The NHL All-Star break is finally here and offers teams the opportunity to exhale and take stock of where they are.Let's do the same and examine each division to see how the betting market is shaping up.The Bruins keep chugging along. Due to retirement and cap constraints, they had to move on from Patrice Bergeron, David Krejci, Taylor Hall, Tyler Bertuzzi, and Dmitry Orlov, among others, last summer. Surprisingly, Boston hasn't skipped a beat and remains one of the league's best and most consistent teams. The club's underlying metrics are excellent, David Pastrnak continues to spearhead a strong offense, and Jeremy Swayman and Linus Ullmark give it one of the best goaltending tandems.But if I'm jumping into the betting market to get involved with an Atlantic Division side at current prices, I'm taking the Panthers. Specifically, I like their Eastern Conference odds (+450) in a wide-open race.Despite playing the season's first couple months without top defensemen Aaron Ekblad and Brandon Montour, Florida is tied for the conference lead in wins and sits first in expected goal share. The sky is the limit now that the Panthers are healthy, and I think there's enough incentive for them to push all their chips into the middle to upgrade.Sam Reinhart, Gustav Forsling, and Montour are unrestricted free agents at season's end and are all in line for monster raises. Florida won't be able to keep its fantastic core fully intact, so it makes sense to go all in while everyone's around. Only the Jets and Hurricanes - notoriously stingy spenders - have more cap space than the Panthers among playoff teams. Look for Florida to use that financial flexibility come deadline time.The Hurricanes are just two points behind the Rangers for the top spot in the division and have a game in hand. I love their chances of surpassing New York by season's end.Carolina has dealt with atrocious goaltending for much of the season and ranks 30th in team save percentage. But there's light at the end of the tunnel. Pyotr Kochetkov has helped stabilize things lately, and he's back healthy again. Frederik Andersen has also resumed on-ice activities and could factor in, which would be a big help.The Metro shouldn't be an issue if the Hurricanes get anything resembling competent goaltending. They're also a much better five-on-five team than New York in controlling the run of play and scoring. The Rangers actually own a negative goal differential in that game state, and they're not nearly as good as their record indicates.New York relies heavily on its power play and goaltending to get wins. However, Igor Shesterkin has struggled while the man advantage has dried up over the last 10 games, scoring just five power-play goals. It's no coincidence the Rangers have won only four times (against the Senators, Ducks, Capitals, and Kraken) during that span.Regarding long shots, the Devils are worth considering to win the East and/or Stanley Cup. They entered the season at +900 to win it all, the third shortest odds. Injuries have primarily led to New Jersey's struggles rather than poor performance.Jack Hughes has multiple extended stints out of the lineup. Timo Meier missed significant time. Nico Hischier was sidelined. Dougie Hamilton has played just 20 games. The list goes on. When healthy, the Devils are a handful to deal with, and they should be healthy sooner rather than later. Hughes is expected to return shortly after the All-Star break. Meier and Hischier are back in the lineup already. Hamilton is likely to return around playoff time, assuming New Jersey gets there.The Devils have a chance to do damage if they can get healthy and find an upgrade in goal, something they're rumored to be chasing.The Oilers are having one of the craziest seasons I can remember. At one point, they were sitting in the basement with the Sharks. Fast-forward a couple of months, and Edmonton's listed as Stanley Cup favorites - understandably so!Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, and Zach Hyman have led the charge for an unstoppable Oilers offense. The team has also tightened things defensively, while Stuart Skinner has seen his level of play go from among the worst to the best. He has stopped 18.39 goals above expected since Dec. 1, placing him second only to Connor Hellebuyck (18.48).If Edmonton can rely on quality goaltending from Skinner, there aren't many holes you can poke in this team. I see some value on the Oilers to come out of the West at +325.The Canucks are an excellent team, and adding Elias Lindholm certainly makes them better, as it addresses the club's need in the middle of the ice and boosts the top power play. I just don't want to get in the way of the Oilers.The Central Division playoff picture is wide open, and you can make the case for either of the three key contenders. The Avalanche have the most firepower but lack depth and goaltending. Although the Stars are the most well-balanced team, Jake Oettinger's inconsistent play is a concern. Then there's the Jets, who have the least amount of star talent but play a very structured defensive game and have arguably the league's top goaltender. Pick your poison.I think the best way to get involved is by backing the Avalanche to come out on top in the regular season. They're a notoriously dominant regular-season team and appear to be hitting their stride. Colorado also has the softest remaining schedule of all Central Division clubs.It'll likely come down to the wire, but +145 for the current leaders, led by Nathan MacKinnon and Cale Makar, is a price worth getting involved with.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.

Welcome to Toronto ... and Vancouver?On Wednesday night, Elias Lindholm landed in Toronto for All-Star Weekend as a member of the Canucks. The Flames traded the veteran forward to Vancouver in exchange for forward Andrei Kuzmenko, defensive prospects Hunter Brzustewicz and Joni Jurmo, the Canucks' 2024 first-round pick, and a conditional 2024 fourth-rounder. (If Vancouver advances to the Western Conference Final, the fourth becomes a third.)It's a reunion of sorts for Lindholm. Canucks president Jim Rutherford selected the 6-foot-1, 202-pound Swede fifth overall at the 2013 NHL Draft.Let's take a look at the deal from both perspectives.The Canucks Gerry Thomas / Getty ImagesFor starters, props to the Canucks for being aggressive on the trade market.Other contenders could have gobbled up the marquee names and forced Vancouver into Plan B or C. Instead, it's Vancouver - unexpectedly first in the Western Conference with 71 points through 49 games - setting the tone.So, from a very high level, a big swing like this, this early, makes sense.What takes the trade from "cool, they're being aggressive" to "oh, this might actually put them over the top" is the fit between player and team. Lindholm, a 29-year-old unrestricted free agent, was exactly what the Canucks needed: a right-handed center to slot in comfortably behind superstar Elias Pettersson.Lindholm can absorb some of the defensive load Pettersson's carrying on a night-to-night basis. A 55.5% faceoff guy this year, he can help the Canucks improve their 16th-ranked success rate in the circle. He can also boost the penalty kill, which is tied for 15th. As a bonus, there's a spot for Lindholm on the top power play unit (sorry, Pius Suter, your time on PP1 is effectively over).Perhaps best of all, Lindholm can go back to skating with high-end producers. He scored a career-high 42 goals in 2021-22 alongside Matthew Tkachuk and Johnny Gaudreau. Since that trio broke up, offense has been harder to come by. Part of that's on Lindholm. Part of it's on Yegor Sharangovich, Andrew Mangiapane, and Jonathan Huberdeau being his most common linemates. Jeff Vinnick / Getty ImagesWe'll see how Canucks coach Rick Tocchet moves bodies around, but there's a strong chance Lindholm starts with JT Miller, who's fourth in the league in points, and 30-goal man Brock Boeser. Or maybe Lindholm, who finished second in Selke Trophy voting two years ago, ends up on Pettersson's line.Rutherford and general manager Patrik Allvin weren't gifted Lindholm, of course. Trading a first, a third or fourth, two prospects, and Kuzmenko is not nothing for a pending UFA. Yet, that's what's required to reel in one of the best forwards available five weeks ahead of the trade deadline on March 8.Amazingly, the Canucks gained a bit of financial flexibility here. Lindholm's $4.85-million cap hit is $650,000 less than Kuzmenko's $5.5 million.Grade: AThe Flames Derek Cain / Getty ImagesThis swap is a pure volume play for Flames GM Craig Conroy. None of the five pieces coming to Calgary qualify as a premium asset - which, on one hand, is unfortunate, and on the other, is not the end of the world during a retool.Given the Canucks' success, the first-rounder will be in the 20s or 30s.Kuzmenko is a flier. He went from bagging 39 goals as a rookie alongside Pettersson to eight goals in 43 games so far as a sophomore. He seemed to find a permanent home in Tocchet's doghouse. A change of scenery could do Kuzmenko good. If not, the sharp-shooting Russian winger is a UFA in 2025.Brzustewicz is a legitimate NHL prospect. He leads all OHL defenseman in points this season - no small feat. A smart, right-shot puck-mover, the 19-year-old is closer stylistically to the cerebral Rasmus Sandin than dynamic Cale Makar. Brzustewicz could blossom into a top-four D-man down the road.Jurmo, a 6-foot-3 Finnish blue-liner, is a long shot to make a serious impact in the NHL, and the other pick - a third- or fourth-rounder - is a lottery ticket.Again, no asset in the package blows you away. But a few have potential.Lindholm wasn't re-signing in Calgary and didn't have an extension in place with Vancouver before the deal. So, realistically, the ceiling on the return was never going to be exceptionally high. The Flames could have waited until closer to the deadline to see if something better materialized, but Conroy also has Chris Tanev, Noah Hanifin, and (possibly) Jacob Markstrom to shop.The overall haul is, in a word, solid - especially given the circumstances.Grade: B-John Matisz is theScore's senior NHL writer. Follow John on Twitter (@MatiszJohn) or contact him via email (john.matisz@thescore.com).Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Calgary Flames traded center Elias Lindholm to the Vancouver Canucks for winger Andrei Kuzmenko, defense prospects Hunter Brzustewicz and Joni Jurmo, a 2024 first-round pick, and a conditional 2024 fourth-round pick, the teams announced.The fourth-round pick will become a third-rounder if the Canucks make the Western Conference Final.Kuzmenko waived his no-trade clause to accept the move to Calgary, according to TSN's Pierre LeBrun.Lindholm is a pending unrestricted free agent carrying a cap hit of $4.85 million. There's currently no extension in the works, LeBrun added.The 29-year-old center has produced 32 points in 49 games this season. His best season came in 2021-22 when he tallied 42 goals and 40 assists in 82 games while finishing as the Selke Trophy runner up for his defensive efforts.Lindholm gives the Canucks added depth down the middle of the ice. He joins Elias Pettersson, J.T. Miller, Pius Suter, Teddy Blueger, and Nils Aman as Vancouver's center options. Lindholm's presence could allow Canucks coach Rick Tocchet the flexibility to play Pettersson and Miller together - as they've done at times this season - while still having ample center depth.Lindholm was also set to be the Flames' lone All-Star representative. The festivities could now be a good weekend to get to know some of his teammates, as the Canucks already had an NHL-high five representatives before adding Lindholm.Kuzmenko, 27, recorded 39 goals and 74 points in his rookie campaign last year, but he's struggling in 2023-24 with just eight goals and 13 assists in 43 contests. He's in the first season of a two-year deal carrying a $5.5-million cap hit.Brzustewicz, 19, was a third-round pick by the Canucks in 2023. The 6-foot, right-handed defenseman leads all OHL skaters this season with 61 assists in 47 games.Jurmo, 21, was a third-round pick in 2020. The 6-foot-3 blue-liner has tallied three points in 34 games in Finland's top professional league this season.This marks the second trade between Canucks general manger Patrik Allvin and Flames GM Craig Conroy this season after Nikita Zadorov was sent from Calgary to Vancouver in November.It's been a particularly busy 24 hours for Allvin, who signed a multi-year extension earlier Wednesday.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The field is set for the first six events in Friday's NHL All-Star Skills Competition.As expected, the 12 players taking part in this year's festivities each chose four events to compete in out of the six.The top eight point-earners will move on to a seventh event (a one-on-one shootout against a goaltender of their choice), from which the top six will advance to the final event (an obstacle course in which the points are doubled).Here's the lineup for the first half-dozen showdowns:Fastest Skater Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / GettyPlayerTeamCale MakarColorado AvalancheConnor McDavidEdmonton OilersMathew BarzalNew York IslandersWilliam NylanderToronto Maple LeafsQuinn HughesVancouver CanucksHardest Shot Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / GettyPlayerTeamDavid PastrnakBoston BruinsMakarAvalancheAuston MatthewsMaple LeafsJ.T. MillerVancouver CanucksElias PetterssonCanucksStick-handling Mitchell Leff / Getty Images Sport / GettyPlayerTeamPastrnakBruinsMacKinnonAvalancheDraisaitlOilersMcDavidOilersBarzalIslandersKucherovLightningNylanderMaple LeafsHughesCanucksPetterssonCanucksOne-timers Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / GettyPlayerTeamNathan MacKinnonAvalanchePastrnakBruinsMillerCanucksPetterssonCanucksBarzalIslandersLeon DraisaitlOilersKucherovLightningMatthewsMaple LeafsPassing Challenge Greg Fiume / National Hockey League / GettyPlayerTeamMacKinnonAvalancheMakarAvalancheDraisaitlOilersMcDavidOilersBarzalIslandersMatthewsMaple LeafsNylanderMaple LeafsKucherovLightningHughesCanucksMillerCanucksPetterssonCanucksAccuracy Shooting Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / GettyPlayerTeamPastrnakBruinsMacKinnonAvalancheMakarAvalancheDraisaitlOilersMcDavidOilersKucherovLightningMatthewsMaple LeafsNylanderMaple LeafsHughesCanucksMillerCanucksMeanwhile, here are the goaltenders who'll take part in the one-on-one event: Richard T Gagnon / Getty Images Sport / Getty PlayerTeamJeremy SwaymanBruinsAlexandar GeorgievAvalancheJake OettingerDallas StarsSergei BobrovskyFlorida PanthersCam TalbotLos Angeles KingsIgor ShesterkinNew York RangersThatcher DemkoCanucksConnor HellebuyckWinnipeg JetsThe netminder with the most saves will win $100,000.Here's the point system for the skaters:PlacePoints1st52nd43rd34th25th16th-12th0Barzal replaces New Jersey Devils star Jack Hughes, who was originally one of the 12 players but won't take part due to injury.The Skills Competition winner will take home $1 million. The league unveiled the new format and incentive in December, acknowledging it relied heavily on McDavid's feedback.The NHL's All-Star Weekend begins Thursday in Toronto with the return of the player draft for the three-on-three tournament, which will take place Saturday.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Columbus Blue Jackets center Adam Fantilli is expected to miss eight weeks due to a calf laceration, the team announced Wednesday.A skate cut Fantilli's leg during Sunday's loss to the Seattle Kraken.The injury halts what's been an excellent rookie season for the 19-year-old, who was drafted third overall by Columbus last June. Fantilli has been one of the Blue Jackets' only bright spots this year, tallying 12 goals and 27 points in 49 games. He's tied for third among rookies in goals and sits fourth in points.The Blue Jackets won't begin life without their young star until Feb. 10, when they host the Tampa Bay Lightning to begin the second half of the season.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The NHL's best and brightest are set to take part in the league's annual All-Star showcase beginning Thursday in Toronto.Here's all you need to know about the Feb. 1-4 festivities, on and off the ice:Thursday, Feb. 1: All-Stars touch down The party is jam-packed to kick things off (watch on Sportsnet in Canada and ESPN/ESPN+ in the United States, all times ET):

The Vancouver Canucks signed general manager Patrik Allvin to a multi-year contract extension on Wednesday.Allvin took over in Vancouver in early 2022, becoming the first Swede in NHL history to hold a GM title. He's overseen a swift turnaround, as the Canucks pace the NHL standings at 71 points after missing the playoffs in each of the past three seasons."The privilege of staying on to continue what we started here with the Canucks means so very much to me and my family," Allvin said in a statement. "While our group has taken many positive steps forward, the job is not done. We will continue to push and put in the work necessary to build a championship-caliber team."Some of Allvin's notable moves in Vancouver include signing J.T. Miller and Brock Boeser to new contracts, trading away former captain Bo Horvat, and acquiring blue-liners Filip Hronek and Nikita Zadorov in separate deals.Allvin also appointed Rick Tocchet as head coach last January to replace Bruce Boudreau. The Canucks are 53-23-9 since the switch.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

We have a small three-game slate ahead of us Wednesday on the eve of the All-Star break.Let's take a look at three ways to attack it.Brady Tkachuk: Over 3.5 shotsTkachuk came through for us last time out, soaring past his over with an eight-shot performance. We're going right back to the well in a fantastic matchup versus the Red Wings.Detroit has won its fair share of games lately but certainly not because of its defense. The Red Wings rank 30th in five-on-five shot suppression over the past 10 contests and have allowed at least 30 total shots in nine of them. Win or lose, their goaltenders are seeing a ton of rubber.I fully expect that to be the case again here. Believe it or not, the Senators are first in five-on-five shot generation over the last 10. They're creating a lot of offense, and Tkachuk is at the forefront.Nobody on the Senators has more shots or chances in that span, whether it be at five-on-five or on the power play.Tkachuk has registered four shots or more in 65% of his games this season. Given the Red Wings' inability to limit shots of late, he's in a prime spot to get there again.Odds: -145 (playable to -160)Alex DeBrincat: Over 2.5 shotsDeBrincat has cooled off of late, going over his total in just three of the past 10 games. Even still, his season outputs remain very encouraging. He has recorded three shots or more in 57% of his games and a whopping 69% when playing in Detroit.I expect his home success to continue Wednesday night against the Senators. He's back on the top line alongside Dylan Larkin and Lucas Raymond, which should lead to extra usage relative to what he has seen lately.DeBrincat has also generated shots at a higher rate with Larkin than other centers like J.T. Compher and Andrew Copp, even though Larkin is much more of a shooting (and scoring) threat.I expect DeBrincat to have some extra pep in his step squaring off against his former team. He has faced the Senators three times this season, going over his total in two of them.He attempted six shots in the lone defeat, which is in line with his season average at home - where he has been so successful - and generally enough for DeBrincat to get the job done.The Red Wings haven't played in a few days, and this is their last game before the break. Every point is needed in a heated playoff race, so expect the Red Wings to give their top players as much ice as they can handle.Odds: +103 (playable to -125)Adrian Kempe: Under 3.5 shotsThis line is too high for me. Kempe is averaging 3.1 shots per game (3.0 on the road) and owns a 36% hit rate for the season.He's not exactly on an upward trajectory, having averaged 2.6 shots over the last 10 games while falling short of his total in eight of them.Yet Kempe's line still sits at 3.5 heading into a road contest against the stingy Predators. They have been one of the league's best defensive sides since the calendar flipped, ranking near the top in expected goals suppression while routinely playing in low-event games.The Predators aren't going to give Kempe much room to breathe at five-on-five. While they aren't in fine form killing penalties, they don't take many of them.Head coach Andrew Brunette is likely to go with the best-on-best mentality, which means Kempe should see plenty of the Ryan O'Reilly line and Roman Josi pairing. It may be sweaty, but the Predators are well-equipped to keep Kempe under this number.Odds: -145 (playable to -160)Todd Cordell is a sports betting writer at theScore. You can follow him on X at @ToddCordell.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

New York Rangers general manager Chris Drury is listening to trade offers for forward Kaapo Kakko, sources told TSN's Darren Dreger.Kakko, who will turn 23 in February, was the second overall pick in 2019. He's in the final season of a two-year, $4.2-million contract before hitting restricted free agency this summer.The Finnish winger has managed six points in 28 games this season while averaging 13:27 per contest. Kakko set career highs in goals (18), points (40), and shots on goal (125) in 2022-23.The Rangers sit first in the Metropolitan Division and are expected to be buyers ahead of this year's trade deadline. New York has approximately $5.2 million in flexibility, according to CapFriendly, and center appears to be an area of need for the team after Filip Chytil was recently ruled out for the rest of the season.Drury has made big swings at recent deadlines. He acquired Patrick Kane and Vladimir Tarasenko in 2023 and moved several picks in 2022 to land Andrew Copp and Frank Vatrano.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

With the NHL All-Star draft set to commence Thursday at 6 p.m. ET, four members of our hockey editorial team tried to get inside the minds of the All-Star captains and take their best guesses about how the draft will play out.Here are the results.Team Matthews Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / GettyCaptain: Auston Matthews

Carolina Hurricanes goaltender Frederik Andersen is set to resume on-ice conditioning after being sidelined indefinitely with a blood clot issue in early November, the team announced Wednesday."In November, Frederik Andersen was diagnosed with a deep-vein thrombosis and subsequent pulmonary embolisms. He has been on anti-coagulation medication since that time, and working with a team of experts to obtain medical opinions as to how he can return to playing safely," general manager Don Waddell said in a statement."Frederik has resumed off-ice activities without complication and will now begin limited on-ice conditioning. We will provide additional updates as the process continues to progress."Andersen has made six appearances this season, most recently on Nov. 2. He's posted a .894 save percentage and a 4-1-0 record this campaign, his third with the Hurricanes."I am thrilled that I'm a step closer to joining my teammates and competing on the ice," Andersen said. "I feel grateful for the help and support I've received from my family and doctors, as well as the entire Hurricanes organization."Andersen signed a two-year, $6.8-million contract in July to stay in Carolina. The 34-year-old is 60-26-4 with a .914 clip since joining the Hurricanes in 2021.Carolina has used five goalies this season but sits second in the Metropolitan Division with 61 points.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Sitting on a stool inside a South Surrey, British Columbia, conference room last November, with a group of young male hockey players staring back at him, Brock McGillis lobbed a simple question at the Under-18 Semiahmoo Ravens."What is something you like doing away from hockey that you don't typically share with the boys?" asked McGillis, the first openly gay men's pro hockey player.After gentle prodding, a player spoke up to say he likes to spend his free time making "dirty rap songs" - boom, the ice was broken. Others shared their love for drawing, woodworking, airplanes, luxury cars, fishing, and anime cartoons. One player sheepishly confessed to being a "big Lego guy.""Legos! That's the first time I've gotten that answer, anywhere," McGillis said.McGillis speaking with the Eastern Ontario Wild U15 AAA team. Submitted photoMcGillis has experienced different versions of this revelatory interaction many times over the past few months. His 100-day Culture Shift tour, which includes talks with more than 100 minor-hockey teams spread across the seven Canadian NHL markets, aims to change language, behavior, and attitudes.He challenges teenage players to embrace what makes them unique within a sport that typically promotes conformity. In Calgary, a player told McGillis about his hobby making candles - and how his teammates are selling them."I have this saying: Normal doesn't exist. We're all a bunch of weirdos, and that's a beautiful thing," McGillis said last week during a break in the tour, which is scheduled to wrap in Toronto on Feb. 5 and return next season.McGillis played in the Ontario Hockey League, briefly in the now-defunct United Hockey League, a pro league in the Netherlands, and at Concordia University in Montreal. The former goalie came out in 2016 and has since dedicated his working hours to LGBTQ activism and relaying his personal story. Now 40, he's the co-founder of the queer-led nonprofit Alphabet Sports Collective, and was recently named one of The Hockey News' 100 people of power and influence within the sport.Here are a few things we learned while sitting down with McGillis.The ripple effectMcGillis at a Pride event in New York City in 2019. Noam Galai / Getty ImagesAfter his retirement in 2010, McGillis began training elite athletes in Sudbury, Ontario. He hid his sexuality for about five years at work in part because he was afraid of being blackballed by local sports associations. Then he got a phone call from a hockey mom who wanted to set him up on a blind date."What's her name?" McGillis asked."Steve," the mom replied.McGillis' clients already knew his secret. He thought about coming out to them, but opted to observe their behavior instead. He noticed they'd freeze up and apologize any time they used homophobic language. McGillis was encouraged by this, though he wondered how they acted with him not around.At a conditioning session when McGillis wasn't present, a player, upset at another trainer's demands to keep running, expressed his frustrations. "This is so gay," he said. An older player told the younger player his remark was unacceptable and anybody who speaks like that should do 50 pushups.Keeping teammates accountable in this way became a trend in the area."That older player, on that day, on a random track in Sudbury, in 2015, did something he thought was so small. But he was creating a shift. And that shift had a ripple effect," McGillis said. "Because every shift we create - big or small - leads to something else."McGillis came out not long after hearing that story. Thousands of people have reached out for counsel since then. Many have summoned the courage to come out themselves. Another ripple effect."Pick a topic: Racism. Homophobia. Misogyny. Ableism. Bullying. Mental health," McGillis said. "Whatever it is, a shift can happen."How to create shiftsMcGillis on the Winnipeg Jets' "Ground Control" podcast in Jan. 2024. YouTube / Winnipeg JetsMcGillis believes there are three easy ways to create a shift within big groups:

The Ottawa Senators won't let their position in the standings stop them from being aggressive at the trade deadline.The Eastern Conference's last-place club is among the teams interested in Calgary Flames defenseman Chris Tanev, reports TSN's Darren Dreger.Tanev, 34, is in the last year of his contract with a $4.5-million cap hit.Despite his age, the Senators view Tanev as a foundational fit but would likely require an extension to be in place before pulling off a trade, Dreger added.Tanev has recorded nine points in 46 games for the Flames this season while averaging 19:40 per contest. He's known as one of the better pure shutdown defensemen in the league, as his defensive metrics are strong and he ranks fifth in the NHL with 135 blocked shots.He also shoots right, which could make him a good fit for Ottawa's left-handed-heavy blue line.Ottawa has reportedly listened to offers for Jakob Chychrun, a lefty defenseman who's most often tasked with playing on his off side. However, Chychrun called the trade rumors "ridiculous."The Senators rank 30th in the NHL in goals against per game and haven't finished higher than 20th since they last made the playoffs in 2016-17. Tanev would certainly help in that regard.It may be out of Ottawa's hands, though. Tanev's contract contains a 10-team no-trade list, so he'll have a say in where he ends up if he does get traded.The Maple Leafs have also shown interest in the Toronto native, as general manager Brad Treliving attempted to pull off a trade for both Tanev and Nikita Zadorov earlier in the season before the latter was ultimately dealt to the Vancouver Canucks.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Detroit Red Wings veteran Patrick Kane is confident he'll be in the lineup when the club returns from All-Star festivities and the ensuing bye week."I don't see any reason why I wouldn't be able to come back after the break," Kane said Tuesday.Kane has missed six games since suffering a lower-body injury against the Toronto Maple Leafs on Jan. 14. Detroit takes on the Ottawa Senators on Wednesday and then is off until Feb. 10.The 35-year-old asserted that the injury has nothing to do with the hip he had surgically repaired over the offseason."Nothing with the hip, which is good," Kane said. "The hip feels really good, to be honest with you. At the same time, it's frustrating when it's feeling good and something else comes up and shows up. But, you know, I guess you try to find the positives in every situation, and maybe it gives me a few weeks to let everything settle down."Kane joined the Red Wings on a one-year deal in November and racked up 16 points in 19 games before his injury. Detroit currently occupies the second wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference with 57 points.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Injured New Jersey Devils star Jack Hughes is being replaced by teammate Jesper Bratt in the upcoming All-Star Game while New York Islanders forward Mathew Barzal will take Hughes' spot in the All-Star Skills Competition, the NHL announced Tuesday.Hughes was labeled week-to-week with an unspecified injury Jan. 9 and hasn't played since. He'll still attend the event in Toronto and co-captain his team in the All-Star player draft alongside his brother, Quinn.Bratt has never been an NHL All-Star before. His 50 points in 47 games lead the Devils, though Jack Hughes only trails by five despite being been limited to 32 appearances this season.Barzal was previously chosen as the Isles' lone representative for the weekend. He's second on New York this season with 51 points and has already been to two All-Star Games in his eight-year career.The skills competition will use a new format this year, with 12 players participating in a series of events with cumulative scoring for a $1-million prize.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Connor McDavid doesn't seem concerned about pursuing his sixth Art Ross Trophy as long as the Edmonton Oilers keep winning.The reigning MVP, who won the scoring title with a career-high 153 points last season, said the club finding ways to win without him or Leon Draisaitl lighting up the scoresheet is a positive for Edmonton's playoff aspirations."It's not one of those years where everyone's going to be writing about all these big numbers and stuff like that. But, we've been there and done that," McDavid said, per Sportsnet's Mark Spector. "It's about being a part of something, and I think it's a good thing that no one's writing about Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl leading the way."McDavid ranks fifth in league scoring with 67 points in 43 games, 18 back of leader Nikita Kucherov, while Draisaitl sits 14th with 57 points. Their lower-than-normal numbers aren't a concern at the moment since the Oilers are on a 16-game win streak and are 26-6-0 under new head coach Kris Knoblauch."Is it great to produce offensively? Of course, it is," McDavid said. "But we want to be a part of something; we want to be part of a team and a group that can do some damage later in the year."McDavid credited Edmonton's new defensive structure for the club's surge up the standings."We're playing a little bit of a different system than we've ever played here before, and we're getting comfortable in it," he said. "You can see in the (defensive) zone, there seems to be way less running around. It's a lot calmer."Edmonton has vaulted to third in the Pacific with 59 points after a disastrous start to the campaign. The Oilers' next game comes on Feb. 6 against the Vegas Golden Knights, and a victory over their division rivals would match the longest win streak in NHL history.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

We split Monday's card, losing our under by the hook - Mads Sogaard allowing three goals on 11 shots didn't help - while Brady Tkachuk soared over his shot total.We'll look to put together a winning night with three player props for Tuesday's two-gamer.Brayden Schenn: Over 0.5 pointsSchenn is red-hot, recording at least a point in nine of his past 10 contests.The stars are aligning for another productive showing Tuesday night. Skating on the second unit, Schenn should see plenty of time against the Blue Jackets' Boone Jenner line. That's definitely a matchup Schenn and his linemates can exploit.Although Emil Bemstrom is new as the third wheel, the Jenner-Jack Roslovic duo has struggled whenever they've played together. Columbus controlled just 41% of the expected goal share and was outscored 12-4 over 134 minutes with that combination on the ice.Schenn and Co. should be able to spend plenty of time in the offensive zone and generate more than their fair share of chances in this game.Schenn also stands to benefit from poor goaltending. Projected starter Elvis Merzlikins has started only four games this month and has conceded 16 goals in that span while posting no better than a .900 save percentage in each contest.If the Blue Jackets throw a curveball and go back to Daniil Tarasov, even better. He's allowed at least three goals in eight of 10 starts and four-plus goals six times.Any way you slice it, this is a prime matchup for Schenn to hit the scoresheet again.Odds: -135 (playable to -150)Kirill Marchenko: Over 2.5 shotsMarchenko has gone over this line in four straight contests and seven of the past 10. I like his chances of doing so again.He's skating with Dmitri Voronkov and Kent Johnson for the Blue Jackets, both of whom bring out the best in Marchenko - at least when it comes to generating shots. Marchenko averages more five-on-five shots per minute with Voronkov on his line than with other notable teammates like Johnny Gaudreau, Patrik Laine, and Jenner.Marchenko is especially efficient when Johnson is on the opposite wing. He generates 23 shot attempts and upwards of 15 shots on goal per 60 minutes with Johnson on his line. Those are his highest outputs of any linemate he has skated with this season.The matchup is also quite strong. The Blues rank 27th in shot suppression over the past 10 games and are paper thin on their bottom two lines, which should see a lot of Marchenko.Odds: +105 (playable to -125)Jared McCann: Over 2.5 shotsMcCann has the best possible matchup he could ask for. Even at their best and winning games at a respectable rate, the Sharks can't defend.No team has conceded shots at a higher rate over the season or across the past 10 contests than San Jose.McCann figures to be the prime beneficiary of the Sharks' defensive ineptitude. He's skating on the top line at even strength, and his shot is a focal point of the first power-play unit.McCann has also feasted on San Jose in recent memory. He recorded 17 shots across his last three games versus the Sharks dating back to last season. That's nearly six shots on goal - not attempts! - per night.Odds: -115 (playable to -140)Todd Cordell is a sports betting writer at theScore. You can follow him on X at @ToddCordell.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Ottawa Senators captain Brady Tkachuk hopes his team's 4-3 overtime victory over the Nashville Predators on Monday night can serve as a statement game for his team amid a roller-coaster campaign."It's been challenging, it's been hard," he told Sportsnet postgame. "We've just gotta keep finding ways to win hockey games. ... It's time for us to show who we are. I think we're going to do that."The Senators were down 3-0 entering the second period, prompting interim head coach Jacques Martin to replace Mads Sogaard in net with Joonas Korpisalo. Drake Batherson, Tim Stutzle, and Brady Tkachuk then all scored to erase the three-goal deficit.Batherson said Parker Kelly got the Senators "fired up" with a speech after the opening frame."We were pretty frustrated after getting smoked (7-2 to the New York Rangers) last game and coming out in the first and being down 3-zip," he said. "So had to do something, and a couple of the guys spoke up. Obviously, we came out and played a totally different game."After a scoreless third stanza, veteran forward Claude Giroux netted the overtime winner. The tally marked his fifth career game-winner when down by three goals or more, tied with Glenn Anderson for the most in league history, per NHL PR."We showed our maturity from all the lessons that we've had to learn and in the past could've gotten away from us. But we stuck to it, stuck to our game," Tkachuk said. "Really emphasized on doing it as a team versus trying to overdo it individually."Ottawa has now collected at least one point in six of its last seven games. Martin hailed the comeback as "a great team effort.""Handling adversity, we've been better. We've also been better at executing, we spend more time in the offensive zone," he said.The Senators sit in last place in the Atlantic Division with a 19-25-2 record and are 17 points behind the Detroit Red Wings for the second wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference.Ottawa will face Detroit on Wednesday for its last game before the All-Star break."It's a big game," Giroux said. "Where we are in the standings, it's not pretty, but we've just gotta go one game at a time."Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Buffalo Sabres winger Jack Quinn is expected to miss eight weeks after undergoing surgery to address a lower-body injury, sources told The Buffalo News' Lance Lysowski.Quinn suffered the ailment during Saturday's 5-2 victory over the San Jose Sharks. He had to be helped off the ice after being shoved into the boards by Sharks forward Tomas Hertl in the third period and was unable to return to the contest.

Columbus Blue Jackets forward Adam Fantilli suffered a skate cut to his left leg during his team's 4-2 loss to the Seattle Kraken on Sunday night.The club announced Monday that Fantilli won't be available for Tuesday's clash against the Blues and that he'll be further evaluated once the Jackets return home from St. Louis.The incident occurred in the second period when Fantilli laid a hit on Kraken forward Jared McCann. McCann's skate caught the back of Fantilli's calf, and the rookie hopped off the ice.

This is the eighth in-season edition of theScore's NHL Power Rankings for the 2023-24 campaign. Check back for updated rankings every other Monday.In this edition, we select the biggest All-Star snub from every team.1. Edmonton Oilers (29-15-1)Previous rank: 5Zach Hyman. A third Oilers forward getting into the All-Star Game will always be a tough challenge. If there was any season for it, a nod for Hyman this year would've been it. He's on pace for over 50 goals and is still loved by the All-Star hosts in Toronto.2. Vancouver Canucks (33-11-5)Previous rank: 2Filip Hronek. This one's tricky, since, like, every Canuck made it into the All-Star Game (OK, there are five plus head coach Rick Tocchet). So we're choosing Hronek, who ranks fifth in Vancouver with 36 points in 49 games during his first full season as a Canuck.3. Boston Bruins (31-9-9)Previous rank: 4Charlie Coyle. Let's hear a little commotion for the veteran center, who has stepped up following Patrice Bergeron's and David Krejci's retirements. He ranks third on the Bruins in both goals (18) and points (42) in 49 games and is on pace to set career highs in both categories. Brad Marchand and Charlie McAvoy would also fit the bill, but Coyle has been a quietly vital piece.4. Florida Panthers (31-14-4)Previous rank: 3Matthew Tkachuk. The NHL leader in primary points for January isn't Nikita Kucherov or Nathan MacKinnon or Connor McDavid. It's Tkachuk, who racked up 24 - five more than the second most.5. Winnipeg Jets (30-12-5) Darcy Finley / National Hockey League / GettyPrevious rank: 1Mark Scheifele. Sure, the Jets forward will now be using the All-Star break to continue recovering from a lower-body injury, but Scheifele would still fit right in at the festivities, seeing as he leads Winnipeg with 41 points in 41 games.6. Colorado Avalanche (32-14-3)Previous rank: 6Mikko Rantanen. It's truly hilarious that Rantanen isn't at the All-Star Game. He's top 10 in goals and points, and his exclusion is an indictment of the selection process that mandates a rep from every team.7. Dallas Stars (30-13-6)Previous rank: 8Roope Hintz. Yes, we've chosen Hintz over linemate Jason Robertson, who leads the Stars in points but hasn't been as explosive offensively as he was last season. Hintz, meanwhile, is targeting his second straight point-per-game campaign.8. New York Rangers (30-16-3)Previous rank: 7Jonathan Quick. Before you express your outrage in the comments, Artemi Panarin can't go. The Rangers' other goalie, Igor Shesterkin, is attending the All-Star Game, but Quick has had the better season statistically, sporting a .915 save percentage and 10-4-2 record. The veteran hasn't been invited to an All-Star Game since 2018, so it would've been cool if he got the nod, OK?9. Carolina Hurricanes (28-15-5)Previous rank: 9Seth Jarvis. In his third NHL campaign, the 21-year-old is about to absolutely smash his point totals from his last two seasons. Jarvis has racked up 38 points - just two off his previous career high - in 48 games and is on pace to crack the 60-point mark.10. Vegas Golden Knights (29-15-6) Ethan Miller / Getty Images Sport / GettyPrevious rank: 12Jonathan Marchessault. The defending Stanley Cup champions having zero representatives at the All-Star Game after Jack Eichel's injury seems like a major oversight. Nobody would rep the champs better than Conn Smythe winner Marchessault, who's on pace for a career high in goals.11. Toronto Maple Leafs (25-14-8)Previous rank: 13John Tavares. The Maple Leafs' captain isn't having his best season, but it still would've been fun to see all five of Toronto's top stars at the All-Star Game in their home rink.12. Tampa Bay Lightning (27-18-5)Previous rank: 19Victor Hedman. Any concerns over Hedman's offensive production have subsided. The 33-year-old has already passed his point total from a down 2022-23 campaign through just 48 games to rank fourth among all defenders in scoring.13. Philadelphia Flyers (25-19-6)Previous rank: 11John Tortorella. If the All-Star Game coaches were chosen based on Jack Adams odds rather than whichever team is leading each division, Tortorella would be the Metropolitan rep. Send him to the All-Star Game, get him mic'd-up, and put an iso cam on him during the games.14. Detroit Red Wings (26-18-5)Previous rank: 20Dylan Larkin. The Red Wings captain paces his team with 22 goals and 46 points while appearing in six fewer contests than Detroit's sole representative, Alex DeBrincat. Though DeBrincat is certainly worthy of the honor, Larkin should be making his third straight All-Star appearance.15. New Jersey Devils (24-20-3) Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / GettyPrevious rank: 14Jesper Bratt and Luke Hughes. Look, maybe we're cheating, but this one is a tie. Bratt has been a bona fide star, leading the Devils with 50 points in 47 games, but we're not immune to the lure of having all three Hughes brothers at All-Star Weekend. It would be fun!16. Los Angeles Kings (22-15-10)Previous rank: 15Trevor Moore. The underrated forward paces the Kings with 21 goals - surpassing his previous career high of 17 - and four game-winners. Moore has carved out quite the role for himself in Los Angeles, and it would've been nice to see him honored with his first All-Star selection.17. St. Louis Blues (26-20-2)Previous rank: 24Pavel Buchnevich. Roll the tapes. Since slamming his slow start to the season as "awful" in early November, Buchnevich has rattled off 16 tallies, 36 points, and a team-leading five game-winning goals in 37 games. Not bad. Not bad at all.18. Seattle Kraken (21-18-10)Previous rank: 10Joey Daccord. Since December, Daccord has been lights out for the Kraken with a 12-5-4 record and a .934 save percentage. Maybe Oliver Bjorkstrand can re-book his vacation, and Daccord can go to Toronto instead.19. Pittsburgh Penguins (22-17-7)Previous rank: 17Jake Guentzel. Who better to join Sidney Crosby at the All-Star Game than his most frequent linemate? Guentzel ranks second on the Penguins with 22 goals, 49 points, and 38 even-strength points in 46 games, trailing only - you guessed it - Crosby.20. New York Islanders (20-17-12) Cato Cataldo / National Hockey League / GettyPrevious rank: 16Noah Dobson. One of the biggest snubs league-wide, it's baffling that Dobson wasn't chosen as the Islanders' rep. That's no disrespect to Mathew Barzal, but Dobson leads the team in points (52) and plus/minus (plus-21) while ranking third among all defenders in scoring. Not recognizing his Norris-level season is incredibly disappointing.21. Nashville Predators (26-22-1)Previous rank: 18Ryan O'Reilly. Quite frankly, the 32-year-old is killing it in his first season as a Predator. O'Reilly ranks second on the team with 17 goals and 42 points in 49 games. He might crack the 70-point mark for the second time in his career and is on pace for around 28 tallies, which would tie his previous high.22. Buffalo Sabres (22-23-4)Previous rank: 25Casey Mittelstadt. After looking like a bust relative to massive expectations coming out of college, Mittelstadt's found his groove the past season and a half. He paces the Sabres with 41 points and has been a consistent presence in the lineup while Buffalo has dealt with injuries to seemingly every other top-six forward.23. Washington Capitals (22-18-7)Previous rank: 23Alex Ovechkin. It's called the All-Star Game for a reason. Even amid a career-worst goal-scoring season, Ovechkin leads the Capitals in points, so it's not like he's out of the question for a spot on merit, either. Simply put, the All-Star Game is better when Ovechkin is there.24. Arizona Coyotes (23-22-3)Previous rank: 21Connor Ingram. The goaltender has been simply outstanding, and the Coyotes probably wouldn't be in the playoff hunt without him. He has a better save percentage (.916) than five of the netminders attending this year's All-Star Game.25. Calgary Flames (22-22-5) Jenn Pierce / National Hockey League / GettyPrevious rank: 22Blake Coleman. The 32-year-old is putting together a stellar campaign with the Flames. He's already notched a career-high 39 points and leads Calgary in scoring. He would've been a worthy selection had he gotten the nod over Elias Lindholm.26. Ottawa Senators (18-25-2)Previous rank: 30Tim Stutzle. This one was a toss-up between the German forward and Claude Giroux, but we went with Stutzle because, well, he hasn't been before. He tops the struggling Senators with 45 points in 45 games and could be a point-per-game player for the second straight season.27. Montreal Canadiens (20-21-8)Previous rank: 26Cole Caufield. Sure, he isn't lighting the lamp as much during his first season back from shoulder surgery, but Caufield still leads the Canadiens with 17 goals in 49 games. He'd probably wreak havoc in an accuracy shooting competition.28. Minnesota Wild (21-23-5)Previous rank: 27Joel Eriksson Ek. The Wild's top two-way center is one of the more underrated forwards in the game, and that trend has continued this season. He leads Minnesota with 21 goals in 49 games and is already only six tallies away from setting a new career high. Maybe Eriksson Ek will finally be recognized next year.29. Columbus Blue Jackets (15-24-10)Previous rank: 28Adam Fantilli. Bring back the YoungStars Game! Or at least some kind of representation of the next wave of talent. A rookie versus sophomore showcase like back in 2009 would be an excellent way to introduce more fans to the up-and-coming players in the league who aren't quite ready to play their way into the full All-Star Game yet.30. Anaheim Ducks (17-30-2) Michael Reaves / Getty Images Sport / GettyPrevious rank: 29Leo Carlsson. Carlsson featuring opposite fellow top-three pick Fantilli in a potential YoungStars Game would've been a fun addition to the weekend lineup.31. San Jose Sharks (13-32-4)Previous rank: 32William Eklund. Apologies to the Sharks, but this one was ... difficult. Eklund, at least, is an exciting young talent who ranks third on San Jose with 21 points in 48 contests. The Sharks haven't won many games, but Eklund has been directly responsible for four of them. No one else on the team has more than one game-winner.32. Chicago Blackhawks (14-34-2)Previous rank: 31Petr Mrazek. The Blackhawks recently rewarded the 31-year-old with a two-year contract extension and a $450,000 raise. He's posted above-average numbers on a bottom-ranked team and would certainly bring some fun to the All-Star Game with his aggressive style.(Analytics sources: Evolving-Hockey, Natural Stat Trick)Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

We have just one game on the ice Monday night as the NHL crawls toward the All-Star break.Let's look at the best ways to attack it.Predators (-105) @ Senators (-115)The Predators have mastered the art of low-event hockey. They've tightened the ship relative to what we saw earlier in the season by cutting down the chances allowed while sacrificing offensively. The strategy has led to a lot of low-scoring contests lately.Nashville has played seven straight games in which no more than five goals were scored, with the average being just 4.57 goals. That's nearly two full goals below tonight's total.I know the Senators have bled goals all season, but there's reason to believe there's light at the end of the tunnel. Ottawa finally appears to be making a lot of progress under interim coach Jacques Martin.At five-on-five, the Sens have allowed just 1.96 expected goals per 60 minutes over the past couple of weeks (seven games). That's the second-lowest rate in the league, placing them behind only the Panthers.Ottawa has also done a much better job of staying out of the box in that time, which helps make life easier for its netminders.We've still seen some big goal totals in the Senators' games, as goaltending has remained an issue, but their process has improved drastically. And the Predators aren't a highly skilled finishing team likely to convert on seemingly every chance that comes their way.Nashville and Ottawa both rank in the top seven in expected goal suppression over the past couple of weeks. With the Predators playing in a lot of hotly contested, low-scoring affairs and the Senators looking to play a similar style to mask their goaltending issues, I don't expect much action in this one.Bet: Under 6.5 (+105)Brady Tkachuk: Over 3.5 shotsTkachuk has gone under his shot total in four consecutive games, but I love his chances of getting back on track Monday night.The 24-year-old has recorded four-plus shots in 19 of 26 contests in Ottawa this season, which equates to a ridiculous 73% success rate.We've seen a slight dip in Tkachuk's volume lately, but that's likely a byproduct of a difficult schedule as opposed to anything he's doing wrong. The Senators' last three home games came against the Jets, Bruins, and Rangers.The Predators are competent but certainly a tier or two below those teams.Nashville also struggles mightily on the penalty kill. Over the past 10 games, the club ranks in the bottom six in suppressing shots, goals, and expected goals when shorthanded.Tkachuk has a healthy team lead in shots and scoring chances while on the man advantage. Getting him looks around the net is the top priority for the Senators, so Tkachuk should have ample opportunity to take advantage of Nashville's weak penalty kill.As a cherry on top, Tim Stutzle returns Monday to center Tkachuk's top line. The Sens captain averages four more shot attempts per 60 minutes when playing with Stutzle as opposed to Josh Norris.Odds: -135 (playable to -150)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.

Midway through a game in Los Angeles last week, Sabres forward JJ Peterka lurked as linemate Jack Quinn dove for a loose puck, whacking it forward. The puck wobbled through the neutral zone and onto Peterka's CCM Tacks stick.Without missing a beat, Peterka entered the offensive zone with full command of the puck and nothing but ice between him and Kings goalie Cam Talbot.Three strides. One deke. A wrist shot from the hash marks. Goal, Buffalo."As soon as JJ gets the puck," Sabres center Dylan Cozens said in a recent interview, "his feet start moving a million miles per second. His hands, too. He's such a threat once he crosses the blue line with speed and possession." Bill Wippert / Getty ImagesPeterka, who, according to NHL Edge, routinely reaches skating speeds of 18 to 22 mph, hit the brakes at the last possible moment in that sequence. He collided with Talbot before calmly untangling himself to celebrate the goal with teammates. It was a very on-brand five seconds for the 22-year-old German.Through a season and a half, Peterka has established himself as a full-throttle winger tailor-made for the modern NHL. He finished the L.A. game - a 5-3 victory for the underachieving, 22-23-4 Sabres - with career highs in points (three) and penalties drawn (three). Each scoring play came off the rush, and each penalty was drawn because he kept his legs moving in high-traffic areas."It's just ... go," Quinn said of Peterka's assertive style."JJ has that confidence to just go," added Peyton Krebs, another Sabres forward. "Every time he has the puck, he's going to make a play and then get to the net. A lot of guys hold back and take it easy sometimes. But not JJ."Peterka leads the Sabres with 18 goals. His 34 points are tied for third on the team - even though he ranks seventh among forwards in ice time at 16 minutes a night. Impressively, Peterka's inflicting most of his damage away from the power play, pacing all Sabres in several five-on-five categories: shot attempts (207), shots on goal (113), expected goals (11.5), and goals (16).The sophomore's gone from generating the fifth-most scoring chances off the rush on last year's team (0.65 per game) to being the outright leader this year (0.98), according to Sportlogiq. He's lapping his teammates in penalty differential, too. At plus-16 in 49 games, he's tied with Connor McDavid and two others for the league lead.As Quinn puts it, when Peterka's flying, it can look like defenders around him are suffering mini panic attacks. He's that dangerous, that deadly in transition."He's learning the other side of the game - other than offense - which is going to get him more offense," Sabres head coach Don Granato said of Peterka's Year 2 breakout. "The less time you spend defending or on the defensive side of the game, the more you're going to have the puck, the more you're going to be on offense. I think he's made really significant strides in that regard." Icon Sportswire / Getty ImagesThe 2020 draft was Kevyn Adams' first as general manager of the Sabres (or any NHL team). He chose Quinn eighth overall, then traded the 38th and 100th picks for 34th so he could cut the line and nab his next target: Peterka.A product of the famed Red Bull soccer and hockey academy in Salzburg, Austria, Peterka was drafted out of Germany's top pro league. He had posted 11 points in 42 games for Red Bull Munich, the DEL club in his hometown.Fast forward to July 2022, and Michael Peca, the former Sabres center turned coach, was labeling Peterka a "unicorn" within the sport. "I can't find anybody I've ever played with or against, even in today's game, that resembles the type of player he can become," Peca told reporters. (Then an assistant coach for the AHL Rochester Americans, Peca's now an assistant for the Rangers.)Unicorn? It was heady praise, given Peca's reputation as a player (long career, two Selke Trophies, captain) and his quick ascension in the coaching world."He has no idea how good he can be yet, which is scary," Peca said at the time. "It's the blend of power and speed, and the skill set with his hands and his shot, and his ability to play in a physical game. He can play in any environment, and he can dominate in any environment."Peca and Americans head coach Seth Appert tag-teamed Peterka's development during the 2021-22 AHL season. Peca would run the individual video sessions one week, Appert the next. They focused primarily on Peterka's off-puck habits - how he supported the puck carrier, how he battled for net-front real estate, how he angled opponents into the boards, and so on.Much of Peterka's trajectory rests on how he uses his legs - "his money makers," as Appert calls them - to impact the game in non-scoring situations. For instance: "He's a good forechecker right now," Appert said, "but he can become an elite forechecker in the NHL because of that speed." Minas Panagiotakis / Getty ImagesNorth American rinks are 13 feet narrower than the surfaces Peterka was accustomed to skating on in Europe. Typically, smaller rinks demand a more direct, attacking game, especially at the pro level. While this change suits Peterka's skill set wonderfully, there was still a steep learning curve on the ice."You have so much less time than you do in Europe," Peterka said. "You've gotta read quicker. You've gotta read earlier where the next play's going to be because you know you're going to get jumped right away. In Europe, you have that extra second, where you get the puck, and then you can have a look."In the 23 games before the AHL's Christmas break, Peterka scored four times, or on average about once every five games. In 57 regular-season and playoff games after the break, he scored 31 times, or roughly once every other game."We were pretty demanding of JJ in the first half of the year in terms of habits and details away from the puck," Appert said. "But the thing with JJ is that you can be really demanding with him, hard on him, and he's never resentful of the coaching. He was still able to have a fun, playful relationship with us coaches, and that's not always the case when you really push young players."Peterka would turn to his roommates Peter Tischke and Linus Weissbach - then 25 and 23, respectively - for tips on rounding out his game, improving his English, and cooking basic meals in their downtown Rochester apartment.At the arena, Peterka and Quinn would spend an inordinate amount of time in the team's designated shooting room. Some 60 feet long and 30 feet wide, the converted storage area is nothing fancy, just two hockey nets, boards, and loads of pucks deep in the bowels of old Blue Cross Arena. "Go in there, rip some pucks," Peterka said of his affinity for the room and its equivalent in Buffalo's KeyBank Center. "Feel good. Put some music on. Try to get better." Joe Hrycych / Getty ImagesPeterka's first name is John. His middle name is Jason. He's the oldest of three children - Tiffany's 18, and Jack's 15. Dad Dennis and mom Natalie, lifelong German residents, were drawn to common American names. They'd make notes inside the movie theater while watching the end credits roll by.Peterka has been called JJ by everyone in his orbit since he was a young, sports-obsessed kid. He was so enamored by sports that at age six, he tried to pitch his mom on an idea only a six-year-old would dare pitch. What if I spent less time at school? he asked. Then I can play sports all the time, right?!"Everything I tried when I was younger, I liked. So it was hard for me at first to cut down on sports," Peterka recalled with a smile. "I ended up doing soccer, hockey, and short-track. But I was into everything."Peterka would finish hockey practice, remove his equipment, and immediately slip on his speed-skating suit and skates. A session on a track in the same facility awaited. He believes speed skating helped develop his leg muscles as well as a strong base for his hockey skating. Working closely with skating and skills coach Yanick Dube - a former pro forward - was also transformative."I spent all of my time on his skating because the hands were there and the feel for the game - the timing and reading of the game - was there at a young age," Dube said when asked about those first hours on the ice together."I figured, if this kid wants to make it, he needs to focus on his skating. I first worked with him to weight shift and get his mass working for him instead of him pushing his mass. That can help create separation, create speed." Ben Ludeman / Getty ImagesIt's fitting that Peterka enjoyed the most productive game of his NHL career at Crypto.com Arena, only seven miles from Hollywood. From his slicked-back hair and designer game-day fits (which sometimes include a bucket hat and travel toiletry bag) to his yellow-accented custom skates and oft-tucked jersey, Peterka doesn't shy away from expressing himself through fashion.(Peterka says his Wayne Gretzky-like tuck isn't a statement. He simply doesn't use the strap for fastening jerseys to hockey pants. The jersey "just goes in there automatically" as he skates. "The refs don't like it, but it happens.")Teammates are attracted to Peterka's positive energy. They say he's funny, goofy, happy, laidback - and you can see it in the behind-the-scenes content produced by the Sabres and the comments section of his Instagram account.Teammates are equally quick to bring up his serious side. Peterka's an extremely hard worker who takes his job seriously and analyzes the game at a high level. "There's two different sides to JJ," Cozens said. "We love both." DeFodi Images / Getty ImagesPeterka, who recorded 32 points in 77 games as a rookie, is one of only nine active NHLers from Germany. He dazzled at the 2023 world championships, earning best forward honors for himself (12 points in 10 games) and the silver medal for his country. It was Germany's first medal at the worlds since 1953.The Peterka family is in the middle of building a small private arena on Dennis and Natalie's property about 40 miles outside of Munich. It'll be a permanent, year-round indoor facility for two-on-two and three-on-three games, plus skills work. The ice surface will be roughly the size of one zone in an NHL rink.Peterka's invested some of his own money into the facility, which he hopes will be operational by summer. He's motivated by the idea of owning his own offseason training center. Growth is the other driving force behind the project.He wants the next generation of German players to reap the benefits of his success. He wants the next jersey-tucking, full-throttle, scoring-chance-generating machine to feed their insatiable hunger and hone their skills locally."When I look back, I wish there was a little rink to go to in the summers. When I was younger, we had to always drive three, four hours to Czechia to go to camps," Peterka said. "If there would have been a rink an hour away, I would have been there almost every day. I want to give that opportunity to kids growing up in Germany who want to get better and better."John Matisz is theScore's senior NHL writer. Follow John on Twitter (@MatiszJohn) or contact him via email (john.matisz@thescore.com).Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

We made it past the true midway point of the season weeks ago. But with just a handful of games remaining before NHL All-Star Weekend and the break that comes with it, let's take this dip in action to look at how the betting market feels about every team. For comparison, we did a similar exercise in early December.Since moneylines are a function of win probability, each team's rating is based on how much better (plus) or worse (minus) it is than an average team on neutral ice. For example, if your favorite club flies to Sweden and is -150 (60% likely) to beat a league-average (zero) team like the Predators, the betting market has deemed your club 20% better than average.Below is an estimation of how the betting market rates each team based on recent moneylines before factoring injuries to players who matter to its win probability.NHL betting market power ratingsWe included a team's preseason market rating - based on its regular season point total before the season started. Like a stock, every team has a valuation, so we also note how much the valuation has changed since before the campaign.TEAMRATING (%)PRESEASON (%)NET GAINOilers+20+16Up 4%Hurricanes+17.5+17.5-Devils+17.5+17.5-Bruins+17.5+9.5Up 8%Golden Knights+15+12Up 3%Panthers+15+8Up 7%Stars+15+15-Jets+12.50Up 12.5%Canucks+10-2.5Up 12.5%Rangers+10+11.5Down1.5%Maple Leafs+10+16.5Down 6.5%Avalanche+10+16.5Down 6.5%Kings+10+10-Penguins+10+6.7Up 2.3%Lightning+2.5+4.5Down 2%Predators0-5Up 5%Wild0+5.5Down 5.5%Sabres0+1.2Down 1.2%Islanders-3+1.2Down 4.2%Flames-3+3Down 6%Flyers-5-17.5Up 12.5%Kraken-5+1.5Down 6.5%Senators-7.50Down 7.5%Capitals-10-7Down 3%Coyotes-12.5-16.5Down 4%Blues-15-7.5Down 7.5%Red Wings-15-6.5Down 8.5%Blue Jackets-25-20Down 5%Blackhawks-25-22.5Down 2.5%Canadiens-27.5-21Down 6.5%Ducks-32.5-26Down 6.5%Sharks-40-27Down 13%The Blackhawks (Connor Bedard), Devils (Dougie Hamilton, Jack Hughes), and Golden Knights (Shea Theodore, Jack Eichel, William Karlsson) have suffered injuries to key players, which drops their current rating between 5% and 10%. Their above rating - and any other team with a more recent significant injury - is based on their status when healthy.Despite a rough start, the Oilers have always been rated as a top team. They've certainly verified that with a huge win streak.The Canucks and Jets continue to be the league's pleasant surprises. However, the most interesting dichotomy is the Red Wings' rating drop considering they're contending for a playoff spot.The Sharks were expected to struggle at the beginning of the season, but no one predicted them to be this bad. Despite starting the campaign at the bottom, their market rating has taken the biggest hit.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:

Columbus Blue Jackets forward Patrik Laine entered the NHL/NHLPA player assistance program, the league announced Sunday.Laine will be unavailable indefinitely while receiving care. He can return to on-ice competition after receiving clearance from program administrators."Patrik has our complete support, and our sole concern is his well-being," Blue Jackets general manager Jarmo Kekalainen said in a statement. "Out of respect for Patrik, we will have no further comment."Laine addressed his absence in an Instagram story on Sunday night.

New York Rangers forward Filip Chytil will miss the remainder of the 2023-24 season, the team announced Sunday.Chytil sustained a setback in his recovery from a concussion during Friday's morning skate and needed help off the ice from a pair of teammates, reports NHL.com's Dan Rosen.The 24-year-old tallied six assists in 10 games this season prior to sustaining the ailment on Nov. 2 when he collided with Carolina Hurricanes forward Jesper Fast.

Defenseman David Jiricek voiced his frustration with how the Columbus Blue Jackets have handled him this season."I played good hockey in the NHL," Jiricek told The Athletic's Aaron Portzline on Friday. "I'm an NHL player right now. That's my opinion: that I should be in the NHL right now."Jiricek was drafted sixth overall by the Blue Jackets in 2022. He's played 36 games with Columbus this season, recording one goal and nine points. He was sent down to the Cleveland Monsters on Jan. 18 in the middle of a Blue Jackets road trip.The 20-year-old Czech native looks to two blue-liners from the top 10 of the 2022 class as examples of the opportunity he would like to get in Columbus."I see guys from the same draft, like Simon Nemec and (Kevin) Korchinski ... they get a chance on the power play," Jiricek said. "They play a ton of minutes in the NHL. Those are different teams, so different situations, but I can compare with them. I just want a chance to play like that."Since a December recall, Nemec, the 2022 second overall pick, has 13 points in 26 games while playing 20:46 per game. Korchinski, who was taken one pick after Jiricek by the Chicago Blackhawks, has tallied nine points in 44 games. He's averaged 19:53 per contest.Jiricek was playing 14:47 a game with the Blue Jackets. He's played just 25 seconds on the man advantage in the NHL this season, compared to Korchinski's 102:10 and Nemec's 34:58 total ice time on the power play.The Blue Jackets scratched Jiricek in three straight games after a 5-0 loss to the Winnipeg Jets on Jan. 9 prior to his demotion to the AHL."They told me the last game was not good enough for me," Jiricek explained. "I told them I don't think so, but that's your opinion. I was out of the lineup after that."Blue Jackets head coach Pascal Vincent said he believes the demotion is best for Jiricek's growth as a player."We're trying to build a 200-foot defenseman, an elite defenseman who will play heavy minutes against top opponents," Vincent said. "In order to do that, he needs reps. For him to develop those skills, the best way to do it right now - having been in the NHL for 36 games - (the AHL) is the best route for him."Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

New Jersey Devils captain Nico Hischier was frustrated by his squad's performance during Saturday's 6-3 loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning."Disappointing, I'm embarrassed a bit, to be honest," he said. "Just outworked, outplayed in such a big game. The way we performed is embarrassing."The Lightning dominated play in virtually every category, outshooting the Devils 42-24 at all strengths while controlling over 60% of the shot attempts, scoring chances, high-danger chances, and expected goals at five-on-five, per Natural Stat Trick.The third period, in particular, was rough for the Devils. All three of their goals came in the final frame, but the Lightning had a quick response for each of them. In the case of Ondrej Palat and Tyler Toffoli's tallies, the Bolts restored their two-goal lead within one minute.Hischier was a man of few words when asked why the Devils have been unable to match the intensity of their opponents this season."I wish I could answer that," he said. "Just not good enough. Gotta calm down here and think about it. I don't have an answer to that right now."The center added that he thought his team needed to have more "emotion" on the bench.Saturday's clash featured two teams on opposite trajectories. The Lightning have now won eight of their last nine games, while the Devils have only picked up two wins in their last seven contests.As a result, New Jersey is now in sixth place in the Metropolitan Division with a 24-20-3 record. The Devils are six points behind the Detroit Red Wings for the second wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference, though the former has two games in hand. Tampa Bay, meanwhile, occupies third place in the Atlantic Division.Hischier and Co. will fight for their playoff lives when they return from the All-Star break on Feb. 6 against the dangerous Colorado Avalanche."I hope everybody goes and rests up a bit and thinks about what team they want to be a part of coming down the stretch," Hischier said. "If we want to be a playoff team, we've gotta figure something out. ... Everybody's gotta start looking in the mirror."Last season, the Devils made the playoffs for the first time since 2018. They were eliminated in the second round by the Carolina Hurricanes.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

New York Rangers captain Jacob Trouba has been suspended two games for elbowing Vegas Golden Knights rookie Pavel Dorofeyev during Friday's contest, the NHL's Department of Player Safety announced on Saturday.Trouba was not penalized for the incident, which occurred late in the second period of the Rangers' 5-2 loss. Dorofeyev was unable to return to the game.

Toronto Maple Leafs forward Ryan Reaves made his return to the lineup Saturday against the Winnipeg Jets.Reaves was back in place of forward Calle Jarnkrok, who'll be out week-to-week with a broken knuckle sustained during practice on Friday.Reaves had last played Dec. 14 against the Columbus Blue Jackets. He sustained a lower-body injury during the game on an awkward collision into the boards.The 37-year-old recently noted his frustration about not getting into the lineup. Despite being on injured reserve until Tuesday, Reaves said he's been ready to play "for a couple weeks."Reaves, who was signed to a three-year, $4.05-million contract on July 1, entered Saturday with one goal and 16 penalty minutes in 21 contests with the Maple Leafs. His minus-11 rating is the worst on the team.Jarnkrok ranks fifth on Toronto with 10 goals. The 32-year-old versatile winger has played 15:18 per contest, accruing 19 points on the campaign.Forward Bobby McMann was placed on injured reserve with a lingering injury, Keefe confirmed to TSN's Mark Masters on Friday.McMann's and Jarnkrok's injuries leave the Maple Leafs with 12 available forwards on the active roster.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

New York Islanders forward Mathew Barzal believes his team's middling 20-17-11 record was the driving factor behind Zach Parise's decision to sign with the Colorado Avalanche."I'm sure if we had won eight of the games that we probably could have this year and were 15, 16 points - 10 points even - ahead of where we're at today, I'm sure he'd be in blue and orange," Barzal said ahead of Saturday's clash against the Florida Panthers, per Newsday's Andrew Gross."He knows his time is ticking and Colorado is a front-runner for winning the Cup. I wish that we had done a better job to allow him to come here."The Islanders currently sit sixth in the Metropolitan Division and seventh in terms of points percentage, ahead of only the lowly Columbus Blue Jackets. New York is four points behind the Detroit Red Wings for the second wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference and has played the same number of games.The Avalanche, meanwhile, won the Stanley Cup in 2022 and remain one of the league's best teams. They've been challenging for first place in the Central Division all season and currently hold the top spot with a 32-14-3 record, but the Winnipeg Jets are two points behind with three games in hand, while the Dallas Stars are trailing by just one point.Parise is 39 years old and has never lifted Lord Stanley's Mug. He appeared in the 2012 Stanley Cup Final as a member of the New Jersey Devils, but they fell to the Los Angeles Kings in six games.The veteran signed a one-year, $825,000 pact with the Avalanche on Friday after spending the last two seasons on Long Island. He didn't miss a game while wearing an Islanders jersey, totaling 36 goals and 69 points in 164 contests."It's exciting for him," Islanders forward Brock Nelson said of his former teammate's new opportunity. "We definitely would have loved to have him here. He was a great guy for this group. A veteran guy that deserves to win and has another chance to do that in Colorado."Last spring, both the Islanders and Avalanche were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs. Parise told reporters in May that he'd likely return to New York or retire.The Islanders will not face Colorado again this campaign.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

He made a name by throwing punches and hits, but that wasn't what made Dennis Bonvie a legend.When he retired in 2008 after a 15-season pro hockey career, he'd amassed an unassailable record of 4,493 penalty minutes in the American Hockey League, more than 1,500 ahead of his closest challenger and enough to earn him an induction into the league's Hall of Fame on Feb. 5 at the All-Star gathering in San Jose.He fought in all levels of the game. From Junior A near his hometown in Antigonish, Nova Scotia, up to the NHL for the Oilers, Blackhawks, Penguins, Avalanche, Bruins, and Senators - wherever he could find a team needing two fists with something to prove. He fought top enforcers in an age when that role was inseparable from the game itself. If you ask, he'll reluctantly rattle off the biggest matchups. Bob Probert. Tie Domi. Gerry Fleming. One bout against Ryan VandenBussche lasted more than two minutes.He fought until his hands were crooked and his body was spent.But say the name Dennis Bonvie to anyone who played with him or crossed paths with him during his subsequent 15-year career as a pro scout - that is to say, much of the hockey world - and you won't hear a lot about fights, at least not at first. You're likely to hear a quiet laugh, a sigh, and the words: "Bonvie was a good teammate."It wasn't just that Bonvie took penalties - it was the way he did it, with almost every minute of his HOF record traceable to a teammate he was protecting, some in less traditional ways than others."I wasn't one to drop the gloves at all, but I remember I had gotten into my first fight," says Stephen Dixon, a fellow Maritimer who played with a veteran Bonvie as an AHL rookie for the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. "I went to the penalty box and I looked over and Dennis is standing up, giving me the thumbs up and talking to the coach. All of a sudden, they're getting the puck ready for the faceoff and Dennis jumps on, lines up next to a guy, and his gloves come off. He's in a fight as well."Bonvie arrived in the penalty box with a grin. "Stand up and give me a hug," he told Dixon. "It's your first fight. I'm not going to let you sit in the penalty box alone."He sat there with his arm around me the whole five minutes."For Bonvie, that three-word distinction - a good teammate - was the highest honor in hockey. "Hopefully that stands for what I did, for as long as I did it," he says.Dennis Bonvie during his tenure with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins The American Hockey LeagueThat Bonvie had the career he did - he retired months shy of his 35th birthday - is owed, from start to finish, to his burning desire to stick around long enough to play another game. "There's nothing like being on a team, and there's nothing like competing," he says.His career began rather inauspiciously in 1991 when he was drafted into the Ontario Hockey League by the Kitchener Rangers. He went in the 19th round, 277th overall, the sixth-last pick of the draft. "I think the janitor called my name out," he likes to joke.He was later traded in a package to the North Bay Centennials and that's when he knew fighting would be his path up. "The coach said he liked tough Maritimers and I fit the bill. I told him I wanted to be the toughest guy in the league. I said, 'Just give me a chance to prove my worth.'"Bonvie got to work, tallying 261 penalty minutes in 49 games in his first season and 316 penalty minutes in 64 games the next. But the effort wasn't enough to get drafted into the NHL. After a tryout with the Flames went nowhere, he enrolled in university back in Nova Scotia, but never made it to class. Instead, he reported to a tryout with the Cape Breton Oilers, then Edmonton's farm team, and his illustrious AHL career began."At first when I went there I was worried there wasn't a spot for me, maybe they didn't want to keep me around," he says. He promptly made himself useful by switching from defense to forward to fill a gap in the lineup. "I knew I was the underdog, I knew I was trying to prove I belonged."While he was still trying to impress front offices, Bonvie already had the confidence of his teammates."My first experience with Dennis was when I got sent down to Cape Breton and got thrown into the lineup," says former Oiler Louie DeBrusk, who knew how to defend himself on the ice. "The first scrum that I get into in front of the net, I'm thinking the gloves are going to come off. All of a sudden he comes into the pile and separates me from another guy and wants to fight him. And I'm thinking, 'That might be the first time in my career that somebody actually stepped up for me.' He was so game. That was how the AHL was back then. There was a lot of toughness and a lot of skill. Dennis felt like he was protecting his players, which he did. And he was one of the best ever at it."It was his work ethic, too, that gained notice. "I remember watching him lift weights after practice, he'd be in there bench pressing, he was just all-in," DeBrusk says. "He had that burning desire to make it. He never got satisfied. He was never content. He always felt like somebody could take his job on a nightly basis. You had to have that attitude in that role. Every single day, somebody might be looking to try and take your job. He was going to do whatever he could to make sure that didn't happen."Dennis Bonvie, #27 with the Sens, battles Maple Leafs forward Doug Doull during a preseason game in 2002 Dave Sandford / Getty Images SportBonvie didn't have to wait long for his big shot. "When I started, I wanted to prove and get respect from all my peers that I could do it, that I was as tough as everybody else. In doing that, you start thinking: maybe there's a chance I could play a game or two in the NHL."By the 1994-95 season, what started as an outside chance at the NHL became a reality when Bonvie made his debut in Edmonton in a late-season game against the Kings. In his first shift, Bonvie immediately tried scrapping with L.A. enforcer Matt Johnson. When that didn't happen, Bonvie remembers the Kings dumping the puck into the Oilers' zone and bringing on their first line - anchored by Wayne Gretzky. "I think I just dumped it in and went off the ice, I was kind of in awe," says Bonvie. "Welcome to the show."Bonvie spent the rest of his career going up and down from the AHL to the NHL. "I played 15 years just trying to play one more game." He collected 92 total NHL appearances."Every time you get called up to the NHL is the best day in the world; every time you get sent down, it's the worst thing in the world," DeBrusk says. "It's a really emotional roller coaster going up and down and trying to make the NHL on a regular basis."But if the emotional whiplash ever wore on Bonvie, he didn't let it show. "I just love to play. I love to be part of a team. I loved to protect my teammates and make sure they felt comfortable. At first you start and you're trying to get up in the NHL. You're trying to get another opportunity to get up when you get sent down."Then, you get halfway through your career and realize, 'You know what, I might end up spending a lot more time in the minors.' Well, then you have to try to be the best veteran you can be and try to develop those kids."Growing up in Nova Scotia provided Bonvie with the perfect framework for how to build community. "In Nova Scotia, you just drop in," his wife Kelly Bonvie says. "You just drop in to people's houses, you end up staying for dinner, there's always enough, and the door is always open.""My mom was a tremendous cook," Dennis says. "My dad would come home on weeknights from the mill and my mom would always have meat and potatoes. Sunday was family dinner. Whatever holiday it is, you go to somebody's house and everybody is there. We were brought up like that."So Bonvie brought that family tradition to his team. "I'm not sure if you can print about the bottles of wine at these dinners because that's what I remember," says Chris Kelleher, who played with Bonvie in Wilkes-Barre and who is now the Minnesota Wild's director of player personnel. "He'd invite anyone - rookies, veterans, whoever it was.""He wouldn't want anybody to feel left out," Kelly Bonvie says. "He just wanted to make sure that these guys felt supported and there was always somebody to go to if they had a problem. I look back and I really treasure the memories of hanging out with some of these guys. You know, they were still growing up and they just appreciated having a home-cooked meal. It was just the simple things that they really appreciated. We were happy to be able to do it."Dennis Bonvie in 1998 with the Hamilton Bulldogs The dinners often led to swapping tales about on-ice antics. "When Dennis was around, he was always telling stories," says John Slaney, now an assistant coach for the AHL's Tucson Roadrunners. One of the favorites that still gets retold is a famous one-liner Bonvie would feed the opposition.Kelleher's version of it takes place in Philadelphia. "Dennis was really our only legitimate, tough-guy fighter. He could fight anybody, right? So we go to Philly and everybody's nervous. Dennis was trying to keep it light. The puck doesn't even drop and he goes over to the Philly bench. He says to them, 'I got three fights in me. You guys decide which three it's going to be. Now let's drop the puck," Kelleher says. Three fights were the league maximum before getting ejected."He had a lot of chirps," Slaney says. "He would yell at the bench if everyone was looking down, 'Hey, did you lose all your quarters on the floor?' When Dennis got mad it was almost like when your grandfather got mad."Bonvie became the first person to call when you needed someone. "I played one game in the NHL," Kelleher says. "It was for the Bruins. I got called up. The morning of the game, I realized with the travel schedule, I was going to get to the rink at 9 a.m. - I was just going to sit there for hours getting more nervous. So I called Dennis up. He played for the Bruins at the time. And he met me at the rink and sat with me. He was more excited for me than I was. That's something I'll never forget."That empathy and leadership carried well beyond Bonvie's on-ice career and into his scouting pursuits. He's now the Bruins' director of pro scouting."What I admire most about my dad is how much time he makes for us," his 19-year-old son, Rhys Bonvie, says. "Sometimes he'll take me along to NHL games and I love being in the press box with him. He knows everyone. Even the elevator lady. He says she's the one who knows everyone but I know it's him, too."Rhys says people who know he's Dennis' son assume he must be tough, like his father. But tough isn't the word he uses to describe his dad. "I would say he's a teddy bear," Rhys says.Bonvie's never hidden that soft side off the ice. Learning about his HOF induction openly brought him to tears. "He called me and he couldn't even talk," Kelly says. "He was just so emotional. I was just so grateful that his hard work for all those years got recognized."From left to right: Davyn, Kelly, Dennis, and Rhys Bonvie at the 2018 AHL Outdoor Classic SuppliedWith hockey having changed drastically in the nearly two decades since Bonvie's heyday, with far more emphasis on skill and speed, his on-ice accomplishments might be overlooked. But many former players have pointed out that Bonvie's stats speak loudly: he had 84 goals and 191 assists in the AHL, so he could do more than fight. But still, his main role has become a bit of a throwback to a different era of hockey."It's an entirely different game," DeBrusk says. "Players like Dennis, the role that he had, call it the enforcer, call it the tough guy, you can even call it the goon, I really don't care. I think when you look over the history, they were so influential on how the game was played. They were incredibly popular in every market they played in - whether it was negative or positive, people knew who those guys were."I think Dennis worked hard, harder than anybody. I don't think people really understand how difficult that position is, to do it on a nightly basis and for as long as he did. The toughness is what got him to pro hockey, got him a job. But to stick around for as long as he did, you have to be a good teammate."For Bonvie, when he reminisces about his Hall of Fame career, that's what he's usually thinking about. "I don't even like to talk about the fights too much because it's not fair to the guys I was fighting or vice versa," he says. "There's ones that I lost that I shouldn't have, and the ones that I did really well in I don't need to talk about because it could have been me on the other side. Proud of them? I just did my job."Instead, Bonvie's far more proud of the designation he earned from the chirps, the dinners, from showing up when he was asked: "A good teammate.""(A) coach told me way back in the day that when you retire, if your teammates can stand up and say, 'That was one heck of a teammate, a really good guy,' that's something to be proud of. I think I was the best teammate I could be."Jolene Latimer is a feature writer at theScore.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Colorado Avalanche are adding a veteran presence to their lineup midseason.The club announced Friday that it signed free-agent forward Zach Parise to a one-year contract.The deal contains a cap hit of $825,000 without any performance bonuses, per Daily Faceoff's Frank Seravalli.Parise is coming off back-to-back 30-plus-point campaigns with the New York Islanders. He scored 15 goals in 2021-22 and 21 goals last season.The 39-year-old projects to play a bottom-six role for the Avs. He's still proven to be an effective driver of offense in recent seasons.

Montreal Canadiens forward Brendan Gallagher has been suspended five games for an illegal check to the head of New York Islanders defenseman Adam Pelech, the NHL Department of Player Safety announced Friday.The incident occurred 11:52 into the third period of Thursday's game. Gallagher received a five-minute major and a game misconduct.

The Philadelphia Flyers signed forward Owen Tippett to an eight-year contract extension carrying an average annual value of $6.2 million, the team announced Friday.Tippett was scheduled for restricted free agency this summer. The 24-year-old has recorded 30 points in 46 games this season and registered a career-high 27 goals in 2022-23.The Flyers acquired Tippett and a pair of draft picks from the Florida Panthers in 2022 in a trade that sent former captain Claude Giroux the other way. Tippett signed a two-year, $3-million contract the following summer and has blossomed into an effective top-six forward under head coach John Tortorella.Florida drafted Tippett 10th overall in 2017.The Flyers weren't done there Friday, as they also inked Ryan Poehling to a two-year extension with a $1.9-million average annual value, according to Daily Faceoff's Frank Seravalli. The 25-year-old forward joined Philly as a free agent this offseason and has registered five goals and nine assists in 44 games for the team.Tippett will be the second-highest-paid forward on Philadelphia's books when his new deal kicks in, trailing Sean Couturier's $7.75-million cap hit. With the two new contracts on the books, Philadelphia is projected to have approximately $8.6 million in available money for next season, according to Cap Friendly.Philadelphia has been one of the league's biggest surprises this season, currently sitting third in the Metropolitan Division with 56 points.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

We split our best bets Thursday night. Thankfully, we earned a sweat-free victory on the under in Edmonton, but the Red Wings blanked the Flyers despite getting outshot 30-17.Let's look at a couple of sides worth backing as we try to end the week on a strong note.Golden Knights (+135) @ Rangers (-155)The Rangers aren't playing their best hockey. They've dropped seven of the past 10 games and just laid several eggs throughout a West Coast road trip, capped by blowing a multi-goal lead to a Sharks team that ranks last in wins.The good news is that New York is back on home ice against a bruised and battered Golden Knights squad. Vegas is missing Jack Eichel, Shea Theodore, and William Karlsson, among others, and the underlying metrics suggest the team is feeling those losses.Over the past 10 games, the Golden Knights rank 28th in shot suppression and 25th in shot share. They're not generating a lot offensively and are more vulnerable than usual in their own end.Vegas recently conceded six goals to a Devils squad missing a handful of key players, headlined by superstar center Jack Hughes. The team followed that up by allowing 42 shots in an undeserved win over the Islanders.The Golden Knights have real problems right now, and the Rangers have it in them to take advantage.New York's power play is dangerous, and the Artemi Panarin line is one of the league's best and will see more advantageous matchups at home. The Rangers are also playing much better team defense than Vegas.I expect a much-needed bounce-back effort from the Rangers at Madison Square Garden.Bet: Rangers in regulation (-105)Kings (+125) @ Avalanche (-145)The Avalanche are a very good team coming off back-to-back blowout wins. The Kings have lost eight of the past 10 and reached a point where Drew Doughty is ranting to the media about teammates being too focused on juicing their stats.These teams' opposing paths have led to some value for the Kings.Sure, Los Angeles is in a healthy rut, but it's nowhere near as bad as things look.The Kings have a great 1-2-3 punch down the middle and a few fantastic offensive wingers, and they're generally a strong defensive team. They don't allow many shots and can muddy things up against high-powered clubs like the Avalanche. Los Angeles allowed only 21 shots to Colorado in a 4-1 victory in December.Nathan MacKinnon's remarkable play has also masked some of the Avs' problems. Only the Blues and Blue Jackets have conceded more five-on-five goals over the last 10 games than Colorado.The Avs sit bottom-10 in expected goals against during that span, so it's not as if those numbers can be pinned solely on goaltending. They're not playing great defense.I expect the Kings to play with extra purpose after being called out by one of the team's best players.Los Angeles is desperate to stop the bleeding, and it's going up against a club sitting in a cushy spot in the standings and could have guys with one eye on a lengthy vacation after the game.Bet: Kings (+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.

The Oilers are on an absolute heater, winning 14 straight games to get within three of the NHL record held by the 1992-93 Penguins.But will Connor McDavid and Co. break the 17-game mark?Oddsmakers at theScore Bet have set their odds of Edmonton winning at least 18 straight at +275 for an implied probability of 26.7%.You may think those odds for the Oilers to win four more games in a row aren't long enough, but when you look at their upcoming schedule, it makes more sense.The Oilers host the NHL's worst team - the Blackhawks - on Thursday. A lot would have to go wrong for this streaking Edmonton side to walk away from that game without two points.They then host the Predators on Jan. 27. Nashville is in the mix for the final wild-card spot in the Western Conference, but the Oilers will be decent-sized favorites in that contest as well.Following the All-Star break, the Oilers are in Vegas for the toughest matchup of their next four games. If they can get past the Golden Knights, a contest against the Ducks on Feb. 9 would be the potential record-breaking game.Thanks to this incredible run, the Oilers are now co-favorites to win the Stanley Cup alongside the Avalanche at +750. During their rough start to the season and shortly after they fired their head coach, the Oilers were +2000 to win the Cup.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

We have a pint-sized four-game slate ahead of us to begin the weekend. Luckily, there's still plenty of value on the board.Let's take a closer look as we try and bounce back from a disappointing night of player props.Aleksander Barkov: Over 2.5 shotsBarkov doesn't carry a sky-high shooting ceiling, but he consistently goes over his total. He's managed three shots in 25 of 41 games this season, good for a 61% success rate.Barkov has fared even better away from home. The Panthers captain has registered three-plus shots in 65% of his road games, including eight of the past 11.Unlike many star players, Barkov seems to benefit from playing on the road. When in Florida, he generally sees the opposing team's best offensive line every shift. Paul Maurice has a tougher time getting matchups on the road, meaning Barkov gets additional shifts against opponents' second and third lines.His hit rate on the road is 7% higher than at home, while he averages 1.3 points per game on the road compared to 0.9 on home ice.The Penguins aren't overly stout defensively, nor are they up to the Panthers' level in terms of controlling the run of play. This is a spot where Barkov should be able to get involved offensively.Odds: -114 (playable to -130)Artemi Panarin: Over 3.5 shotsThe Golden Knights are dealing with a ton of injuries right now. Jack Eichel, Shea Theodore, and William Karlsson headline the list of absences, but there are other depth pieces as well.We've predictably seen a dip in Vegas' performance without these players. The Golden Knights haven't generated chances and goals at the clip we've grown accustomed to. They've also spent a lot more time on their heels defensively.Vegas ranks 28th in five-on-five shot suppression over the last 10 games. That's very abnormal for a team built on structured two-way play and grinding opponents into the ground.Panarin should be the prime beneficiary of this softer defensive matchup. He leads the Rangers in goals, points, shot attempts, scoring chances, and shots on goal. Getting him the puck in shooting position is the top priority for this New York team.The Rangers will have an easier time doing so against this banged-up Golden Knights squad. With New York in need of points after a disastrous road trip, I expect Panarin to get all the ice time he can handle so long as the game is remotely close. The Rangers need a win here, and they'll rely heavily on Panarin to get it.Odds: +110 (playable to -120)Cale Makar: Over 2.5 shotsMakar is very productive on home ice. He averages 3.1 shots on a very healthy 7.4 attempts per game. That's the volume you'd expect out of a high-end first-line forward.Unsurprisingly, those outputs are leading to a lot of success with his shot prop. Makar has gone over his total in 68% of his home games, a stark contrast from his 52% success rate on the road.While many players tend to see their numbers fall off a cliff against the Kings, we haven't seen that from Makar. He's gone over his total in three of his past four games against Los Angeles, recording at least four shots on target in each of his hits.Makar has the speed and game-breaking ability to cut his way through even the most structured teams. I expect the Kings to be so focused on slowing down Hart Trophy candidate Nathan MacKinnon, and his linemates, that Makar will have extra space to work with when jumping into the play behind them.Odds: -135 (playable to -150)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.

Calgary Flames forward Jonathan Huberdeau was assessed a five-minute major and a game misconduct for boarding Columbus Blue Jackets forward Jack Roslovic on Thursday.Huberdeau hit Roslovic in the numbers just past the midway point of the third period.

Calgary Flames defenseman Oliver Kylington was in the lineup Thursday against the Columbus Blue Jackets for his first game since the second round of the 2022 Stanley Cup Playoffs.Kylington missed the entire 2022-23 season and the first half of the current campaign to focus on his mental health. He returns to the Flames' lineup after an AHL conditioning stint and slides into the left side of the third pairing, where he'll play beside Jordan Oesterle. Kylington and former defense partner Chris Tanev got the starting nod against Columbus, with Kylington pairing with Oesterle for the remainder of the game.In 2021-22, his last full season, Kylington posted career highs in games played (73), points (31), and average ice time (18:10). Calgary selected him in the second round in the 2015 draft, and he's made 168 career appearances for the club.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

It appears the Columbus Blue Jackets are open for business.General manager Jarmo Kekalainen is willing to listen to trade offers for forward Patrik Laine and defenseman Ivan Provorov, reports TSN's Darren Dreger.Teams are also very interested in captain Boone Jenner, but the Blue Jackets are highly unlikely to move him, Dreger added.Laine's season has been riddled by injuries and inconsistent play, as he's been limited to just six goals and three assists in 18 games. The sniping winger also had an unsuccessful stint playing center.The 2016 No. 2 pick averaged 37 goals per 82 games during the first four seasons of his career with the Winnipeg Jets. Since joining Columbus during the 2020-21 campaign, he's averaged 30 goals per 82 contests but hasn't played more than 56 games a season. The 25-year-old is signed through 2025-26 with an $8.7-million cap hit.Provorov, meanwhile, was just acquired this offseason from the Philadelphia Flyers as part of a three-way trade involving the Los Angeles Kings. He's recorded 23 points in 46 games for Columbus while logging 22:48 per contest. Provorov has produced strong underlying offensive numbers, but his defensive metrics have been poor. Evolving-HockeyThe 2015 No. 7 pick is under contract through next season with a $4.725-million cap hit. The Kings retained $2.025 million annually as part of the trade.Blue Jackets goalie Elvis Merzlikins requested a trade earlier in January.Forward Jack Roslovic is the only pending unrestricted free agent on the club's roster.The Jackets entered Thursday sitting in last place in the Eastern Conference for the second consecutive season.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Wednesday was a disappointing night on the ice as just one of three player props came through, pushing our weekly record to 4-2.We'll look to get back on track with three plays that pop off the page for Thursday's big card.Brady Tkachuk: Over 3.5 shotsTkachuk is one of the sport's most consistent shot-generators. He's averaged 4.3 shots per game this season and has gone over his total 67% of the time. His hit rate jumps to an absurd 79% on home ice.I think we're getting a severe discount here because of the strength of the Bruins. I'll be the first to say they're one of the league's better teams, but that's never hindered Tkachuk in the past. He's registered at least four shots on goal in eight straight games against Boston, averaging a hair under five per contest in that span.The Bruins are also in a tough spot, playing on the road in the latter half of a back-to-back. They just played a hotly contested game against a Hurricanes team built to turn things into a grind and wear opponents out.It's worth noting Boston is very undisciplined. Only the Ducks have spent more time shorthanded this season, which means Tkachuk should have ample opportunity to post up around the net and generate high-danger shots on the power play.Odds: -106 (playable to -140)Wyatt Johnston: Over 0.5 pointsAll aboard the Wyatt Johnston train. The Stars recently moved the youngster up to the top line alongside Roope Hintz and Jason Robertson. As a result, they've absolutely dominated.As a trio, Dallas' new top line has controlled 70% of the shot attempts and 83% of the expected goals, and it's outscored opponents 7-1 in just 57 minutes.Johnston has been very productive along the way, piling up seven points over the span of five games.He now finds himself in a mouthwatering matchup against the Ducks. They give up a ton of shots and have conceded 3.8 goals per game over the last 10.Equipped with elite linemates and a weak opponent, Johnston will likely find the scoresheet once again.Odds: -120 (playable to -150)Colin Blackwell: Over 1.5 shotsWe're going deep into the well with this one. Blackwell has recorded two shots or more in 10 of his past 12 games. His underlying volume is very strong as well with Blackwell piling up four attempts or more all but once in that span.The Blackhawks are dealing with an abundance of injuries up front. Without Connor Bedard, Taylor Hall, Andreas Athanasiou, and Tyler Johnson, among others, there's a lot more ice time to go around. Someone has to take it, and Blackwell has been a prime beneficiary, routinely playing 15-plus minutes.A road back-to-back against the NHL's hottest team isn't a prime spot to jump on board, but two shots aren't a lot to ask for someone in Blackwell's role. There's also a real chance the Blackhawks are trailing for much of this game, which could result in the Oilers playing things a little more conservatively.Blackwell recently faced Edmonton and managed to go over this shot total while attempting four shots over 15 minutes. I expect similar results this time around.Odds: +103 (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.

The hockey gods weren't kind to our unders Wednesday night. Arvid Soderblom conceded six goals on 28 shots and posted a putrid .786 save percentage against the undermanned Kraken, while a game featuring two goals in the first 26 minutes totaled eight.Let's look at a couple of plays that stand out Thursday as we attempt to get back in the win column.Flyers (+105) @ Red Wings (-125)We successfully faded the Red Wings last time out, and we're going right back to the well.Detroit isn't a very good team. It doesn't generate many shots, allows a ton of them, and generally needs strong goaltending - and/or unsustainably high shooting percentages - to string together any run of success. But that's what we've seen lately from the Red Wings to win seven of their last 11 games.However, they've controlled only 41% of the expected goals in that span, the second-lowest rate in the NHL.While the Flyers have stumbled a little lately, strong five-on-five play has been their calling card all season. They play a structured and tight defensive game, and career seasons from the likes of Travis Konecny and Joel Farabee have given the team a real punch at the other end. Philadelphia should be able to expose Detroit's five-on-five woes.I don't think Carter Hart's absence will mean much in this contest. Samuel Ersson has stopped six goals more than expected this campaign, while Hart only managed to tread water in that regard.The Red Wings rank dead last in expected goal generation at five-on-five over the past 10 games. This is a matchup in which Ersson should get back on track and hold Detroit to a reasonable number.I see the Flyers as live underdogs in this spot. The edge would only grow further if Owen Tippett - labeled as day-to-day - returns.Bet: Flyers (+105)Blackhawks (+435) @ Oilers (-575)The Blackhawks can't score goals. They found the back of the net no more than twice in seven of the past eight games, coming up with one or blanked entirely on six occasions.Generating chances is a big problem, and Chicago doesn't have the finishing ability in the lineup to convert on the opportunities.There's every reason to expect another dry offensive performance in this one, as the Blackhawks are still missing what feels like their entire forward core due to injury. They're also in the second half of a road back-to-back and taking on an Oilers team amid what could be a historic winning streak.Edmonton has played excellent defense during this run, conceding no more than two goals in 12 straight games. I don't think Chicago will be the team to break the streak.Assuming that's the case, the Oilers would need to score at least five goals to put this contest over the number. And they could require more depending on how much they limit the Blackhawks.While that's certainly within the realm of possibility for an offense led by Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, I don't know if it's likely.Chicago has played low-event hockey lately by trying to suck the life out of games. The club will likely lean further into that style, with fatigue being a potential issue.The Blackhawks also saved starting goaltender Petr Mrazek for this game. He's been good this season, saving more goals above expectation than the likes of Igor Shesterkin and Juuse Saros. I'm as surprised as you are.This feels like a game where the Oilers can get out to a multi-goal lead and sort of coast their way to victory. I'm expecting a 4-1 type of contest and see value in backing the under.Bet: Under 6.5 (-105)Todd Cordell is a sports betting writer at theScore. You can follow him on X at @ToddCordell.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Drew Doughty believes a group of Los Angeles Kings are prioritizing individual success over the team amid a miserable skid in which the club has lost 12 of their past 14 games."I think we got guys in this room who are too worried about themselves, and worried about their points, and worried about stuff like that," Doughty said after Wednesday's loss, per TSN. "We get a 3-1 lead tonight, and guys start thinking it's a cookie night. We stopped playing the way we know how to play, have an awful second period, then aren't much better in the third. It's about the team, it's not about yourself, and a lot of guys on this team need to realize that."The Kings allowed four unanswered goals to the Buffalo Sabres on Wednesday to lose for the fourth time in their last six games following an eight-game losing streak."It's felt like the bottom-out for a while now," Doughty said. "It's frustrating not getting these wins. We're trying to stay positive, we're trying to get back to having fun out there and play our game, but it's hard to do that when you're on a streak like this. This has been a struggle for us, and the only way we're going to get out of it is if we get everybody's 100% effort, everyone playing for the team and each other."Los Angeles' struggles, combined with the Edmonton Oilers' 14-game win streak, has dropped the Kings into the top wild-card spot in the Western Conference after owning a Pacific Division seed for much of the season.The Kings are now two points back of the Oilers with an extra game played and are 13 points behind the first-place Vancouver Canucks.Los Angeles' next game comes Friday against the Colorado Avalanche.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

It was a night to remember for Ilya Samsonov.The Maple Leafs goaltender turned in his best performance of the season, stopping all 32 shots he faced for a shutout in Toronto's 1-0 overtime win over the Winnipeg Jets on Wednesday.Amid a challenging year, Samsonov said he was nearly brought to tears while Leafs fans chanted his name."It's unbelievable," Samsonov said postgame. "I almost cried."

Patrick Roy knows he's a popular figure in Montreal, but he wants all the attention to be on the New York Islanders when the Canadiens host his new team Thursday."We just don't want to have distractions. ... I don't want it to be about me," the Islanders head coach said after Wednesday's practice. "I want it to be about the Islanders. We're going there to win a hockey game. We're not going there to win for the coach, it's for our team."Roy is even planning to forgo the team's morning skate in the city where the legendary goaltender won his first two Stanley Cup championships, as well as three Vezina Trophies and two Conn Smythes."They're going to ask questions about me, they're going to say this and that," Roy added. "I don't need this, and they don't need that. ... I want an Islanders game."Though Roy is keeping a low profile, Thursday's game is still significant for Martin St. Louis, who's set to coach against his childhood idol for the first time."The amount of times I was Patrick Roy in the street playing goalie," the Canadiens bench boss said, per Sportsnet. "We all admire him and idolize him. He meant a lot to me, the rest of the kids growing up here, he was kind of the backbone of the franchise for a long time."The Islanders hired the Hall of Famer to be their new head coach Saturday to replace the fired Lane Lambert. New York beat the Dallas Stars 3-2 in overtime during Roy's debut but dropped its next game 3-2 against the Vegas Golden Knights on Tuesday.Roy outlined what he wants to see from the Islanders in game No. 3."The next step for me is the mindset," he said. "The structure is the first step, and I think the players are buying into the structure, and I think we're getting better and better. But the next step is the mindset: How do we approach the first game after a win? How do we approach the first game after a loss?"The Islanders return home Saturday against the Florida Panthers before taking to the road again Monday versus the Toronto Maple Leafs. They'll then have a four-game homestand. Roy said he's looking forward to sitting with his players one-on-one to get to know them better once the dust settles.New York currently sits in fifth place in the Metropolitan Division with a 20-16-11 record.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Chicago Blackhawks signed goaltender Petr Mrazek to a two-year contract extension worth $4.25 million per season, the team announced Wednesday.Mrazek was scheduled for unrestricted free agency this summer. He's in the final season of a three-year, $11.4-million deal awarded to him by the Toronto Maple Leafs in 2021. Toronto dealt the goaltender and a first-round pick in 2022 to get out of the contract as Mrazek severely underperformed.The 31-year-old has been Chicago's best netminder this season, posting a .907 save percentage and 3.6 goals saved above average. The rebuilding Blackhawks have been ravaged by injuries in 2023-24 and are currently 31st in the league standings.Mrazek was a fifth-round draft pick of the Detroit Red Wings in 2010. He owns a career .907 save percentage across 336 appearances.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The New Jersey Devils have granted forward Michael McLeod and defenseman Cal Foote indefinite leaves of absence, the team announced Wednesday.The club didn't comment further on the matter. Neither player joined the team for practice on Wednesday morning.McLeod has amassed 19 points in 45 games this season while averaging just over 15 minutes of ice time per contest. He was selected by the Devils 12th overall at the 2016 NHL Draft.Foote, meanwhile, has appeared in four games with New Jersey this campaign. He signed a one-year deal with the Devils this past offseason after the Nashville Predators opted not to tender him a qualifying offer.The Devils currently sit in fourth place in the Metropolitan Division with a 24-18-3 record.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

We split our sides Tuesday night in rather disappointing fashion. The Stars took care of business against the Red Wings. Unfortunately, the Rangers followed it up by blowing a 2-0 lead to the NHL's worst team before losing in overtime.We'll take the split and set our sights higher with a couple plays for Wednesday's card.Capitals (+200) @ Avalanche (-240)The Capitals play low-event hockey. They generate very little offense, ranking 29th in shots per game, 30th in goals, and 30th in shooting percentage. They know they can't score and rely on structure and goaltending as a result.When the Capitals win, it's generally on the back of goaltending. And when they lose? Their offensive outputs are nonexistent. Of the last 10 games the Capitals have lost, they've scored two or fewer goals in eight of them. They've cracked 30 shots just twice.If they fall behind, they simply don't have the horses to break through against set defenses. They can't make something out of nothing and they don't have the shooters to convert the few chances they do get.I expect the Avalanche to flex their muscles and get a lead in this game. When that happens, the Capitals - on the latter half of a road back-to-back - are going to have a miserable time generating opportunities.I think Charlie Lindgren, who has been terrific this season, will keep the Avalanche to a reasonable number while Washington's offense continues to sputter. The total feels half a puck too high.Bet: Under 6.5 (-130)Blackhawks (+225) @ Kraken (-275)The Blackhawks are a horrendous team at the best of times. Without Connor Bedard, Taylor Hall, Anthony Beauvillier, and Tyler Johnson, among others, it's not surprising that they've sunk to a completely different level.Excluding shootouts, they have scored one goal or fewer in six of the last seven games. The lone exception came against Ilya Sorokin - go figure - as the Blackhawks converted on four of their 24 shots in a game that needed overtime.Chicago simply can't score goals right now, and I don't see that changing against a Kraken team that sits fifth in goals against per game since the calendar turned.However, the Kraken are hardly an offensive juggernaut themselves, and they're missing a few of their best players. Matty Beniers is injured, Yanni Gourde is suspended, and Vince Dunn is not certain to return to the lineup on Wednesday. Even if he does, Seattle's offense is still nothing to write home about.Petr Mrazek, whose strong play Chicago just rewarded with a two-year contract extension, is plenty capable of keeping the Kraken to a manageable number.Mrazek has saved 7.5 goals more than expected this season, putting him ahead of notables like Igor Shesterkin, Juuse Saros, and Jake Oettinger. If Mrazek can hold his own against this banged-up Kraken team, I don't think the Blackhawks can score enough to push this game over the number.Bet: Under 5.5 (-105)Todd Cordell is a sports betting writer at theScore. You can follow him on X at @ToddCordell.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Utah Jazz owner Ryan Smith submitted a letter to the NHL on Wednesday requesting to initiate the expansion process to bring a franchise to Salt Lake City."(Smith Entertainment Group) SEG envisions a near future where the NHL will thrive in Utah, and we are 100% focused on making this happen as soon as possible," Smith wrote in a statement, per Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman. "We are passionate about sports and entertainment in the state and are committed to providing premium sports and entertainment experiences for the people of Utah and visitors from around the world. We are ready to welcome the NHL and are confident that the time and attention being spent by all parties will bring one of the most exciting and dynamic leagues in the world to our community on a permanent basis."The league responded that it'll continue discussions with Smith and his team."The NHL appreciates the interest expressed by Smith Entertainment Group to bring NHL hockey to Utah," the league wrote in a statement. "During conversations over the course of the past two years, we have been impressed by Ryan and Ashley Smith's commitment to their community and their passion and vision for Utah, not only as a hockey market but as a preeminent sports and entertainment destination. Utah is a promising market, and we look forward to continuing our discussions."Smith has been in talks with commissioner Gary Bettman since early 2022. In June, Smith said the NHL would thrive in Salt Lake City like it has in Seattle and Las Vegas, the league's two most recent expansion sites.Smith's proposal to the league said a potential franchise could share a venue with the Jazz at the Delta Center or begin play down the road in a new "state-of-the-art" arena.The expansion request would need to be addressed with the league's board of governors before moving forward, according to TSN's Pierre LeBrun.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.