St. Louis Blues forward Pavel Buchnevich didn't cut himself any slack when assessing his performance in the early goings of the 2023-24 campaign."I'm just awful. I'm just awful all season. I don't know what to say," he told NHL.com's Lou Korac following his team's 5-2 loss to the Winnipeg Jets on Tuesday. "Guys create chances for me, but I can't finish. I don't know. Hopefully, one (will) go in."I just have to play better and help the team. Now I don't create anything, doesn't really help the team. Got to find a way."Buchnevich has one goal and three assists in nine games this campaign. His one tally came on the power play - the Blues' sole goal on the man advantage in 2023-24 - on Oct. 24 against the Jets.The Russian winger almost got his second goal of the season Tuesday but was denied by Jets defenseman Dylan DeMelo, who made a sliding stop in the crease with netminder Connor Hellebuyck down-and-out on the play.

Ottawa Senators forward Claude Giroux is clearly frustrated with the speculation about D.J. Smith's job security and some fans' desire to see the team replace the head coach."It's getting pretty old, the fans and the media talking about D.J.," Giroux told reporters Tuesday. "(It's) pretty frustrating, actually. He's our coach. He's not going anywhere. We want to play for him. It's just a distraction that we don't need right now, and I think we've done a pretty good job of not getting caught up into that."Some Senators supporters chanted "Fire D.J." during Saturday's loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning. After the game, Ottawa captain Brady Tkachuk criticized the fans who chanted that and the ones who booed the team off the ice that same night.On Tuesday, Tkachuk said he's trying to move forward and isn't fixating on the comments.Giroux acknowledged he and his teammates felt bad when they heard the chanting but denied that it affected their play."In the room, guys care a lot, and I don't think we're a team that's going to quit or stop working hard," the Senators' oldest player said.The loss dropped the Senators to 4-6-0 this season. They've lost four of their last five games and their last four on home ice.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

We started the week on a positive note Monday, cashing two of three player props.Connor McDavid was listed at four shots with several minutes remaining in the second period but never registered another shot and actually had one taken away, preventing us from completing the sweep.We'll set our sights on a perfect evening with three more props for Tuesday's big NHL card.Tage Thompson: Under 3.5 shotsThompson is having a tough time on the road. He's registered more than six shot attempts in only one game away from Buffalo thus far.Dating back to last season, Thompson has gone under his 3.5 shot total in 17 of the 21 road games in which he attempted six shots or fewer.There's plenty of reason to expect a low-volume output Tuesday night against the Hurricanes. They're the league's best shot-suppression team at five-on-five and rank third while killing penalties.They're particularly dominant on home ice, where they're allowing just 47 shot attempts per game across all situations. The Hurricanes are giving opponents nothing, and they'll have the last change to get the matchups they want against Thompson.He faced the Hurricanes three times last season, failing to record four shots or more in two of the three - and the exception came in Buffalo.Expect the Hurricanes to keep Thompson's shot total down in this game.Odds: -135 (playable to -150)Rickard Rakell: Over 2.5 shotsRakell owns extremely unique splits. He's recorded three shots or more in two of six games in Pittsburgh, where he's averaged just 3.5 attempts per night.He's hit the over in three of four road games and posted astronomically high shot numbers. He's averaging 4.5 shots on goal and 8.5 shot attempts away from home. Those are the kind of numbers you'd expect from David Pastrnak or Kirill Kaprizov.The stars are aligning for another productive road showing from Rakell. While the Ducks have performed better than expected this season, that's a byproduct of offense rather than defense. They're still giving up a lot of shots on a nightly basis, and shooters like Rakell benefit greatly from that.It's also worth noting the Ducks are Rakell's former team. He's enjoyed great success against them since being dealt to the Penguins, recording 14 shots and 22 attempts over the span of three games - all of which he hit the over in. We should see more of the same this time around.Odds: +100 (playable to -130)Nathan MacKinnon: Over 4.5 shotsMacKinnon is a monster on home ice. He has a 61% success rate when playing in Colorado since the beginning of last season. He's averaged 5.1 shots on goal per game, which is as good as it gets in terms of volume.Although MacKinnon has failed to reach five shots in two of three at home this year, it's important to look at the context of the games.One was a decisive 4-1 victory over the Blues in which the Avalanche were playing from multiple goals ahead most of the night. The other was a four-shot, eight-attempt performance against the stingy Hurricanes.A matchup against the Devils should be more in MacKinnon's wheelhouse. They play a very up-tempo, high-event brand of hockey that should benefit MacKinnon and his skill set.That certainly appeared to be the case in 2022-23. MacKinnon attempted 10 shots in both games against the Devils while combining for 13 shots on target.We should see an active offensive performance from MacKinnon against a team missing Hart Trophy candidate Jack Hughes and Selke finalist Nico Hischier down the middle of the ice.Odds: -105 (playable to -130)Todd Cordell is a sports betting writer at theScore. Follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, at @ToddCordell.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

We split our best bets to begin the week. The Panthers blew a 3-0 lead against the Blue Jackets and were unable to put them away in regulation. Thankfully, a low-event game played out in Dallas to cash the under.Let's take a closer look at a couple of my favorite plays for Tuesday night's slate.Jets (-140) @ Blues (+120)The Jets and Blues enter this contest with matching win totals, but I think there is a sizable gap between the two sides.Although the Blues have won back-to-back games, those came against a mediocre Canadiens team resting Jake Allen - by far their best goaltender - and a Devils side playing without Jack Hughes (for all but three minutes of ice time) and Nico Hischier.The Blues' putrid underlying numbers are showing no signs of improvement. They've controlled just 42.7% of the expected goals at five-on-five over the past five games, posting poor metrics in chance generation and prevention.The Jets, meanwhile, controlled 58% of the expected goals share over the last five, headlined by their league-best numbers in terms of preventing expected goals.Even without Gabriel Vilardi, the Jets remain a potent five-on-five offense. They should be able to generate plenty of chances against this Blues defense and keep limiting what they give up at the other end.I see the Jets as a playoff-caliber team and the Blues as closer to the bottom grouping. That should shine through in this game.Bet: Jets (-140)Penguins (-165) @ Ducks (+140)Led by youngsters Mason McTavish, Trevor Zegras, Leo Carlsson, and Pavel Mintyukov, the Ducks are a very fun team to watch. They're still not a good team.Their young core doesn't have a lot of support up front - the bottom six is terrible - and the Ducks' overall defensive play remains quite suspect. The 6-0 run they're on is a lot of smoke and mirrors. Of course, the Ducks deserve credit for scoring in bunches and finding ways to win games, but the way they're doing it isn't sustainable.The Ducks have controlled only 40.85% of the expected goals share during this hot streak, which puts them very close to the bottom of the league. Getting outchanced consistently is not a recipe for success; nor is being forced to come from behind in the third period on a nightly basis.Anaheim's level of play needs to rise several tiers for its success to continue and I don't see that happening against the Penguins.Pittsburgh's start to the season has been a roller-coaster ride but there are a lot of encouraging signs beneath the hood. The Pens have generated chances at an absurd rate on the power play and, sooner or later, the puck will start to find the net in such situations.They are also playing good hockey at five-on-five. They own a 57.84 xGF% over the past six games, which slots them just below teams like the Hurricanes and Avalanche.The Penguins are poised to go on a bit of a run. Their 10-2 trouncing of the Sharks was a good place to start. I expect them to build on it versus the Ducks.Bet: Penguins in regulation (-125)Todd Cordell is a sports betting writer at theScore. Follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, at @ToddCordell.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Assessing the rookie class in the early goings of the season can be tricky business.Some dark horses in the Calder Trophy conversation are off to red-hot starts and have taken the spotlight away from a few favorites. Adam Fantilli and Logan Cooley are missing this time around, but we fully expect them to pop back up on these rankings again at some point. Cooley is tied with two other players on this list for the rookie points lead, but six of his eight have come on the power play.As the headline suggests, two Ducks feature in this edition - but neither is Leo Carlsson. He's been spectacular, but Anaheim has been managing his workload, so he's only appeared in seven games.With those caveats out of the way, let's get into it.5. Matt Poitras, Bruins Maddie Meyer / Getty Images Sport / GettyGPGPATOI124715:04With the Bruins down their top two centers due to the retirements of David Krejci and Patrice Bergeron, the reigning Presidents' Trophy winners were in need of some help down the middle. Enter Poitras, a 19-year-old Guelph Storm product who surprisingly made the Bruins out of camp. It doesn't seem like he'll be heading back to the OHL any time soon. To quote head coach Jim Montgomery, "he just belongs." A glowing review like that is significant given how good the Bruins have been.Poitras has seen substantial time in the top six as he's quickly adhered to the Bruins' style of play. The 2022 second-round pick has the third-most goals out of all rookies and is tied for the second-highest point total while leading the class with 10 takeaways. Poitras has also posted strong underlying numbers, with the Bruins controlling 63.6% of the goals and 53.5% of the expected goals with him on the ice at five-on-five.We'd like to see Poitras get more ice time to boost his Calder hopes - he's only eclipsed the 18-minute mark once in 12 games this season - but that should change as he continues adjusting to life in the NHL. Given the early returns, it's no wonder Boston opted to burn the first year of Poitras' entry-level contract to keep him around with the big club.4. Bobby Brink, Flyers Len Redkoles / National Hockey League / GettyGPGPATOI113816:24Like Poitras, Brink has been an extremely pleasant surprise for his team.Philadelphia's 2019 second-round pick is tied for the rookie points lead, and six of his points have come at even strength, good for the fifth most on the Flyers. Brink has also had three multi-point games, the most among all first-year players.The 22-year-old is averaging the third-most ice time of all rookie forwards, and those minutes have been fruitful ones for the Flyers: Philadelphia has outscored opponents 12-8 with Brink on the ice at all strengths. For comparison, Philly has dictated less than 50% of the goals in all situations so far this season. It's unsurprising, then, that Brink ranks in the top three in both wins above replacement (0.5) and goals above replacement (3.5) on the Flyers.There's great potential for even more firepower from Brink, too, given that he's on the Flyers' top power-play unit. The City of Brotherly Love owns the league's third-worst power play with a success rate of just 9.8%, but the team is bound to get going at some point, and Brink will be there to reap the benefits.3. Lukas Dostal, Ducks Debora Robinson / National Hockey League / GettyGPSV%GAASO6.9202.800Dostal isn't the only rookie goaltender who's been turning heads so far this season - Joseph Woll has been great for the Maple Leafs - but man, has he been vital to the Ducks' surprising success.The most convincing stat: The dude is 5-1-0. He's been in net for all but two of Anaheim's wins this season. In four of his outings (all victories), Dostal has been forced to make over 30 saves. There's a reason he was named the NHL's Rookie of the Month for October. He owns a sparkling .930 save percentage at even strength and an admirable .863 high-danger save percentage at all strengths while saving 3.02 goals above average and 5.98 goals above expected.The 23-year-old is sharing the crease with John Gibson, but he's pushing the veteran for playing time, which will be a fascinating storyline if the newbie is able to keep it up. For now, Dostal's performance is a welcome sight for a team that allowed a league-worst 335 goals last season.2. Connor Bedard, Blackhawks Chase Agnello-Dean / National Hockey League / GettyGPGPATOI115719:27Bedard hasn't immediately torched the league, but he's come as advertised with a sickeningly dangerous shot. He's still the favorite to win the Calder Trophy, though we've got him in the silver-medal position this time.The 2023 first overall pick leads the rookie class in goals and is tied for the second-highest point total. Given how lethal his release is, Bedard rightfully hasn't been shy about shooting the puck in the early stages of his career: He paces the Blackhawks with 34 shots, seven clear of Ryan Donato in second place.What's more, Bedard could have more goals. He scored his first NHL goal in his second game, but in the first five contests of his career, he was mired by a shooting percentage of 5%, converting just once on a whopping 20 shots. Bedard has since turned things around, though, with four goals in his last six games on 14 shots, good for a 28.6% shooting percentage. Yeah, he's starting to figure this whole NHL thing out.Bedard has the most ice time of all rookie forwards as the Blackhawks' No. 1 center. To make his life harder, he gets a lot of attention from opposing teams, who are doing their damnedest to not get burned by the new kid on the block. So far, the 18-year-old is handling it all very well, including about a million interviews with the media.1. Pavel Mintyukov, Ducks Harrison Barden / Getty Images Sport / GettyGPGPATOI111819:11Take one look at Mintyukov, and you'd think he's in his fifth NHL season, not his first. Seriously, the defenseman hasn't played a single game in the AHL and already looks like this? At only 19 years old? What's his secret?The Ducks' 2022 10th overall pick has impressed with his poise and confidence, both with and without the puck. He already has a knack for discouraging and disrupting plays without taking penalties (he was sent to the sin bin for the first time in his career Sunday against the Vegas Golden Knights), and he has the speed to recover if he gets caught on a particular sequence. For those reasons, he's earned the trust of his coaching staff. Mintyukov is averaging the third-most ice time on the Ducks, he's been quarterbacking Anaheim's top power-play unit since his debut, and he's out there late in games to help the team defend leads or chase a goal.Mintyukov is just catching fire, too. He's tied with two forwards for the rookie points lead, and seven of his points have come at even strength, good for the fourth most among all NHL defensemen. Even better for the Ducks, six of his points have come in the last six games, which were all victories.Keep an eye on:

San Jose Sharks general manager Mike Grier made it clear that even he didn't expect such an abysmal start from his rebuilding team."We expected some pain as we go through this situation," Grier said Monday, according to NBC Sports' Sheng Peng. "But the last two games in particular, it hasn't been good enough. The compete, the effort, it's not good enough. It's unacceptable."The Sharks became the first team in 58 years to surrender double-digit goals in consecutive games when they fell 10-2 to the Pittsburgh Penguins on Saturday and 10-1 to the Vancouver Canucks two nights prior.The putrid showings spurred Grier to hold a meeting with the players."It was one-way. I just felt they needed to hear from me and what I'm seeing and what I expect from them," he explained. "I let them know what was happening was not acceptable."The Sharks are still seeking their first win amid one of the more nightmarish starts to a season in NHL history. They've mustered just 12 goals while surrendering 54 for a goal differential of minus-42. The Edmonton Oilers own the league's second-worst differential this season at minus-14.Grier conceded that everyone in the organization has to be better and wouldn't lay all of the blame on head coach David Quinn's shoulders."I think the players respect (Quinn), and I think one of his biggest qualities is that he communicates well," he said. "So I think the players know what's expected of them. I think they know where they stand with him."The executive added he'll be monitoring his team for signs of life in the coming days before determining his next move."We'll see how they respond here over the next week, in the next couple of games, as we go forward," he said. "If I don't see what I want to see, we'll be evaluating everything and looking at everything. This can't go on for much longer."(If) the response isn't there and I'm not seeing what I need to see, then everything will be evaluated, and I'm sure there'll be some changes made."The 0-10-1 Sharks' first chance to turn things around will come Tuesday against the Philadelphia Flyers.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Carolina Hurricanes goaltender Frederik Andersen is out indefinitely with a blood clotting issue, the team announced Monday."During recent medical testing, it was discovered that Frederik Andersen had a blood clotting issue that needed to be addressed," Hurricanes general manager Don Waddell said in a statement. "There is currently no timetable for his return, but we are confident that Freddie will be able to make a full recovery."Andersen missed two contests in October after taking a shot off the mask against the San Jose Sharks. The 34-year-old sports an .894 save percentage and a 4-1-0 record through six appearances this season.The Hurricanes placed Andersen on injured reserve and recalled netminder Pyotr Kochetkov from the AHL's Syracuse Crunch on Monday.Carolina also signed veteran goaltender Jaroslav Halak to a professional tryout Monday.Halak, 38, played 25 games with the New York Rangers last season, posting a .903 save percentage and a 2.72 goals against average as Igor Shesterkin's backup.Backup netminder Antti Raanta and Kochetkov have both struggled for Carolina this season. Raanta has an .870 save percentage in five games, while Kochetkov has an .836 save percentage in three NHL contests.The Hurricanes face the Buffalo Sabres on Tuesday.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

We have a small but fruitful four-game slate to begin the week. Let's take a look at a side and a total carrying value.Blue Jackets (+190) @ Panthers (-230)The Blue Jackets are a bad defensive team. Despite completely revamping their blue line in the offseason, they continue to give up shots and chances in bulk on a nightly basis.Columbus ranks 27th in expected goal suppression at five-on-five and 29th in limiting shots. The club's metrics are also worse on the road than at home.The Blue Jackets have allowed 2.90 expected goals per 60 minutes of five-on-five play at home compared to a whopping 3.28 on the road. They can't slow anybody down, and that's a recipe for disaster when going up against the Panthers.Florida has dealt with a ton of key injuries this season, with Sam Bennett, Aaron Ekblad, and Brandon Montour having played little to no hockey. Still, the team ranks sixth in expected goal generation across all situations.Coming off a disappointing loss against the putrid Blackhawks, the Panthers will no doubt be chomping at the bit to redeem themselves against this exploitable Blue Jackets defense.Florida may also catch a break between the pipes. Dating back to preseason play, Elvis Merzlikins has yet to start more than three consecutive games. We've seen him start three straight and then have a night off three times already.Should that trend continue in this contest, we'd see Spencer Martin for the Jackets. He's performed very well in the season's early going but owns a career .889 save percentage through 42 NHL games. I'd expect him to come back to Earth sooner rather than later.A date with the Panthers could be just what the doctor ordered to bring that regression to the forefront.Bet: Panthers in regulation (-140)Bruins (+115) @ Stars (-135)This is a mouthwatering matchup between two of the best teams in the league. The Bruins and Stars have the firepower to score goals in bunches when needed, but they mostly win on the back of structured defense and fantastic goaltending.The two sides met twice last season, and we saw next to no offense in those games. One was a 3-2 affair that needed overtime, while the other was an air-tight 3-1 contest that featured an empty-net goal.Everything points to that kind of contest again this time around. Linus Ullmark started for the Bruins in their last game, and they lost. That should mean we see Jeremy Swayman, who ranks third in the league in goals saved above expected (GSAE) at plus-7.7 through just five starts.Boston really doesn't give up much - at five-on-five or on the penalty kill - and Swayman has proven capable of slamming the door shut when called upon. I don't anticipate many Stars goals in this one.On the flip side, Dallas is positioned nicely to keep Boston to a low number. The Stars have allowed just 2.15 expected goals per 60 at home this season, the second-best mark in the NHL.The Bruins will have a tough time generating chances. When they do, the Stars can feel more than comfortable with Jake Oettinger cleaning up any mess made in front of him. The 24-year-old netminder ranks fourth in GSAE.Both teams are very good defensively. Both play methodical, structured hockey. And both feature elite goaltending. This one should produce little offense.Bet: Under 5.5 (-105)Todd Cordell is a sports betting writer at theScore. Follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, at @ToddCordell.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Nick Robertson is back with the Toronto Maple Leafs.The club recalled the 22-year-old forward from the AHL's Toronto Marlies, loaning Pontus Holmberg to the farm team in a corresponding move."I would say I'm really confident now," Robertson said following Monday's morning skate, according to the Toronto Sun's Terry Koshan. "I got my reps (with the Marlies). Last year, I played a couple games and played up here and was trying to find my confidence that way. I'm going in here with a lot of confidence, a lot more touches than last year."Robertson hasn't yet played a game with the NHL club this season, but he racked up five goals and a team-leading six assists in nine contests with the Marlies. His 11 points also lead the AHL squad.The Leafs' former top prospect has dealt with numerous injuries in recent years and was limited to only 15 NHL games last season. He's played only 31 contests at the highest level in the last three campaigns due to his various ailments.The Maple Leafs have lost four straight games, including a 6-4 defeat to the Buffalo Sabres on home ice Saturday. They entered Monday sitting fourth in the Atlantic Division with 12 points and a 5-4-2 record but fifth in terms of points percentage (.545).Toronto will play its next four games at home, beginning with a rematch of the first round of last season's playoffs against the Tampa Bay Lightning on Monday night.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

We only have four games on the docket Monday night, and yet many of the league's brightest stars are in action.Let's take a closer look at a few worth backing.Auston Matthews over 4.5 shotsMatthews is firing on all cylinders at home. He's averaging 5.8 shots on goal - and 9.2 shot attempts - when playing in Toronto. He's performed drastically worse on the road, generating an average of 3.7 shots on 6.2 attempts.He has three hat tricks through just five games at home, which is remarkable.I expect him to build on his success against the Lightning. They've given up a lot of shot volume in the early going of this season, ranking 27th in five-on-five shots on goal against per 60 minutes.Volume shooters like Matthews are in prime positions to exploit the Lightning, and we've already seen that. Matthews attempted 11 shots when he faced the Bolts earlier in the year, and that was on the road.With more advantageous matchups on home ice, Matthews should be able to pile up the shots.Odds: +110 (playable to -125)Roope Hintz over 2.5 shotsHintz is off to a very strong shooting start. He's recorded at least three shots on goal in six of nine appearances thus far. Despite missing a game, nobody on the Stars has tallied more shots on goal than Hintz.Although the Bruins are a good team, they're susceptible to giving up shots versus centers. Center duos of Dylan Larkin and Andrew Copp, Matthews and John Tavares, and Trevor Zegras and Mason McTavish have combined for nine shots against Boston. Anton Lundell recently registered five on his own. You get the point.Centers are generating steady volume against the Bruins. Considering what we've seen out of Hintz, there's no reason to expect any different from him tonight.Hintz will play a lot of minutes in what should be a very competitive game between two of the best teams in the league. Expect him to pick up a few shots along the way.Odds: -110 (playable to -120)Connor McDavid over 3.5 shots Things couldn't be going much worse for the Oilers. They have two wins through 10 games and sit only ahead of a historically bad Sharks team in the standings.Although McDavid isn't exactly to blame for their poor start, it's fair to say he hasn't been at his usual level of dominance.He's recorded two goals and 10 points thus far while generating shots and chances at a lesser rate than we've grown accustomed to seeing. Again, McDavid isn't responsible for the Oilers' issues. But everyone knows he can mask a lot of them by taking things up a notch.I expect that's what we'll see against the Canucks. McDavid's had their number of late, amassing 10 points and 26 shots on goal in the past five games against them. Those are the kind of outputs the Oilers need from McDavid to get back on track.He's played only two games over the past eight days, giving his injury some time to heal. That should help.So should his linemates. McDavid is playing on a loaded top line alongside Leon Draisaitl and Zach Hyman, both of whom help boost McDavid's efficiency in terms of upping shot outputs. Win or lose, I expect McDavid to be firing in this one.Odds: -110 (playable to -130)Todd Cordell is a sports betting writer at theScore. Follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, at @ToddCordell.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Jon Cooper acknowledged he uses the perception that the Tampa Bay Lightning's days as contenders are over as a motivational tool."When people think of us as afterthoughts, there is a little 'F you' in the guys to say: 'Whoa, whoa, whoa. We're still relevant,'" the Bolts head coach told The Athletic's Ian Mendes. "So, yes, for sure, it's useful."The Lightning sit in third place in the Atlantic Division at 5-3-3 despite playing without goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy, their longtime fixture in the crease who was given a two-month recovery timetable in late September after undergoing back surgery."I've gone a season without (Steven) Stamkos. A season without Nikita Kucherov. We've gone long stretches without Brayden Point and Anthony Cirelli. And now we're playing without Vasy," Cooper said. "We build a team. They're massive parts of our team, but if we can't get along without them, then what are we?"The Lightning made the Stanley Cup Final in three consecutive seasons, winning it all in 2020 and 2021 before losing in the championship round to the Colorado Avalanche in the following year. The Toronto Maple Leafs bounced Tampa Bay from the first round of the playoffs in six games last spring.Cooper is the longest-tenured active NHL head coach, having begun his stint as Tampa Bay's bench boss in March 2013. He's never won the Jack Adams Award but has been a finalist twice.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

This is the second in-season edition of theScore's NHL Power Rankings for the 2023-24 campaign. Check back for updated rankings every other Monday.In this edition, we look at the biggest cause for concern for each team thus far in the early part of the season.1. Vegas Golden Knights (11-1-1)Previous rank: 1Health on defense. The Golden Knights have played a lot of hockey over the past year, and it's starting to show on the backend. Alex Pietrangelo, Nicolas Hague, and Zach Whitecloud have all missed time in the early going. On the ice, there's not much to be worried about in Vegas.2. Boston Bruins (9-1-1)Previous rank: 4Another first-round exit. Its most recent regulation loss aside, Boston is off to an astounding start for the second season in a row. However, the 2022-23 Bruins had their dreams of a fairytale ending dashed by the Florida Panthers in the postseason. Beantown will be hoping for a better fate this spring.3. Dallas Stars (7-2-1)Previous rank: 3Jason Robertson's scoring touch. The Stars are absolutely rolling early on, but their strongest offensive threat has only managed two goals through 10 games after back-to-back 40-goal campaigns. His shots per game are also down to 2.5 from 3.8 last season.4. New York Rangers (8-2-1)Previous rank: 8Adam Fox's health. The Rangers, who currently sit atop the Metropolitan Division, are a fantastic team with incredible talent at all three position groups. Keeping that No. 1 spot will be difficult, though, with top rearguard Fox expected to miss a few weeks with a lower-body injury.5. Los Angeles Kings (7-2-2) Mark Blinch / National Hockey League / GettyPrevious rank: 14Their home record. This is nitpicking from a near-perfect start from the new-look Kings, but it's odd that Los Angeles is 1-2-2 on home ice this season.6. Vancouver Canucks (8-2-1)Previous rank: 12When does the luck run out? The Canucks lead the NHL in five-on-five shooting percentage and are second in save percentage. That combines for a sky-high 108.7 PDO that'll come back down to earth before long.7. Colorado Avalanche (7-3-0)Previous rank: 2Gabriel Landeskog's future. The Avalanche expressed cautious optimism that their captain might be ready for the 2024 playoffs, but general manager Chris MacFarland recently told ESPN's Emily Kaplan that the team is prioritizing Landeskog's long-term outlook. After undergoing a knee cartilage transplant, a setback could be detrimental to Landeskog's career.8. New Jersey Devils (7-3-1)Previous rank: 7Life without Jack Hughes. Hughes has been must-see television with 20 points in only 10 games. After a scary fall into the boards Friday, the superstar will be shelved week-to-week. New Jersey's up-tempo brand of hockey may be difficult to maintain with one of the sport's most electrifying players missing.9. Carolina Hurricanes (7-5-0)Previous rank: 6The trio of goaltenders. The Hurricanes looked set in the net coming into the season. Surely one of Frederik Andersen, Antti Raanta, or Pyotr Kochetkov would take the reigns and have a big season, right? Carolina's survived despite all three having sub-.900 save percentages in the early going but will need one to break through sometime soon.10. Detroit Red Wings (7-4-1) Mike Carlson / National Hockey League / GettyPrevious rank: 5Ville Husso. He's being paid $4.75 million to be Detroit's starter but has been outplayed considerably by veteran backup James Reimer so far this season. In eight appearances, Husso owns a .896 save percentage and 3.37 goals against average.11. Tampa Bay Lightning (5-3-3)Previous rank: 13Victor Hedman's defense. For the Lightning, the hope was that Hedman's rough defensive results a season ago were a single-year aberration. That doesn't appear to be the case in the early going. After -8.0 expected even-strength defensive goals above replacement last season, Hedman's -1.5 xEVD GAR puts him on pace for a career-low -11.2 in the statistic.12. New York Islanders (5-2-3)Previous rank: 10Anders Lee. The Isles captain is logging top-line minutes but has only mustered a single goal and assist through 10 games. New York better hope it's not a sign of what's to come for the 33-year-old, who's signed through 2026 at $7 million per season.13. Winnipeg Jets (5-4-2)Previous rank: 23Special teams. The Jets have looked good at five-on-five through 11 games but have major problems elsewhere. They own a paltry 14.3% power-play conversion rate (22nd) while operating at 69.2% on the penalty kill (29th).14. Toronto Maple Leafs (5-4-2)Previous rank: 9Brad Treliving's newest additions. Boy, none of the new Maple Leafs GM's offseason moves have panned out. Tyler Bertuzzi has been demoted to the fourth line at times, Max Domi has yet to score a goal, John Klingberg has already drawn the ire of the fanbase, and aside from a few fights, Ryan Reaves isn't doing much of anything.15. Florida Panthers (5-4-1) Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / GettyPrevious rank: 17Sam Bennett's absence. The Panthers have gotten a mere 7:54 of ice time from the versatile pivot after he was injured in his delayed season debut. Bennett fills a huge role down the middle of the ice for Florida and is a key piece of the identity the club forged last postseason.16. Buffalo Sabres (6-6-0)Previous rank: 21Devon Levi may not be ready. The hype around Levi was huge coming into the season, as the Sabres' playoff hopes rested on his shoulders. He's allowed four goals in three out of five starts and has just one game in which he's posted a save percentage above .900. The future is remarkably bright for the 21-year-old, but it may finally be too much, too soon for Levi.17. Minnesota Wild (4-5-2)Previous rank: 16Was Filip Gustavsson a flash in the pan? Few goaltenders were as impressive as Gustavsson last season, who broke out with a .931 save percentage with the Wild. That hasn't translated early on this campaign. Gustavsson's .871 save percentage is last among the 25 netminders with at least seven games.18. Pittsburgh Penguins (4-6-0)Previous rank: 19Tristan Jarry. New GM Kyle Dubas took a chance on the goaltender by signing him to a five-year, $26.875-million extension in the offseason, but it's not looking like a great bet right now. Jarry is 3-5-0 on the season with a .897 save percentage, and he's allowed minus-1.79 goals above average at all strengths.19. Anaheim Ducks (7-4-0)Previous rank: 31No takers for John Gibson. The Ducks have exceeded all expectations so far this campaign, and rookie netminder Lukas Dostal is a massive part of that success. Gibson's future in Anaheim has long been called into question, but what if his hefty contract - four more years with a $6.4-million cap hit - proves too difficult for the Ducks to move?20. St. Louis Blues (5-4-1) Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / GettyPrevious rank: 22That power play. The Blues have been abysmal on the man advantage, boasting a league-worst success rate of 3.7% across a league-low 27 opportunities. St. Louis has just one power-play goal to its name (scored by Pavel Buchnevich on Oct. 24), and it's also allowed one shorthanded tally.21. Philadelphia Flyers (5-6-1)Previous rank: 20Too good for a top pick, not good enough for the playoffs? The returns of Sean Couturier and Cam Atkinson have made the Flyers a more formidable team this season. For a Philadelphia squad in the early stages of a proper rebuild, it may put them in the dreaded no man's land of the league standings.22. Nashville Predators (5-6-0)Previous rank: 24Five-on-five goals. The Predators are creating quality looks, as evidenced by their 56.57% expected goals rate, but Nashville is struggling to convert. The team ranks 26th league-wide in goals per 60.23. Arizona Coyotes (5-5-1)Previous rank: 25Barrett Hayton's production. The 23-year-old seemed poised for a big campaign after registering 43 points in his first full season, but he's been held off the scoresheet entirely in 2023-24 despite anchoring Arizona's top line and holding a spot on the first power-play unit.24. Montreal Canadiens (5-4-2)Previous rank: 28The injury bug is back. Man, the Canadiens were decimated by injuries last season, and it doesn't seem like 2023-24 is bringing much relief. Kirby Dach has already been ruled out for the rest of the season, and David Savard isn't expected back until December. That's tough on a young, rebuilding squad.25. Edmonton Oilers (2-7-1) Jonathan Kozub / National Hockey League / GettyPrevious rank: 15What if the Oilers can't recover? Edmonton hasn't looked like a Stanley Cup contender at all this season. Yes, it's early, but we're almost a month into the campaign now. It's very likely that the Oilers will pull themselves out of this horrendous funk, but what if it's too late by the time they do?26. Ottawa Senators (4-6-0)Previous rank: 11The outside noise is too much to overcome. The beginning of the Senators' campaign feels like a soap opera. First, Shane Pinto was suspended 41 games. Then, Ottawa was docked a first-round pick for its role in the botched Evgenii Dadonov trade. Next, GM Pierre Dorion resigned and new owner Michael Andlauer held a fiery press conference about it. That's not a great environment for on-ice success.27. Seattle Kraken (4-6-2)Previous rank: 27Matty Beniers' production. The reigning Calder Trophy winner has racked up just four assists through the Kraken's first 12 games of the campaign, and he's also a team-worst minus-13. Seattle is going to need its No. 1 center to return to last season's form in order to climb the Pacific Division standings.28. Washington Capitals (5-4-1)Previous rank: 29Nicklas Backstrom might be done. Backstrom's announcement Wednesday that he's stepping away from the team to address injury issues was a gut punch to a struggling Capitals team. After major hip surgery and a rough start this season, it looks increasingly likely that Backstrom could be done for good.29. Calgary Flames (3-7-1)Previous rank: 18What if Jonathan Huberdeau is just like this now? With six points through his first 11 games, the 2023-24 version of Huberdeau is looking a lot like the one that underwhelmed during his first season with the Flames. Prior to Game 1, Huberdeau said Flames fans haven't seen the real him yet. For Calgary's sake, we hope that's still true.30. Chicago Blackhawks (4-7-0) Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / GettyPrevious rank: 30Taylor Hall's shoulder. The Blackhawks' sole goal this season was to insulate Connor Bedard as best as possible to help him become a superstar. Hall seemed like a perfect fit alongside the top pick, but a shoulder injury has twice forced him out of Chicago's lineup.31. Columbus Blue Jackets (4-5-2)Previous rank: 26Johnny Gaudreau. The Blue Jackets' highest-paid player got himself benched during the team's loss to the Capitals on Saturday. He's got just one goal - an empty-netter - and five points in 11 games this season. Columbus will need a lot more out of its $68.25-million man moving forward.32. San Jose Sharks (0-10-1)Previous rank: 32What if the Sharks surrender 10 goals again? In our last edition of these rankings, we worried that San Jose may never win a game this season. That holds true, but what if the Sharks give up 10 tallies for the third game in a row Tuesday against the Flyers? A ghastly thought.(Analytics sources: Evolving Hockey, Natural Stat Trick)Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Warning: Article contains details about sexual assaultA second Chicago Blackhawks player and former teammate of Kyle Beach has filed a negligence lawsuit against the team regarding an alleged sexual assault during the 2009-10 season by then-video coach Brad Aldrich, according to the Chicago Tribune's Phil Thompson.The lawsuit, filed by law firm Romanucci & Blandin, claims Aldrich "groomed, harassed, threatened, and assaulted" the player, listed as "John Doe," and that the Blackhawks covered up his complaint during their pursuit of the 2010 Stanley Cup championship.Like Beach, Doe was a Black Ace - a player from the AHL's Rockford IceHogs who practiced with the Blackhawks during the playoffs - at the time. In May 2021, Beach sued the organization, saying Aldrich sexually assaulted him and a teammate in 2010. Beach and the Blackhawks reached a confidential settlement in December 2021.Law firm Jenner & Block investigated the Blackhawks' mishandling of Beach's allegations in October 2021. Their report mentioned a player by the name of "Black Ace 1," and Romanucci & Blandin confirmed to the Chicago Tribune that Doe is Black Ace 1.The Blackhawks issued a statement about the new lawsuit, via the Tribune:

New Jersey Devils star Jack Hughes is considered week-to-week with an upper-body injury, the team announced Sunday.Hughes suffered the ailment during the Devils' 4-1 loss to the St. Louis Blues on Friday. He crashed into the boards after a scoring chance midway through the first period and initially didn't miss a shift, but he was ultimately unable to return to the contest.

Calgary Flames forward Andrew Mangiapane has been suspended one game for cross-checking Jared McCann's head into the ice during Saturday's contest against the Seattle Kraken, the NHL's Department of Player Safety announced.Mangiapane was given a match penalty for attempt to injure during the first period. McCann briefly left the game but was able to return.

Calgary Flames forward Andrew Mangiapane was given a match penalty for attempt to injure in the first period of Saturday's game against the Seattle Kraken after cross-checking Jared McCann's head into the ice.

Forward Kent Johnson has no hard feelings after the Columbus Blue Jackets demoted their young prospect to the AHL's Cleveland Monsters on Friday."I think (the Blue Jackets) did a good job communicating," Johnson told The Hockey Writers' Mark Scheig following the Monsters' win Saturday. "I know I'm an important part of this franchise, and I'm gonna keep working."The Blue Jackets sent Johnson to the minors after he tallied one goal and three points in eight games and sat as a healthy scratch for a pair of contests this season. Johnson recorded 16 goals and 40 points as a rookie last campaign.The 2021 fifth overall pick called the demotion "difficult" and said his familiarity with players on the Monsters has made his transition to the minors smoother, per Scheig."I got a lot of buddies on the team. I know 'em all from camp. They're really good guys," Johnson told reporters, including AHL News Now's Deana Weinheimer. "Right when I got back to the room, it was fun catching up with them. It's a great group."He added: "If I wasn't so tight with these guys, it would suck. So it's definitely really helpful."Johnson has three assists through two contests with Cleveland. The British Columbia native hadn't played an AHL game prior to being sent down this week."I really believe in myself," Johnson said. "I think I'll be fine."Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The San Jose Sharks fell 10-2 to the Pittsburgh Penguins on Saturday, becoming the first team since the 1965-66 Boston Bruins to surrender double-digit goals in back-to-back contests, according to Sportsnet Stats.San Jose lost 10-1 to the Vancouver Canucks on Thursday. The two other teams in league history to give up 10 goals in consecutive showings were the 1943-44 Bruins and 1919-20 Quebec Bulldogs, per Hockey Reference.The current Sharks are now winless through 11 games (0-10-1) this season and own the league's worst goal differential at minus-43."We're a fragile group," head coach David Quinn said after the loss.

Ottawa Senators captain Brady Tkachuk took aim at his own team's supporters after they booed the club off the ice following a 6-4 loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning on Saturday night."It's frustrating, the negativity from the outside, the constant booing and the bullshit, kind of, from the crowd tonight," Tkachuk said postgame, according to Postmedia's Bruce Garrioch.

Columbus Blue Jackets head coach Pascal Vincent had some choice words for Johnny Gaudreau after making his highest-paid player ride the pine for the last 16 minutes of the team's 2-1 loss to the Washington Capitals on Saturday."I'm coaching a team and the guys that are going are going to play," Vincent said, according to NHL.com's Tom Gulitti. "Everything is earned, and when the game starts, it's not about your name, it's about what's in front of your jersey and who we believe are going to give us a chance to win."And we know Johnny can make a difference when he's skating and when he's involved, but tonight I felt he wasn't there. ... It doesn't matter who you are. It's about the Blue Jackets and I didn't like his game."Gaudreau was benched with his team down one goal. He registered zero shots on net and was a minus-1 over a season-low 11:55 of ice time.The 30-year-old has just one goal - an empty-netter - and five points in 11 games this season. He led the Jackets with 74 points (21 goals, 53 assists) in 80 contests last campaign.Gaudreau is in the second season of a seven-year deal that carries a $9.75-million cap hit. He inked the pact in July 2022 while coming off a career-high 115 points with the Calgary Flames.Vincent has a penchant for disciplining players when he doesn't think they're performing. He benched defenseman Damon Severson after a costly turnover in a loss to the Detroit Red Wings in October, while young forward Kent Johnson has sat as a healthy scratch for two games this season. Johnson saw just 8:45 of ice time Thursday against the Tampa Bay Lightning and was assigned to the AHL the next day.Columbus tabbed Vincent as its new head coach after Mike Babcock resigned in September.Hoping to take a step this season, the Blue Jackets currently sit in seventh place in the Metropolitan Division with a 4-5-2 record.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Toronto Maple Leafs head coach Sheldon Keefe voiced his displeasure with his team's response to Brad Marchand's hit on Timothy Liljegren."I hated everything about it," Keefe said on Saturday. "I've addressed it."He continued, "It's not what we want to be about. At times, we've responded very well in those situations in the past. It's about consistency, though, so we've addressed it."Maple Leafs enforcer Ryan Reaves said it was difficult to tell exactly what happened on the collision from the bench."In real-time, it didn't look like anything," Reaves told The Hockey News' David Alter. "I think you can form your own opinion on what happened based on the player. It didn't look overly malicious, but it looked like there was some intent there."

Montreal Canadiens forward Christian Dvorak returned from injury against the St. Louis Blues on Saturday.Dvorak had been out since March 7 after sustaining a knee injury that required surgery. He was initially expected to be ready for the start of the 2023-24 campaign.The 27-year-old missed the Canadiens' final 18 games last season and the opening 10 contests this year.Dvorak tallied 10 goals and 28 points in 64 games prior to his injury in 2022-23. He has two more years left on a contract that carries a $4.45-million cap hit.The Canadiens entered Saturday sitting fourth in the Atlantic Divison with a 5-3-2 record.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid attributed the team's 5-2 loss to the Nashville Predators on Saturday to a plethora of unforced errors."(I) thought we had a good start and then just (made) mental mistakes that just keep costing us over and over again, making us chase the game, and it's hard to chase games in this league," McDavid said postgame."It's just death by a thousand cuts," the reigning Hart Trophy winner added when asked to identify the most frustrating part of the Oilers' struggles. "That's what it feels like ... it kind of just snowballs."McDavid said he feels fully healthy after returning to the lineup for the Heritage Classic on Sunday following a two-game absence. The superstar also lamented that Edmonton has dug itself into a 2-7-1 hole to start this season."Last year, we get off to a 7-3 start, then we go 3-7. ... We've obviously started with the latter there, (so) these next 10 games are big for our group," he said.The Oilers outshot the Predators 35-34 on Saturday. However, Nashville outscored Edmonton 3-1 in the second period, which ended up being the difference in the game.McDavid collected a lone point by way of a secondary assist on the Oilers' second-period marker by Zach Hyman. Predators forward Ryan O'Reilly capped off a hat trick in the third period to put the contest out of reach.Things won't get much easier for Edmonton in the club's immediate future. The Oilers will travel to face the surprisingly strong Vancouver Canucks (7-2-1) on Monday before getting to face the historically awful San Jose Sharks in California on Thursday.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The San Jose Sharks are still seeking their first win of this season, and they've been utterly atrocious. In fact, San Jose became only the 10th team in NHL history to go winless through its first 10 games. But how bad have the Sharks actually been compared to those other nine lackluster clubs?The rules of the game have changed significantly over the years, most notably when the shootout era began in 2005-06. However, it's still worth evaluating where San Jose's putrid performance stands, even while acknowledging the important caveats.Let's first take a look at these Sharks and then examine the other squads that got off to historically brutal skids to begin their campaigns.San Jose Sharks (2023-24)Winless streak: 10

The Toronto Maple Leafs placed defenseman Timothy Liljegren on long-term injured reserve on Saturday.Head coach Sheldon Keefe confirmed the blue-liner has a high ankle sprain, according to TSN's Chris Johnston.Liljegren was injured after a collision with Boston Bruins forward Brad Marchand during Thursday's game. He'll miss at least 10 games and will be eligible to be activated prior to Toronto's Nov. 30 clash against the Seattle Kraken.The Swede left the game after Marchand hit him into the boards with what's known as a "can opener" in the final minute of the first period and wasn't penalized for the incident.

New Jersey Devils superstar Jack Hughes departed Friday's game against the St. Louis Blues due to an upper-body injury and was unable to return.Hughes slipped after a scoring chance and went hard into the boards midway through the first period.

New York Rangers defenseman Adam Fox is expected to miss two-to-four weeks after taking a knee-on-knee hit from Sebastian Aho during Thursday's contest against the Carolina Hurricanes, sources told The Athletic's Arthur Staple.The Rangers placed the star rearguard on long-term injured reserve, according to Mollie Walker of the New York Post.Fox was injured in the first period of the 2-1 victory. He attempted to stay in the game but went to the dressing room toward the end of the opening frame.

Anaheim Ducks head coach Greg Cronin has been fined $25,000 for unprofessional conduct toward the officials during Monday's game against the Pittsburgh Penguins.Cronin received a game misconduct for arguing with the referees about a disallowed goal.Anaheim still came out with a 4-3 victory after Mason McTavish potted the winner in the waning seconds of the third period.Cronin is an early contender for the Jack Adams Award, as the youthful Ducks are off to a surprising 6-4-0 start to the campaign despite finishing last in the NHL a year ago. Cronin was hired in June after spending the last five seasons as the head coach of the AHL's Colorado Eagles.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Thursday was not our night. The Maple Leafs lost in a shootout, the Oilers couldn't translate 49 shots into enough goals against Stars backup Scott Wedgewood, and we were hooked left, right, and center on the shot props. Tough stuff.Although there are only two games to pick from on Friday night, there's still some value to be had. Let's look at the best ways to attack the slate.Devils (-160) @ Blues (+135)The Blues certainly look like one of the league's worst teams. They haven't accomplished much offensively, scoring just 1.53 goals per 60 minutes of five-on-five play. That slots them 30th, ahead of only the vastly declining Capitals and winless Sharks.Making matters worse, their defensive game is anything but stable. They concede shots at a higher rate than every team but the Sharks and are also near the basement when it comes to preventing expected goals.Put it all together and you have a team that ranks 28th in goal share and 29th in expected goal share at five-on-five. Not great.On the flip side, even without two-way star Nico Hischier, the Devils look more and more like the well-oiled machine we saw a season ago.Jack Hughes leads the league in scoring, Jesper Bratt is third in points, Tyler Toffoli has seven goals through nine games, Timo Meier is riding a six-game point streak, and the team's underlying process continues to improve.Even against a solid Wild team that got Matt Boldy back in the lineup on Thursday night, the Devils won the expected goal battle by a puck and a half and generated seven more high-quality chances than they allowed.There isn't much of a talent difference - if any - between Vitek Vanecek and Akira Schmid, and the Devils have a lot of young legs in their lineup. The back-to-back situation shouldn't impact them as much as most teams.Look for the Devils to take care of business within 60 minutes.Bet: Devils in regulation (+100)Jesper Bratt over 2.5 shotsNo Hischier, no problem. The Devils' star winger hasn't skipped a beat without the captain by his side. Bratt has piled up eight points and nine shots in less than three full contests since Hischier went down with an injury.Bratt remains a focal point on the league's best power play and has taken on more of a shooting role at five-on-five. No forward has attempted more shots than Bratt over the last three games, which is no small feat considering the Devils roster high-end snipers like Meier, Hughes, and Toffoli.Bratt is skating on a line with Ondrej Palat and Michael McLeod, both of whom are distributors rather than shooters. That translates into more opportunities for Bratt - and he's clearly taking advantage.The Blues give up a ton of shot volume on a nightly basis. I don't think they'll be able to slow Bratt down.Dylan Cozens over 0.5 pointsCozens has recorded a point in four of the Sabres' past five home games, failing only to get the job done against the Stanley Cup-contending Avalanche.I like his chances of continued success against Philadelphia. Selke candidate Sean Couturier is banged up and not expected to play, which takes a bite out of Philadelphia's two-way game.The absence of starting goaltender Carter Hart should also greatly benefit Cozens and the Sabres. He's performed exactly to expectation this season based on workload. His backup, Samuel Ersson, has also conceded eight goals more than expected through just three games.Facing Ersson or Cal Petersen - who played his way out of the NHL with a pair of bad seasons in Los Angeles - should lead to an extra goal or two for the Sabres, meaning Cozens has even more opportunities to get involved.He will get his fair share of ice time at even strength and is a key contributor on the top power play. Up against weak goaltending, I like his chances of finding the scoresheet.Todd Cordell is a sports betting writer at theScore. Follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, at @ToddCordell.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

New York Rangers defenseman Adam Fox was unable to return to Thursday's 2-1 victory over the Carolina Hurricanes due to a lower-body ailment.Fox was injured after taking a knee-on-knee hit from Hurricanes forward Sebastian Aho in the first period. The blue-liner was slow to get up but got to his feet under his own power. No penalty was called on the play.

Unrestricted free-agent forward Jesse Puljujarvi is eyeing an NHL return in early-to-mid December as he continues to work his way back from offseason hip surgery, TSN's Chris Johnston reported on Thursday's edition of "Insider Trading."Johnston added Puljujarvi is currently skating in Finland and that "it sounds as though he's feeling very, very good."Puljujarvi hit the open market in late June after the Carolina Hurricanes opted not to tender him a qualifying offer, which would have been worth $3 million.The 25-year-old is in a similar boat as Patrick Kane, who also remains unsigned after undergoing hip resurfacing surgery in early June. The same surgeon did both Kane and Puljujarvi's procedures, per Johnston.Washington Capitals forward Niklas Backstrom underwent hip resurfacing surgery in the 2022 offseason and announced on Wednesday that he'd be stepping away from hockey indefinitely due to his "ongoing injury situation."Puljujarvi was selected fourth overall by the Edmonton Oilers in the 2016 NHL Draft. He's amassed 51 goals and 114 points in 334 career NHL games, split between the Oilers and Hurricanes.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Phil Kessel's eager to sign a contract and hit the ice as he remains without a deal a month into the 2023-24 season."I'm staying ready," the unrestricted free agent told The Athletic's Pierre LeBrun. "I've been skating. In the next week, I'm going to work with a skating guy here (in Arizona). We're going to do individual sessions to stay ready."Kessel tallied 14 goals and 36 points in 82 games last season with the Vegas Golden Knights while playing a career-low 12:49 per contest. He dressed in only four postseason games as the Golden Knights won the Stanley Cup, the third triumph of Kessel's career."I know I can still play and can still help," the 36-year-old said. "For the minutes I played last year, I thought my numbers were pretty solid, right? So I know I can help a team and contribute to a team which needs scoring."Obviously, I'm a little surprised I haven't got anything yet, but it is what it is, right?"Kessel is the NHL's all-time ironman with 1,064 straight regular-season games. Though the streak would continue if Kessel signs a contract, he made it abundantly clear it's not a factor in him inking a deal."I don't care," Kessel said about his ironman streak. "I think people think I care about that. I've never cared about that. I've always been a guy that feels he should be in the lineup, and if I can play, I'll play."Kessel isn't set on exclusively signing with a handful of teams, either. The six-time 30-goal-scorer is open to all possibilities and simply wants to continue playing."I'm willing to kind of go wherever," he said. "Because I want to play. I love to play."Should he sign a contract, Kessel would embark on his 18th season in the NHL. He has 413 goals and is only eight shy of the 1,000-point mark in 1,286 career games.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Headlined by a pair of inner-conference battles between teams expected to contend for the Stanley Cup, we have a juicy slate of games ahead of us on Thursday night.Let's look at the best ways to attack them.Maple Leafs (-110) @ Bruins (-110)The Bruins are off to a remarkable 8-0-1 start and haven't missed a beat following the notable offseason losses of Patrice Bergeron, David Krejci, and Tyler Bertuzzi.While they remain one of the top teams in the league, this is a good opportunity to sell high.The Bruins will be without star defenseman Charlie McAvoy due to suspension. It's hard to overstate how big of a hit that is to the Bruins.McAvoy logs nearly 24 minutes per game against top competition each night. He doesn't just win those minutes; he dominates them. McAvoy owns a 57% expected goal share at five-on-five and has helped the Bruins outscore their opponents by six goals in that state.The Bruins have only beaten opponents by a pair of goals without McAvoy on the ice, and their xG share is 7.5% lower. They are nowhere close to as good without McAvoy.Although the Maple Leafs don't have a ton of depth, they have a pair of lethal duos in the top six. The Bruins will have a much tougher time slowing them down without McAvoy in the lineup.This is also a spot where I expect the Leafs to have their fastball. They are coming off a complete dud of a performance against the Kings and will be looking to get back on track - and make a statement - against one of their biggest rivals.The Leafs know they'll have to fight tooth and nail with the Bruins all year long in order to get to where they want to go. They'll put their best foot forward in this game, and without McAvoy, it should be enough.Bet: Maple Leafs (-110)Stars (+120) @ Oilers (-140)The Oilers are a much better team than their record indicates. They have controlled better than 56% of the expected goals share at five-on-five this season, which is one of the best marks in the league.Although that hasn't yet translated to results, it's a recipe for success over the long haul - especially when coupled with one of the league's most dangerous power plays.The Stars are a handful to deal with, but there are some things working in the Oilers' favor here. For one, the Stars played on Wednesday. That means their tanks won't be full, and, more importantly, they won't have Jake Oettinger between the pipes.Oettinger has saved more than six goals above expectation through six starts. That's elite-level goaltending.His tandem mate, Scott Wedgewood, has allowed a pair of goals above expectation through two starts. It's a small sample size, sure, but we've seen a massive drop-off when Oettinger isn't in net.That should be problematic going up against Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, and the high-powered Oilers attack.The Oilers have been out of action since Sunday, meaning McDavid's had a handful of days to rest up and get closer to full health.He knows how important it is for the Oilers to right the ship following their dreadful start (record-wise), and he knows this is a big measuring stick game against one of the best teams in the league.I think McDavid will turn things up a notch and lead the charge en route to an important home win.Bet: Oilers (-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.

Last Friday, Jack Hughes whipped the puck to Luke Hughes, his brother and New Jersey Devils teammate. Luke, running point on the power play, quickly returned it to the right flank. Jack moved to open ice, fired a shot, and scored.The goal helped New Jersey defeat the Buffalo Sabres. Through Wednesday, the Devils own a respectable 5-2-1 record, Jack's positioned himself as an early Hart Trophy favorite, and Luke's in the Calder discussion.About an hour after the give-and-go sequence, Quinn Hughes - the eldest of the three brothers - called for the puck in his game against St. Louis. His defense partner, Filip Hronek, faked a shot before making a cross-ice pass. Quinn, the Vancouver Canucks' captain, took two strides toward the net, loaded a shot, and beat the goalie through traffic.The goal opened the scoring in Vancouver's victory. Through Wednesday, the Canucks are 6-2-1, and Quinn's a strong Norris contender.

We have a monster 11-game slate ahead of us on Thursday night. Let's jump right into a few of my favorite plays on the board.Kirill Kaprizov over 3.5 shotsKaprizov is back on home ice - and we want a piece of the fun. Dating back to last season, Kaprizov has averaged 4.2 shots in Minnesota while attempting more than eight shots per contest. That translates to a success rate that's 22% higher at home than on the road.His team has also been out of action since Sunday. Last year, he averaged 4.7 shots per game in situations following three full days off to rest - which is the situation he finds himself in on Thursday.The Devils are a solid shot-suppression team, but captain Nico Hischier - who was a Selke finalist in 2022-23 - is out with an injury. That takes a big bite out of the lineup and makes the Devils a weaker squad at five-on-five and while killing penalties.Additionally, New Jersey is struggling with discipline this season. Only five teams have taken more minors per game, meaning Kaprizov should have plenty of opportunities on the power play with extra time and space to generate shots.Odds: -125 (playable to -140)Jakob Chychrun over 2.5 shotsChychrun failed to get the job done last time out, but there's plenty of reason to go right back to the well. He's registered at least three shots on goal in nine of the last 10 games in which he logged 25 minutes of ice time or more.With cluster injuries on defense, Senators head coach D.J. Smith is giving his star rearguard all the time he can handle: Chychrun has played over 27 minutes in each of Ottawa's last two contests.In his first outing with this massive workload, Chychrun attempted 14 shots. He didn't hit his total against the Penguins, but it wasn't for a lack of trying. The blue-liner attempted a team-leading seven shots; he simply missed the net five times.I will happily take my chances with that kind of volume, which is what we can reliably expect with Chychrun all but certain to play 25 minutes once again.Odds: -135 (playable to -150)Quinn Hughes over 2.5 shotsHughes is scorching hot. He's piled up three shots or more in seven straight games and eight of nine on the season. It's crystal clear that Hughes' plan to fire more pucks at the net wasn't just lip service. He's doing it every single night.The volume we're seeing from Hughes is astronomically high for a defenseman. He's attempted 7.8 shots per game this season, which is directly in line with that of Kaprizov - and the latter has his total set at 3.5.I don't know that Hughes can sustain this level of production over an entire campaign, but a date with the Sharks is not the time to pull the plug. They rank dead last in shot suppression so far and give up more shots per game to opposing defenders than any other team.Expect Hughes to test Kaapo Kahkonen early and often in this one.Odds: -135 (playable to -160)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.

Pierre Dorion's time with the Ottawa Senators certainly wasn't boring.The now ex-general manager's tenure featured numerous sagas, several blockbuster trades, and one kiboshed deal that was his undoing. He also put his foot in his mouth on occasion (figuratively), raising expectations in the process.Through all the headlines he either caused directly or at least played a part in generating, Dorion's tenure as Bryan Murray's successor lasted from April 10, 2016, until Wednesday. Only six of the 31 current NHL GMs have been in their positions longer than Dorion was, so he became a surprising example of longevity at the executive level - especially considering everything that happened on his watch.Here are seven things that defined Dorion's eventful seven-plus years as Senators GM:The Evgenii Dadonov debacle Christopher Mast / National Hockey League / GettyWe should probably start by addressing the elephant in the room - and it's a pretty sizable one.Hours before announcing Dorion's departure, the Senators were docked a first-round pick for their mishandling of an invalidated 2022 trade that would've sent veteran forward Dadonov to the Anaheim Ducks from the Vegas Golden Knights.The Senators failed to inform Vegas of Dadonov's 10-team no-trade list when they sent him to the Pacific Division club during the 2021 offseason. Neither the Ducks nor the Golden Knights were sanctioned for their part in the blunder.After inheriting a 73-page report on the matter, new Senators owner Michael Andlauer said Wednesday that the failed trade fiasco could be considered Dorion's last straw."We were negligent in nature, and our duty of care was ignored, which set off events that embarrassed the league and pissed off two other NHL clubs," Andlauer said. "As a member of this league, we have to be held accountable for our actions."He added, "Ultimately, this could have been avoided. The accountability is on our hockey club. Pierre was ultimately responsible for the hockey operations of this club."The Erik Karlsson trade Bruce Bennett / Getty Images Sport / GettyThe hockey world recently put up with months of Karlsson trade speculation before the San Jose Sharks shipped him to the Pittsburgh Penguins in August. But the deal that sent the former Senators franchise fixture to San Jose about five years earlier was a monumental moment in the Sens' history and, as such, a key component of Dorion's legacy.Ottawa had been unable to come to terms with Karlsson - the club's captain - on a new contract, reportedly offering him an extension worth $10 million per season on July 1, 2018. Karlsson wasn't interested, so Dorion made him available and dealt him to the Sharks two months later.The Senators got a huge haul in the swap. They landed the rights to Josh Norris and the conditional draft pick (third overall in 2020) they used to select Tim Stutzle, while also reeling in three other players and two other picks. Stutzle has since blossomed into a cornerstone in his own right, while Norris is now a valued piece of Ottawa's core who's been productive when healthy.Dorion allowed the Karlsson situation to reach a boiling point, and that reflects poorly on the ex-GM, especially in light of the Swede's Norris Trophy-winning 2022-23 season. But after it became clear the all-world blue-liner's days in Ottawa were numbered, at least Dorion managed to get not one but two pieces of what is now the team's promising core in return.'The rebuild is done' NHL Images / National Hockey League / GettyAh yes, who could ever forget Dorion's rallying cry?"The rebuild is done. Now we're stepping into another zone."The executive made that declaration on Sept. 7, 2021 - the same day that the club signed him to a brand-new extension. Have the Senators made the playoffs since he said it? No. But his proclamation did foreshadow a pair of busy offseasons in 2022 and 2023, so at least he held up his end of the bargain.The 2022 offseason was rightfully dubbed the "Summer of Pierre" after Dorion made a plethora of moves to bolster his club, including signing veteran forward Claude Giroux, two-time 40-goal-scorer Alex DeBrincat, and netminder Cam Talbot. Dorion then went on to win the Jakob Chychrun sweepstakes in March, but the moves wouldn't be enough as the Senators finished six points out of the playoff picture.The 2023 offseason didn't have a cool, Dorion-themed nickname, but the general manager was presumably still glued to his phone. This time, he attempted to stabilize the crease by bringing in Joonas Korpisalo and mitigated the inevitable loss of DeBrincat by signing sniper Vladimir Tarasenko. It remains to be seen if Dorion's final additions will be enough to get the Senators over the hump.Dishing out deals to the young core Bruce Kluckhohn / National Hockey League / GettyFor all the criticism Dorion rightfully received, one thing for which he should be commended is how many members of the team's core he signed to long-term deals:PlayerYearsCap HitDateThomas Chabot8$8MSept. 2019Drake Batherson6$4.975MSept. 2021Brady Tkachuk7$8.206MOct. 2021Josh Norris8$7.95MJuly 2022Tim Stutzle8$8.35MSept. 2022Jake Sanderson8$8.05MSept. 2023There's bound to be some regret when inking this many players to max term or just downright lengthy pacts - whether declining performance or injuries ultimately play a role. But by going long on term, Dorion undoubtedly brought the average annual values down, allowing him to fit them all under the salary-cap ceiling.Of course, that did come back to haunt Dorion when he suddenly lacked the cap space necessary to re-sign soon-to-be 23-year-old Shane Pinto (before the forward's 41-game suspension for betting violations) prior to the start of this season. Dorion has also made some signing blunders, most notably giving forward Colin White a six-year pact at $4.75 million annually and signing goaltender Matt Murray to a four-year agreement at $6.25 million per campaign.But for the most part, the former GM does deserve credit for locking in the vast majority of the team's stable of younger talent for the long haul.A pair of Matt Duchene trades Dave Reginek / National Hockey League / GettyPicture this: It's the 2017-18 season, and the Senators just missed out on the Stanley Cup Final by one goal a few months prior. Enter Matt Duchene, who was disgruntled with the Colorado Avalanche and hungry for a playoff run.Ottawa acquired his services in November 2017 as part of a three-team trade with the Nashville Predators in exchange for a first-round pick, a third-rounder, Shane Bowers, Andrew Hammond, and Kyle Turris. That's a steep price to pay for the absolute nosedive that followed. The Senators ended the 2017-18 campaign in 30th place. Even worse, the Avalanche used that first-rounder to draft defenseman Bowen Byram fourth overall in 2019. Ouch.Dorion fared better in his second Duchene trade, but he still didn't ace it. As Ottawa began hemorrhaging its star players, the Senators traded Duchene (and rearguard Julius Bergman) to the Columbus Blue Jackets prior to the 2019 trade deadline in exchange for prospects Vitaly Abramov and Jonathan Davidsson, as well as a first-round pick, which Ottawa used on defenseman Lassi Thomson. Though Abramov and Davidsson didn't pan out, it was an OK return for Duchene, who wasn't keen on staying with the Senators through a rebuild.Ottawa would have received an additional first-rounder if Duchene re-signed in Columbus, but unfortunately for Dorion, that didn't happen. Duchene helped the Jackets sweep the Tampa Bay Lightning in the 2019 playoffs, but he ended up signing with the Predators as a free agent. He enjoyed one standout season in 2021-22 since leaving the Senators, but Nashville ended up buying out the last three seasons of his contract in June.The Mika Zibanejad swap Derek Cain / Getty Images Sport / GettyMaking his first big splash as general manager, Dorion sent center Zibanejad and a second-round pick to the New York Rangers in exchange for forward Derick Brassard and a seventh-rounder in July 2016.Zibanejad was 22 years old at the time and was just coming off his second consecutive 20-goal season. He had one year remaining on his deal and was due a significant raise on his $2.625-million cap hit. Brassard, meanwhile, had three seasons left on a five-year pact with an average annual value of $5 million, but the contract was front-loaded and would only cost Ottawa $3.5 million in salary in each of the last two campaigns.In his first season with Ottawa in 2016-17, Brassard put up 11 points in 19 playoff games while helping the team make the Eastern Conference Final - the first and only time the Senators made the playoffs under Dorion's guidance. Ottawa traded Brassard to the Pittsburgh Penguins midway through the 2017-18 season for a package that included goalie Filip Gustavsson and a first-round pick, which the Senators eventually used on defenseman Jacob Bernard-Docker. Like Thomson, Bernard-Docker is also trying to find some staying power in the NHL.Zibanejad, meanwhile, has established himself as a stud of a first-line center in the Big Apple and is coming off a career year in which he put up 91 points in 82 games. The Rangers are now a top threat in the Metropolitan Division and made the Eastern Conference Final in 2022.With seven years to look back on, we'd say the Rangers handily won this trade.The Mark Stone trade Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / GettyNot even one full season after the Karlsson trade, the Senators shipped out another longtime impact player. Leading up to the 2018-19 trade deadline, Stone's inevitable departure became increasingly likely. Dorion provided closure by sending him to the Golden Knights along with forward Tobias Lindberg for defensive prospect Erik Brannstrom, a 2020 second-rounder (with which Ottawa selected young winger Egor Sokolov), and veteran forward Oscar Lindberg.Much like Karlsson's nine memorable seasons with the Sens, Stone enjoyed five productive fuller campaigns of his own with Ottawa and parts of two others before being dealt away. The difference between this trade and that of Karlsson was that Dorion failed to acquire much in return for Stone. Brannstrom is only 24 now, but he's still trying to reach his potential. Sokolov is only 23, but he's playing in the AHL and has suited up for only 13 NHL games since the trade.Meanwhile, the Golden Knights named Stone their first captain in franchise history in January 2021, and the two-way stalwart helped Vegas win the Stanley Cup last season with 24 points in 22 postseason contests. To say the Stone trade was a devastating one for Dorion and the Senators would be an understatement.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Philadelphia Flyers goaltender Carter Hart departed Wednesday's 5-2 loss to the Buffalo Sabres in the first period due to what the Flyers eventually called a "mid-body injury."Flyers head coach John Tortorella didn't have an update on his status after the game, according to NHL.com's Adam Kimelman.Hart left with exactly 10 minutes remaining in the opening frame, and Samuel Ersson relieved him. Shortly before exiting, the Canadian netminder had difficulty getting up after stretching out to make a save, but he stayed in the game.

The WHL is making a major equipment change in the wake of former NHLer Adam Johnson's death.The major junior hockey league announced the adoption of mandatory neck guard protection for all players Wednesday, with the change officially coming into effect Nov. 3 or as soon as the equipment is available to all 22 clubs.Under the new rule, players will be required to wear neck guards during all on-ice activities, including games and practices.Johnson, 29, died Saturday after suffering a slashed neck in a freak accident while playing for the EIHL's Nottingham Panthers in England.NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly said Tuesday that the league will look into using neck guards following Johnson's death."There is no reason we shouldn't be doing everything possible to keep our players safe," Daly said.The WHL added that it expects challenges in acquiring neck guards from licensed suppliers as a result of an increased demand.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Ottawa Senators parted ways with general manager Pierre Dorion after eight seasons on the job, owner Michael Andlauer announced Wednesday.Andlauer said Dorian resigned and was relieved of his duties.Steve Staios, who had been serving as the team's president of hockey operations, will take over as GM on an interim basis.The Senators were stripped of a first-round pick earlier Wednesday for their role in the voided 2022 Evgenii Dadonov trade between the Vegas Golden Knights and the Anaheim Ducks. The Senators failed to properly inform the Golden Knights about Dadonov's 10-team, no-trade list when they dealt him to Vegas in the 2021 offseason."Why I inherited this is beyond me," said Andlauer, who completed his purchase of the club in September. "There is no reason for it to last that long."Andlauer said he wasn't informed of a potential penalty for the voided Dadonov trade nor the investigation into Shane Pinto (who was suspended 41 games for sports gambling) when he bought the team."Maybe because the club was for sale and they didn't want to disrupt (the sale) to make sure the seller got the biggest price possible," said Andlauer, who paid $950 million for the franchise.Staios, who played 16 seasons in the NHL, previously worked under Andlauer as president and GM of the OHL's Hamilton Bulldogs.Ottawa made the Eastern Conference Final in Dorion's first season on the job in 2016-17, but the club has failed to make the playoffs since. The Senators went 225-261-65 in Dorion's eight seasons, ranking 28th in the NHL in points. The team is 4-4-0 to begin 2023-24.Dorion had the Senators in win-now mode upon taking over as GM. He traded away Mika Zibanejad in a deal for Derick Brassard in 2016, which helped the Senators reach the 2017 conference finals but proved to hurt in the long run. Dorion aimed to keep Ottawa's contention window open by landing Matt Duchene in a three-team deal in 2017 that gave the Colorado Avalanche the No. 4 pick in 2019 used to select Bowen Byram after Ottawa tumbled down the standings.But after it was clear Ottawa's contention window closed, Dorion shifted into rebuild mode. It started with the 2018 Erik Karlsson blockbuster, which netted the Senators a package including the 2020 No. 3 pick used to select new franchise cornerstone Tim Stutzle.After four years as sellers, Dorion looked to expedite the rebuild in a busy 2022 offseason that saw the team land Claude Giroux in free agency and Alex DeBrincat in a trade. It didn't work as planned, as the Senators finished eight points out of a playoff spot. Aside from flipping DeBrincat after he informed the team he wouldn't re-sign, Dorion kept the team mostly the same entering 2023-24, outside of signing Joonas Korpisalo to solve the team's goaltending issues.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Joe Thornton is finding ways to stay busy now that he's officially retired.Thornton and Calgary Flames assistant general manager Brad Pascall will be co-GMs for Canada at the 2023 Spengler Cup, Hockey Canada announced Wednesday. Hnat Domenichelli - a former NHLer and current GM of HC Lugano in the Swiss National League - will be Canada's assistant GM at the tourney.Thornton hasn't played since his 2021-22 campaign with the Florida Panthers and confirmed his retirement on Saturday.Canada's roster at the Spengler Cup is typically made up of Canadians playing overseas in various European leagues. It's hosted annually by Swiss club HC Davos, with whom Thornton had stints during the 2004-05 lockout, the 2012 lockout, and the 2020 pandemic.Thornton represented Canada numerous times on the international stage throughout his illustrious career. He won gold at the 1997 world juniors, the 2010 Olympics, and the 2004 and 2016 World Cups.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The NHL is coming down on the Ottawa Senators.The league is stripping a first-round pick from the Sens for their role in the voided 2022 trade that would've sent forward Evgenii Dadonov from the Vegas Golden Knights to the Anaheim Ducks.The Golden Knights attempted to trade Dadonov to the Ducks at the 2022 deadline. The league initially allowed the move before voiding it after discovering that the Ducks were on Dadonov's 10-team, no-trade list. The Senators are being punished because they reportedly failed to properly inform the Golden Knights about Dadonov's no-trade list when they dealt him to Vegas in the 2021 offseason.Neither the Golden Knights or Ducks are being punished for their part in the voided trade.The forfeited first-rounder will come in any of 2024, 2025, or 2026. The Senators will determine which pick it will be within 24 hours of the conclusion of each year's respective draft lottery. Ottawa possesses each of its own first-round picks in that span. The club also owns an additional first-round pick in 2024 (either Detroit's or Boston's) acquired in the Alex DeBrincat trade.Pierre Dorion was Ottawa's general manager from April 2016 until his firing on Wednesday. The Sens haven't reached the playoffs since the first year of his reign.This marks the first time a team was forced to forfeit a first-round pick since the Arizona Coyotes were punished for violating the NHL's combine testing policy in 2020. They ended up being stripped of the 2021 No. 11 selection.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Tuesday night was an underwhelming one on the ice. The Kings and Maple Leafs played to a sweat-free under of 6.5, but neither Filip Forsberg nor Brock Boeser came through on their shot props in order to give us a profitable night.We'll look to bounce back with a pair of best bets for Wednesday's card.Blues (+195) @ Avalanche (-230)The Blues may own a 3-3-1 record, but they sure look like one of the worst teams in the Western Conference. They've been horrific at both ends of the ice.Only the Sharks have allowed shots at a higher clip during five-on-five play. The Blues give up quantity and quality, which is a recipe for disaster against Nathan MacKinnon and the high-powered Avalanche.St. Louis has also struggled to generate offense at full strength. Not so coincidentally, the Sharks are the only team creating fewer expected goals per 60 minutes.If not for Jordan Binnington and his sparkling .926 save percentage, things would look a whole lot worse.Binnington's career save percentage sits at .907 through well over 200 games. We have plenty of data to suggest he's playing over his head right now. When he inevitably comes back to earth, things will get ugly in a hurry for the Blues.The Avalanche could thump St. Louis. They're rightfully considered one of the true Stanley Cup contenders and are coming off back-to-back shutout defeats. Yes, two in a row.They're back at home, they're angry, and they're no doubt chomping at the bit to get the miserable taste from their road trip out of their mouths.The Avalanche own a 6-2 record, and all but one of their victories was by multiple goals (they outshot San Jose 52-21 in the exception).Conversely, all but one of the Blues' defeats this season has come by multiple goals.While it'd certainly be preferable for Cale Makar to play, I expect the Avalanche to take care of business with or without him.Bet: Avalanche -1.5 (+105)Coyotes (-130) @ Ducks (+110)The Coyotes and Ducks have played in plenty of high-scoring affairs this season, but there are reasons to believe this game will be different.At or near the top of the list is the goaltending matchup. Karel Vejmelka versus Lukas Dostal won't exactly pop off the page to the average viewer, but it's a really good battle.Vejmelka owns a .926 save percentage through five games and has shown the ability to steal games with 40-50-plus-save performances when called upon in recent years.Meanwhile, Dostal has goaltender-of-the-future potential in Anaheim. He finished higher than John Gibson in goals saved above expected last year and has looked nothing short of spectacular this season.Dostal has posted a .921 save percentage behind an inexperienced Ducks defense that gives up its share of opportunities. He's already saved 5.8 goals above expectation, which ranks inside the league's top five.Dostal finds himself in company with names like Thatcher Demko, Jake Oettinger, and Alexandar Georgiev. Pretty good.There will likely be plenty of chances in this game. The Coyotes lack firepower beyond their top few players - even more so with Jason Zucker sidelined - and the Ducks are quite top-heavy as well.Considering there isn't much pop in either bottom six, and since the goaltending should be strong at both ends, I see this total as half a puck too high.Bet: Under 6.5 (-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.

Washington Capitals center Nicklas Backstrom is stepping away from hockey indefinitely, he announced Wednesday."Given my ongoing injury situation, I decided to take some time and step away from the game. This is a difficult decision, but one that I feel is right for my health at this time," Backstrom said. "I want to thank my teammates, the organization, and fans for their unwavering support throughout this process. I ask for privacy at this time as I determine my next steps and viable options moving forward."Backstrom, who turns 36 on Nov. 23, underwent hip resurfacing surgery in the 2022 offseason and has struggled to regain his prior form. He tallied 21 points in 39 games last season and one assist in eight contests so far in 2023-24. His ice time has plummeted to a career-low 14:34 this season."We stand behind Nicklas and will support him throughout this process," Capitals general manager Brian MacLellan said. "We know firsthand how hard he has worked and how determined he is to get back to full health. Our organization stands fully behind him while he takes his leave of absence from the team and takes time to evaluate his current health situation."Backstrom has two years remaining on his contract with a $9.2-million cap hit.Players who have undergone hip resurfacing surgery haven't typically enjoyed successful returns. Ed Jovanovski was one of the first athletes in the major four professional sports to have the procedure and return to action, but he only played 37 more games. Ryan Kesler had the surgery in 2019 but never played again. Free agent Patrick Kane is currently trying to make his way back from the same procedure.Backstrom had been one of the game's premier playmaking centers since entering the league in 2007-08, ranking third behind only Sidney Crosby and Kane with 762 assists in that span.The Swede's best season was in 2009-10 when he set career highs with 33 goals, 68 assists, and 101 points. He also led the league with 60 helpers in 2014-15 and finished as high as seventh in Selke Trophy voting in 2016-17, highlighting his strong two-way game in his prime.The Capitals drafted Backstrom fourth overall in 2006, and he's arguably the second-best player in franchise history behind longtime linemate Alex Ovechkin. Backstrom ranks second in franchise history in games played (1,105) and points (1,033) and is first in assists.Backstrom was integral to Washington's 2018 Stanley Cup title, producing 23 points in 20 postseason contests that year. For his career, he's recorded 114 points in 139 playoff games.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

We have a small but fruitful four-game slate on the docket Wednesday night. Let's waste no time getting to a few props that pop off the page.Barrett Hayton over 2.5 shots Hayton is averaging a healthy 2.9 shots per game on the season. He's in a great spot to continue his shooting success against a rebuilding Ducks team.The Ducks have shown clear signs of improvement this season but still have a long way to go - especially defensively. They give up a lot of shot volume at five-on-five and take a ton of penalties. That should benefit Hayton, who's among Arizona's top skaters on the power play.Hayton faced the Ducks less than two weeks ago and recorded four shots on goal. In fact, he's gone over his shot total in four consecutive games against the Ducks dating back to last season.With a healthy dose of minutes and a high-end matchup, there's value in backing Hayton to pile up the shots in this game.Odds: -118 (playable to -135)Tage Thompson under 3.5 shots Thompson - like many goal scorers and volume shooters - is a completely different player away from home soil.He's averaged 4.5 shots and 8.2 attempts per game in Buffalo this season. On the road, he's recorded an average of just 3.0 shots on 5.3 attempts. That's a drastic difference.Thompson gets all the special attention away from home - and that's not going to serve him well against a stingy Flyers team.Aided by the return of Selke candidate Sean Couturier, the Flyers have defended extremely well this year. Even more so in Philadelphia.The Flyers rank fifth in five-on-five expected goal suppression while playing at home. They're making life very difficult on opponents at even strength.They're also staying disciplined, meaning they're not spoon-feeding guys like Thompson opportunities to pile up the shots on the power play.I don't think we'll see a ton of volume from Thompson in this spot.Odds: -110 (playable to -125)Owen Tippett over 0.5 pointsTippett started the season on a quiet note but has since come alive offensively. He's picked up a point in four straight games and in five of his last six.He's riding shotgun with Couturier and Cam Atkinson on the top line and making the most of it. The production is there and, more than that, Tippett is recording shots and scoring chances at absurdly high rates. That's a good sign for sustainable production.The Sabres sit 26th in expected goals against per 60 minutes across all situations. They give up a lot of chances and don't have the talent between the pipes to bail them out.Eric Comrie is the only player in their three-netminder rotation who has saved more goals than expected. He's sidelined right now, which means the Sabres have to go with Devon Levi and Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, their two inexperienced youngsters.Tippett and his line should be able to create plenty of quality looks on Wednesday night. With the underwhelming goaltending the Sabres are getting, I like his chances of finding the scoresheet.Odds: -120 (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.

Boston Bruins defenseman Charlie McAvoy has been suspended four games for an illegal check to the head on Florida Panthers rearguard Oliver Ekman-Larsson, the NHL's Department of Player Safety announced Tuesday.The hit occurred in Monday's contest. McAvoy was given a five-minute major and a game misconduct.

Paul Stastny has retired from the NHL after 17 seasons, the veteran forward confirmed to The Athletic's Pierre LeBrun.Stastny was an unrestricted free agent this summer and fielded calls from potential suitors but ultimately decided to hang up his skates."I didn't put anything out on social media or anything," Stastny said, per LeBrun. "I kind of came into the league quietly, and I'm leaving the league quietly. That's the way I like it."He added: "The summer got further along, and I got on the ice a few times ... I wouldn't say the spark wasn't there - I still love the game - but I think I was just ready to move forward to the next chapter."When you know, you know."Statsny suited up for the Carolina Hurricanes in 2022-23 and recorded 22 points in 73 games. He was drafted 44th overall by the Colorado Avalanche in 2005 and also had stints with the St. Louis Blues, Winnipeg Jets, and Vegas Golden Knights.The 37-year-old finished his career with 293 goals and 529 assists in 1,145 contests.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly said the league will explore the usage of neck guards following Adam Johnson's death."Obviously, something that needs to be looked at," Daly said, per TSN's Pierre LeBrun. "There is no reason we shouldn't be doing everything possible to keep our players safe."Neck protection is not enforced in the NHL, and very few players, if any, wear them voluntarily. Daly hopes more players will choose to wear them despite having no mandate in place.Johnson, who played 13 games for the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2019, died while playing with the EIHL's Nottingham Panthers on Saturday after his neck was cut by an opponent's skate in a freak accident.Penguins head coach Mike Sullivan said the organization has mandated neck protection for their AHL and ECHL teams and is exploring options for their NHL players to wear neck protection, at least for practices, as soon as possible, per The Athletic's Rob Rossi and Chris Johnston.Pittsburgh forward Jeff Carter is among players who are open to experimenting with neck protection immediately."Why not?" Carter said. "We do it at every other level of hockey. They have socks and wrist (sleeves) made out of (cut-resistant) material. We should have already been trying it. Shouldn't have taken this long or something like this."Neck guards are mandatory in youth hockey in Canada, as well as the OHL and QMJHL. However, they're not mandatory in the WHL, NCAA, or USA Hockey.The Washington Capitals and Boston Bruins are also reportedly pursuing the use of neck protection in some form. The Carolina Hurricanes will also make neck protection available for players to try in practice.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Weird things can happen through three weeks at the start of any NHL season. Considering an entire campaign can go by - thanks to points assigned for regulation ties - without the legitimate value of a team shining through, it shouldn't surprise that October's not a big enough sample size to make sweeping judgments on a team or player.Let's look at five statistical outliers with a betting implication going forward.1) Vegas 9-1 with below-average even-strength metricsThere are high expectations for the defending Stanley Cup champions, so a 9-1 record on the moneyline isn't unheard of. The Golden Knights' lone loss came as -300 favorites, and betting on them every game would have earned you six units. The surprise is Vegas has played below average at even strength, controlling 49.48% of the high-danger chances and barely above 50% of the expected goal share (XG%).2) Colorado converts 3 of 81 high-danger chances at even strengthThe 6-0 start for the Avalanche was impressive. However, it's a pretty wild beginning considering Colorado has struggled early to capitalize on its best scoring opportunities after converting even-strength high-danger chances at a 13.5% rate last season. Now clicking 3.7% of the time, the Avalanche's slumping scorers have caught up to them with back-to-back shutout losses. That should turn, and Colorado will be even more dangerous with the puck finding the twine toward a league-average rate.3) Philadelphia flies in rare airWith a regular season point total of 75.5 in the betting market, the Flyers were rated 27th in the NHL. Through nine games, Philadelphia has a 55.6% even-strength XG%. The four teams above the Flyers (Avalanche, Oilers, Stars, Kings) and the four clubs below them (Maple Leafs, Bruins, Devils, Panthers) were all rated as Stanley Cup contenders. It's early, but Philadelphia appears better than their 4-5 moneyline record suggests.4) Penguins, Oilers battle for lead in even-strength high-danger chancesFor all the concern about the scoring depth on the Penguins, their 100 high-danger chances at even strength are one short of the Oilers' league-leading total. Despite the teams owning an above-average XG% and boasting big names like Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, Sidney Crosby, and Evgeni Malkin, the clubs are a combined 5-12 on the moneyline. Conversion rates should even out, but both teams could use better goaltending.5) Sharks are rare blacklisted NHL teamThere's usually a price any team can be bet. However, with the Sharks allowing 119 high-danger chances at even strength (by far the most in the league) and a woeful 3-for-72 conversion clip of their own, the team rated the worst in the NHL before the season is somehow even worse than expected. Bettors would be better served leaving San Jose alone when searching for valuable underdogs.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:

The Calgary Flames have paused all contract extension discussions, including those with Noah Hanifin and Elias Lindholm, amid the club's poor start to the campaign, reports Sportsnet's Eric Francis.The Flames are 2-6-1 through nine games, placing them 31st in the NHL standings - ahead of only the winless San Jose Sharks. Calgary's minus-15 goal differential is also the second-worst in the league.The wretched start may not necessarily result in a full rebuild, but Francis noted that a significant re-tooling, which would almost certainly involve trading Hanifin and Lindholm, is a possibility.Hanifin and Lindholm are both scheduled to become unrestricted free agents at the end of the campaign. Hanifin was reportedly expected to be traded during the summer, but a deal never materialized. He said in September he was open to an extension but didn't want to sign over the summer. Lindholm also said in September that he was willing to re-sign.Each player is in his sixth season with the Flames. They were both acquired in the 2018 trade with the Hurricanes that sent Dougie Hamilton to Carolina. Lindholm, 28, scored a career-high 42 goals in 2021-22 and has developed into a strong two-way center. He's tied for the team lead with six points this season. Hanifin, the No. 5 pick in 2015, leads all Flames blue-liners with four points and ranks second in average ice time (23:20). He's just 26 years old.The Flames have multiple other pending UFAs who would be highly sought after if the club shifts into fire-sale mode, including defensemen Chris Tanev and Nikita Zadorov.Calgary is led by first-year general manager Craig Conroy and first-year head coach Ryan Huska.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Buffalo Sabres rookie Zach Benson is out week-to-week with a lower-body injury, general manager Kevyn Adams announced Tuesday.Benson has two assists and six penalty minutes in six games. He's played 13:17 per contest.The Sabres drafted him 13th overall in June. A standout with the Winnipeg Ice, Benson tallied 36 goals and 98 points as a two-way force last season in the WHL.The injury is an aggravation of a previous ailment the 18-year-old had been dealing with earlier in camp, Adams told The Buffalo News' Lance Lysowski.Buffalo recalled forward Brandon Biro from the AHL's Rochester Americans on Tuesday. The 25-year-old has six points in five games to begin the season. He scored 51 points in 49 contests last year.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.