Amid Detroit's chaotic 6-5 overtime loss to San Jose on Thursday, Patrick Kane reminded the hockey world why he earned the nickname "Showtime."Kane, who inked a one-year deal with the Red Wings last week, recorded eight shot attempts in his debut. He failed to register a point but rang the post on a partial breakaway in the third period. He skated well, winning races to loose pucks on multiple occasions. The 35-year-old was his usual crafty and measured self in a playmaking role, too; his chemistry with former linemate Alex DeBrincat was apparent from their opening shift together. He logged nearly 17 minutes of even-strength and power-play action.Kane's return to the NHL was extremely encouraging. It was also a reminder of the unique path Detroit is on. Nic Antaya / Getty ImagesUnlike the Atlantic Division's other upstart clubs - Ottawa, Buffalo, and Montreal - the Wings haven't picked in the top three of the draft during their rebuild despite bottoming out in similar fashion. While Dylan Larkin, DeBrincat, Lucas Raymond, Moritz Seider, and Kane (if he continues to play well) are all top-of-the-lineup players, the Wings lack a bona fide superstar.They don't have a Tim Stutzle equivalent up front nor a Rasmus Dahlin-Owen Power combo on the back end. (Yeah, we'll leave Juraj Slafkovsky out of this.)Instead, Detroit - 14-7-4 and comfortably ahead of Ottawa, Buffalo, and Montreal in the standings - has filled key lineup spots with trusty vets in or past their primes."When you sign with us, you're signing up for trying to build something," Red Wings head coach Derek Lalonde said earlier this week about integrating so many moving parts. "You can see a decent young core. They can envision themselves being part of it. They want to be here. Even Patty (Kane). He wanted to be here. DeBrincat and (Jeff) Petry in the offseason through some trades. It speaks volumes about what we're trying to build and do." Minas Panagiotakis / Getty ImagesThis strategy of finding outside help shifted into high gear this past offseason. On top of DeBrincat and Petry, general manager Steve Yzerman brought in J.T. Compher, Klim Kostin, Christian Fischer, Daniel Sprong, Shayne Gostisbehere, Justin Holl, Alex Lyon, and James Reimer. The average age of the entire haul, including Kane: 29.5. Talk about a lot of mileage - and depth.Top scorers Larkin and DeBrincat are tied for 29th and 37th, respectively, in league-wide points. Yet, the Wings as a team rank second in goals per game."We have a lot of top-end skill in a lot of different places," Raymond told theScore. "Our biggest advantage is our depth - the way we have four really good lines who can play (consistently). We have seven really good D-men as well."The influx of vets puts Detroit in a fascinating position for 2023-24: It appears to be a club with a relatively high floor (almost guaranteed to finish in or just outside of the playoffs) and relatively low ceiling (one playoff series win?).That isn't bad. It's just different compared to what's happening elsewhere.Carlsson's slow burn with Ducks Debora Robinson / Getty ImagesThe tricky part about analyzing Leo Carlsson's much-discussed load-management plan with the Ducks is that alternative realities don't exist. It's impossible to know if a regular schedule of games, versus the lightened load Carlsson's currently taking on, would have been better or worse for the rookie.The comparison simply can't be made.Disclaimer out of the way, the plan - in which Carlsson appears in roughly two games per week until the midpoint of the season while focusing on building strength and speed through off-ice training - has been hugely successful.Carlsson has contributed eight goals, including three against the Flyers on Nov. 10, plus five assists while appearing in 18 of Anaheim's 26 games. He's attacking and playmaking with confidence while skating for 18:20 a night. Impressively, the second pick in the 2023 draft is third among rookies in points per game (0.72), trailing Connor Bedard (0.84) and Connor Zary (0.75). Harrison Barden / Getty Images"He's going to be elite," Avalanche head coach Jared Bednar, whose club has faced off against Carlsson three times already, told reporters this week. "Big, long guy that's only going to get stronger. He's a great skater, and he's got silky hands. He's an intelligent player with a skill set that's off the charts."Couldn't agree more. Carlsson, who's listed at 6-foot-3, 194 pounds, reminds me of Aleksander Barkov. If that seems like heady praise for a kid barely acclimated to the NHL and turning 19 later this month, well, it is.Truthfully, my initial reaction to the news of the Ducks' load-management plan was cynical. I thought general manager Pat Verbeek might be babying a young player suiting up for a rebuilding team. By limiting his games, it could look like he was trying to suppress Carlsson's future earning potential and trying to lose more often to increase draft lottery odds. I was clearly wrong.Carlsson and his agent have been open about how they're generally on board with the plan - which, by the way, isn't for every team or high-end prospect. In Carlsson's case, though, maybe a slower burn is in fact the perfect pace.Anderson battling prolonged cooler Minas Panagiotakis / Getty ImagesJosh Anderson has always been a player who catches the eye. He's 6-foot-3, 224 pounds, can skate like the wind, and can really wire the puck. He delivers body checks and fights here and there. His physical gifts are notable.Those gifts haven't completely disappeared this season. But his scoring touch has. Anderson, who's potted between 17 and 27 goals in each of his seven full NHL seasons, is on pace for just three. Through 26 games, the Canadiens' winger has one lonely goal into a vacant net.On that one scoring play, Anderson slung the puck from below the hashmarks in Montreal's zone and into Seattle's open cage. It brought a smile to Anderson's face, but it comes with an asterisk. The last time he scored on a netminder was March 13 - 31 games ago.What a baffling stretch for a guy with a career shooting percentage of 11.1%.Anderson's generated a total of 91 shot attempts, 51 of which have been marked as a shot on goal. That shots-on-goal rate (7.1 per 60 minutes) is indeed lower than his career average; however, to Anderson's credit, he's racked up a respectable 7.47 expected goals, according to Natural Stat Trick.So, there's a decent amount of plain ol' bad puck luck baked into Anderson's prolonged cooler. He's hit several posts and been robbed a few times, most notably by Jacob Markstrom during a mid-November game against Calgary.Still, this isn't a bad week or month. One-third of the season is over. Anderson scored on just 1.6% of his shots for Columbus in 2019-20 - an anomaly for his career - but he was battling injury. Right now? He's apparently fully healthy.Parting shotsSid the (old) Kid: The Penguins' trainwreck of a power play (seven goals on 71 man-advantage opportunities) is rightfully attracting everybody's attention. So much so that it's overshadowing captain Sidney Crosby's stellar age-36 season. The 23rd-oldest player in the league sits third in five-on-five points, with 20 in 25 games (he trails buddy Nathan MacKinnon and teammate Jake Guentzel). Crosby, who's in the "wow, he can still do that" stage of his career, is winning faceoffs and recording takeaways at career-high rates. The Pens are outscoring the opposition 29-18 with him on the ice at five-on-five."I've always believed that Sid's defensive game flies under the radar, probably because his offensive game is so dynamic," Pittsburgh head coach Mike Sullivan said prior to a recent game in Buffalo. "No one ever really speaks about his commitment to playing defense. But he's a detailed guy. He's a student of the game. And I think he understands that it's essential to winning."

It was an ugly night for player props. Despite mostly strong volume, the results weren't there Thursday. Jack Hughes attempted 10 shots and hit the net four times, falling one short. Cam Atkinson also came up one shot shy against the Coyotes, and Quinn Hughes hit the target just once on six attempts. Close, yet so far.We'll look to rebound with a few plays for Friday night's three-game slate.Pavel Buchnevich: Over 2.5 shotsBuchnevich is a road warrior. He's gone over his shot total 10 times in 14 tries (71%), an impressive success rate. That's drastically better than his home outputs, where he's averaged only 3.6 attempts per game and posted a 33% success rate.He has a juicy matchup Friday against the struggling Blue Jackets. They've won just eight times through 28 games, largely because they can't defend.Columbus has conceded 33.6 shots per contest this season. That's a bottom-five rate in the NHL, and the team has shown no signs of improvement in recent weeks.The Jackets also give up a lot of volume to opposing left-wingers. Only three clubs have allowed more shots per game to the position over the last 10 contests.In a back-to-back situation against a Columbus squad looking to rebound following an ugly defeat, I expect St. Louis to put up a ton of shots in this game. A few should come off the stick of Buchnevich, who skates on the top line and first power-play unit.Odds: +120 (playable to -115)Leon Draisaitl: Over 2.5 shotsDraisaitl is a pretty inconsistent shooter who lives and dies by the power play. He ranks seventh among Oilers skaters in shot attempts and shots on goal at five-on-five. It's a completely different story on the man advantage, where getting him the puck in a good shooting position is the team's top priority.Draisaitl is 16 shot attempts clear of Evan Bouchard for the team lead on the man advantage. He ranks in the top 10 in the NHL in shot attempts per minute on the power play. That's where a ton of his volume comes from.That means the special teams matchup is one of the most important things to look at when considering Draisaitl. Luckily enough, he has a great one Friday.The Wild rank dead last in penalty-kill percentage this season. They also take more penalties than almost everybody, with only six teams averaging more minors per game.Draisaitl should get ample opportunity to work on the power play against a club that struggles mightily while undermanned.Odds: -140 (playable to -160)Evan Bouchard: Over 0.5 power-play pointsA lot of what I said in Draisaitl's handicap can be applied to Bouchard. The Wild are one of the most undisciplined teams in the league and have struggled miserably to kill penalties.Minnesota has improved its ability to cut down on chances under new head coach John Hynes, but the club still takes too many penalties.But I don't care how good your penalty kill is; a price will likely be paid if you're giving up opportunities in bulk to Connor McDavid, Draisaitl, and Co.Bouchard is a fantastic power-play quarterback and continues to be ultra-efficient. Only Cale Makar and Quinn Hughes - the two favorites to win the Norris Trophy - have piled up more power-play points among defensemen.This is a good spot for Bouchard to build on his success.Odds: +145 (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.

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 40-31.Dec. 1Dec. 8Dec. 15Dec. 22Dec. 2950-4140-3130-2120-1110-140. Ngannou rocks Fury's world The first round went about as expected. The second was more competitive. But the third round is when everyone realized they had gotten it wrong. Former UFC champion Francis Ngannou hadn't just showed up to collect a huge paycheck in his boxing debut against lineal heavyweight champ Tyson Fury. He intended to - and could - win. Ngannou knocked Fury down with a left hand, nearly authoring an upset that would have rivaled Buster Douglas' 1990 win over Mike Tyson. Fury went on to win a split decision, but Ngannou being competitive in all 10 rounds - and winning the fight on one scorecard - is still one of the most impressive feats in combat sports. - Nick Baldwin39. Angel Reese mimics Caitlin Clark The trash-talker got trash-talked. In the dying minutes of LSU's 102-85 victory over Iowa in the NCAA women's basketball title game, LSU's Angel Reese taunted Iowa's Caitlin Clark, making John Cena's famous "You can't see me" hand gesture, and pointing at her ring finger in light of her impending championship. The exchange went viral, with many condemning Reese, who is Black, for being unsportsmanlike, even though Clark, who is white, used the same gesture to widespread praise in the Elite Eight. Clark later said that Reese shouldn't have been criticized "at all," while Reese said there's "no bad blood" between the generational talents before the 2024 season. This was simply two stars going toe-to-toe and engaging in some healthy - and wildly entertaining - banter on the big stage. That's the good stuff. - Sarah Wallace38. 'What's an isolation retreat?'

Now that we're two months into this NHL season, the MVP race is a little more concrete. However, it's still pretty wide open.Connor McDavid remains on the outside looking in despite producing two points per game since last month's edition of these rankings. He's back among the league's assists and points leaders, but it's still tough to include him in the upper echelon given the competition for this award. McDavid could certainly find himself back on the list next month if he keeps this up, though.Sam Reinhart has outproduced his Florida Panthers teammates by a notable margin and helped keep them competitive with two key defensemen out of the lineup to start the campaign. He's also put himself on the fringes of the discussion, but he's shooting 27%, so that's bound to regress. Other candidates simply have stronger cases.Meanwhile, Quinn Hughes was in the mix last month and is still piling up points. But as we documented in our most recent Norris Trophy rankings, his underlying numbers have taken a big dip lately.Those three aren't among the top candidates at the moment. Instead, three of the top five this time around are gifted wingers hailing from outside North America. Here are our top MVP contenders at this juncture:5. Jack Hughes Derek Cain / Getty Images Sport / GettyGPGAATOIxGF%19102320:5854.4Last time, we noted Hughes' inclusion on future Hart lists might be in doubt given his injury. But the New Jersey Devils' superstar only missed five games, and he's been excellent at both ends of the ice since returning.Hughes has four more assists and four more points than his closest teammate (Jesper Bratt). He ranks fifth in the league in goals above replacement and wins above replacement. He also sits atop the league in points per game while remaining in the top 10 in the hunt for the Art Ross Trophy.Hughes notched five goals and 15 assists over the first 10 games of the season, and he's nearly matched that level of production since coming back. The 22-year-old has five tallies and eight helpers in the nine contests since then. That's included four and six, respectively, in his last five games, three of which were three-point efforts.The bottom line is the American center has a more well-rounded game than McDavid right now, as his exemplary and superior WAR and GAR figures illustrate. That gives Hughes the edge.4. Nikita Kucherov Mike Ehrmann / Getty Images Sport / GettyGPGAATOIxGF%27172721:3454.46Yes, Kucherov leads the league in points, is tied for first in assists, and is just one goal behind the NHL's goals leader in 2023-24. And yes, he's well ahead of the four other Tampa Bay Lightning players who've produced around a point per game this season. Kucherov has five more goals, five more assists, and 14 more points than the closest Bolts skaters.That's saying something considering the others include Brayden Point, Steven Stamkos, and Victor Hedman. However, that depth may also work against Kucherov because he's gotten plenty of help, whereas some of the other candidates have had to shoulder more of the load themselves with a less productive supporting cast.It also doesn't boost Kucherov's case that he's registered nearly half of his goals and exactly half of his points on the power play. Even if he ultimately wins the Art Ross, doing so with so much of his output achieved on the man advantage should hinder his MVP aspirations. That being said, he does deserve some recognition for his performance, especially at 30 years old and with all the miles on his odometer from the Bolts' many lengthy playoff runs.3. Cale Makar Michael Martin / National Hockey League / GettyGPGAATOIxGF%2472724:2755.96Makar's two-game injury absence prior to his return Thursday shouldn't hurt his Hart hopes. He leads all NHL blue-liners in points per game (1.42), sits among the league's absolute best skaters in total points, and is tied with Quinn Hughes and Kucherov for first in assists.Of course, the Hart Trophy is about more than offensive production, and Makar is a legitimate contender because he's excelled defensively as well. The Avalanche have scored 12 goals and allowed just seven with Makar on the ice at five-on-five in 12 games since our last edition. They've scored 23 and allowed just 15 with Makar in those situations all season.The 25-year-old's underlying numbers remain superb across the board, including a scoring chances for percentage of 55.26. Only Hughes has better WAR and GAR numbers among rearguards on the season, and Makar has outplayed his counterpart in terms of metrics lately.Much like Kucherov, Makar has a star-studded supporting cast that includes perennial MVP candidate Nathan MacKinnon and Mikko Rantanen. As a defenseman, Makar understandably hasn't carved out a big production disparity relative to his teammates like other contenders. But the fact that he's just two points back of the team lead is impressive given who his running mates are and what position he plays.2. David Pastrnak Andrew Lahodynskyj / National Hockey League / GettyGPGAATOIxGF%25142219:3253.14Pastrnak is no longer leading this race, but he's firmly in second for several reasons. For one thing, the 27-year-old is still blowing away his teammates with eight more assists and 12 more points than any other Boston Bruins skater along with two more goals.Secondly, the Bruins has been firing on all cylinders (Thursday's loss to the Buffalo Sabres notwithstanding) largely thanks to Pastrnak's elite play and despite losing numerous impact players in the offseason. The Bruins have either held or been close to holding the NHL's best record for most of 2023-24, even though many understandably expected them to lose a step following those departures.The Czech dynamo's goal-scoring has cooled off to a degree recently, as he's collected four goals in the 12 games since our last edition after pouring in 10 over the first 13. But he's still making a major impact, with 12 assists in as many contests, five of which were multi-point outings.Pastrnak's xGF and SCF percentages at five-on-five are still favorable, but not as eye-popping as those of the new front-runner.1. Artemi Panarin Bruce Bennett / Getty Images Sport / GettyGPGAATOIxGF%24162119:3855.92Panarin is far and away the biggest reason the New York Rangers have been jostling with the Bruins for the NHL's best record. The 32-year-old ranks among the league's absolute best in all three of the main offensive categories. He's done most of his damage at even strength, and his all-situations per-game goals and points rates would be career highs over a full season.His shooting percentage (16.7) would be, too, so that may regress. But Panarin is absolutely thriving right now. More importantly, he's authoritatively outperforming his teammates. The Russian playmaker has a whopping 15 more points than the second-place Blueshirts skaters (Chris Kreider and Vincent Trocheck), and Panarin leads Kreider and the rest of the team in goals by two with the same number of games played as his potent counterpart.Panarin isn't as sound defensively as some Hart contenders, but he's carried New York with his offensive dominance. Plus, his underlying numbers have been truly stellar, including a 57.33 SCF% at five-on-five. If the Rangers stay at or near the top of the NHL standings while Panarin continues to do this kind of heavy lifting, others will be hard-pressed to knock him out of the top spot.(Analytics sources: Natural Stat Trick, Evolving Hockey)Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Washington Capitals icon Alexander Ovechkin added another accolade to his legendary NHL career Thursday night by becoming the 16th player in league history to reach 1,500 points.The milestone came via a secondary assist on Dylan Strome's third-period tally against the Dallas Stars.

Toronto Maple Leafs goaltender Joseph Woll was forced to exit Thursday's game against the Ottawa Senators and didn't return after sustaining an apparent injury while making a save in the third period.

Ottawa Senators defenseman Thomas Chabot will miss at least one month with an undisclosed ailment and will be placed on long-term injured reserve, head coach D.J. Smith announced after Thursday's loss, according to Postmedia's Bruce Garrioch.Chabot has been undergoing testing since sustaining the injury Dec. 2 against the Seattle Kraken and didn't suit up for the following two contests.The 26-year-old rearguard has been limited to nine games this season after breaking his hand in October. Injuries have been an issue throughout his career, as he's only dressed for 70 games in a season twice over seven campaigns.Chabot's managed four assists this season while logging over 24 minutes per contest, a total that leads all Senators skaters.Ottawa drafted Chabot 18th overall in 2015. He's notched 233 points in 390 games with the club and is in the fourth season of an eight-year, $64-million contract signed in 2019.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Welcome to the third edition of theScore's 2023-24 Norris Trophy Rankings and the second in-season version. New rankings will be published once a month throughout the campaign.These rankings focus on analytics and the all-around ability of defensemen rather than only points or reputation.xGF% = five-on-five expected goals for percentage5. Jonas Brodin, Wild Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / GettyGPGAATOIxGF%231824:2058.5Brodin has never been dynamic offensively, and this season hasn't been any different. He's on pace for 32 points - which would be a career high. However, the Norris hasn't been handed out to someone with 32 points or less since Rod Langway in 1983.So while Brodin may not be a serious competitor on this list, he'll be more than worthy of some downballot love if he keeps up his superb defensive play - the main reason for his appearance. Among defensemen with at least 300 five-on-five minutes, Brodin ranks first in expected goals against per 60 minutes, 10th in xGF%, and fourth in defensive goals above replacement.Brodin isn't known for his physicality, and he's only racked up six hits. But his positioning is sound and he's among the best in the league at using his stick to break up plays. He ranks 14th with 60 blocked shots.4. Erik Karlsson, Penguins Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / GettyGPGAATOIxGF%2561324:2656.3Karlsson isn't on pace to match his historic point production from last season, but he's arguably playing a better all-around game. It helps that he has an improved supporting cast with the Penguins, but Karlsson's xGF% is nearly 6 percentage points higher than it was a year ago. He's also been far stingier defensively, as he's been on the ice for 30 goals for compared to 16 goals against at five-on-five.The three-time and reigning Norris Trophy winner hasn't just been a power-play savant, either. It's been the opposite, in fact: 15 of his 19 points have come at five-on-five. He's partly responsible for Pittsburgh's woeful 30th-ranked power play, which is operating at just 9.9%, but Karlsson could climb this list if that starts clicking.3. Roman Josi, Predators Steph Chambers / Getty Images Sport / GettyGPGAATOIxGF%2551324:5557.6Josi is similar to Karlsson in that they're both former Norris winners, 33 years old and driving five-on-five play at a high rate - even if their point totals pale in comparison to those of the top two on this list.The edge goes to Josi because he's doing more with less around him. While Karlsson is surrounded by future Hall of Famers, Josi, along with forwards Filip Forsberg and Ryan O'Reilly, is tasked with carrying the Predators. Josi is also the clear No. 1 defenseman in Nashville. In Pittsburgh, Kris Letang helps shoulder the burden.Josi leads all defensemen with 94 shots this season, ranks 13th in xGF%, and 17th in xGA/60.2. Quinn Hughes, Canucks Minas Panagiotakis / Getty Images Sport / GettyGPGAATOIxGF%2692724:5149.0Hughes is still a beast offensively, racking up 16 points in 14 games since these rankings' last edition on Nov. 9. But his underlying numbers are starting to take a downturn. His xGF% over the last month is 46.1% despite the Canucks' xGF% being 52.6% in the same span. That means that, of late, Vancouver has statistically been better when Hughes is off the ice.Of course, Hughes leads the team in ice time and soaks up difficult matchups. Those numbers shouldn't be taken as gospel, but he clearly isn't driving play at five-on-five at the same rate he was earlier in the campaign.So, while he falls out of the top spot, Hughes doesn't deserve to drop any further. Overall, he's been a catalyst to one of the most surprising teams in the 2023-24 season. He's still tied for first among all skaters in assists, tied for fourth in points, and leads all defensemen with 9.4 goals above replacement.1. Cale Makar, Avalanche Michael Martin / National Hockey League / GettyGPGAATOIxGF%2372724:2857.3Makar has missed Colorado's last two games with a lower-body injury, but he was a man on a mission before he went down. He's returning Thursday, too.The 2022 Norris winner has produced 20 points in 12 games with a 59.9 xGF% since the last edition of these rankings. Makar has been on the ice for 15 goals for and only six against at five-on-five in that span.Makar is also tied for his team's lead in points - an impressive accomplishment on a roster featuring Nathan MacKinnon and Mikko Rantanen. The blue-liner is seventh among NHL skaters in points per game, and first among defensemen.While Makar and Hughes are similarly elite offensively, Makar gets the nod because of his improved play over the last month and his superior underlying results. There's a serious case to be made that Makar should be the front-runner for the Hart Trophy, which hasn't been won by a defenseman since Chris Pronger achieved the feat in 2000.(Analytics source: Evolving-Hockey)Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

We split the board with our best bets on Wednesday night, picking up a win and a loss - each in rather convincing fashion.The Golden Knights put up 49 shots and six goals en route to a three-goal victory over the Blues. It was a much different story for the Hurricanes, who conceded two goals to the Oilers in the first 41 seconds and never recovered.We'll look to put together a winning night with a pair of plays for Thursday's jam-packed slate.Ducks (-115) @ Blackhawks (-105)To say the Ducks and Blackhawks are struggling in their own zone would be an understatement; neither team can defend a lick.Their season numbers are putrid and continue to head south. The Blackhawks rank 31st in expected goals allowed per 60 minutes of five-on-five play over the past three weeks. The Ducks aren't far behind, sitting 29th during the same period.Each team should bring out the best in the other side's offense. Petr Mrazek owns a sub-.900 save percentage and is unlikely to mask many of Chicago's defensive blemishes.Even without Mason McTavish and Trevor Zegras, the Ducks have a few skilled young players that can make you pay. They should be able to score goals in this spot.Although the Blackhawks lack much firepower outside of Connor Bedard and Seth Jones, a date with the Ducks will make life easier on their offense.The Ducks rank dead last in five-on-five save percentage - and goals against - over the last 10 games. John Gibson has fallen off after a strong start to the year, while Lukas Dostal has been borderline unplayable.Both offenses should be spoon-fed opportunities throughout the night, and given the expected level of goaltending, plenty of them should find the back of the net.Bet: Over 6.5 (+100)Flyers (-105) @ Coyotes (-115)The Coyotes are getting a lot of hype after stringing together five consecutive wins while facing the Golden Knights, Lightning, Avalanche, Blues, and Capitals.They were outshot 34-18 against the Golden Knights, however, and controlled 30% of the expected goals. Next time out, the Coyotes conceded 20 more chances than they generated - another steal for Connor Ingram.While their win against the Avalanche was legitimately impressive, the Coyotes were then outchanced by both the Blues and Capitals. They converted on 20% of their shots and Ingram remained piping hot in goal.The Coyotes deserve credit for finding ways to win over this five-game stretch, but that doesn't mean it's sustainable.Arizona generated 14.31 expected goals and 15.57 expected goals allowed over this winning streak. Actual retail price? A whopping 19 goals for and just five against. That's a net of minus-1.26 expected goals and plus-14 actual goals.The Coyotes are not going to continue scoring on 15% of their shots, nor will they continue to save 97% of what they allow.The Flyers are a much better five-on-five team than the Coyotes. Philadelphia should be able to create more shots and chances than it gives up and, sooner rather than later, that recipe is going to stop working for Arizona.Bet: Flyers (-105)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 another solid night for player props, as we were one Aleksander Barkov shot shy of a sweep.We'll look to keep the ball rolling with three more plays for Thursday night's card.Cam Atkinson: Over 2.5 shotsAtkinson has registered three shots or more in 18 of 25 games this season, good for a 72% hit rate.He's in a good spot to continue his success against the Coyotes. They've won a lot of games in recent weeks but are still getting outshot more often than not.The Coyotes rank 27th in five-on-five shot share over the past three weeks. They spend a lot of time on their heels when the playing field is level.They also take a lot of penalties. Only seven teams are averaging more minors per game than the Coyotes.With an advantageous five-on-five matchup and a healthy dose of power-play time likely coming his way, Atkinson is primed for another active shooting performance.Odds: -140 (playable to -150)Quinn Hughes: Over 2.5 shotsDeath, taxes, and backing Hughes at home. The superstar defenseman has been a model of consistency in Vancouver this season, going over his shot total in 10 of 12 games while averaging 3.7 shots on goal per game. Remarkable outputs.The Wild have played better since making a change behind the bench but have given up a lot of volume to opposing defensemen in recent weeks. Only six teams have conceded more shots per game to the position over the past 10 contests.The Canucks are also in a healthy rut, having dropped seven of their past 13 games. They're now as close to being in a wild-card spot as they are the top spot in the division. They must kick back into gear sooner rather than later, and they'll no doubt lean heavily on the captain to lead the way.Odds: -122 (playable to -140)Jack Hughes: Over 4.5 shotsHughes is currently in a league of his own in terms of shot generation. He's piled up 95 attempts, 52 shots on target, and 49 scoring chances over eight games since returning to the Devils lineup. He leads the league in all of those categories during that span.He isn't just picking on bottom-feeders, either. Hughes registered nine shots against the Rangers, nine against the Flyers, and six against the Canucks. Those are three opponents holding onto top-six spots in their respective conferences.The Kraken are a strong shot-suppression team, but it doesn't seem to matter against Hughes. He's attempting so many shots and playing so many minutes that he's become matchup-proof.With the Devils in need of every point they can get and consistently needing to outscore their goaltending woes, Hughes should be tasked with a massive workload once again. Expect him to take advantage.Odds: +110 (playable to -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.

Carolina Hurricanes head coach Rod Brind'Amour wasn't pleased with his team's performance in Wednesday's 6-1 loss to the Edmonton Oilers.The club's best players, in particular, disappointed Brind'Amour."Our top guys, especially, gotta show up a little more," he said postgame. "You could definitely see their top guys out there. We gotta be better."Brind'Amour's postgame tone was consistent with his candid midgame interview with TNT's Darren Pang.

The Pittsburgh Penguins were on the losing end of the special teams battle against the Tampa Bay Lightning in a 3-1 defeat on Wednesday, and Evgeni Malkin appears to be tired of his club's extended power-play drought.The Bolts scored twice on the man advantage, while Pittsburgh went 0-for-4, despite briefly having a two-man advantage. The Penguins are now 0-for-33 on the power play dating back to Nov. 11."You see Tampa score, like, every game, and they feel confidence," Malkin said, per team reporter Michelle Crechiolo. "When you lead the game, when you control the game 2-0, 3-0, you feel so much better. Of course, if we score a couple power-play goals, everybody feels better."He added: "You have three, four, five power plays every night, and you see we try on the power play, and we don't feel good. We lost the puck on the blue line, they had a two-on-one, breakaway, because we don't have confidence and we're nervous. It's how it affects us."The Penguins rank 31st in power-play proficiency this season at a paltry 9.9%. They finished the 2022-23 campaign ranked 14th at 21.7% and were expected to make a big improvement this season after adding Erik Karlsson to a loaded No. 1 unit that also features Malkin, Sidney Crosby, and Jake Guentzel."Obviously, when you don't have success, your confidence isn't at an all-time high, and these guys are human beings," head coach Mike Sullivan said. "But we've got to find a way to fight through it."Pittsburgh's power-play issues are a key factor in the club winning only three of its past 10 games. The Penguins currently sit seventh in the Metropolitan Division with 25 points and are three points behind the second wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference with more games played than each team ahead of them.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Columbus Blue Jackets traded winger Eric Robinson to the Buffalo Sabres for a conditional seventh-round pick in 2025, the clubs announced Wednesday.Columbus will receive the pick if Robinson plays 45 games this season, according to CapFriendly. The Blue Jackets have 56 contests remaining.Robinson, a 6-foot-2, 205-pound power forward, has managed one goal in seven games this season. He's averaged 12 goals, 14 assists, and 134 hits per 82 games throughout his seven-year NHL career.The 28-year-old notably scored a hat trick - the only one of his career - last season against the Sabres at KeyBank Center.Robinson is in the final year of his contract with a $1.6-million cap hit. He'll be an unrestricted free agent at season's end.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

This article was written as part of the Professional Hockey Writers Association and To Hockey With Love Mentorship Program. See the bottom of the article for more on the program.Lacks size.Too small.Won't be able to compete against grown men on a nightly basis.Those are some of the critiques Logan Stankoven heard on his journey to professional hockey. And they're why the diminutive forward fell to the Dallas Stars at No. 47 in the 2021 NHL Draft."There aren't a ton of 5-foot-8 superstars in the NHL, and that's why we see guys like Stankoven slip when they do," said Chris Peters, who analyzes prospects for FloHockey.Nothing about Stankoven's body of work since the 2021 draft suggests he's been deterred by the bias against small players. Now a game-breaking rookie on the AHL's Texas Stars, Stankoven never takes a shift off, and those who know him best say he's never satisfied - he's always trying to get better. Most importantly, he plays much bigger than his size. Icon Sportswire / Getty ImagesWith the COVID-19 pandemic subsided, we can now look at how prospects from the 2021 draft were impacted by the temporary shutdown of the hockey world.Many are still trying to get back on course after losing developmental time. Fortunately for Stankoven, who played only six games in the WHL's shortened 2020-21 season, his trajectory hasn't changed much.In fact, Stankoven's production took its biggest leap right after the shortened season.Then 18, the Kamloops Blazers center exploded for 45 goals and 59 assists in 59 regular-season games, before adding 31 points in 17 playoff games. He dominated, and was named 2021-22 player of the year in the 60-team CHL. He also picked up WHL trophies for top and most sportsmanlike player."My strengths would be my hockey IQ and the way I see the ice," Stankoven said when asked to evaluate his own game. "My shot, that's another (strength)."

It's "Showtime" in Detroit.Patrick Kane will make his Red Wings debut Thursday at home against the San Jose Sharks, the team announced.The three-time Stanley Cup champion signed a one-year deal with a $2.75-million cap hit with the Red Wings on Nov. 28 after recovering from an offseason hip procedure. He'll become the third player in NHL history to play after undergoing hip resurfacing surgery, joining Ed Jovanovski and Nicklas Backstrom.Kane, 35, recorded 57 points in 71 games last season split between the Chicago Blackhawks and New York Rangers. He racked up 92 points the year prior.He's expected to play right wing on the club's second line, with former Blackhawks running mate Alex DeBrincat at left wing and J.T. Compher at center.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman John Klingberg will undergo season-ending hip surgery at the end of December, general manager Brad Treliving announced Wednesday, according to The Athletic's Joshua Kloke.The surgery will require a five-to-six-month recovery, Treliving added, per The Athletic's Jonas Siegel.Klingberg has been out of the lineup since Nov. 11 and was placed on long-term injured reserve Nov. 23.The Maple Leafs now have added flexibility to make a move with Klingberg's $4.15-million cap hit on LTIR for the remainder of the campaign. The club has been searching for help on the blue line, as it reportedly tried to land both Chris Tanev and Nikita Zadorov from the Calgary Flames before the latter was dealt to the Vancouver Canucks.Toronto is also without fellow blue-liners Timothy Liljegren and Mark Giordano for the foreseeable future.Klingberg, 31, recorded five assists in 14 games with the Maple Leafs this season. He's been heavily criticized for his poor defensive play.The Leafs signed him to a one-year deal as a free agent in the offseason.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

We had a perfect night on the ice Tuesday, winning both best bets - as well as all three player props.Let's look at a couple sides worth backing as we try to stay hot.Golden Knights (-160) @ Blues (+135)The Blues have been a roller-coaster ride this season, seemingly following every win with a loss and vice versa.I don't think it's a worthwhile trend to bet on but believe it says a lot about the Blues' lack of quality.St. Louis ranks near the bottom of the league in terms of five-on-five shot share. The same can be said of expected goals.It's not a good team at full strength. Only one team - the Capitals - has scored fewer goals while on the power play. There isn't much to get excited about.The Blues essentially win if the goaltending is very good and lose if it isn't. You can't rely on grade A netminding every night, hence the fluctuation in their results.They ground out a win against the Golden Knights last time out, but it certainly wasn't deserved. Vegas dominated the puck and piled up the chances throughout, winning the expected goals battle 4.85-2.52.I think that discrepancy shows how much of a gap there is in quality between the two sides. The Golden Knights are also as consistent and structured as they come. They often respond immediately following a loss, and I expect no different this time around.Back the Golden Knights to flex their muscles at five-on-five and take home two points inside 60 minutes.Bet: Golden Knights in regulation (-105)Hurricanes (-105) @ Oilers (-115)The Hurricanes dominate territorially every night. They've controlled 57% of the expected goals share at five-on-five this season, and those numbers are trending upward. Their xG share sits above 60% over the past couple of weeks.Carolina is generating substantially more than it gives up regardless of the caliber of opponent. In their most recent game, the Hurricanes outshot a strong Jets team 43-22 in Winnipeg. Impressive stuff.Although that didn't translate to a victory, they did everything but convert. That shouldn't be as much of an issue against the Oilers.Stuart Skinner owns an .881 save percentage through 17 starts and ranks dead last in goals saved above expected at -9.2, putting him a couple goals clear of the next closest goaltender, Vitek Vanecek.Shot volume is rarely an issue for the Hurricanes. That means a lot is going to be put on Skinner's shoulders - and we have no reason to believe he'll be able to handle it.Although the Oilers are a strong five-on-five team in their own right, they aren't at the Hurricanes' level. They don't have the same depth up front and aren't as structured on the back end.If the Hurricanes can stay disciplined and avoid parading to the box against Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, they have a very good chance of snapping Edmonton's four-game winning streak.Bet: Hurricanes (-105)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 Tuesday night as the Hughes brothers and Jeff Skinner came through with big shooting performances.We'll look to keep the ball rolling with three more plays for Wednesday's card.Aleksander Barkov: Over 2.5 shotsThe Stars are a strong defensive team, but their shot-suppression numbers are much worse away from home. They concede only 29 shots per game in Dallas compared to nearly 33.5 per game on the road. That ranks 27th in the NHL, just ahead of teams like the Canadiens, Senators, and Islanders.Dallas is also vulnerable against opposing centers. It allows nearly 12 shots per game to the position, which also puts it in 27th place.All of this should be music to Barkov's ears. He registered at least three shots in seven of his past 10 games and in four of the last five on home ice.The Panthers center has been especially good in Florida, averaging 4.2 shots - and well over seven attempts - over his past five games.He's a powerful player who goes to the dirty areas of the ice. Put another way, he often generates his shots close to the net so he doesn't need as many attempts to get the job done.Odds: -135 (playable to -150)Brayden Point: Over 2.5 shotsPoint's volume at home compared to the road is night and day. He averages 3.2 shots per game at home and has gone over his total in 69% of his contests. He's produced just 2.3 shots per game on the road, and his 46% success rate is a 23% decrease from at home.Those drastic splits are nothing new. Since the beginning of last season, Point's hit rate is 16% higher in Tampa Bay than on the road.He's well-positioned to continue his success Wednesday night against the Penguins. They've quietly bled shots of late, allowing nearly 34 per game over the last 10. That ranks in the NHL's bottom five.Point has a strong history against the Penguins as well, going over his total in five of the past seven head-to-head meetings.Odds: -140 (playable to -160)Sebastian Aho: Over 2.5 shotsAho is a shooting machine right now. He's recorded three shots or more in five of the past six games, piling up a total of 27 on 42 attempts.What I love to see is that Aho hasn't just benefited from soft matchups. He's put forth monster six-shot performances against the Flyers and Jets during this stretch. Both teams rank in the top six in shot suppression this season, which bodes well heading into a matchup against the Oilers, another team in the top six.Edmonton doesn't have a lot of burners on the back end. I think that could greatly benefit a player like Aho, who can turn on the jets to create some separation and lanes to get his shots off.He isn't a perimeter player, either. He'll work to get to the dirty areas of the ice and be ready to pounce on any loose change Stuart Skinner spits out.Odds: -140 (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.

Jacques Martin is back with the Ottawa Senators.The winningest bench boss in franchise history is rejoining the club as a senior adviser to D.J. Smith's coaching staff, the team announced."We're very pleased to welcome Jacques back to the Senators," president of hockey operations and interim general manager Steve Staios said in a statement. "Not only will his extensive expertise provide invaluable guidance, but his strategic vision and leadership are qualities that are certain to amplify our group. Jacques' proven track record, the foundation of which was built here in Ottawa, will be of significant benefit to D.J. and our entire coaching staff."Martin was the head coach of the Senators from 1996-2004. During his tenure, he coached 692 games, winning 341 of them - both are the most in club history. He led the team to eight playoff berths, including a trip to the 2003 Eastern Conference Final and three division titles. He also won the Jack Adams Award in 1999.Martin grew up about an hour outside of Ottawa in Saint-Pascal, Ontario.He's held various roles since his dismissal from the Senators, including head coach and general manager of the Florida Panthers, head coach of the Montreal Canadiens, assistant coach of the Pittsburgh Penguins and New York Rangers, and, most recently, senior adviser for the OHL's Kingston Frontenacs.The 71-year-old was also an assistant for Canada at the 2002 Olympics, 2004 World Cup of Hockey, and 2006 Olympics.Martin has specialized in the defensive aspects of the game throughout his coaching career - an area in which the Senators have struggled under Smith. The team has allowed the ninth-most expected goals against per 60 minutes at five-on-five this season, per Natural Stat Trick, and owns the league's 28th-ranked penalty kill.The Senators hired Smith in May 2019, making him the seventh-longest-tenured coach in the league. However, he's never led them to the playoffs, and the team sits 14th in the conference in points percentage with a 10-10-0 record this season.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Welcome to the second in-season edition of theScore's 2023-24 Vezina Trophy rankings, a monthly look at the top goaltenders in the NHL.This list features two newcomers and a new No. 1. A few of these top five weren't remotely considered Vezina Trophy candidates before the start of the season, but the data at this point doesn't lie. There's plenty of runway left for the usual suspects to climb the ranks, but until then, it's time to give some underdogs their flowers.GSAA = Goals saved above average

New York Islanders coach Lane Lambert was feeling a little biblical after his team fumbled a three-goal lead en route to a 5-4 overtime loss to the woeful San Jose Sharks on Tuesday."We had the game under control with eight and a half minutes left," the bench boss bemoaned postgame. "To lose that hockey game is sin."The Islanders held a 4-1 advantage midway through the third period, but Sharks winger Kevin Labanc cut into the deficit with a tip-in 12 minutes into the frame.All was quiet until the final three minutes of the game when Tomas Hertl scored twice in a 1:41 span with the goalie pulled to complete his first hat trick of the season. William Eklund struck in the dying seconds of overtime to secure the Sharks' improbable comeback victory.The Islanders dominated everywhere but the scoresheet during the defeat, dictating 69.8% of the scoring chances and 68.7% of the expected goals at five-on-five while outshooting San Jose 37-32 at all strengths, per Natural Stat Trick.New York has been outscored 34-17 in the third period so far this campaign. Tuesday's collapse marked the sixth time this season the Isles have surrendered three goals in the final frame.Islanders forward Brock Nelson described his team's play versus San Jose as "unacceptable," according to Newsday's Andrew Gross, while captain Anders Lee was displeased with New York's lack of execution."This is our game sometimes, unfortunately," Lee said. "We played a really good hockey game and messed it all up in the last four minutes. Just unhappy with this, it just can't happen anymore. We really gotta figure this out."The Sharks, meanwhile, were far more jubilant after improving to 7-17-2 on the campaign."I couldn't be prouder of them and I couldn't be happier for them," head coach David Quinn said, per NBC Sports. "There's a lot of real happy faces in there tonight and there have been a lot of happy faces lately."Hertl seemed to be feeling particularly loose coming off the heels of his three-goal outing."I would lie if I don't like f-----g (scoring) - sorry - if I don't like to score a hat trick," he said, according to San Jose Hockey Now's Sheng Peng.The Islanders fell to 10-7-7 on the campaign with the loss, good for fourth place in the Metropolitan Division. Their next opportunity to turn things around will come Thursday against the Columbus Blue Jackets.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The NHL is still working toward making its return to the Olympics for the 2026 Games in Milan, but commissioner Gary Bettman expressed some apprehension about construction progress for the Italian arena Tuesday."Not insignificantly, they have a lot of work to do," Bettman said at the league's board of governors meetings, according to Daily Faceoff's Frank Seravalli."I don't think they've actually begun construction on it, which is a matter of some concern. We know it's important to the players to go and we want to make it happen. We're going to be as flexible as we can, but at some point, we've got to do a schedule for that season."Bettman noted he's not worried about reaching deals with the International Olympic Committee or IIHF on previous roadblocks that have kept the NHL from participating in the Games, including insurance and accommodations for families."You know, normally when you build a building for the Olympics for a hockey tournament, it's done a year in advance, it's done a year in advance and you have time to have events and test it and build the ice," Bettman said."They're projecting that it won't be done until the fourth quarter of '25, which is like six or eight weeks before the Olympics - if they're on time. And I think they're already late. But that's nothing we can control."The NHL sent its players to five Olympics from 1998 to 2014 but didn't do so in 2018 or 2022. The league and its players' association agreed to participate in the 2022 and 2026 Games as part of the 2020 collective bargaining agreement, but the pandemic prevented the world's best from suiting up in Beijing.The head of the IIHF said in January he would like an answer from the NHL about the 2026 Olympics by the spring of 2024.Deputy commissioner Bill Daly admitted the current arena situation isn't ideal, but there are alternative options if the Milan rink isn't done in time."Going to the Olympics without participating in the Olympic experience is a problem, I would think," he said. "But it's ongoing, it's been productive. I can't say I'm pessimistic at all."Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Buffalo Sabres star Tage Thompson returned from injury Tuesday against the Detroit Red Wings.Thompson missed nine games with an upper-body ailment. He suffered the injury on Nov. 14 against the Boston Bruins when he blocked a shot with his hand.Thompson had six goals and six assists in 16 games prior to his return.The 6-foot-6 sniper was in an unusual spot during Tuesday's game. Rather than centering the top line, Thompson played right wing with Jeff Skinner and Casey Mittelstadt.

The 2024 NHL Draft will take place at The Sphere in Las Vegas on June 28-29, the league's board of governors confirmed Tuesday, according to TSN's Darren Dreger.It'll also mark the final draft before decentralizing, Dreger adds. Each team's key front office members have typically attended the NHL draft, but after 2024, it'll operate similarly to the NFL draft, where each team makes its picks from a remote war room.The Sphere is a $2.3-billion, 18,600-seat music and entertainment arena located just off of the Las Vegas strip. Its advanced audio and video capabilities, wraparound LED screen, and 4D physical effects have generated attention.U2 opened with the venue's first concert on Sept. 29."I think it'll be a pretty well-viewed event, both in terms of the draft itself and the viral use of The Sphere inside and outside using the globe," NHL commissioner Gary Bettman said, according to The Associated Press. "So we think it'll be fun. We think it'll be dramatic and compelling."NHL drafts have predominately been held inside a team's arena over the last three decades.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Edmonton Oilers granted defenseman Philip Broberg permission to seek a trade, reports Daily Faceoff's Frank Seravalli.The Oilers prefer to get a player back in return and aren't interested in receiving draft capital, Seravalli adds.Edmonton selected Broberg with the No. 8 pick in the 2019 NHL Draft. The 22-year-old has recorded 11 points in 79 career games across three seasons. He's failed to record a point through 10 contests in 2023-24.Broberg has primarily served as the Oilers' No. 7 defenseman. He's only averaging 10:32 per game and has been a frequent healthy scratch. The Swede has also played in four AHL games this season, recording two assists.The 22-year-old is 6-foot-4 and a fluid skater for his size.Broberg is in the final year of his contract with a cap hit of $863,333. He'll be a restricted free agent at season's end and is under team control until 2028.The Oilers were reportedly exploring the trade market for a goaltender earlier in the campaign.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

About 30% of the season has taken place, which seems like a lot until you realize there are more than twice as many games left to go. A lot can change, and teams can float back to their mean.We know that moneylines are a function of win probability, so let's take a look at who the betting market thinks has changed the most from preseason projections. Teams with a positive percentage are that much better than an average team, while teams with a minus are rated that much below average.Movin' upTEAMPRE. RATINGCURRENT RATINGNET GAINRangers+11.6%+25%+13.4%Bruins+9.4%+18%+8.6%Canucks-2.6%+5%+7.6%Flyers-17.4%-10%+7.4%Panthers+7.8%+15%+7.2%Hurricanes+17.6%+23.6%+6%Red Wings-6.5%-1%+5.5%Coyotes-16.3%-11%+5.3%The Rangers and Bruins lead their respective divisions and are on pace for almost 130 points apiece, so it shouldn't be surprising that two teams projected to barely get to 100 points are more highly thought of now. The other two division leaders - Vegas and Colorado - were expected to be there, so their change is marginal.The Canucks' move from below-average to above-average feels like a bigger deal, but from a betting perspective, it's no different from the Flyers and Coyotes moving closer to league average and the Panthers and Hurricanes moving further above that line.Fallin' downTEAMPRE. RATINGCURRENT RATINGNET LOSSSharks-27.2%-42%-14.8%Blackhawks-22.3%-35%-12.7%Sabres+1.2%-8%-9.2%Wild+5.6%-3%-8.6%Kraken+1.8%-6%-7.8%Lightning+4.5%-3%-7.5%Penguins+6.7%0%-6.7%Blues-7.5%-13%-5.5%Maple Leafs+16.5%+11%-5.5%Ducks-26.1%-31%-4.9%Canadiens-21.2%-26%-4.8%Stars+15.4%+11%-4.4%It's not shocking that the market has soured on the Sharks, but you'll notice many of the lowest-ranking teams before the season have shown up here. Bettors don't like betting on bad teams, so their perception was naturally going to take a hit.The Sabres were expected to contend for a playoff spot, but - when factoring in games played - they're essentially dead last in the Atlantic Division.There are some big names on the list - Lightning, Penguins, and Maple Leafs - who are easy to stomach betting on going forward. You might wonder why the Oilers aren't on this list, but while they have lost bettors money, there's been a consistent belief that they'll turn around any day now, so there aren't any discounts on Connor McDavid's team.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:

With the quarter mark of the 2023-24 season in the rearview, theScore's John Matisz and Josh Wegman offer their takes on four topics captivating the hockey world.Which realistically available defenseman should the Maple Leafs target in a trade? Minas Panagiotakis / Getty ImagesMatisz: With regulars Mark Giordano, Timothy Liljegren, and John Klingberg all out for extended periods, the Leafs have an obvious need on the blue line.They reportedly have an eye on the Flames' Chris Tanev, and I don't hate the idea. But I think Toronto would be better off targeting a responsible right-shot defenseman with a lower cap hit, some upside, or perhaps both.Nashville's Dante Fabbro, whose name has been on and off the rumor mill for at least a year now, checks both boxes. The Predators' roster is in transition and the 25-year-old strikes me as a typical change-of-scenery guy.Fabbro's arguably been the Preds' leading defensive defenseman this season. Among the 130 NHL blue-liners to log 300 or more five-on-five minutes, the 2016 first-rounder sits 23rd in high-danger shot attempt suppression - an area in which Toronto struggles. This isn't a small-sample bump in performance, either: Fabbro's posted sound defensive metrics throughout his career.A pending restricted free agent, Fabbro makes just $2.5 million, and he won't have the counting stats to command a huge raise in the offseason. The Leafs need defensemen for the future, too (Morgan Rielly is the only blue-liner signed past 2024-25). The way I see it, Toronto can invest in Fabbro now and, if necessary, add another rearguard closer to the March 8 trade deadline.Wegman: I like Fabbro, but for a team under pressure to deliver in the postseason, the battle-tested Tanev is the superior option. He's the exact type of defenseman Toronto needs: elite defensively, gritty, proven, and competent at moving the puck.Tanev, 33, could slot into one of Toronto's top two defense pairs and make an instant impact. But his presence would be highly valuable beside Rielly, who's never had a sturdy, right-handed partner even remotely close to Tanev's caliber.Even though Tanev is a pending unrestricted free agent, he could conceivably be re-signed given his prior relationship with Leafs general manager Brad Treliving - who signed Tanev during his time with the Flames - and the fact that he's from Toronto.Which team is most in need of a coaching change? Joe Sargent / Getty ImagesMatisz: The Senators, by a landslide.D.J. Smith, Ottawa's head coach since May 2019, is sitting on a piping-hot seat after beginning a projected step-forward season with the NHL's ninth-worst points percentage (9-10-0 record). The penalty kill stinks, ranking 27th out of 32 teams in success rate, and the power play isn't much better, sitting at 22nd.One more number: 9.4%.Those are Ottawa's current playoff chances, according to MoneyPuck.Smith no longer has late owner Eugene Melnyk and ex-GM Pierre Dorion to grind through a tough stretch of hockey with. The new owner-executive duo - Michael Andlauer and president Steve Staios - seems hesitant to make a quick decision on coaching, sure, but the season is slipping away quickly.It's never one thing with losing. But coaching's part of it. A big part of it.Wegman: While I agree that Ottawa is long overdue for a change behind the bench, no team has more on the line this season than the Penguins. If they don't make a run this year, it's probably over for the aging core of Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Kris Letang, and Erik Karlsson.We've already seen two teams benefit from the new coach effect. The Edmonton Oilers are 6-3-0 under Kris Knoblauch, while the Minnesota Wild are 3-0-0 under John Hynes.I think Mike Sullivan is an excellent coach, but it seems he's run his course in Pittsburgh. And a fresh voice has historically served the Penguins well. Dan Bylsma was hired midseason before the Pens' 2009 Stanley Cup, and Sullivan himself was hired midseason before championships in 2016 and 2017.An 11-10-3 start has the Penguins on the verge of missing the playoffs for the second straight campaign - unacceptable for a group clearly in win-now mode. New GM Kyle Dubas can't afford to wait any longer.Rank the 5 best teams in the top-heavy Western Conference Juan Ocampo / Getty ImagesMatisz: Coming out of the summer, I had the Golden Knights, Avalanche, Oilers, and Stars as the conference's strongest teams. Nearly two months in, I'm finding it impossible to not pick the Kings as the team to beat out West.No club in the entire NHL is operating on the same level as L.A. right now.They're a defensive juggernaut: On a per-game basis, the Kings allow the fewest goals, fewest expected goals, second-fewest shots on goal, second-fewest shot attempts, and fewest slot shots. They attack in waves; the Quinton Byfield-Anze Kopitar-Adrian Kempe line has been unreal, and Phillip Danault, Pierre-Luc Dubois, and Blake Lizotte are centering highly effective lines, too. Oh, and L.A.'s unheralded goaltending duo is, in a word, reliable.Vegas and Colorado are my No. 2 and No. 3 teams, respectively. The reigning champion Golden Knights - who lost only one key contributor, Reilly Smith, in the offseason - don't look any less dangerous than last year. The top of the Avalanche's lineup, meanwhile, continues to wreak havoc. The slight edge goes to Vegas because I trust their team defense and goaltending a teensy bit more.Dallas is the Western Conference's clear No. 4, and Vancouver rounds out the top five.Wegman: For me, the Golden Knights are No. 1 until proven otherwise.By leading the Western Conference in points - despite some notable injuries - they've done nothing to warrant removing them from that spot. As John noted above, they brought back virtually the same group that ran rampant through the rest of the NHL during the 2023 playoffs. Their physical brand of hockey makes them a tough out in the postseason.After Vegas, I have the Kings at No. 2, the Avalanche at No. 3, the Stars at No. 4, and the Canucks at a distant No. 5.I pondered having the Avalanche at No. 2, but their overall lack of depth is concerning to me (more so than Alexandar Georgiev's struggles).The Canucks, meanwhile, are coming down to earth with a 5-5-0 record in their last 10 games. I still think they're a playoff team, but I don't think they belong among the conference's elite.The All-Star Game draft is back. What other wrinkle should be added to the weekend? Mark Blinch / Getty ImagesMatisz: The league should tap into its NHL Edge tracking data and other statistical measures to determine participants in its skills competition.Rasmus Kupari, who reached a league-high top speed of 23.95 miles per hour earlier this season, should be in the fastest skater competition. Radko Gudas, the current leader in top shot speed at 101.7 mph, should compete for the hardest shot. Darcy Kuemper, unbeaten on 11 shootout and penalty shots, should be involved in whatever iteration of the shootout we see this year. And the list goes on.It'd also be neat if All-Star Weekend incorporated prospects somehow. Maybe an on-ice showcase for draft-eligible kids similar to the annual CHL Top Prospects Game - except it'd be broadcast on a night free of NHL games.Wegman: Enough with having one representative from each team. This isn't house league where everyone gets a participation ribbon. Frankly, there's no reason why someone from the Sharks should be an All-Star simply because they're the best player on the worst team. It takes a spot from a far more deserving player who just happens to be second- or third-best on his team.I have no issues with the draft format. It should make for good entertainment. But at a future All-Star game, I'd like to see the return of Team North America versus Team World, which was used from 1998-02. International bragging rights - even though All-Star games are basically scrimmages - are more meaningful than conference, or divisional, supremacy.You might see players try just a little bit harder.(Advanced stats courtesy Evolving-Hockey and Natural Stat Trick)Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Man, has the 2023-24 Calder Trophy race been fun so far or what?One thing has become clear through the first two months of the season: No one is interested in just handing Connor Bedard the hardware. He's going to have to work for it.There are four new faces on the list this time around as some rookies have caught fire while others have faded into the background a bit. Let's see where the first-year class stands heading into the long winter months.5. Marco Rossi, Wild Andre Ringuette / National Hockey League / GettyGPGPATOI2281416:10Rossi isn't the only Wild rookie making a name for himself this season, but we'll have more on that later.The 22-year-old Rossi currently ranks second among all rookies in both goals and points, trailing only Bedard. Rossi has done most of his work at even strength, pacing the Wild with seven goals and tying frequent linemate Mats Zuccarello with a team-leading 13 points. Perhaps it isn't a surprise then that Rossi sits third among all first-year players in goals per 60 minutes (1.46) and points per 60 (2.71) at five-on-five this campaign.Rossi began the season on Minnesota's third line but was elevated to the top line early last month. He's taken up a consistent position between Kirill Kaprizov and Zuccarello, and the trio has been a strong one for the Wild, dictating 63.6% of the expected goals while outscoring opponents 6-2 at five-on-five.The 2020 ninth overall pick's emergence becomes even more impressive when considering how much he's overcome throughout his young NHL career. A healthy Rossi's arrival is great news for hockey fans everywhere - especially those located in Minnesota.4. Joseph Woll, Maple Leafs Mark Blinch / National Hockey League / GettyGPSV%GAASO14 (8-5-1).9152.820The Maple Leafs have fallen short of expectations in 2023-24, but could you imagine how much worse their position in the Atlantic Division would be without Woll?The rookie wrestled the starting job from an abysmal Ilya Samsonov and has usually given Toronto quality goaltending. That can't be an easy job, either, given the injuries the team has suffered on its back end. He's faced the 14th most shots against (459) out of all goalies this season, but every netminder ahead of him has played in at least one more game. In addition, Woll has seen the ninth most high-danger shots (105) at five-on-five but owns a respectable .829 save percentage in those situations. He's also registered a sparkling .917 save percentage on the penalty kill.The 25-year-old ranks within the league's top 20 goaltenders (and first among rookies) in both goals saved above average (4.54) and goals saved above expected (7.43) at all strengths, while his save percentage is tied for 16th among all netminders to make at least five starts.Woll has helped plug a ton of holes for the Maple Leafs, but his life should get easier if general manager Brad Treliving sticks to his plan of acquiring another capable blue-liner.3. Luke Hughes, Devils Rich Graessle / National Hockey League / GettyGPGPATOI2231419:54Hughes' bread and butter is his offense, which he's already demonstrated in spades for the Devils this season. He currently leads all rookie defensemen in goals and points and is tied with Rossi and Logan Cooley for the second most points among all first-year skaters. He also paces the rookie class in goals above replacement (7.2) and wins above replacement (1.1).The 20-year-old is on track for 52 points, which is two more than what Moritz Seider got in 2021-22 when he won the Calder Trophy. If Hughes hits the 50-point mark, he'd be just the fourth rookie blue-liner to do so in the salary-cap era, joining Seider, Cale Makar, and older brother Quinn Hughes.The only thing stopping Hughes from being the highest-ranked defenseman on this edition of the rankings is his workload. He isn't matching up against opponents' best players on a nightly basis, but Hughes is performing well in his relatively sheltered minutes, which is really all he can do. New Jersey has dictated 58.3% of the shot attempts, 62% of the scoring chances, and 57.4% of the expected goals with Hughes on the ice at five-on-five. The Devils have been outscored 15-13 with Hughes off the bench, but their goalies have had a rough go this campaign.There's an opportunity for Hughes to step into a larger role with Dougie Hamilton out indefinitely. Let's see what he can do with more on his plate.2. Brock Faber, Wild Rich Graessle / National Hockey League / GettyGPGPATOI2211023:10Faber might be the league's most underrated rookie, so we're doing our part to end that narrative by putting him No. 2.The 21-year-old rearguard paces all first-year players in average ice time, and those minutes haven't been easy ones: Faber has consistently matched up against other teams' top lines while shining in a shutdown role. Despite his tough assignments, he leads the rookie class as a plus-7 and ranks sixth among all NHL blue-liners in defensive goals above replacement (3.5).His team has struggled this season, but Faber's impact can't be undersold. Minnesota has dominated with the youngster on the ice at five-on-five, controlling 56.6% of the expected goals while outscoring teams 23-14. For comparison, the Wild have been outscored 30-26 with Faber on the bench. Added to his plate are 2:38 minutes of shorthanded ice time per contest, as well as a bigger role on the power play under new head coach John Hynes. Faber rewarded Minnesota with his first point on the man advantage Sunday.It's no wonder the Wild trust Faber - he's given them no reason not to. Good defense usually doesn't get the job done when it comes to Calder Trophy voting, but Faber currently ranks third among all rookie defensemen in points. If the Wild can turn things around and re-enter the playoff picture, Faber will be key to their success.1. Connor Bedard, Blackhawks Bill Smith / National Hockey League / GettyGPGPATOI23112019:22We figured it wouldn't be long before Bedard ended up back in the top spot on these rankings. Excuse us for spreading the love a little last month. Putting him No. 1 every time would get a bit boring - for us and for you.Bedard really forced our hand this time around. The 2023 first overall pick is handily winning the rookie scoring race; he's three goals and six points clear of his peers in second place, and he paces the pack with a whopping 16 even-strength points. Few things paint the picture of his potential and talent clearer than when he became the youngest player since 1944 to record a four-point night in early November.The 18-year-old is on pace for around 40 goals in his first NHL campaign, which sounds impressive because it is. Only two other players have hit that plateau in their first season in the 2000s: all-time goals record-chaser Alex Ovechkin (2005-06) and two-time Maurice "Rocket" Richard Trophy winner Auston Matthews (2016-17).Luckily for the Blackhawks, Bedard has also proved more than capable of putting their offense on his back. He's accounted for about a fifth of Chicago's 56 goals this season, and he's only been held without a point on seven occasions. His consistency becomes even more admirable when you realize Bedard had a healthy Taylor Hall on his line for like, only 30 seconds.Keep an eye on:

We split our best bets to begin the week. The Lightning rebounded with a big win over the Stars, but the Hurricanes couldn't convert a 21-shot advantage into a victory.We'll take the split and set our sights higher with a couple of plays for Tuesday night's card.Rangers (-130) @ Senators (+110)The Rangers are a very good team riding a three-game winning streak.Although it doesn't necessarily reflect in their record, there are certainly warning signs beneath the surface that suggest they may be slowing down.Take the past four games, for example. The Rangers conceded 38 shots (and five goals) to the Sabres, were forced to come from behind against the Red Wings, were outshot 39-26 by the Predators, and squeaked out a one-goal victory against the Sharks. Not overly impressive.The level of play we've seen from them has tailed off, particularly on the defensive side of things.Dating back 10 games, the Rangers rank bottom-five in shots allowed per contest. Igor Shesterkin is as well-equipped as anybody to handle that kind of workload, but it's still not a recipe for sustained success.The Rangers are clearly giving up a lot right now and noticeably struggling with odd-man rushes against. For all the Senators' faults, they have a lot of talented forwards and team speed. I think they can exploit the weaknesses we've seen from the Rangers of late.The Rangers aren't going to continue winning 18 of every 23 contests. A three-games-in-four-nights situation on the road - while showing signs of loosening up defensively - seems like a prime letdown spot.Look for a hungry Senators team to grind out a much-needed victory.Bet: Senators (+110)Devils (-110) @ Canucks (-110)Slowly but surely, the Devils are getting healthy. Jack Hughes, Nico Hischier, and, most recently, Timo Meier all rejoined the lineup over the last couple of weeks, giving the Devils a full cast of characters up front.They now have a mix of high-end speed, skill, and game-breaking ability that few teams can match up against.Generating chances hasn't been an issue this season, and - fully healthy up front for the first time since the beginning of the year - the Devils should be able to finish at a high rate and make the most of them.Keeping the puck out has absolutely been a problem. Similarly to the Hurricanes, though, the Devils have done a good job at limiting shots and high-danger chances. They're just not getting saves.Vitek Vanecek and Akira Schmid don't exactly make for a highly-touted, name-brand goaltending duo, but they helped the Devils finish 11th in save percentage last year. Even if they played over their heads, and regression was inevitable, the pendulum has now swung too far the other way.The Devils should start getting saves at a higher clip sooner rather than later. If all else fails, they're now healthier and better equipped to outscore their problems.They've won three of the past four, their underlying metrics are very strong, and they're healthier than they've been in weeks, if not months. I see value in backing them in this spot.Odds: Devils (-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.

Calgary Flames goaltender Jacob Markstrom suffered a fractured finger during Monday's practice and will be out week-to-week, the team announced Tuesday.The injury won't require surgery.Netminder Dustin Wolf has been recalled from the AHL in a corresponding move.Markstrom has posted an .896 save percentage and a 2.94 goals against average in 16 games this season. His numbers below the surface are more impressive, as he ranks fifth among NHL goalies with 10.47 goals saved above expected, per Evolving-Hockey.Wolf is the two-time reigning AHL goalie of the year. He owns a .920 save percentage in 13 games in the minors this season. The 22-year-old projects to split starts with Dan Vladar in Markstrom's absence.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Headlined by the battle of the Hughes brothers, we have an exciting slate of games ahead of us on Tuesday night.Let's take a closer look at a few of my favorite props.Jeff Skinner over 3.5 shotsSkinner is a certified monster on home ice. He's averaging 4.2 shots on nearly eight attempts per game.That's translated to great success, as he's gone over his shot total in eight of 11 games in Buffalo. The exceptions came against the Rangers, Flyers, and Canadiens. The former two sides are good at suppressing shots, while Skinner came up just one puck short against Montreal.I like his chances of having another big performance against the Red Wings. Skinner's line is being centered by the underrated Casey Mittelstadt. He is a pass-happy player who sits tied for fifth in the NHL in five-on-five assists. He'll be looking to get Skinner the puck every chance he gets.The Red Wings are also a mediocre defensive side that tends to give up more volume on the road. With the Sabres in desperate need of a win, I expect them to lean heavily on Skinner in this game.Odds: +105 (playable to -125)Jack Hughes over 4.5 shotsHughes has taken things up a notch since returning from injury. He's played in five games and generated no fewer than six shots on goal in any of them.Hughes has piled up 39 shots and 60 attempts over that five-game span, which equates to nearly eight shots and 10 attempts per contest. Remarkable volume.I expect Hughes to continue firing at will against the Canucks. For one, the Devils started the season surprisingly slow and need all the points they can get. That means Hughes will see an insane workload so long as this game is remotely close.Hughes will also have some extra pep in his step playing against his older brother, Quinn Hughes. Jack has at least two points in four straight games against the Canucks and combined to generate 22 shots on goal over the last three meetings.This version of the Canucks is the best Jack has seen, but even so, the matchup doesn't matter to him. He's a serious threat every night, regardless of the opponent.Odds: -115 (playable to -140)Quinn Hughes over 2.5 shotsHughes started the season red-hot but has since gone under his shot total in eight of 13 games. While he's cooled off in terms of generating volume, most of that has come on the road.He remains ultra-efficient on home ice, where he's registered three shots or more in nine of 11 appearances this season. The two failures came against the Kraken and the Golden Knights - two teams known for slowing games down and keeping the action as low-event as possible.The Devils are certainly not like that. They play exciting offensive hockey, and their games tend to feature a ton of pace. That bodes well for a player like Hughes, who'll log a ton of minutes and often have the puck on his stick.Odds: -102 (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.

The five most recent Stanley Cup winners have nothing on the red-hot Arizona Coyotes.The Desert Dogs blew out the Washington Capitals 6-0 on Monday night to complete an improbable win streak against championship teams dating back to 2018.Here's a look at the Coyotes' dominance throughout the schedule quirk:Team (Date)Championship yearResult forCoyotesGolden Knights (Nov. 25)20232-0Lightning (Nov. 28)2020/20213-1Avalanche (Nov. 30)20224-3 (OT)Blues (Dec. 2)20194-1Capitals (Dec. 4)20186-0The Coyotes are the first team in NHL history to win consecutive games against the past five champions when repeat winners aren't counted twice, according to Sportradar.Netminder Connor Ingram was in net for all five victories. The 26-year-old has been sensational for Arizona this season, entering Monday's win with a 10-3-0 record and a .925 save percentage. The clean sheet against Washington marked his second shutout of the campaign.The Coyotes' heater brings them to 13-9-2 on the year so far, good for the top wild-card spot in the Western Conference. Arizona last made the playoffs in the 2020 bubble but hasn't qualified for the playoffs in a full season since 2012.Arizona's run against champions comes to an end Thursday against the Philadelphia Flyers, who haven't won the Stanley Cup since 1975.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The NHL projects the salary cap will be around $87.7 million in 2024-25, the league announced during Monday's Board of Governors meeting, according to TSN's Pierre LeBrun.That estimation lines up with the range Gary Bettman provided ahead of the 2023-24 campaign. In early October, the NHL commissioner informed owners that very preliminary projections suggested the cap would increase to an amount between $87 and $88 million for next season.The salary cap remained stuck at $81.5 million from 2019 to 2022 before rising by $1 million in each of the last two campaigns. General managers have $83.5 million at their disposal this season.The latest projection represents an increase of $4.2 million, just shy of the league's $4.5-million bump prior to the 2018-19 campaign.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Washington Capitals made center Evgeny Kuznetsov a healthy scratch Monday against the Arizona Coyotes, head coach Spencer Carbery announced before the game per the Washington Post's Bailey Johnson.Carbery said Kuznetsov needs a "mental reset."The club without Kuznetsov lined up as follows:

We have a fun six-game slate on the docket to begin the week. Let's take a closer look at the best ways to attack it.Stars (-115) @ Lightning (-105)I think this is a great buy-low spot for the Lightning. Although the Bolts have dropped four consecutive games and five of the last eight, I think they are playing a lot better than their record indicates.At five-on-five, Tampa Bay generated 2.81 expected goals per 60 minutes over the past eight games. That is a very healthy mark for any team. Despite all the shooting talent the Lightning possess, those outputs have translated to only 1.75 goals per 60 minutes. That's more than a full puck difference.We have seen a similar story between the pipes. The Bolts have conceded 2.34 expected goals per 60, which slots them a hair outside the top 10. That has converted into 3.55 actual goals, a higher rate than all but the Ducks and Blues.Put another way, the Lightning are not scoring as much as they deserve, and the chances they concede are ending up in the back of the net far too frequently.That is not going to continue forever, especially with Andrei Vasilevskiy back in the fray.Dallas completely embarrassed Tampa Bay last time out, winning 8-1 and leading from the first minute onwards.I don't think that sat well with Jon Cooper and an experienced Lightning team used to dishing out rather than taking. Expect a much better effort, and perhaps some positive regression, from the Lightning in a game where a win is needed.Bet: Lightning (-105)Hurricanes (-125) @ Jets (+105)The Hurricanes are a little underrated right now. I don't think they're getting enough respect for the powerhouse that they are. They rank fifth in the league in wins, and that is with the NHL's worst team save percentage. Yes, worst.They have absolutely dominated teams at five-on-five. They generate chances in bulk while giving up very little. Their power play ranks in the top half of the league in scoring efficiency. Their penalty kill is elite. I could go on.Top to bottom, the Hurricanes are playing like a legitimate Stanley Cup contender. They're just not getting any saves.While it is easy to point at their lack of a name-brand goaltender and say they're getting what they deserve, the Hurricanes used the exact same trio last season and finished top 15 in total save percentage. It's not as if they're putting everything on false hope.With how well the Hurricanes limit chances, they don't even need their goaltenders to be good. They just can't be this bad.That shouldn't be an issue against the Jets. They are a middle-of-the-pack team in terms of shot and goal generation and don't have many high-end finishers.If the Hurricanes get semi-respectable goaltending, they have a strong chance of winning.The Hurricanes are absolutely tormenting teams at five-on-five right now, while the Jets rank 20th in expected goals share over the past couple of weeks. Getting Gabriel Vilardi back in the lineup helps, for sure, but it'll take some time before he's firing on all cylinders.Look for the Hurricanes to grind out a road win against a solid Jets side.Bet: Hurricanes (-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.

Tuesday's game between the Vancouver Canucks and New Jersey Devils will see all three Hughes brothers play in the same contest for the first time in the NHL."Of course, you dream you're going to play with your brothers in the NHL one day," Jack, the middle brother of the three, told NHL.com's Mike Morreale. "You're in the basement, hanging out, playing, but you never really think it's going to become a reality. For it to happen, it's definitely pretty wild. It's three kids in one game."Jack and his older brother Quinn first faced off in the NHL on Oct. 19, 2019. The youngest of the trio, Luke, was 16 at the time."I definitely didn't expect something like this to happen when we were kids, but it's really cool," Luke said. "That's the dedication shown by our parents. ... How hard they worked and how hard the three of us worked too. It's going to be fun."Tuesday's meeting will be the ninth time in league history that three brothers play in the same game, most recently done by Eric, Jordan, and Marc Staal on April 13. But Luke added that Tuesday will be the first time all three Hughes brothers play in an organized game at any level."We probably talked about it as kids playing mini sticks and stuff," Quinn said. "But as far as this year, they're going to want two points, I'm going to want two points, and everyone's worried about their individual game."Jack pointed out the contest will be particularly special for Luke, who models his game after his oldest brother."I think Quinn's obviously the guy (Luke's) looked up to his whole life," Jack said. "I've played Quinn before, Quinn's played me, but those two have never played against each other, so I think they'll have a lot of fun. I think Luke will get a good kick out of it, for sure."Parents Ellen and Jim will be in attendance at Vancouver's Rogers Arena, with more friends and family set to take in the Jan. 6 meeting between the Canucks and Devils in New Jersey.The two older Hughes brothers have been exceptional this season, and the youngest is on a comparable trajectory. Quinn is tied for the league lead in scoring among defenders with 34 points in 25 contests, while Jack boasts a league-high point-per-game rate with 30 points in 17 games. Luke ranks second in rookie scoring and is tops among freshmen defenders.Puck drop for the "Hughes Bowl" is at 10 p.m. ET Tuesday.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

We picked up a clean sweep with our player props Friday night, with Jack Hughes and Thomas Chabot going over their shot totals, while Dawson Mercer got a point.We'll look to pick up where we left off with a few of my favorite props for Monday's fruitful slate.Cam Atkinson: Over 2.5 shotsAtkinson has been as consistent as anyone this season. He's averaging 3.2 shots on goal per game and has cleared his line in 17 of 24 appearances, including a remarkable 10 of 12 (83%) on home ice.The Flyers winger can find success against anyone, not just teams that bleed shots like the Blue Jackets and Sharks.Atkinson registered at least three shots against the Golden Knights, Kings, Devils, Hurricanes, and Rangers over the past 10 games. Those sides excel at limiting shots, yet Atkinson recorded four or more in four of those matchups.I expect him to continue his success against the Penguins on Monday night. They've quietly given up a lot of shot volume of late, averaging a hair under 33 shots allowed per game over the last 10. Only seven teams have given up more.With home ice in his back pocket and an advantageous shooting matchup, Atkinson should make noise.Odds: -130 (playable to -150)Brayden Point: Over 2.5 shotsPoint is a completely different player at home - at least in terms of shooting the puck.The Lightning's star pivot recorded three shots or more in nine of 12 games in Tampa Bay, averaging a healthy 3.3 per contest. That's a stark contrast from the 2.3 average he's managed on the road.Point has a sneaky good matchup to stay hot at home. Although the Stars are a strong defensive team, they're susceptible to giving up volume against opposing centers. They rank bottom 10 in shots against versus the position.I also like that there's plenty of motivation for the Lightning in this game. They've dropped four in a row, falling out of the playoffs as a result. They were also just embarrassed by the Stars last time out.Dallas really needs a win and will be out for revenge against a team that just thumped it 8-1. We should see a steady dose of Point in this one, giving him ample opportunity to fire a few pucks on net.Odds: -130 (playable to -150)Alex Ovechkin: Over 3.5 shotsOvechkin has become very matchup-dependent at this stage of his career. To generate the kind of volume we saw nightly for nearly two decades, he needs a weak shot-suppression defense and power-play opportunities. The Coyotes check both boxes.While they've won a lot of games of late, that has more to do with stellar goaltending from Connor Ingram than improved defensive play. They're tied for 27th in shots against per game over the last eight.The Coyotes also take a lot of penalties. Only seven teams have taken more minors per game, and they're 28th in shot suppression while undermanned.Put another way, Arizona spends a lot of time in the box and gives up shots in bulk on the penalty kill. That should greatly benefit Ovechkin, who generates a lot of his volume on the power play.Look for the Capitals star to get back on track in this one.Odds: -110 (playable to -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 Winnipeg Jets signed winger Nino Niederreiter to a three-year extension with an average annual value of $4 million, the club announced Monday.The 31-year-old is making $4 million per season on his current contract too. The new deal keeps him in Winnipeg through his age-34 campaign.Niederreiter has produced six goals, eight assists, and 27 hits in 23 games this season while playing on Winnipeg's third-line checking unit alongside Adam Lowry and Mason Appleton.The Jets acquired Niederreiter ahead of the 2023 trade deadline from the Nashville Predators in exchange for a second-round pick.The New York Islanders selected him fifth overall at the 2010 NHL Draft. He's also played for the Minnesota Wild and Carolina Hurricanes in his 13-year career. His most productive season came in 2016-17 with the Wild when he recorded 25 goals and 57 points.Winnipeg now has just two key pending unrestricted free agents remaining in defensemen Brenden Dillon and Dylan DeMelo. The club already signed top center Mark Scheifele and starting goalie Connor Hellebuyck to matching seven-year, $59.5-million extensions before the start of the campaign.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

This is the fourth in-season edition of theScore's NHL Power Rankings for the 2023-24 campaign. Check back for updated rankings every other Monday.In this edition, we look at each team's biggest surprise so far this season.1. New York Rangers (18-4-1)Previous rank: 3Jonathan Quick turns back the clock. Quick struggled mightily in 2022-23, culminating with the Los Angeles Kings trading the franchise icon in a cap dump. Nobody saw a .918 save percentage and 7-0-1 record coming for the 37-year-old upon arriving in New York. His re-emergence has taken some of the workload off Igor Shesterkin.2. Boston Bruins (17-4-3)Previous rank: 1No. 1 in the Atlantic. You'd be hard-pressed to find a Bruins fan who didn't think Boston would take a step back after a record-setting 2022-23, especially without Patrice Bergeron and David Krejci in the picture. But here are the Bruins atop their division again. It's business as usual.3. Vegas Golden Knights (16-5-4)Previous rank: 2No Cup hangover. The Golden Knights haven't missed a beat since hoisting the Stanley Cup in June. Vegas rattled off seven straight wins to commence the campaign, and Adin Hill looks as dominant as he did in the postseason. If any team were expected to have a Cup hangover, you'd think it would be the club from Vegas.4. Los Angeles Kings (14-4-3)Previous rank: 5Cam Talbot. The Kings have one of the deepest rosters in the NHL, but a massive question mark in net left many uneasy about Los Angeles' chances this season. Talbot has posted a .930 save percentage in 16 games, and his resurgent campaign has helped push the Kings into the top three in the league by points percentage.5. Dallas Stars (14-5-3) Glenn James / National Hockey League / GettyPrevious rank: 8Wyatt Johnston. The 20-year-old has never heard of a sophomore slump, apparently. He only knows a sophomore surge. Johnston ranks fourth on the Stars with 17 points and second with nine goals in 22 games. At the rate he's going, he'll smash his offensive output from his rookie year (24 tallies, 41 points in 82 games).6. Vancouver Canucks (16-8-1)Previous rank: 4Just ... all of it. No, really, take your pick. Quinn Hughes' Norris Trophy-worthy season. Elias Pettersson's Hart Trophy-worthy season. Thatcher Demko's Vezina Trophy-worthy season. The list goes on and on. We all knew these guys were good, but they are rolling right now. And the Canucks are moving right along with them.7. Colorado Avalanche (15-7-2)Previous rank: 7Alexandar Georgiev's swift decline. After starting the season with six consecutive victories, Colorado's No. 1 netminder has gone 7-6-1 with a .884 save percentage.8. Carolina Hurricanes (14-8-1)Previous rank: 11Goaltending woes. Coming into the season, you couldn't find a team that was three goaltenders deep like the Hurricanes. Two months into the campaign, Frederik Andersen's out for the foreseeable future, while Pyotr Kochetkov and Antti Raanta sport abysmal sub-.890 save percentages.9. Florida Panthers (14-8-2)Previous rank: 6Matthew Tkachuk's scoring struggles. After dominating the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs, the talented pest has struggled to find the back of the net through the first two months of the new season. He scored just four times in 24 contests and ended a lengthy 10-game goal drought with a tally Saturday.10. Toronto Maple Leafs (12-6-4) Kevin Sousa / NHL / Getty ImagesPrevious rank: 10Lack of regulation wins. The Maple Leafs finished with the third-most regulation victories in each of the past two seasons, so it's surprising that Sheldon Keefe's squad is having a hard time handling its business in 60 minutes this campaign. Toronto has just five regulation wins, tied with the Blackhawks and Kraken.11. Detroit Red Wings (13-7-3)Previous rank: 15Patrick Kane pickup. GM Steve Yzerman and the Red Wings have shown they mean business by signing the coveted unrestricted free-agent winger. Detroit holds the third spot in the Atlantic Division and will have its eye on snapping a seven-year playoff drought.12. Winnipeg Jets (13-8-2)Previous rank: 9Resilience. The Jets came out of a rumor-filled offseason with new life. Head coach Rick Bowness recently praised his team's tighter culture, and we're seeing exactly what he sees. The proof: Winnipeg went 9-2-2 during Bowness' month-long absence. That's cohesion, baby.13. Washington Capitals (12-7-2)Previous rank: 12Alex Ovechkin's plummeting pursuit of Gretzky. If you were told during the preseason that the Capitals would be in a playoff spot come December, you'd likely anticipate Ovechkin being amid another remarkable goal-scoring campaign. But that isn't the case - his five goals in 21 games don't even have him on pace for 20 this season.14. New Jersey Devils (11-10-1)Previous rank: 16Key injuries. The trio of Jack Hughes, Nico Hischier, and Dougie Hamilton missed a combined five games last season. However, they've already sat out 18 contests this campaign due to injuries. Hughes and Hischier are at least back in the lineup now, but Hamilton is out indefinitely. Ouch.15. Tampa Bay Lightning (10-10-5) Mark LoMoglio / National Hockey League / GettyPrevious rank: 13Goals against. The Bolts were expected to be in tough without Andrei Vasilevskiy to start the season, but nobody could have foreseen Tampa Bay ranking 31st with 93 goals against. No player on the Lightning is above zero in plus-minus this season.16. Pittsburgh Penguins (11-10-2)Previous rank: 17Dismal power play. Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Jake Guentzel, Erik Karlsson, Kris Letang. A man advantage featuring that collection of players somehow ranks in the bottom five of the NHL. The Penguins need to start operating above a 10.9% clip on the power play and do it quickly.17. Arizona Coyotes (12-9-2)Previous rank: 21Connor Ingram takes starting gig. After Karel Vejmelka played 50-plus games over each of his first two NHL seasons, everyone anticipated the Czech native would again be the guy for the Coyotes. Well, everyone except for Ingram. The 26-year-old has been superb with a .926 save percentage. As a result, Arizona is rewarding him.18. New York Islanders (10-7-6)Previous rank: 24Poor penalty kill. Success while down a skater has been a hallmark of Islanders hockey in recent years, but New York's penalty kill ranks 31st at a paltry 72.6%.19. Philadelphia Flyers (12-10-2)Previous rank: 14Underlying numbers. Expectations for the Flyers this season were universally microscopic. However, Philly is sneakily playing some quality hockey, ranking fifth in expected goal share (54%) and third in expected goals against per 60 minutes (2.33).20. St. Louis Blues (12-10-1) Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / GettyPrevious rank: 18Jordan Binnington. The Blues' oft-angered netminder looked to be at a major career crossroads after producing his worst season yet in 2022-23. He's rebounded nicely with a .910 clip and 3.6 goals saved above average this campaign.21. Calgary Flames (10-11-3)Previous rank: 25Jonathan Huberdeau's struggles continue. After a 60-point drop in production upon Huberdeau's arrival in Calgary, a coaching change was hoped to rejuvenate the talented playmaker. But Ryan Huska hasn't managed to help Huberdeau find his form again, as the forward's scoring rate is even lower than a season ago. His minus-11 is also the worst on the team.22. Nashville Predators (12-12-0)Previous rank: 28Juuse Saros. The backbone of the Predators hasn't been himself yet this season. After three consecutive campaigns earning Vezina Trophy votes, Saros is struggling to a .900 save percentage with minus-2.07 goals saved above average.23. Edmonton Oilers (9-12-1)Previous rank: 29Connor Brown. To say everything about the Oilers' start would be low-hanging fruit, so we'll single out Brown. He was widely expected to be a key bargain signing and perhaps even ride shotgun to old junior teammate Connor McDavid, but he's managed a single assist in 16 games this season.24. Minnesota Wild (8-10-4)Previous rank: 27Soap-opera start. There have been faulty goaltending performances, underperforming stars, a meeting with their very disappointed GM, a fired coach, and now a three-game winning streak under their new bench boss, John Hynes. The Wild aren't lacking for drama, but they are lacking victories.25. Ottawa Senators (9-10-0) Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / GettyPrevious rank: 19Not enough progress. This is supposed to be the season the Senators enter the playoff mix, but Ottawa finds itself facing an uphill battle past the schedule's quarter mark. Although the Sens hold several games in hand, they're eight points back of a wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference.26. Buffalo Sabres (10-13-2)Previous rank: 23Devon Levi not the answer (yet). Expectations for Levi as a rookie netminder were astronomically high coming into the campaign. Many pegged him as the man to take over the Sabres' crease and lead Buffalo back to the playoffs. After nine games and a dismal .876 save percentage, a demotion to the AHL will hopefully help the 21-year-old find his game again.27. Montreal Canadiens (10-11-3)Previous rank: 26Josh Anderson's cold spell. The speedy power forward has been a 20-goal threat when healthy for most of his career, but he's stuck on zero this season through 24 appearances. His shots per-game rate is also well below his lifetime average, sitting at 1.92 compared to 2.3.28. Seattle Kraken (8-11-6)Previous rank: 22Sputtering offense. Thanks to a well-balanced approach, Seattle finished fourth in goals last season en route to its first-ever playoff berth. However, the Kraken currently own the 24th-ranked attack this campaign and have only four forwards with more than five goals.29. Anaheim Ducks (10-14-0)Previous rank: 20Roller-coaster ride of a season. We thought the Ducks would be pretty bad, but their first two months of the campaign have been more up-and-down than expected. Anaheim was on a high with a six-game win streak before falling back down to earth with eight consecutive losses. Please stop, we're getting nauseous.30. Columbus Blue Jackets (8-14-4) Ben Jackson / National Hockey League / GettyPrevious rank: 31Johnny Gaudreau. Even though the Blue Jackets underwhelmed in the standings last season, Gaudreau still operated at just under a point per game. This season? An astonishingly low 13 points in 26 contests, a far cry from his near Hart Trophy form two seasons ago.31. Chicago Blackhawks (7-16-0)Previous rank: 30Kevin Korchinski. Connor Bedard isn't the only rookie impressing in the Windy City. Korchinski isn't generating as many headlines, but the 19-year-old defenseman has racked up two goals and seven points in 23 games while averaging 19:27 of ice time per contest. Not bad for a guy who's never seen any AHL action.32. San Jose Sharks (6-17-2)Previous rank: 32Modest turnaround. All hope appeared to be lost when the Sharks allowed 10 goals in back-to-back games to fall to 0-10-1, but San Jose is a respectable 6-7-1 since its nightmarish start.(Analytics sources: Evolving Hockey, Natural Stat Trick)Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Colorado Avalanche superstar Cale Makar was unavailable to suit up for Sunday's clash against the Los Angeles Kings due to a lower-body injury, head coach Jared Bednar announced pregame.Makar missed the final few minutes of regulation and the entire overtime during Saturday's shootout loss to the Anaheim Ducks.Bednar said he didn't know if Makar would miss time beyond Sunday's game, according to the Denver Post's Corey Masisak. The Avalanche play the Ducks again Tuesday.Makar's appeared in all of Colorado's 23 games this season prior to Sunday's contest, leading the club with 34 points while averaging more than 24 minutes of ice time per outing. Multiple ailments limited the 2022 Norris and Conn Smythe winner to 60 appearances last season.Sunday's tilt between the Avalanche and Kings featured two of the best teams in the Western Conference. Both clubs entered the marquee matchup having won seven of their past 10 games, but Los Angeles prevailed with a convincing 4-1 victory.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Buffalo Sabres forward Dylan Cozens provided an honest critique of his team after its 6-2 loss against the Carolina Hurricanes on Saturday."We're too easy to play against, and we need to get a little 'F you' in our game," Cozens said, according to Buffalo News' Mike Harrington. "I think we had more of that last year."We're way too soft this year. I feel like we don't kill plays. We kind of get bullied. ... We need to finish more checks, be harder to play against, stronger on puck battles. We need to kill plays in the defensive zone."The 22-year-old noted that he needs to be "way better to help turn things around." Cozens has four goals and 11 points in 22 games amid the first season of his seven-year, $49.7-million contract signed in February 2023.The Sabres remain without star forward Tage Thompson due to an upper-body injury. Jack Quinn has yet to play this season because of an Achilles injury.Saturday's loss dropped the Sabres to 10-12-2 on the campaign and 3-6-1 in their last 10 contests. Buffalo is last in the Atlantic Division by points percentage after narrowly missing the playoffs a season ago.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Toronto Maple Leafs tried to land defensemen Chris Tanev and Nikita Zadorov from the Calgary Flames before the latter was dealt to the Vancouver Canucks earlier this week, Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman reported during Saturday's "Headlines" segment on Hockey Night in Canada.The would-be deal fell apart due to salary cap restraints, Friedman added."From what I understand, the issue here was that the Maple Leafs and the Flames could not agree on what it would cost for Calgary to keep up to 50% of the salary on both players," he said."The two sides couldn't figure out that compensation, in addition to just the compensation for the players."The Maple Leafs currently have approximately $2.9 million in available money, per CapFriendly, while the Flames have $4.2 million.Zadorov was ultimately dealt to Vancouver for two draft picks. Both he and Tanev are unrestricted free agents next summer. Tanev remains a trade target with the Flames struggling in the standings.The Maple Leafs are still in pursuit of help on the blue line after missing out on Zadorov, according to Friedman, preferring a right-handed shot.Toronto is currently without regulars Timothy Liljegren, Mark Giordano, and John Klingberg due to injury.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Nashville Predators have given defenseman Tyson Barrie permission to talk to other teams to facilitate a trade, Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman reports.Barrie's anticipated to be a healthy scratch Saturday against the New York Rangers.The 32-year-old has zero goals and nine points in 22 games this season with Nashville. Barrie's 18:51 average ice time is his lowest since 2013-14.Barrie was acquired by the Predators before last year's trade deadline as a cap dump from the Edmonton Oilers in the Mattias Ekholm deal. He collected 13 goals and 55 points in 85 games last season. The blue-liner played three more contests than a standard campaign length because of the trade, tying the NHL record for most games in a season.With the Oilers, Barrie led all defensemen in scoring during the abbreviated 2020-21 campaign with 48 points in 56 contests.Barrie is in the final season of a three-year contract that carries a $4.5-million cap hit. He'll be an unrestricted free agent after the 2023-24 campaign.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The IIHF agreed to make neck protection mandatory for the World Junior Championship and the Men's U18 World Championship, according to TSN's Darren Dreger.No decision has been made regarding the Men's and Women's World Championships, Dreger adds.Neck guards have been a topic of discussion ever since former Pittsburgh Penguins player Adam Johnson died in October after his neck was accidentally sliced by an opposing player's skate in England's EIHL.Although it only recently became mandated in the WHL, neck protection has been mandatory in the OHL and QMJHL for years. The NCAA and USA Hockey do not enforce any mandates.The NHL has no regulations in place, either, although several players have started to wear neck guards voluntarily in the wake of Johnson's death.The 2024 World Junior Championship begins Boxing Day in Sweden.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The NHL passed the quarter mark of the 2023-24 season earlier this week.As expected, goal-scoring continues to rule. The per-game average (6.3) is tied with 2022-23 and 2005-06 as the highest of the 21st century.As expected, comeback wins are prominent. There were 62 third-period comebacks through Monday, tied for third-most at this stage of a season.Expected is cool. Unexpected is better.Let's check in on four unexpected trends at the team and player levels.Pens' power play a mess Kirk Irwin / Getty ImagesThe Penguins last scored on the power play three weeks ago Saturday.Over nine games, Pittsburgh's heavily used top unit, led by future Hall of Famers Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, and Erik Karlsson, has failed to convert on 21 man-advantage opportunities while allowing a goal against.Overall, the Penguins have bagged only seven goals in 59 opportunities. Their 11.9% success rate - down 10 percentage points from last year - ranks 27th in the NHL.It's perplexing given the personnel. The top unit also features Jake Guentzel, perhaps the most underrated offensive player of his generation, and one of Bryan Rust, Reilly Smith, or Rickard Rakell.So, what gives? Just about everything.For instance, in five opportunities against the Rangers on Nov. 22, Pittsburgh had trouble completing basic tape-to-tape passes and struggled to enter the offensive zone with control of the puck. When the Pens did manage to set up, New York predicted every move, leading to blocked shots and easy clears.The zone-entry problem lingered against Toronto three days later. The Pens tried dumping the puck in, but penalty killers beat them on the retrieval. They tried to force seam passes high in the offensive zone - no dice. Justin Berl / Getty ImagesOne major theme throughout the 0-for-21 drought: the net-front guy is barely a factor. He often fails to take away the goalie's sightlines, and not enough pucks are getting to the net overall. The action's too much on the perimeter, making life easy on the penalty kill. There are no rebounds.All that said, I don't think Pittsburgh's power play is hopeless.The personnel's too talented to be this bad for a full season, and the 11-10-1 Pens are actually generating a decent amount of power-play offense. Pittsburgh ranks fourth in PP shot attempts per 60 minutes, fifth in PP shots on goal per 60, and second in PP expected goals per 60. Further: Pittsburgh ranks 30th in the league in total PP time. Drawing an extra penalty or two every game would relieve the pressure on each opportunity and, in a perfect world, help build momentum.Each member of the top unit looks frustrated. They're probably overthinking it. If I were coach Mike Sullivan, I'd either sub in Kris Letang for Karlsson or have the star blue-liners co-run the top unit. Shuffling the deck is worth a try.Reinhart pushing for RocketSam Reinhart and Nikita Kucherov are currently tied for second in the NHL with 15 goals. Interestingly, Reinhart tops Kucherov and 17-goal man Brock Boeser in a different category: percentage of team goals scored.Reinhart's scored 21.7% of all Panthers goals - a remarkably high rate 23 games into the season. (He has 13 assists, too.) The only player challenging for the Rocket Richard Trophy with a higher percentage than Reinhart is Frank Vatrano, whose 14 tallies account for 22.2% of Ducks goals. Icon Sportswire / Getty ImagesReinhart, a career 14.6% shooter, is hitting on an absurd 25.9% of his shots; he's skating a career-high 20:41 a game; and seven of his goals have been scored on the power play.So, yes, Reinhart's 82-game pace - 53 goals, or 20 more than his previous best - is deceiving. He's riding the percentages a bit.Still, the 6-2, 193-pound forward generally comes by his production honestly. He's a true master of the fundamentals.Coaches at all levels instruct forwards to stop at the net at the end of a rush - Reinhart does this every single time. He's strong on his skates, takes very efficient routes in all three zones, and cycles the puck extraordinarily well.He has what coaches call a "good stick," especially on special teams. He extends his stick into passing and shooting lanes on the penalty kill and, as shown in the clip below, subtly presents it to teammates on the power play:

New Jersey Devils defenseman Dougie Hamilton is out indefinitely after undergoing surgery on a torn pectoral muscle, the team announced Friday.In addition, forward Tomas Nosek is also set for a spell on the sideline after re-aggravating a foot injury that caused him to miss 10 games earlier this season. Neither player has a set timeline for when they'll return.Hamilton was injured during Tuesday's win over the New York Islanders. He's put up 16 points in 20 games this year while averaging nearly 21 minutes per contest.With Hamilton out and fellow blue-liner Brendan Smith serving a two-game suspension, the Devils recalled 2022 second overall pick Simon Nemec from the AHL for Friday's contest against the San Jose Sharks.The 19-year-old has yet to play a regular-season NHL game but has managed eight points across 13 games in the minors in 2023-24.Along with Nemec's debut, Timo Meier returned to the lineup against his former club after missing seven games with a lower-body injury.The Devils have been hit hard by injuries so far this season, previously losing star forwards Nico Hischier and Jack Hughes for extended periods of time. New Jersey has managed an 11-9-1 record so far despite the absences.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Connor Bedard spoke Friday on the recent social media rumors that consumed the Chicago Blackhawks leading up to Corey Perry's contract termination."It's just a bunch of B.S. on the internet," Bedard said, per Ben Pope of the Chicago Sun-Times. "It's, of course, been an effect on myself and my family, and that's not fair. But it's out of our control. It's all just fake, made-up stuff."Before the Blackhawks cut ties with Perry for "unacceptable" conduct in violation of his contract and the organization's internal policies, unsubstantiated rumors about the veteran winger's involvement with a member of Bedard's family ran rampant on the internet.Chicago general manager Kyle Davidson called the speculation "disgusting," and Perry denied the theories in an apology.Bedard also addressed Perry's dismissal from the team."Obviously, it's a tough situation," Bedard said, according to Sportsnet. "But I don't need to speak on anything too much."He added: "Obviously, what happened with Perry was serious. I think the first concern is that he's OK, and his family are."Bedard has racked up 18 points in 21 games to start his NHL career and was named the league's Rookie of the Month for November.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Saturday will be an extremely busy day in the NHL as 26 of the league's 32 teams take the ice.Let's look closer at a couple of cold Western Conference teams that could return to the win column on the road.Kraken @ SenatorsDec. 2, 7 p.m. ETI'm expecting some value on the road team here. The Senators are in action Friday night and will almost certainly start Joonas Korpisalo. Not only are they desperate for points, but they're also taking on Korpisalo's former team in the Blue Jackets. It's the perfect storm.Korpisalo playing Friday would very likely mean Anton Forsberg starts Saturday night in Ottawa, which would be a welcome sight for a Kraken team struggling to score goals.Forsberg has been one of the league's worst goaltenders this season. He owns an .850 save percentage and ranks dead last in goals saved above expected per start.The Kraken are dealing with some injuries but have always been built off depth rather than relying on one or two players to do all the heavy lifting.They still have Jared McCann, Matty Beniers, Jordan Eberle, Oliver Bjorkstrand, and Eeli Tolvanen, among others, at full health.That's more than enough talent to give the Senators problems. Ottawa is a subpar team when it comes to limiting shots and scoring chances. Factor in its struggling goaltender and the fact that it's playing in a back-to-back against a fresh Kraken team, and things could get messy.I like the Kraken at anything close to even money.Canucks @ FlamesDec. 2, 10 p.m. ETThe Canucks hit a bit of a roadblock. They dropped five of the past eight games, with the only wins coming against the Sharks, Ducks, and Kraken.That said, I think the pendulum has swung a little too far on them right now. They were always going to regress following a start to the season in which absolutely everything went right. That the percentages have leveled out a little bit and they've lost a few games doesn't mean they're suddenly a bad team.Vancouver ranks top 10 in expected goals for percentage at five-on-five over the last eight games. That's translated to 48.31% of the actual goals, good for 21st in the league.The team is largely playing better than its record indicates. With a strong five-on-five profile, a dangerous power play, and Thatcher Demko between the pipes, it's only a matter of time before it starts winning games more consistently.The Flames are a pesky side under head coach Ryan Huska. They lack the horses that can break games open, though, and sit 19th in xGF% over the last two weeks.Calgary is essentially playing at the caliber of a bubble team. I think this is a good opportunity to buy low on a Canucks outfit looking to dig its feed in the ground on Hockey Night in Canada.I expect the Canucks to open around even money in this game and would play them up 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.

New Jersey Devils defenseman Brendan Smith was suspended two games for slashing Philadelphia Flyers forward Travis Konecny, the NHL Department of Player Safety announced Friday.Konecny, meanwhile, was fined $5,000 for cross-checking Smith.Here's the play from Thursday's meeting between the divisional foes:

We only have a two-game slate on Friday. Let's dig into the best ways to attack it.Thomas Chabot over 2.5 shotsChabot is expected to return to the lineup on Friday night. He'll be a welcome addition to a Senators team that's in the basement of the Eastern Conference.Before his injury, Chabot was averaging better than 24 minutes per game. I don't think bench boss DJ Smith, who is likely coaching for his job right now, will hesitate to give his workhorse defenseman a ton of ice time.It's certainly a great matchup for Chabot to jump back into. The Blue Jackets rank 29th in shots against per game this season and are one of the worst teams at limiting opposing defensemen. Only the Sharks, Islanders, and Coyotes have allowed more shots per game against the position.The Blue Jackets' defensive profile was similar a season ago and Chabot took full advantage, piling up 12 shots on goal in three clashes.Look for another active offensive performance this time around.Jack Hughes over 4.5 shotsHughes' shot volume is unmatched right now. He's 41 shots in six games since returning from injury, which equates to a ridiculous average of 6.83 shots on goal per contest.That includes a game in which Hughes only had one shot on goal despite a whopping 11 attempts. His numbers could be - and should be - even higher.Since rejoining the lineup, Hughes has averaged 12.16 shot attempts - and now has the best matchup of them all.The Sharks are the worst team in the NHL. They give up shots and chances in bulk every single night and find themselves on a road back-to-back after taking on the powerhouse Bruins a night ago.No team has allowed more shots per game this season - and a red-hot Hughes should take full advantage of that.Odds: -135 (playable to -160)Dawson Mercer over 0.5 points Mercer has disappointed in the early going of this season, registering only nine points through 21 games. That's a 35-point pace, a far cry from the 56 he managed a year ago.So why are we targeting him to find the scoresheet? One reason: Jack Hughes.Mercer was put on a line with the Devils' superstar center a few games ago, and he's found the scoresheet in every game since, racking up five points. He's always been an efficient point producer and collected them at a top-line rate when riding shotgun with Hughes.The latter is playing the best hockey of his career, and the Devils are going up against the worst team in the league, so this isn't a spot where Mercer will go quiet.As long as he's attached to the hip of a guy averaging nearly two points per game, there's value in backing Mercer at anything close to his current price.Odds: -135 (playable to -165)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.