Getty Images sports photographers snapped action shots around the globe in 2023. Here's a compilation of their finest work.Shohei Ohtani is mobbed after striking out Mike Trout to clinch Japan's victory over the United States in the World Baseball Classic final.Megan Briggs / Getty Images Travis Kelce finds Patrick Mahomes in the thick of the Kansas City Chiefs' Super Bowl LVII celebration.Gregory Shamus / Getty Images Los Angeles Clippers guard Russell Westbrook roars after scoring an and-1 layup against the Memphis Grizzlies.Joe Murphy / NBA / Getty Images LSU forward Angel Reese taunts Iowa star Caitlin Clark as time wanes in the NCAA championship game.Maddie Meyer / Getty Images UConn guard Andre Jackson Jr. dunks emphatically in a Final Four clash with Miami.Carmen Mandato / Getty Images Florida wide receiver Ricky Pearsall leaps above Charlotte defenders to reel in a dazzling one-handed catch.James Gilbert / Getty Images Running back J.K. Dobbins dives for a touchdown to propel the Baltimore Ravens past the Houston Texans.Patrick Smith / Getty Images Aaron Rodgers' left Achilles tendon ruptures on the opening drive of his New York Jets debut.Elsa / Getty Images Blood gushes from Top Noi Kiwram's eye during his UFC flyweight bout with Nyamjargal Tumendemberel in China.Zhang Lintao / UFC / Getty Images Maori rugby league player James Fisher-Harris greets the opposition ahead of an all-star match in New Zealand.Hannah Peters / Getty Images Boston Bruins sniper David Pastrnak exults after scoring in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.Maddie Meyer / Getty Images Sprung on a breakaway, Bo Horvat tallies a postseason goal for the New York Islanders.Bruce Bennett / Getty Images Oakland A's baserunner Tony Kemp contorts to elude the tag of Boston Red Sox catcher Jorge Alfaro.Ezra Shaw / Getty Images A Miami Marlins teammate showers Jean Segura with Gatorade following a walk-off win over the Chicago Cubs.Megan Briggs / Getty Images Indiana Fever rookie Aliyah Boston dribbles below the hoop during a WNBA game in Seattle.Steph Chambers / Getty Images Eventual world champion Sha'Carri Richardson crosses the 100-meter finish line at the U.S. Track and Field Championships.Christian Petersen / Getty Images Fernando Ferreira jumps for joy as he completes the Boston Marathon.Maddie Meyer / Getty Images Nick Taylor, the first homegrown Canadian Open winner in 69 years, savors his tournament victory with caddie Dave Markle.Minas Panagiotakis / Getty Images Ole Miss quarterback Jaxson Dart absorbs a huge hit against Tulane.Jonathan Bachman / Getty Images Novak Djokovic stumbles over the net while facing Hubert Hurkacz at Wimbledon.Clive Brunskill / Getty Images Donna Vekic serves the ball at the Australian Open.Lintao Zhang / Getty Images PGA pro Sam Burns shoots from the bunker at the Wyndham Championship in North Carolina.Jared C. Tilton / Getty Images French motocross rider David Rinaldo takes flight while executing a trick at X Games California.Sean M. Haffey / Getty Images Artistic swimmer Yukiko Inui competes at the World Aquatics Championships in Japan, her home country.Clive Rose / Getty Images Australia players celebrate a missed penalty kick that helped seal France's defeat in the Women's World Cup quarterfinals.Quinn Rooney / Getty Images Catalina Usme clutches teammate Daniela Arias following Colombia's elimination from the World Cup.Maddie Meyer / FIFA / Getty Images Lionel Messi is feted for leading Inter Miami to the Leagues Cup title in his first MLS season.Kevin C. Cox / Getty Images Louis Lappe's walk-off home run in the Little League World Series final elicits joy from his El Segundo, California, squad.Tim Nwachukwu / Getty Images The triumphant LSU baseball team dogpiles in the infield at the end of the College World Series.Jay Biggerstaff / Getty Images Seattle Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh holds onto a pop-up against the St. Louis Cardinals.Steph Chambers / Getty Images Giovani Santillan clocks welterweight opponent Alexis Rocha en route to knocking him out in California.Cris Esqueda / Golden Boy / Getty Images Danielle Collins prepares to deliver a serve at the San Diego Open.Sean M. Haffey / Getty Images Partners Joe Salisbury and Rajeev Ram kiss the US Open men's doubles trophy.Al Bello / Getty Images Nick Faris is a features writer at theScore.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Sweden /Finland | Canada | United StatesWith a four-team, NHL-sanctioned international hockey tournament expected to take place in February 2025, theScore is choosing rosters for all nations set to partake.We begin with Sweden and Finland. While neither nation has as much depth as Canada or the United States, the top ends of their rosters boast elite talent. Both countries have shown historically that the whole can be greater than the sum of their parts, too.For Canada and the United States, there's plenty of debate as to who should make it, so, for those teams, we've asked five of our editors to submit their own rosters. But, for Sweden and Finland, with more obvious choices to make the teams, we only picked one roster for each country. Let's dive in.Sweden Bruce Bennett / Getty Images Sport / GettyNotable omissions: William Eklund, Jesper Fast, Viktor ArvidssonThe top two lines feature plenty of firepower that can carry the offense for the Swedes. The bottom six includes four players (Eriksson Ek, Lindholm, Karlsson, Backlund) who have received Selke Trophy consideration in their careers. Both of these units can be trusted in shut-down roles.Landeskog and Carlsson are the wild cards. The former is missing his second straight season with a knee injury, although there's a chance he returns for the 2024 playoffs. Landeskog has earned the benefit of the doubt, though. If he's healthy, he'll be on this team.Carlsson, meanwhile, will have just turned 20 by the time this tournament rolls around. But everything the 2023 No. 2 pick has shown in his rookie season so far suggests he's the real deal. He could easily work his way up the lineup over the next 14 months.Notable omissions: Mattias Ekholm, Adam LarssonThe Swedes have always produced elite blue-liners, and this 2025 team should be no different. Dahlin, who's in the prime of his career, will be the No. 1, and there's plenty of veteran help around him.Having Hedman on the third pair will raise some eyebrows, but he'll be 34 in this tournament, and his underlying numbers on the defensive end are putrid for the second straight season. He'll likely wear the "C" for Tre Kronor, but Lindholm and Brodin - a pair of superb defenders - are both better-suited to play in the top four and handle the tougher assignments.Notable omissions: Jonas JohanssonUllmark, the reigning Vezina Trophy winner, has come down to earth a bit this season, but not enough to push him out of the starter's net at this point. Gustavsson has heated up lately and could push Ullmark for the No. 1 job by February 2025.Finland Andre Ringuette / World Cup of Hockey / GettyNotable omissions: Eetu Luostarinen, Kasperi Kapanen, Mikael GranlundThe Finns also feature a lethal top-six forward group - one that would have built-in chemistry with the NHL duos of Lehkonen-Rantanen and Aho-Teravainen.Laine will be an X-factor for the Finns. He's had a miserable season in Columbus, but if he can regain his scoring touch in time for this tournament, it would go a long way in helping his country make some noise.Notable omissions: Olli Maatta, Urho VaakanainenThe blue line is undoubtedly Suomi's weakness. While Heiskanen is a bona fide star, the group behind him - which includes two of his Stars teammates in Lindell and Hakanpaa - is uninspiring. However, there is lots of size and defensive acumen among this unit that could help protect leads.Notable omissions: Ville HussoWhile goaltending is a key for every team, Finland will be banking heavily on Saros. The Predators' netminder, who's been among the NHL's best goalies over the last few seasons, will need to have his game-stealing ability on display in order for the Finns to win.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Sweden /Finland | Canada | United StatesWith a four-team, NHL-sanctioned international hockey tournament expected to take place in February 2025, theScore is choosing rosters for all of the nations set to partake.For Canada and the USA, there are a lot of quality players to choose from. Opinions on who should make the rosters vary depending on who you ask, so we tasked five members of our hockey editorial team - Kayla Douglas, Josh Gold-Smith, Sean O'Leary, John Matisz, and Josh Wegman - with selecting their own squads.Below, we dive into each editor's Team Canada and the most pressing question surrounding their roster:Kayla DouglasBiggest question: Why take Huberdeau and have him so high in the lineup given his struggles since leaving Florida?Let's talk about the underwhelming elephant in the room.Look, everyone is aware of how bad Huberdeau has been since joining the Calgary Flames. There have been zero flashes of the guy who put up 115 points in 2021-22. But there's no way that skilled, talented player is just ... gone. A Team Canada nod could be exactly what Huberdeau needs to revive his career. Or, maybe it'd be crazy to continue expecting a different result from the slumping winger.Team Canada's brass would owe Zach Hyman a handwritten apology if Huberdeau falls flat on his face, though. - Douglas Minas Panagiotakis / Getty Images Sport / GettyJosh Gold-SmithBiggest question: As the only editor who didn't have Bedard on the top line, why isn't he among your top-12 forwards?Slotting Bedard in as the 13th forward wasn't an indictment of him as a player. There's no doubt the Chicago Blackhawks phenom belongs on this team now and when it's actually constructed. He's been a quick study in the NHL, and he may ascend to true superstardom by 2025. Plus, the idea of Bedard playing alongside McDavid is admittedly tantalizing.The concern here is mainly not wanting to play him - or any of Canada's more experienced centers - out of position. Bedard might be just fine playing on the right wing, especially with McDavid down the middle. But it seems more prudent to have the natural wingers remain in those spots.It's entirely conceivable Bedard will leapfrog many of his Canadian peers in terms of impact by the time this tournament rolls around. But until that happens, he should be willing to accept that others have simply earned more prominent roles for the time being. - Gold-SmithJohn MatiszBiggest question: This team is significantly younger than the others. What makes you confident players like Byfield, Fantilli, and Power will be ready for this stage?I find we generally underestimate how quickly players in their early 20s can level up from impact NHLer to fringe star, fringe star to legitimate star, etc.Byfield, currently 21, will be in the middle of his fourth season when the tournament rolls around. Power, 21, will be in the middle of his third. Fantilli, 19 but exceptionally mature physically and mentally, will be a sophomore.Let's face it, top-three NHL picks are a special breed. Byfield, Power, and Fantilli are all poised on and off the ice. Each of them plays a modern style mixing power (no pun intended) with finesse. They're developing by the day.Plus, it's not as if I picked an entirely youthful team: Crosby will be 37 in February 2025. Marchand will be 36, Doughty 35, Stamkos 34, and so on. - Matisz Andre Ringuette / World Cup of Hockey / GettySean O'LearyBiggest question: As the only editor to take Nugent-Hopkins, why is he featured in a prominent role but not on a line with either of his Oiler teammates?Left wing was the most difficult position to find world-class talent when constructing Canada's hypothetical roster, so I dipped into their pool of centers. I felt Nugent-Hopkins deserved a look based on his production over the past couple of seasons. However, Hyman is a better fit with McDavid, and likewise for the rest of the left wing-center combinations I chose. I think Nugent-Hopkins is the most dispensable forward on my roster, but his smarts and versatility made him pretty easy to plug in.An all-Oilers top line certainly crossed my mind, but I couldn't pass up a McDavid-Bedard pairing. - O'LearyJosh WegmanBiggest question: With five sets of teammates playing together, was familiarity prioritized over taking the best players available?Everyone on this team is deserving as individuals (there's no Chris Kunitz here). However, relying on familiarity is logical if the fit is right. In a short tournament with little preparation time, instant chemistry will be key.Up front, Hyman is the ultimate workhorse to complement star players. Cirelli doesn't dazzle offensively, but the perennial Selke candidate has a knack for delivering in big moments and will help the penalty kill. Konecny and Couturier are a great two-way combo, too. Even though they aren't NHL teammates, MacKinnon, Crosby, and Marchand all train together during the summers (and the latter two have shined on the international stage together before). That Nova Scotian trio could be the tournament's best line.On defense, Toews and Makar have been arguably the NHL's best pairing over the last few seasons. Theodore and Pietrangelo aren't regular partners in Vegas, but placing them together still made sense. - WegmanCopyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Sweden /Finland | Canada | United StatesWith a four-team, NHL-sanctioned international hockey tournament expected to take place in February 2025, theScore is choosing rosters for all nations set to partake.For Canada and the United States, there are a lot of quality players to choose from. Opinions on who should make the rosters vary depending on who you ask, so we tasked five members of our hockey editorial team - Kayla Douglas, Josh Gold-Smith, Sean O'Leary, John Matisz, and Josh Wegman - with selecting their own squads.Below, we dive into each editor's Team USA and the most pressing question surrounding their roster:Kayla DouglasBiggest question: You're the only one who didn't tap Hellebuyck as the starter. USA is loaded in net, but can you explain your lack of faith in the experienced, three-time Vezina finalist?The United States can't go wrong with any of these three options in the crease. It's an embarrassment of riches and, as a Canadian, I'm jealous.I don't have a lack of faith in Hellebuyck. He's outstanding. It's just that he's currently 30 and is constantly one of the most overworked goalies in the league (he paced all netminders in shots faced for four straight seasons from 2018-22). With this event expected to be held in February 2025, Hellebuyck has one more year to get through. Wear and tear starts to add up.Demko, meanwhile, is two years younger and excelling after a down year. By the time this tournament rolls around, he might have the same number of Vezina Trophies (one) as Hellebuyck. - Douglas PressFocus/MB Media / Getty Images Sport / GettyJosh Gold-SmithBiggest question: You're the only editor to omit Tage Thompson. Why do you feel the 47-goal scorer from a season ago isn't worthy of a spot on the team?It's not that Thompson isn't gifted or hasn't proven himself in the past. That 47-goal, 94-point campaign was remarkable. But this season has been a different story. Yes, he missed nine games with an injury but, even when healthy, he hasn't consistently been that dominant player we saw in 2022-23.Let's start with the counting stats. Thompson's per-game offensive output is down to about half of what it was last campaign. Sure, the Sabres have disappointed as a team, but Thompson's also been underwhelming individually.The 26-year-old's underlying numbers have been pedestrian this season. His five-on-five expected goals for percentage is hovering around 50%, and his individual expected goals per 60 minutes rate ranks about 200th in the league. He still possesses a rare combination of size, speed, and skill, but he hasn't been the dynamic game-changer he was over the last two campaigns. - Gold-SmithJohn MatiszBiggest question: Caufield made only two of the five teams, and you're the only one to have him in your top-12 forwards. Amid a disappointing season, what makes you believe the diminutive sniper should make it?For this exercise, I put a huge emphasis on filling the lineup with different player archetypes. After all, we're building a real team, not picking favorites for the All-Star Game. I placed value on growth potential, too, since younger players can level up multiple times between Dec. 2023 and Feb. 2025.That brings us to Caufield.He may not be producing at a high rate right now, but the 22-year-old is an elite finisher, full stop. I tabbed Caufield over fellow shooters Brock Boeser and Alex DeBrincat largely because of his history with Jack Hughes. The duo was electric for two years at the U.S. National Team Development Program. Their skill sets complement each other perfectly, while the third member of my "second" USA line, J.T. Miller, can do the dirty work. - Matisz RvS.Media/Monika Majer / Getty Images Sport / GettySean O'LearyBiggest question: You took only two right-handed defensemen and have them playing together on the top pair. Are you worried that having three blue-liners playing their off side could pose issues against some of the world's best players?To quote Billy Beane's character in "Moneyball," I don't care about righty-lefty. Short tournaments force players out of their usual positions all the time, and these are some of the most talented players in the world. They're fully capable of making adjustments.I also think Fox and McAvoy are USA's top two horses, and their history of being international teammates dates back to the 2017 world juniors. Both players have the mobility and puck-moving prowess to be effective on either side of the ice and, on the off chance it goes terribly, management can shake up the pairings before elimination games begin. Placing these stalwarts on the same unit also created the opportunity for an all-Hughes pairing which, for the sake of fun, factored into my decision. - O'LearyJosh WegmanBiggest question: You're the only one who took both Tuch and Kreider. What makes them deserving of roster spots over the likes of Boeser, Caufield, DeBrincat, Keller and others?Tuch and Kreider are big, fast, north-south wingers who can get in on the forecheck and wreak havoc. While both players can put the puck in the net, they can affect the game positively in other ways - and in limited minutes - even if they're not contributing offensively. That's important in a bottom-six role on a star-studded team. To me, the same can't be said for Boeser, Caufield, DeBrincat, and Keller. - Wegman(Analytics sources: Natural Stat Trick, Evolving-Hockey)Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The World Junior Championship is typically a tournament dominated by 19-year-olds, but it also presents an opportunity for draft-eligible players to boost their stock with a strong performance.While the 2023 WJHC was loaded with draft-eligible talent, including four of the eventual top five picks, the 2024 tournament isn't quite as strong in that regard. The United States omitted projected No. 2 pick Cole Eiserman, and Russia's absence from the tournament prevents other potential top-10 selections from showcasing their talents.However, the projected No. 1 pick is expected to play a huge role again, as Connor Bedard did a year ago. Below, we rank the top five draft-eligible players competing at the world juniors.1. Macklin Celebrini, Canada Position: C

Whether it's at the end of the regular season or during some obvious break in the schedule, you'll hear about the most, and least, profitable teams in a given league. But it's largely irrelevant.What is worth a quick investigation - during this hiatus in the hockey season - is how the best and worst teams in the NHL have done for their bettors, who were either willing to lay a price to back the good teams or were able to hold their nose and bet on the bad ones.We were given a hint before the season as to who would be good this season. The Hurricanes, Devils, Avalanche, and Maple Leafs were all expected to push for more than 106 points, or 1.3 points per game, in the standings.We were also given a hint as to who might be bad this season. The Blackhawks, Ducks, and Sharks were lined at 71 points or worse (0.86 points per game).Here's how blindly betting on those six teams has fared this season.TEAM (RSP Total)ML RECORDPROFIT (+) / LOSS (-)Hurricanes (107.5)17-17-10.2Devils (107)17-15-11.4Avalanche (106.5)21-13+2.0Maple Leafs (106.5)17-14-6.8-Blackhawks (71)10-23-3.8Ducks (67.5)12-21-0.9Sharks (66.5)9-25-3.9Why is hockey so difficult to bet on? Blindly betting on both the good and bad teams can be a losing proposition.With a high rating coming into the season, the Avalanche have needed to win 62% of their games to be marginally profitable.At the other end, getting big underdog moneyline prices on the low-rated teams hasn't guaranteed profits, either.The Sharks lost their first 11 games, making them profitable at +7.1 units since a disastrous start. What's even wilder is that, before heading into the Christmas break with a five-game losing streak, San Jose had an 18-game stretch of winning 12.1 units for their bettors.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:

This year in sports was defined by inspiring stories, historic achievements, and surreal events that not even Hollywood could script. We loved them all. With 2023 drawing to a close, theScore is looking back on 50 moments that resonated most with us over the past 12 months. Our five-part series, which counts down every Friday in December, continues below with moments 20-11.Dec. 1Dec. 8Dec. 15Dec. 22Dec. 2950-4140-3130-2120-1110-120. Germany stuns U.S. at FIBA World Cup Germany had quite the summer at the FIBA World Cup in Manila. After topping its group and beating Latvia in the quarterfinals, Die Mannschaft matched up against the mighty United States. Franz Wagner and Daniel Theis held their own, leading Germany to a close upset win over the perennial powerhouse. They eked out another tight victory over Serbia to take home their first FIBA title, with Dennis Schroder making two key offensive plays at the end to secure the victory. The Americans fell again in the bronze-medal matchup, losing to Canada. - Donald Higney19. Mom goes berserk after wrestling upset

Count Wayne Gretzky among the fans who marveled at Connor Bedard's lacrosse move goal against the St. Louis Blues on Saturday night."I couldn't do what he did tonight," Gretzky said on the Blues' broadcast. "That just wasn't in my repertoire. I didn't have the right kinda curve. (Brett Hull) could do it, I could never do what he did tonight."Bedard scooped the puck up behind St. Louis' net and found the top corner above Jordan Binnington's left shoulder to tie the game at one.

Anaheim Ducks rookie Leo Carlsson will miss approximately four-to-six weeks with an MCL sprain, the team announced Saturday.Carlsson left Thursday's contest against the Calgary Flames and didn't return after opposing defenseman MacKenzie Weegar fell awkwardly on his leg.

Canada named defensemen Jorian Donovan and Ty Nelson to its world junior roster as injury replacements for Tristan Luneau and Tanner Molendyk on Saturday.Donovan suited up for Canada in Saturday's 6-5 overtime loss in pre-tournament action against the United States. The Ottawa Senators fifth-round pick has 26 points in 31 OHL games this season with the Brantford Bulldogs.Nelson, a Seattle Kraken third-rounder, has 31 points in 28 games with the OHL's North Bay Battalion.The Anaheim Ducks had loaned Luneau to Canada. The reigning QMJHL Defenseman of the Year didn't play in either of Canada's pre-tournament games due to a viral infection.Molendyk sustained a wrist injury in Friday's exhibition against Switzerland. The Nashville Predators first-round pick remains eligible to play at the 2025 world juniors.Canada faces Finland on Dec. 26 to open the tournament.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The 2024 World Junior Hockey Championship is just days away.Connor Bedard stole the show last year, as the eventual first overall pick shattered Canadian scoring records en route to a gold medal. This year's tournament sees no such runaway favorite for MVP but instead a collection of highly touted prospects from around the NHL.To kick off our coverage, we'll review one prospect at the tournament from each NHL team.Note: The Colorado Avalanche and Edmonton Oilers don't have any prospects playing at this year's tournament. All 30 other NHL teams have at least one affiliated player participating.Anaheim Ducks Norm Hall / National Hockey League / GettyAfter winning QMJHL Defenseman of the Year, Tristan Luneau has earned limited reps in the NHL and the AHL. Loaned to the world juniors by the Ducks, Luneau will have every opportunity to showcase his talents as Canada's anchor on the back end.Note: Luneau was ruled out due to injury after publishing.Arizona CoyotesConor Geekie has dominated the WHL to the tune of 20 goals and 49 points in just 26 games this season, and he has a chance to feature prominently in Canada's top six. Don't be surprised to see him among the tournament's top scorers alongside Wenatchee Wild teammate Matt Savoie.Boston BruinsHockey Canada held out hope for an NHL addition up front when initial roster cuts were made, and prayers were answered in the form of Matt Poitras. The Bruins rookie immediately becomes Canada's first-line center and rounds out a forward group that needed another difference-maker. In what will be his debut for Canada, look for Poitras to be relied on heavily at both ends of the rink by head coach Alan Letang.Buffalo SabresZach Benson will remain in the NHL, but don't fret Sabres fans, Buffalo still boasts an impressive seven prospects at the world juniors, highlighted by Czechia's Jiri Kulich. With an NHL debut in November and a staggering 15 goals in 21 AHL games, Kulich is a legitimate MVP candidate if Czechia can go deep for a second straight tournament.Calgary FlamesThe Flames have a lone representative, but it's a notable one. Samuel Honzek's primed to play big minutes for Slovakia. If he can stay healthy - his tournament ended early a year ago, and he didn't make his season debut until Dec. 1 - he'll be a significant contributor on a sneaky good Slovakian team.Carolina Hurricanes Jared C. Tilton / Getty Images Sport / GettyDespite being a late second-round pick in June, Felix Unger Sorum made waves at the Hurricanes' training camp to earn an entry-level contract. He's carried that momentum over to Sweden where he's been effective with Leksands and now projects to be an important middle-six contributor for the tournament host.Chicago BlackhawksNo, Connor Bedard won't be at the world juniors scoring 10 points per game. But a different star from last year's tournament will be representing the Blackhawks: Adam Gajan. The Slovakian was one of the stories of the 2023 tourney, as he went from third-stringer to starter and nearly led his nation to an upset win over Canada in the quarters. He's firmly Slovakia's starter this time around and will be leaned on to be among the best goaltenders.Columbus Blue JacketsAll Jordan Dumais does is put up points: 109 in his draft year, 140 last season. He's already got 47 in just 21 games since October. The knocks on him are a lack of size and speed. As Canada goes over to the bigger ice surface in Sweden, his usage will be one of the most intriguing storylines to watch in the early going.Dallas StarsWith first-rounder Lian Bichsel opting to remain with his club in Sweden rather than play for Switzerland, Aram Minnetian is the only representative from the Stars organization. The American defender projects to play a third-pair defensive role.Detroit Red Wings Eurasia Sport Images / Getty Images Sport / GettyAs a draft-eligible defenseman at last year's tournament, Axel Sandin Pellikka played over 20 minutes per game for Sweden. Few, if any, will play more than the Red Wings first-rounder this December, as he's set to anchor his nation's top pairing and quarterback the power play.Florida PanthersSandis Vilmanis will be among the five Latvians who become the first to represent their country at three world juniors. If Latvia is to stave off relegation once again, the Panthers fifth-rounder will need to be a difference-maker.Los Angeles Kings2022 fifth-round pick Otto Salin returns for Finland as the only representative from the Kings' prospect pool. The right-shot blue-liner projects to be a major part of Finland's top four.Minnesota WildA late start to the season due to injury means Liam Ohgren has played just eight games. But make no mistake, the Sweden captain will be a major contributor. The Wild first-rounder makes his third trip to the world juniors looking to upgrade his 2022 bronze medal.Montreal Canadiens Richard T Gagnon / Getty Images Sport / GettyLane Hutson has a chance to be the first defenseman to win world junior MVP since Thomas Chabot in 2017. The electrifying offensive blue-liner has dominated the NCAA for the past season-and-a-half and excelled at the World Championship this past spring. Hutson will play big minutes and could bring big point totals alongside the array of impressive American forwards.Nashville PredatorsTanner Molendyk makes his IIHF debut as one of two 18-year-old defensemen on Canada's roster. The Predators first-rounder has shined in the WHL with 28 points in 24 games and will dazzle at the world juniors with his exceptional skating.Note: Molendyk was ruled out due to injury after publishing.New Jersey DevilsNo Simon Nemec, no problem for Devils fans. Instead, New Jersey supporters will get to watch a different right-shot defenseman make waves at the tournament in Seamus Casey. The Michigan standout ranks second among all NCAA defenders in scoring and will be a key part of the United States' back end.New York IslandersOn a U.S. team that features numerous offensive threats, Danny Nelson will provide important defensive minutes. The 6-foot-3 center has quietly put together an impressive 14 points in 18 games as a freshman at Notre Dame.New York Rangers Bruce Bennett / Getty Images Sport / GettyGabe Perreault dominated the Under-18s. He dominated with the U.S. NTDP. He's currently dominating the NCAA as a freshman. He's not the biggest or fastest, but that hasn't stopped Perreault from putting up points at every level so far. Next up: the world juniors.Ottawa SenatorsReturning for his third world juniors with Czechia, Tomas Hamara will be leaned on as one of his nation's most experienced blue-liners.Philadelphia FlyersCutter Gauthier has legitimate MVP potential this year. The 2022 fifth overall pick has been among the best power forwards in college hockey the past two seasons and has already led the United States in goals at the World Championship. He'll center the American's top line and be among the tournament's most potent scoring threats.Pittsburgh PenguinsBrayden Yager has been superb in the WHL this season, racking up 17 goals and 41 points in 28 games. Though he'll be without his Moose Jaw linemate Jagger Firkus, the Penguins first-rounder projects to be an important depth-scoring threat for Canada.San Jose Sharks John Russell / National Hockey League / GettyThe highest-drafted player at this year's world juniors, Will Smith stars for the United States with longtime linemates Gabe Perreault and Ryan Leonard. The fourth overall pick will look to replicate his record-setting Under-18 performance in which he led the U.S. to gold with 20 points in seven games.Seattle KrakenCarson Rehkopf has exploded offensively this season with the Kitchener Rangers, scoring an OHL-leading 31 goals in as many games. The 2023 second-rounder forced his way onto Canada's roster with his play and will look to earn himself a marquee spot in the lineup during the preliminary round.St. Louis BluesA slow start in Sweden has long been forgotten since Dalibor Dvorsky arrived in Sudbury. The 2023 10th overall pick has been dominant since stepping foot in the OHL, racking up 34 points in 20 games. Entering his third world juniors still with another year of eligibility, Dvorsky will need to dominate if Slovakia is to push for a medal.Tampa Bay LightningA transfer to Michigan State has done wonders for Isaac Howard, who already has more points in the NCAA this season than last in half the games. A game-breaking scorer during his NTDP days, Howard will provide depth scoring on a stacked American squad.Toronto Maple Leafs Steve Russell / Toronto Star / GettySince being a surprising first-round pick in June, Easton Cowan has exceeded expectations at every step. A versatile, tenacious forward who can play all three positions, the Strathroy, Ontario, native will be a Swiss Army Knife for Canada. First line or fourth line, power play or penalty kill, the Maple Leafs prospect can play anywhere and find a way to make an impact.Vancouver CanucksA lackluster post-draft season is in the rearview mirror for Jonathan Lekkerimaki. The Canucks first-rounder has 10 goals and 16 points in 24 SHL games to lead the league in both categories among junior-aged players. With just one goal in 14 world junior games to date, look for Lekkerimaki to break out on home ice.Vegas Golden KnightsArttu Karki's booming shot has bagged him 16 goals in the OHL this season, the most by any defender in the league. On a weaker-than-usual Finnish blue line, Karki will play meaningful minutes and feature prominently on the power play.Washington CapitalsA hard-nosed power forward despite his 6-foot, 190-pound frame, Ryan Leonard has rounded into form since November at Boston College. He has nine goals and 45 shots on net in his last 11 NCAA games and will be a vital component of USA's offense as the Americans look to capture their sixth gold medal.Winnipeg JetsAn injury scare put Rutger McGroarty's status for the world juniors in jeopardy, but the Michigan standout is back and ready to feature for the Americans. The 6-foot-1 power forward is primed to step onto the top line with Logan Cooley remaining in the NHL.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Trevor Zegras is back.The Anaheim Ducks announced the star will return to the lineup Saturday against the Seattle Kraken after missing 20 games with a lower-body injury.Zegras last played Nov. 7 versus the Pittsburgh Penguins. The 22-year-old registered just one goal and two points in 12 games before suffering the ailment.Anaheim got defenseman Jamie Drysdale back from injury in Thursday's loss against the Calgary Flames after he missed 29 games. Rookie Leo Carlsson exited the game with a lower-body issue.The Ducks are 3-7-0 in their last 10 and rank seventh in the Pacific Division.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

What's small, curved, and basically guaranteed to damage drywall, picture frames, and basement windows across the continent? Hockey parents know the answer."There was one occasion where I hit my brother a little too hard, a little away from the wall, and he put a big hole right in the wall," Panthers forward Matthew Tkachuk says. He's not recounting an epic family feud with his brother Brady, but rather an average day playing the childhood classic: mini sticks."We played all the time. My parents built us a mini mini-sticks rink in our basement with the plastic synthetic floor so we could just slip around. We put two nets at each end and there were boards on one side, so we always thought the most fun was hitting each other over the boards."My parents were like, 'Why are we going to fix this? You guys are just going to keep doing this.' So we just kept building a bigger hole and it was a fun part of the rink."Matthew, left, and Brady Tkachuk battle for a puck during their Nov. 27 game in Ottawa. Andre Ringuette / NHL / Getty ImagesThe Tkachuks got off easier than the McCarron brothers."My brother put my head through the drywall," says Predators forward Mike McCarron. "We got in a battle and he pushed me from behind and I went right into the drywall. My dad made my brother and I fix it."Many have memories like that. Some aren't about demolition and are even heartwarming. "I played a lot of goalie and my mom would shoot on me, I think that was some of the most fun I ever had as a kid," Panthers center Steven Lorentz says. "Back then, I obviously would play all day with her if I could."Others prove sibling rivalries never die. "There were a lot of tears from my little brother," Lightning defenceman Haydn Fleury says. "I think I won most of the games."Not so fast, says younger brother Cale Fleury. "He for sure had an advantage being two years older, but I was more feisty than he was," says the defenseman currently in the AHL. "I'd say I had my fair share of wins, too."From amateur hockey fans to professional athletes, everyone has a mini-stick story to tell. And in a world increasingly spent immersed in social media and video games, this offline pastime is hotter than ever. While Bauer won't release exact sales numbers, it says it sells "hundreds of thousands" of mini sticks each year. How did a lowly promotional giveaway transform itself into a full-blown part of hockey culture?Mini sticks' early days"They started back in the 1930s," says Mike Wilson, a Toronto-based sports memorabilia collector. Hockey might have taken a page out of baseball's book. Bat days, which Wilson says began in the 1900s, were once a common way to fill seats in the ballpark. "When hockey came along, they started doing the same thing but with a hockey stick," he says. Wilson's collection features sticks from the 1930s that are about 18 inches long with facsimile autographs and team logos along the shaft.Two mini sticks dated to the 1930s from Mike Wilson's collection. Supplied"In the '30s and into the '40s, it was just an easy way to collect signatures from a player and for teams to have," hockey historian and author Jon Waldman says.Wilson owns one-piece sticks dating to the 1950s, but mini stick construction had evolved by the '60s. "I remember going to Maple Leaf Gardens back in the early 1960s and they gave away little sticks. There were two pieces of blade attached to the shaft. It wasn't very strong. There was a picture of the player on it. But they're very tiny. I played with them, but they broke all the time."The autographed blade of a mini stick from Mike Wilson's collection, dated to the 1939-40 hockey season. SuppliedUsing them to compete against friends and siblings evolved out of normal child's play. Wilson describes a form of knee hockey that was often played with whatever was available - broken hockey stick blades, coat hangers, or homemade wooden sticks. At a 1960s peewee hockey tournament in Quebec, Wilson says everyone got one-piece sticks with a little rubber puck from tournament organizers. It was a game-changer. "I don't think there was one kid at that tournament who didn't have a stick. I remember going back to the billet's house and playing in the basement on the floor with these things," he says. "It sort of evolved from there."In the 1970s, teams leaned further into the marketing potential of mini sticks, using them to expand their team memorabilia. "It was usually around the commemoration of a particular player," Waldman says.Wilson says that practice became increasingly prevalent through the 1980s. "But I would say they really took off in the '90s. Now they're part of the fabric of every kid growing up."A Bauer representative said production of mini sticks is believed to have started in the late '90s, and there are only unproven theories as to what caused the exponential rise in popularity around this time. Wilson thinks it was a combination of their plastic construction and an uptick in minor hockey registration.Former Leaf Nikolai Borschevsky helps son Valery hold a mini stick in December 1993. Dick Loek / Toronto Star / Getty ImagesAnother guess has to do with the memorabilia market. "It was in the '90s that, as the hockey-card market grew, everything around it grew as well," Waldman says. "When you look back at the sports-card world, it really started to pick up in the mid '80s but ignited as more companies came on board, especially in hockey in the early '90s. And with that, it sort of just took the whole memorabilia craze on this incredible journey. The hockey-card market didn't last very long as the hot piece. It sort of ran until 1993-94. But after that, a lot of the other memorabilia stuck around and teams started to see more value in having giveaway items."It became something that if you didn't have a program or you didn't have a ticket stub or a puck, a mini stick was one of the pieces that went hand-in-hand with a special event," he says.While that might have been the collector's mindset, minor hockey athletes had a different vision for mini sticks - and that passion would catapult the collectible into a bona fide pastime.Two young Red Wings fans show off their mini sticks at a 2015 game. Dave Reginek / NHL / Getty Images Rules of engagementThe allure of playing mini sticks seems to be in its purity; it's a game of unorganized chaos with no purpose other than fun. "It's kind of almost all for the love of the game," Panthers forward Ryan Lomberg says. "It kind of gets to why we all started playing hockey - just because we love it. It's about having so much fun and just so many countless memories."That said, certain aspects of mini sticks have become standardized, if not codified. One: location. A brief polling of professional hockey players showed a majority of mini-sticks games occur in one of two places. First, the basement."My parents didn't have their basement finished at the time. So it was just basically me and my brother duking it out on the cement floor downstairs. They put some plywood up so we didn't wreck the insulation in the basement," Haydn Fleury says.Brothers Ryan McLeod, right, and Michael McLeod battle in Edmonton. Andy Devlin / NHL / Getty Images"They were a gong show, so many holes in the walls in the basement," Oilers center Ryan McLeod says of battles with his brother Michael, who now plays for New Jersey. "The drywall was ruined, completely ruined, from body checks and slashing the wall."Even NFL stars Travis Kelce and Jason Kelce have basement mini-sticks memories from their Cleveland-area childhood. "I remember the mini-stick arena, in the basement, that was carpet on cement, and we would run around on our knees," Jason Kelce said on a recent episode of their weekly podcast, "New Heights."When games don't take place in the basement, the hotel hallway is most likely to serve as venue."That was the best part of minor hockey. People staying at the hotel probably didn't like it. But you got your team track suit at the start of the year, and the first tournament of the year you got holes in the knees from being on your knees playing mini sticks," Haydn Fleury says. "One of your teammates brought the net and all the boys brought their mini sticks and you played in the hallway.""Every kid just knew after the game, win or lose, you were going to play mini sticks in the hallway with your buddies," Cale Fleury remembers.Cale Fleury, left, and older brother Hadyn commemorated this memory from a 2022 game. Mark LoMoglio / NHL / Getty ImagesNaturally, those hallway faceoffs have a way of perturbing hotel staff. "I remember we would be on a top floor and get in trouble because we were stomping and running around. So then we would move to the lobby floor but then still get yelled at by the main office in the lobby," says Saroya Tinker, a former professional hockey player and PWHL analyst. "We were definitely getting noise complaints and banging on doors with sticks and things like that."To be sure, hotels have grappled with how to best manage the mini-sticks phenomenon. "We put (hockey teams) on certain floors - not on the top floor, but on the lowest floor," says Richard Wong, chief operating officer of Nova Hotels, a family-owned chain with 14 locations across western and northern Canada. When that doesn't work, Wong encourages his staff to find a dedicated space for hockey teams."'The good hoteliers are good about accommodating. It's about being flexible. We try to move (minor hockey players) into a meeting-room space where it's not constricted like it is in the hallways," Wong says. "The holes happen and things break, but I look at it as the cost of doing business."Wong admits he has a soft spot for mini sticks from his own childhood. "For me, mini sticks equals fun."Not every hotel manager is as accommodating or patient. Some have a no-tolerance policy on their website or that's bolded on reservation forms, and that might be due to one of the most recognizable elements of playing mini sticks. For a game passed down through generations almost exclusively by word of mouth, there's a surprising amount of continuity when it comes to how games are played, with the most enduring aspect being general lawlessness. No rules, just chaos."You can be on your feet or your knees. You can pull the goalie and play one extra offense and leave the net out there. You can body check, you can do all that stuff. The only rule was really there are no rules," Lomberg says."It was jailhouse rules," Oilers forward Evander Kane says. Although the Kane household did have one health and safety consideration. "I would play with my dad in the living room, and you get a little rough trying to push your dad around. There was a fireplace in the living room and if the ball went over there, we made sure no one went over there - we didn't want anyone to crack their head open," he says.The Florida Panthers' Steven Lorentz. Christopher Mast / NHL / Getty Images"Someone would take a ball or stick in the face or chop to the finger, but that's just stuff you have to live with and play through," Lorentz says.As mini-stick technology has improved, that physical toll has only grown. "As we got a little bit older, they started coming out with fiberglass mini sticks. Bauer started coming out with their little mini versions of the sticks they use - to get kids into seeing those and using them early," Cale Fleury says. "I got high sticked with one of those at school in Grade 9 and it was actually pretty deadly. I have a scar on my eyebrow.""We got the composite sticks and that just completely changed the game. It got pretty dangerous to be honest," McLeod says.Obsessive habits typically reserved for on-ice equipment extended to mini sticks in the age before the new technology. Curving your mini blade was an art form, involving either boiling water or a gas stove's open flame."They used to just be little plastic things and I'd spend hours after school bending over the stove curving them. If I wanted to try a new curve, I'd grab another stick and I'd be bringing like seven or eight sticks in my backpack to recess to try out. I was all in," Lorentz says.Saroya Tinker competes at the under-18 world championship. Vaughn Ridley / Getty Images "I would just put mine right over the flame," Tinker says. "I remember the smell of burning plastic. The stick would end up being brownish-yellow by the end of getting the curve right."Getting that curve right wasn't just about winning games; it was about belonging. "Growing up, we never were able to have new equipment or anything along those lines," Tinker says. "We definitely didn't grow up having the accessibility that many others did in hockey. So I think playing mini sticks, it was cool to just go pick up, like, a $10 stick and be able to curve it your own way and be good at hockey."Mini sticks todayPerhaps as a counterbalance to kids' hyper organized and scheduled lives today, mini sticks are more popular now than ever."It's unbelievable, actually, we just can never get it right - as much as we ramp up the production and the forecast and everything, we're sold out," says Mary Kay Messier, Bauer's vice president of global marketing. "It always feels like the latest and greatest, hottest toy. Everyone's getting texts and emails, 'How do I get my hands on these mini sticks?' Kids are trying to trade, it's gone bonkers."People feel really nostalgic about mini sticks. Whether it's to give it to a young child when they first start, whether it's the kids who are playing in the tournaments, or kids wanting to hang them on their walls, it's just a part of hockey culture. Everyone has a mini-stick story, right?"Young fans receive mini sticks at a 2022 Buffalo Sabres game. Kevin Hoffman / NHL / Getty ImagesMessier adds that Bauer's popular Mystery Mini packs are part of how her team is trying to keep the product fresh. "We're doing more and more fun things like the Mystery Minis where you don't know what you're going to get. It's fun that it's kind of back to an old style of play that brings us all back and we can still pass that down to kids," she says.Ten-year-old Willem Ostopowich is one of those kids. In his first year of Tier 1 for the Edmonton SWAT Huskies, his life revolves around hockey - and he has the stats to prove it: 10 goals and three assists in eight games. He recently fielded a call from theScore from the back of his family SUV on the way home from a travel tournament."We had about 15 guys playing mini sticks in the hotel this weekend," he says. "We had to keep finding new spots in the hotel where the manager wouldn't see us. We got caught five different times."In the family's unfinished basement, Willem and his three younger brothers created their own league: the Mini Sticks Hockey League, or MHL, as they call it. Often their dad will join, or their 18-year-old neighbor.Willem Ostopowich, in his Ryan McLeod sweater, shoots in his parents' basement with seven-year-old brother Henry Supplied"Sometimes I pretend I'm playing against Ryan McLeod," Willem says. He's broken a basement window during his imaginary matchups against his favorite NHLer; his dad is insisting he help with the repairs. And so far league play has resulted in one younger brother sustaining a facial injury that required stitches - the result of what appeared to be, on review by the MHL's Department of Player Safety, an accidental high stick. No disciplinary action was taken. As the oldest brother and de facto league commissioner, Willem's adopted the time-honored mini-sticks rulebook: "It's pretty much a free for all," he says.The sum of all the parts - collecting tiny sticks, curving your own, running through hotel hallways, and challenging your siblings in the basement - is what makes the mini game great."Little things like that are where you fall in love with the game," Lorentz says. "When you're that age, you're pretending you're the next Sidney Crosby. Then you get to this league and now you're playing against him. It almost puts things in perspective. Those kids just love the game so much and it's so pure."Willem says he uses mini sticks to practice his shot. But that's not what he likes most. His answer on that front isn't too different from what his NHL idols said: "My favorite thing is spending time with my friends, my brothers, and my dad."Jolene Latimer is a feature writer for theScore.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Vegas Golden Knights signed defenseman Ben Hutton to a two-year contract extension worth $975,000 per season, the team announced Friday.Hutton joined the Golden Knights in 2021 on a one-year deal, then re-upped with a two-year pact last March.The 30-year-old has made 177 appearances with the club, racking up 29 points while averaging 15:47 of ice time per contest. Hutton dressed for two playoff games during Vegas' march to the Stanley Cup this past spring.The Vancouver Canucks picked Hutton in the fifth round in 2012. He's also suited up for the Los Angeles Kings, Anaheim Ducks, and Toronto Maple Leafs throughout his nine-year career.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Detroit Red Wings veteran David Perron thinks his six-game suspension for cross-checking Ottawa Senators blue-liner Artem Zub is a little steep."Obviously, I got the guy a little high," Perron told reporters Friday. "I understand there was some discipline that needed to be done there, it just felt like on my side it was pretty excessive for the comparables, the history, my career - a lot of things, really, that played into it."Perron earned the ban for his actions during Detroit's 5-1 loss to the Senators on Dec. 9. The sequence began when Ottawa forward Mathieu Joseph caught Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin in the back of the head during a netfront battle, pushing him into Senators winger Parker Kelly. Zub then fell on top of Larkin's legs while he remained face down and motionless on the ice. Perron reacted to the scene by going after Zub.Referees assessed Perron a match penalty and tossed him from the game for intent to injure. The 35-year-old said Friday that he thought Zub was the main culprit for the incident, adding that he "would not have just randomly jumped someone.""(Larkin was) motionless, not moving at all there," Perron said. "Definitely not easy for me to go through that, turn around and see our captain down on the ice. I think, as a whole, throughout the league, you're trying to respond to these types of incidents."The NHLPA appealed Perron's suspension on Dec. 12, but the three-hour hearing wasn't held until Tuesday - five games into the winger's ban. Commissioner Gary Bettman affirmed the ban Friday, but Perron can go through an independent arbitrator to recoup some of his lost salary."Right now, it's more for record and money, but that's what's disappointing for sure. ... You want to be there for your team to play the games," he said.Perron forked over just under $150,000 as a result of his suspension. The league had never previously suspended him in his career, but he received a $5,000 fine for cross-checking during the 2022 Stanley Cup Playoffs.Zub stayed in the contest versus Detroit, while Larkin exited and missed the Red Wings' next four games. Joseph didn't face any supplemental discipline.Larkin recently expressed concern over how the NHL has handled discipline this campaign, saying, "It's hard to feel safe out there" as questionable plays have largely gone unpunished.Perron is now finished serving his suspension and will return to the lineup when Detroit takes on the Philadelphia Flyers on Friday."I'm just looking forward to getting back, honestly, and helping out any way I can," he said. "I know I can make a difference as far as the energy in the room, on the ice, on the bench. Just keep the guys kind of looking ahead."Perron has seven goals and 13 points in 26 games this season. Detroit went 1-5-0 in his absence.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Thursday was another profitable night on the ice. We posted a 3-2 record and both losses came by the slimmest of margins. The Canucks blew a late lead and lost in overtime while Rasmus Dahlin missed the net on five attempts and fell one shot shy as a result.We'll look to end the week strong with three plays for Friday's four-game slate.Zach Hyman: Over 3.5 shotsHyman is skating alongside Connor McDavid and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins on the top line, and their numbers are astronomically good. They're arguably the best forward unit in the NHL.That trio holds a 203-97 edge in terms of shot attempts and has outchanced opponents 123-50. That translates to a +10 goal differential in just 130 minutes of ice. Insane numbers across the board.With the Oilers spending so much time in the offensive zone - and generating such volume - it's no surprise Hyman is benefiting from that.He's averaging more than 12 shots on goal per 60 minutes with McDavid as his center at even strength. That number drops to 9.4 with Leon Draisaitl.We see even larger discrepancies in how Hyman fares with Nugent-Hopkins as opposed to Evander Kane. He's generating nearly 13 shots on goal per 60 with RNH compared to 7.66 with Kane.Given his spot alongside McDavid and RNH, it's no coincidence Hyman has registered at least four shots in eight of the past 10 games. He finished with three shots in both exceptions, and he was skating on the second line in one of them.As long as he remains on this version of the top line, there will continue to be real value in backing him.Odds: -118 (playable to -140)Gabriel Vilardi: Over 2.5 shotsVilardi has generated at least three shots on goal in each of the six games he's filled in for the injured Kyle Connor on the top line and power-play unit. He's also notched 11 points in that span.He's averaging better than five shot attempts per game without Connor. That may not sound like a lot for someone going over his total every night, but Vilardi's different than many players. He lives around the net and almost all of his opportunities come from high-danger areas. That means his average shot distance is low, making it a lot easier to hit the target.Put another way, he's selective with his looks and only takes high-quality shots. An average of 5.1 attempts would be concerning for someone like Alex Ovechkin, who posts up above the circles and takes a lot of shots from range.Vilardi seems to have tremendous chemistry with Mark Scheifele and Nikolaj Ehlers, the Jets' two leaders in assists up front. Both are more than happy to distribute the puck and plenty capable of finding Vilardi around the net.The Bruins are an excellent team but have given up plenty of volume of late, ranking 26th in shot suppression over the past 10 games. They've also given up the third-most shots against on the road this season.Odds: -110 (playable to -135)Cole Caufield: Over 3.5 shotsCaufield has been pretty matchup-dependent this season. He hasn't had much shooting success against playoff teams but has feasted on weaker opponents, registering four shots against the Wild, five against the Ducks, six against the Penguins, six against the Sharks, and nine against the Sabres.Caufield has a mouthwatering matchup on Friday night in Chicago. The Blackhawks are one of the league's worst defensive teams and rank 30th in five-on-five shot suppression over the last 10 games.There should be no shortage of opportunities for Caufield to pile up the shots.Odds: -135 (playable to -150)Todd Cordell is a sports betting writer at theScore. Follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, at @ToddCordell.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

In his preseason meeting with reporters back in September, Kings president Luc Robitaille said his club was "in that bucket of 8-10 teams" with reasonable Stanley Cup aspirations.The franchise icon's assessment was totally fair. The Kings weren't necessarily the preseason favorites to come out of the Pacific Division, let alone the Western Conference. Yet finishing atop the Pacific, winning playoff series, and - gulp - appearing in the Cup Final wasn't a deranged idea either. Andre Ringuette / Getty ImagesIt's now late December and no team has impressed quite like Los Angeles.It probably doesn't seem that way on the surface, seeing as the Kings rank eighth in points, fifth in points percentage, and don't have a single player in the top 40 in scoring or in the conversation for an end-of-year award. But in my view, this L.A. team has asserted itself as a true alpha dog in the West.Under fifth-year coach Todd McLellan, the 2023-24 Kings have allowed the fewest goals per game. They've smothered attackers, allowing the fewest expected goals, shots on goal, and slot shots, according to Sportlogiq. They've allowed the second-fewest inner-slot shots and third-fewest shot attempts. They've ground the opposition down, ranking third in penalty-kill percentage and fourth in offensive-zone puck possession suppression. Icon Sportswire / Getty ImagesThe Kings have also been pretty deadly with the puck. They generate the sixth-most goals per game by attacking in waves - early and often. They have the best one-through-four center depth, are a league-high plus-15 in the first period, and own a league-average power play. The only significant negative storyline has been center Pierre-Luc Dubois' surprising lack of production.It'd be a stretch to label these Kings a "sleeping giant," considering their 18-7-4 record, which includes a stunning 13-1-1 road mark. However, they may be better than we thought - an undercover juggernaut playing a well-balanced brand of hockey that usually translates to series wins come playoff time.Watch out.Matthews versus (young) OvechkinAlex Ovechkin, the greatest goal-scoring artist of all time, ceded the title as greatest goal-scorer of the moment to Auston Matthews a few years ago. There was obviously no ceremony, but he definitely passed the imagined torch. Everybody, even the legendarily durable Ovechkin, becomes the old guy at some point. Mark Blinch / Getty ImagesThe contrast between the snipers is as stark as ever in 2023-24.Matthews, 26, leads the NHL with 26 goals in 29 games, including a mind-bending 12 in his last eight outings. He's on pace for a career-high 72 goals.Ovechkin, 38, is tied for 182nd with six goals in 30 games, including just one in his last 15 outings. He's on pace for a career-low 16 goals.Matthews is no longer the young whippersnapper. He hit 500 career games in late November. That milestone had me wondering about Matthews' trajectory and how his numbers stack up against those of early-career Ovechkin.Here's the high-level breakdown:It's important to note that the NHL product was in a different place when Ovechkin was in the early stages of his career. On the whole, Matthews has competed in a more offense-friendly environment to start his career. (Case in point, the average NHL game during Ovechkin's fourth season featured 5.58 goals, while the average game during Matthews' fourth season featured 6.04.)Caveat out of the way, it's amazing to see Matthews outpacing young Ovi in goals - albeit by a small margin. The American's been more productive than the Russian away from the power play, too, having recorded 242 of his 325 total goals in even-strength action. (Young Ovi scored 208 of 313 at evens.)Shot profiles are another layer. Young Ovi both racked up shots on goal at an insane rate (more than five per game!) and capitalized on a high percentage of his shots. Matthews, an extremely versatile attacker, also shoots the puck a ton but is relatively selective and better at keeping goalies guessing.Matthews' scoring rate through 510 games is frankly astonishing. To repeat: He's outpacing young Ovi, who's now chasing Wayne Gretzky's all-time goals record. Injuries may end up being Matthews' archnemesis since he's in his eighth season now, and Ovechkin hit 510 games in his seventh. Good health is a chief reason why Ovechkin's accumulated 827 goals and counting.Duchene flourishing in Texas Patrick Smith / Getty ImagesApologies to fans of Ryan O'Reilly, J.T. Compher, Oliver Ekman-Larsson, and Cam Talbot, but Matt Duchene's been the biggest success story from the 2023 class of unrestricted free agents. The crafty center is killing it for the Stars.In case you forgot, the Predators bought out the last three years of Duchene's seven-year, $56-million contract on June 30. A day later, Duchene - who turns 33 in January - inked a one-year, $3-million deal with Dallas, his fifth team.Two months on, Duchene is third in team scoring with 29 points in 30 games. Those aren't empty-calorie points, either. Six of Duchene's 11 goals count as game-winners. This week alone, he's assisted on an overtime goal (Monday versus the Kraken) and scored an OT goal (Thursday versus the Canucks).

Toronto Maple Leafs star Auston Matthews thinks Thursday's 9-3 loss to the Buffalo Sabres might have been the club's lowest performance of his eight-year career."Embarrassing is the word I'd use," he said, according to The Athletic's Joshua Kloke. "Probably the worst game since I've been here."The Maple Leafs led 2-1 in the first period and trailed 4-3 early in the second before completely unraveling by allowing five unanswered goals. Toronto netminder Ilya Samsonov, who entered the contest with an .878 save percentage on the season, was pulled after Buffalo's fifth."It's a hard time for me," Samsonov said, according to the Toronto Sun's Lance Hornby. "I need to figure it out in my head. It's not about technique."On top of nearly hitting double digits, the Sabres dominated the contest statistically from start to finish. Buffalo outchanced Toronto 27-14 at five-on-five and controlled 67.91% of expected goals, per Natural Stat Trick."We won't dissect it, but we won't forget it," head coach Sheldon Keefe said, according to Sportsnet's Luke Fox.Buffalo's offensive outburst came one game after allowing nine goals to the Columbus Blue Jackets. The Sabres are the first team to surrender then score nine goals in back-to-back games since the 1983-84 Detroit Red Wings, per Sportsnet Stats. Coincidentally, that Detroit team also scored nine on Toronto.The Maple Leafs hadn't allowed that many goals in a game since a 9-2 loss to the Nashville Predators in 2014.Toronto returns to the ice Saturday against the Columbus Blue Jackets.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Senators captain Brady Tkachuk took ownership for his role in Ottawa's struggles after its sixth consecutive loss Thursday, a 6-4 defeat to the Colorado Avalanche."It's hard to look at positives right now," Tkachuk said, per Postmedia's Bruce Garrioch. "It's a pretty shitty feeling, and I don't think I've felt worse in my life. This is not fun right now."At the end of the day, it starts with me as a leader. Individually, I'm not there and playing the way I need to be playing. ... I've got to find a way to do a better job and help this team win."The Senators held a 4-2 lead late in the second period Thursday but allowed four unanswered goals to prolong their losing streak. It was the club's second game since firing head coach D.J. Smith and replacing him with Jacques Martin.Tkachuk was held pointless in the loss and was a minus-two in just over 20 minutes of ice time. He entered the contest fourth on the Senators with 21 points but had only collected one goal and one assist in his seven most recent outings.The 24-year-old registered a career-high 35 goals and 83 points in 2022-23.Ottawa's fallen to 30th in the league standings with 22 points in 28 games.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Columbus Blue Jackets netminder Elvis Merzlikins accused Washington Capitals forward Tom Wilson of attempting to injure him during Thursday's contest.The two players got into a fight in overtime.

Though his Philadelphia Flyers are red-hot, head coach John Tortorella isn't allowing himself to look too far down the road."Don't even start asking me those questions," he said when asked about the possibility of battling for a playoff spot down the stretch. "We're in end of December. You don't know what your team is until the end of January, you really don't. I'm not even going there."After many expected the Flyers to be among the league's worst teams heading into the campaign, they're currently sitting in second place in the Metropolitan Division with an 18-10-3 record. Philadelphia's .629 point percentage is the ninth highest in the NHL. Tortorella's squad has gone 7-0-1 in December and is the only team in the league without a regulation loss this month.Philadelphia missed the postseason by 17 points during Tortorella's first year behind the bench last campaign. The Flyers haven't made the playoffs since 2020, when the New York Islanders eliminated them in the second round.One area of improvement for the Flyers is that they're scoring first more often. They've potted the game's first goal in 16 of 31 contests this season after opening the scoring just 32 times in 2022-23. Philadelphia owns a sparkling 15-1 record when scoring first this campaign.Tortorella won the Stanley Cup in 2004 while piloting the Tampa Bay Lightning to the franchise's first-ever championship. He owns an all-time record of 56-64 in the playoffs.The Flyers haven't lifted Lord Stanley's Mug since 1975. They last appeared in the Stanley Cup Final in 2010, falling to the Chicago Blackhawks in six games.Philadelphia will be chasing its fourth straight victory against the Nashville Predators on Thursday.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Devils forward Timo Meier is aware he isn't playing up to his standards during his first full season in New Jersey."I'm hard on myself. I have high expectations," he told reporters Thursday, according to NHL.com's Amanda Stein. "We have high expectations as a team. Definitely not happy with my play, but you've got to learn from it. Sometimes those situations can make you better as a player, make you stronger."Meier has amassed just five tallies and 11 points in 23 contests so far this season, good for an 18-goal, 39-point pace during an 82-game season. He hasn't fallen short of the 20-goal mark since the pandemic-shortened 2020-21 campaign when he lit the lamp 12 times in 54 outings.The 27-year-old hasn't been fully healthy, though. He missed seven games in November due to a lower-body injury and has yet to record a point in the nine outings since his return Dec. 1.Devils head coach Lindy Ruff suggested Tuesday that Meier's ailment is still having an impact on his skating. However, Meier wasn't ready to pin the blame for his underwhelming performance on any lingering issues."It's a long season. There are times where you have some bumps and bruises," he said, per team beat reporter Sam Kasan. "But that's never an excuse. I feel ready to play.""When things aren't going your way, just go back to the basics," Meier continued. "Focus on playing well defensively, playing hard, getting yourself into the game. Maybe it's a hit, a blocked shot. Maybe it will build your confidence and your play. And it will lead up to offensive production."Ruff said Thursday that he'd only sit Meier if he looks as though he's being hampered physically by his injury, according to NJ.com's Ryan Novozinsky. The bench boss previously benched Meier for the third period of a 4-3 loss to the Florida Panthers in October.New Jersey won the Meier sweepstakes prior to last season's trade deadline, acquiring his services from the San Jose Sharks in exchange for a package that included forward Fabian Zetterlund, prospects Shakir Mukhamadullin and Nikita Okhotiuk, and a conditional first-round pick in 2023 and 2024.Meier enjoyed his first 40-goal campaign in 2022-23 and signed an eight-year extension with an $8.8-million cap hit to stay with the Devils this past offseason, making him the highest-paid forward in New Jersey.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Auston Matthews is the clear-cut favorite to win the Maurice "Rocket" Richard Trophy after the Maple Leafs sniper became the first to reach 25 goals this season on Tuesday night.Matthews is even money to lead the NHL in goals based on betting odds at theScore Bet, which equates to an implied probability of 50%."Rocket" Richard Trophy oddsPlayerOdds2023 GoalsAuston Matthews+10025David Pastrnak+36019Nikita Kucherov+65022Connor McDavid+90011Brock Boeser+120023Leon Draisaitl+140013Artemi Panarin+300017Mikko Rantanen+300015Sam Reinhart+400018Matthews' outing against the Rangers was his third straight two-goal contest, extending his scoring streak to five games. He has 11 goals in his last seven contests and is on pace to reach 60 goals for the second time in his career.Brock Boeser is only two goals behind Matthews but is much further down the bettingboard. At +1200, Boeser is only given a 7.7% implied probability of catching Matthews.David Pastrnak is Matthews' stiffest competition, according to the odds. Pastrnak potted a career-high 61 goals last season, but he'll have to find another gear if he's going to match that total. He's on pace to score 51.Despite only having 11 goals in 27 games, oddsmakers are giving Connor McDavid plenty of respect at +900. McDavid won the "Rocket" last season with 64 tallies.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

We bounced back in a big way Wednesday night, sweeping the board on our best bets to push our weekly record to 8-5 between props, sides, and totals.Let's look at a couple of matchups where I see value Thursday night.Canucks (+130) @ Stars (-150)The Stars are in a rut. Things don't look too bad on the surface - they're 5-3-2 over the last 10 - but the picture isn't as bright when you look closer.They've controlled only 45.94% of the expected goals at five-on-five and conceded more goals per 60 than all but the Blues in that time. Strong defense and goaltending are calling cards for the Stars, so to be lacking in both areas is not only uncommon but concerning.Jake Oettinger, who's struggled, is now sidelined with an injury. That leaves Scott Wedgewood as the temporary No. 1. Although he owns a 7-2-1 record, Wedgewood has conceded well over three goals per game and grades out as a slight negative in terms of Goals Saved Above Expected (GSAE). He probably won't steal games and mask all of Dallas' mistakes.This is also a very tough matchup for the Stars. The Canucks are loaded with high-end finishers (Elias Pettersson, Brock Boeser, J.T. Miller, etc.) who've helped the team shoot the lights out all season long. If Dallas plays leaky defense in front of a backup goaltender, the team will likely pay the price.Although the Canucks have also seen a dip in their five-on-five play of late, Thatcher Demko is more than capable of masking their mistakes. He leads the league in GSAE by a healthy margin, shaving nearly five more goals off expectation than second-place Jeremy Swayman.With a goaltending edge and a more in-form offense, I see value backing the Canucks as road underdogs.Bet: Canucks (+130)Coyotes (-150) @ Sharks (+130)There was a time when the Sharks were playing respectable hockey and grinding out wins against quality sides. That time has passed.San Jose now looks more like the team we saw back in October. The Sharks have dropped three in a row and six of 10 while posting some putrid metrics.No team has allowed five-on-five shots or expected goals at a higher rate over the last 10 games. San Jose is back to spending most of its games on its heels, asking far too much from a mediocre goaltending tandem.Led by Connor Ingram, the Coyotes have allowed next to nothing for quite some time. They play a very low-event brand of hockey, and Ingram has slammed the door shut whenever asked.Only Filip Gustavsson, Connor Hellebuyck, Ilya Sorokin, and Juuse Saros have saved more goals above expected over the past month. Ingram will make it very difficult on a Sharks team that struggles to finish its chances at the best of times.Offensively, it's worth noting that the Coyotes are one of the league's better teams at working the puck into the slot and scoring from high-danger areas. This young Sharks defense won't provide much resistance.This game sets up nicely for the Coyotes to have success at both ends of the ice. Look for them to grind out a road win within 60 minutes.Bet: Coyotes in regulation (+100)Todd Cordell is a sports betting writer at theScore. Follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, at @ToddCordell.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Wednesday was a strong night on the ice as we won all three bets, including a pair of shot props.Let's take a closer look at three of my favorites for Thursday's monster slate.William Nylander: Over 3.5 shotsNylander has been quiet of late when it comes to shot generation, finishing with three or fewer in four of his past six games.It's no coincidence that Nylander struggled against playoff teams like the Rangers and Predators while getting the job done against weaker opponents in the Blue Jackets and Penguins.The Sabres fit into the latter group. They've won just 13 of 33 games this season and have struggled mightily on the defensive side of things. They give up chances in bulk and tend to find themselves in high-event games more often than not.That should create the perfect game environment for Nylander, who has torched the Sabres in the past. Nylander has faced the Sabres three times this calendar year, going over his total in all three while combining to pile up 17 shots on goal, nearly six per game.Odds: -120 (playable to -140)Rasmus Dahlin: Over 2.5 shotsDahlin has gone over his shot total in 10 consecutive games. He has averaged four shots on goal per game during this stretch, so it's not as if he's just squeaking by. He is often getting the job done with room to spare.With the Sabres struggling, and key forwards jumping in and out of the lineup due to injury, Dahlin has taken it upon himself to get more involved offensively. It's paying off for him; he has nine points and 40 shots over the last 10 games.What I love about Dahlin is how much ice time he gets. He's playing well over 25 minutes per game right now and has logged fewer than 23 minutes only once during this hot streak. Even in games that aren't all that close, he is playing as much as possible to try and turn things around. That is very important in creating a strong floor and ceiling.Playing a boatload of minutes in a high-paced matchup against a division rival, the game situation couldn't be much better for Dahlin to have success.Look for the Sabres' star defenseman to extend his shooting streak to 11 games.Odds: -114 (playable to -130)Carter Verhaeghe: Over 3.5 shotsVerhaeghe is a monster on home ice. He has averaged 8.1 shot attempts per game in Florida this season, which is drastically higher than he's managed on the road (6.2).That has translated to more success. Verhaeghe has a 62% hit rate in Florida compared to only 44% when away from home.Verhaeghe has predictably fared better against non-playoff sides and weaker defensive teams. Over the past 10 home games, he failed to get the job done against the Jets, Bruins, Hurricanes, and low-event Kraken.His hits came against the Blackhawks, Blue Jackets, Oilers, Penguins, Stars, and Islanders. That's a batch consisting almost exclusively of teams outside the playoff picture as well as one of the worst shot-suppression sides in the Islanders.The Blues' defensive metrics have seen a bit of a bump since the coaching change, but there is only so much their subpar defense can do. A road game against a high-end Panthers team is not a spot where they're likely to hold up, and Verhaeghe should be one of the prime beneficiaries.Odds: -110 (playable to -130)Todd Cordell is a sports betting writer at theScore. Follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, at @ToddCordell.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

BUFFALO - Bill Armstrong settled into a chair in KeyBank Center's empty and dark press box last week, his iPhone and a large Starbucks cup resting on the ledge in front of him. Hours from hosting a Coyotes-Sabres game, the arena was silent save for the sounds of skates, sticks, and pucks on the ice below.Armstrong, the Coyotes' general manager since fall 2020, watched his team's morning skate through black-rimmed glasses. Or, more broadly, he kept a close eye on Phase 2 of his plan to revive a long-languishing franchise.Phase 1 saw Armstrong tear down most of what the previous regime built. His initial phase focused on building blocks - revamping the Coyotes' hockey operations department, accumulating as much draft capital as possible, and developing some of those picks into everyday NHL players. Norm Hall / Getty ImagesThe second phase, which began this past offseason, revolves around being competitive - every night, no matter the opposition. It's about progress, even in defeat. After a thrilling comeback victory over the Senators on Tuesday, the Coyotes occupy the Western Conference's second wild-card spot thanks to a 16-13-2 record."Phase 3 is making the playoffs," Armstrong said between sips of coffee. "The other part of Phase 3 is consistency. Can you be consistent year after year?"Off the ice, the consistency question is existential. The Coyotes, currently the secondary tenant in a 4,600-seat arena on Arizona State University's campus, desperately need a permanent home. Tempe residents shot down an arena and entertainment district proposal in May, leading ownership to pivot to a plot of land in Phoenix. According to reports, no arena deal is imminent.With the team playing well, the off-ice drama and subsequent relocation chatter can be put aside for a moment. Here's why the Coyotes - a laughingstock for years - are finally headed in the right direction under Armstrong and head coach Andre Tourigny.'Sit there and evaluate' NHL Images / Getty ImagesThe Coyotes hired Armstrong a month after getting eliminated in 2020's expanded playoff tournament, the team's first and only postseason berth since 2012. The rookie GM picked the brains of his peers around this time, and the best advice came from his old boss, Blues GM Doug Armstrong (no relation)."Sit there and evaluate," Doug Armstrong told Bill, a Blues amateur scout, scouting director, and assistant GM for 16 years. "The greatest thing you can do is evaluate for a full year to get a good understanding of where you are."Armstrong mostly followed that plan. He finalized just one notable trade in his first nine months on the job - Derek Stepan to Ottawa for a second-round pick - before he flipped the switch. He rattled off nine trades around the 2021 draft and free-agency period. Fast-forward to the present, and Armstrong's Coyotes have made 35 trades and used 36 draft picks over a three-year, three-month span.That's a ton of activity considering the NHL forced Arizona to forfeit a 2020 second-round pick and a 2021 first-rounder for violating combine testing protocol under former GM John Chayka. (The club also wasted a 2020 fourth on Mitchell Miller, renouncing his draft rights after public backlash to a bullying incident.) Jeff Vinnick / Getty ImagesThese trades and picks go hand in hand because the roster was never going to be a quick fix. Armstrong knew his best, and perhaps only, chance at building a sustainable winner was to draft in high volume. In Phase 1, he retained salary three times in trades and acquired several retirement-bound players, including Shea Weber and Jakub Voracek ahead of the 2023 trade deadline, not only for the picks but also for financial reasons. Other teams needed to move money to fit under the salary cap ceiling, while the Coyotes needed to reach the cap floor.Over the past three drafts, Arizona selected double the amount of players in both opening two rounds - six in the first and six in the second. Over the next three drafts, the team has three firsts and a whopping 10 seconds."Did I think we could generate that many picks? No. No. No, no, no, I didn't," Armstrong said. "But I'm a big fan of the second-rounders. Back in St. Louis, we had drafted (impact NHLers) Jordan Kyrou and Vince Dunn in the second, so I knew if you had a good staff, you could do some damage in that area."Being in Phase 2 now, Armstrong signaled this past offseason that there's a finish line to the aggressive pick accumulation when he used a second to acquire promising defenseman Sean Durzi from the Kings. Can Armstrong definitively say the Coyotes are done absorbing other teams' bad business?"Oh, it's over," Armstrong said with a laugh. "Yeah, it's done."Brick-by-brick core Norm Hall / Getty ImagesOver the past decade, under Chayka and Armstrong, the Coyotes have, to put it mildly, lowered the bar. They've rarely been competitive, at times icing lineups more worthy of the AHL than the NHL. It's been depressing to watch from afar.Nevertheless, the seemingly endless rebuild has produced a robust core, led by the four originals - forwards Clayton Keller (acquired in the 2016 draft), Lawson Crouse (acquired in a 2016 trade), Nick Schmaltz (2018 trade), and Barrett Hayton (2018 draft). Forward Matias Maccelli (2019 draft) and defenseman J.J. Moser (2021 draft) joined them during the 2021-22 season.All six skaters are 27 or younger and under team control for multiple years.The core's third layer consists of four newcomers - forward Michael Carcone (2021 free agent), forward Logan Cooley (2022 draft), goalie Connor Ingram (2022 waiver claim), and Durzi (2023 trade). The rookie Cooley has flashed superstar potential. Ingram, picked up in October 2022, may be the long-term answer between the pipes. Durzi, an excellent puck-mover, has flourished in an elevated role. Carcone, the AHL's top scorer last year, has broken out this season. Norm Hall / Getty ImagesIt's been a grind. But those 10 players represent the present and future."Each year, you bring more people into that core," said Crouse, the second-longest-tenured Coyote and an alternate captain. "We've done a great job with having a great locker room. We have a bunch of guys who want to be here and perform well and play their best. In the long run, that's a recipe for success."As defenseman Travis Dermott explained, an NHL player must check two boxes to become a core piece for a franchise. One, the player must be wanted, and two, the player must be invested. He can't have one foot in and one foot out."There's no little cliques among the team," said Dermott, who also played in Vancouver and Toronto. "The superstar guys aren't just hanging out with the superstar guys - they're hanging out with everyone. The Euros are mixing in with the group - it's not their own little group. And that's pretty rare to see."Tourigny impact Christian Petersen / Getty ImagesIn talking with a handful of people around the league about Arizona's trajectory, one theme emerged: Tourigny, the third-year bench boss, has been arguably the biggest single driver of on-ice success. He's a core member, too."He's a very good teacher of the game. He's very good at communicating," Crouse said of Tourigny, who's tasked with coaching the NHL's fifth-youngest roster. "Nothing's given and everything's earned with him."Added Dermott: "He's got the respect of everybody on our team. He's hard on you. If you take a shift off, a practice off, you're going to hear about it. But that's what keeps guys honest. On the other side of the coin, he's the one cracking the most jokes, and he's the one making sure guys have smiles on their faces. You don't see that too often from a head coach. He's personable."Tourigny said he wants the Coyotes - who sit 19th in the league in goals for per game and 11th in goals against per game - to play "in-your-face type of hockey." He's taught his skaters to apply pressure in the neutral zone so the opponent can't get organized and attack in numbers or with speed. Christian Petersen / Getty ImagesOf course, Arizona's 2.87 goals-against rate is also a byproduct of Vezina Trophy-caliber goaltending. Ingram boasts a .919 save percentage in 20 games, and his 0.58 goals saved above expected per 60 minutes is seventh among 35 goalies with at least 800 minutes played.Meanwhile, the Coyotes' offensive identity consists of three pillars. They want to play with pace. They want to control the flow of play in the offensive zone. And they want to funnel pucks to the net from high-leverage spots in the zone."We're not a team who will shoot from anywhere," Tourigny said. "We're more a team who will hold onto the puck to create a better opportunity."While there's progress to be made, the underlying data is starting to align with the pillars. On a per-game basis, the Coyotes rank 22nd in rush chances (up from 30th last season), third in offensive-zone possession time (22nd), second in slot passes (28th), and 29th in slot shots (30th), according to Sportlogiq.Competent special teams are another marker of a club on the rise, and Arizona owns the 12th-ranked power play and 16th-ranked penalty kill. A strong indicator of a team still very much getting its act together: a poor five-on-five expected-goals share (the Coyotes rank 24th at 47.9%). Jonathan Kozub / Getty ImagesTourigny's contract expires after the 2026-27 season, and Armstrong's after 2028-29, according to reports. Clearly, ownership is invested in the duo.They were given plenty of runway for Phase 1. The intensity and pressure will ratchet up through Phases 2 and 3. Phase 4, which involves winning playoff series and challenging for the Stanley Cup, is merely a dream at this point.The Coyotes aren't one or two pieces away from being a complete team, and not all of their high picks will blossom into everyday NHLers. There are 31 other clubs attempting to maintain or build a sustainable winner at all times.In other words, nothing's guaranteed.But, for the first time in forever, there's hope in the desert - on the ice, anyway."What I said in my opening press conference is true to this day," Armstrong said from his perch inside KeyBank. "They said, 'How do you change this organization?' I go, 'Just get one good player at a time and stack them on top of each other.' It's really about the players on the ice. It changes everything."John Matisz is theScore's senior NHL writer. Follow John on Twitter (@MatiszJohn) or contact him via email (john.matisz@thescore.com).Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Craig Berube believes Jordan Kyrou's comments about him weren't malicious, even though they caused fans to boo the forward."Listen, I've got no issue with it," the former Blues head coach said on "The Ray & Dregs Hockey Podcast" on Wednesday. "He got caught off guard and didn't know what to say. He's young. A lot of these young guys get asked questions at the time and they're not thinking like they should think and it's tough for them."The Blues fired Berube last Wednesday. The next day, Kyrou was asked about the ex-bench boss and said, "I've got no comment. He's not my coach anymore." Blues fans then booed Kyrou during a 4-2 win over the Ottawa Senators later that evening.Kyrou got emotional when discussing the situation after the game. He said it was "definitely the toughest game I've probably played," and that he understood why the fans got upset given how it may have seemed. But the 25-year-old insisted he meant no harm.Berube was pleased to see Kyrou respond with a goal and two assists in a 4-3 win over the Dallas Stars two days later."I was happy for Jordan," Berube said, adding that Kyrou reached out to him amid the controversy. "He came back and had a good game against Dallas, a very good team. So he performed well, and he'll be fine."Kyrou racked up a career-best 37 goals while adding 36 assists over 79 games in 2022-23. A season earlier, he notched 27 tallies and a career-high 48 helpers in 74 contests. However, even after his multi-point outing against the Stars, Kyrou has only six goals and 15 assists over 31 games in 2023-24.The Blues conclude a two-game visit to Florida when they face the Panthers on Thursday night. The Tampa Bay Lightning walloped St. Louis 6-1 on Tuesday.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin isn't making a big deal out of his 13-game goalless drought."I have chances, I have pretty good chances, but sometimes it's just a period of maybe you hold the stick too tight because you didn't score or something," he said in a recent interview with NHL.com's Tom Gulitti. "But I think overall, sooner or later it's going to happen, and everything is going to go in."With 1,375 NHL games under his belt - the second most among all active players - there's no one more familiar with Ovechkin's game than Ovechkin, but he's never been stuck in a scoring skid like this in his career.The 38-year-old has lit the lamp just five times in 28 games this season, but it isn't for lack of trying: Ovechkin ranks 24th in the league with 104 shots and 14th in shots per game (3.71). Dating back to Nov. 22, the start of his current slump, the Russian has put up 46 shots.He's on pace for around 15 tallies, which would be the lowest output of his career and his first time dipping below the 20-goal mark. Ovechkin managed 24 tallies in 2020-21, but that was during the pandemic-shortened campaign and he was still producing a respectable 0.53 goals per game.Ovechkin is up to approximately 12 individual expected goals at all strengths so far this season, per Natural Stat Trick. Though the puck isn't going in for him, the veteran is contributing in other ways. He currently ranks third on the Caps with 17 points and became the 16th player in league history to hit the 1,500-point milestone in early December.Washington is struggling to score as a whole. The team owns the NHL's third-worst goals for per game rate (2.39), as well as the worst power play, which has converted on just 9.8% of its chances.Despite that, the Capitals sit in fifth place in the Metropolitan Division and are one point outside of the second wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference with a 15-9-4 record.For his part, Ovechkin is far more interested in the team's success than his individual stats."The most important thing is we collect the points, and we win the games," he said. "I'd rather be in a playoff spot than score 20 goals and you're out of contention."Ovechkin ranks second all-time with 827 goals and is just 68 tallies away from passing Wayne Gretzky. The nine-time Maurice "Rocket" Richard Trophy winner is under contract for two more years after this season.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

After a fantastic start to the week, we suffered a setback Tuesday night. Connor McDavid hit the net on only three of 10 attempts - we needed four - to give us a losing night in the prop market while a late 3-1 lead for the Senators quickly turned into a 4-3 deficit, causing the game to go over.We'll take our lumps and look to get back on track with three bets for Wednesday's small card.Kraken (+145) @ Kings (-170)This has all the makings of a tight affair. The Kings play a very low-event brand of hockey built to suck the offense out of games. That shows up in the numbers - especially lately.The Kings have conceded only 1.80 goals and 21 shots per 60 minutes of five-on-five play this month. That goal total is the fourth-lowest in the league, and the shot total is nearly four clear of the next closest team.Los Angeles also saved Cam Talbot - who owns a remarkable .926 save percentage on the campaign - for the latter half of the back-to-back. His solid play is problematic for opponents who will find it difficult to generate shots in the first place.On the other side, Seattle's missing several key contributors. They've struggled to score goals at the best of times and the absences of Andre Burakovsky, Jaden Schwartz, and Justin Schultz only make matters worse.Although Seattle's dealt with goaltending issues this season, the team found a way to play defensive hockey and keep things tight. The Kraken sit 26th in five-on-five goals and eighth in goals allowed per 60 minutes during December. They're not scoring, but they're not giving much up.Because the Kings play a similar style and won't be looking to open things up in a back-to-back situation, I can see this game coming in several goals below the total.Bet: Under 6.5 (-140)Gabriel Vilardi: Over 2.5 shotsVilardi continues to shine with top-line winger Kyle Connor sidelined. He's been a focal point of the first line and top power-play unit and has taken full advantage, recording at least three shots in five consecutive games while piling up eight points.He's also attempted at least five shots in all but one game, settling at four in the exception. Four is a key number for Vilardi, who lives around the net and is very accurate with his shots. Dating back to last season, he's gone over his total in 32 of 43 games when attempting at least four shots. That's a 74% hit rate.Skating with Mark Scheifele and Nikolaj Ehlers - two of the Jets' three leaders in assists - Vilardi consistently finds himself with the puck on his stick in a shooting position. The results speak for themselves.Meanwhile, the Red Wings are struggling defensively. Only two teams have conceded five-on-five shots at a higher rate over the past 10 games. They've also taken a lot of penalties.This is a prime spot for Vilardi and the Jets' top line to make some noise.Odds: -110 (playable to -130)Alex Ovechkin: Over 3.5 shotsThe Islanders have had problems limiting shots all season and are showing no signs of improvement. They rank dead last in shot attempts allowed per 60 minutes over the last 10 games.Ovechkin isn't having the year people expected but is still capable of piling up the looks against vulnerable defenses. He's stared the Isles down twice this season, and the prolific Russian generated at least eight attempts in each contest and a combined total of eight shots.We've also seen a recent uptick from Ovechkin. He's averaging 8.4 shot attempts over his last five games, which is noticeably higher than his season average of 7.5.Against a struggling, banged up defense in a back-to-back situation, Ovechkin should have plenty of opportunities to fire the puck.Odds: -130 (playable to -140)Todd Cordell is a sports betting writer at theScore. Follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, at @ToddCordell.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Washington Capitals expect to officially sign unrestricted free-agent defenseman Ethan Bear at a later date, the team announced Wednesday.Washington paved the way for Bear's arrival by placing rearguard Lucas Johansen on waivers Monday and assigning him to the AHL the following day.Bear has been recovering from offseason shoulder surgery after sustaining the ailment while representing Canada at the IIHF World Championship this past spring.He joined the Capitals for morning skate on Wednesday as he continues his rehabilitation. Bear became a free agent after the Vancouver Canucks didn't tender him a qualifying offer this offseason.The 26-year-old chipped in with three goals and 16 points in 61 games while averaging 18:31 minutes of ice time per contest last campaign. Vancouver acquired Bear and forward Lane Pederson from the Carolina Hurricanes in exchange for a 2023 fifth-round pick in October 2022.Earlier in December, Vancouver president of hockey operations Jim Rutherford said he believed the Canucks were the "front-runners" to sign Bear."We go back to last year when we brought him here, nobody in the league really wanted to deal for him," the executive said during an appearance on CHEK News' "Donnie and Dhali" show. "We brought him here and kind of helped him along with his game. ... There was regular communication. It got down to the end, and there was a little bit of change, I'm sure it's partly because of money."It's a little disappointing because we put a lot of work in, and we really thought that he was coming back to the Canucks. But he has the right to choose, and I take it he chose another place where he feels that it's best for him."The Edmonton Oilers selected Bear in the fifth round of the 2015 NHL Draft. He has amassed 63 points in 251 career matchups.His best statistical season came in 2019-20 with Edmonton, when he totaled five goals and 21 points in 71 contests while recording a career-high 21:58 minutes of ice time per game.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Jacques Martin took a measured approach after the Ottawa Senators coughed up a three-goal lead and fell 4-3 to the Arizona Coyotes in his return behind the bench Tuesday night."The effort was there, it's just that we need to understand a couple areas (of improvement)," the Senators' head coach said postgame. "I'll break down the video and make sure that we have three or four areas (Wednesday) that we need to be better on Thursday night."The Senators scored three times in the first period but allowed a goal in the second and three more in the third, including two in a 33-second span and then Michael Kesselring's winner with 3:33 remaining."It's going to be a process," the bench boss said. "It's not going to happen all in one day, but I think what I want to see is a progression as we move along here."Despite Ottawa's strong start in the defeat, Arizona held a 13-7 advantage in shots on goal in the opening frame and ultimately prevailed 38-22 in that department. The Coyotes dominated possession as well, with 67.03% of the expected goals at five-on-five in the first period (despite trailing 3-0) and 70.26% of them in the game, according to Natural Stat Trick.Things don't get any easier for Ottawa, as the Senators conclude their five-game road trip against the Colorado Avalanche on Thursday.The Senators fired previous head coach D.J. Smith on Monday, replacing him with Martin and franchise icon Daniel Alfredsson as an assistant. Martin guided the club from 1995-96 through 2003-04. He then led the Florida Panthers for three seasons and the Montreal Canadiens for two more full campaigns before they fired him in his third.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Colorado Avalanche defenseman Devon Toews had some harsh criticism for his team following Tuesday's 3-2 loss to the Central Division's last-place Chicago Blackhawks."I think we got some guys that think they're playing well, and I think they're kidding themselves at this point," Toews said.

Don Granato's seat may be heating up.Buffalo Sabres fans were chanting to fire the head coach and booing the squad throughout Tuesday's 9-4 drubbing at the hands of the Eastern Conference's last-place Columbus Blue Jackets.As a young team that missed the 2023 playoffs by a point, expectations were high for the Sabres entering the current season. But amid a 13-17-3 start, the postseason appears to be a long shot.However, captain Kyle Okposo wouldn't stand for any slander toward his bench boss."I'm not gonna sit here and bash the coaches," Okposo said, according to the Buffalo News' Lance Lysowski. "I'm not gonna talk about us quitting. I'm not gonna talk about Donnie and us not listening. That's not right. Donnie has our full support. We are gonna play hard for Donnie and that's it."Forward Tage Thompson echoed his captain's sentiments, stating it's on the players to right the ship."He can only do so much," Thompson said. "He can draw the system on the boards, and if he sends guys over the boards and they don't do their jobs, then it's not on him. It's on us. Everyone in this room knows that and we have to take accountability for that."Granato is in his fourth season as Sabres coach after taking over for Ralph Krueger midway through the 2020-21 campaign. While he's overseen the growth of several core young players, such as Thompson and Rasmus Dahlin, he also owns a poor 96-105-24 record.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Buffalo Sabres forward Jack Quinn was in the lineup Tuesday for his season debut against the Columbus Blue Jackets.Quinn sustained an Achilles tendon injury while training in June and underwent surgery. He was expected to miss the start of this season and had a four-to-six month timetable based on the typical recovery time.The 22-year-old collected 14 goals and 23 assists over 75 games as a rookie last season, as well as two tallies and five helpers in 10 games for Canada en route to the gold medal at the World Championship.Quinn produced 26 goals and 35 assists across 45 contests with the Sabres' AHL affiliate, the Rochester Americans, in 2021-22.The Sabres drafted him eighth overall in 2020.Buffalo has taken a step back this season after a promising 2022-23 campaign in which the rebuilding club missed the playoffs by a single point. The Sabres entered Tuesday sitting second-last in the Atlantic Division at 13-16-3.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

With the NHL's holiday break approaching, it feels like a natural time to look at how three awards markets - the Hart, Norris, and Calder - stand as we head into the new year.The markets we'll focus on all feature a common name: Hughes.The trio of brothers - Jack, Quinn, and Luke - are all in the running to claim hardware at the end of the season. The odds are heavily stacked against them, but could the Hughes brothers pull off an unprecedented sweep?Let's dive in.Hart Trophy oddsPlayerOddsNikita Kucherov+325Connor McDavid+325David Pastrnak+550Jack Hughes+600Nathan MacKinnon+1000Auston Mattews+1100Artemi Panarin+1200Elias Pettersson+2000Quinn Hughes+2500Leon Draisaitl+2500Cale Makar+3000Odds via theScore BetNikita Kucherov and Connor McDavid are co-favorites in the Hart Trophy market, with David Pastrnak and Jack Hughes hot on their tails.Kucherov tops the NHL in points and is three short of the league lead in goals. He carried a Lightning team that struggled - relative to expectations - early in the season as it awaited Andrei Vasilevskiy's return. Kucherov's a deserving candidate but far from a sure thing at this point in the season.As long as McDavid is healthy and the Oilers are winning games, the league's best player will always be in the Hart conversation.As for Jack Hughes, he led the NHL in points before an upper-body injury caused him to miss multiple games. While his 37 points don't place him in the top 10 overall, he sits third in points per game behind Kucherov and McDavid.For Jack to have any shot at winning this award, he needs to stay healthy for the rest of the season and the Devils, currently sitting outside a wild-card spot, have to make the playoffs. Jack's +600 odds suggest he has roughly a 14% chance of being honored as the league's MVP.Norris Trophy oddsPlayerOddsQuinn Hughes+115Cale Makar+175Evan Bouchard+1000Miro Heiskanen+2500Rasmus Dahlin+2500Adam Fox+3000Charlie McAvoy+3000Victor Hedman+3000Quinn Hughes is the favorite to win top-defenseman honors. He leads all blueliners in goals (nine) and assists (30) while captaining the Canucks' hot start. Vancouver is battling with the Golden Knights for the Pacific Division lead.Cale Makar entered the season as the +200 betting favorite to win his second Norris Trophy and is neck and neck with Hughes. Makar trails the Canucks defenseman by two points for the league lead.The Norris appears to be a two-man race between Western Conference foes. However, Evan Bouchard has an outside chance to throw his name into the hat if he can continue to rack up points alongside McDavid and Leon Draisaitl on the Oilers' power play.Either way, the battle for the Norris between two of the league's best young stars will be one to watch for the remainder of the season.Calder Trophy oddsPlayerOddsConnor Bedard-350Luke Hughes+1100Logan Cooley+1400Brock Faber+2200Adam Fantilli+3000The Calder will be the toughest for a Hughes family member to claim as Connor Bedard is a -350 favorite - a 77.8% implied probability - to win the NHL's top rookie award.Bedard has 26 points in 30 games for the Blackhawks, who sit last in the NHL with 19 points. The 2023 first overall pick is doing all he can to carry Chicago, but the team lacks talent in all areas. Bedard simply cannot do it on his own.Luke Hughes is Bedard's closest competitor on the oddsboard at +1100. The Devils defenseman has 16 points in 29 games while playing alongside his brother Jack. Luke was +700 to win the Calder before the season, but Bedard's sensational play caused his odds to lengthen.If you were to parlay each Hughes brother to win the Hart, Norris, and Calder, the odds would be roughly +17000, or an implied probability of under 1%. Sweeping these three awards is very unlikely for the Hughes family, but the odds are still greater than zero!Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Dylan Larkin is concerned for his safety considering how the NHL has allowed dangerous plays to go largely unpunished recently.The Detroit Red Wings captain spoke to the media Tuesday for the first time since an incident against the Ottawa Senators on Dec. 9 forced him to miss four games before he returned Monday night."The last week in the league has been pretty eye-opening," Larkin said, according to The Athletic's Max Bultman."It's been kind of a trend - this last week has been a highlight for player safety," Larkin continued. "As a player, I'm obviously closely attached because I just went through something, but I've talked to guys on our team, guys from other teams, and it's hard to feel safe out there. It's hard to know how to protect yourself."Senators forward Mathieu Joseph punched Larkin in the back of the head but wasn't suspended. The only supplemental discipline stemming from the incident was a six-game suspension to David Perron of the Red Wings for retaliating.Larkin laid motionless on the ice after Joseph punched him and Senators defenseman Artem Zub fell on his legs moments later. The Red Wings center was nearly taken off the ice on a stretcher. He left the game and didn't return."This instance, watching it back, I wasn't really doing anything," Larkin said. "I just was trying to make a play on the puck and just standing there, really. ... How do you protect yourself? Who's protecting you? There's a lot of (unanswered questions) in our sport right now."

We have a massive 11-game slate ahead of us on Tuesday night. Let's take a look at my favorite ways to attack it as we look to build on a 4-1 start to the week between best bets and player props.Avalanche (-250) @ Blackhawks (+210)The Blackhawks are playing some truly miserable hockey right now. They have dropped four consecutive games, eight of the last 10, and controlled a league-low 38% of the expected goals share at five-on-five during that stretch.They are consistently being outplayed by their opponents and don't have the talent to make up for that. The Blackhawks can't outscore their problems, nor can they bank on getting enough saves to mask them.Things went from bad to worse a few games ago when Seth Jones suffered an injury. Although he is eligible to be activated from injured reserve at any point, there is still no official timetable for his return. That tells me it is very unlikely he will play against the Avalanche.An already bad Blackhawks team would be in a world of trouble against the Avalanche at full health. Without Jones, the mountain will be that much harder to climb.The Blackhawks have been outscored by 23 goals at five-on-five this season, yet Jones owns an even goal differential in that game state. He has played well for them.I expect the Avalanche - who just lost the top spot in the Central Division - to completely overwhelm a thin Blackhawks defense with all of their firepower.Eight of Chicago's last 10 losses have come by multiple goals. That trend should continue against one of the league's best teams.Bet: Avalanche -1.5 (+100)Senators (-120) @ Coyotes (+100)Offense has not been an issue for the Senators this season. They rank 10th in goals per game, eighth in shots per game, and have no problem ramping things up when needed.Their biggest concern has been at the other end of the rink. They make too many mistakes defensively, be it poor puck management in risky areas of the ice or blown assignments without the puck. The fact that D.J. Smith couldn't fix those problems is why he is no longer coaching the team.Tightening the screws is going to be a big point of emphasis for interim coach Jacques Martin. He is a veteran coach who demands respect and will want to see a lot more structure and discipline from his players. I expect there to be a noticeable difference on the defensive side of things.This is also a perfect matchup to slow things down and focus on playing a smarter, more responsible game. The Coyotes play a very low-event brand of hockey, and goals have been few and far between for them and their opponents in recent weeks.The Coyotes have scored 1.99 goals per 60 minutes of five-on-five play in December. That is a bottom-five rate in the league. They have also conceded just 1.87 goals per 60 minutes, which is a top-five rate.Put another way, the Coyotes are not scoring or allowing goals. They're playing slow, methodical hockey and banking on Connor Ingram to bring them home by keeping things locked down in goal - and it has worked for them.Given the success the Coyotes have enjoyed playing this brand of hockey, there is no reason for them to open things up on Tuesday night. And, again, I expect the Senators to lean into a more conservative, responsible style under Martin - at least in the early going while they adjust to line changes and different schemes.Bet: Under 6.5 (-110)Todd Cordell is a sports betting writer at theScore. Follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, at @ToddCordell.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

We swept the board with our player props on Monday night, hitting a pair of overs and Cole Caufield's under to go a perfect 3-0.We'll look to replicate Monday's success with three more props for Tuesday's massive card.Jack Hughes: Over 4.5 shotsHughes has been a shooting machine since returning from injury, particularly when playing at home.He has taken his shot volume to an unmatched level, recording 45 shots on goal and 75 attempts over the last seven games in New Jersey. That equates to 6.4 shots on 10.7 attempts.Expect another big output from Hughes against the Flyers. The Devils have not started the season as well as expected, but they can get themselves back into a playoff spot tonight with a big divisional win. Hughes will undoubtedly get all the ice he can handle and be up for the big moment as someone who embraces being the team's go-to guy.The Flyers are a strong shot-suppression team, but Philadelphia doesn't control matchups on the road. That means Hughes will see a lot less of Selke candidate Sean Couturier than he would if the game was in Philadelphia.Hughes also had a ceiling game the last time these two sides met, generating nine shots on 15 attempts while logging more than 23 minutes in a hotly contested affair.He will likely struggle to match those totals this time around, but there's plenty of room for him to see a dip in production and still get the job done.Odds: +120 (playable to -120)Rasmus Dahlin: Over 2.5 shotsDahlin is on a run. He's registered at least three shots in nine consecutive games, finishing with four or more in seven of them.The Sabres have dealt with a lot of injuries to key forwards. Tage Thompson, Alex Tuch, and Jeff Skinner have been in and out of the lineup. That's led to more falling on the plate of Dahlin, who is clearly up to the task.Dahlin has averaged a healthy 6.6 shot attempts per game during this hot streak. That is well above his season average of 5.4, suggesting his recent success has come from more sustainable outputs rather than just getting lucky and hitting the net on a higher percentage of shots.The Sabres appear to be getting a little healthier up front, but I still love Dahlin in this spot because the matchup is as good as it gets.The Blue Jackets have bled shots all season long and struggled mightily to slow down opposing defensemen. In fact, only the Ducks have allowed more shots per game to the position over the last 10.With Dahlin finding himself in a fast-paced matchup against a team that can't defend, he should be able to extend his streak to 10 straight games with at least three shots.Odds: -135 (playable to -150)Connor McDavid: Over 3.5 shotsMcDavid hasn't generated shots at the same rate this season, but he is trending in the right direction. He has averaged 7.4 attempts per game over the past five, which is well ahead of his season average of 5.9.He is in a fantastic spot to continue climbing out of his shell on Tuesday night. McDavid will square off against an Islanders team that ranks last in shot-attempt prevention over the last 10 games. These aren't the Islanders that played air-tight, low-event hockey under Barry Trotz.The Isles trade shots and chances every single night, relying on great goaltending and improved finishing with Bo Horvat in the mix.This game should have somewhat of a track-meet feel in terms of the volume of shots and chances. McDavid will no doubt be at the forefront of it all.Odds: -125 (playable to -140)Todd Cordell is a sports betting writer at theScore. Follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, at @ToddCordell.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Amid their ongoing woes in the crease, the Carolina Hurricanes inked veteran goaltender Aaron Dell to a professional tryout contract, the club announced Tuesday.Dell was an unrestricted free agent. The 34-year-old posted a .913 save percentage in four games for the San Jose Sharks in 2022-23. He also played in 38 contests for the team's AHL affiliate.Over the last three campaigns, the veteran has suited up for just 23 NHL games, spending the previous two years with the Buffalo Sabres and New Jersey Devils. Dell played four seasons with the Sharks to begin his career, authoring a career-best .931 save percentage over 20 appearances as a rookie in his age-27 season of 2016-17.The Hurricanes signed Jaroslav Halak to a pro tryout in early November when Frederik Andersen was diagnosed with a blood clotting issue that forced him out indefinitely. However, at the end of Halak's tryout, Carolina didn't tender him a contract.Andersen hasn't played since Nov. 2 - only his sixth game of 2023-24 - due to his ailment. Antti Raanta has been abysmal in his stead, posting an .854 save percentage over 14 appearances. The Canes placed Raanta on waivers Saturday, and he went unclaimed.Pyotr Kochetkov hasn't been much better, producing a .894 mark over 15 contests. Both the experienced netminder and the youngster have goals saved above expected and goals saved above average figures below zero at five-on-five, according to Evolving-Hockey.The Hurricanes entered Monday with the third-worst team save percentage at five-on-five (.898) and the worst mark in the entire league in all situations (.875). The perennial contenders sit sixth in the Metropolitan Division in points percentage (.565), ahead of only the Pittsburgh Penguins and Columbus Blue Jackets in that regard.The Jackets offered Dell a pro tryout in September but didn't sign him afterward.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Ottawa Senators dismissed head coach D.J. Smith, the club announced Monday. Jacques Martin is taking over as interim bench boss, while Daniel Alfredsson joins the staff as an assistant coach.Ottawa has lost four straight games and five of its last six, including a 6-3 defeat to the Vegas Golden Knights on Sunday. The Sens sit in last place in the Atlantic Division with an 11-15-0 record."I was encouraged for five games, even though we only won three there were signs of improvement," president of hockey operations and interim general manager Steve Staios said Monday. "When I saw our game revert back to where it was before, that's when it was time."Smith was in the midst of his fifth season coaching the club. Ottawa went 131-154-32 in that span, missing the playoffs in all five campaigns and finishing no higher than sixth in the division.The Senators hired Martin as a senior advisor to the coaching staff earlier in December. He was their bench boss from 1995-96 through 2003-04 and has also guided the St. Louis Blues, Florida Panthers, and Montreal Canadiens."A lot of our issues in team play are the strengths of Jacques Martin," Staios said. "Detailed, organized structured. To me, he's the perfect fit in what we were lacking in those areas."Martin won the Jack Adams Award with the Senators in 1998-99. He last held a full-time NHL head coaching job with Montreal in 2011-12. However, he has extensive experience as an assistant since then, working with the Pittsburgh Penguins from 2013-20 in both coaching and executive capacities and as an assistant with the New York Rangers during the abbreviated 2021 campaign.Martin took over the Blueshirts bench for six games when David Quinn was in COVID-19 protocol in 2021.Alfredsson is Ottawa's all-time leader in goals, assists, and points. The Senators' longtime captain also ranks second in franchise history in games played, trailing Chris Phillips by one contest. In November, Alfredsson worked with the team's coaching staff on the bench for the club's two games in his homeland of Sweden. He wore the "C" for Ottawa from 1999-2000 through 2012-13."When you bring in someone like Daniel Alfredsson, he's going to have an impact in all areas," Staios said.Senators owner Michael Andlauer continues to overhaul the club's leadership group. He fired general manager Pierre Dorion on Nov. 2, appointing Staios to the role on an interim basis. Andlauer took over the team on Sept. 21.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

You've got some time off coming. Maybe you're traveling home, and maybe you haven't started, let alone finished, your Christmas shopping. Exactly how locked into your work are you this week?Hockey players are human, and a three-day Christmas break is nearing as the first of two scheduled hiatuses. It'd be easy (and lazy) to say that games are more likely to be played looser with a holiday looming, but we should look at last year's over/under results before we frivolously make such a statement.DATE (2022)GAMESOVER/UNDER REC.Mon. Dec. 1984-4Tue. Dec. 2084-4Wed. Dec. 2175-2Thu. Dec. 2286-2Fri. Dec. 2311*7-4*Two games were postponed due to weatherIt's a small sample size, but the closer teams got to last year's holiday, the more scoring went up. On the second-to-last night, two contests went over with 15 total goals in what were the teams' "getaway games." All told, the over went 9-4 in matchups where both clubs were on the way home for Christmas afterward.Two teams played their final game against a team still having to go to work the next night. The Maple Leafs managed to avoid an upset to the Flyers 4-3, while the playoff-bound Kraken lost 6-5 to the Canucks. Two more overs.If you want an even smaller sample size, you can check out the 2021 pre-holiday schedule, where the only two games that weren't canceled went over.Going back to 2019, the 13 contests on the final night before the holiday went 8-5 to the over. Twenty-six teams played a "getaway game" that Monday, Dec. 23. Five other clubs (the Kraken didn't exist yet) got an early holiday by playing Dec. 21 or 22. Here's how they fared:TEAM (Opponent)RESULTPenguins (@VAN)4-1 lossDucks (@NYR)5-1 lossStars (vs. CGY)5-1 lossRed Wings (vs. ARI)5-2 lossSan Jose (vs. VGK)3-1 lossThe over went 3-2 in those games, but more interestingly, the team with one foot out the door lost pretty convincingly.It turns out there might be reason to believe that clubs play a looser game when they're thinking about Santa Claus. If they're facing a team that isn't 60 minutes from the weekend off, there's a potential competitive mismatch. So, when looking at the board below, there are 14 games on the final night before the break that might be worth a bet on the over, and four more the night before. However, beware the Canadiens, Flyers, Oilers, and Jets on Dec. 22 as they may have plans other than competing.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:

We have a fun five-game slate ahead of us to begin the week. Let's take a look at a couple of the best ways to attack it.Ducks (+190) @ Red Wings (-225)The Ducks are a disaster. They've won only two of their past 15 games and all of their losses have come within regulation.They've had the lesser of the chances almost nightly and struggled mightily to finish the ones they do get without weapons like Trevor Zegras and Mason McTavish.That'll be very problematic for the Ducks against the Red Wings. For one, Detroit sits seventh in goals per game at home this season. There's plenty of firepower for Anaheim to deal with in Alex DeBrincat, Dylan Larkin, Lucas Raymond, and Patrick Kane.The Red Wings should be able to do real damage against the Ducks. Anaheim bleeds chances, the team is in the latter half of a back-to-back situation, and it may not have starter John Gibson, who left Sunday's game after two periods due to illness. Even if he's feeling a little better today, I doubt the Ducks go back to him after playing most of the night against the Devils.Lukas Dostal is likely to get the nod in goal as a result. He owns an abysmal .887 save percentage on the season and has conceded an average of nearly four goals per game.With Dostal between the pipes, the Ducks will likely need plenty of goals to keep up. However, they rank dead last in five-on-five goals per 60 over the last 15 games so it appears unlikely that'll happen.Expect the Red Wings - fresh off a pair of losses - to start fast and never look back en route to a win inside 60 minutes.Bet: Red Wings in regulation (-145)Canadiens (+185) @ Jets (-225)The Jets squeeze the offensive life right out of their opponents. The last time they conceded more than three goals in a game was Nov. 2 against the Golden Knights. They've since held opponents to three or fewer in 19 consecutive contests, which is a truly remarkable feat.They're a very structured defensive team under head coach Rick Bowness. Connor Hellebuyck has also returned to Vezina form after a slow start to the season. Combine the two and it's no coincidence they're sucking shutting down opposing offenses.Don't expect the Canadiens to be the team that's going to break the streak. They don't have a lot of firepower at the best of times, let alone without players like Kirby Dach and Alex Newhook.This isn't a spot where the Jets should go nuclear offensively. They're without Kyle Connor, the team's best goal-scorer and most consistent weapon.The Canadiens should be able to rely on solid goaltending as well. All three of their netminders - Sam Montembeault, Jake Allen, and Cayden Primeau - are holding their heads above water in terms of Goals Saved Above Expected this season. No matter who they trot out, the level of play figures to be solid.This feels like it'll be a competitive 3-2 game where a team pots an empty-netter late to seal it. The total is half a goal too high for me.Bet: Under 6.5 (-125)Todd Cordell is a sports betting writer at theScore. Follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, at @ToddCordell.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Boston Bruins assigned Matthew Poitras to the Canadian squad for the upcoming World Junior Championship, the NHL club announced Monday.Canada initially named only 12 forwards to its roster, leaving the door open in case the Bruins were willing to part with Poitras for the duration of the tournament - or likewise with the Buffalo Sabres and Zach Benson, who'll be staying with his club.Poitras has five goals and eight assists while averaging 14:06 of ice time in 27 games as a rookie this season. He most recently centered Boston's third line between James van Riemsdyk and Trent Frederic.Canada gets a big boost with the addition of Poitras. The 19-year-old racked up 16 goals and 79 assists over 63 games with the OHL's Guelph Storm in 2022-23.Poitras will join a group of Canadian forwards that includes projected 2024 first overall pick Macklin Celebrini of Boston University, returning forward Owen Beck (a Montreal Canadiens prospect), and Columbus Blue Jackets draft pick Jordan Dumais (16 goals in 21 games this season with the QMJHL's Halifax Mooseheads), along with ninth overall picks Nate Danielson (Detroit Red Wings, 2023) and Matt Savoie (Sabres, 2022).The Bruins chose Poitras 54th overall last year.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

We finished last week on a strong note, falling one Artemi Panarin shot shy of sweeping our player props.Let's look at three bets that pop off the page on Monday as we look to pick up where we left off.Alex DeBrincat: Over 3.5 shotsDeBrincat has been a proficient shot-generator at home this season. He's averaged 3.6 shots on 6.3 attempts and gone over his total in 11 of 16 tries.That's much higher than his totals on the road, where he's managed four shots on 14 attempts and averaged fewer than three shots on goal per game.DeBrincat has been a little cold of late, but that can partly be attributed to Patrick Kane's return. With the future Hall of Famer on his line, his shot volume has been drastically lower than it was when he played with other Red Wings. He's likely spent too much time deferring to the future Hall of Famer.On Monday night, DeBrincat is expected to skate on a line with Lucas Raymond and Joe Veleno. That's a big plus: DeBrincat averages nearly 11 shots on goal per 60 minutes with those two players. Comparatively, he averages 6.74 per 60 with Kane.He also has a mouthwatering matchup against a Ducks team that gives up a ton of shots. Anaheim also takes penalties at the highest rate in the league, so DeBrincat should get plenty of opportunities on the man advantage.Odds: +120 (playable to -120)Gabriel Vilardi: Over 2.5 shotsKyle Connor recently suffered an injury and, in each of the four games since, Vilardi has recorded at least three shots on goal.Vilardi is playing on the first line alongside Mark Scheifele and Nikolaj Ehlers, as well as on the top power-play unit. He's in a prime spot for offensive success.Although we're still dealing with small samples, Vilardi's outputs have drastically improved since he's been on the first line. Beside Scheifele, Vilardi's averaging well over 20 attempts per 60 minutes, and his shot rate jumps to 27 per 60 with Ehlers on his line.He's generating a lot of high-quality opportunities playing with those two and there's no reason to expect any different against the Canadiens. They're one of the worst teams in the league at suppressing shots five-on-five and are horrendous on the penalty kill. Vilardi will likely continue his success in such a friendly matchup.Odds: -105 (playable to -125)Cole Caufield: Under 3.5 shotsCaufield is a fairly consistent shooter at home but, on the road, his volume seems very dependent on his opponent's caliber.In the last handful of road games, Caufield failed to get the job done against the Coyotes, Red Wings, Bruins, and Kings, who are all holding onto postseason spots.Caufield couldn't find success against quality opponents but registered five shots or more against non-playoff teams in the Blues, Ducks, Sharks, and Sabres.The Jets are a win out of first place in the Central Division - which features multiple Stanley Cup contenders - so they certainly classify as quality competition. They're also very good at slowing a game's pace and limiting shots, which should lead to a dip in Caufield's shooting floor and ceiling.Odds: -115 (playable to -130)Todd Cordell is a sports betting writer at theScore. Follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, at @ToddCordell.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Detroit Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin will play against the Anaheim Ducks on Monday night, head coach Derek Lalonde said following the morning skate.Larkin sat out four contests after sustaining a concerning injury during a loss to the Ottawa Senators on Dec. 9. The American forward briefly laid motionless on the ice after opposing winger Mathieu Joseph punched him in the back of the head. Senators defenseman Artem Zub also fell on Larkin's legs.The medical staff brought out a stretcher, but Larkin didn't need it. He was helped off the ice and didn't return.Larkin came into Monday sitting two goals and one point behind Alex DeBrincat for the team lead this season despite playing six fewer games. Larkin has 11 tallies and 14 assists in 24 contests.The 27-year-old has the highest goals per game and points per game rates of his nine-year career in 2023-24, albeit in the smaller sample size.Detroit went 1-3-0 in Larkin's absence. The Red Wings entered Monday's slate sitting fourth in the Atlantic Division at 15-11-4.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

This is the fifth 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've invited Santa Claus to drop off a gift for each team in celebration of the holiday season.1. Vegas Golden Knights (21-6-5)Previous rank: 3A new itinerary for their second parade. Look, this is Vegas. There's no question the city will want to outdo last summer's celebration on the Strip with the Golden Knights in prime position to win back-to-back Stanley Cup championships. Better start planning now.2. New York Rangers (21-7-1)Previous rank: 1A state-of-the-art shaver for Artemi Panarin. When the Rangers' Russian pulled up with a clean, bald head to begin the season, many mourned the loss of his curly locks. However, shaved-head Panarin is a beast and on pace to hit the 100-point mark for the first time. Go ahead and keep a close cut, Panarin, Rangers fans won't mind.3. Los Angeles Kings (17-6-4)Previous rank: 4Another lengthy road winning streak. The Kings set a new NHL record by going 11-0 away from home to start the campaign, but that run was snapped by the Islanders on Dec. 9. Los Angeles just beat the Kraken in Seattle on Saturday to, perhaps, begin a new streak. The Kings will need to win 11 more to match the record for longest road winning streak at any point in a season.4. Boston Bruins (19-5-5)Previous rank: 2Patrice Bergeron. We know, he retired and won't lace 'em up again, but can't we wish for a Christmas miracle? The return of the Selke Trophy king would be the best gift of them all. The Bruins are already a wagon (again), but come on, everyone misses Bergeron.5. Vancouver Canucks (21-9-2) Jeff Vinnick / National Hockey League / GettyPrevious rank: 6Everything on Brock Boeser's wish list. The Canucks forward has had to contend with more than his fair share of hardships over the past few seasons, but he's come out the other side with a renewed love of hockey. Armed with a new mindset, Boeser has erupted for 23 goals in 32 games. You love to see it.6. Toronto Maple Leafs (16-6-6)Previous rank: 10A vacation for their defensemen. The Maple Leafs have strung together victories with a blue line held together mostly by duct tape and willpower. Morgan Rielly, T.J. Brodie, Jake McCabe, Conor Timmins, Simon Benoit, and William Lagesson should all be sipping Mai Tais on a beach somewhere.7. Florida Panthers (18-10-2)Previous rank: 9Some luck. The Panthers rank third in the NHL in shots per game (33.9), but they own the seventh-lowest shooting percentage (8.9) and are tied for 20th in goals for per contest (3.00). The puck's gotta start going in at some point, right?8. Winnipeg Jets (18-9-2)Previous rank: 12A speedy recovery for Kyle Connor. He's expected to miss six-to-eight weeks with a knee injury, interrupting what has been an incredible season for the Jets sniper. As Winnipeg's leading scorer with 17 goals in 26 games, Connor's absence will make it harder for the Jets to hold on to the top spot in the Central Division.9. Dallas Stars (17-8-4)Previous rank: 5Good news on Jake Oettinger. The Stars goaltender exited Friday's win against the Senators after an awkward save and didn't travel to St. Louis. Any positive update on Oettinger's status will make the holidays slightly less stressful for Dallas and their fans.10. New York Islanders (14-8-8) Steven Ryan / National Hockey League / GettyPrevious rank: 18Friendship bracelets for Mathew Barzal and Bo Horvat. The Islanders' top-line duo has been as good as Lou Lamoriello expected when he made the splash to acquire Horvat before last year's trade deadline. Barzal's back to averaging over a point per game and Horvat's tallied a point in 10 straight contests.11. Edmonton Oilers (13-14-1)Previous rank: 23A giant bottle of Kris Knoblauch's favorite beverage. The Oilers have gone 10-5-0 under their new head coach's direction (including an eight-game winning streak) while improving in virtually every category. Edmonton is now only five points out of the second wild-card spot in the Western Conference thanks to its miraculous turnaround under Knoblauch. He's earned a drink.12. Colorado Avalanche (19-10-2)Previous rank: 7Last season's Alexandar Georgiev. His first season in Denver couldn't have gone much better, posting a .919 save percentage as the team's workhorse starter. That hasn't been the case this time around, with Georgiev struggling to an .884 SV% in his last 20 games since a hot start.13. New Jersey Devils (16-12-1)Previous rank: 14More recognition for Jesper Bratt. Someone give him his flowers, already! The 25-year-old Swede ranks second on the Devils with 36 points in 29 games but remains criminally underrated. If Santa gifts Bratt a brighter spotlight, maybe more people outside of New Jersey will notice.14. Philadelphia Flyers (17-10-3)Previous rank: 19A gift basket for Torey Krug. The Flyers' minute-munching Travis Sanheim would be enjoying his resurgent campaign in St. Louis if not for Krug's no-trade clause.15. Carolina Hurricanes (16-12-3) Grant Halverson / Getty Images Sport / GettyPrevious rank: 8A competent goaltender. It's been a rough season in the crease for the Hurricanes given Frederik Andersen's health issues combined with Pyotr Kochetkov's and Antti Raanta's struggles. Whether the solution is Kochetkov - who has back-to-back quality starts - or someone else, Carolina needs a useable netminder, and soon.16. Nashville Predators (18-13-0)Previous rank: 22A day off for Juuse Saros. The Predators netminder has appeared in a league-high 24 contests and has faced the third-most shots (690) out of all goaltenders. He also led the NHL in games played in each of the past two seasons. He must be tired. Saros, turn off your phone and tuck into a nice book for a hot minute.17. Detroit Red Wings (15-11-4)Previous rank: 11A do-over on Patrick Kane. Look, reuniting Kane with Alex DeBrincat wasn't a bad idea on paper. But it just looks like Kane isn't a difference-maker at the NHL level anymore. He's been outchanced at five-on-five and has yet to contribute to a goal at even strength. The Red Wings are 1-4-1 with him in the lineup. Yikes.18. Minnesota Wild (12-12-4)Previous rank: 24Whatever Brock Faber wants. The rookie defenseman has been a dream for the Wild and has come up particularly clutch as Minnesota deals with injuries to both Jared Spurgeon and Jonas Brodin. Faber has seen more than 30 minutes of ice time in each of the last two games. His wish should be the Wild's command.19. Arizona Coyotes (15-13-2)Previous rank: 17More minutes for Michael Carcone. The Coyotes winger is tied for the NHL lead in five-on-five goals with 12, and he's done it while playing just 11:09 per game. If there's any depth player who's earned more opportunity this season, it's Carcone.20. Tampa Bay Lightning (14-13-5) Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / GettyPrevious rank: 15A breather for Andrei Vasilevskiy. It's no secret that the Lightning goaltender is a workhorse, but he's started all but two games since his return from back surgery Nov. 24. He's posted an .897 save percentage across 10 games while facing the second-most shots (282) in that span. Vasilevskiy was thrown right into the fire, and it's been a lot to ask.21. Washington Capitals (15-9-4)Previous rank: 13More goals for Alex Ovechkin. The Capitals icon's pursuit of Wayne Gretzky has hit a snag with just five goals in 28 games. That puts Ovechkin on pace for fewer than 20 tallies for the first time. A bounce-back in the back half is necessary to get him back on track to reach 894.22. Pittsburgh Penguins (13-13-3)Previous rank: 16A therapy session for the Big Three. Once again, the Penguins are mid. Once again, it isn't Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, or Kris Letang's fault. The three legends are probably in need of a good venting session. Actually, sign up general manager Kyle Dubas for this one, too.23. St. Louis Blues (15-14-1)Previous rank: 20More cheers for Jordan Kyrou. It's been quite a roller-coaster week for Kyrou. After being booed by Blues fans for his comments (or lack thereof) about ex-coach Craig Berube, he received a much warmer reception after enjoying a three-point night Saturday against the Stars. If Kyrou is garnering more cheers, it'll translate into good things for St. Louis.24. Montreal Canadiens (13-13-4)Previous rank: 27A Jake Allen trade. The three-man rotation of Sam Montembeault, Cayden Primeau, and Allen can only last so long. Montembeault signed a deserving extension and Primeau is starting to make good on his potential. Freeing up more starts for both younger goaltenders would benefit everyone involved.25. Calgary Flames (12-14-5) Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / GettyPrevious rank: 21A haul for their rentals. The Flames are expected to be among the league's most active teams leading up to the trade deadline given their abundance of pending free agents. After the underwhelming returns for Tyler Toffoli and Nikita Zadorov, adding significant picks and/or prospects in the next crop of trades would be a massive boost for the team's future.26. San Jose Sharks (9-19-3)Previous rank: 32A ridiculously expensive steak dinner for MacKenzie Blackwood. Since the Sharks won their first game of the season on Nov. 7, the goaltender owns a remarkable .907 save percentage and modest 4-6-1 record. His teammates owe him a nice meal. Blackwood should be allowed to order two appetizers and a dessert, too.27. Buffalo Sabres (13-16-3)Previous rank: 26A trip to Dave & Buster's. The Sabres aren't having any fun. Buffalo was one of the league's most exciting teams to watch last season because they were having fun. Maybe the Sabres just need to blow off some steam on some arcade games to shake themselves out of their miserable funk. We recommend Whac-A-Mole.28. Ottawa Senators (11-15-0)Previous rank: 25A new head coach. Simply put, it's time for the D.J. Smith era to end. Once again, the Senators are toiling through a lackluster campaign. Young players are performing, but the team has failed to take a step toward legitimate playoff contention.29. Seattle Kraken (10-14-8)Previous rank: 28A time machine. The Kraken are in sore need of a do-over, man. After making the playoffs for the first time, Seattle mostly kept its team intact in the offseason. That hasn't translated into a similar level of success this year. We're getting flashbacks to the Kraken's nightmarish inaugural campaign. Someone please let them start this season over.30. Columbus Blue Jackets (10-17-5) Jason Mowry / Getty Images Sport / GettyPrevious rank: 31A stress ball for Patrik Laine. To sum up Laine's 2023-24 season so far in one word: Oof. The Finn was made a healthy scratch (which he didn't enjoy) and finally started to catch fire with three goals in his last five games, but now he's out six weeks with a clavicle fracture. Maybe he needs a pillow to scream into instead.31. Anaheim Ducks (11-19-0)Previous rank: 29A healthy Jamie Drysdale. The Ducks' 2020 sixth overall pick has played just 10 games since October 2022. Drysdale's talent is evident - there's no denying his electrifying offensive skills and skating. Anaheim needs him to stay available and get his development back on track.32. Chicago Blackhawks (9-20-1)Previous rank: 31A spa day for Connor Bedard. The 2023 first overall pick leads all rookies in goals (12) and points (26) while pacing all Blackhawks forwards in average ice time (19:28). On top of all that, Bedard has to face a daily media circus and tune out some ridiculous off-ice drama. Go get a massage, kid.(Analytics sources: Evolving Hockey, Natural Stat Trick)Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

This year in sports was defined by inspiring stories, historic achievements, and surreal events that not even Hollywood could script. We loved them all. With 2023 drawing to a close, theScore is looking back on 50 moments that resonated most with us over the past 12 months. Our five-part series, which counts down every Friday in December, continues below with moments 30-21.Dec. 1Dec. 8Dec. 15Dec. 22Dec. 2950-4140-3130-2120-1110-130. Bellingham takes down Barca NurPhoto / NurPhoto / GettyJude Bellingham was already hailed as the second coming of Cristiano Ronaldo before he led Real Madrid to victory in his first Clasico. The English midfielder morphed into one of the best finishers in the world after joining the club from Borussia Dortmund. His 13 goals in his first 10 games - including various winning strikes - were two more than Ronaldo scored to start his iconic career in Madrid. But nothing compared to Bellingham's heroics against Madrid's bitter rivals, Barcelona. After scoring a spectacular equalizing goal from 30 yards out, the 20-year-old further endeared himself to fans with an opportunistic winner in the dying minutes. - Gordon Brunt29. Etienne's Pyrrhic performance

Boston Bruins superstar David Pastrnak won't be suspended for boarding New York Rangers defenseman Ryan Lindgren during the second period of Saturday's matchup, a source told The Athletic's Arthur Staple.Pastrnak was given a five-minute major and a game misconduct on the play.

Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Timothy Liljegren returned for the team's matchup against the Pittsburgh Penguins on Saturday.A high ankle sprain kept Liljegren out of action since Nov. 2, when he collided with Boston Bruins captain Brad Marchand in the first period of the outing. He was later placed on long-term injured reserve and missed 17 games.Liljegren registered one assist and six shots on goal in 10 games this season before his injury.The Leafs also called up forward Pontus Holmberg from the Toronto Marlies ahead of their tilt against the Penguins. Auston Matthews and T.J. Brodie were unavailable to play due to illness.Saturday's encounter also marked executive Kyle Dubas' return to Toronto for the first time since he was fired as general manager of the Leafs in May. The 38-year-old was named Pittsburgh's president of hockey operations in June and, in August, elected not to hire a new Penguins GM, opting to hold both roles simultaneously.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The United States revealed its final roster for the 2024 world juniors on Saturday.After defeating Sweden in the bronze-medal game last year, the U.S. kicks off this iteration of the tournament with a Group B contest against Norway on Dec. 26. The 2024 edition will be held in Gothenburg, Sweden.The U.S. tapped 14 forwards, eight defensemen, and three goalies, most of whom currently compete in the NCAA. Boston College leads the way with seven players selected to head coach David Carle's team.Here are the 25 players the United States selected:ForwardsPlayerAgeCurrent teamGavin Brindley19Michigan (NCAA)Quinn Finley19Wisconsin (NCAA)Cutter Gauthier19Boston College (NCAA)Gavin Hayes19Flint Firebirds (OHL)Isaac Howard19Michigan State (NCAA)Ryan Leonard18Boston College (NCAA)Rutger McGroarty19Michigan (NCAA)Oliver Moore18Minnesota (NCAA)Frank Nazar III19Michigan (NCAA)Danny Nelson18Notre Dame (NCAA)Gabe Perreault18Boston College (NCAA)Will Smith18Boston College (NCAA)Jimmy Snuggerud19Minnesota (NCAA)Carey Terrance18Erie Otters (OHL)Michigan teammates Gavin Brindley and Rutger McGroarty are among the four forwards who played for the U.S. last year. St. Louis Blues first-round draft pick Jimmy Snuggerud also returns after registering five goals and a team-high eight helpers last tournament.Boston College linemates Ryan Leonard, Gabe Perreault, and Will Smith will make their world junior debuts after dominating the under-18s together in the spring.James Hagens, a top prospect for the 2025 draft, was among the team's final cuts.DefensemenPlayerAgeCurrent teamRyan Chesley19Minnesota (NCAA)Zeev Buium18Denver (NCAA)Seamus Casey19Michigan (NCAA)Eric Pohlkamp19Bemidji State (NCAA)Lane Hutson19Boston University (NCAA)Aram Minnetian18Boston College (NCAA)Sam Rinzel19Minnesota (NCAA)Drew Fortescue18Boston College (NCAA)Ryan Chesley, Seamus Casey, and Lane Hutson represent the three rearguards who participated in the 2023 tournament.Hutson returns after a stellar 2022-23 campaign. The Montreal Canadiens prospect was a Hobey Baker finalist as a Boston University freshman and excelled at the World Championships with the United States in the spring.Buium, a freshman at Denver, leads all NCAA defenders in scoring. He's the only first-time draft-eligible player on the roster.GoaliesPlayerAgeCurrent teamTrey Augustine18Michigan State (NCAA)Jacob Fowler19Boston College (NCAA)Sam Hillebrandt18Barrie Colts (OHL)Detroit Red Wings second-round selection Trey Augustine returns between the pipes for the United States. He'll battle for the starting gig with Boston College standout Jacob Fowler.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.