the Philadelphia Flyers after a three-season stint in the KHL. He said his decision was based on the chance to play in the top six, and he didn't know if he'd have the opportunity to do so with Pittsburgh."Maybe it was a mistake, I don't know," Jagr admitted, according to NHL.com's Wes Crosby.He added: "I don't know if I was selfish, but I was thinking about myself."Jagr met with Mario Lemieux and other old Penguins teammates on Saturday night. He revealed the last time they had seen each other was in 2017 at the NHL's 100 Greatest Players event, according to team reporter Michelle Crechiolo.While Jagr continues to play in his native Czechia with Rytiri Kladno, the team he owns, he acknowledged how special his career has been."When you do your job and you love to do it, and then you see the appreciation from other people, that's something that not many people can feel or understand," he said."I never thought I was going to be the guy to cry when I talk about something. I hope today I have a lot of laughs."Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Auston Matthews seems to have taken his game to another level.The Toronto Maple Leafs superstar came into this season as arguably the most reliable goal-scorer in the NHL, but his ability to find the back of the net has gone from incredible to otherworldly in recent months.Matthews registered a hat trick less than halfway through Saturday's 9-2 drubbing of the Anaheim Ducks. He racked up only 14:52 of ice time because of the lopsided nature of the contest. He added a pair of assists, giving him his first career five-point game.

Nico Hischier and Nathan Bastian each scored a pair of goals to lead the New Jersey Devils to a 6-3 victory over the Philadelphia Flyers in the outdoor game at MetLife Stadium on Saturday night.Hischier, the Devils captain, also added an assist in the win. Bastian's second was an empty-netter. Owen Tippett potted two tallies of his own for the Flyers.New Jersey opened the scoring on Hischier's first of the night just 32 seconds into the open-air tilt. He notched the second-fastest goal to start an outdoor game in NHL history behind Colby Armstrong's marker that came 21 seconds into the 2008 Winter Classic.The Devils led 2-0 after the first period, but the Flyers showed more life in the second stanza. Philadelphia set an NHL record for the most shots in a single period of an outdoor game with 25, but New Jersey led 4-2 heading into the final frame.Hischier nabbed his second goal of the contest less than three minutes into the third period. He and Bastian put their "Sopranos" and "Jersey Shore" attire back on to meet with reporters postgame and after all of the Devils donned the wardrobe for their entrance.

The Columbus Blue Jackets will host the Detroit Red Wings for a Stadium Series clash on March 1, 2025, the NHL announced Saturday night.The game will take place at Ohio Stadium, home of the Ohio State football program. It has a seating capacity of over 100,000.Columbus is one of three franchises, along with the Arizona Coyotes and Florida Panthers, that the league has never showcased in an outdoor game.The Red Wings participated in the Winter Classic in 2009 and 2014, the Stadium Series in 2016, and the Centennial Classic in 2017.Detroit and Columbus used to compete against each other in the Central Division before the NHL assigned them to separate divisions prior to the 2013-14 campaign.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Fashions change and trends prove fickle but one time-honored hockey tradition will never go out of style: looking your best on gameday.In hockey's early days, a suit did the trick. "It was throughout the league, everybody dressed up," says Gerald McNamara, who began his career with the Toronto Maple Leafs as a practice goaltender in the late 1950s before becoming a scout for the team and then general manager in 1981. "When they came to games, they had to come with a shirt and tie. When we went on the road, they had to have a shirt and tie. And on the plane to come home, they might loosen their ties."While those ties might be getting looser every year - or disappearing completely - the concept is immutable: "If I feel good going into a game, that always makes a difference," says Bruins forward David Pastrnak, who carries the sartorial mantle in today's NHL.Today's stars are increasingly seeing beyond the letter of the law - codified in team dress codes - to its spirit, upheld by generations of the league's greatest dressers, from Brendan Shanahan to Henrik Lundqvist to Sean Avery. They're playing within the dress code to redefine what looking your best means."My favorite (way to change it up) is probably just the color of the suit, and I sometimes match it with shoes or a hat," Pastrnak says.Pastrnak arrives at Madison Square Garden for a game Michael Mooney / NHL / Getty ImagesIt's a balancing of tradition and modernity, and it's helping today's athletes take that step toward giving fans something they've long been asking for: a little personality."My mom said I was always like this as a kid," says Pastrnak, which is a lot more backstory than you usually hear from an active NHL player in a media availability.Legacy of looking goodThe idea of looking your best when showing up at the rink isn't new. An element of sophistication has been part of a hockey player's gameday mystique since the sport's early days.Blackhawks goaltender Mike Karakas (second from right) and the Hawks' four defensemen with new hats purchased with a $50 reward Mike received for holding the Leafs scoreless in a 1946 matchup Bettmann / Getty Images"In those days, that was the dress code and everybody had to toe the line - let's put it that way - because they could give you two weeks' notice and you were out of your contract," says McNamara.Conn Smythe, who owned and founded the Maple Leafs, ran a notoriously tight ship. McNamara still remembers arriving at one of his early Leafs practices as a backup goalie and stumbling into a team meeting in progress. The players were attempting to unionize."The kid should hear this stuff too," Smythe told Leafs trainer Tim Daly, who led McNamara into the fold.Smythe pointed to the wall where plaques dedicated to winning Leafs squads hung. "There's my record," he said."But you can't eat records," retorted Tod Sloan, who by that point had amassed a 10-season tenure with Toronto. Sloan was summarily traded to Chicago.Smythe didn't tolerate dissent - not with unions and not with the dress code. No shirt, no tie, no hockey. Flouting the dress code for any reason was unthinkable. He even extended the requirement to fans, especially those in the more expensive seats.Conn Smythe and his wife dressed up to attend a Leafs game in 1945 Toronto Star archives While not every team went as far as to require its fans to arrive looking dapper, the players' dress code wasn't isolated to the Maple Leafs. For a lot of NHLers, wearing a suit felt like a distinction. "There was great pride in it," says Tracy Wilson, whose dad, Johnny Wilson, once held the NHL ironman streak and won four Cups with the Red Wings in the 1950s. "It's not like these guys made a lot of money in the NHL at that point. But it was surely better than working as a factory worker or digging ditches. I remember my dad told me about getting suits made. He wanted to look sharp. The mindset was: you wanted to look like a professional."While the method may be changing, the mindset is the same: players want to look like they're ready to work.Today's craftsmenJ.F. Bedard will never forget the frantic call he and his business partner received from Nick Suzuki on the eve of NHL media day in 2022, when the newly named Canadiens captain arrived in Las Vegas to meet the press without his luggage, which was lost somewhere in airline limbo. "I have a hoodie and shorts and 10 interviews before 10 a.m. tomorrow," Suzuki told the two tailors, who head up Glorius Custom, a brand that's become a go-to among players looking for a perfect-fitting suit."All of the stores were closed," says Bedard. "But we had a pair of jeans that were going to be delivered to another client. I gave them to Nick to try on.""Are you kidding me? These pants fit," Suzuki said."OK, give me five seconds, I need to make a call," Bedard replied."Why?" asked Suzuki."Because they're Crosby's pants," said Bedard, as he dialed the Penguins' star to ask if his custom outfit could be diverted. That's how the Canadiens captain ended up at media day in Sidney Crosby's clothes.Bedard recounted the story because to him it epitomizes the importance of fashion for today's modern players. "Fashion is very strong in the NHL right now. The guys need to be sharp."The Penguins' Kris Letang and Suzuki are both clients of J.F. Bedard's Arianne Bergeron, China Wong / NHL / Getty ImagesAcquiring a well-fitting suit is a process that requires something today's top athletes intrinsically understand: attention to detail. Bedard flies across the continent to perform the intimately AI-proof task of measuring them in person. "The best-case scenario is that we take the measurements because it is an art. For our business, the most important part is the measurements," says Bedard, who notes that if a player's body changes, measurements have to be retaken. "Hockey players have big thighs and slim waists, it's super hard to make some cuts - like the slim fit - work with their proportions," he says.Custom suits - the personalization, the artistry, the handiwork - aren't going anywhere, he thinks. He designs looks for many minor-league athletes now, and more than a handful of players at the draft. "It's in their head: when they put on the suit, the shirt, and a tie, it's like a ritual," he says.Of course, a tailor would say that. The NHL dress code, enshrined in the collective bargaining agreement, is good for business. But it's not just that. "I've always loved the dress code," says designer Tom Marchitelli, who dresses today's top stars across the NHL, NFL, MLB, and NBA. "Not just for my business, but because it adds a certain respect and class that the players bring to the sport."While some have decried the confines of the dress code in today's age, Marchitelli doesn't see it as a style-killer. Guys like William Nylander, Auston Matthews, and Pastrnak are finding unique ways to color within the lines. "There's a ton of style in the NHL today, there's just different degrees of style and how different people interpret that word," he says."When you look at the way NFL players dress, each guy wants to be flashier than the next. They want to have fabrics and fits that you see from a mile away. That's because the personality of the football guy typically is that way. A hockey guy is typically more reserved. I think it's just more of a reflection of the personality of the athlete by sport."When NHLers do want to showcase their personal style, team social media strategists are starting to help by posting real-time photos of players arriving to the rink in their fits. "You get to see them coming in and it makes them more human and more relatable. That inspires someone who goes to work in a suit every day to do something a little different to emulate them," says Marchitelli.The Stars' Jake Oettinger on the red carpet during NHL All-Star Weekend Cole Burston / Getty ImagesSome athletes prefer to stay on the safe side of Marchitelli's tastes. "I'm probably one of his more conservative clients," says Stars netminder Jake Oettinger, who was fitted by Marchitelli for the first time for this year's All-Star Game. But Marchitelli does have clients on his roster whose big personalities announce themselves in their fits."I can't think of more than three or four hockey players that would even attempt to put that thing on and try to pull it off," Marchitelli says of a suit he made for Evander Kane that the Oiler debuted in late 2023, pictured below. "That is a bold, badass man. I regard Evander as one of the best-dressed players in all of sports."Boston's Linus Ullmark and Edmonton's Kane are both Marchitelli clients Jeff Vinnick / Getty Images / Edmonton Oilers"I put a lot of thought into the suits I make for myself and wear. There's certain games you kind of pick out different suits for," says Kane. "There's a few guys who take pride in their appearance and try to add a bit more style into it. You're seeing them more around the league. A few years ago, I started wearing sneakers with my suit, no tie, button the dress shirt all the way up, you know, just different things. And I see some more guys doing that now."Roll out the red carpetToday's athletes, fans, and even front offices still want players to look put together when they come to the rink, but they aren't necessarily stuck on a suit and tie being the highest interpretation of what that means. What looks and feels professional today is taking on a new definition, in part due to a gradual, culture-wide inclination towards casual, and also partially due to the influence of other major sports on hockey culture."The pandemic bubble has broken down a lot of the dress code for the NHL," says Kesha McLeod, who now serves as Sherwood's in-house fashion director after a successful career styling athletes like Serena Williams and James Harden. "We got to see how expressive guys were and what they were wearing - not only just suits, but in casual wear. In what their interpretation was, we got to see a lot of personalities," she says."I really like now that people are taking chances. If we're going to have a dress code, to have fun with colors, textures, and to keep it exciting."McLeod remembers being on the ground during what she described as the "original tunnel walk" days of LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, and Chris Bosh, when the Miami Heat turned the act of showing up at the arena into what she calls "the new red carpet" after the NBA instituted its dress code in 2005 requiring players to arrive in business casual attire. This channeled the fashion sensibilities NBA players are known for into menswear, transforming the category."Being one of the originators of the NBA tunnel walk and seeing the progress of that tunnel from 2006 to now - I think eventually the NHL finally got to it and saw that it was something exciting," she says. "The NHL is just capitalizing on that and embracing the players that they have."Sherwood has branded itself on the hunch that style will be integral to engaging a new generation of fans who don't dress like their grandparents. "We started to look at the young kids coming into the sport and the influence that other sports have on hockey and hockey players. It is immense," says Brendon Arnold, Sherwood's associate vice president of brand. "You look at the NBA, you look at the NFL, you look at golf, you look at all these other sports: they have started to evolve over time and leverage creativity and individuality and self-expression and plug it into their sports," he says."That makes this a better game, it makes it a bigger game, you start attracting more people, you start attracting different types of people to the game that may not have even considered it because they may have believed it was stuck back in the old ages of what it used to be. Hockey is now becoming a more relevant sport with the youth because they're starting to see athletes and players and teams that resemble themselves and their values," Arnold adds.Living by a new codeWhen you talk to today's on-ice leaders about values that represent hockey, they don't sound too different from the game's originators almost a century ago."It's a very gritty sport. You've got to really work hard," says Ducks forward Max Jones.What's changed is the way that sentiment is expressed. Instead of suits and ties, those values are embodied in brands like cult classic Violent Gentlemen, started in 2011 in Southern California by Mike Hammer and Brian Talbert, who came from a music and action sports background."The hard work tied to Violent Gentlemen, the grit to their brand, is what attracts a lot of people," says Ducks forward Frank Vatrano. He recently modeled for the company in its newest lifestyle campaign announcing its biggest partnership to date, with Ebbets Field Flannels. "People in the hockey community can be really blue collar and I think that's what their company represents," Vatrano says.Frank Vatrano (left) with Violent Gentlemen founders Brian Talbert (center) and Mike Hammer (right) Supplied"The stuff they make is more of a streetwear-type brand," says Jones, who also modeled alongside Vatrano for the campaign. "I feel like it represents hockey players a lot."That new expression of the same values has worked its way up to front offices, some of which have experimented with loosening restrictions on dress codes since the pandemic. In 2021, Arizona took the league-leading approach of completely relaxing its gameday dress code in a move designed to connect more directly with fans."We have to tap into fans any way they can relate," says Xavier Gutierrez, Coyotes president and CEO. The team's focus is not just on its existing fan base, but on what Gutierrez calls "fans in waiting.""A central effort around that is to leverage content, experiences, and culture. Fashion, music, and food really engage these fans in waiting," he explains.To be sure, the Coyotes have received some recent criticism about their arena issues. But the franchise appears to have turned a corner on the ice, and it's collected a lot of positive feedback from players since initiating the clothing policy changes. "It's great that guys get to show their personality a little more in the way they dress," forward Liam O'Brien says.Jason Zucker and Clayton Keller leveraging the Coyotes' relaxed dress code to showcase their personal style Arizona Coyotes"I really enjoyed in Arizona showing up wearing whatever I wanted," says Senators defenseman Jakob Chychrun, who got a taste of the no-dress-code life before he was traded from the Coyotes to Ottawa last year. "I think you just come out feeling good about yourself. A little bit of swagger, a little bit of confidence. Confidence is everything. If you can get a little bit extra out of picking something that you think looks good out of your closet, all the power to you," he says.While Conn Smythe might have grown his fan base through a monoculture of suits and ties, more people today see variety as the path forward."Personality is how community is built," Violent Gentlemen's Hammer says. "Obviously we're all here because we like hockey. That's a given. But what other common ground is there? Those more connective things, like favorite brands and fashion, are just going to connect the fans more and more to the players, and that's great for everybody," he says. "That pushes the whole sport forward."Chychrun summed it up: "Hockey players are such genuine people," he says. "I don't think what you wear should determine whether or not we are professionals. I'm always an advocate for dropping the dress code, letting guys express themselves, doing whatever we can to grow the game."Jolene Latimer is a feature writer at theScore.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Jaromir Jagr donned the Pittsburgh Penguins' black and yellow once again during the team's practice on Saturday.The 52-year-old will have his iconic No. 68 retired by the team before Sunday's game against the Los Angeles Kings, nearly 23 years after last playing for the Penguins in 2000-01.

New York Rangers veteran Blake Wheeler will miss the rest of the regular season because of a leg injury, reports The Athletic's Peter Baugh.Wheeler hasn't been ruled out for a playoff return, but it's unlikely and depends on whether the Rangers can make a deep run. New York will place him on long-term injured reserve.The 37-year-old got hurt during the first period of Thursday's 7-4 victory over the Montreal Canadiens. He was unable to return with what the team called a lower-body injury, but he couldn't put any weight on his right leg following a hit from Habs defenseman Jayden Struble.Wheeler joined the Rangers on a one-year, $800,000 deal - with an additional $300,000 available in performance bonuses - in July after the final year of his contract was bought out by the Winnipeg Jets.He put up nine goals and 21 points in 54 games this season while spending most of his ice time on a line with Chris Kreider and Mika Zibanejad.The Rangers currently occupy the top spot in the Metropolitan Division with a 35-16-3 record.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The NHL regular season is flying by. Some teams are 67% of the way through their schedules, meaning the playoff picture is starting to take shape.Which teams are worth backing to make the playoffs? Which teams should be faded? Let's take a closer look.TeamTo makeTo missCoyotes+2200-10000Capitals+1100-2500Flames+400-650Kraken+360-550Predators+300-650Islanders+250-320Blues+160-200Penguins+130-160Devils+100-130Flyers-220+170Lightning-500+340Maple Leafs-1200+600Make: New Jersey Devils (+100)The Devils were one of the favorites to win the Stanley Cup heading into the season, but they find themselves on the playoff bubble. That largely stems from an extreme amount of injuries to key players.Jack Hughes, Nico Hischier, Timo Meier, Dougie Hamilton, and Jonas Siegenthaler, among others, have all missed significant time. The former three are back in the lineup and playing consistently, while the latter is expected to return soon. The team is finally getting close to full health, and that should lead to a drastic increase in wins.But injuries and underwhelming goaltending shouldn't receive too much focus. The Devils are still a very good team so long as Hughes and Hischier are in the mix, boasting an approximately 110-point pace with both in the lineup.Furthermore, with a healthy forward core, the Devils are starting to dominate the run of play at five-on-five, while youngster Nico Daws has helped stabilize things in goal.This team boasts more true talent than those they're competing with - the Red Wings, Islanders, Penguins, etc. - and there are rumors general manager Tom Fitzgerald wants to add a meaningful piece or two (most likely a starting goalie) at the deadline.Priced as a coin flip to make the playoffs, I think there is real value in backing the Devils.Miss: Pittsburgh Penguins (-160)The Penguins are in a very tough situation. They are five points back of a wild-card spot, 10 points back of a divisional spot, and one of their best players (Jake Guentzel) is expected to miss a month. They have an uphill battle ahead.Although the Penguins have some things going for them (an excellent top line, strong goaltending etc.), a lot of problems are hindering them and the reason why they're in this position in the first place.They lack scoring depth, and that's not going to change. Their power play also continues to disappoint, as the Penguins are scoring more times on the man advantage than only five teams.The Penguins have the fourth-best team save percentage, but that may not be sustainable. If Tristan Jarry or Alex Nedeljkovic stumble down the stretch and play more like a mid-tier tandem, the margin for error evaporates.I just don't see many reasons to believe this team can dig its feet in the sand and start stringing together wins.There are no reinforcements coming back from injury, nor is GM Kyle Dubas likely to make any notable additions. If anything, he may elect to sell Guentzel if the team doesn't make up ground in his absence.Expect the Penguins to miss the playoffs once again.Lean: Seattle Kraken to make (+360)The Kraken are quietly playing some good hockey. They rank sixth in goal share and ninth in expected goal share at five-on-five since January 1.With the returns of Jaden Schwartz and Andre Burakovsky, the Kraken are very deep up front and can rely on their depth to make up ground against opponents. Joey Daccord has also given them reliable goaltending, something they haven't had much of since joining the league.As much as anything, this is a bet on what teams around the Kraken will do.The Blues are likely to trade Pavel Buchnevich, who is playing at a top-line level.The Flames are clearly selling and could move on from the combination of Jacob Markstrom, Noah Hanifin, and Chris Tanev.Nashville has won only three of the past 10 games and may look to move Juuse Saros for young players and picks. That would mean more games for Kevin Lankinen and his .889 save percentage.The Kraken may sell Jordan Eberle, but I don't think that would impact the team. It has a lot of quality wingers and relies more on depth than any one player to get results.Even if expirings like Eberle and/or Justin Schultz are moved, the team will still be competitive.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.

Columbus Blue Jackets interim general manager John Davidson has no intention of moving Boone Jenner ahead of the March 8 deadline."I'm being very transparent," Davidson said during an appearance on "The Jeff Marek Show" Friday. "We get a lot of calls on Boone, but Boone's not going anywhere, and Boone doesn't want to go anywhere."Jenner's name has been cropping up in the rumor mill with the Blue Jackets far out of the playoff picture and several Stanley Cup hopefuls in need of a center. He addressed the speculation in a recent interview with The Athletic's Aaron Portzline."I want our group to become a successful team, to make the playoffs, and be relevant, get ourselves back on the map as a team," he said. "I know we have it in here, and we're going through the process right now."I want to be a part of that and what we can become on the other side. ... We have a long way to go, I know that, but we can get there."Jenner has racked up 16 goals and 21 points in 37 contests this season while winning 55% of his faceoffs. He represented Columbus at his first-ever All-Star Game earlier this month despite missing 15 games with a broken jaw.The 30-year-old has two seasons remaining on his deal with a cap hit of $3.75 million. He also has an eight-team no-trade clause.Columbus fired longtime GM Jarmo Kekalainen on Thursday. Davidson - who also serves as the president of hockey operations - said the team is considering options from outside the organization to fill the position, per NHL.com's Jeff Svoboda.The Blue Jackets are currently in last place in the Metropolitan Division with a 16-26-10 record. Columbus has made the playoffs five times during Jenner's 11-year NHL career, most recently in 2020.Columbus selected Jenner in the second round of the 2011 NHL Draft. He's the franchise's leader in games played (694) and ranks third all time in both goals (186) and points (350).Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The NHL got a little more interesting with Connor Bedard's return on Thursday night against the Penguins, but should his presence matter to bettors?Given that he played just four shifts before breaking his jaw on Jan. 5 in New Jersey, Bedard essentially missed 15 of Chicago's 53 games. However, he continues to lead the team with 33 points and remains the Calder Trophy favorite.It's unusual, but the future of the Blackhawks is also the present. The betting market docked Chicago around 10% in implied win probability (IWP) without Bedard. For example, in a game where they have a 40% chance to win (+150 on the moneyline) with Bedard, the Blackhawks might be given a 30% implied win probability (+233) without him.On Wednesday night, 24 hours ahead of the Penguins-Blackhawks game, Chicago was widely available at +185 (35% IWP). After the return of Bedard was made official on Thursday afternoon, the Blackhawks' moneyline settled at +160 (38.5%). That 3.5% move could be considered surprisingly modest, but there's a difference between losing Bedard's production amidst a stellar rookie campaign and getting him back for his first action in six weeks. Expectations that he wouldn't be in midseason form were understandable, and oddsmakers likely opened the Blackhawks a few percentage points short, aware that they might see some money on the home underdog once it was confirmed Bedard was back.Of course, bettors can only get so excited about the Blackhawks - with or without Bedard.With a 3-12 (20%) record on the moneyline and only one regulation win in Bedard's absence, the 10% change in valuation we mentioned earlier might be considered too low. However, it's not like the Blackhawks set the world on fire before Bedard got hurt. They won just 28.9% of their games (11-27 on the moneyline). A drop in win percentage of 8.9% suggests that valuation was about right.Here's a look at the Blackhawks' advanced metrics at even strength before Bedard's injury, and then in the 15 games they played without him:GAMESGOALS/GMXG%HDC%HDC/GMHDC CONV.%With Bedard2.3140.937.87.4414.1W/O Bedard1.4041.940.98.57.7The Blackhawks maintained their (poor) expected goals share (XG%) and improved their high-danger chance share (HDC%). But without Bedard, their ratio of converting those quality chances went way down.The league average in converting high-danger chances is 12.5%, so Bedard's presence makes Chicago better than average at converting scoring chances. His absence was felt on the power play, as the Hawks went from converting 14.1% of their HDC on the man-advantage to scoring just twice on 28 HDC created without Bedard.For bettors, the question of whether we should be more interested in backing the Blackhawks now that Bedard is back is an interesting one. According to Moneypuck.com, Bedard leads Chicago in XG per 60 minutes at even strength, but he's only tied for 77th (with Connor McDavid at 0.87) in the NHL. Ideally, we'd like to see him have more of an effect on driving play in general, even if we know his sniper skills make the Hawks more dangerous when he's on the ice.While the star rookie chipped in an assist in Thursday's 4-1 loss, his presence meant little overall. Pittsburgh generated 65% of the expected goal share at even strength and had significantly more high-danger chances than Chicago.The Blackhawks may be better with Bedard, but unless you're getting an unbelievable price on Chicago, you're still better off leaving them off your card on a nightly basis.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.We have just one NHL game on Friday's schedule, but there's a play that pops off the page. Let's take a closer look at that as well as one of my favorite sides for a busy Saturday slate.Martin Necas: Over 0.5 pointsNote: Puck drop is at 9 p.m. EST on Friday.Coyotes starter Connor Ingram recently suffered an injury that will take him out of the lineup for the next week or so. That means Karel Vejmelka will get extra reps, which is good news for opposing offenses.After beginning the year with a few quality starts, Vejmelka's wheels have fallen off. He's allowed at least three goals in 10 of 14 starts since mid-November and posted an underwhelming .890 save percentage in that time.Of Vejmelka's four competent showings, three were back-to-back-to-back nearly two months ago. They also came against the Sabres, Senators, and Sharks.Vejmelka consistently gives up goals in bulk, especially to quality teams like the Hurricanes. I don't expect that to change this time around.Necas is the focal point of a second line that's dominated opponents at even strength. Alongside Jack Drury and Michael Bunting, Necas has helped generate better than 86 shot attempts and 3.0 expected goals per 60 minutes.He's shooting the puck a ton and facilitating a lot of the offense as the most skilled player on his unit. It's leading to results: Necas has found the scoresheet in seven of 10 games, piling up 10 points in that span.The Coyotes bleed shots both at five-on-five and while shorthanded, and Ingram isn't there to bail the team out. I like Necas' chances of finding the scoresheet once again.Odds: -132 (playable to -145)Panthers @ LightningNote: Puck drop is at 5 p.m. EST on Saturday.The Panthers are playing as well as any team in the league. They own an 8-2-0 record over the last 10 games and are a remarkable 13-3-2 in 2024.They dominate the run of play every night, controlling nearly 59% of the expected goals share at even strength. That's a ridiculously strong total to maintain.I think they're the best team in the East and expect them to showcase that against the Lightning, as they so often do.The Panthers faced the Lightning three times over the calendar year of 2023. They won all three meetings, outscoring them 14-4 while generating 121 shots. The Bolts couldn't slow them down defensively and Andrei Vasilevskiy couldn't bail them out.I see a similar story playing out on Saturday. Although the Lightning are playing well, their xG share places them in the middle of the league in 2024.Mikhail Sergachev, who the Bolts were excited to get back, is now out for the long haul. I don't see much room for improvement in Tampa Bay without him.Look for Florida's dominant five-on-five game and impressive forward depth to be the difference against the Lightning.Bet: Panthers (good 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.

After a poor performance Thursday, Flames goalie Dustin Wolf is looking to use Calgary's 6-3 loss to the San Jose Sharks as a learning experience."I mean, you always want to come out and play the very best you can. ... It's unfortunate for the outcome, but I think these are games and days that you'll look back on," he told reporters postgame. "They suck, but ... it's a great opportunity to evaluate yourself as a player and a person and come back stronger."Wolf made 25 saves on 31 shots against the Sharks and allowed 3.79 goals above expected at all strengths, according to Natural Stat Trick. San Jose, which came into Thursday's matchup with the league's worst offense, jumped from dead last to 31st in both goals for and goals per game after the six-goal outburst.The Flames entered the final frame down 3-2, but Wolf surrendered three goals in an 11-minute span."I wasn't super pleased with the goals in the third, and those are the times where you need a couple saves to give the group some life," Wolf said.He added: "It's one of those where you make some saves, and next thing you know, a couple are in your net. You got a couple bounces that don't go your way. That's the nature of hockey and the National Hockey League - it's a hard league to play in."Wolf has appeared in just seven NHL games since making his debut last season. He owns a .887 save percentage and 3.47 goals against average.The 22-year-old has been outstanding in the AHL. He's been named the league's best goalie in back-to-back seasons and won the AHL's MVP last campaign.On the two occasions Wolf has surrendered six goals in the AHL this season, he's bounced back with a monster performance."I'd like to say that's one of my strengths in my game," he said on his ability to handle adversity.Flames head coach Ryan Huska believes in Wolf's ability to turn the page."I know he's good that way," he said. "He'll flush it and move on from it. There are certain things he'll take from it and make sure he's better his next start.""He needs to get back in there and be himself," Huska added.Calgary next plays the Detroit Red Wings on Saturday.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Toronto Maple Leafs inquired about the availability of Philadelphia Flyers blue-liner Sean Walker and Nashville Predators rearguard Alexandre Carrier, according to TSN's Chris Johnston.Toronto is reluctant to move its first-round pick this year and has been offering packages of lower selections, Johnston adds. The Maple Leafs don't own a second-round pick in any of the next three drafts.The club has also been linked to Calgary Flames veteran Chris Tanev throughout the season, though he's expected to be one of the biggest names available ahead of the March 8 deadline. Walker and Carrier could be cheaper options to help on the right side of Toronto's back end.Walker carries a $2.65-million cap hit before reaching unrestricted free agency this summer. The 29-year-old is in his first season with the Flyers following a trade from the Los Angeles Kings last June. He's notched 19 points in 54 appearances with Philadelphia while averaging nearly 20 minutes per night.Carrier, also a pending UFA, counts for $2.5 million against the cap. The 27-year-old has 14 points in 48 games this season.The Maple Leafs entered Thursday's action occupying the Eastern Conference's first wild-card spot with 62 points. They're projected to have approximately $1.2 million in deadline cap space, according to Cap Friendly.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Pittsburgh Penguins announced star winger Jake Guentzel will miss up to four weeks due to an upper-body injury sustained in Wednesday's loss to the Florida Panthers.Guentzel's absence could be a major blow to Pittsburgh's already perilous playoff chances, as the club currently sits seven points out of a wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference and is 11 points back of a divisional seed.The 29-year-old is tied with Sidney Crosby for the team lead with 52 points, and ranks second with 22 goals in 50 games. Guentzel is in the final year of his contract and has been floated around as a potential trade candidate before the March 8 deadline.General manager Kyle Dubas said in January that trade talk surrounding Guentzel is "pure speculation," and the player has previously stated he's open to signing an extension.The Penguins drafted Guentzel in the third round in 2013. He's recorded 466 points in 503 career games and helped the club win the Stanley Cup in 2017.Pittsburgh projects Guentzel could return to the lineup in early March. He has recovered early from one injury already in 2023-24, beating a 12-week timeline after offseason ankle surgery in time to play the season opener.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Chicago Blackhawks star rookie Connor Bedard is back in the lineup Thursday for a matchup with the Pittsburgh Penguins, his head coach Luke Richardson confirmed.

Kings forward Viktor Arvidsson is making his season debut against the New Jersey Devils on Thursday, Los Angeles head coach Jim Hiller confirmed Thursday, according to NHL.com's Mike Morreale.Arvidsson last played during the Kings' first-round loss to the Edmonton Oilers in April. He's been held out of action since undergoing back surgery in October. Arvidsson also had back surgery in spring 2022, forcing him to miss that year's playoffs. He appeared in all but five games last season, totaling 26 goals and 59 points.Los Angeles activated Arvidsson off long-term injured reserve earlier on Thursday, placing forwards Carl Grundstrom and Blake Lizotte on it in the process.It's been a roller-coaster ride of a season for the Kings, who were red-hot to start the campaign and set a new NHL record by winning 11 straight games on the road. They've floundered of late, posting a 4-8-5 record since the calendar flipped to 2024.Los Angeles fired head coach Todd McLellan during All-Star Weekend, replacing him with Jim Hiller in the interim.The Kings rank 15th in the league in goals per game (3.10).Arvidsson has amassed 173 goals and 347 points in 528 career games. The Kings acquired the 30-year-old from the Nashville Predators in July 2021 in exchange for a second-round pick and a third-rounder.He can become an unrestricted free agent this summer after playing out the final season of a seven-year, $29.75-million contract.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Morgan Rielly will appeal his five-game suspension in person to NHL commissioner Gary Bettman at noon ET on Friday, reports TSN's Chris Johnston.Maple Leafs general manager Brad Treliving, Rielly's agent J.P. Barry, and lawyers from the NHLPA will all accompany the Toronto blue-liner, according to TSN's Darren Dreger.Johnston reported Wednesday that Rielly would appeal the decision. The ban was announced Tuesday. If it stands, Rielly will be eligible to return Feb. 22 against the Vegas Golden Knights.The incident occurred in the final moments of Toronto's 5-3 loss to the Ottawa Senators on Saturday. Rielly cross-checked forward Ridly Greig up high after the rookie took a slap shot into the empty net to cap off the contest.

Thursday's clash between the Colorado Avalanche and Tampa Bay Lightning will feature a battle between the top two dogs in the Art Ross Trophy race - and Nathan MacKinnon is looking forward to going toe-to-toe with Nikita Kucherov."Everything," the Avalanche star said when asked what he admires about Kucherov's game, per Bally Sports' Gabby Shirley. "I think he is, obviously, one of the best in the world. It's not breaking news. It's awesome to watch him play."I think me and him have very different games, so that's why I love watching him so much. You can take a lot of, not advice, but tips from him in watching him play. It's amazing to watch him play, and I am excited to face him tonight."Kucherov currently leads the league with a whopping 90 points (34 goals, 56 assists) in 53 games. That's already the fourth-highest total he's ever put up in his career - and he has 28 more games to work with. He's on pace for just under 140 points, which would surpass his previous best of 128 points, a total he set in 2018-19 when he won the Art Ross Trophy."He slows (the game) down really well," MacKinnon observed. "I probably don't do that as well as I should. It doesn't seem like he ever misses a guy open and I think everyone takes pride in that, in seeing your teammates when they're open in the slot. I miss guys open there but he never does, it seems like."MacKinnon is no slouch either. He's right on Kucherov's tail with 87 points (32 goals, 55 assists) in 54 outings.The two All-Stars are battling for more than just the Art Ross Trophy. Thanks to their dominance, MacKinnon and Kucherov are putting together convincing cases for the Hart Trophy. The former sits atop the league in both goals above replacement (22.5) and wins above replacement (3.6), while the latter ranks around the top 10 in both categories, according to Evolving-Hockey.Containing Kucherov will likely prove a challenge for the Avalanche. He's racked up 15 points during an eight-game point streak, and he's only been held off the scoresheet 10 times this season."These two guys are incredible hockey players," Lightning forward Brandon Hagel said. "We are fortunate enough to have one and they are fortunate enough to have one."I am taking our guy tonight."Puck drops on the clash at 7 p.m. ET. The two sides last met in late November when the Avalanche won 4-1.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 an exciting day of NHL action ahead of us, with 24 of the league's 32 teams set to be in action. Let's take a look at a couple of plays worth backing.Kings (+100) @ Devils (-120)The Devils changed their defensive coverage to more of a zone scheme coming out of the All-Star break. They also got Jack Hughes back from injury.Those two things have paid immediate dividends and made the Devils look like a completely different team.They own a 3-1-1 record since All-Star Weekend and have performed better at both ends of the ice. Their defensive play has been more stable, and their offense looks like the juggernaut it was expected to be - it's generating more high-danger chances at five-on-five than all but three teams.I think they'll build on their recent success on Thursday night. The Kings have been stuck in the mud for what feels like forever, unable to gain footing and put together quality showings.That's becoming more difficult by the game as their goaltending has predictably fallen off a cliff.David Rittich has started four straight games, the last of which he allowed five goals on just 17 shots. They'll probably go back to Cam Talbot, which will probably be even more favorable for the Devils.Talbot has conceded at least three goals in seven consecutive starts and given up 8.33 goals above expectation since the calendar flipped.Hughes, Nico Hischier, Jesper Bratt and company are no doubt chomping at the bit to pounce on a reeling team with poor netminding.Look for them to do just that en route to the team's third straight win.Bet: Devils (-120)Oilers (-200) @ Blues (+170)The Blues routinely give up more shots and chances than they generate and compensate with clinical finishing. That's not a recipe for success against the Oilers.Stuart Skinner has been one of the league's best goaltenders for quite some time - a crazy thought given how the year started.He's posted a .940 save percentage and saved 19.57 goals more than expected since the holiday break. Those are downright absurd numbers.Although Skinner obviously won't maintain those long term, he's very much in form and won't give opponents more goals than they deserve on any given night. The Blues likely need that to have a chance in this game.The Oilers are among the best even-strength teams in the NHL and often earn a big edge in terms of chances. They should have their way against a Blues team with a 42% expected goals share over the last 10 games.Given the firepower on this Oilers roster, more chances will generally lead to success on the scoreboard.I expect Edmonton to take care of business in regulation and bring St. Louis back down to earth.Bet: Oilers in regulation (-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.

The Columbus Blue Jackets fired general manager Jarmo Kekalainen, the team announced Thursday.President of hockey operations and alternate governor John Davidson, along with the club's hockey operations management team, will assume the general manager duties in the interim."This is one of the hardest days I have had in my career as Jarmo is a friend, someone I have a great deal of respect for, and someone who has done a lot of good things during his time here," Davidson said. "While the future of our club is bright, our performance has not been good enough, and it is time for a fresh perspective as we move forward."Davidson added the organization will cast a wide net in searching for Kekalainen's replacement."We will look outside of the box, we'll look everywhere," Davidson said. "That's what we have to do, and that's why we're in no rush to do this. We're gonna look for energy, we're gonna look for smarts, we're gonna look for a player evaluator, a person that understands analytics. Everything from A to Z."Davidson was part of the Blue Jackets management group that named the Finnish Kekalainen the first European GM in NHL history in February 2013. Kekalainen held the position for parts of 12 seasons, overseeing the best era in the franchise's history, which included four straight postseason trips from 2017-20.Kekalainen is responsible for five of the club's six playoff berths in the team's 23 NHL seasons.The highlight of Kekalainen's tenure - and the organization as a whole - came in 2019 when the underdog Blue Jackets upset the 62-win Tampa Bay Lightning with a four-game sweep in Round 1 of the postseason. It still marks the only best-of-seven playoff series win in franchise history.Kekalainen went all-in at the trade deadline that year. He held on to pending unrestricted free agents Artemi Panarin and Sergei Bobrovsky and made splashes for Matt Duchene and Ryan Dzingel.But the past few seasons haven't been kind to Kekalainen, as Columbus sits in last place in the Eastern Conference for the second straight season. Johnny Gaudreau has yet to live up to the hype of the franchise-record $68.25-million contract he signed as a free agent in 2022. This past offseason's additions of Damon Severson and Ivan Provorov also haven't fixed the club's issues on defense.However, Kekalainen has set the team up nicely for the long haul through a retool over the last few years. Led by 2023 No. 3 pick Adam Fantilli, the Blue Jackets are one of the youngest squads in the NHL.Davidson said that's part of why he expects plenty of interest in the vacant position."I think we'll get a lot of calls. I really do," he said. "In fact, I've already had a couple."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 evening with our props Wednesday night. Brock Faber failed to find the scoresheet, while Joel Eriksson Ek played 24 minutes for a team that piled up 43 shots but fell one shot shy of giving us a winning night.We'll look to get back on track with three player props for Thursday's massive card.Brayden Point: Over 2.5 shotsPoint has some of the most drastic home/road splits in the league. It's almost unfathomable how much of a difference we see in his outputs.He averages 3.2 shots per game in Tampa Bay and is going over his total a whopping 72% of the time, but he's generating just 2.2 shots per game on the road, recording three shots or more only 38% of the time. That's a 34% difference in success rate.Thankfully, Point is at home Thursday night against an Avalanche team that has been vulnerable defensively of late.Over the last 10 games, the Avs rank 23rd in five-on-five shot suppression and 29th while killing penalties. They are giving up a lot of shot volume across all situations.As a top-line player and key contributor on the No. 1 power-play unit, Point is in a prime position to take advantage of Colorado's shortcomings.Odds: -114 (playable to -140)David Pastrnak: Over 4.5 shotsPastrnak let us down last time out, but the process was still strong. He piled up nine attempts and missed the net five times, falling one shot shy of the over as a result.His home averages (5.2 shots on 9.7 attempts) are as good as it gets and make him a priority target almost every time. A game against the Kraken is not worth making an exception for.They are giving up plenty of shot volume right now and recently conceded 37 shots to the Devils, 38 shots to the Flyers, 32 shots to the Blue Jackets, and 34 shots to the Blackhawks.The Bruins have dropped back-to-back games at home and will no doubt be hungry to get back on track.Win or lose, I expect them to rack up the shots in this game, and Pastrnak should be at the forefront of the action.Odds: -118 (playable to -135)Seth Jones: Under 2.5 shotsJones' shot volume has predictably dipped this season, as he plays for a horrendous Blackhawks team that is dealing with a constant wave of injuries to its few players of worth.He's generating only 2.3 shots per game and going over his total just 34% of the time. His success rate (26%) is actually lower at home, but that makes sense, as head coach Luke Richardson controls the matchups and has Jones spending more time trying to slow down the opposing team's best players.The Penguins rank in the top half of the league in limiting five-on-five shots over the last 10 games and don't take many penalties.Jones is likely to spend a lot of time in the defensive zone trying to slow down Sidney Crosby and Jake Guentzel. That, coupled with little power-play time, will make it very difficult for Jones to record three shots.Odds: -140 (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.

Toronto Maple Leafs head coach Sheldon Keefe is trying to strike the perfect balance between encouraging and pushing Tyler Bertuzzi as the forward toils away in an 18-game goal drought."As I've discussed with him, he's gotta work at his game," the bench boss told media Wednesday, including TSN. "He's gotta practice, he's gotta shoot with purpose, he's gotta take every rep in practice and have it be meaningful."Quite honestly, it's not just a this season thing, it's last season as well. His pace is not a whole lot different than where he was a season ago. You're trying to get him back closer to the 30-goal Bertuzzi, but we haven't been able to do that."Bertuzzi signed a one-year, $5.5-million deal with Toronto in July as the Maple Leafs looked to boost their supporting cast following the loss of Michael Bunting. However, Bertuzzi hasn't lived up to expectations, totaling six goals and 21 points in 50 games while predominantly riding on a line with some combination of the Leafs' core four forwards.The 28-year-old played in 50 games last campaign between the Detroit Red Wings and Boston Bruins, posting eight goals and 30 points while battling two separate hand injuries. Bertuzzi is on pace for around 10 goals and 34 points this season.Despite his current dry spell, Keefe said he's seen a lot of positives to Bertuzzi's game."You do bet that it's going to fall. And you encourage him because he is getting the chances," he said. "To me, he's played good hockey. You don't get those types of chances if you're not playing good hockey and doing good things. ... He's done a lot of little things very well that don't show up on the scoresheet, and he's getting the chances, so that's very encouraging."Though he hasn't found the back of the net since late December, Bertuzzi has chipped in with seven assists over his last 18 games. He's also racked up 29 shots, 54 shot attempts, and around four individual expected goals at all strengths during that span, per Natural Stat Trick.Bertuzzi's best statistical campaign came in 2021-22 when he amassed 30 goals and 62 points in 68 outings. Only six of those tallies came on the man advantage, but he's getting significantly less time on the power play this season.Keefe said he's had conversations with Bertuzzi about giving him more looks on the power play, but it isn't a given."I think he can bear down on those opportunities and be a guy that's really pushing for those minutes rather than us just trying to hand them to him," he said.Bertuzzi's next chance to end his scoring struggles comes Thursday against the Philadelphia Flyers.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

TORONTO - In the fourth game in league history, PWHL Toronto defender Olivia Knowles cross-checked a New York opponent in the numbers to clear the crease. A scrum ensued, and the combatants were given offsetting minors while Toronto's Allie Munroe followed them to the box for roughing.Deployed to kill the penalty, Toronto forward Emma Maltais advanced the puck and beelined to join a two-on-one rush, exposing the power play's flat-footedness. She kept her stick on the ice in case a pass arrived, then buried a rebound. Maltais celebrated as Munroe, suddenly absolved of wrongdoing, left the sin bin.

Zach Parise is planning on hanging 'em up after this season."Yeah, this is it," he said earlier this week in an interview with NHL.com's Tom Gulitti. "This is it."Parise signed a one-year, $825,000 deal with the Colorado Avalanche as an unrestricted free agent in late January. He made his season debut when the Avs returned from the All-Star break and has chipped in with one goal in five games while averaging just under 13 minutes of ice time a night.The 39-year-old said that he felt at peace with retiring after last season but changed his mind late in the summer."I got that itch once guys started to ramp their training up to get ready for camp," Parise added. "In the back of your mind, you're thinking, 'I can still play.'"He spent his last two campaigns with the New York Islanders and posted back-to-back 30-point seasons without missing a game. Islanders forward Mathew Barzal was upset to see his former teammate go, suggesting that New York's middling record was to blame for Parise's departure.The Avalanche have made the playoffs in each of the last six seasons and won the Stanley Cup in 2022. Colorado has continued its successful ways this campaign and is in a tight battle with the Winnipeg Jets and Dallas Stars for the top spot in the Central Division."That was a big draw with the amount of guys that have won here and how they've been playing all season," Parise said. "That gets you even more excited."Parise has never lifted Lord Stanley's Mug. He made it to the 2012 Stanley Cup Final with the New Jersey Devils, but they fell to the Los Angeles Kings in six games. The veteran forward has amassed 37 goals and 80 points in 111 career playoff games."I have a lot, and I'll give everything to whatever role, whatever situation they put me in," he said. "Wherever they throw me, I'll give it everything I've got. That hasn't changed. But I'm grateful to be given the opportunity."Colorado ended a four-game losing streak with a 6-3 victory over the Washington Capitals on Tuesday. Next up for the Avs is a clash against the Tampa Bay Lightning on Thursday.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Philadelphia Flyers named veteran forward Sean Couturier captain Wednesday.He's the 20th captain in franchise history and will be the first player to wear the "C" since Claude Giroux in 2022. Travis Konecny and Scott Laughton will serve as alternate captains."Sean was drafted here and has made Philadelphia his home," general manager Daniel Briere said. "I have personally seen his development from a responsible forward to one of the best two-way centermen in the game and a playoff performer. The adversity he has had to overcome has only strengthened his proven leadership."Couturier was the eighth overall pick in 2011. He has dressed in 771 regular-season games for the Flyers, along with 39 playoff appearances. He's notched 493 career points and won the Selke Trophy in 2020 as the league's top defensive forward."It's such a great honor," Couturier said. "It's a really prestigious organization, so this makes it even more special. This city is my home, and I love it here."Couturier was limited to 29 games in 2021-22 and missed all of last season as a result of two back surgeries. He's registered 33 points in 50 games this campaign and is second among Flyers forwards in average ice time at 19:47 per contest.Philadelphia has been one of the league's biggest surprises this season, sitting third in the Metropolitan Division with 64 points after finishing seventh in 2022-23.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The San Jose Sharks and Kevin Labanc are working to find a new home for the struggling forward."We are working with the (Sharks) to find (Labanc) a new opportunity in the NHL, either by the trade deadline or the offseason," Labanc's agent Mike Curran told The Hockey News' Max Miller.Curran noted that teams were interested in Labanc earlier this season, but a trade never materialized.Labanc will be a healthy scratch for a seventh consecutive game on Wednesday against the Winnipeg Jets. He has just two goals and seven points in 32 games this season.The 28-year-old could prove tough to move with a $4.725-million cap hit. He's set to become an unrestricted free agent this summer. The Sharks can retain salary on one more contract this season."It's just an understanding that it's not working here," Labanc told Miller on Tuesday. "Maybe go somewhere else and get a fresh start. Maybe when you were younger, you thought you'd be with the same team for your whole career, but that's not necessarily the case. Not everyone can be Marc-Edouard Vlasic, Logan Couture, and Tomas Hertl."The Brooklyn, New York, native tallied a career-high 17 goals and 56 points in 2018-19 before registering nine points in 20 playoff games as the Sharks went all the way to the conference finals.Despite his successful campaign, Labanc signed a modest one-year contract worth $1 million in July 2019 as a restricted free agent amid a San Jose cap crunch.The Sharks took a significant step back the following season, and Labanc's numbers dipped as well. Still, San Jose inked the then-24-year-old to a four-year, $18.9-million contract in October 2020.Since his career-best campaign in 2018-19, Labanc has tallied 46 goals and 107 points in 250 games and is a minus-79 in that span.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

A class-action suit was filed Wednesday in federal court in New York arguing that the major junior hockey system in North America violates U.S. antitrust law.The lawsuit, brought by divisions of the World Association of Icehockey Players Unions and two individual former major junior players, takes aim at the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League, Ontario Hockey League and Western Hockey that make up the Canadian Hockey League, as well as the NHL. The plaintiffs allege the leagues exploit teenagers in the sport by restricting their ability to pick where to play and, as a result, limiting their compensation.The NHL is named as a defendant for its role in supporting and financing the CHL. Lawyers allege in the complaint that the NHL and its teams exert substantial influence and control over major junior defendants, thereby facilitating major junior defendants' conspiracy."The lawyers call the system a cartel (that) artificially suppresses and standardizes compensation by denying players their freedom of choice, freedom of movement and freedom to play for the club of their choice."The CHL had no immediate comment on the complaint.We have just been made aware of the complaint, filed by WAIPU, an organization that has not been certified to represent any CHL players," the league said in a statement sent to The Associated Press. Until we can thoroughly review the document, we are unable to provide comment as to the legitimacy of its contents."Representatives for the CHL and NHL were not given advance notice and did not receive the complaint until Wednesday morning after it was filed in U.S. District Court in Manhattan.Eight of the CHL's 60 teams are based in the U.S.: Five in Washington state, two in Michigan and one in Pennsylvania. The rest are in Canada, but one expert in sports labor law does not think that is a problem, given that many antitrust situations extend beyond the U.S.They're doing business in the United States, and the end users of the most successful products are going to be, presumably, NHL hockey players both in the U.S. and Canada," said Michael LeRoy, a University of Illinois labor law professor. I don't think that's a problem."Each U.S. state and Canadian province is assigned to one of the three leagues - the QMJHL, OHL or WHL - and players from them who want to play in the CHL cannot choose among them. They are then drafted, and the team owns each player's rights for his entire junior-age career.Junior hockey players have not had a union for collective bargaining with leagues. This move is similar to efforts in recent years by minor league baseball players to unionize, which led to a deal with Major League Baseball in 2022.LeRoy also compared the situation to yearslong fights against the NCAA by college athletes for name, image and likeness rights and changes to make transferring easier - which junior hockey players don't have.Ironically (the suit) points out that the NCAA has a much freer system of athletic labor than is involved here," LeRoy said.The lawsuit seeks an injunction declaring the geographical draft restrictions, contracts and agreements in place unenforceable, along with damages for players for compensation and from league profits. Plaintiffs are asking for a jury trial.The two individual former major junior players who are part of the suit are Isaiah DiLaura and Tanner Gould. DiLaura, 23, is from Lakeville, Minnesota, and Gould, 19, is from Calgary, Alberta.Teenage players continue to be treated like disposable objects, just like I was," DiLaura said in a news release. I am hoping this lawsuit will put an end to that."Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Calgary Flames and New Jersey Devils had conversations about a trade involving goaltender Jacob Markstrom, according to TSN's Pierre LeBrun.However, discussions reportedly did not escalate to the point where Calgary asked Markstrom if he would waive his full no-movement clause to accept a move to New Jersey.Talks failed to progress over how much money - if any - the Flames would retain on Markstrom's contract, or what compensation the Devils would add to the deal in order to get the goalie's cap hit lowered, LeBrun added. It remains unclear if the trade can be revived.Markstrom recently stated that he's open to the idea of being traded if the option presents itself but is content staying in Calgary."Whatever direction they want to go and what they want to do, I'm not going to force anything," he said.Markstrom is under contract through 2025-26 with a $6-million cap hit - tied for fifth highest among netminders who have appeared in at least one game this season.The 34-year-old Swede is enjoying an excellent season for the Flames, sporting a .916 save percentage in 33 appearances. He leads the league with 32.77 goals saved above expected, per Evolving-Hockey.Markstrom struggled last season, but he was the Vezina Trophy runner-up in 2021-22 with a league-leading nine shutouts. He also finished fourth in voting in 2019-2020 and 10th in 2018-19.Goaltending has long been an issue for the Devils, and 2023-24 is no exception. The trio of Vitek Vanecek, Akira Schmid, and Nico Daws has combined for a .894 save percentage. The 6-foot-6 Markstrom would undoubtedly be a big boost for a squad currently on the outside of the playoff picture.The Flames have already begun selling off assets, such as Elias Lindholm. Fellow pending unrestricted free agents Noah Hanifin and Chris Tanev are expected to be dealt as well.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Buffalo Sabres general manager Kevyn Adams pushed back on speculation that he's looking to trade pending restricted free-agent forward Casey Mittelstadt ahead of the March 8 deadline."I'm not surprised his name's out there just because of where we are in the standings," Adams said during an appearance on "Schopp and Bulldog" on Tuesday. "He's our leading scorer, he's had a very good year, he's a very good player, and that's part of this business. ... I know there's been some reports out there that we're shopping him, that could not be further from the truth. That is just flat-out not true."Mittelstadt has racked up 43 points - including 37 at even strength - in 52 games this season and is due for a raise on his current $2.5-million cap hit. The 25-year-old is also eligible for arbitration.ESPN's Kevin Weekes first floated Mittelstadt's name as a trade target in mid-January. The "After the Whistle" podcast - hosted by former Sabres Andrew Peters and Craig Rivet - reported Friday that Buffalo was shopping the center because the team didn't want to foot the bill on his next extension. Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman later shared a similar sentiment on the "32 Thoughts" podcast, saying the Sabres would have to move Mittelstadt if they didn't want to pay him.Though Adams says he isn't actively shopping Mittelstadt, he acknowledged that the forward's name has been coming up in conversations with other teams."My job is to listen, my job is to ask questions, my job is to know exactly what's out there, how we can look at ways to improve our team," he said. "When it comes to our core players, I am not interested in moving guys out for future type of deals. If there's a deal that we believe makes our team better today and into the future, meaning we're not compromising short-term, then I have to be open to that."Despite the outside interest in Mittelstadt, the executive said that he wants to get an extension done."I really like him, I think he's a really good player for us, and my expectation is that we'll work towards a contract and get him signed," Adams said.Buffalo has dished out plenty of long-term extensions to their young players, including Tage Thompson (seven years, $50 million), Dylan Cozens (seven years, $49.7 million), Mattias Samuelsson (seven years, $30 million), Owen Power (seven years, $58.45 million), and Rasmus Dahlin (eight years, $88 million). Dahlin's and Power's new extensions kick in next season.The Sabres have fallen short of heightened expectations this campaign, sitting in seventh place in the Atlantic Division with a 23-25-4 record. They're on track to extend their playoff drought to 13 years."I'm certainly not in a position right now where I'm going to act out of emotion or frustration. ... I understand the frustration for our fans, I get it," Adams said. "But I can promise you they're not more frustrated or disappointed than I am in where we are in the standings. And we've gotta fix it."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 was a strong Tuesday for our player props. We were one David Pastrnak shot shy of a sweep, and he had every opportunity to get there, piling up nine attempts along the way.At any rate, we'll take the profit and look to build on it with three more plays for Wednesday's card.Kyle Connor: Over 3.5 shotsConnor is one of the NHL's best volume shooters. He averages a hair under four shots per game and has one of the highest shooting ceilings in the league.The 27-year-old is skating on the top line with Mark Scheifele and Nikolaj Ehlers, the latter of whom has helped Connor produce a shot rate that's only bested when Gabriel Vilardi is on the ice with him.The matchup is also as good as it gets. The Sharks have bled shots all season and are showing no signs of improvement. They rank dead last in shots allowed to opposing wingers over the last 10 games.The Jets have stumbled a little lately. But they haven't played since last Saturday and won't play again until this Saturday. They've had a lot of time to rest up, which means Connor should get as much ice as he needs in this one.Connor has recorded at least four shots in five straight against San Jose. Look for him to feast on the Sharks again.Brock Faber: Over 0.5 pointsFaber is red-hot offensively. He's registered at least a point in nine of the past 10 games, amassing 13 points over that span. That's solid production for any defenseman, let alone a rookie whose calling card is supposed to be on the defensive side of the ice.Nearly half of Faber's points during this hot streak have come on the power play. He quarterbacks a dangerous top unit featuring high-end weapons, offering plenty of assist potential.It just so happens the Coyotes are a dream matchup for opposing power plays. Arizona's one of the most undisciplined teams in the league and struggles mightily to limit shots and chances while undermanned.Minnesota should be able to bank on three or four power-play opportunities (if not more), which should be more than enough to find the back of the net.If the Wild convert on the man advantage, Faber - who sits second on the team in power-play points over the last 10 - has a strong chance of being involved.Even if power-play success doesn't come to fruition, this is still a great spot for Faber. At five-on-five, the Coyotes rank bottom five in shots and goals against over the last 10 games.Odds: -120 (playable to -140)Joel Eriksson Ek: Over 3.5 shots This is also a great matchup for Eriksson Ek. He's currently centering Kirill Kaprizov and Matt Boldy on the top line. While you may think being flanked by high-end shooters would eat into Eriksson Ek's opportunities, the opposite holds true.Eriksson Ek's five-on-five shot rates are higher while playing alongside Kaprizov and Boldy than with other Wild players. Even though they both shoot a lot, this trio spends so much time in the offensive zone that it leads to more shots for Eriksson Ek.As I mentioned with Faber, the Coyotes take a ton of penalties and are giving up insane shot volume across all game states. The Wild should put up 30-35 shots with ease.It's also worth noting that Arizona ranks last in shots against centers over the past 10 games. Eriksson Ek, who averages 3.7 shots per contest this season, should be the prime beneficiary.Odds: -114 (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.

The 2024 NHL trade deadline is approaching, and there's nothing more fun this time of year than arguing over hypothetical trades.Here's how this exercise went down: Each of theScore's five NHL news editors (Kyle Cushman, Kayla Douglas, Josh Gold-Smith, Sean O'Leary, and Josh Wegman) submitted a trade to have the other four editors vote on which team they think would say no in that scenario. "Both" and "good deal" were options, too.Below, I dive into the trades and analyze which aspects make sense and which don't.Predators land Zegras in blockbusterPredators receive: Trevor Zegras

Ottawa Senators forward Ridly Greig addressed Saturday's incident with Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Morgan Rielly for the first time following his team's win Tuesday."Just a lot of adrenaline," Greig said of his decision to score on the empty net with a slap shot, per TSN. "Just the heat of the moment, heat of the game. It was an emotional game. Just got a breakaway and thought I'd bury it."Greig was unsure if Ottawa's Canadian Tire Centre being filled with Maple Leafs fans impacted his decision. "It definitely doesn't feel good when the fans are 75% Leafs fans, but I don't know if that factored in or not."Rielly took exception to how Greig scored the empty-netter and cross-checked him after the play.

Veteran free agent Phil Kessel is in Vancouver and will begin working out with AHL Abbotsford, Canucks general manager Patrik Allvin announced Tuesday.Kessel has gone unsigned since becoming a UFA last summer. He said in November that he's eager to play and doesn't care about upholding his NHL-record ironman streak if he finds a fit.The 36-year-old is on a 1,064-game regular-season streak but was a frequent scratch in the playoffs last spring as the Vegas Golden Knights marched to the Stanley Cup.Kessel registered 14 goals and 22 assists in 82 games last season and is eight points shy of 1,000 for his career. He and Canucks head coach Rick Tocchet have previously worked together with the Pittsburgh Penguins and Arizona Coyotes.The Canucks have approximately $316,000 in available money, according to CapFriendly, so they'd likely have to make a corresponding move to make room for Kessel.Vancouver enters Tuesday's contest against the Chicago Blackhawks leading the league with 76 points.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Brad Marchand will become the eighth Bruin to appear in 1,000 games with the franchise when Boston takes on the Tampa Bay Lightning on Tuesday, but the captain is more focused on the future than the milestone."Feeling very grateful to have experienced all the things that I have and to be a part of so many great teams and be part of the best organization in the world," he said Monday, according to NHL.com's Eric Russo. "The more I think about it, I do know how extremely grateful and fortunate I've been. But at the same time, I still try to not get caught up in it because I feel like I have a lot of time left, still have so many big dreams and goals."I still feel like a kid a lot of times, so many things that I want to accomplish with this group and this team. You don't ever want it to end."One of those dreams is to make the Hall of Fame.The Bruins selected Marchand in the third round of the 2006 NHL Draft. He's added his name into the organization's record books through 999 games, ranking fifth all-time in goals (397) and points (910) as well as first in shorthanded goals (35). Boston won the Stanley Cup during his first full NHL season in 2010-11, and Marchand currently boasts the second-most postseason goals (53) and points (128) in franchise history.Bruins head coach John Montgomery said he feels Marchand is worthy of a call to the Hall, and the winger is ready to put in the work."Is it achievable? I don't know," Marchand said. "I see the amount of time I feel like I can still play. I don't know what it takes to get there, but I'm going to play every single day and come to the rink every day and try to get better and try to play as long as I can. If it happens, it happens."Boston will honor Marchand for reaching the 1,000-game milestone in a pregame ceremony on Feb. 19."It is special to look back and see how far (I've) come, but hopefully it's just a building block to many more," he said.The Bruins' 32-11-9 record is the second-best in the league, but they will be looking to rebound from Saturday's listless 3-0 loss to the Washington Capitals when they take on the Lightning.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.Another day, another split for our sides and totals. The Devils cruised to victory against the Kraken, but, unfortunately, the Golden Knights laid a rare egg at home.We'll take the split and aim for a sweep with a couple of sides for Tuesday's card.Blue Jackets (+160) @ Senators (-190)The Senators are really starting to turn a corner. They own a 6-2-2 record over the last 10 games and have posted sparkling underlying numbers, controlling a larger share of the expected goals at five-on-five than all but the Panthers during that span.Shane Pinto's return has given the Senators three lines capable of driving play and producing offense, while the team's defense is making some traction under head coach Jacques Martin.Although the goaltending remains hit-and-miss, that shouldn't be too problematic against the Blue Jackets.They spend a lot of every game on their heels and aren't the most threatening team to opposing goaltenders. The Jackets rank 22nd in expected goal generation and 24th in goals over the last 10 games.They also have goaltending issues of their own. Elvis Merzlikins has allowed three-plus goals in nine of his last 11 starts, while Daniil Tarasov has conceded at least three in all but two games all season.I don't think the Blue Jackets' defense and goaltending will hold up against a vastly improving Senators team. Injuries to Adam Fantilli and Yegor Chinakhov also make it a lot harder for Columbus to keep up offensively.Look for the Senators to take care of business inside 60 minutes.Bet: Senators in regulation (-130)Hurricanes (+100) @ Stars (-120)The Hurricanes finally look like the team everyone expected them to be before the season.They're dominating in the shot and chance departments every night. With Andrei Svechnikov healthy again, Carolina is much more likely to convert those edges into results.The Hurricanes are also getting improved play between the pipes. They don't need great goaltending to win games because of how strong they are defensively. Carolina just needs competency, which the team is now getting.On paper, the Stars have a much better goaltending tandem. Jake Oettinger hasn't been great this season, though, and the play we're seeing from him and Scott Wedgewood is especially underwhelming.Dallas owns a .895 team save percentage since the calendar flipped. That's nowhere close to good enough for a team with Stanley Cup aspirations.If the Stars aren't going to reliably get saves, I don't like their chances against an elite shot-generation team that gives up very little at the other end.I also think Dallas removing Wyatt Johnston from the top line is a mistake the team may pay for in this game. The top line with Pavelski is only plus-three on the season over 400 minutes (it's plus-eight with Johnston over a much smaller sample), and their underlying numbers are nowhere close to as strong.Without Johnston, Dallas' top line is much less likely to win a best-on-best battle against Carolina's top line.This should be a hotly contested game, but I like the Hurricanes to leave with two points when all is said and done.Bet: Hurricanes (+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.It was a solid start to the week for our player props. We cashed two of three, including a Jack Hughes goal prop at a fruitful +130 price.We'll look to keep the ball rolling with three more plays for a massive Tuesday card.David Pastrnak: Over 4.5 shotsPastrnak is always a priority target on home ice. He's averaging 5.2 shots on goal per game in Boston this season and has gone over his total at a healthy 62% clip.The 27-year-old's hit rate is even higher if the contest is remotely competitive. Of the last five home games that Pastrnak failed to hit his total, all five were decided by three-plus goals. If the matchup is close and there's reason to push for more offense, Pastrnak comes through at an even higher rate.I expect we'll get a competitive game in this one. The Bruins are coming off a shutout loss in their own building and are looking to get back on track. The Lightning - winners in seven of their last 10 - won't be pushovers against a divisional rival.Seven of the past eight contests between Boston and Tampa Bay were decided by two or fewer goals, with one goal being the difference in five matchups. The games are almost always close when these two sides square off, which no doubt plays a part in Pastrnak having five shots or more in six of the last eight versus the Lightning.Look for Pastrnak to rebound following a quiet game against the Capitals.Odds: -125 (playable to -140)Cole Caufield: Over 3.5 shotsLike many goal-scorers, Caufield has rather extreme home/road splits. He averages four shots per game in Montreal and has a 56% success rate. However, he produces just 3.1 shots per contest and hits 40% of the time on the road.Caufield has a mouthwatering matchup on home ice Tuesday, which is what I love about him. The Ducks are one of the NHL's worst shot-suppression teams, giving up nearly 33 shots per game this season.Anaheim struggles mightily at five-on-five and is an unmitigated disaster while killing penalties. It ranks 32nd in shot attempts against and 31st in expected goals against on the penalty kill. The Ducks also average 6:28 per game down at least one man - the highest total in the NHL.At home against a poor defensive team that parades to the box nightly, Caufield couldn't find himself in a better position for shooting success.Look for him to stay hot and go over his total at home for the eighth time in 11 games.Odds: -122 (playable to -135)Patrick Kane: Over 2.5 shots Since joining the Red Wings, Kane has shown remarkable consistency with his shot generation. He's averaged 3.3 shots on nearly six attempts per game and has gone over his line 14 times in just 20 tries. That's a 70% success rate.Kane has skated on the second line since rejoining the lineup following injury. I don't think that's a bad thing, at least not in a road game against Edmonton.Oilers coach Kris Knoblauch tends to use best on best, meaning the dominant trio of Zach Hyman, Connor McDavid, and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins should mostly see Detroit's top line.That would lead to a lot of ice for Kane against the Leon Draisaitl line, which doesn't spend as much time in the offensive zone and gives up many more shots and chances.Kane recorded three shots on eight attempts when these teams met in January. He also recorded at least three shots in nine straight meetings versus the Oilers dating back a few seasons.Odds: +124 (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.

During the extended period when the Devils were without Jack Hughes and Dougie Hamilton, oddsmakers downgraded New Jersey 7%-10% in their overall power rating. Coming into the campaign, with a regular-season point total of 107 in betting markets, the Devils' power rating was second in the league, estimating a fully healthy roster as 17% above a league-average team.The market adjusted upon Hughes's return against the Flames, giving the Devils back 4% of their implied win probability, making them -135 at home in the game. Getting Hughes back may have helped their implied win probability, but nothing guarantees victory, as they lost 5-3 to Calgary, then lost 1-0 in overtime in Carolina as an underdog Saturday.Hughes is the best player to recently return to his team after missing a large segment of the season. Nathan MacKinnon is questionable Tuesday with a facial injury suffered Saturday. It would be his first game missed this season. He sat out 18 games last season, and the market adjusted, lowering the Avalanche's likelihood of winning between 5% and 10%.Morgan Rielly is headed for an in-person meeting after an incident in Ottawa on Saturday. That implies a significant suspension is coming, so we'll get a decent sample size of the market's reaction to the Maple Leafs' chances without their best defenseman among an already thin group.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:

Ottawa Senators winger Vladimir Tarasenko isn't ruling anything out when it comes to his future, with the March 8 trade deadline quickly approaching."When the talks start, of course we're gonna look at all options," he said Monday, according to Sportsnet. "You guys (the media) like to find something, but there is nothing. Nothing I can give you now. I'm just focused on the game tomorrow, we had a good game last game. It's exciting ... just enjoy the moment."Tarasenko signed a one-year, $5-million deal with the Senators as an unrestricted free agent in July. He's been a solid fit in Canada's capital city, ranking fourth on the team with 14 goals and fifth with 34 points in 46 games.With Ottawa facing a steep climb to enter the playoff picture, Tarasenko has heard his name crop up in trade rumors, but he's doing his best to tune out the outside noise."I think the biggest part is don't read the experts online, you know?" he said. "I don't go online. I don't really read hockey news. There's many people, there's many opinions. I know a lot of guys like to read it, and they just take it very close to themselves, but I think you have to be focused on yourself mostly and do whatever you can do in your situation, and the rest will take care of itself."Thanks to his no-trade clause, Tarasenko can decide whether he moves or not, but he made it clear he likes playing in Ottawa."A good group of guys," he said. "I enjoy the guys a lot. They're very fun. I think it's a very tight group. I always thought it's not about the place, it's more about the people surrounding you. ... A lot of people willing to help, a lot of people offer help, guys help a lot. Yeah, I'm enjoying it."The 32-year-old was traded from the St. Louis Blues to the New York Rangers last February. Tarasenko has switched agents twice in the last seven months, according to The Athletic's Pierre LeBrun.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Next season's edition of the Battle of Ontario is going to be spicy.The hockey world has been rife with debate surrounding Ottawa Senators rookie Ridly Greig's empty-net slap shot and Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Morgan Rielly's controversial response. Ryan Reaves gave his two cents on the hot-button topic Monday, throwing his support behind his teammate."If you rewind to when I came into the league, (Greig is) probably still laying on the ice," the Leafs enforcer said, per The Athletic's Chris Johnston. "I thought (Rielly's response) was appropriate. I don't see how a kid that young thinks it's appropriate to do something like that.""Make hockey violent again," he added, per Sportsnet. "Get that tattooed on me."The incident occurred in the dying seconds of the Maple Leafs' 5-3 loss to the Senators on Saturday. Right after pummelling the puck to ice Ottawa's victory, Greig took a cross-check to the head courtesy of an irate Rielly.

San Jose Sharks center Tomas Hertl will undergo a procedure to clean out loose cartilage in his left knee and miss a minimum of "several weeks," the team announced Monday."I have been experiencing soreness in my left knee on and off this season," Hertl said in a statement. "After speaking with doctors and our medical staff earlier this year, it was clear that the injury was not going to get any worse and I could continue to play through it, including attending the NHL All-Star weekend in Toronto."After returning from Toronto and having additional conversations with my family and our team medical staff over the last week, I made the decision to have this procedure done now so that I can return to 100% as soon as possible."Hertl is one of the lone offensive threats for the rebuilding Sharks, as he paces the team with 15 goals and 34 points in 48 games this season.The 30-year-old is in the second season of an eight-year, $65.1-million contract with a full no-movement clause.Sharks general manager Mike Grier said in September that if Hertl approached him about a trade then it's something he'd explore.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 over the weekend, cashing an under on Friday night before the Sabres let us down in the Saturday matinee.Let's take a look at a couple of teams that pop off the page on Monday as we set our sights on a 2-0 card.Kraken (+120) @ Devils (-140)The Kraken have posted some strong underlying numbers of late despite winning only three of the past 10 games. Digging beneath the surface, it's easy to see why. A soft schedule is inflating their outputs.Over the last five games, they took on the Blackhawks, Blues, Blue Jackets, and Sharks. That's not exactly a laundry list of strong defensive teams, hence the Kraken's exceptional underlying metrics.Before that stretch, Seattle had a five-game segment that featured matches with the Penguins, Rangers, Oilers, and Maple Leafs. All of those teams are either close to or in a playoff position.The Kraken were outscored by seven in that span and controlled just 43% of the expected goals share. Frankly, they were vulnerable against quality competition.Although the Devils aren't in a playoff spot, I think they're closer to the good group than the bad one - especially with superstar Jack Hughes back in the lineup.The Devils are as healthy as they've been in months - at least up front - and can place Hughes, Nico Hischier, Jesper Bratt, and Timo Meier on different lines. Their attack is dangerously balanced and should give the Kraken all they can handle.I think this is a good opportunity to buy low on a healthier Devils team that has a big edge in true talent.Bet: Devils (-140)Wild (+120) @ Golden Knights (-140)The Wild have picked up two wins in a row to keep them somewhat within striking distance of a playoff spot. I'm not sold on what I'm seeing, though.They generated only 25 shots against the lowly Blackhawks and followed that by conceding 36 against an average Penguins team. Neither win was overly impressive.The Wild have allowed five-on-five goals at a higher clip than all but the Canadiens over the last 10 games and are taking too many penalties. There's not much to love with their game right now.There are a few high-end weapons at the top of Minnesota's roster who can be efficient with the chances that come their way, but shooting the lights out probably isn't in the cards against the Golden Knights.Projected starter Adin Hill has conceded two goals or fewer in eight consecutive starts. His numbers are as good as anybody's this season, albeit in fewer games than most of the Vezina candidates.Even if the Golden Knights defer to Logan Thompson, they should feel pretty good. He owns an above-average save percentage and grades out better by goals saved above expected (+4.69) than both Filip Gustavsson (-4.15) and Marc-Andre Fleury (-4.02).The Golden Knights are the better team, have an edge in goal no matter who they trot out, and have home ice in their back pocket (they're 19-5-2 in Vegas this season).Bet: Golden Knights (-140)Todd Cordell is a sports betting writer at theScore. You can follow him on X at @ToddCordell.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

With Alex Ovechkin on a five-game goal streak, few are more excited about the Washington Capitals captain's scoring resurgence than head coach Spencer Carbery."He's playing at a real high level. I feel like he's even skating a little bit more," the bench boss said after Sunday's 3-2 overtime loss to the Vancouver Canucks. "I feel like there's a little bit more jump in his step. ... That's a positive step because we need him."It's well-documented, our production issues, so for him to get going ... these are positive things. You can feel him gaining more confidence as each one goes in and as he gets on a little bit of a roll."The Capitals, who are currently six points out of a wild-card spot, rank 30th in goals per game (2.37), ahead of only the Chicago Blackhawks and San Jose Sharks.Ovechkin last lit the lamp in five straight games in March 2021. His tally against the Canucks wasn't pretty - his pass attempt went off a defender in front of the net - but Ovechkin isn't picky about how he's scoring."I think the puck goes in, it's a good thing," he said.Ovechkin had scored just eight times in 43 games while being handcuffed by a 5.4% shooting percentage prior to his current run, though he'd racked up 16.1 individual expected goals over that span, per Natural Stat Trick. During his past five games, he's rocked a shooting percentage of 25%."It's nice to see the big man rolling," teammate T. J. Oshie said. "Obviously, he's a hard guy to stop."Oshie believes Ovechkin's hot streak has been bolstered by a renewed commitment to two-way play."He's doing a lot of little things really well that I think are helping us out defensively that are leading to offense and odd-man rushes for him," he explained. "He's coming back in the D-zone and stopping in a good area. ... Honestly, it's the stuff he's doing away from the puck that's letting his natural, phenomenal ability take over and start putting some points on the board."Carbery "wholeheartedly" agreed with Oshie's assessment."He's completely engaged and trying to find ways that he can be in good position and asking questions," Carbery said. "You can see the effort and him trying to do the right things."Ovechkin can extend his goal streak Tuesday against the Colorado Avalanche. He's 60 tallies away from overtaking Wayne Gretzky on the all-time list.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 but fruitful four-game slate ahead of us to begin the week. Let's waste no time getting to some standout props.Owen Tippett: Over 3.5 shotsTippett has mouthwatering shot rates, ranking top five in both attempts and shots on goal per 60 minutes. He does his best work on home ice, posting a higher shot rate in Philadelphia than away from home.Although Tippett is no longer on a line with Cam Atkinson, with whom he owns a sky-high shot rate, he's an efficient shooter no matter who he plays with. It's also worth noting the Flyers may opt to dress seven defensemen in this game, which would likely lead to some extra usage for Tippett.The struggling Coyotes rank bottom-10 in five-on-five shot suppression over the last 10 games on the road. They also take a lot of penalties and bleed shots when shorthanded, putting Tippett in a prime spot for a big shooting performance.Odds: -130 (playable to -140)Jack Hughes: Over 0.5 goals Hughes has come out firing since returning to the Devils lineup. He's piled up nine scoring chances and 11 shots on 19 attempts over just two games, which is strong volume.Tonight's game is back in New Jersey, meaning Lindy Ruff can control the matchups and get Hughes out against more favorable competition. That's helped boost his numbers all season long, as he's averaged 4.6 shots on goal in New Jersey compared to 4.1 shots on the road.Hughes is also a prime regression candidate. He hasn't scored in five consecutive games and has potted only one goal over the past 11. Before this rough patch, the longest Hughes had gone without a goal was three games. Encouragingly, the goals haven't dried up due to a lack of opportunity.Hughes has recorded 33 scoring chances, 39 shots on goal, and 75 shot attempts over his last 11 games. That's translated to just one goal, thanks to a shooting percentage of 2.56%.Hughes scored on 15.8% of his shots in 2021-22 and 12.8% last season. He's an above-average finisher. We can reasonably assume he'll heat up sooner rather than later.The Kraken aren't as stingy as a season ago, and the Devils are desperate for points. I expect Hughes will get all the ice he can handle in this game and, with any luck, find the back of the net along the way.Odds: +130 (playable to +120)Mark Stone: Over 0.5 assistsMinnesota can't keep the puck out of the net right now. The Wild have conceded 3.15 five-on-five goals per 60 over the last 10 games, which is more than all but the Canadiens.They're giving up shots at a high clip, and the goaltending simply hasn't been up to par.Meanwhile, only two teams have spent more time shorthanded over the last 10 games. Bleeding shots (and goals) at five-on-five and taking penalties at a high clip isn't a great recipe for slowing down opposing offenses.Stone figures to be a prime beneficiary. He's skating on the top line at even strength and is also a prominent figure on the No. 1 power-play unit.He also shoulders more of the offensive workload without Jack Eichel. Stone's shot rates are higher, and he's registered eight points over five home games sans Eichel, in four of which he picked up an assist.With Minnesota laboring defensively and Stone cooking at home (he has at least one assist in nine of the last 10 in Vegas), a plus-money price feels generous.Odds: +115 (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.

This is the ninth in-season edition of theScore's NHL Power Rankings for the 2023-24 campaign. Check back for updated rankings every other Monday.With Valentine's Day just around the corner, we pick one thing to love about each team.1. Boston Bruins (32-11-9)Previous rank: 3Resilience. Despite losing franchise icons Patrice Bergeron and David Krejci to retirement - and a whole slew of other players to free agency/trades - Boston remains in first place in the Eastern Conference. It's hard not to appreciate the "Bruins way" - where success seems guaranteed even when the leadership torch is passed down to the next generation of players.2. Vancouver Canucks (35-12-6)Previous rank: 2Rick Tocchet. The Canucks have looked like a completely different team during the head coach's first full season at the helm. Virtually every player has stepped up, but Tocchet has been the steady hand guiding Vancouver to the top of the standings.3. Edmonton Oilers (30-17-1)Previous rank: 1Stuart Skinner. There's a lot to love about the Oilers now that things are going well for them, but we're going to spotlight the man between the pipes. His 21 wins since the coaching change in November are tied for the most in the league over that span.4. Florida Panthers (33-15-4)Previous rank: 4Sam Reinhart's goal binge. We love to see a previously unheralded star pop off during a contract year. Reinhart's on a 61-goal pace and is due to cash in soon.5. New York Rangers (33-16-3) Lawrence Scott / Getty Images Sport / GettyPrevious rank: 8Jonathan Quick's revival. If the NHL had a Comeback Player of the Year award (it should), Quick would likely be the leading candidate. After multiple down seasons, he looks like the goalie who led the Los Angeles Kings to two Stanley Cups again. At 38 and on an $850,000 contract, this was unexpected but needed given Igor Shesterkin's struggles.6. Dallas Stars (32-14-6)Previous rank: 7Thomas Harley. The 22-year-old rearguard is having quite the breakthrough season. He's tied for the league lead with three overtime winners - two of which came in back-to-back games - and he's also earned some playing time on the top pair next to Miro Heiskanen.7. Carolina Hurricanes (30-16-5)Previous rank: 9Those Whalers throwbacks. Some people don't like the Hurricanes dressing up as the team they used to be, but the threads they wore over the weekend were gorgeous.8. Vegas Golden Knights (31-15-6)Previous rank: 10Adin Hill. He hasn't lost a game since returning from injury and makes Vegas a different team when he's between the pipes. Is Hill now the best option for Canada's international squads?9. Winnipeg Jets (31-14-5)Previous rank: 5Goaltending. In the offseason, Laurent Brossoit said he wanted to form the league's strongest tandem with Connor Hellebuyck. Four months into the campaign, they're certainly up there (albeit with Hellebuyck shouldering the brunt of the work). Winnipeg boasts the NHL's best save percentage (.941) at five-on-five.10. Colorado Avalanche (32-17-4) Norm Hall / National Hockey League / GettyPrevious rank: 6The three Ms. Nathan MacKinnon, Cale Makar, and Mikko Rantanen form arguably the NHL's best trio. MacKinnon and Makar in particular are two of the most electric players to watch in the entire league, making the Avs must-see TV.11. Philadelphia Flyers (28-19-6)Previous rank: 13The underdog story. Nobody gave the Flyers much of a chance entering the season, but John Tortorella has his team sitting third in the Metro while playing an up-tempo, tenacious game that's entertaining to watch and embodies his personality, as well as the city's.12. Tampa Bay Lightning (28-20-5)Previous rank: 12Nikita Kucherov's in-season effort. Much can be said about the Lightning star irritating droves of fans by mailing in his performance at the Skills Competition, but when the hockey really counts, Kucherov is appointment viewing.13. Detroit Red Wings (27-18-6)Previous rank: 14Looking playoff-ready. Detroit is firmly in the Eastern Conference race with 31 games to go, which is a welcome sight for one of the league's best markets after seven consecutive seasons near the bottom of the standings.14. Toronto Maple Leafs (26-16-8)Previous rank: 11Auston Matthews' health. Yep, the two-time Maurice "Rocket" Richard Trophy winner's hand looks OK to us. Matthews has already surpassed his goal total from last season to lead the league with a whopping 42 tallies in 49 games. His pursuit of 70 is alive and well.15. St. Louis Blues (28-21-1) Joe Puetz / National Hockey League / GettyPrevious rank: 17Robert Thomas' bounce back. The Blues forward caught a lot of flak during a down 2022-23 season but has responded with his first career All-Star nomination. He's also the only St. Louis player averaging at least one point per game.16. Los Angeles Kings (24-15-10)Previous rank: 16Jim Hiller. OK, it's the smallest sample size imaginable, but the Kings shut out the extremely dangerous Oilers during his debut behind the bench on Saturday. Boy, was Los Angeles in sore need of a win exactly like that.17. New Jersey Devils (25-21-4)Previous rank: 15Young defensemen. Luke Hughes (20) and Simon Nemec (19) are playing major minutes as NHL rookies and thriving. The Devils haven't quite met expectations this season, but their future is in excellent hands.18. Calgary Flames (25-22-5)Previous rank: 25MacKenzie Weegar. Thanks to his first career hat trick Saturday, Weegar now leads all defensemen with 15 goals - including 14 at even strength - in 52 contests. You absolutely love to see it from the 2013 seventh-rounder.19. New York Islanders (22-18-12)Previous rank: 20Patrick Roy. The NHL is a better league with Roy in it. While the Islanders haven't necessarily taken off since making the coaching change, the Hall of Fame goaltender's fiery competitiveness behind the bench instantly makes the club that much more likeable.20. Pittsburgh Penguins (23-19-7) Nicole Osborne / National Hockey League / GettyPrevious rank: 19Sidney Crosby. Duh. Was there really another option here? The 36-year-old is on pace for around 47 goals and 87 (ha) points this season. He's a freak of nature. Next.21. Nashville Predators (27-23-2)Previous rank: 21Hope for middle-aged people. Ryan O'Reilly and Gustav Nyquist are enjoying major bounce-back seasons - and some of the best of their careers - at ages 33 and 34, respectively. It's a great message for the common person: If you work hard and put yourself in the right environment, it's never too late to find success.22. Seattle Kraken (21-20-10)Previous rank: 18Joey Daccord. The Kraken goaltender became an easy player to root for after picking up his first NHL win with the Senators in 2021 when he gave a heartfelt postgame interview. It's great to see him thrive with a season that will warrant some down-ballot Vezina Trophy consideration.23. Washington Capitals (23-20-8)Previous rank: 23Alex Ovechkin. After a slow start to the campaign, the Russian Machine is starting to gain some steam. With goals in five straight games, Ovi's pursuit of Wayne Gretzky's all-time goals record is still alive and well.24. Ottawa Senators (21-25-2)Previous rank: 26Empty-net slap shots. Ridly Greig stirred the pot in a major way with his howitzer into a yawning cage against the Maple Leafs, and while opinions on Morgan Rielly's reaction may vary, almost all hockey fans can agree that rivalries make the sport better.25. Arizona Coyotes (23-23-4) Norm Hall / National Hockey League / GettyPrevious rank: 24The future. It's been another tough season in the desert. The team has come down to earth after a hot start, and there's once again no shortage of off-ice distractions. But the future remains bright. There's lots of young talent on the team - and more coming through the system. Hopefully, there'll be some clarity on the team's home soon (Salt Lake City, perhaps?).26. Minnesota Wild (23-23-5)Previous rank: 28Marc-Andre Fleury. Let's be real - everybody loves the Flower. In what could very well be his last NHL season, fans should continue to appreciate Fleury while he's still active.27. Buffalo Sabres (22-25-4)Previous rank: 22Unexpected trade deadline influence. Sabres fans may dislike this, but objectively, we love that Buffalo could be a sneaky team to watch this trade season. Playoffs are a write-off by now - a big disappointment for a group taking its time to advance - and the Sabres have a glut of players on expiring contracts to potentially sell.28. Montreal Canadiens (21-23-8)Previous rank: 27Juraj Slafkovsky's growing confidence. The 2022 first overall pick is starting to put things together in the big leagues. He's already set new career highs in every offensive category, while six of his 10 goals and 11 of his 24 points this season have come in 2024.29. Columbus Blue Jackets (16-25-10)Previous rank: 29Adam Fantilli. The Blue Jackets don't have much to be chipper about in what's been another disappointing season, but the 2023 No. 3 pick has the makings of a future superstar that the organization has so desperately needed since Rick Nash's departure.30. Anaheim Ducks (18-31-2) Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / GettyPrevious rank: 30Frank Vatrano. Anaheim's All-Star simply loves putting the puck in the net. He's on pace for 35 tallies this season on a Ducks team that ranks 29th in goals per game.31. San Jose Sharks (14-32-5)Previous rank: 31The uniforms. There's not a lot to love about the Sharks these days. The losses are piling up, but at least they look good doing it. With the addition of a new black alternate jersey, San Jose's uniform trio is elite. Now, if only they'd stop wearing their teal helmets with their white threads.32. Chicago Blackhawks (14-35-3)Previous rank: 32Their patience with Connor Bedard's recovery. Everyone wants to see the 2023 first overall pick back in action - and Bedard is clearly itching to return himself - but the Blackhawks aren't rushing things. That's the right thing to do for the 18-year-old as he works his way back from jaw surgery.(Analytics sources: Evolving-Hockey, Natural Stat Trick)Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Morgan Rielly will have a hearing Tuesday for cross-checking Ottawa Senators forward Ridly Greig during Saturday's contest, the NHL's Department of Player Safety announced.Since he's been offered an in-person hearing, Rielly could face a suspension greater than five games. Detroit Red Wings forward David Perron was suspended six contests earlier this season for cross-checking Artem Zub in the head.The incident occurred in the dying seconds of the Maple Leafs' 5-3 loss. Rielly took exception to Greig firing a slap shot into Toronto's empty net.

Montreal Canadiens defenseman Jordan Harris was unable to return to Sunday's contest against the St. Louis Blues after taking a hit from forward Sammy Blais.The scary incident occurred in the first period of the Habs' 7-2 loss. Blais made contact with Harris along the boards behind Montreal's net as the rearguard was already falling. Harris struggled to get to his feet and had to be helped off the ice. The Canadiens later ruled him out with an upper-body injury.Blais was handed a five-minute major and game misconduct for boarding.

Philadelphia Flyers head coach John Tortorella has no issue with Sean Couturier perhaps sticking it to him with a fiery celebration following Saturday's go-ahead goal against the Seattle Kraken.Couturier was chewed out by Tortorella on the bench after Seattle's equalizer deflected into Philadelphia's net off Couturier's stick early in the third period. The veteran center scored roughly five minutes later to give the Flyers a lead they never relinquished and let his emotions show.

Vancouver Canucks defenseman Nikita Zadorov has been suspended two games for hitting Detroit Red Wings forward Lucas Raymond's head during Saturday's contest, the NHL's Department of Player Safety announced.The collision occurred early in the second period. Raymond remained down for a few moments but managed to skate off the ice under his own power. He returned to the contest before the end of the frame.