Taylor Hall's roller-coaster 2023-24 campaign continues.The Chicago Blackhawks forward is again listed as week-to-week after aggravating his shoulder injury, head coach Luke Richardson announced Monday, according to NBC Sports Chicago's Charlie Roumeliotis.Hall initially sustained the ailment on Oct. 11 in Boston after taking a hit from Bruins defenseman and former teammate Brandon Carlo. Chicago labeled Hall as week-to-week at the time, but the veteran winger returned to the lineup after missing just one game.The 31-year-old suited up for the Blackhawks' next three contests but didn't practice Monday after irritating his injury Saturday against the Vegas Golden Knights.Here's what happened on both plays that put Hall on the sidelines:

Winnipeg Jets head coach Rick Bowness is taking a leave of absence from the team after his wife, Judy, was hospitalized following a seizure on Sunday evening, the team announced Monday.Judy Bowness is currently undergoing further testing. Associate coach Scott Arniel will take over behind the bench on an interim basis while Bowness is away.The Jets own a 2-3-0 record on the season and will take on the St. Louis Blues on Tuesday.Bowness was hired as Winnipeg's head coach before the 2022-23 campaign. The Jets finished last season in fourth place in the Central Division with a 46-33-3 record and were eliminated by the Vegas Golden Knights in the first round of the playoffs.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

We're not even two weeks into the 2023-24 NHL campaign and we're already starting to see meaningful shifts in the futures market.The landscape for the Hart Trophy, in particular, looks quite different than it did to begin the month. Let's take a closer look.PlayerOct. 2 oddsOct. 23 oddsConnor McDavid+100+175Jack Hughes+1600+350Auston Matthews+1100+650Leon Draisaitl+1400+1200Nathan MacKinnon+1100+1200David Pastrnak+2000+1600Matthew Tkachuk+1300+1600Kirill Kaprizov+2000+2500Nikita Kucherov+2200+2500Cale Makar+3000+3000Mikko Rantanen+5000+3000Tage Thompson+3000+3000Connor BedardN/A+4000Elias Pettersson+5000+4000Jason Robertson+3000+4000Ilya SorokinN/A+6000Kyle ConnorN/A+6000Note: Only listed players 60:1 or shorterConnor McDavid is still the favorite to win the Hart, but his implied odds have dropped from 50% to 36.4%. That's a massive change in such a short period of time.The fact there are 14 players with at least as many points as McDavid is a factor. McDavid getting injured and missing three-to-five games is also a factor. However, the biggest is the play of New Jersey Devils superstar Jack Hughes.Hughes was one of my best bets to win the Hart Trophy at the beginning of the month. At +1600, the odds implied less than a 6% chance of him taking home the hardware. Fast forward and his chances are nearly four times as high, as Hughes' +350 odds imply a 22.2% chance.That's an extremely large adjustment, and it was made for good reason. Hughes couldn't have started the season any better, as he has 10 points, all primary, through four games.Only Alex DeBrincat and Dylan Larkin have more primary points than Hughes. They both sit one ahead, but they've played two more games.On a per-game basis, nobody has outproduced Hughes. He's averaging more than five shots on goal per contest, creating a ton of offense for his linemates (as evidenced by his six assists), and carrying a McDavid-esque workload, averaging more than 22 minutes a game.Given the immense talent of the former first overall pick - as well as the crazy usage and strong supporting cast - there's no reason to believe Hughes' outputs are smoke and mirrors.So long as he stays healthy, he should be one of the league's top scorers on a Devils team expected to contend for a Metro Division title. That'll put him firmly in contention for his first Hart.Although Hughes is the biggest mover to date, he's not the only one rising up the leaderboard.A pair of early hat tricks have seen Auston Matthews' odds go from +1100 to +650. Leon Draisaitl has also seen a slight boost. His per-game outputs are actually a little better than McDavid's, and he'll have an extra chunk of games to gain separation.In terms of fallers, Jason Robertson is the most noteworthy name still on the board. He has just two points through four games (zero goals) and hasn't generated shots or chances at anywhere close to the level we're accustomed to seeing.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 finished last week on a strong note, going 2-1 Friday to give us a fourth consecutive winning night.We'll look to pick up where we left off with a couple of plays for the lone game on Monday's NHL card.Let's get right to them.Cole Caufield over 3.5 shotsCaufield's piled up the shots in the early going of the season. He's attempted 33 shots through four games, which equates to more than eight per contest. That kind of volume will lead to a lot of success in the shot prop market, so it's no surprise Caufield has hit the over in three of four games.What I love about Caufield is a lot of his volume is coming at five-on-five. He doesn't need an abundance of power-play opportunities to generate shots.That said, serving as the Canadiens' main man on the power play is definitely a positive - especially against the Sabres.Buffalo has spent more than six minutes per game killing penalties so far. If it gives Montreal three or four opportunities on the man advantage, that should lead to extra shooting looks for Caufield and lighten the load of what he needs to accomplish at full strength.Caufield has registered at least five shots on goal in three straight games. He also accomplished that feat in both meetings with the Sabres last season.Win or lose, expect Caufield to put plenty of pucks toward the net in this one.Odds: -115 (playable to -130)Dylan Cozens over 0.5 pointsCozens is heating up in a big way. After a couple of pointless efforts to start the campaign, Cozens has responded by finding the scoresheet at least once in three straight games. The shot volume is also way up, with Cozens attempting 23 shots over those three contests.The Sabres recently moved Cozens to the top line to ride shotgun with Tage Thompson. The move paid immediate dividends as the pair posted incredible on-ice numbers, combining for 14 scoring chances in their first game together against the Islanders.Cozens should greatly benefit from playing with a linemate like Thompson, one of the NHL's best point producers who doesn't face top-line competition on home ice. Cozens will get to play with the Sabres' best weapon and avoid the most difficult matchups, meaning he'll be placed in ideal situations to produce offense.There's always the power play if he fails to get anything done at even strength. Cozens is a focal point for the Sabres on the man advantage, with nobody taking more shots in the situation for the team. And the Canadiens lead the league in penalty kill time per contest.Cozens has various pathways to pick up a point in this game.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.

This is the first 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 offer an early overreaction based on each's teams performance thus far.1. Vegas Golden Knights (6-0-0)Previous rank: 2The Golden Knights will remain undefeated. Sure, we could've said Vegas will repeat as Stanley Cup champions, but that would hardly be an overreaction given the team barely changed in the offseason. Instead, we'll predict that the Golden Knights go 82-0-0. Jackpot!2. Colorado Avalanche (5-0-0)Previous rank: 1Logan O'Connor will break the single-season shorthanded goal record. Mario Lemieux's all-time record of 13 shorties in a campaign is in major jeopardy, as the Avalanche speedster has banked one in three consecutive games.3. Boston Bruins (5-0-0)Previous rank: 12No Patrice Bergeron and David Krejci, no problem. The Bruins' record through the season's first five games is better than it was last year, when they set new NHL records in wins and points. Who needs two franchise centers on your roster? Certainly not Beantown.4. Dallas Stars (3-0-1)Previous rank: 5The Stars' power play will be outscored. It's been more of a man disadvantage for Dallas. The Stars have a negative goal differential at five-on-four after the Flyers potted three shorthanded tallies Saturday.5. Detroit Red Wings (5-1-0) Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / GettyPrevious rank: 21Alex DeBrincat will take the "Rocket." The Red Wings' marquee addition is off to a flying start with eight goals in six games. DeBrincat doesn't just have his sights on a return to 40-goal form, he's aiming even higher with his superb start.6. Carolina Hurricanes (3-3-0)Previous rank: 3The Hurricanes will surrender the most goals in the NHL. Carolina has given up a league-worst 30 goals through its first six games, which is uncharacteristic of head coach Rod Brind'Amour's usually stingy squad. Who had that on their bingo card for 2023-24?7. New Jersey Devils (2-1-1)Previous rank: 4Jack Hughes will win the Art Ross Trophy. Take several seats, Edmonton. Hughes has an outlandish 10 points in four games, meaning he's bound to become the first non-Oiler to win the NHL's scoring race since 2019. Forget his first 100-point season, Hughes is on pace for 205 points. We say he does it.8. New York Rangers (3-2-0)Previous rank: 8Blake Wheeler will be bought out - again. It hasn't been a great start for the veteran winger on Broadway, as he's gone five games without a point and is logging only 12 minutes per contest. Wheeler will have to step up soon to prove he's still an NHL-caliber player.9. Toronto Maple Leafs (3-2-0)Previous rank: 7The net belongs to Joseph Woll. This one might not be as hyperbolic as some of the other overreactions on this list, but man, Ilya Samsonov has been virtually unplayable through the early goings. In Woll, the Maple Leafs kind of have to trust.10. New York Islanders (2-1-1) Ben Ludeman / National Hockey League / GettyPrevious rank: 20The Islanders will hit their way into a playoff berth. New York doesn't have too many stats that jump off the page early on, but they're finding ways to win while leading the league with 27.9 hits per 60. Battering and bruising their opponents early in the year will get the Isles to the postseason.11. Ottawa Senators (3-2-0)Previous rank: 17Thomas Chabot is the Senators' third-best defenseman. Jake Sanderson and Jakob Chychrun are off to the races with six and five points respectively, while Chabot lags behind with only one assist in the early going. Both Sanderson and Chychrun have superior marks in shot attempts for, goals for percentage, and expected goal share too. The duo will usurp Chabot on the depth chart before long.12. Vancouver Canucks (3-2-0)Previous rank: 23Quinn Hughes will win the Norris Trophy. Captain Hughes has hit a new level this season, dominating both ends of the ice early on against top competition. The Hughes family will be well-decorated at next year's NHL Awards show.13. Tampa Bay Lightning (2-2-2)Previous rank: 13Victor Hedman finishes as a minus. Hedman's not finished a season as a minus since 2011-12 and is a remarkable plus-166 over the past 12 seasons. That changes this year with the veteran rearguard a dismal minus-2 through six games.14. Los Angeles Kings (2-2-1)Previous rank: 9Kevin Fiala will lead the team in scoring - with no goals. Fiala is off to a fine start with seven points in five games, but he hasn't found the back of the net yet. That's alright, though, he's on pace for 115 helpers.15. Edmonton Oilers (1-3-1) Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / GettyPrevious rank: 6The Connor Brown signing is a bust. Brown has zero points in five contests, is a minus-4, and has only four shots on goal in an Oilers jersey. Brown and Connor McDavid have been outscored 3-0 in 17:13 together at five-on-five. (Ignore that Edmonton is up 25-8 in shot attempts and 12-6 in scoring chances during those minutes.) Ken Holland tried reigniting the Erie Otters duo, but it's a swing and a miss.16. Minnesota Wild (2-2-1)Previous rank: 16Minnesota's plan between the pipes has failed. The Wild appeared to be set in the crease with a tandem of Filip Gustavsson and Marc-Andre Fleury, but neither netminder has been up to snuff this season.17. Florida Panthers (2-3-0)Previous rank: 10Sergei Bobrovsky's magic is gone. The remarkable play from Bobrovsky that helped the Panthers to the Stanley Cup Final has disappeared. He's fallen back down to earth, and Florida will need Spencer Knight to be ready for NHL duties in short order.18. Calgary Flames (2-3-1)Previous rank: 18It's time for Dustin Wolf. Dan Vladar was shelled by the Red Wings on Sunday after squeaking out a win in his season debut against the Sabres. With an .842 save percentage, the Flames need to cut bait on Jacob Markstrom's backup and give NHL reps to the AHL's back-to-back Goaltender of the Year and 2023 MVP.19. Pittsburgh Penguins (2-3-0)Previous rank: 11Last season wasn't a fluke. The 2022-23 Penguins were listless and marred by inconsistency, and it's looking like the same old story this season. Evgeni Malkin, Sidney Crosby, and Kris Letang are doing all they can, but they can't play every minute of every game.20. Philadelphia Flyers (3-1-1) Tim Nwachukwu / Getty Images Sport / GettyPrevious rank: 31The Flyers will make the playoffs. Forget last place in the Metropolitan Division, Philadelphia has its eye on bigger and better things. At this rate, the Flyers will force their way into the postseason picture for the first time since 2020.21. Buffalo Sabres (2-3-0)Previous rank: 15Tage Thompson was a one-season wonder. After lighting the NHL up with 47 goals and 94 points last season, Thompson has a single tally through five appearances in 2023-24. He's gone from a dark-horse MVP candidate to the league's biggest disappointment in the span of two weeks.22. St. Louis Blues (2-1-1)Previous rank: 25Jordan Binnington is winning the Vezina Trophy. Ilya Sorokin who? Out of all goalies to make at least three starts this season, Binnington ranks second with a .959 save percentage. He also paces all netminders with a stellar 5.16 goals saved above average at all strengths. Binnington is too busy making saves to get up to his usual antics.23. Winnipeg Jets (2-3-0)Previous rank: 19Extending Connor Hellebuyck was a terrible idea. An .878 save percentage through four games? Yikes. The Jets should have traded him when they had the chance.24. Nashville Predators (3-3-0)Previous rank: 24Roman Josi will lead all defensemen in shots. The Predators captain finished runner-up to Dougie Hamilton in shots on goal among defenders last season. He takes the top spot once again in 2023-24 with an early four-shot advantage over Evan Bouchard.25. Arizona Coyotes (3-2-0) Joe Puetz / National Hockey League / GettyPrevious rank: 27The Coyotes will hit 100 points for the second time ever. A strong start and a top-10 power play for Arizona has the league's most common punching bag looking like a threat in the Central Division. The Coyotes will certainly carry this early momentum into the postseason.26. Columbus Blue Jackets (3-2-0)Previous rank: 26Kirill Marchenko flips the script. Marchenko had a hilariously lopsided goal-to-assist ratio as a rookie with 21 tallies and only four helpers. With no goals and three assists this season, the 23-year-old will balance his career totals by finishing the campaign with four goals and 21 assists.27. Seattle Kraken (1-4-1)Previous rank: 14The Kraken are a lottery team again. Hopefully, Seattle fans cherished the club's playoff run this past spring because the Kraken and their 30th-ranked offense aren't going to sniff the postseason cutline.28. Montreal Canadiens (2-1-1)Previous rank: 28The Canadiens set a new faceoff record. Through four games, Montreal paces the league with a 59.5% win rate on draws. With Nick Suzuki, Sean Monahan, and Jake Evans primarily on the dot, the Habs will surpass the 2012-13 Boston Bruins as the best faceoff team since the stat began being tracked in 1997-98.29. Washington Capitals (1-2-1)Previous rank: 22Alex Ovechkin will never score again. We hate to be the ones to tell you this, but Ovi's bid to beat Wayne Gretzky for No. 1 on the NHL's all-time goals list is over. Kaput. Dead in the water. It's a shame, too, because Ovechkin was only 73 tallies away from passing the Great One.30. Chicago Blackhawks (2-4-0) Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / GettyPrevious rank: 29Corey Perry will be Chicago's leading scorer. There simply aren't any other high-profile Blackhawks players who could possibly overtake him.31. Anaheim Ducks (1-4-0)Previous rank: 30Leo Carlsson was the right pick at No. 2. A goal in his debut sealed Carlsson as the correct decision to be drafted second overall over Adam Fantilli, who took until his fifth game to finally find the back of the net.32. San Jose Sharks (0-4-1)Previous rank: 32The Sharks will remain winless. San Jose is the NHL's sole remaining team without a victory, and oh gosh, what if it stays that way? A long season in California is about to get even longer.(Analytics sources: Evolving Hockey, Natural Stat Trick)Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Boston Bruins center Matthew Poitras got his first NHL goal in the third period of Sunday night's contest against the Anaheim Ducks.He scored his second four minutes later."It's pretty surreal, I mean, just seeing the puck go in the net, I was really excited," Poitras told reporters postgame. "I don't really know what I did. I kind of blacked out a little bit, but just super excited and super happy."Poitras' first tally of his career came off a slick centering pass from Morgan Geekie.

Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid will miss one-to-two weeks with an upper-body injury, the team announced Sunday.McDavid sustained the ailment Saturday against the Winnipeg Jets and didn't take a single shift during overtime. The injury timeline jeopardizes his status for next Sunday's Heritage Classic against the Calgary Flames, which will be played outdoors at Commonwealth Stadium.It's unclear what McDavid's exact ailment is, but he appeared to favor his side during his final shift Saturday.

Pittsburgh Penguins forward Evgeni Malkin thinks his team better get its act together with matchups against a pair of Central Division titans next on the docket."Great teams coming up on our schedule," Malkin told The Athletic's Josh Yohe after Saturday's 4-2 loss to the St. Louis Blues. "We better start playing better. Playing smarter. Playing harder. Time to regroup. Tonight? No good."Pittsburgh is currently 2-3-0 on the campaign, with its losses coming against the Chicago Blackhawks, Detroit Red Wings, and Blues - three squads who finished among the 10 worst teams in the league last season. The Penguins were outscored 14-7 in those defeats.Malkin's squad has yet to take on a team that made the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs this season, but that'll change when the Dallas Stars and Colorado Avalanche come to town this week.Penguins head coach Mike Sullivan also thinks something has to change after Saturday's setback against the Blues in which Pittsburgh was hampered by "an awful lot of" bad decision-making."We didn't play hard enough and we didn't play smart enough," he told reporters postgame, according to NHL.com's Michelle Crechiolo. "We got what we deserved."Sullivan offered a curt "no" when asked if he could explain the Penguins' lack of urgency during the defeat, adding that he needed time to "digest" what he'd seen.Malkin didn't have any answers for the Penguins' lacklustre play, either."This game was just bad," he said. "I'm frustrated."The Penguins missed the playoffs for the first time since 2005-06 last season, but Malkin is doing his part to try and ensure that doesn't happen again. The 37-year-old leads the team with eight points in five outings and extended his goal streak to four games against St. Louis.Pittsburgh will take on the Stars on Tuesday and the Avalanche on Thursday.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Sharks center Tomas Hertl called out his teammates after they failed to stand up for netminder Mackenzie Blackwood, who got run over by a pair of Predators players late in the third period of San Jose's 5-1 loss to Nashville on Saturday."I just don't like the last 10 minutes because we just left (Blackwood) alone," a frustrated Hertl told reporters postgame. "He was on his back. We just have to be there more together, step it up."If it's 5-1, cross-check someone and show them they can't do anything. ... We have to show them they can't do that to us - at least play hard around the net."Roman Josi clipped Blackwood as the Predators defenseman charged to the net. The goaltender ended up flat on his back, and forward Filip Forsberg landed on top of Blackwood as he attempted to get the puck over the goal line.

The Oilers are awaiting an update on Connor McDavid after their captain remained on the bench for all of overtime during Edmonton's 3-2 defeat to the Winnipeg Jets on Saturday night."I didn't walk back in (the locker room) yet, but I'm sure we'll have something (Sunday)," head coach Jay Woodcroft told reporters postgame, per NHL.com's Derek Van Diest. "It didn't appear to be anything, it appeared to be muscular more than anything to me as I watched during the play. We'll see."McDavid finished the contest with one shot on goal in 20:48 minutes of ice time. He was taken down by Jets defenseman Josh Morrissey in the first period, but Woodcroft didn't believe McDavid was shaken up on that play."I thought it was more him coming up the ice (in the third period) and something felt off for him," he said. "That's what it looked like from the bench. But I haven't even rewatched it yet."McDavid took his last shift in the dying minutes of the final frame:

Arizona Coyotes defenseman Travis Dermott became the first known NHL player to defy the NHL's recent ban on using Pride tape on the ice.Dermott put the rainbow-colored tape on his stick's shaft for Saturday's 2-1 win over the Anaheim Ducks. Norm Hall / National Hockey League / GettyThe NHL plans to determine whether or not to discipline Dermott for defying the ban."We will review it in due course," the league told The Athletic's Ian Mendes in a statement.Dermott reached out to Pride Tape and ordered some rolls as soon as the NHL issued the ban, the company's co-founder, Dr. Kristopher Wells, told Front Office Sports' A.J. Perez."We will happily send Pride Tape to any other NHL player that wants to join Travis and visibly demonstrate their allyship," Wells told Perez.The makers of Pride Tape showed their appreciation to Dermott on social media for using the product.

Boston Bruins forward Jake DeBrusk is a healthy scratch Saturday against the Los Angeles Kings as punishment for being late to a team meeting, head coach Jim Montgomery announced.DeBrusk is coming off his best season in which he tallied 27 goals and 23 assists in 64 games, but he's been held off the scoresheet in three games in 2023-24.The 27-year-old is in a pivotal year, as he's set to become an unrestricted free agent at season's end.Veteran power forward Milan Lucic skated in DeBrusk's place at left wing on the top line with Pavel Zacha and David Pastrnak during Saturday's morning skate. Journeyman Patrick Brown appears poised to make his season debut on the fourth line.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Nashville Predators announced Saturday they've claimed forward Liam Foudy off waivers from the Columbus Blue Jackets.Columbus selected Foudy 18th overall in the 2018 NHL Draft, but he hasn't lived up to his first-round billing. He's tallied seven goals and 12 assists in 90 career NHL games across parts of five seasons.Foudy brings a terrific combination of size and speed. He's 6-foot-2 and one of the sport's best skaters, but it hasn't translated to strong on-ice results. Evolving-Hockey.comThe London Knights product will be reunited with his former OHL teammate, Luke Evangelista, in Nashville.Foudy is in the final year of his contract with a $762,500 cap hit. He'll be a restricted free agent at season's end and is under team control until 2027.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Oliver Ekman-Larsson had no inclination that he was going to be bought out by the Vancouver Canucks in the offseason."I was surprised," Ekman-Larsson told The Athletic's Thomas Drance. "We had exit meetings, and I didn't see it coming."Ekman-Larsson had four years left on his contract with an $8.25-million cap hit, resulting in the largest compliance buyout in the salary-cap era in terms of total value. The Canucks are paying him $17 million over the next eight years to play elsewhere, per CapFriendly.The veteran blue-liner inked a one-year, $2.25-million pact with the Florida Panthers as a free agent in the offseason.Ekman-Larsson was one of the game's top defensemen during his 11 seasons with the Arizona Coyotes, receiving downballot Norris Trophy votes on five occasions. He was traded to Vancouver in 2021, but his two-year stint with the Canucks was marred by injuries and inconsistent play."Look, we loved living in Vancouver and I loved playing for the Canucks," Ekman-Larsson said. "So it was disappointing. Obviously there were a couple of tough years, but I don't feel like it was all bad like everybody else does."There were ups and downs and we didn't make the playoffs, we were struggling as a team, there were a lot of changes. It wasn't easy, but I don't have a bad thing to say about the city of Vancouver or the organization. It's just part of the business. You get disappointed when things like that happen and you're not ready for it."Ekman-Larsson is thriving with his new team. He's recorded two points in four games, and, with Aaron Ekblad and Brandon Montour out to begin the year, OEL is logging huge minutes, averaging a team-high 25:31 per contest.The Canucks and Panthers square off in Sunrise on Saturday. Ekman-Larsson will make his return to Vancouver on Dec. 14.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Ted Nolan opened the front door to his house and "felt a stab of anxiety."A delivery man handed him a box, and the coach knew what was in it: the Jack Adams Award, presented annually to the NHL's top bench boss. A range of emotions rushed through Nolan's body, then "pure anger."Nolan's recently released memoir begins with this dramatic scene from 1998."I lifted my foot and, with all the strength I had, kicked the box, sending it hurtling down the basement stairs," Nolan writes in "Life In Two Worlds: A Coach's Journey from the Reserve to the NHL and Back.""I heard it land with a loud metallic crash," he continues. "Then I turned and went upstairs, determined to forget everything about it." Bruce Bennett / Getty ImagesNolan, who coached 471 career games in the NHL, couldn't bear to enjoy his accomplishment that day, months removed from when he first posed with the trophy on the big stage. In the intervening period, he felt betrayed by the hockey world, especially the Buffalo Sabres, and found himself in a dark place."I was so angry. At that time, every tough situation in my life - in hockey, outside of hockey - I had sucked in. I hadn't dealt with any of it," Nolan recalled in a recent phone interview with theScore.Nolan's faced many tough situations throughout his life.Racism at every turnNolan is a member of the Ojibway tribe. The third youngest of 12 kids, he grew up in the Garden River First Nation east of Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario. The family lived in a relatively small house, and didn't have access to electricity or running water for the first few years of Nolan's life, in the late 1950s and early '60s.Nolan details in his memoir the racism he faced at seemingly every turn of his playing and coaching careers as an outsider in a predominantly white sport.His welcome to Junior A in Kenora, Ontario, included a teammate asking, "What are you doing here, ya stinkin' Indian?" Fans hurled slurs associated with Indigenous stereotypes - that he was poor or drunk. He was targeted physically on and off the ice, always having to protect himself."I was up there by myself and I learned to fight through. Thankfully, I did," Nolan said of deciding to ride out the season in Kenora, despite family insisting he return to Garden River, where everybody accepted him. Jeff Vinnick / Getty ImagesThe pros weren't much better for Nolan, a winger who dressed for 78 NHL games split between the Detroit Red Wings - who drafted him in the fifth round in 1978 - and the Pittsburgh Penguins.Nolan had tears in his eyes when he stepped onto NHL ice for the first time. He thought about his community, particularly countless Indigenous kids who never realized their dreams. "This is for all of you," he said quietly to himself.Nolan's father, who died when Nolan was 16, told his children to "always be proud of who you are," and Nolan's kept those words in mind.But the lack of respect continued."Some of the guys on the other pro teams would call me names on the ice," Nolan said. "I'd look back at them, and I could see in their eyes that they felt sheepish about what they said. They probably didn't really know what they were saying. They just heard it from someone else. It was pure ignorance."After retiring in 1986, Nolan began climbing the coaching ranks, first landing a job in the OHL as an assistant coach, then becoming an OHL head coach, NHL assistant, and finally an NHL head coach. Racism followed him around the continent. Vitriol from rival fans got so bad during a stint with the QMJHL's Moncton Wildcats in 2005 that he needed a police escort to exit the arena.Fighting negative labelsNolan coached in Hartford (Whalers assistant) and New York (Islanders head coach), but he's best known for two stints in Buffalo: 1995-97 and 2013-15.He won the 1996-97 Jack Adams Award the same year Sabres center Michael Peca took home the Selke Trophy and goalie Dominik Hasek won the Vezina, Hart, and Pearson. The Sabres, a blue-collar squad with arguably the best goalie of all time in the prime of his career, lost in Round 2 of the playoffs. Denis Brodeur / Getty ImagesNolan and the club's general manager, John Muckler, didn't see eye to eye from Day 1 of Nolan's first stint. Nolan felt the GM wanted too much control of the lineup. Nolan also believed the GM felt his coach was too cozy with captain Pat LaFontaine and some members of ownership.Local media made behind-the-scenes drama public, and when Hasek told a radio station he wanted Nolan gone, there was no turning back.First, Muckler was fired, which led to Nolan being called a "GM killer" by commentator Don Cherry. Incoming GM Darcy Regier offered Nolan a one-year contract extension. The lack of commitment was an "insult," so he turned down the deal, hoping to negotiate something better. Next thing Nolan knew, Regier was at his house, firing him face to face.Nolan wouldn't run another NHL bench for six years, only returning when a retired LaFontaine gained hiring power in Buffalo's front office. The reunion, amid shameless tanking for Connor McDavid, lasted just 17 months.Nolan wonders now if rejecting Regier's offer was shortsighted, and if another label - that Nolan's his "own worst enemy" - is at least partially true."Maybe I should have swallowed my pride and accepted the contract," Nolan writes. "At least I could have continued doing the work I loved, and had another chance to show I belonged in the league. Maybe, if I'd spent another year in Buffalo, I would have repaired any damage done to my reputation with the NHL power brokers and gone on to entertain big offers.""But," he continues, "as difficult as the following years would be, I never for a moment looked back and thought accepting that one-year contract was a real possibility. The insult of it, along with the rumour of my drinking and irresponsibility, had revived such dark memories."The lighter side Andre Ringuette / Getty ImagesNolan's book is mostly serious in tone, as he discusses some of the lowest points of his life, and Canada's history of mistreating Indigenous people.Still, there are a few lighter anecdotes sprinkled in.On playing with Wayne Gretzky, 5-8, baby-faced, and 16 years old on the Junior A Soo Greyhounds:

Thursday was another good night on the ice. Between sides and player props, we hit three of five bets - including a +160 underdog with the Predators.Let's explore three favorites on Friday's card as we look to keep the ball rolling.Devils (-120) @ Islanders (+100)The Devils entered the season with very high expectations - and rightfully so. They were one of the league's best teams last year and look even better on paper with Tyler Toffoli, top prospect Luke Hughes, and goal-scoring winger Timo Meier on the roster from the start. However, they haven't lived up to the billing.New Jersey opened the year with three straight home games and dropped two of them. In the lone victory against the Red Wings, the Devils started slowly and were forced to erase an early deficit to get a result. Not ideal.As sluggish as the Devils have looked, I still believe they're an upper-echelon club, and we're getting a discounted price right now.The Devils have an 80-point Selke finalist, Nico Hischier, centering their second line and a near-point-per-game winger in Jesper Bratt by his side. Not many teams have anywhere close to that level of firepower on their second line. The Islanders certainly fall short.I think it's only a matter of time before the Devils hit their stride and start to play like the dominant team they were for so much of last season.While a date with Ilya Sorokin isn't ideal for an offensive breakout, I still quite like the Devils' chances. The Islanders barely squeaked into the playoffs last season and made zero notable additions in the offseason. They are what they are: a bubble team.After multiple underwhelming efforts to start the year, and a few days to chew on them, I'm expecting a more talented Devils side to flex their muscles this time out.Odds: Devils (-120)Timo Meier over 0.5 pointsMeier's campaign is off to a miserable start. Through three games, he hasn't found the scoresheet and has only registered four shots on goal. For perspective, last season he averaged more than four shots ... per game.He's in a healthy rut, and the Devils are determined to get him out of it. Their solution is to slot Meier alongside Jack Hughes on the team's top line. Hughes has piled up six points through just three games and looked dynamic every time over the boards. Suffice it to say, Meier should benefit from playing on his wing.There's also the regression element. Meier scored 40 goals last season and has averaged more than 70 points over the past two years. He's one of the league's better scoring wingers and, at 27, there's no reason to believe the bottom has suddenly fallen out.Meier is a great player going through a quiet spell. Getting a shot on Hughes' line should be just what he needs to get going. At even money, there's tremendous value in backing him to register his first point of the season.Odds: +100 (playable to -140)Rasmus Andersson over 0.5 points Andersson is off to a strong start offensively. He's registered at least a point in three of four games and attempted six shots in the lone failure. He's an excellent puck-mover and is generating a lot of shots, which is a good recipe for production.The Blue Jackets have struggled mightily without the puck. They rank second to last in shot suppression at even strength, meaning they spend a ton of time on their heels in the defensive zone. There should be plenty of opportunities for Andersson to make plays with the puck while sustaining pressure in the offensive zone at five-on-five.Andersson also quarterbacks the top power play of a Flames team that's scored on the man advantage in three of four games thus far.Between skating on PP1 and playing big minutes for a team with a huge five-on-five advantage, Andersson should get a ton of touches in the offensive zone.Look for one of them to turn to gold.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.

Alex DeBrincat has never been booed before in his life, but he expects that to change when the Detroit Red Wings visit the Ottawa Senators on Saturday afternoon."If that's what they need to do, that's fine," DeBrincat told The Athletic's Ian Mendes. "They are just passionate fans in Ottawa. And they just want what's best for their team."The Senators acquired DeBrincat in a trade with the Chicago Blackhawks in the 2022 offseason. Almost exactly a year afterward, Ottawa flipped him to the Red Wings."I never asked for a trade," DeBrincat said. "I said I wasn't going to sign long term. And they took that as writing on the wall."DeBrincat was a restricted free agent this past summer, but he could've accepted his one-year qualifying offer and walked to unrestricted free agency in 2024 - a risk the Sens weren't willing to take.The 5-foot-8 sniper endured a down season by his standards in his lone year in Canada's capital. The two-time 40-goal scorer tallied 27 goals, 39 assists, and a minus-31 rating during his time there. It didn't help that the team missed the playoffs for the sixth straight year despite entering the campaign with high expectations that were raised by DeBrincat's acquisition.Additionally, a report surfaced in September that DeBrincat, a left winger, was unhappy playing behind team captain Brady Tkachuk on Ottawa's depth chart. DeBrincat denied the rumor."Through the trade process, a lot of things that were put out there were not necessarily what was actually going on behind closed doors," he explained.DeBrincat believes his departure has worked out as well as possible for everyone involved. For the Farmington Hills, Michigan, native, he received a chance to go home and play for his boyhood team. The Red Wings are off to a 3-1-0 start and DeBrincat has been an offensive catalyst, producing five goals and three helpers."I had to do what was best for my family," DeBrincat said. "And I think a lot of people in the same situation would have done the same thing."The Senators are making out fine without DeBrincat, as they're also 3-1-0 to start the year. However, forward Dominik Kubalik - the key player Ottawa received in exchange for DeBrincat - has yet to record a point.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Craig Anderson will sign a one-day contract with the Ottawa Senators to retire as a member of the team, TSN's Darren Dreger reported on Thursday's edition of "Insider Trading."Anderson is expected to drop the puck for the Senators' Tuesday contest against the Buffalo Sabres.The 42-year-old announced his intention to retire after the final game of the 2022-23 season, a 4-3 overtime victory with the Sabres against Ottawa.Anderson spent 10 seasons of his 20-year NHL career with the Senators. He played 435 games with Ottawa after joining the team in a 2011 trade with the Colorado Avalanche for Brian Elliott. Anderson posted a 202-168-46 record and a .914 save percentage with the Sens.He's the team's franchise leader in games by a goaltender and wins.Anderson made the postseason four times with the Senators. He started during Ottawa's 2017 run to the conference finals, narrowly losing in Game 7 double overtime against the eventual Stanley Cup champion Pittsburgh Penguins.Only Patrick Lalime played more playoff games as a Sens netminder than Anderson, and the two are tied for the most postseason wins in team history. Anderson's .928 playoff save percentage is the best mark by an Ottawa goalie.Anderson was hired by the Sabres as a hockey liaison Thursday.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Buffalo Sabres and Florida Panthers are among the teams interested in signing free-agent forward Patrick Kane, reports The Athletic's Chris Johnston.Kane is still rehabbing from offseason hip resurfacing surgery. He's likely to wait until early November before seriously considering potential suitors, Johnston adds.The Sabres boast one of the league's most dangerous attacks and have $8.8 million in cap space to accommodate any sort of potential deal for Kane, who was born and raised in Buffalo.The Panthers' cap situation is much more complex. Florida is currently above the $83.5-million limit but has approximately $6 million in flexibility with Aaron Ekblad on long-term injured reserve. The star defenseman is expected to be available to play again in December.Kane was expected to be one of this past summer's marquee unrestricted free agents but was given a four-to-six-month recovery timeline after surgery in June. The soon-to-be 35-year-old managed 57 points split between the Chicago Blackhawks and New York Rangers last season, his 16th in the NHL.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Columbus Blue Jackets forward Patrik Laine seems to be lacking confidence at the moment.Although he's produced a goal and an assist in three games, Laine says he feels as though he's struggling in the early going. He gave himself a harsh self-evaluation on Thursday."Pretty awful so far," Laine said, per team reporter Jeff Svoboda. "Can't hit the net if my life depends on it, can't make any plays, can't win a faceoff. Just basically can't do anything right now."Laine has only fired eight shots on goal, 2.67 per game, below his career average of 2.92. His on-ice expected goals share of 47.43% is below average, but it's also fifth-best on the Blue Jackets, per Natural Stat Trick. His average ice time is also down from 19:07 last season to 16:23 in 2023-24.After spending the first seven years of his career as a winger, Laine is playing center this season, and it's been a learning curve. He's won just 42.1% of his faceoffs and owns a minus-three rating on the season.But Laine says hard work is the formula to get back on track."I'm gonna keep working, gonna keep building, try to fix all this, and try to get back to the level I need to be at," he said.Laine is currently centering a line with Adam Fantilli and Alexandre Texier after beginning the year playing with Johnny Gaudreau.The 2016 No. 2 pick was the Calder Trophy runner-up after scoring 36 goals in his rookie season. He potted a career-high 44 goals in his sophomore campaign, but he hasn't surpassed the 30-goal mark since. He tallied 22 goals and 30 assists in 55 games with the Blue Jackets last season.The Blue Jackets acquired Laine in a January 2021 trade with the Jets that sent Pierre-Luc Dubois to Winnipeg.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

We're coming off another successful night on the ice, going 2-1 with our best bets on Wednesday night.We'll look to keep the profit train moving with a pair of sides - including a healthy underdog - for Thursday's jam-packed slate of games.Predators (+160) @ Rangers (-190)The Predators are off to an underwhelming 1-3 start, but they've played a lot better than the results suggest.They've controlled a healthy 58% share of the expected goals at five-on-five, a top-five mark in the NHL. Making those metrics all the more impressive is the fact their schedule has been so demanding. They've faced the Lightning, Kraken, Bruins, and Oilers - four playoff teams from a season ago.Nashville has only conceded five goals at full strength thus far, and four of those came against a desperate Oilers team last time out.The Predators really haven't given their opponents much. Considering the goaltending they generally get, that's a recipe for success over the long haul if they can continue to play like they have.Coming off a pair of losses - including a blowout last game - I think we're going to see a top-tier effort from the Predators. You can't earn a playoff spot in October, but you can lose one, and a 1-4 start would begin to point the Predators in that direction.The Rangers look pretty good statistically right now, but it's worth noting their schedule has been ultra-soft. They've played a Sabres team that'll likely be on the playoff bubble, as well as the Blue Jackets and Coyotes, two teams that failed to win even 30 games a season ago.I'm expecting a tight, low-scoring game in which there isn't much separating the two teams. At +160, I'll happily roll the dice with a desperate Predators side in what should be a pretty evenly matched contest.Bet: Predators (+160)Kings (-110) @ Wild (-110)The Wild aren't off to the most impressive of starts. Although they own a 2-1 record through three games, there are a lot of concerns beneath the hood right now.Minnesota was absolutely dominated in its season opener, getting outshot 41-21 by a Panthers team missing its two best defensemen and second-line center. Not great.They followed that up by giving up seven goals to the Maple Leafs. They only took three penalties and didn't allow an empty-netter, so it's not as if the output was inflated by unusual circumstances.The Wild played well against the Canadiens, but that's the Canadiens. Not a lot can be expected from them on any given night - especially when Jake Allen isn't manning the crease.I think the Wild are a little overrated right now. The loss of Jared Spurgeon really hurts them at both ends of the ice. I also think they're leaving value on the table against the Kings by starting Marc-Andre Fleury again rather than going back to Filip Gustavsson, who already stole the Wild a game this season.The Kings are a deeper team up front and very stout defensively. In fact, only the Stars and Islanders have done a better job of limiting expected goals thus far.That - along with the Wild not using their best goaltender - should more than offset the gap between the two sides in goal.Bet: Kings (-110)Todd Cordell is a sports betting writer at theScore. Follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, at @ToddCordell.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

After a quiet two-game slate, the NHL is back in full force on Thursday night with 24 of the league's 32 teams set to hit the ice.Let's take a closer look at a few of my favorite props on the board.Jordan Kyrou over 3.5 shotsKyrou didn't end last season on the best of terms. He was rifting with Blues head coach Craig Berube, and his ice time - and shot outputs - decreased as a result.A new year has provided a fresh start for everyone, and Kyrou is certainly making the most of it. He's logged more than 40 minutes through two games - a far cry from the 15-to-16 minutes per game he routinely played down the stretch last season - and amassed 18 shot attempts. That's an average of nine per game, which is a very strong rate.What's impressive is that Kyrou got the job done as a shooter despite stiff competition. His first two games came against a Stars team that made the final four and a Kraken team that's extremely good at limiting shots and sucking the life out of opposing offenses. For Kyrou to generate such volume against those teams is a very encouraging sign.The Coyotes are an improved team, but they can still be exploited defensively. Kyrou should see favorable matchups on home ice, and I expect he'll make the most of them.Odds: -115 (playable to -130)Jake DeBrusk over 2.5 shotsNo Bruins player has attempted more five-on-five shots than DeBrusk over the first two games of the year. No, not even David Pastrnak.That should bode well for his chances of success on Thursday night. The Sharks are an abysmal team, spending most of the time on their heels in the defensive zone and absorbing shots in bulk.The Sharks have conceded nearly 80 shot attempts and 40 shots on goal per 60 minutes of five-on-five play. Those are absurdly bad numbers.Sure, their schedule has been difficult. But - even without Patrice Bergeron - the Bruins remain a strong team, especially when it comes to controlling play and winning the shot count.DeBrusk and the Bruins should spend a ton of time with the puck in the offensive zone, meaning there won't be any shortage of shooting opportunities.Odds: -115 (playable to -130)Miro Heiskanen over 2.5 shotsThe Ducks were an unmitigated disaster defensively last year and appear to be once again this season. The core of their team is largely the same, and they didn't make any needle-moving additions to their blue line in the summer.Given as much, it's hardly surprising they rank dead last in five-on-five shot suppression through the first week of the season.Heiskanen should be one of the prime beneficiaries of this matchup. He plays on the top pairing at even strength, he skates on the top power play, and he's a more than willing shooter.He hit the over in all three meetings with the Ducks a season ago. Based on his current shooting form (he has 14 attempts through two games), I'm confident he's in a good shooting state of mind to keep that streak going.Odds: -105 (playable to -125)Todd Cordell is a sports betting writer at theScore. Follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, at @ToddCordell.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Alex Ovechkin is in an unfamiliar rut to start the 2023-24 season.The Washington Capitals sniper was held without a shot Wednesday against the Ottawa Senators, marking the first time in his 19-year career he's gone consecutive games without an attempt on goal, according to OptaStats.Ovechkin was also blanked Monday against the Calgary Flames. He managed four shot attempts in his latest appearance, but all of them were blocked. The 38-year-old mustered an assist in Wednesday's 6-1 loss for his first point of the young campaign.Ovechkin has only been held without a shot 19 times since entering the NHL in 2005-06 and has led the league in the statistic 11 times. He passed Ray Bourque (6,209) for the most shots all time last season.The Capitals have had trouble scoring as a whole, registering only three goals through three games. New head coach Spencer Carbery said the team needs more out of most of its players."We're really struggling right now from a standpoint of we've got a lot of guys that are looking to find their game early in the season and aren't there yet," he told The Athletic's Tarik El-Bashir."Usually, it's a few but we've got more than you would call normal."Ovechkin also started last season slowly, going three games without a goal. He finished the year with 42 tallies and moved into second place on the all-time goals list.His next chance to break his slump comes Saturday against the Montreal Canadiens.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Three points in his first four NHL games is nothing to scoff at, but Chicago Blackhawks rookie Connor Bedard would like to see more of his chances light the lamp soon."I feel I'm playing well," Bedard told The Athletic's Mark Lazerus. "Just trying to find the back to the net, and that's been the hardest part so far. You're going to get a little frustrated."Bedard's only goal of the season came in his second contest, but it's not for a lack of trying. The 18-year-old ranks fourth in the NHL with 20 shots while sitting first in individual scoring chances (20) and individual expected goals (2.44) at five-on-five, according to Natural Stat Trick."I've created chances," Bedard said. "It's pretty wild, just kind of can't score. But the big thing is creating chances. I've had so many good looks. The goalie makes a good save, or I just miss, or whatever. Just sticking with it. You should be more worried if you're not getting those looks. Of course, I want to see some go in, but it's only been a few games."Bedard's goal-scoring ability led to him becoming the most hyped NHL prospect since three-time MVP Connor McDavid was drafted in 2015. Between the WHL and world juniors, Bedard scored 90 goals in 71 games last season. However, he's still adjusting to beating NHL netminders."They're good goalies," Bedard said. "Not going to argue with that. They're the best in the world, and it's going to be hard to score goals with how good they are. For me, just keep shooting, try to keep that confidence in my shot. I've been close a lot of times, so just try to stick with it."The Blackhawks have managed a 2-2 record in the season's early going, even without Bedard scoring as expected. His next opportunity comes Thursday against the Colorado Avalanche.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Ottawa Senators center Josh Norris returned to the lineup for his first game of the season Wednesday against the Washington Capitals.The 24-year-old last suited up for an NHL game Jan. 21 due to a shoulder injury. He underwent season-ending surgery shortly after.Norris was limited to just eight games in 2022-23 because of the ailment. He initially suffered the injury last October during an innocuous-looking faceoff against the Arizona Coyotes. He returned for three games in January but ultimately re-aggravated the issue.The Michigan native didn't participate in the Senators' preseason slate and first three regular-season games this year because of an unexpected setback.Norris is currently in the second campaign of an eight-year, $63.6-million extension. He's amassed 54 goals and 93 points in 133 NHL games, all with the Senators. Norris' best season so far came in 2021-22, when he chipped in with a team-leading 35 tallies in 66 outings."Josh is a big part of that group. ... A lot of them are best friends in there," head coach D.J. Smith said before the game, per TSN 1200. "Guys are pulling for him. It's going to be emotional, I'm sure, for him to get back out there."I can tell you that it's been agonizing on him wanting to play and just the setbacks here and there ... but I think certainly it'll give our guys a boost."Smith added that he doesn't expect Norris to be limited physically but that he has to be "conscious" of the amount of reps the forward is getting since he hasn't played in almost nine months.The San Jose Sharks selected Norris 19th overall in the 2017 NHL Draft. Ottawa acquired him in 2018 as part of the trade that sent defenseman Erik Karlsson to San Jose.The Senators have won their two most recent games after losing their first contest of the 2023-24 campaign.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Winnipeg Jets forward Gabe Vilardi is expected to miss four-to-six weeks with a strained MCL, the team announced Wednesday.Vilardi sustained the injury during the Jets' 5-1 loss to the Los Angeles Kings on Tuesday night. He went down awkwardly after taking contact from Kings forward and former teammate Blake Lizotte along the boards early in the first period and didn't return to the contest.

Blue Jackets defenseman Damon Severson owned up to the mistake that led to him being benched for the entire third period of Columbus' 4-0 loss to the Detroit Red Wings on Monday.Mere seconds before the Red Wings' second goal of the game, Severson had the puck deep in his own zone and tried to hit Patrik Laine - who was closer to the blue line - with a pass.Detroit forward J.T. Compher intercepted Severson's attempt and found Michael Rasmussen, who ended the sequence with his first goal of the 2023-24 campaign.

It doesn't sound like Toronto Maple Leafs enforcer Ryan Reaves is the biggest fan of Chicago Blackhawks pest Corey Perry."I never really liked him, to be honest," Reaves said, per Sportsnet. "We always seem to kind of run into each other when we play against each other, but not a lot of love for that guy. ... Just the way he runs his mouth, I don't know. He kind of acts tough. He's not tough."The pair of veteran forwards got into it during the Maple Leafs' 4-1 loss to the Blackhawks on Monday night, jawing at each other from their respective benches throughout the contest.

Nashville Predators defenseman Luke Schenn will be out of the lineup for four-to-six weeks due to a lower-body injury, the club announced Wednesday.Schenn hasn't played since the Predators' season-opening loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning. He logged only 15:11 of ice time, taking his final shift for nine seconds with about five minutes remaining.The veteran, who'll turn 34 on Nov. 2, signed a three-year contract carrying an average annual value of $2.75 million with Nashville on July 1.Schenn finished last season with the Toronto Maple Leafs, who acquired him in a trade with the Vancouver Canucks in late February. He scored a goal for his only point with the Leafs in 15 regular-season games down the stretch, adding a lone assist in 11 playoff contests.It was his second tenure with Toronto, the club that drafted him fifth overall in 2008. Schenn won the Stanley Cup with the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2020 and 2021.He's spent two separate stints with the Canucks, as well as stints with the Philadelphia Flyers, Los Angeles Kings, Arizona Coyotes, and Anaheim Ducks.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Tuesday was a great night on the ice. We won two of three player props as well as both team best bets en route to a very profitable 4-1 evening.We'll look to keep the ball moving in the right direction with three more plays for Wednesday's small card.Capitals (+145) @ Senators (-170)I couldn't be less impressed with what I've seen from the Capitals through two games. They were absolutely steamrolled in their season opener at home, losing 4-0 to the Penguins while getting caved in on the shot counter.They followed that up with a putrid defensive performance against the Flames. They were outshot 40-23 and needed an all-world effort from Darcy Kuemper to steal a shootout victory.Outside of the power play, the Capitals have really struggled offensively and look like one of the worst defensive sides in the NHL.No team has posted a lower expected goals share at five-on-five, while only the Canucks have allowed xG at a higher clip. That's not a recipe for success.I expect Brady Tkachuk, Tim Stutzle, and the big guns up front for Ottawa to have a field day against this paper-thin defense.The likely return of Josh Norris should stress the Capitals even further. He gives the Senators more depth down the middle and another legitimate weapon alongside Drake Batherson on the team's second line.The Senators should have no problem exploiting the Capitals' defense in this game. So long as Joonas Korpisalo puts forth a respectable performance, the Sens should be able to earn a win inside 60 minutes.Bet: Senators in regulation (-115)Alex Ovechkin over 3.5 shotsOvechkin put up a dud against the Flames last time out, but we're going right back to the well against the Senators. Ottawa has fared well over its first few games of the season, but that stems more from the team's offensive ability than its play without the puck.The Senators have conceded plenty of shot volume at five-on-five. They currently rank bottom-10 and are sandwiched between the Coyotes and Canucks - not great company.More importantly, the Senators have taken a lot of penalties. Discipline was a problem a year ago, and it doesn't seem like much has changed. They're spending more than eight minutes a game undermanned, which should be music to Ovechkin's ears.A large chunk of his shot volume comes from hammering one-timers on the power play. That shouldn't be surprising, considering he legitimately doesn't leave the ice while Washington is on the man advantage.Ovechkin has played 10:52 of a possible 10:58 on the power play this season. He stays out for the entirety of each opportunity - and there should be plenty against this undisciplined Sens squad.Odds: -150 (playable to -160)Dylan Larkin over 3.5 shotsThe Red Wings have controlled a healthy share of the shots and chances with Larkin on the ice, and he's been taking a big chunk of them.Larkin leads the Red Wings in attempts (23), shots (18), and high-danger chances (seven) through three games.He finds himself in a sneaky good spot against the Penguins. Much like the Senators, they've won games on the back of offense, not defense. Only eight teams have conceded shot attempts at a higher rate than Pittsburgh thus far.Larkin has gone over his total in all three games thus far. He also hit in all three games against the Penguins last year, combining to record 14 shots on a whopping 32 attempts.Expect another eventful offensive performance against a Penguins team still adjusting to a lot of new faces.Odds: -115 (playable to -135)Todd Cordell is a sports betting writer at theScore. Follow him on Twitter @ToddCordell.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

If this was Marc-Andre Fleury's last game in his home province, it couldn't have gone much better.Fleury, who hails from Sorel-Tracy, Quebec (about an hour north of Montreal), made 27 saves in the Minnesota Wild's 5-2 victory over the Canadiens at the Bell Centre on Tuesday night.It was a vintage performance by Fleury in his first appearance of the season. He even generated chants of his name from the Montreal crowd after going into a two-pad stack to rob Johnathan Kovacevic in the third period.

Montreal Canadiens forward Kirby Dach will miss the remainder of the 2023-24 season after sustaining tears to his ACL and MCL in his right knee, the team announced Tuesday.Dach suffered the injury early in Saturday's win over the Chicago Blackhawks. He logged only 4:40 of ice time in the contest, exiting after being hit into the opposition's bench by defenseman Jarred Tinordi.The 23-year-old registered two assists in two games this campaign before being sidelined. An injury limited Dach to 58 games last season, and he's appeared in 212 NHL contests since being drafted third overall by the Blackhawks in 2019.Montreal acquired Dach in July 2022 for a pair of draft picks. He signed a four-year, $13.45-million contract with the Canadiens shortly after.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

It's a good thing Rick Tocchet didn't order those Stanley Cup rings.Less than a week after the Vancouver Canucks head coach delivered a memorable quote in the aftermath of a dominant season-opening win, he spoke with similar conviction to summarize a disappointing effort against the Philadelphia Flyers."It's a good lesson," Tocchet said after the 2-0 loss Tuesday. "Who are we to think we're anybody?"The Canucks suffered their first loss of the young season in the Flyers' home opener, and the game wasn't as close as the scoreline indicated. Philadelphia outshot Vancouver 42-25 while controlling 68.6% of expected goals and 56.2% of shot attempts at five-on-five, according to Natural Stat Trick."I can't even pick one guy who played well other than (goaltender Thatcher) Demko," Tocchet said. "He was unreal. He was great tonight, and the rest of the guys weren't."The coach added: "We just got some guys, they better pick it up. I don't like using the word 'soft,' but I didn't see guys competing at all, and that's alarming."The Canucks won their first two games of the season - each against the Edmonton Oilers - by a combined score of 12-4. Their next opportunity to find the win column again comes Thursday against the Tampa Bay Lightning.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Like any other sport, the second week of the season gives you two options for how to view each team in the context of betting:

New Jersey Devils star Timo Meier was among three players head coach Lindy Ruff stapled to the bench for the third period of Monday's 4-3 loss to the Florida Panthers.Meier, along with Curtis Lazar and John Marino, only played one shift in the final stanza. Ruff said it was his decision to not play the trio, but pointed to Meier's lack of discipline during the game as a reason he didn't see the ice."Can't take the penalties he took," Ruff said after the contest.Meier was assessed two tripping minors in a span of 4:18 during the second period. He finished with one shot in 11:29 of ice time and is now pointless through three regular-season games after signing an eight-year, $70.4-million extension over the summer.While Meier is the most notable name that Ruff sat, the coach was adamant that the loss wasn't due to a single player."We need more out of a lot of guys," Ruff said. "This isn't about one guy. When we start the game, there's 18 guys that are playing. We need more out of our group."Meier responded to his benching on Tuesday."I knew what happened. Me and Lindy talked," he said, per team beat reporter Sam Kasan. "We both have the same view. (Things) happen. The sun came up again this morning. It's a new day. You go out and work as hard as you can."What's in the past is in the past. You look forward."The Devils surrendered the first four goals in Monday's contest before their late comeback effort fell short. New Jersey is now 1-1-1 on the year with its next game coming Friday against the New York Islanders.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Vancouver Canucks head coach Rick Tocchet has been impressed by the maturity of Elias Pettersson's two-way game through the first two contests of the 2023-24 campaign."I think he understands what it's going to take to win," he told reporters Monday. "Like the Sidney Crosbys of the world, Stevie Yzerman back in the day, Joe Sakic - those guys got their points, but they played a 200-foot game. They played situational hockey. I think he knows that. He's not bucking the system."Pettersson's 0.88 expected goals against rate at five-on-five is the best on the squad so far this campaign, as is his 4.24 expected goals for clip, according to Evolving-Hockey. Those figures become even more impressive when taking into account the fact that they came against the high-octane Edmonton Oilers.The Swede particularly stood out during the Canucks' 4-3 victory over the Oilers on Saturday, when Vancouver's Pacific Division rivals dominated play everywhere but the scoreboard. Pettersson got just under 11 minutes of ice time at five-on-five, and nine of those minutes were spent facing off against the Oilers' two-headed dragon of Leon Draisaitl and Connor McDavid, per Natural Stat Trick. Despite those tough assignments, the Canucks didn't surrender a goal at even strength with Pettersson off the bench. He saw 4:25 minutes on the penalty kill, as well as a little over three minutes on the power play.Tocchet appreciates how malleable his star center has been to start the year."We were laughing, I told him he's played with every player on the team. ... He told the coach, 'I don't care,' which is nice," he said. "He's not bitching about it, he just wants to get on the ice in certain situations. ... And I think he enjoys that."It isn't like Pettersson is shirking his offensive duties, either: He leads his teammates with six points in two games and was just named the NHL's 2nd Star of the Week as a result of his efforts.Pettersson's two-way game took a big step in 2022-23. He posted a career-best 102 points and finished the season as a plus-16 on a struggling Canucks squad that owned a minus-22 goal differential.The 24-year-old is in need of a new contract and he can become a restricted free agent with arbitration rights at the end of this campaign. In August, Pettersson said he put extension talks "on hold."Next up for the Canucks is a clash against the Philadelphia Flyers on Tuesday as Vancouver pursues its third straight win of the campaign.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Minnesota Wild star Matt Boldy is considered week-to-week with an upper-body injury, general manager Bill Guerin announced Monday, per The Athletic's Michael Russo.The team doesn't expect that Boldy will need to be placed on long-term injured reserve as a result of the ailment.Boldy sustained the injury during Saturday's 7-4 loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs. He was shaken up after taking a hit from defenseman Morgan Rielly midway through the third period.The 22-year-old emerged with 31 goals and 63 points in 81 games for the Wild in 2022-23. Boldy is currently playing out the first season of a seven-year, $49-million extension he signed in January.Boldy has two points in two games so far this season and bagged his first goal of 2023-24 prior to getting hurt Saturday.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

We started the week off with a mixed bag. The Red Wings took care of the Blue Jackets with relative ease to get things going. Unfortunately, the Flames couldn't convert a massive shot advantage (40-23) into a victory against the Capitals.We'll take the split and move forward with a pair of plays for Tuesday night's juicy card.Oilers (-140) @ Predators (+120)The Oilers are getting a lot of negative press following an 0-2 start to the season, but it's by no means time to press the panic button.They've controlled better than 54% of the expected goal share at five-on-five, which is a top-10 mark. The problem is they've scored on only 2.36% of their shots while getting an overall .760 save percentage at the other end. Yes, you're reading those numbers correctly.Edmonton may not be overflowing with quality depth forwards, but the top of its lineup is as good as anybody's. A team with Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, Zach Hyman, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, and Co. won't continue finishing at such a poor rate.The Oilers are also due for some positive regression in goal. I don't love their tandem by any means, but the Sharks ranked dead last in five-on-five save percentage last season with a number (.893) that's worlds ahead of Edmonton's current mark. The Oilers will start getting more saves sooner rather than later.The Predators have been surprisingly good thus far - they've really controlled the run of play against opponents - but I'm still not sold on them due to a lack of high-end talent. They have a lot of "good" pieces. They don't have many great ones.I think this is a spot where the Oilers' big guns rise to the occasion and take over a game. Look for them to grind out their first win of the year.Bet: Oilers (-145)Hurricanes (-320) @ Sharks (+260)The Sharks are as bad as advertised. They were blown out by the Golden Knights in their season opener and followed that up by allowing 52 shots, and more than five expected goals, against the Avalanche.While that's a difficult pair of teams to start your season against, I think their putrid defensive numbers have more to do with their talent level - or lack thereof - than simply facing good competition.As expected, the Sharks are asking an awful lot of their goaltenders. Mackenzie Blackwood made a great first impression last time out, nearly stealing a game against the Avalanche. He's an extremely high-variance goaltender, though.His highs are very high. Unfortunately, they are few and far between. That's how Blackwood managed to post sub .900 save percentages while playing behind an up-and-coming Devils squad that's posted strong defensive metrics over the past couple of seasons.I don't think Blackwood will come close to replicating the performance we saw against the Avalanche. If that's the case, the Sharks will be in a world of trouble against the Hurricanes.They're one of the sport's most dominant five-on-five teams. They spend the vast majority of their time on the front foot, hammering pucks at the net from anywhere and everywhere in the offensive zone.Coming off an underwhelming showing against a bad Ducks team, Carolina will no doubt be ready to go and come out with a much better effort in San Jose.Look for the Hurricanes to dominate the Sharks, and for Blackwood to come back to earth, en route to a multi-goal victory.Bet: Hurricanes -1.5 (-125)Todd Cordell is a sports betting writer at theScore. Follow him on Twitter @ToddCordell.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

We have a juicy nine-game slate ahead of us on Tuesday night. Let's take a closer look at a few plays that pop off the page as we look to rebound from a disappointing 1-2 evening.Rasmus Dahlin over 2.5 shotsDahlin has been a one-man shooting gallery in the early going of this season. He attempted 18 shots through only two games, which comfortably leads the Sabres. Dahlin didn't have one abnormally high game to skew the numbers, either. He's attempted at least eight shots each time out, which is usually more than enough to soar past a 2.5-shot line.Beyond the volume, there are a couple of reasons I really like Dahlin in this spot. The Lightning have struggled mightily to defend, owning a league-worst 33% expected goals share through three contests while allowing shots at one of the highest clips in the NHL.That the Sabres are winless through a pair of games could help as well. You can't earn a playoff spot in October, but you can lose one. We're still early, but the Sabres - who are expected to be a bubble team - can only spot opponents so much of a head start before they really get into trouble.I expect Dahlin to get all the ice he can handle and take it upon himself to get involved and make something happen offensively.Odds: -115 (playable to -130)Evan Bouchard over 2.5 shotsI'm all-in on Bouchard this year. With Tyson Barrie out of the picture, Bouchard now quarterbacks a historically good power-play unit on a full-time basis while also playing a ton of minutes at even strength.The workload he'll carry on a nightly basis is going to be enormous. We're already seeing that, with Bouchard logging 24 minutes or more in each game thus far.Bouchard attempted at least eight shots in each contest. That was enough for him to breeze past his over both times, as the gifted offensive defenseman registered five shots against the Canucks twice in a row.The Predators are giving up a healthy chunk of shot volume but are doing a great job of keeping most of it to the outside. That should benefit Bouchard, who'll be hovering around the perimeter for about 40% of the game.Odds: -125 (playable to -135)Filip Forsberg over 3.5 shotsForsberg finally has an offensive-minded head coach in Andrew Brunette, and he's making the most of it. The dynamic sniper has been an offensive force, recording three points and attempting at least 11 shots in each of his three games. That's absurd volume.Although the Oilers have done a good job of limiting shot volume, they struggled mightily against another goal-scoring winger in Brock Boeser. He tallied five points and nine shots on goal over the home-and-home to start the year.Forsberg is routinely playing 20 minutes a night, which is a new norm for him, and he's one of the most efficient shot-generators in the league. I expect he'll find a way to get his share of shots, especially if the Oilers - who are favored - can get a lead and force the Predators to push for offense.Odds: +114 (playable to -120)Todd Cordell is a sports betting writer at theScore. Follow him on Twitter @ToddCordell.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Sheldon Keefe wasn't happy with his brightest stars' performance at the beginning of the Chicago Blackhawks' 4-1 win over his Toronto Maple Leafs on Monday night."The turnover stuff early on, just careless with the puck, and it's all our best players - really, really careless to start the game," the Maple Leafs head coach said postgame. "So that didn't give us a chance to take a hold of the game like you want to be able to do on home ice. So we weren't able to take charge of the game, and then (we) let (our) opponent hang around. We've seen this movie before."Keefe did give credit to one of his best players when asked about whether his praise of William Nylander earlier Monday held up hours later. The Toronto bench boss also acknowledged the lackluster play of his most talented players improved as the game progressed."Willy was good with the puck," Keefe said. "(He) made a mistake on the transition on one goal against ... He's got to play (defense) and let our guys recover. But offensively ... our best guys got going in the second and third period. None of (them) were good in the first, but the second period was actually a fairly dominant period by us. When you're beat in transition, you give them free looks, and they score. So that's sort of the tale of the game."The Blackhawks outshot the Maple Leafs 9-7 in the opening frame and controlled puck possession in the period. Chicago had 72.69% of the expected goals for at five-on-five in the first 20 minutes, according to Natural Stat Trick.That script then flipped, as the Leafs posted an xGF% of 77.77 in the second period. But the Blackhawks outshot the Leafs 13-12 in the middle stanza and scored three goals to Toronto's one following a goalless first period for both clubs. An empty-netter with six seconds left in the third sealed Chicago's victory.Leafs superstar Auston Matthews was held off the scoresheet entirely in his quest to become the first-ever player to produce three consecutive hat tricks. However, he did fire eight shots on goal and win 60.87% of his faceoffs.Toronto captain John Tavares scored the team's lone goal to tie the game early in the second period - one of his six shots on goal in the game.Mitch Marner led all Leafs and trailed only Blackhawks defenseman Seth Jones in average ice time on the night, logging 25:54 compared to Jones' 27:57. However, Marner was also held pointless and managed only three shots on goal.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Chicago Blackhawks forward Taylor Hall is back in the lineup versus the Toronto Maple Leafs on Monday, head coach Luke Richardson confirmed, per NBC's Charlie Roumeliotis.MacKenzie Entwistle and Nikita Zaitsev are also drawing into the lineup to make their season debuts. Cole Guttman, Reese Johnson, and Jarred Tinordi are the scratches.Hall's return comes far earlier than expected. He was initially labeled week-to-week after sustaining a shoulder injury versus the Boston Bruins on Oct. 11, but he ended up only missing one game.Prior to his brief absence, Hall had been skating on a line with 2023 first overall pick Connor Bedard. Taylor Raddysh took Hall's place on that unit during Saturday's 3-2 loss to the Montreal Canadiens.Hall registered his first point as a Blackhawk prior to his departure against Boston with an assist on Bedard's first NHL goal. The 2018 Hart Trophy winner was shaken up after taking a hit from Bruins blue-liner and former teammate Brandon Carlo.Richardson criticized the play as a "blindside hit," but Hall said he didn't have a problem with it when addressing the media Sunday."I know how quick the game can be," he said. "When I watched the replay, it was a fast play. I put myself in a vulnerable spot. Was it a hit to the head? Maybe, but I passed the concussion protocol with ease and was just dealing with a shoulder thing. That's hockey; that's the way it goes."Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Montreal Canadiens forward Kirby Dach won't be back in the lineup any time soon.Dach sustained a "significant injury" and is out long term, the Canadiens announced, according to Sportsnet's Eric Engels. He is still being evaluated and another update will either come later on Monday or over the next few days, the team added.The center left Saturday's win over the Chicago Blackhawks in Montreal after opposing defenseman Jarred Tinordi checked him into the visitors' bench. The Canadiens called Dach's ailment a lower-body injury at the time.Dach, who'll turn 23 in January, played only 4:40 before departing. His teammate, Juraj Slafkovsky, expressed his displeasure with the situation Monday."Absolutely f---ing terrible," the the 2022 first overall pick said, according to RDS' Patrick Friolet. "It's the worst thing that could happen two games into the season."Dach was limited to 58 games in 2021-22 due to injury and has missed 92 contests since entering the league in 2019-2020.The Blackhawks drafted him third overall in 2019 before trading him to the Canadiens for a pair of draft picks three years later.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

At least one person in Edmonton Oilers nation is staying lighthearted despite the team's less-than-inspiring 0-2 start to the 2023-24 campaign."We're dead last in the league - 32. Sky is falling," winger Evander Kane joked Monday, per TSN. "Trust me, I see it; I've been around town. But I think, again, we're two games into our season."We've got a .000 winning percentage, we could be at .500 in the next two games, who knows? Our focus is on tomorrow night, getting our first win of the season, getting a good feeling back in the room, and moving on."The Oilers are one of four teams in the NHL without a point, alongside the Washington Capitals, Buffalo Sabres, and Florida Panthers. Edmonton has 80 more games to right the ship, but back-to-back losses at the hands of the Vancouver Canucks isn't the start to the season that many would've expected for the Stanley Cup contenders."We understand the expectations, the excitement, and, obviously, the desire to win in this city," Kane said. "We all feel the exact same way. ... We want to put our best foot forward. It's not going to be perfect every night - it hasn't been perfect these first two games - but we look forward to getting better as the season goes on."Edmonton got thrashed 8-1 in Vancouver during its season opener on Oct. 11. The Oilers fared better in a rematch between the Pacific Division clubs three days later but still dropped the contest 4-3.In Game 2, the Oilers dominated play at five-on-five, controlling 72.5% of the shot attempts, 71.4% of the scoring chances, and 73.3% of the expected goals, per Natural Stat Trick. However, Edmonton managed just one goal at even strength, courtesy of Leon Draisaitl in the first period.Captain Connor McDavid said his squad showed "lots of good signs" in Round 2 versus the Canucks."I thought there was a lot of things we could build off of (from) Saturday's game," he said. "I thought the compete was a lot higher. I thought we did a lot of really good things. You play that game over a few times, you might win."Like Kane, it seems McDavid is doing his best to stay levelheaded about the Oilers' start."A win tomorrow night leaves us at 1-2," he said. "We were 1-2 last year (to start the season), too."Edmonton will look to get into the win column on Tuesday against the Nashville Predators. Puck drops at 8 p.m. ET.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Brandon Tanev will likely be out of the Seattle Kraken's lineup for four-to-six weeks, the club announced Monday.The Kraken said Tanev suffered a lower-body ailment during their season-opening loss to the Vegas Golden Knights on Oct. 10.Golden Knights forward Brett Howden was later suspended two games for hitting Tanev in the head during the third period of Vegas' 4-1 win.Tanev left the contest and didn't return. The officials handed Howden a five-minute major - which was upheld upon review - and a match penalty.The Kraken winger is coming off a career year offensively in which he notched 16 goals and 19 assists while suiting up for all 82 contests. It was the first time he played every regular-season game in his seven full NHL campaigns.Tanev is in his third season with Seattle, the club that plucked him from the Pittsburgh Penguins in its expansion draft. The veteran, who'll turn 32 on New Year's Eve, played two campaigns with the Penguins after spending parts of four with the Winnipeg Jets to start his career.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Toronto Maple Leafs head coach Sheldon Keefe is seeing a lot of growth from forward William Nylander in the early days of his ninth NHL season."He's continuing to progress and taking charge," he told reporters Monday, including Sportsnet. "His confidence is at an all-time high right now in his ability and what he can do and all of that. It certainly is an improved Willy."Is it new? I think he took really big steps for us last season - he has each season, but it's gotten to a point now where he's starting to really separate himself from a lot of others in the league."Nylander has racked up three goals and five points through two games this season, trailing only Auston Matthews for the most on the team in both categories. His strong start to the campaign isn't a total surprise given that Nylander reached new heights in 2022-23 with 40 goals and 87 points in 82 games.He was also one of the Maple Leafs' best players during the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs, chipping in with four goals and 10 points in 11 games while helping Toronto win its first postseason series since 2004.Nylander burned the Minnesota Wild on Saturday with a stellar two-goal showing that had teammate Morgan Rielly singing his praises after the game."Will is, I think, one of the best players in the world, especially carrying the puck in the neutral zone, carrying the puck on the perimeter of the offensive zone," the defenseman said. "He has these skills that are almost unmatched in my opinion and I think in lots of people's opinion."Nylander's electric performance is coming at a great time on an individual level. He is currently playing out the final year of the six-year, $45-million extension that he signed in December 2018 and can hit free agency next summer. The 27-year-old has been eligible to sign a new pact since July 1.The Swede has made it clear that he wants to stay with the team that drafted him eighth overall in 2014 and recently indicated that he and his camp are open to continuing negotiations throughout the season.For general manager Brad Treliving, the feeling is mutual."William is a terrific player," the executive said in August, per Sportsnet's Luke Fox. "He's a star, and you want to keep your good players."Nylander has amassed 180 goals and 435 points in 523 career NHL games. He reached the 80-point plateau in each of the last two seasons.The Maple Leafs are projected to have around $33 million in cap space next summer. Alongside Nylander, the likes of Ilya Samsonov, Tyler Bertuzzi, and T.J. Brodie can all become unrestricted free agents as well.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Los Angeles Kings forward Pierre-Luc Dubois is aware he's rubbed a lot of people the wrong way after a pair of trade requests ended his tenures with the Columbus Blue Jackets and Winnipeg Jets."I knew when I asked for my trade from Columbus, I'd get criticized," he said in an interview with The Athletic's Murat Ates. "I knew when this situation happened in Winnipeg, I'd get criticized. I had to look at it like, 'Do I not want to get criticized but not do what I want to do ... or do I want to get criticized but be happy with my life?'"He added, "Everybody's entitled to their opinion. At the end of the day, it's my life: I only live once. I only have one career."Dubois is only 25 years old, but he's already on his third NHL team after the Jets sent him to Los Angeles in the summer. His future in Winnipeg had long been called into question since it came out in June 2022 that he intended to test free agency in 2024.His time in Columbus ended in similar fashion. The Blue Jackets selected Dubois with the third overall pick in the 2016 draft, but prior to his fourth season with the club in 2020, reports emerged that he wanted a change of scenery. Dubois was benched by then-head coach John Tortorella five games into the 2020-21 campaign, and Columbus traded him to the Winnipeg Jets in exchange for Patrik Laine days later.Dubois said that even though he wanted out, he's frustrated that his attitude towards Winnipeg and Columbus has been "misconstrued" by those outside his situation."A lot of times, people have the mindset that if he did this, it's because he hated that. But it's not like that at all," he said.He elaborated, "That's the main thing I would say if you asked me what I wanted people to understand: You can like two things at the same time. You can appreciate two different things at the same time."After landing in Los Angeles, Dubois said he was excited for the chance to "fully" be himself after years of drama and speculation. He has yet to register a point through two games with his new club, and his next chance will come against the Jets on Tuesday.Dubois is expecting a mixed reaction when he returns to Winnipeg, but he's still looking forward to the tilt."It will be special, I'm sure," Dubois said, per NHL.com's Dan Greenspan. "I'm sure some fans will see it a little differently, but for me personally it will be special. ... To play against some teammates and friends that I have from Winnipeg, it'll be a special game."Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

We have a small but fruitful five-game slate ahead of us on Monday night. Let's waste no time getting to the best bets.Red Wings (-135) @ Blue Jackets (+115)The Blue Jackets split their first two games of the season, but they have a lot to figure out.Defensively, they've been as bad as anybody in the league at five-on-five. They rank dead last in limiting shot attempts, shots on target, scoring chances, and expected goals.It's a small sample size, sure, but their defensive issues carry a little more weight when you factor in how bad they were a season ago.It shouldn't be that surprising, either, with a new head coach being named weeks before the season, No. 1 defenseman Zach Werenski already sidelined, and Patrik Laine - a longtime liability defensively - serving as their top-line center.They have a lot of issues, and I don't think the Blue Jackets are going to find the magic elixir overnight.On the flip side, I like what I've seen from the Red Wings. In their season opener, they went toe-to-toe with a Devils team expected to contend for the Stanley Cup. They followed that up by recording 42 shots and six goals against the Lightning.Dylan Larkin has played at an elite level, we've seen an immediate impact from newcomer Alex DeBrincat, and improved depth really seems to be making a difference.The Red Wings look ready to contend for a playoff spot, while the Blue Jackets - if we don't see drastic improvement without the puck - look like they're in for another tough year.The market prices don't reflect that, which means we should look to take advantage while we still can.Bet: Red Wings (-135)Flames (-125) @ Capitals (+105)I think the Capitals are in for a tough season. Their aging core isn't good enough to contend anymore, and I have serious concerns with the team's defensive ability.The Capitals gave up an unusual amount of offense by a Peter Laviolette-coached team last year. There's little reason to expect better under new head coach Spencer Carbery.While I believe Carbery will be a good coach for a long time, the Capitals just don't have the horses for him. Their forward group doesn't feature many play-driving, two-way players - and the same can be said of their defense core.Their top pairing guys, John Carlson and Rasmus Sandin, are better with the puck than without it, and there just isn't a ton of quality behind them.Martin Fehervary and Trevor van Riemsdyk are solid players but not the kind of guys you want going up against top-of-the-lineup forwards. The Capitals just don't have the pieces.They were overwhelmed by the Penguins' offense in their season opener, giving up quality chances at a high rate while controlling just 28.47% of the expected goal share.The Flames have the pieces to be a much better defensive team, and I expect their depth - and ability to play more creativity under Ryan Huska - is going to cause problems for the Capitals in this one.Look for the Flames to rebound following a 5-2 defeat in Pittsburgh.Bet: Flames (-125)Todd Cordell is a sports betting writer at theScore. Follow him on Twitter @ToddCordell.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

We won two of three shot props on Friday night to send us into the weekend on a winning note.We'll look to pick up where we left off with three more plays for the first card of the week.Alex Ovechkin over 3.5 shotsThe band was back together for the Capitals in their season opener. After an injury-plagued year in which Ovechkin's surroundings were never consistent, he had all of his usual running mates against the Penguins.Ovechkin was centered by Nicklas Backstrom, T.J. Oshie skated on his opposite wing, and John Carlson was back feeding him one-timers on the man advantage. It paid off.Although Ovechkin didn't score, he recorded a whopping nine shot attempts and four shots on goal to go over his shot total.It's the kind of volume we've come to expect from Ovechkin and what we need for him to be a frequent shot prop target once again.Ovechkin finds himself in a solid spot as he begins the week at home to the Flames. Their shot-suppression numbers have not been great at five-on-five, and they've given up shots at a higher rate than anybody on the penalty kill thus far.Expect Ovechkin to fire pucks on net early and often once again.Odds: -125 (playable to -140)Dylan Larkin over 3.5 shotsLarkin has been a shooting machine through two games. He has registered 17 shot attempts, 13 shots on target, and nine scoring chances, all of which lead the Red Wings. He has not passed up opportunities at five-on-five and also leads the charge on the power play.Larkin finds himself in a mouthwatering spot to keep firing Monday night against the Blue Jackets. Despite the coaching change and improved personnel, Columbus has still not looked remotely competent defensively. The team has conceded more than 80 shot attempts per 60 minutes at five-on-five, ranking last in that category.They've also allowed shots on goal, scoring chances, and expected goals at a higher rate than anybody else.Patrik Laine - who has long struggled defensively as a winger - is currently being used as the team's top-line center while No. 1 defenseman Zach Werenski is sidelined with an injury. Those two things alone paint a good picture of where the Jackets are at right now.At a generous plus-money price, I see value in backing Larkin's shooting success to continue.Odds: +120 (playable to -110)Jesper Bratt under 2.5 shotsWe targeted Bratt's under last time out and did not get the wanted result. The process was strong, though. Bratt continued to defer to Jack Hughes and Tyler Toffoli, opting to create shots for them rather than take them. He attempted only two shots at five-on-five, one of which came on a broken play where he had a clear-cut breakaway from center ice and had no choice but to take the shot himself.That proved to be the nail in the coffin as, by that point, Bratt already had two shots on goal thanks to a never-ending supply of Devils power plays.I still like what I'm seeing from Bratt as an under target. He has attempted only three five-on-five shots through two games, which is the same total as defensive defenseman Kevin Bahl and the team's fourth-line center, Michael McLeod.Even in defeat, the Panthers have done a really good job at limiting shots in all situations thus far. I don't expect to see a ton of volume from Bratt against a quality Panthers side that will be fighting tooth and nail to grind out its first win - and point - of the season.Odds: -135 (playable to -145)Todd Cordell is a sports betting writer at theScore. Follow him on Twitter @ToddCordell.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Matthew Phillips says the way Darryl Sutter treated him last season was made into a bigger story than it should've been."I definitely think my situation was blown out of proportion," the Washington Capitals forward said of the way the ex-Calgary Flames head coach treated him with their former team, according to Sportsnet's Eric Francis. "Personally, there was nothing that crossed the line or that (made me feel) disrespected. There was just not much communication. But everyone has their coaching style, and that was his."Phillips excelled in the AHL in 2022-23, but the Flames didn't call him up until Dec. 8, when he was leading the league in points and tied for the lead in goals. Sutter praised the then-24-year-old prospect at the time, saying he "deserved the opportunity to get called up" and that he's "an awesome kid" with "an awesome skill set" who's "a really good competitor."However, he also expressed concern about Phillips' size (5-foot-8 and 160 pounds) and ultimately played him for just two games before Calgary sent him back to the farm club for the rest of the campaign on Dec. 24, just over two weeks after he was originally recalled.Phillips played only 9:21 in his first NHL game of the season and just 8:43 in the second one. He finished second in AHL goal-scoring (36) and fifth in points (76) in 2022-23. Phillips then signed a one-year contract for the NHL minimum ($775,000) with the Capitals as a free agent in July."I was definitely open to anything after the season ended, but I just felt like I owed it to myself to kind of explore a different opportunity, and when these guys approached me, it felt like a great chance," he said.Phillips won't have to wait long to play against his former team, as Washington will host Calgary on Monday night."It's pretty unique that we're playing the Flames the second game of the season, and I'm excited - hopefully, I'm in the lineup," he said. "It's kind of weird, actually, as I know pretty much the whole team and have a lot of friends and great relationships."Phillips, who was born and raised in Calgary, spent seven years in the Flames' organization after they drafted him 166th overall in 2016. He made his NHL debut in May 2021, but that was the only game he played at the highest level that season. Phillips then broke out by producing 31 goals and 37 assists in 65 games with the club's AHL affiliate in 2021-22.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.