In the midst of a lacklustre 5-8-2 start to the 2023-24 campaign, it sounds as though the Calgary Flames are ready to cut some deals.General manager Craig Conroy is open to offers on most of his pending unrestricted free agents, including center Elias Lindholm and blue-liners Noah Hanifin and Chris Tanev, as well as defenseman Nikita Zadorov, reports The Athletic's Pierre LeBrun.Here's a look at the average annual value of each player's current deal:PlayerAgeAAVElias Lindholm28$4.85MNoah Hanifin26$4.95MChris Tanev33$4.5MNikita Zadorov28$3.75MZadorov essentially opened the floodgates by reportedly requesting a trade out of Calgary on Friday after the Flames' 5-4 shootout loss in Toronto. TSN's Darren Dreger singled out the Maple Leafs, New Jersey Devils, and Vancouver Canucks as having strong interest in the 6-foot-6 rearguard on Saturday.Lindholm and Hanifin, meanwhile, each expressed in September that they'd be willing to sign an extension. Hanifin said he wanted to see how this season played out before putting pen to paper. LeBrun added that the American was close to signing a sizeable extension that was believed to be in the ballpark of $60 million, but the Flames reportedly halted all extension talks with their pending free agents in late October as the team's early tailspin continued.LeBrun also noted that Conroy opted not to comment on his plans for the Flames on Tuesday.Heading into Tuesday's action, Lindholm was tied for the team lead with eight points (two goals, six helpers) through 14 contests. Hanifin and Tanev have also suited up for all of Calgary's games this campaign, collecting six and two points, respectively. Zadorov has five points in 13 outings while leading Calgary with 26 hits.The Flames underperformed last season, missing the playoffs by two points after finishing in first place in the Pacific Division in 2021-22. In an attempt to right the ship, Calgary parted ways with head coach Darryl Sutter and general manager Brad Treliving in the offseason, replacing them with Ryan Huska and Conroy.The 2024 trade deadline is March 8 at 3 p.m. ET.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Vegas Golden Knights forward Paul Cotter was assessed a game penalty for an illegal check to the head of Washington Capitals forward Evgeny Kuznetsov in the team's 3-0 loss on Tuesday.The collision occurred at 5:18 of the second period.

The Hockey Hall of Fame inducted its star-studded 2023 class Monday night, featuring seven celebrated members who boast lengthy resumes on and off the ice.Here's a closer look at the newest names to grace the esteemed Hall, as well as each member's induction speech.Henrik LundqvistIt's no surprise Lundqvist got his call to the Hall in his first year of eligibility.The longtime netminder ended his illustrious career near the top of the NHL's record books. He sits sixth among all goaltenders in wins (459), ninth in games played (887), and 17th in shutouts (64). Lundqvist spent his entire 15-year playing career (2005-2020) with the New York Rangers, owning an all-time record of 459-310-96 to go along with a sparkling .918 save percentage and 2.43 goals-against average.A model of consistency, Lundqvist never finished a season with a save percentage below .900, and he won the Vezina Trophy as the league's top goaltender in 2012.The crowd erupted into a "Henrik" chant at the end of his speech.

The New York Islanders take on the Vancouver Canucks on Wednesday, marking the first time forward Bo Horvat will play at Rogers Arena as a member of the away team."It's going to be an emotional night," Horvat told NHL.com's Tom Gulitti. "I had a lot of great memories in Vancouver, so to revisit the city, it's going to be a little weird going into the visitors dressing room. But I had so many great memories there, it's going to be a fun night."Horvat played the first nine seasons of his career in Vancouver, serving as the Canucks' captain for the final four. He was traded to the Islanders on Jan. 31 in exchange for Anthony Beauvillier, Aatu Raty, and a first-round pick, which was later flipped to the Detroit Red Wings in the Filip Hronek trade.The Canucks' best run during Horvat's time with the team came during the 2020 playoff bubble. He tallied a team-high 10 goals in 17 games from the play-in against the Minnesota Wild through Game 7 of the second round versus the Vegas Golden Knights."We had some good years, but also had some dog days there with the rebuild and everything," Horvat said of his tenure in Vancouver. "There were a lot of great memories there, have some great friends, and I started my family there. It'll always hold a special place in my heart."The trade to the Islanders was the first move of Horvat's career. He spent his entire OHL career with the London Knights and his NHL stint to that point exclusively with Vancouver, having been drafted by the Canucks ninth overall in 2013."You hear stories and different situations of guys getting traded, but until you actually go through it, it's a lot different," Horvat said. "You try not to let it (affect you), but when you're worrying about different other things such as your family and living and all that, it takes a toll on you."Horvat signed an eight-year, $68-million contract extension with the Islanders less than a week after being traded."That was a big thing that I wanted was to be in one spot for a long time and not have to worry about what's going to happen next year or where the kids are going to school and all that kind of stuff," Horvat said. "And Long Island is just such a great family spot for us, and we love it so far and can't wait to spend another eight years here."Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

An NHL head coach getting fired is barely news.It's not that coaching isn't important. In the short term, whether a hockey team is willing to do the correct things on the ice might be decided by how the players feel about their head coach. Usually, that comes out of fear or respect. Either way, it stems from the belief that if the team plays the right way, they can win the Stanley Cup.The Oilers have been a hot topic of conversation in this space because of Connor McDavid's injury, Edmonton's shoddy goaltending, and now because they fired Jay Woodcroft this past weekend, replacing him with Kris Knoblauch. By my count, he's the 142nd different full-time NHL head coach since 2001, per Hockey Reference.That number doesn't include retreads, with some of the best going behind the bench for a handful of teams:COACHNO. OF TEAMSPeter Laviolette6Ken Hitchcock5Peter DeBoer5John Tortorella5Joel Quenneville4Paul Maurice4Alain Vigneault4Darryl Sutter4Bruce Boudreau4Gerard Gallant4Barry Trotz3Lindy Ruff3Dave Tippett3Claude Julien3Bruce Cassidy3Todd McLellan3Mike Babcock3Ron Wilson3When a coach gets fired, is it a panic move, and should the betting market react?There have been over 200 head coaching changes in just over 20 years. Ken Hitchcock was just inducted into the Hall of Fame, and a handful of the above will eventually join him. Yet, in many cases, their teams were content to move on.It took 12 years for a team to recognize that Bruce Cassidy was worth a second chance. He was then fired for a lack of playoff success with the Bruins before winning the Stanley Cup the following season while leading the Golden Knights. Cassidy's replacement won the Jack Adams Award as the NHL Coach of the Year, but the Bruins lost in the first round of the playoffs.While important, NHL head coaches are largely replaceable. By comparison, the NFL has had 124 head coaching changes since 2001. Bill Belichick, Andy Reid, Mike Tomlin, Pete Carroll, and John Harbaugh have all been in their respective positions longer than any current NHL head coach.The issue might be that there are too many capable hockey coaches. Cassidy spent eight years with the Bruins' AHL affiliate, and no one saw enough to hire him away. The NHL's long-term, one-team coaches - Jon Cooper and Jared Bednar - came from the AHL as well.Will Knoblauch be the next Cooper or Bednar - put into a position to thrive with top-tier talent - or will he flame out? Time will tell, but with so many qualified candidates for the 32 jobs, it's not a big deal to give another coach a chance to see if their voice will resonate, and the betting market reflects that with little change to a team's rating.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:

NHL general managers have discussed changing the current three-on-three overtime rules to prevent teams from continuously exiting the offensive zone in order to retain possession, league executive Colin Campbell told TSN.Potential solutions include a shot clock or not allowing teams to cross back over the blue or red line after entering the attacking zone."We haven't got to whether (overtime) should be longer or whether we should get rid of the shootout," Campbell said. "We don't mind the format. The one thing we don't like, the one thing that teams have done on their own, players have done on their own, is decided that possession is key. You get those boot-back, kick-backs all the time. Sometimes overtimes get going, but until then, sometimes they don't want to give the puck up from opening faceoff."He added: "What is the answer? We don't want more whistles. We don't want more faceoffs."Changes aren't imminent and will be tabled until GMs convene for their annual meetings in March.The NHL introduced five minutes of three-on-three overtime prior to the 2015-16 season in an effort to cut down on shootouts.Players and coaches have voiced support for longer three-on-three sessions in the past. The ECHL implemented seven-minute overtime periods in 2019-20.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

We started the week in disappointing fashion Monday night, going 1-2 with our best bets. Valeri Nichushkin hit the scoresheet for Colorado, but both shot props failed to come through.We'll look to rebound with a pair of plays for Tuesday's card.Devils (+110) @ Jets (-130)The Devils are one of the highest-powered offensive teams in the league when healthy. Unfortunately for them, they're far from healthy right now.Jack Hughes and Nico Hischier remain sidelined with injuries, which has taken a monumental bite out of the team's offense. Hughes hasn't played for two weeks, yet he still has sole possession of the league lead in primary assists, while Hischier is a Selke finalist coming off an 80-point campaign.They formed a historically good power play over the first few weeks of the season, and the Devils are shallow down the middle at even strength without them.Of the four games played without both top pivots in the lineup, three have gone under the number. As expected, the Devils are having a much tougher time scoring goals, but they remain a competent shot-suppression team.On the flip side, the Jets have defended very well to start the year. In fact, only the Kings and Avalanche have done a better job of limiting expected goals at five-on-five.Connor Hellebuyck hasn't performed all that well - which is a big reason why the Jets have still played in plenty of high-scoring games - but it's safe to assume he'll right the ship sooner rather than later.A date with a Devils team featuring Michael McLeod (normally skating on the fourth line) and Dawson Mercer (just two points this season) as its top centers would be a good spot for Hellebuyck to do just that.I see a 4-2 type of game here, and thus value on the under of 6.5.Bet: Under 6.5 (-105)Panthers (-280) @ Sharks (+230)The Panthers are firing on all cylinders right now. They've gone 7-2-1 over the last 10 games, won four in a row, and are now getting a healthy Sam Bennett back in their lineup. Look out.Nothing we've seen thus far gives us any reason to believe the Sharks will be able to handle themselves against Florida. San Jose is allowing nearly 40 shots per game and getting crushed at five-on-five every single night.That's unlikely to change against a Panthers team that has controlled over 54% of the expected goals at five-on-five this season.Mackenzie Blackwood will need to stand on his head for the Sharks to be competitive in this game. Even that might not be enough.Blackwood stopped 40 shots against the Ducks last time out. The Sharks lost by three.In recent weeks, he made 39 saves against the Capitals (.951 save percentage) and 33 saves against the Panthers (.943). Not only did the Sharks lose those games - they dropped them by multiple goals.San Jose simply loses the shot and chance battles by such large margins each night that it often fails to keep games close, even when getting great goaltending.That's a big reason why 12 of 13 losses this season have come by multiple goals.I expect the Panthers to control this game from start to finish and cruise to a multi-goal victory.Bet: Panthers -1.5 (-115)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 ice conditions were poor at the end of a rehab skate last season when Washington Capitals forward Tom Wilson unleashed a shot from the hash marks. The puck climbed and climbed before meeting the worst possible target: a goalie's mask."Hit him right between the eyes," Wilson, an 11-year NHL veteran, recalled.Wilson immediately knew he'd unintentionally broken one of hockey's unwritten rules: Never hit your own goalie in the head with a puck. Scott Taetsch / Getty ImagesLuckily, the victim, Capitals third-stringer Hunter Shepard, wasn't injured. The minor-league goalie accepted Wilson's apology and peace offering - a bottle of wine. "He's a beauty," Wilson said of Shepard, a hint of relief in his voice.Calgary Flames forward Dillon Dube has been in Wilson's skates. The puck comes off your stick in a funky way every once in a while. Stuff happens; you apologize and move on.But do not, under any circumstances, make a habit of it."Unwritten rule: Don't hit the goalie in the head," Dube said. Jeff Vinnick / Getty ImagesNHL teammates aren't typical co-workers. They spend an inordinate amount of time together in groups big and small. They inhabit the same ice surfaces, dressing rooms, buses, and planes. Together, they get dressed and undressed, work out, study film, tell stories, and obsess over fantasy football.These interactions are governed by a set of rules, but they're not emailed to every player ahead of training camp or posted in a hallway at the team facility. They're unwritten and unofficial, and team culture defines how strictly they're enforced, but they're vital to fostering a respectful team environment. Often, they boil down to older players teaching younger players how to be good teammates."Don't be late," Columbus Blue Jackets forward Johnny Gaudreau said of the most basic unwritten rule. Another no-brainer shared by many players interviewed for this story: Never, ever sleep with a teammate's partner. "No cliques in the dressing room," retired defenseman Shane O'Brien said of a third obvious rule. John Russell / Getty ImagesOther rules are very specific to the NHL's subculture and life on the road, as Jack Hughes can attest.Early in his rookie season, Hughes would hustle off the New Jersey Devils' team bus and be relaxing in his hotel room within minutes. Hughes said he didn't think twice about his pace - after all, rookies sit at the front of the bus - until a wiser teammate noticed and "gave it to me.""It's an unwritten rule to - if it's late on a road trip - let the vets go up the elevator first," San Jose Sharks defenseman Mario Ferraro confirmed. Late, in this context, might mean 2 or 3 a.m., and 40 people might be waiting by the elevator bank, all of them bleary-eyed after a long day and a cross-country flight."The big dogs go first," former goalie Devan Dubnyk said matter of factly.Dubnyk, who retired in 2022 after 12 NHL seasons split between six teams, was one of the oldest players on the 2020-21 Colorado Avalanche, but he wasn't the starter, which created an interesting dynamic. Teammates were naturally deferential to Dubnyk. However, he would always insist that the top vets - Nathan MacKinnon, Mikko Rantanen, Gabriel Landeskog - skip the elevator line instead. "There's a pecking order. They're the stars. They need their sleep," Dubnyk said. Ben Jackson / Getty ImagesTroy Terry recalls being told to act like a veteran on the ice and a rookie off it as he made the jump from the University of Denver to the Anaheim Ducks in 2018. What that meant practically: Unless you're injured, stay off the trainer's table. "If you're a young player, you can't be in there every day going, 'Can I get some work done?'" Terry said. "It's almost reserved for the older guys.""It's nothing crazy," Seattle Kraken forward Matty Beniers said. "It's just knowing, OK, I'm 20 and this guy's 32. He probably needs the table a bit more than I do."This respect-your-elders vibe can extend to the team meal room on the road. "Same type of deal," Dubnyk, 37, said. "Sit your ass down if you're young. You wait until everyone's got their food, then go get your own food. Simple."The courtesy is reciprocated on nights out. Rookies sometimes eat for free as veterans split the bill, or, in O'Brien's experience, "Whoever makes the most money pays the tab." The "Missin' Curfew" podcast co-host distinctly remembers Teemu Selanne, Vincent Lecavalier, Brad Richards, and Martin St. Louis whipping out their credit cards to cover steak dinners for entire groups."It's the circle of the league," said Hughes, who's in the second year of an eight-year, $64-million deal. "Older guys pay for younger guys' meals. Then, when those guys become the older guys, they pay for the younger guys." Scott Audette / Getty ImagesThe same logic applies to jersey numbers. It's common for a player to change his number to accommodate a more established teammate. Florida Panthers forward Frank Vatrano gave up No. 72 in 2019 so splashy free-agent signee Sergei Bobrovsky could sport his favorite digits. For his troubles, Vatrano received a Rolex watch, a bottle of wine, and (seemingly in jest) a McDonald's hamburger."If a young guy gives you his jersey number, you buy him a gift," former forward Ryan Callahan said. "Maybe you send him and his girl on vacation. I've seen a watch gifted. Golf clubs. There's a bunch of ways to do it."As Dubnyk points out, the hierarchy of young and old teammates has relaxed over the past decade or two. The average age of an NHL roster has never been lower, and first- and second-year players are filling major on-ice roles. "You can't alienate them and treat them like pigeons," Dubnyk said. "These guys are on your top power play. You want to integrate them quickly."Many unwritten rules have absolutely nothing to do with age or seniority."You, as the players, take care of the trainers," former goalie Jamie McLennan said. In the hockey world, the term "trainer" covers both athletic trainers and equipment managers. "They're the ones who are really grinding. Late nights, early mornings," McLennan added. "So there's trainer tips at Christmas, at the end of the season. They rely on the perks of the position to make a living." Jeff Vinnick / Getty ImagesQuinn Hughes believes a key rule is to "always protect your teammates."If a teammate's having a bad week, the Vancouver Canucks captain explains, don't pile on. Be there for him. Because the only people who can truly relate are the 20 or so guys in the same jersey. "It's hard," he said. "You're playing really good teams and players every night. The media's on you. All you have is the people in the locker room. So, you have to protect your teammates."Connor Clifton, the Buffalo Sabres' hard-hitting defenseman, knows he must be careful during practices and morning skates. He doesn't want to "blow guys up" with a body check, nor does he want to avoid physicality altogether. "You're just trying to get everyone ready, and yourself ready," Clifton said. "But you don't want to be injuring your teammates. There's definitely a line."Messing with a teammate's pregame mojo is also a big no-no.All NHLers are regimented to an extent, McLennan notes, but those who follow a strict, minute-by-minute schedule every gameday are a different breed. The last thing you want to do is interrupt the rhythm of a superstitious teammate while he's deep in focus amid a half-hour routine."That also relates to what happens on the ice," said McLennan, who played for six teams from 1993-2007. "Certain guys like to be the last guy in line, the third guy in line, or maybe the first guy off the ice, the last guy off the ice." Dave Sandford / Getty ImagesAnother round of rituals starts during on-ice warmup. Some goalies want to be challenged with legitimate shots. Others sneer at teammates looking to score warmup goals. Sabres forward Jordan Greenway mentioned former Minnesota Wild teammate Marc-Andre Fleury as a netminder who loved to compete in warmup.Greenway declined to name anyone from the other group. "No, I don't have a guy to tell you," he laughed, being a loyal teammate.From afar, an NHL warmup might look unstructured - a leisurely way for 20 players to get their juices flowing. In reality, 20 personalized routines are being performed simultaneously. "If you take a certain route after a certain drill, stick to that," Tampa Bay Lightning forward Anthony Cirelli said. "Like, don't all of a sudden be on the left side of the faceoff dot when you're usually on the right side."Cirelli added, "If we do our warmup 82 times in a season, everyone should be in the same spot at every moment of the warmup 82 times. It helps guys avoid running into each other." Breaking a rule can result in a monetary fine. Picture Alliance / Getty ImagesThe team plane features even tighter quarters, with coaches and other staff members sharing the cabin. Seats are assigned, and the most closely guarded spots tend to be at the card-playing tables. "You're not sitting at Ovi's card table," Wilson said of Alex Ovechkin and the Capitals' long-standing card crew. Outsiders are summoned if, and only if, a card player is sick or injured."You don't necessarily want to be that guy," Wilson said. "Then it's like, shark on blood. It's like fresh meat coming in." Through a wide grin, he added, "They always look at me, and I'm like, 'I'm good ... '"Terry says Ducks rookies are tasked with lugging around a Settlers of Catan board game set from city to city. "There's been times when it's been forgotten," the forward said, "and that's not good."The No. 1 rule in the air applies to all passengers: For the sanity of everybody on board, no No. 2 on the team plane."Going to the bathroom - No. 2 is ... not allowed," Ferraro said with a laugh. "You can't do it on the plane. You don't want it to smell up the plane.""You don't poop in the bathroom," New York Rangers captain Jacob Trouba confirmed."I had a conversation with somebody about that the other day," Callahan said. "This person was talking about doing that on a commercial flight. I'm like, 'Yeah, you can't do that on the team plane, either!' Yep, that's a fine."John Matisz is theScore's senior NHL writer. Follow John on Twitter (@MatiszJohn) or contact him via email (john.matisz@thescore.com).Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

We have a meaty nine-game slate ahead of us on Tuesday night. Let's waste no time getting to a few of my favorite props.Elias Lindholm: Over 2.5 shotsLindholm is a road warrior. He recorded three shots or more in eight of nine games on the road this season, testing opposing goaltenders 3.4 times on average. I expect his success to continue Tuesday night in Montreal.The Canadiens have bled shots all season, particularly against the center position. They rank 31st in shots allowed per game versus opposing centers, which puts them ahead of only the Blackhawks.The Habs also struggle mightily with team discipline, taking more penalties per game than all but the Ducks.Lindholm is the Flames' first-line center - and has played more minutes on the power play than anybody else on the roster this season - so he figures to be the primary beneficiary of this juicy matchup.Odds: -125 (playable to -135)Filip Forsberg: Over 3.5 shotsForsberg has been a constant target for us all season long - particularly when playing at home - and there's no reason to get away from that.He went over his shot total in five of six home games, falling just one shot shy in the lone exception.His volume in Nashville is through the roof. Forsberg is averaging nearly five shots on goal while attempting well over eight shots per contest.Although the Ducks are much improved this season, that stems more from the dynamic ability of their young weapons rather than stout defensive play. The Ducks rank bottom-10 in shots against per game, and no team has taken more penalties.Forsberg should be able to generate plenty of offense against a weak defense at five-on-five. If all else fails, he can likely expect a few power-play opportunities to get over the line.Odds: -130 (playable to -145)Sam Reinhart: Over 2.5 shotsReinhart has reverse splits. Unlike most offensive players, his volume is much higher on the road than at home. He's attempting 5.7 shots per game in Florida and more than seven on the road.This isn't a case where one or two monster games are bringing the numbers up; Reinhart's outputs have been consistent. He's attempted at least six shots in all but one road game. That means he's giving himself a strong shot of hitting on any given night.Dating back to last season, Reinhart has gone over his total 71% of the time when attempting six shots or more.Reinhart should have no problem generating that kind of volume against the Sharks. They're a horrific defensive team with little offense to sustain pressure at the other end of the ice. They spend a ton of time chasing play in the defensive zone as a result, which is why they rank dead last in attempts and shots on goal allowed on a per-minute basis.Look for Reinhart to take advantage.Odds: -130 (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.

Columbus Blue Jackets forward Jack Roslovic is out four-to-six weeks after sustaining a fractured ankle in Sunday's shootout loss against the New York Rangers, the team announced Monday.Roslovic, 26, is tied for fourth on the Blue Jackets with eight points in 14 games. He played 16:16 on Sunday despite the injury.With Roslovic placed on injured reserve, Columbus recalled top prospect David Jiricek from the AHL's Cleveland Monsters.The 19-year-old has played 10 games with the Blue Jackets this season, tallying three points. Jiricek was drafted sixth overall by Columbus in 2022.The Blue Jackets face the Pittsburgh Penguins on Tuesday.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid said he was caught off guard by the club's decision to fire head coach Jay Woodcroft and assistant Dave Manson on Sunday."First and foremost, obviously surprised," McDavid told reporters, per TSN. "Didn't see it coming. I loved playing for 'Woody,' I loved playing for 'Mans.' Two guys I think are unbelievable coaches and I really think they'll be in the league very, very soon."Woodcroft was believed to be on the hot seat after Edmonton lost to the last-place San Jose Sharks last week, and he was let go despite a convincing win over the Seattle Kraken on Saturday.The Oilers hired Kris Knoblauch, McDavid's coach during his time with the OHL's Erie Otters, to replace Woodcroft. Edmonton general manager Ken Holland and CEO Jeff Jackson had contradicting answers at Sunday's press conference when asked if players were involved in the decision to change coaches.McDavid maintained Monday that he didn't play a role and addressed the speculation that he hand-picked Knoblauch due to their prior relationship."I woke up to a text, like probably a lot of you guys did as well," McDavid said. "I know the narrative out there obviously, but it couldn't be farther from the truth."The three-time Hart Trophy winner was adamant Oilers players didn't tune out Woodcroft's message despite a heavily scrutinized 3-9-1 start to a season in which they were presumed to be Stanley Cup contenders."Not at all," McDavid said. "He never lost the room, I didn't think."He added: "Our play hasn't been good enough. I'm first on the list there. Our play needs to be better, it's the reason two good guys lost their job."McDavid has produced 10 points in 11 games this season while averaging just over 22 minutes per night. He missed two contests in October due to an upper-body injury.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

While the 2023 Hockey Hall of Fame class wholly deserves its time in the limelight, we're going to momentarily shift our attention away from this year's inductees to focus on the future.We've already analyzed who might get the call to the Hall next year, so to keep things fresh, let's have a look at which active players could be enshrined when they retire. A pair of locks recently called it quits in Patrice Bergeron and Joe Thornton, but a star-studded list of options remains.Before we dive into it, it's important to note players are listed alphabetically by last name in their respective charts. The "Individual NHL awards" section includes the Conn Smythe but not the Mark Messier Leadership Award or King Clancy Memorial Trophy. All-Star and All-Rookie nominations were also left out of the tally.Tier 1: First-ballot locksThe cream of the crop. Not up for debate. These players have been stars their entire careers and are shoo-ins when they're eligible.As good as each of these players is, a trio stands above the rest. Crosby, Ovechkin, and Malkin - he's not being left off any list around here - aren't just three of the best players of their generation, but of all time. They've won it all, and hopefully, fate lets some combination of them get inducted together. Crosby being enshrined with his Penguins running mate - or his biggest "rival" - would make for one of the most memorable classes ever.Elsewhere in Tier 1, we have a collection of players from the most dominant teams of the era. Kane is more accomplished in points and accolades than his Blackhawks captain, but Toews was a serial winner at his peak and owns an impeccable international resume, which is important to factor in when debating a player's candidacy.The pair of Kings on the list won't get as much fanfare as some others here, but Kopitar has two Selke Trophies, two Cups, and well over 1,000 points. Doughty's stock fell when he failed to live up to his lucrative contract for a few seasons, but his trophy cabinet between Los Angeles and Team Canada should easily get him inducted.The Lightning will likely send four players from their best era in franchise history to the Hall. Kucherov is perhaps the most underrated of the bunch, but his 1.14 points per game sits 19th all time, and his 1.12 rate in the playoffs is 15th. The resumes of Stamkos, Hedman, and Vasilevskiy speak for themselves.Perhaps the most divisive players in this section are Karlsson and Perry. Karlsson's attracted plenty of criticism for his defensive game over the years, but he's one of nine defensemen to ever win the Norris three times. He also owns the 10th-highest points per game rate (0.83) all-time at his position, boosting his case. Perry, on the other hand, is mainly viewed as a depth pest at this stage of his career, but he was a top player in his prime and has won every team trophy there is.Tier 2: Stars on trackNot quite established enough to waltz into the Grand Hall just yet. They're building strong cases and will likely get in at their current rates, but they don't have the games played or the hardware to be considered locks yet.Each of these players has a long way to go in their respective careers - none are older than 28 - but could be Hall of Famers if they stay near their current rates for a few more years. MacKinnon is a lock for 1,000 career points within three more seasons and will likely contend for championships consistently as the face of the juggernaut Avalanche. He's also been top five in MVP voting four of the past six seasons.Sticking with Colorado, Makar has a rock-solid case through only four-plus seasons. He became the fastest defenseman ever to hit 250 points and has a Calder, Norris, Conn Smythe, and Stanley Cup in the bank. His ride to the Hall of Fame is already in cruise control.Draisaitl, Matthews, and Pastrnak are each cut from a similar cloth. All will likely be in the 500-goal, 1,000-point club by the time they hang up their skates, and they all own at least one major award. Adding a Stanley Cup to any of their resumes would put them over the top, even at their current ages.Shesterkin is pushing 28 and doesn't even have 200 games played yet, but the future of goalies qualifying for the Hall of Fame is bound to get murky after the class of 2023. After years of being tough on netminders, the voting committee stirred up some controversy by inducting Tom Barrasso and Mike Vernon, who each won two Stanley Cups but own lifetime numbers that pale in comparison to most goalies in the modern era. Shesterkin's operating at a sterling career .923 clip so far with one Vezina, putting him in contention despite the relatively tiny sample size.Tier 3: Veterans on the cuspMay be first ballot in a weaker class, but their cases will likely be debated for a long time.Players here have been productive for a long time, and some were among the best at their positions for a good portion of their careers. However, the championships and awards are lacking relative to those in the higher tiers, making each individual's case complex. Production isn't always enough to achieve hockey's highest honor. Just ask Pierre Turgeon, who put up 1,327 points (34th all time) and just got the call this year despite retiring in 2007. This collection could be the next generation's equivalent of Rod Brind'Amour and Keith Tkachuk - players on the fringe for decades.Backstrom may be eligible for induction sooner than expected due to injury. He sits top 50 all time in assists, with over 1,000 points and a Cup. He was never a first-team All-Star and was only a finalist for a major award once, finishing runner-up for the Calder in 2007-08. Playing second fiddle in Washington all those years may hurt his relevance in Hall of Fame conversations. Giroux, Kessel, Tavares, and Pavelski are all fringe candidates as well, with consistent - but not necessarily extraordinary - careers.As mentioned with Shesterkin, the future of goalies in the Hall is a massive unknown. Bobrovsky has had a roller-coaster career, but he's one of only 22 goalies to have ever won multiple Vezinas. He's also closing in on 400 wins and has a lifetime .915 save percentage despite some down years. He just may sneak in one day.Burns has had a much better career than many realize, sitting 15th in league history in points by a defenseman. He also has a Norris, and Randy Carlyle is the only player ever to win the award and not be inducted. Burns might not be a first-ballot candidate, but he has as good of a case for enshrinement as anyone in Tier 3. Josi is on track to finish his career with a similar argument, with one top defenseman honor to his name and four more full seasons on his contract to keep climbing the points list. Letang and Pietrangelo have the championships Josi and Burns are missing, but they've combined for a single Norris nomination through lengthy careers.One of the more compelling cases in this section is Marchand's. He's among the likeliest of this tier to get in on the strength of an undeniably impressive back half to his career. The Bruins captain is under a point per game overall, but he exploded offensively in his seventh NHL season and has kept up the pace since with 649 points in 584 games dating back to 2015-16. He's been a first- or second-team All-Star four times at left wing over that span, has a Cup ring, plus gold medals at the world juniors, world championship, and World Cup. Just like his playing style, Marchand's Hall of Fame resume is sure to be controversial among fans.Tier 4: Great startsThese players are the face of the league's next generation. This section is the most hypothetical of the bunch, but each individual has shown great potential to be a star for a portion of their respective careers. Our age cutoff of 25 axed Canucks star Elias Pettersson by a day. Statistics as of Nov. 13.All of these players have a long way to go, but a path to the Hall of Fame is viable if they continue on their current trajectories. Dahlin, Heiskanen, and Quinn Hughes will all likely win a Norris one day, and their early offensive stats are certainly promising.Scoring titles and MVPs look within reach for Jack Hughes already at 22 years old, and Robertson, the most productive of this bunch, was fourth in Hart Trophy voting last year aged 23. Tkachuk could benefit from a boost in points, but he's a rare power forward in today's game and is captain of a team on the rise. His case could strengthen significantly with a few more strong seasons under his belt.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

We're just over a month into the season and Connor Bedard has already seen his implied odds of winning the Calder soar from 56% to 73%.Let's take a closer look at why, and figure out who - if anyone - can challenge the young phenom the rest of the way.PlayerOct 1.OddsNov. 13 OddsConnor Bedard-130-275Logan Cooley+1000+750Leo Carlsson+3000+1600Luke Hughes+700+1600Adam Fantilli+1200+2500Matthew Knies+2200+2500Pavel MintyukovN/A+2500Bobby BrinkN/A+3000Joseph WollN/A+3500Marco RossiN/A+3500Matthew PoitrasN/A+3500Lukas DostalN/A+4000Luke Evangelista+3500+4000The Calder Trophy was Bedard's to lose heading into the season, and he's shown no signs he's ready to give it away. Bedard leads all rookies in points with 13 through 13 games.Although Bedard hasn't truly separated himself from the pack - at least not yet - he has the best offensive outputs of the bunch and is producing with little talent surrounding him. So long as that's the case, he's extremely likely to win. The odds reflect that.There are plenty of guys nipping at Bedard's heels ready to pounce if he were to slip up or suffer an injury.Logan Cooley has transitioned smoothly to the NHL and sits second among rookies in points while leading the group with 10 assists. Seven of those assists are primary, which puts him in a tie for 16th among all skaters. His playmaking is keeping him in the mix.With six goals in 10 games for the surprisingly competitive Ducks, Leo Carlsson is surging up the board and is nearly half the price he was a month ago. The problem with Carlsson is he's going through a load-management program and not playing every night. Keeping up with Bedard is going to be tough when dressing in fewer games.Luke Hughes started the season in remarkable fashion for a Devils team that was clicking at a historic rate on the power play. Unfortunately, the offense has dried up for Luke with stars Jack Hughes and Nico Hischier sidelined due to injury. The Devils aren't scoring nearly as much, making it a lot tougher on the youngest Hughes to put up enough points to remain relevant.At this point, another defenseman - Pavel Mintyukov - appears more likely to challenge for the Calder. He's piled up 10 points for the Ducks and looks excellent quarterbacking a dangerous top power-play unit.His on-ice impact is strong as well, with Mintyukov owning a positive goal differential and the second-highest expected goals share among Ducks defenders. There is value at +2500.Adam Fantilli and Matthew Knies have seen their odds balloon a little bit and for good reason. Fantilli has points in three straight games but is averaging just 13:54 of ice time per game in November, a far cry from the 16:22 he averaged in October. He is unlikely to produce consistently enough with that kind of usage.Knies has taken on a bigger role with the Maple Leafs of late, but he's more of a complimentary piece than a dynamic, puck-dominant player like Bedard, Cooley, or Carlsson. That makes it tougher for him to find the scoresheet.All in all, it feels like most - if not all - of the rookies behind the pack need plenty of things to break their way while Bedard only needs good health to take home some hardware.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 begin the week with a two-game slate. Although I don't see much value in terms of sides and totals, a few props jump off the page.Let's take a closer look.Evan Bouchard: Over 2.5 shotsBouchard's shot volume has been very strong this season. He registered at least three shots on target in eight of 13 games, good for a 62% success rate.His splits are extreme. Bouchard is averaging 4.2 shots and nearly eight attempts per game on home ice. Unsurprisingly, that's leading to a lot of success. He went over his shot total in five of six games in Edmonton.Bouchard's volume is drastically lower on the road, sitting at 2.6 shots on 5.3 attempts per game.He's back at home Monday night in a mouthwatering matchup against the Islanders. They have a reputation as a boring defensive team, but the reality is they can't defend at all. Only the Sharks and Blackhawks - two teams in deep rebuilds - have conceded more shots per game.The Islanders give up a ton of volume to opposing defensemen, ranking 31st in shots against versus the position. Look for Bouchard to take advantage.Odds: -110 (playable to -130)Mathew Barzal: Under 2.5 shotsBarzal owns some of the most extreme home/road splits you'll ever see. He recorded three shots or more in all nine games he played at home, which is no coincidence since he generated 7.4 attempts per contest.His road numbers don't hold a candle to his output on Long Island. He sees the toughest assignments playing on the top offensive line, and it's clearly impacted him.Barzal has gone under his shot total in all four road games and averaged 3.3 attempts per contest. He essentially needs to hit the net every time he shoots the puck to have a fighting chance.For all the Oilers' faults this season - horrendous goaltending, poor finishing, etc. - they're doing an excellent job limiting shots. They rank second in the NHL in attempts allowed per 60 minutes of five-on-five play, slotting behind only the Hurricanes.I wouldn't expect an uptick in volume from Barzal here.Odds: +105 (playable to -125)Valeri Nichushkin: Over 0.5 pointsNichushkin is starting to heat up. He registered points in two of the past three games and recorded nine shots on goal in that span.The Avalanche recently promoted him to the top line alongside Nathan MacKinnon, which is an obvious plus. With Artturi Lehkonen now sidelined due to an upper-body injury, Nichushkin has also shifted up to the top power-play unit.Colorado has as much high-end firepower as almost anybody in hockey. Without Lehkonen in the mix, Nichushkin doesn't really have competition for all the prime minutes.He should have MacKinnon by his side on every shift he takes and benefit greatly from whipping the puck around with Mikko Rantanen, Cale Makar, and Co. on the top power play.The Blues embarrassed the Avalanche last time out, prompting an outburst from head coach Jared Bednar. I expect a response against a Kraken team that's struggled to keep the puck out.With 18-20 minutes likely coming alongside elite players, Nichushkin should have ample opportunity to find the scoresheet.Odds: -130 (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.

Only 15 games into his NHL career, rookie Adam Fantilli expects more from the Columbus Blue Jackets.This year's third overall pick called for higher standards after Columbus lost its fifth straight game Sunday against the New York Rangers. The Blue Jackets coughed up a lead with 11 seconds remaining in the third period, then fell short in a shootout."We have a young team, but that does not matter," Fantilli told The Athletic's Aaron Portzline. "I hate losing. I never want to lose. I don't want to get used to losing. I'm not happy about it. I'm not happy about the series of losses we've had."I want to be able to fix it. I want to do my part in being able to fix that. We're a young team, but we're extremely skilled, and I think we have (the ability to play) a lot better than we're showing."Columbus has fallen to eighth in the Metropolitan Division and 27th in the league standings with a 1-5-4 record in its last 10 appearances.Fantilli is tied for the team lead with nine points this season despite logging only 15:23 per contest. The 19-year-old ranks fourth in rookie scoring, trailing Connor Bedard, Logan Cooley, and Pavel Mintyukov.The Blue Jackets return to the ice Tuesday against the Pittsburgh Penguins.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

We're more than a month into the NHL season, which means it's time to look at early standouts from around the hockey world.From multi-year pros who took a step in the summer to emerging draft day gems from this past June, here's a look at one prospect from every team's system that's impressing early in the 2023-24 season:Anaheim DucksYegor Sidorov is proving he was a worthwhile top-100 pick this summer despite being passed over in the 2022 draft. The Belarusian winger is making a mockery of WHL goaltenders with 15 goals, 24 points, and an insane 89 shots on goal in 16 games.Arizona CoyotesConor Geekie's picked up the slack with Wenatchee Wild teammates Zach Benson and Matt Savoie making cameos in the NHL. The 19-year-old's showing why the Coyotes traded up to take him 11th overall in 2022 with 23 points through 15 games. Don't be surprised to see him as a top-six center with Team Canada at the world juniors.Boston BruinsSecond-round picks aren't supposed to become important pieces on top NHL teams less than two years after being drafted. But that's exactly what Matt Poitras has done with seven points and legitimate top-nine usage thanks to his hockey IQ and work ethic.

Minnesota Wild forward Brandon Duhaime received a five-minute major and a game misconduct for boarding Dallas Stars defenseman Thomas Harley in the team's 8-3 loss on Sunday.The incident occurred with 1:46 remaining in the second period.

Colorado Avalanche goaltender Pavel Francouz won't play in the 2023-24 season due to a lower-body injury, the team announced Sunday.Francouz underwent adductor surgery in the offseason and has not played a game since. The 33-year-old is in the final year of a contract with a $2-million cap hit.The Czechia native played 16 games for the Avalanche last season, posting an 8-7-1 record with a .915 save percentage.Across parts of four NHL seasons, all with Colorado, Francouz holds a 44-21-6 record and a career .919 SV% in 73 contests.The Avalanche claimed Ivan Prosvetov off waivers from the Arizona Coyotes before the start of the campaign amid concerns over Francouz's health. The 24-year-old has appeared in four games with the Avalanche and has a .899 SV%.Starter Alexandar Georgiev has struggled of late, allowing three or more goals in each of his last seven games. He has a .887 SV% in 11 appearances this season after impressing with a .919 SV% in 62 contests a year ago.The Avalanche are second in the Central Division with an 8-5-0 record.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Edmonton Oilers fired head coach Jay Woodcroft and assistant coach Dave Manson after starting the season 3-9-1, the club announced Sunday.Kris Knoblauch is replacing Woodcroft in the lead role, and legendary former defenseman Paul Coffey will join Knoblauch as an assistant coach. Knoblauch was the bench boss for the AHL's Hartford Wolf Pack and Connor McDavid's coach with the OHL's Erie Otters.Woodcroft finishes his Oilers tenure with a 79-41-13 regular-season record. Knoblauch is the club's fifth head coach since Edmonton drafted McDavid first overall in 2015.General manager Ken Holland explained the decision to make the coaching change."We're in the win-now mode," Holland said. "We've talked about that over the last few years - since I got here. When you look at our team, the players on the team, the age of the team, the time is now to try to win."As for the timing, Holland believes he couldn't afford to wait any longer."We can get into a debate. Is 12 games or 13 games enough? I think if you wait another 10 games and things don't change it's probably too late," he said. "So (CEO Jeff Jackson) and I felt that it was something that needed to be done."Knoblauch last coached in the NHL in March 2021, when he led the New York Rangers for six games while David Quinn was in COVID-19 protocol. Knoblauch was an assistant coach with the Philadelphia Flyers in 2017-18 and 2018-19. The Wolf Pack, the Rangers' AHL affiliate, hired him as their bench boss in July 2019."To be able to coach the Edmonton Oilers, with such a strong hockey culture, history, and passionate fans, to be here as a head coach is a little bit of a dream for me," said Knoblauch, who's from Imperial, Saskatchewan.Edmonton's new head coach has played a role in the development of numerous NHLers, including McDavid, Alex DeBrincat, Dylan Strome, Anthony Cirelli, and Travis Dermott.The Oilers entered Sunday sitting second-last in the NHL and lost to the 32nd-place San Jose Sharks on Thursday - the club's fourth consecutive defeat. Edmonton defeated the Seattle Kraken 4-1 on Saturday night to snap the skid. The Oilers now sit 12 points behind third place in the Pacific Division and eight points back of the second wild-card spot in the Western Conference.Edmonton owns the league's second-worst save percentage at five-on-five (.889) and the worst mark in all situations (.864), according to Natural Stat Trick. The Oilers have been let down by a usually dominant offense, sitting 26th with 2.69 goals per game. Their historically proficient power play has cooled to a ninth-ranked 23.9% conversion rate.The club has been solid at even strength, owning the league's best five-on-five expected goals rate at 57.82%. However, Edmonton hasn't been able to overcome its 31st-ranked shooting percentage of 6.49.Woodcroft took over the Edmonton bench in February 2022 after the club dismissed Dave Tippett. Woodcroft guided the team to a 26-9-3 finish that season and advanced to the Western Conference Final, the furthest the club has gone in the McDavid era.The Oilers racked up 109 points in 2022-23 before losing in the second round of the playoffs. They were a popular Stanley Cup pick this preseason after showing improved form under Woodcroft, but they haven't found their usual winning recipe.The 2023-24 campaign was viewed as a particularly critical point of the Oilers' championship window, as McDavid and fellow superstar Leon Draisaitl are under contract through 2025-26 and 2024-25, respectively.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Ex-Philadelphia Flyers and Los Angeles Kings goaltender Roman Cechmanek has died at the age of 52, the Flyers confirmed Sunday.Cechmanek played three seasons with the Flyers and one with the Kings. Philadelphia drafted him at age 29 in 2000 with the 171st overall pick. He made an instant impact in 2000-01, going 35-15-6 with a .921 save percentage and 10 shutouts in his first NHL campaign. Cechmanek finished fourth in Hart Trophy voting and second among Vezina Trophy ballots that season.Two years before arriving in the NHL, he was a member of the Czech Republic squad that won gold at the 1998 Winter Olympics in Nagano, Japan. Cechmanek served as Dominik Hasek's backup but didn't play a game in the tournament. Hasek won the Vezina in 2001 when Cechmanek finished as the runner-up.However, Cechmanek made his mark in North America during his brief NHL tenure. In his second season with the Flyers, he equaled the save percentage he posted in his first campaign while going 24-13-6.He authored a 33-15-10 record and a .925 save percentage with Philadelphia in 2002-03, sharing the William M. Jennings Trophy with teammate Robert Esche and New Jersey Devils netminder Martin Brodeur.Cechmanek enjoyed further international success, helping his home country claim gold at the World Championships in 1999 and 2000. He started and finished his career in what is now Czechia, playing four seasons with Vsetin before heading to North America and spending his final four pro campaigns in his homeland, Germany, and Sweden.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Jared Bednar believes his Colorado Avalanche finished Saturday's 8-2 defeat to the St. Louis Blues with an unprecedented lackluster effort."(Our) third period was a joke," Bednar said postgame. "That was the worst period of hockey I've ever seen from our club."He added: "The third period (was) unacceptable, unexplainable. That's why it's a blowout. We stopped playing. (It) looked like we couldn't make it past 10 feet in the third period, giving up odd-man rushes every five seconds. Every rush attack they had ended up in a scoring chance against (us)."Not good enough. It's just guys quitting and not doing what they're supposed to be doing. Feeling sorry for themselves."The Blues led 4-1 through 40 minutes and scored four straight in the final frame, including a pair in a span of 1:29 early in the period. St. Louis outshot Colorado 19-14 in the third while controlling 72.86% of the expected goals, according to Natural Stat Trick.The Avalanche had 79.54% of the expected goals in the second period when they outshot the Blues 11-6. But Colorado failed to dig out of a 3-0 deficit, matching St. Louis' one goal in the middle stanza before the wheels fell off for the hosts in the third. Brayden Schenn and Pavel Buchnevich both produced hat tricks for the victors.Bednar has coached the Avalanche since 2016-17. They went 22-56-4 in his first season, finishing with only 48 points in the standings - the worst total of the salary cap era.Colorado fell to 8-5-0 with Saturday's loss. The Avalanche occupy second place in the Central Division in spite of goaltender Alexandar Georgiev's .887 save percentage and a team goal differential of zero that enters Sunday tied for 17th in the league. The club's power play ranks 22nd despite boasting the likes of Nathan MacKinnon, Mikko Rantanen, and Cale Makar.The Avalanche will travel to face the Seattle Kraken on Monday night.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

A trio of contenders have their eye on Calgary Flames defenseman Nikita Zadorov.The New Jersey Devils, Toronto Maple Leafs, and Vancouver Canucks have strong interest in the Russian blue-liner, reports TSN's Darren Dreger, who adds that fellow Calgary rearguards Chris Tanev and Noah Hanifin are also garnering attention from clubs.However, the Flames aren't rushing to offload those players, according to Dreger.Zadorov confirmed his trade request to Sportsnet's Pat Steinberg after Calgary's 4-1 loss to the Ottawa Senators on Saturday.The 28-year-old showcased himself to the Leafs on Friday night, scoring a goal and levelling Toronto forward Tyler Bertuzzi with a big hit.Zadorov often ranks among the league leaders in hits and boasts 1,615 in his 11-year career. The 6-foot-6, 248-pounder led the NHL with 278 hits in 2017-18 while with the Colorado Avalanche. He's in his third season with the Flames.The versatile left-shot defenseman is in the final year of a two-year agreement at a $3.75-million cap hit, per CapFriendly, and he's a pending unrestricted free agent. Calgary reportedly paused extension talks with its pending UFAs last month following the team's disappointing start.Maple Leafs general manager Brad Treliving signed Zadorov to his current pact when he was GM of the Flames in 2022, and he also acquired him for Calgary one year earlier in a trade with the Chicago Blackhawks.Zadorov has collected four assists in addition to the goal he scored Friday night. He's averaging 18:12 of ice time through 12 games but played only 15:33 in the shootout loss to Toronto.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Toronto Maple Leafs are making veteran enforcer Ryan Reaves a healthy scratch in Saturday's tilt against the Vancouver Canucks, head coach Sheldon Keefe said, per Sportsnet's Luke Fox.Bobby McMann is replacing Reaves on the fourth line. Toronto recalled McMann from the AHL Saturday morning.Here's the club's projected lineup:

The Golden Knights owned a 13-2-0 record and plus-23 goal differential a year ago Saturday. Fifteen games into the new season, Vegas, now the reigning Stanley Cup champion, is 12-2-1 with a differential of plus-26.So much for a Cup hangover.With no games this weekend, the next major item on the team's calendar is an event tying the seasons together - Monday's official visit to the White House. "Let's go look at it, meet some important people, and enjoy the moment," coach Bruce Cassidy told reporters of his message to the group. Michael Reaves / Getty ImagesForward Rielly Smith was the club's only notable offseason departure, so Cassidy's lineup card has gone largely unchanged. In theory, this continuity, mixed with a short summer, could have bred complacency in training camp and resulted in a tumultuous start. Instead, it's had the exact opposite effect."Sometimes, you benefit from not taking much time off," defenseman Shea Theodore told theScore. "When you play that late into the year, and you only get about a month and a little bit off before you get going again, the systems and the feeling of winning are still fresh in your mind. We've used that, and the little turnover with the roster, to our advantage. We just keep rolling with it."The Golden Knights aren't leading the NHL in standings points because they have amazing underlying numbers, potent special teams units, or all-world goaltending. No, they've won as much as they have, and convincingly, because of unparalleled skater depth and a bulletproof playing style.While the players deserve a ton of credit, Cassidy should be in the early-season conversation for the Jack Adams Award. He's managed to drill into his players that the first month of the new season isn't any less important than, say, the Cup final they battled through in June. Repeating as Cup champs is extremely difficult, and Cassidy's squad has banked plenty of points so far. David Becker / Getty Images"We don't want to be one of those teams that's one-and-done, that falls off, and that never finds a way to hit that Cup level of play again," Theodore said. "We've wanted to try and continue to build on our game and prove that last year wasn't a fluke and that we have the team to get the job done again."With eight goals and 10 assists, William Karlsson is the only Vegas player in the top 20 in league scoring. But what the Golden Knights can stake claim to is having an NHL-high 19 goal-scorers, six of them defensemen - another NHL-high."Our system allows us to be a little bit more free with our decision-making," Theodore said of activity from the back end. "Bruce wants us to get up and into the rush and be the fourth man. He wants us to keep pucks alive along the walls in the offensive zone when teams are trying to break out. It's not so structured in that sense. It's fun. He wants your hockey IQ to come out."Most impressively, Vegas has accomplished all of this amid injuries. Alex Pietrangelo, Alec Martinez, and Nic Hague have missed five games each, while Zach Whitecloud didn't make his debut until Friday - a 5-0 blowout over the Sharks and just another day at the office for the defending champs.Hagel's unexpected 5-year climb Marissa Baecker / Getty ImagesBrandon Hagel made a promise to himself before the 2018-19 WHL season - if he didn't make meaningful progress toward signing an NHL contract by Christmas, he'd enroll in post-secondary school to chase another career.He was a 20-year-old free agent playing his overage season with Red Deer. The Sabres had drafted Hagel in the sixth round in 2016 but didn't sign him, and other teams had shown limited interest. Discouraged, the wiry kid from little Morinville, Alberta, was trying to be realistic about his pro prospects.Fast forward a dozen games - not even halfway to Christmas - and Hagel was racking up points, no longer pondering school. "There's going to be a bunch of teams who are going to offer you a contract, but we want to be the first," Stan Bowman, then GM of the Blackhawks, told Hagel after an October game."Stan sent over the contract like a day later," Hagel said recently inside the visitor's dressing room in, of all places, Buffalo. "It's crazy how quickly things change," he added, shaking his head at the sequence of events. Chase Agnello-Dean / Getty ImagesHagel turned pro a few months later, then played 175 games for the Blackhawks and their AHL affiliate over parts of four seasons. A sharpshooter with a tireless motor, his stock was at an all-time high ahead of the 2022 trade deadline. The rebuilding Blackhawks sent him to the two-time Cup champion Lightning in a blockbuster that brought Chicago two first-round picks.It took a couple of months for Hagel to settle into a lesser role on the contending Lightning, who eventually lost to the Avalanche in the Cup final. He's now a valued member of Tampa Bay's core and has the contract to prove it - an eight-year, $52-million extension that kicks in next season."To commit eight years to something, you have to be happy," Hagel said. "I love my teammates. The coaches. I love the city. The atmosphere. Everything.""He makes plays. He can score goals," Lightning forward Anthony Cirelli said of Hagel, who's followed up last year's 30-goal output with seven in 14 games. "He's good on the forecheck, backcheck. He does it all for us, really." Michael Chisholm / Getty ImagesThe star-studded Lightning have been forced to cut loose important supporting players thanks to the flat salary cap. Cup winners Alex Killorn, Ondrej Palat, Ross Colton, Blake Coleman, and Barclay Goodrow are all rivals now. Nick Paul and Hagel are two forwards whom general manager Julien BriseBois chose to retain.With captain Steven Stamkos on an expiring contract, Hagel's currently the third-highest-paid forward on Tampa's books for next season, behind linemates Nikita Kucherov and Brayden Point.As happy and secure as Hagel feels, he still walks and skates around with a chip on his shoulder. In fact, he may never lose that underdog disposition - it's just who he is - and boy does it suit his quick and relentless playing style."What makes me effective is my work ethic," Hagel said. "Hounding pucks, getting pucks back, and getting pucks in my teammates' hands.""You love to have him on your team," Cirelli said.Kreider remains Mr. Net-Front Icon Sportswire / Getty ImagesThe puck-tipping machine is at it again.In 13 games, Chris Kreider has scored a team-high nine goals for the Rangers. The 32-year-old leads the NHL in both power-play goals (six) and tipped goals (five). The only player to rack up more shots on net via tip in the early season is the Bruins' James van Riemsdyk, who's executed 11 tips to Kreider's 10.A master of the craft, Kreider has enviable hand-eye coordination and timing. He has this unique feel for when he should make contact with the puck, screen the goalie, or box out the defender. He controls the net-front area.Eight of his nine goals have been scored from high-danger areas. The map below illustrates Kreider's obsession - 19 shots in front of the goalie's face.NHL Edge Overall, Kreider has converted 25.7% of his shots on goal. That's an unsustainable rate over 82 games - though the 6-foot-3, 233-pound winger did bag a career-high 52 goals in 2021-22 off a 20.2 shooting percentage.A major factor in whether he can maintain anything close to this conversion rate will be the potency of New York's star-studded power play. So far, the Rangers are second in the NHL in both power-play percentage (35.7%) and goals for per 60 power-play minutes (13.65), according to Evolving Hockey.Since his 2012-13 debut, Kreider ranks first league-wide in tipped goals (80) and tipped shots. Clearly, he identified his biggest strength early on and goes back to the well every game.Parting shotsBravo, Backstrom: Forever overshadowed by boisterous sniper Alex Ovechkin, Nicklas Backstrom never got his due as an NHL star. The Capitals franchise icon, who was placed on LTIR last week and turns 36 on Nov. 23, is at a fork in the road. One path leads to retirement. If this is it, bravo. He's a borderline Hall of Famer, with 1,033 points in 1,105 games. Despite his production tailing off the past few years, he ranks third in assists since breaking into the league in 2007-08. Backstrom's combination of elite vision and passing ability is a massive reason why Ovechkin's chasing the goals record. It'll be a shame if the Swedish center has made his last pass to Ovi.

Calgary Flames defenseman Nikita Zadorov requested a trade through his agent Dan Milstein, a source told ESPN's Kevin Weekes.Zadorov's camp is looking for a quick resolution, TSN's Pierre LeBrun adds.Milstein voiced his displeasure with his client's lack of ice time Friday night.

Edmonton Oilers goaltender Jack Campbell admitted he was "pretty surprised" when he heard that he'd been demoted to the AHL's Bakersfield Condors amidst his ongoing struggles with the big club."(It was) pretty tough, not gonna lie," Campbell told reporters Thursday, including Sportsnet. "I'm pretty hard on myself, I think that's pretty well documented around the hockey world. Obviously, it's a results league up there - really anywhere - but I felt like I was playing well, had some confidence. But obviously, the numbers weren't good enough."The Oilers placed Campbell on waivers for the purpose of sending him to Bakersfield on Tuesday. The beleaguered netminder owns a 1-4-0 record with Edmonton so far this season to go along with an .873 save percentage and 4.50 goals against average. Campbell also ranks among the 10 worst goalies in both goals saved above average (minus-4.88) and goals saved above expected (minus-3.24) at all strengths, per Evolving-Hockey.Prior to Campbell's demotion, his running mate, Stuart Skinner, had actually posted a lower save percentage (.856). However, Campbell's high-danger save percentage (.639) was worse than Skinner's (.767) at five-on-five, according to Natural Stat Trick.Campbell's comments came right after his first start with the Condors. He allowed four goals on 20 shots during the club's 4-1 defeat to the Abbotsford Canucks.Abbotsford's third tally at the midway mark of the contest was particularly brutal:

We have a fun six-game slate ahead of us to conclude the week. Let's take a closer look at a couple of my favorite plays on the board.Flyers (-115) @ Ducks (-105)While Carter Hart (sick) starting would be preferable, the absence of Trevor Zegras from the Ducks' lineup should help compensate by taking a bite out of their offense.Additionally, the Flyers are playing very strong defensively, allowing 2.30 expected goals per 60 at five-on-five. That's a top-five rate in the NHL.Although the Ducks tend to give up chances in bulk and play higher-event games, there is something working in the under's favor - their goaltending.John Gibson looks more like the John Gibson of old this season, as he's stopping 3.5 more goals than expected through seven games. That's half a puck per game, which puts him in company with Igor Shesterkin and Linus Ullmark.Philadelphia is not a high-powered offensive team, and I don't see Gibson being overwhelmed with insane shot volume or high-powered shooting.This should be a close, low-event style of game. I like the under.Bet: Under 6.5 (-130)Sharks (+400) @ Golden Knights (-520)This is as big of a mismatch as you'll find in the NHL right now. The Sharks have won only two games and rank dead last in points per game, goals, goals against, goal differential, and pretty much any other statistic you can imagine.Not only are they horrible, but they're tired. The Sharks were able to grind out a win against the lowly Oilers on Thursday night and ran their best players (Tomas Hertl, William Eklund, Mario Ferraro) into the ground during the process.They're going to have their hands full in this one. The Golden Knights won the Stanley Cup a few months ago and are showing no signs of a hangover. They actually sit tied with the Bruins for most points in the NHL.They are all business and, after back-to-back losses, it's fair to expect some urgency in their game against the Sharks. The Golden Knights aren't going to come out flat and take them lightly.San Jose is a very bad first-period team, sitting tied for last in goals for (six) while allowing more goals (16) than all but three teams.We've seen the exact opposite from the Golden Knights. They rank top 10 in first-period goals and only three teams have conceded fewer.With a massive edge in talent, a rest advantage, home ice, and urgency to get things back on track, I expect the Golden Knights to start fast and win the opening frame.Bet: Golden Knights first period -0.5 (-120)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.

No Pittsburgh Penguins player will ever wear No. 68 again.Jaromir Jagr's number will be raised to the rafters on Feb. 18, the club announced Friday.The legend will join Mario Lemieux (No. 66) and Michel Briere (No. 21) as the only players to have their numbers retired by the Penguins.Jagr ranks fourth all time in goals (766), fifth in assists (1,155), second in points (1,921), fourth in games played (1,733), and first in game-winning goals (135) in NHL history. The future Hall of Famer played 11 of his 24 seasons with Pittsburgh, helping the team win back-to-back Stanley Cup championships in 1991 and '92.The winger won the Art Ross Trophy five times and the Hart Trophy once, in 1998-99. He's a member of the Triple Gold Club, having won the Cup, the World Championship (twice), and an Olympic gold medal (1998). Jagr also won the Lester B. Pearson Award - now known as the Ted Lindsay Award - in 1999, 2000, and 2006, as well as the Masterton Trophy in 2016.He was the Penguins' captain for three seasons, from 1998-99 through 2000-01. They drafted him fifth overall in 1990.Jagr, who'll turn 52 three days before his jersey retirement, still hasn't hung up his skates for good. He owns and plays for Rytiri Kladno, a Czech Extraliga squad based in his hometown. He last played in the NHL in 2017-18 with the Calgary Flames.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

We're less than a month into this NHL season, but two big developments have already affected the hunt for the Hart Trophy.For one thing, the Edmonton Oilers are off to a terrible start - which undoubtedly jeopardizes Connor McDavid's candidacy. One might say the most valuable player is just that, regardless of how his team performs, but reaching the postseason has become an unwritten prerequisite. And when a team is this bad, it becomes that much harder to disagree with those who believe the Hart winner needs to be on a playoff team - or at least a moderately competitive squad.The other significant storyline is Jack Hughes' status. The New Jersey Devils forward remains week-to-week after sustaining a reported shoulder injury last Friday. On the bright side, his ailment doesn't appear too serious. His pre-injury dominance needs to be highlighted here, along with the stellar play of one of his brothers.Here are our top five MVP contenders in the very early going of this 2023-24 campaign.5. Artemi Panarin Jared Silber / National Hockey League / GettyGPGAATOIxGF%1381418:4954.1Panarin has been on a tear ever since opening night, riding a 13-game point streak. The Russian playmaker has eight multi-point efforts - six of which have come in his last seven games. One thing that always works in a Hart contender's favor is having large disparities between himself and his teammates in offensive production. Panarin has six more assists and 10 more points than the closest New York Rangers skaters.The Blueshirts have been playing without elite defenseman Adam Fox recently due to an injury, not to mention that Igor Shesterkin, Filip Chytil, and Barclay Goodrow have also been banged up.Aside from Chris Kreider's nine goals (six of which came on the power play), the "Bread Man" has done most of the offensive heavy lifting for the injury-riddled Rangers. Panarin's defensive play hasn't been as strong, but he's still giving New York plenty of value.4. Quinn Hughes Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / GettyGPGAATOIxGF%1351623:4651.97The suddenly thriving Vancouver Canucks have gotten big contributions from several players, including league points leader Elias Pettersson, goaltender Thatcher Demko, and ever-reliable forward J.T. Miller. But Quinn Hughes hasn't just been the Canucks' most valuable player; he's been one of the most important and impactful skaters in the league thus far in 2023-24.Vancouver's Hughes is our current Norris Trophy favorite, and he should be in the Hart conversation, too. Defensemen aren't often considered in the MVP race, but Quinn shouldn't be ignored just because of his position. Unlike Pettersson, he has a favorable xGF% ("Petey" has an unflattering rate of 45.94%). He's also on par with his Swedish teammate in WAR (just 0.2 off the league lead) and close to him in GAR while sitting near the top of the NHL in the category.The pair have eerily mirrored each other at or near the top of league leaderboards in numerous statistical categories in the campaign, but Quinn has logged more ice time because he's a defenseman. Petterson deserves some credit for doing it while playing less, but Quinn excelling like he has while skating for nearly 24 minutes per game conveys how much more valuable the rearguard has been.3. Auston Matthews Michael Chisholm / National Hockey League / GettyGPGAATOIxGF%1313621:3352.29Matthews has scored goals in bunches, with three hat tricks in his first 11 games and a two-tally effort Monday night. He's the league leader in goals this season, and the American center sits atop the NHL in individual expected goals while ranking second in ixG per 60 minutes. That's all impressive, but as was the case when he claimed this hardware two seasons ago, he's doing more than just putting the puck in the net.The Toronto Maple Leafs sniper owns the NHL's second-most wins above replacement so far. That's a good indicator of all-around proficiency, and though we're working with a small sample size at this point in the campaign, Matthews certainly appears primed to replicate his well-rounded 2021-22 MVP form.Matthews is also shouldering a heavier workload than usual to begin the season, ranking seventh among the league's forwards in average ice time. His current ATOI is tied with the career-best he established in the abbreviated 2021 campaign.The Leafs sit near the bottom of the league in xGF%, and they've been a borderline playoff team in the early going after many assumed they'd cruise to the Atlantic Division title. William Nylander's 13-game point streak out of the gate has undoubtedly helped, but Matthews' unparalleled scoring and reliable defensive play are the biggest reasons Toronto isn't lower in the standings.2. Jack Hughes Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / GettyGPGAATOIxGF%1051520:0254.76It's unclear when the younger of the two more experienced Hughes brothers (and the elder of the two Hughes brothers on the New Jersey Devils) will return from his injury. Whether he'll be included on the next edition of this list in a month is also in doubt. But one thing can be said with certainty: Jack Hughes belongs in this edition in recognition of everything he accomplished over the vast majority of the campaign's first month.Jack produced at an incredible clip before he left the game against the St. Louis Blues on Nov. 3. The 22-year-old still leads the NHL in points per game. He's collected three goals and nine assists on the power play but has posted exemplary underlying numbers at five-on-five. For example, New Jersey controlled 62.82% of the scoring chances with Jack on the ice in those situations.The Devils' brightest star is still in the top 20 in WAR and GAR (both cumulative stats as opposed to averages) despite playing fewer games than the others at the top in those departments.Jack may have deserved to be the leading candidate here if he was still in the lineup and dominating; he's only missed two games so far. Unfortunately, it doesn't make sense for an injured player to be the front-runner, and the ailment will also affect his candidacy going forward, especially if he's out for several weeks.1. David Pastrnak Maddie Meyer / Getty Images Sport / GettyGPGAATOIxGF%13101019:2252.84While the Maple Leafs have underwhelmed to a degree, the Boston Bruins are shockingly back on top of the division by a wide margin despite losing Patrice Bergeron and David Krejci to retirement and Tyler Bertuzzi and Dmitry Orlov in free agency. Both of Boston's goaltenders have been excellent, but Pastrnak has been the biggest reason the Bruins remain a juggernaut at 11-1-1.The Czech winger has four more goals and seven more points than his closest teammate, Brad Marchand. Remember last season when Pastrnak led the NHL in even-strength goals and ranked second in even-strength points by one? Matthews is thriving in those categories in 2023-24, but Pastrnak is tied for second in the former and third in the latter.Pastrnak is far from a one-dimensional player, sitting among the NHL's best in WAR and GAR with favorable underlying numbers across the board. Pastrnak isn't logging over 20 minutes of ice time per night like some of his counterparts on this list, but he's certainly making the most of his shifts. Last season's Hart runner-up is right back in the hunt and is a worthy front-runner for the time being.(Analytics sources: Natural Stat Trick, Evolving-Hockey)Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Chicago Blackhawks phenom Connor Bedard tallied two goals and two assists in his team's 5-3 victory on Thursday night, becoming the third-youngest player in NHL history with a four-point game. He trails only Bep Guidolin and Hall of Famer Ted Kennedy, both of whom accomplished the feat in 1944.

We have a fruitful six-game slate ahead of us to begin the weekend. Let's waste no time in getting to a few props that pop off the page.Timo Meier: Over 3.5 shotsThe Devils are missing a ton of firepower up front in Jack Hughes and Nico Hischier, which has put more on Meier's plate.Meier has made the most of his extra touches, generating shots at an absurd rate since the team's top pivots departed the lineup with injuries. Meier has piled up 27 shot attempts, 18 scoring chances, and 15 shots on target over the last three games. He leads the Devils - in some cases significantly - in all three categories.Meier is skating on a line with Ondrej Palat and Dawson Mercer. Both are more complementary players than line drivers and are quite happy to defer when it comes to shooting the puck.He's one of the league's best shot-creators at five-on-five and is much more of a focal point on the power play, given the team's injuries.The matchup is primed for Meier to take advantage, as the Capitals rank bottom-10 in shot suppression against opposing right-wingers.Odds: -118 (playable to -135)Tage Thompson: Over 3.5 shotsThompson hasn't enjoyed a lot of shooting success to date, but the process has been noticeably better at home than on the road.He's averaging a healthy eight shot attempts per game in Buffalo, compared to just over six on the road.Including last season's data, Thompson registered four shots or more in 81% of the games in which he attempted at least eight shots. The attempt volume is key, and we're seeing it from Thompson at home.The Sabres are well-rested and chomping at the bit to rebound from a tough overtime loss on Tuesday. Meanwhile, the Wild - who've really struggled defensively this year - were in action against the Rangers on Thursday night.Thompson is fresh and, at home, should see advantageous matchups all night against a Wild side lacking a full tank. Expect him to capitalize.Odds: -125 (playable to -135)Jack Eichel: Over 3.5 shotsEichel has been Mr. Consistent in the early going. He's registered four shots or more in nine of 14 games (64%) and has yet to finish short of that mark in consecutive games.I don't see Eichel bucking that trend Friday night against the Sharks. They're abysmal, giving up shots in bulk on a nightly basis to anyone and everyone.Eichel faced the Sharks once already and took full advantage, recording six shots on nine attempts.The Sharks rank bottom-five in shot suppression against centers and were in action on Thursday night. This is a prime spot for Eichel to put forth a big offensive showing.Odds: -122 (playable to -140)Todd Cordell is a sports betting writer at theScore. Follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, at @ToddCordell.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Colorado Avalanche forward Artturi Lehkonen was taken to the hospital as a precaution after going headfirst into the boards Thursday night against the Seattle Kraken, the team announced.Lehkonen was alert, responsive, and had full movement, the team added.

Columbus Blue Jackets forward Adam Fantilli was confused as to why he was handed an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty during the second period of his team's 5-2 loss to the Dallas Stars on Thursday.Stars defenseman Thomas Harley was sent to the box for high-sticking the Blue Jackets rookie, but Fantilli followed him to the sin bin after trying to clear the situation up with the referee, who thought he embellished the play."I said that (Harley's stick) didn't hit me in the face," Fantilli explained postgame, according to The Athletic's Aaron Portzline. "I played with a cage for a year (in college). The stick came up and came right past my face, and you could feel the wind. It shocks you for a second. Some people don't know how fast it really happens."It went right past my face and I reacted quickly. (The ref) called it and I tried to be honest. I didn't want to be that type of guy who looks like I was trying to sell calls or anything like that. The ref just hated it, I guess, and wanted to throw me in the box. So, nothing you can do."The infraction was just the third penalty the 19-year-old Fantilli has taken in his young career.Colorado Avalanche defenseman Cale Makar was in a similar situation last season.During a matchup against the New York Islanders in December, forward Mathew Barzal took a tripping penalty while defending Makar. However, the 2022 Norris Trophy winner informed referees that he'd fallen down on his own and that the penalty had been called incorrectly. After a brief meeting between the officials, the penalty on Barzal was waved off.Fantilli has two goals and seven points in 13 games so far. The Blue Jackets selected him with the third overall pick in the 2023 draft.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Minnesota Wild goaltender Filip Gustavsson isn't about to make any drastic changes to how he prepares for games as his struggles persist in the early days of the 2023-24 season."I think that's the most dangerous," he told The Athletic's Joe Smith. "(My process) worked for a reason before. ... You can't create bad habits, or you'll just be in a spiral wheel that makes your game worse and worse."Gustavsson enjoyed a breakout campaign in 2022-23, posting a .931 save percentage and 2.10 goals against average across 39 appearances. He also ranked third among all goaltenders in goals saved above average (30.4) and seventh in goals saved above expected (24.54) at all strengths, per Evolving Hockey.The Wild rewarded Gustavsson by inking him to a three-year pact with an average annual value of $3.75 million in July. Aside from a season-opening shutout against the Florida Panthers in 2023-24, Gustavsson has yet to play up to his new extension.The 25-year-old owns a 2-3-1 record on the campaign to go along with an .871 save percentage and 4.89 goals against average. Gustavsson's surrendered four or more goals in all but two outings and ranks dead-last in the league in goals saved above expected (minus-7.3) and fourth-last in goals saved above average (minus-7.45).Here's a look at how each of his starts has gone this season:DateShots AgainstGoals AllowedSV%Oct. 12 vs. Panthers (W)4101.000Oct. 14 @ Maple Leafs (L)337.788Oct. 21 vs. Blue Jackets (OTL)545.907Oct. 24 vs. Oilers (W)284.857Oct. 26 @ Flyers (L)356.829Nov. 2 vs. Devils (L)385.868Nov. 4 vs. Rangers43.250 (pulled at 6:53)Despite the unfavorable results, Gustavsson is trying to keep his confidence high."I don't think I've played that bad. The Toronto game, I don't think I performed," he said. "But after that, the Columbus game, I still felt like I played pretty good. You kind of try and fake that those five goals (against) don't get to you, but even though it feels like you're playing good, and it's not 100% your fault that you're not winning, or you're losing, it gets to you and you start thinking a little bit."You try to get out of that zone of questioning your own game instead of just trusting everyone around you, that they're going to do their job and the team is going to play a little better, and you're going to control it together."Defenseman Brock Faber said he doesn't think the Wild have done their part to help Gustavsson turn things around."We've left Gus out to dry a lot this year," he said. "Whatever his stats say, it's on us. A lot of those are on us."Gustavsson ranks 10th in high-danger shots against (53) among all netminders at five-on-five this campaign, according to Natural Stat Trick. The nine goalies who have faced more each played in at least one extra game than Gustavsson.Veteran Marc-Andre Fleury started Thursday against the New York Rangers.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The list of suitors for Patrick Kane appears to be narrowed down to around four.The New York Rangers and Detroit Red Wings have entered the sweepstakes for the unrestricted free-agent winger, reports TSN's Chris Johnston. The Buffalo Sabres and Florida Panthers, who were previously reported to be interested, remain in the hunt.Kane finished the 2022-23 campaign with the Rangers after the Chicago Blackhawks dealt him to New York at the trade deadline. He recorded five goals and seven assists in 19 regular-season contests with the Blueshirts before adding six points in seven playoff games. A reunion in the Big Apple would require some financial gymnastics, though, as the Rangers are right up against the cap ceiling.Detroit, however, has $4.4 million in projected cap space - the sixth-most in the NHL, per CapFriendly. The Red Wings would also offer Kane the opportunity to reunite with former Blackhawks linemate Alex DeBrincat, who joined Detroit this past offseason.Kane underwent hip resurfacing surgery on June 1 and was given a four-to-six month timeline. Although reports indicate his recovery is going well, the procedure has proven to be difficult to rebound from. Nicklas Backstrom was the latest player to have the surgery before Kane and he's not expected to suit up for the remainder of the season due to ongoing hip issues.Kane, who turns 35 on Nov. 19, produced a 92-point campaign as recently as 2021-22. The three-time Stanley Cup champion has recorded 1,237 points in 1,180 career regular season games, as well as 138 points in 143 postseason contests.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

If you've been riding our cheat sheet to closing line value glory (and various degrees of betting success), you probably saw that the conceptual target price for the Oilers in Vancouver on Monday night was -120. Edmonton opened there, but it was the Canucks that got bet to the point where the Oilers could've been had at -110.Compare this to Oct. 11 - the opener for both teams - where the Oilers were -160 to beat the Canucks at Rogers Arena. That's an implied win probability drop from 61.5% to 52.4%. The Canucks trucked the Oilers in both games, which is only tangential to the point.Searching for value based on power ratings is always only a starting point. This early in the season, a high percentage of that -120 target price is based on prior ratings from before the season.Luckily, we get to make our own decisions about what to bet. We're through roughly 13% of the NHL season, and no team rated on the same echelon as the Oilers has disappointed as Edmonton has, even though its advanced metrics are promising, with the second-best even-strength expected goals share and the third-best high-danger chance share.The Oilers' issue is the inverse of what's made the Canucks so impressive, and that's goaltending.PlayerGSAxThatcher Demko (VAN)15.01Casey DeSmith (VAN)2.42Jack Campbell (EDM)-3.24Stuart Skinner (EDM)-6.95Thatcher Demko leads the NHL with 15.01 goals saved above expectation, over five goals ahead of second-place Jeremy Swayman.On Monday night, the Canucks allowed nine even-strength high-danger chances and had only eight of their own - numbers that are right at the league average. However, Vancouver scored on four, while Demko didn't allow any of those opportunities to beat him.It's a long season, but so far, the Canucks are converting 17% of their even-strength HDCs, and the Oilers just 9.4%. The league average is 13%, and there's nothing different with Edmonton's personnel that would suggest that wouldn't even out, and the Canucks are clearly on a heater. However, knowing what we do about the personnel between the pipes, there's the element where a statistical regression shouldn't necessarily be expected.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:

Welcome to the first in-season edition of theScore's 2023-24 Vezina Trophy rankings, a monthly look at the top goaltenders across the NHL.Small sample sizes made for stiff competition on our list, and early-season rankings always feature names you might not necessarily expect. For example, only two netminders from our preseason rankings made the cut one month later.It's a long season, though, so there's plenty of time left for the true contenders to separate themselves from the pretenders.GSAA = Goals saved above average

Seattle Kraken forward Jordan Eberle is day-to-day after a teammate's skate blade cut his upper leg at practice Wednesday, head coach Dave Hakstol announced Thursday, according to team reporter Alison Lukan.Jaden Schwartz stepped on a puck and lost his balance, causing a "deep cut" near Eberle's quad from Schwartz's skate, general manager Ron Francis told Geoff Baker of The Seattle Times. Eberle went to hospital for an MRI after the incident.Eberle has one goal and three assists through 13 games this season. The 33-year-old scored 20 times last season, reaching that mark for the eighth time in his first 13 NHL campaigns.The Kraken recalled 2022 fourth overall pick Shane Wright after Eberle was injured. Wright received an exemption from the NHL-CHL agreement to be eligible to play in the AHL this season despite being a 2004-born player. He has four goals and six points in seven contests to commence the AHL campaign.The Burlington, Ontario, native split the 2022-23 season between the NHL, AHL, OHL, and world juniors.Seattle also recalled forward Ryan Winterton from the AHL with another undisclosed player dealing with an injury.Winterton, 20, began his professional career in October after a four-year OHL career with the Hamilton Bulldogs and London Knights. The 2021 third-round pick has three goals and five points in seven games with Coachella Valley.The Kraken face the Colorado Avalanche on Thursday.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Calgary Flames have called up star goaltender prospect Dustin Wolf from the AHL, the team announced Thursday.Wolf owns a 5-1 record with the Calgary Wranglers this season, along with one shutout and a .924 clip. The 22-year-old won AHL MVP in 2022-23 and has been named the league's top goalie in back-to-back campaigns.The Flames will carry three goaltenders while Wolf is up, as Jacob Markstrom and Daniel Vladar will remain in the mix. Both of Calgary's netminders have struggled early this season.PlayerRecordSV%GAAMarkstrom2-6-1.8962.91Vladar2-1.8844.00The 4-7-1 Flames rank 29th with a minus-11 goal differential this season.Calgary drafted Wolf in the seventh round of the 2019 draft. He made his first NHL start late last season, making 23 saves in a victory.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Welcome to the second edition of theScore's 2023-24 Norris Trophy Rankings and the first 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. Roman Josi, Predators Steph Chambers / Getty Images Sport / GettyGPGAATOIxGF%122624:3453.6Josi is doing a lot of heavy lifting for the Predators. With a thin forward group, the club counts on the 33-year-old to create offense from the back end, and he hasn't disappointed. Josi ranks second among Preds skaters and third among NHL defensemen in shots (42).But he's also playing some of the best defensive hockey of his career. Josi's xGF% and expected goals against per 60 minutes (2.13) are the best since his Norris-winning campaign in 2020, and the latter stat ranks 22nd among blue-liners with at least 100 five-on-five minutes.4. Drew Doughty, Kings Len Redkoles / National Hockey League / GettyGPGAATOIxGF%124226:1455.2Doughty is turning back the clock. The 2016 Norris winner and four-time finalist is playing some of his best hockey over the last six seasons. Even at age 33 (he turns 34 in December), he continues to be a workhorse, leading all NHL skaters in average ice time.Doughty has been highly effective in his heavy minutes, as he's been on the ice for 17 goals for and nine against at even strength. Looking under the hood, his xGF% is in the top 50 at his position.Doughty ranks tied for fourth among blue-liners in goals, although his 18.2% shooting percentage is due for some regression. However, the savvy veteran is exceptionally difficult to play against, and it's his superb 200-foot game that gives him the edge over other productive defensemen left off this list.3. Miro Heiskanen, Stars Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / GettyGPGAATOIxGF%111625:2164.0%The offensive production hasn't quite been there for Heiskanen, even though a 53-point pace is nothing to scoff at. But he deserves a spot this high on the list due to his play at both ends.Heiskanen has been on the ice for 10 goals for and only six against at five-on-five, and his xGF% is best among qualified NHL defensemen. As one of the game's most prolific skaters, he excels at transporting the puck up ice and using his legs to thwart opposing threats. Heiskanen could challenge for a higher spot on our list if the production begins to follow his strong underlying play.2. Cale Makar, Avalanche Justin Berl / Getty Images Sport / GettyGPGAATOIxGF%1131123:5652.9Makar has been his usual dynamite self offensively, as he's coming off an impressive three-assist night during Tuesday's win over the New Jersey Devils. He's been a threat in transition and walking the offensive-zone blue line.However, even though his defensive game is underrated and has improved with time, it's been a bit more uneven to start the year than what we've become accustomed to. His xGF% is rather pedestrian from his lofty standards, and his defensive rating is minus-0.3.The fact that Makar is capable of more, yet still ends up second on this list, shows just how special of a talent he really is.1. Quinn Hughes, Canucks Derek Cain / Getty Images Sport / GettyGPGAATOIxGF%1251523:5451.5Hughes paces all NHL defensemen in points and is tied for the league lead in assists with his brother, Jack, and teammate Elias Pettersson. He vowed to shoot the puck more this season, and it's made an incredible difference. Hughes' 3.75 shots per contest is nearly double his previous high of 1.97.However, the other aspects of his game have also been outstanding, which puts a sizeable gap between him and the rest of the pack. Hughes has vastly improved his defensive play and has only been on the ice for three goals against at five-on-five. While some of that is due to the strong goaltending the Canucks have received, his underlying numbers are also stellar.Vancouver runs through Hughes. As great as Pettersson and Thatcher Demko have been this season, there's a strong case to be made that Hughes, named captain before the start of the campaign, is the Canucks' most valuable player and the key reason for their surprising 9-2-1 start. At this point, Hughes should be garnering Hart Trophy consideration, too.Honorable mentions: Adam Fox (injured), Shea Theodore, Moritz Seider(Analytics sources: Evolving-Hockey, Natural Stat Trick)Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Toronto Maple Leafs head coach Sheldon Keefe didn't mince words after his team's 6-3 loss on home ice against the Ottawa Senators on Wednesday."We've got to pull together here to keep pucks out of our net," Keefe said, according to The Toronto Sun's Terry Koshan. "It's out of control."The Maple Leafs have given up 47 goals in 13 games - the third most league-wide. They've allowed at least three goals in 10 of 13 contests this season."We sit in here, and we celebrate guys who score big numbers and score a ton and all that kind of stuff," Keefe said, according to Koshan. "We don't talk enough about what we give up. That's the reality. We've got to prioritize keeping the puck out of our net."Keefe described his level of concern over the defensive play as "very high," per Koshan."Some of it is individual, some of it is collective within the structure," the head coach said. "Some of it is just being committed to it, you know?"Free-agent signing John Klingberg has been a focal point of the Maple Leafs' defensive struggles. The blue-liner was on the ice for another four goals against at five-on-five against the Senators, dropping him to a minus-8 on the year. Recent recall William Lagesson replaced him on the second pairing in the third period."We need to protect (Klingberg) better," Keefe admitted, according to The Hockey News' Mike Stephens.The Maple Leafs have allowed four or more goals in all seven home games to commence the campaign."Our fans deserve better," Keefe said, according to Sportsnet's Luke Fox.Toronto's next opportunity to turn its defensive play around comes Friday at home to the 4-7-1 Calgary Flames.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Pittsburgh Penguins goaltender Tristan Jarry exited Tuesday's 2-0 win over the Anaheim Ducks due to an injury after a hard collision with forward Adam Henrique.Jarry was replaced by Magnus Hellberg late in the second period and didn't return for the third frame.

The Calgary Flames are set on moving past Jonathan Huberdeau's benching during the third period of Tuesday's win over the Nashville Predators.The club's highest-paid player didn't play a shift in the final frame and was visibly upset at the end of the Flames' bench.

The Minnesota Wild reshaped their defensive depth on Wednesday with a pair of trades.First, they sent blue-liner Calen Addison to the San Jose Sharks for prospect Adam Raska and a fifth-round draft pick in 2026. Shortly after, they acquired veteran Zach Bogosian from the Tampa Bay Lightning for a seventh-rounder in 2025.Bogosian, 33, is in the final year of a three-year contract carrying an $850,000 cap hit. He's gone pointless in four games this season, but has 787 career contests under his belt split between the Atlanta Thrashers, Winnipeg Jets, Buffalo Sabres, Toronto Maple Leafs, and Lightning.Addison is under contract this season at an $825,000 cap hit before becoming a restricted free agent for the second consecutive year.The 23-year-old has managed five assists in 12 games this season while averaging 16:48 per contest. Addison is likely to take on a bigger role for the last-place Sharks, and he showed he's capable of creating offense with 29 points - including 18 on the power play - in 62 games in 2022-23.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Edmonton Oilers goaltender Jack Campbell will be assigned to the AHL after clearing waivers.The club waived the struggling netminder on Tuesday.Campbell owns a single win along with an .873 save percentage and a 4.50 goals-against average through five appearances this season. He signed a five-year, $25-million deal with the Oilers in 2022.Goaltending has been a key factor in Edmonton's 2-8-1 start to the year. Stuart Skinner has posted an .856 clip through seven games, and the Oilers' collective .860 save percentage at all strengths is the worst in the NHL, according to Natural Stat Trick.The Oilers recalled Calvin Pickard to fill Campbell's spot on the depth chart. The veteran netminder is 2-2-0 with a .939 save percentage for the Bakersfield Condors this season, and he last appeared in the NHL in 2021-22 with the Detroit Red Wings.Edmonton is in the midst of a three-game losing streak, with its next contest Thursday against the San Jose Sharks - the only team behind the Oilers in the league standings.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

With a month of the 2023-24 season in the books, theScore's Josh Wegman and John Matisz offer their takes on four topics captivating the hockey world.On a scale of 1-10, how concerned are you about the 2-8-1 Oilers? Ethan Miller / Getty ImagesWegman: 3 out of 10. John and I both picked the Oilers to win the Stanley Cup in theScore's preseason predictions, so we're not off to the best start. However, I still believe Edmonton can right the ship in short order.There have been some worrisome sequences adjusting from a man-to-man defensive system to a zone scheme, but Stuart Skinner and Jack Campbell have made the Oilers' defense look worse than it actually is, combining for an unsustainable NHL-worst .861 save percentage. Goaltending remains a huge question mark, but the team rightly waived Campbell on Tuesday to recall journeyman Calvin Pickard, who's shined in four AHL appearances this year. Pickard may not be a long-term solution, but he can't be any worse.General manager Ken Holland is in the final year of his contract. He was conservative in his first three years at the helm, but don't be surprised if he makes another Mattias Ekholm-sized splash at some point to land a goalie.Connor McDavid also hasn't set the league on fire the way we all know he's capable of. Maybe he's still playing through the upper-body injury that caused him to miss two games. Regardless, he won't stay quiet for much longer.Take a deep breath, Oilers fans. It's still early.Matisz: 6 out of 10.On one hand, the Oilers have plenty of opportunity to flip the script, with about 85% of their regular season schedule left to be played. On the other hand, the first stretch of the year has been such a tire fire that it warrants a hefty dose of concern.Edmonton sits 30th in shooting percentage after finishing first, 11th, fifth, and fourth in the previous four seasons. Part of that steep drop can be attributed to poor puck luck in a small sample. Part of it is roster composition.In other words, I'm not overly concerned about proven point producers like McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, Zach Hyman, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, and Evander Kane. What I'm concerned about is the fact that players in the other seven forward slots have contributed five goals through 11 games.As Josh outlines above, the Oilers also have existential problems on defense. When the offense is humming at its usual rate, the Oilers don't need to be an elite team defensively. They only need competence. Whether it's a coaching change, another goalie move, or a switch back to man-to-man defense, Edmonton has some breathing room to address its fixable defensive woes.The key word there is "some." If the second month of the season goes as poorly as the first, and the Oilers remain far out of a playoff spot in early December, the level of concern will swiftly rise from medium to super-high.Is it time to give up on the idea of the Sidney Crosby-led Penguins making one last Cup run? Harrison Barden / Getty ImagesWegman: Yes. Stick a fork in them. They're done.Sure, it may take some time for the new arrivals (read: Erik Karlsson) to get accustomed to their surroundings, and some of the underlying numbers suggest they've been unlucky. But I just can't envision a scenario where this team becomes a legitimate threat.The Penguins had been healthy to begin the season (up until Tristan Jarry departed Tuesday's game), but we know that's not bound to last with their four-player core ranging in age from 33 to 37. They're the oldest team in the league, so the idea that they'll make it through the grind of the regular season and reach the playoffs with enough gas left in the tank to make some noise in the spring seems unfathomable.Their division, the Metropolitan, is arguably the toughest in the NHL, too. Even if the Pens squeak into the postseason, they'd likely have to pull off an upset against the Rangers, Devils, or Hurricanes. As much as I never want to doubt Sidney Crosby and Co., I don't see it happening.Matisz: I can't in good conscience say yes here.In fact, I'm a "no" until the Penguins' signs of decline are undeniable. (For reference, the Capitals are an apt example of a team in "undeniable" territory.)What we've witnessed in Pittsburgh through 11 games can be summed up in two words: growing pains. GM Kyle Dubas made a handful of smart bets in the offseason. Karlsson, Ryan Graves, Reilly Smith, Lars Eller, and Noel Acciari - I liked every one of those acquisitions within the context of the organization trying desperately to win a fourth Cup with Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, and Kris Letang. Positive results will come as the season progresses.Imagine being Karlsson, who spent the previous five seasons in San Jose. On top of learning head coach Mike Sullivan's in-your-face system, you're tasked with moving across the country, joining a long-established veteran dressing room, and producing right away alongside a new partner. Not easy.The Pens are far from a perfect squad, and their path to the Eastern Conference final projects to be an unforgiving gauntlet. However, 11 games isn't long enough to throw in the towel on a roster experiment worth testing.The Calder Trophy race is wide-open this year. Who's your early-season pick? Bill Smith / Getty ImagesWegman: Connor Bedard. Maybe he hasn't burst through the gates the way some anticipated, but what he's doing is still mighty impressive. His five goals in 11 games are tied with Marco Rossi for most among rookies.To me, what separates Bedard from rookies with comparable statistics is that no first-year player has it as difficult as the Blackhawks phenom. Bedard is the focal point of Chicago's offensive attack at even strength and their trigger man on the power play. That means he's drawing maximum attention and the toughest matchups possible every single shift. He's really the only Chicago skater defenses must game plan around - and, yet, he's thriving.Matisz: Pavel Mintyukov - though not by a wide margin. Bedard, Logan Cooley, Luke Hughes, and Joseph Woll have also popped in the early going.Mintyukov, selected 10th overall in 2022, has been brilliant through 12 games for the 7-5-0 Ducks. His eight points? Tops among rookie defensemen. His usage? Heavy. His skill set? Mesmerizing. His shifts? Must-see TV, already.This kid is, in a word, awesome.In many ways, Mintyukov's a prototypical modern blue-liner. He's constantly taking calculated risks. The 19-year-old will be issuing a body check or blocking a shot, and then a second later he's confidently leading or supporting Anaheim's attack the other way. His on- and off-puck instincts mesh well with his physical tools - namely that 6-foot-1, 195-pound frame and high-end skating.I like to give rookie defensemen extra credit because seamlessly making the jump to the NHL is typically harder for teenage D-men than teenage forwards.In the wake of Adam Johnson's tragic death, should the NHL mandate neck protection? Patrick Smith / Getty Images Sport / GettyWegman: Yes, this is a no-brainer. After the former Pittsburgh Penguins forward died during an accident in which a skate slashed his neck while playing in England's EIHL, we've seen several current NHL players voluntarily wear some form of neck protection, which is a great start.My guess is neck guards will eventually get grandfathered in. Hockey is such a fast, dangerous game. Even if it means looking slightly less "cool," or having to deal with the initial discomfort of wearing a neck guard, it's worth it to prevent a freak accident from occurring again. It should be mandated at all levels of hockey.Matisz: The NHL grandfathered in visors a decade ago. It was an easy way to keep all parties happy: Veterans weren't suddenly forced to attach a half-shield to their helmet, yet newcomers had to wear one starting in 2013-14.I see this scenario the exact same way, except the area of protection has shifted from the eyes to the neck. Finding that middle ground, where the league and the NHL Players' Association can agree to roll out a new piece of mandatory equipment in a quick, non-polarizing manner, is important here.There was no major backlash to the grandfathering of visors, and I don't foresee any with neck guards. Still, I understand why some NHLers are hesitant to make the switch midseason, given concerns over the breathability of guards currently on the market. Manufacturers will eventually figure it out.Surely, this issue will be on the agenda when GMs meet next week in Toronto.(Advanced stats courtesy Evolving-Hockey and Natural Stat Trick)Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Connor McDavid is taking responsibility for his role in the Edmonton Oilers' miserable start to the 2023-24 campaign.The reigning MVP has battled injury and mustered 10 points in nine games but vows to be better going forward as the Oilers aim to dig themselves out of a 2-8-1 hole."I feel healthy enough to be out there, and I've got to be better," McDavid told Sportsnet's Mark Spector."I've got to be contributing and playing the game that I can. Obviously, I'm a big part of the group and haven't been playing well enough."McDavid missed two games last month with an upper-body injury but returned to the lineup earlier than expected to spark Edmonton to a win at the Heritage Classic on Oct. 29. The Oilers have lost three consecutive games since, with their captain managing a single assist over that span.Edmonton was a popular Stanley Cup pick in preseason prognostications after an improved defensive game - along with its usual potent McDavid-led offense - saw the club rack up 109 points last season. That hasn't been the case thus far, as the Oilers rank 31st with a minus-18 goal differential.The onslaught of goals against prompted the club to waive goaltender Jack Campbell, who's in the second season of a five-year, $25-million contract.Although nothing's gone right for the Oilers this season, McDavid says he's confident they can turn things around."Everybody is disappointed with the start. Sitting at 2-8-1, that's not at all what we expected. Everybody is disappointed, myself included," he said. "With that being said, it's 11 games in. I can't sit here and just give you all dooms. I've got to (shine) a ray of hope."We went (17-2-1) coming down the stretch last year. We need a run like that and maybe then some. This group is capable of that. It may not look like that right now, but we are. Everyone has more to give. Myself included."Edmonton will look to start its turnaround Thursday against the 1-10-1 San Jose Sharks.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Tuesday night was a great one on the ice. We won both of our best bets as well as two of three props, giving us a 4-1 record.Although nothing stands out in terms of sides and totals for this three-game slate, there is plenty of value on the board in terms of props. Let's dig in.Auston Matthews: Over 4.5 shotsMatthews is an absolute force on home ice. He's averaging 5.8 shots and 9.2 attempts per game while playing in Toronto this season. Unsurprisingly, those insane outputs have led to great success with his shot props.He has gone over in five of six games played at home, only failing to get the job done against a stingy Kings team.The Senators should be a welcome sight for a red-hot Matthews. They are dealing with several injuries on defense, and it shows. No team has allowed more five-on-five shots per 60 minutes over the last five games. Factor in that they also take plenty of penalties, and it's a great matchup for Matthews across the board.Odds: -110 (playable to -135)Tim Stutzle: Over 2.5 shotsStutzle has gone over his shot total in seven of 10 games this season. Although he failed to record three in two of the past three contests, and his attempt volume is done, I expect him to find success against the Maple Leafs.He will be centering Mathieu Joseph and Claude Giroux on the Senators' second line. Dating back to last year, Stutzle's individual shot rates are higher with Joseph and Giroux than they are while skating alongside Brady Tkachuk, Drake Batherson, or other notable forwards on the roster. That's a plus.The matchup is quite solid as the Maple Leafs have given up shots in bulk and shown a tendency to play high-event games.Senators head coach DJ Smith also made a point to say Stutzle needs to simplify his game and stop trying to do too much. That could lead to more shots as opposed to overpassing.Lastly, it's worth noting Stutzle has a nice history against the Maple Leafs. He has piled up 22 shot attempts and four points over his last three games against Toronto while going over his shot total in each.Odds: -130 (playable to -145)Shea Theodore: Under 2.5 shotsTheodore is a very gifted offensive defenseman, but he doesn't shoot the puck a whole lot. He's gone under in nine of 13 games this year (69%) and five of the last six games.He didn't attempt more than six shots once in that six-game span, and, including last year, Theodore has recorded two shots or fewer in 50 of the past 65 games in which he attempted six shots or fewer.I don't envision seeing much of an uptick from Theodore in this spot. The Kings are fantastic at shot suppression and allow next to nothing against opposing defensemen. In fact, only three teams have conceded fewer shots per game against the position this season.Odds: -125 (playable to -140)Trevor Moore: Over 2.5 shotsMoore has registered at least three shots in eight of 11 games to start the season. He has done the majority of his damage at five-on-five, where he leads the Kings in attempts and shots on goal.That's very noteworthy heading into a matchup with the Golden Knights. Believe it or not, they have allowed a ton of shot volume at even strength this season.The Golden Knights are giving up more than 64 shot attempts per 60 at five-on-five. That number - which is actually trending downwards - surrounds them with teams like the Senators and Ducks.Expect Moore to be the prime beneficiary.Odds: -130 (playable to -140)Todd Cordell is a sports betting writer at theScore. Follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, at @ToddCordell.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

It was a nail-biter, but the San Jose Sharks' season-opening losing streak ended at 11 games as they beat the Philadelphia Flyers 2-1 on Tuesday night to improve to 1-10-1 on the campaign.Sharks goaltender Mackenzie Blackwood made 38 saves on 39 shots to help San Jose clinch its first victory of the year, while Anthony Duclair led the way offensively with one goal and one assist.Duclair set the tone by burying a flashy feed from Kevin Labanc just under two minutes into the contest, while William Eklund struck on the power play late in the second frame.Joel Farabee got the Flyers on the board just 2:33 after Eklund's tally to make it a one-goal game.Coming into Tuesday, the Sharks had allowed a whopping 19 goals against in the third period. But Blackwood didn't allow that trend to continue versus the Flyers, turning aside all 15 shots he faced during the game's final stanza.Blackwood saved 2.19 goals above expected at all strengths during the victory, according to Natural Stat Trick. The Flyers heavily outshot the Sharks by a measure of 39-19."It's a lot of relief in here, everyone's happy," Blackwood said postgame, according to NBC Sports. "It's been a long time coming."If the Sharks' losing streak had reached 12, they would have set a dubious new NHL record for most defeats to start a season, according to San Jose Hockey Now's Sheng Peng.Sharks head coach David Quinn was proud of his squad for avoiding that fate."I give these guys so much credit, they've been such a great group to coach," he said, per NBC Sports. "They never stop working, they're attentive, they work hard in practice. There's just so many things that went into tonight, and at some point you say, 'Enough's enough.'"Quinn added, "It wasn't like we played great. I don't want to think, 'Oh wow, they won a game.' We played the way we're capable of playing - we can play much better - but we checked a lot of boxes and showed some characteristics that we're going to need. I thought there were a lot of good things, but I thought we left a lot of offense on the table."Prior to Tuesday's triumph, the Sharks had surrendered 10 goals in back-to-back games on home ice. The shoddy performances prompted general manager Mike Grier to hold a meeting with the players Monday as he aimed to address the "unacceptable" play.Sharks forward Tomas Hertl joked that he "probably never" wanted a win this badly, even in the playoffs."(It was) probably the hardest start of my life, but I think we've worked really hard and that's why we won tonight," he said. "But it can't be just one game. We want to keep rolling from that and just be ready for the next game. ... We have to show up every night like that, otherwise it will be like the two games before."Hopefully now we can loosen up a little bit ... with the tough feeling behind us."The Sharks get their first chance to string together two wins when they take on the Edmonton Oilers - the NHL's second-worst team in the standings - on Thursday.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Colorado Avalanche forward Ross Colton was ejected for cross-checking New Jersey Devils winger Timo Meier in the second period of Tuesday's contest, kicking off a fiery special-teams battle.Colton was handed a major and a game misconduct on the play, and he also earned a minor penalty for boarding Devils rookie Luke Hughes earlier in the sequence. Hughes was slow to get up but ultimately got to his feet under his own power and returned to the contest later in the middle frame.Here's a closer look at Colton's transgressions: