Jordan Eberle expects the Seattle Kraken to be more driven this season after a heartbreaking second-round loss in the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs left a sour taste in their mouths."It was kind of funny going around this summer and people (were) congratulating (us) on the season, but really, we were pissed off," he said Monday. "You get to that point where, any time you get past the first round, you see the light at the end of the tunnel - it's almost achievable, it becomes real. When it doesn't happen, it's a tough settling in your stomach."He added, "I know this group for sure felt that and felt rattled about how it ended. I think it should add to (the) motivation this year. I'm sure it added to guys' training this summer, I'm sure it added to the intensity of the group, and, more importantly, just the confidence of the group, that we can get there."The Kraken turned heads after dispatching the Colorado Avalanche - the reigning Stanley Cup champions and Central Division winners - in the opening round. Seattle then faced the Dallas Stars in the second round but ultimately fell in a spirited seven-game set.The spring marked the Kraken's first appearance in the playoffs following a sophomore campaign that was significantly better than their inaugural season:SeasonRecordPointsP%GF/GPGA/GP2021-2227-49-660.3662.603.462022-2346-28-8100.6103.523.07Though general manager Ron Francis is pleased his squad has made "a lot of progress" through two seasons, he knows Seattle faces an uphill battle in the competitive Pacific Division."Nobody sat on their hands all summer. All the other teams did the same thing we tried to do and get better," he said Saturday. "We're not going to surprise anybody. I think they understand we're for real. It's a tough league. We hopefully can pick up and do what we did last year."I think our guys are hungry to do that; hopefully we can continue to do that and show our fans we're one of the better teams in the league."The Kraken will open their 2023-24 campaign against the Vegas Golden Knights, who lifted Lord Stanley's Mug a mere four months ago.Seattle head coach Dave Hakstol pushed back against the idea that an early matchup against the defending champs would help him gauge the caliber of his team."I've got nothing but respect for the depth and quality of their team, but we're not looking for measuring sticks," he said. "It's the first game of 82. You're working to be a playoff team. ... There's no freebies, you can't waste any points."Puck drops on Seattle's third season Oct. 10 in Vegas at 10:30 p.m. ET.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

There are countless ways to analyze what may lie ahead for the upcoming NHL season but, in this exercise, we're taking the philosophical route and asking a collection of questions with answers that, while unforeseen right now, will have a significant impact on the 2023-24 campaign when it's all said and done.Let's dive right into it.Editor's note: The Winnipeg Jets signed Mark Scheifele and Connor Hellebuyck to seven-year, $59.5-million extensions on Oct. 9.What's in store for new-look Bruins? Maddie Meyer / Getty Images Sport / GettyThe Boston Bruins enter 2023-24 as one of the league's most fascinating teams. After rewriting the record books last year, the B's suffered a humiliating first-round playoff elimination before losing Patrice Bergeron and David Krejci to retirement. Boston is bound to regress from the best regular season in league history, but how steep will the decline be? New captain Brad Marchand believes his club will be just fine."I don't know how people look at the depth on our team and say that we're going to fall off the radar," Marchand told ESPN. "There's a great opportunity for everyone here to do something bigger and build something new and continue the legacy that those guys built."He has a legitimate argument. Boston won two playoff games this past spring without Bergeron and Krejci, and the Bruins have made a habit of proving hasty naysayers wrong as their core's gotten older. Even though Boston likely won't compete for a second straight Presidents' Trophy, the club still boasts strength at every position group, is led by a Jack Adams-winning head coach, and plays in a division that could be more wide open than it appears. The Bruins have had the Maple Leafs' number for a decade, the Lightning and Panthers are starting the year with significant injuries, and the Senators, Sabres, and Red Wings are still trying to establish themselves as playoff contenders.Perhaps Marchand is right?Will the Erik Karlsson experiment work? Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / GettyThe Pittsburgh Penguins occupied much of the summer spotlight. They pried Kyle Dubas from Toronto, spent lavishly in free agency, then traded for the reigning Norris Trophy winner - a blockbuster that trumped all the club's other moves and will define a critical season in Steel City, where missing the playoffs again simply isn't an option.Karlsson, 33, is coming off the best season of his Hall of Fame career, and one of the best we've seen from a rearguard in the modern era as he eclipsed 100 points. Equally as important, he played 82 games for the first time since 2015-16. His health is paramount going forward for the Penguins, who owe Karlsson $10 million per season through 2027. Age and price point were the main detractors among critics of Pittsburgh's pursuit of Karlsson, but the time for punditry has passed. Now it's time to see if Dubas' all-in gamble will pay off on the ice - and it's far from a guarantee.The Penguins project to have one of Karlsson or Kris Letang on the ice for most of the game at even strength, where the former's presence should help Pittsburgh's breakout immensely. Karlsson will also be tasked with reviving the Penguins' star-studded - but 14th-ranked - man advantage. He and Letang will both get top-line power-play minutes to start, but two right-handed shots running the point is unconventional. Additionally, Pittsburgh had plenty of talent on its top unit last season, but couldn't click for whatever reason. Adding another weapon to the arsenal doesn't guarantee success if the plan of attack is off.On paper, it's easy to see why adding Karlsson could be a home run for the Penguins, but time will tell if the transition will be seamless or not.What lies ahead for this summer's trade bait? Joel Auerbach / Getty Images Sport / GettyTrade rumors ran rampant over the offseason for a glut of players entering the 2023-24 season on expiring contracts or on teams in the doldrums. Among the alleged bait: Mark Scheifele, Connor Hellebuyck, Elias Lindholm, Noah Hanifin, Brett Pesce, Evgeny Kuznetsov, and Travis Konecny, to name a few. Alas, none of them were moved, and none of them were extended. Was the speculation all a ruse, or are we in for an all-time trade deadline in a few months?The Jets and Flames looked destined for fire sales after rocky seasons but managed to keep most of their talent - namely the first four stars listed above - for another kick at the can. While their fans may be relieved to start the campaign with their rosters still intact, neither Canadian outfit is necessarily a lock to make the playoffs. If Winnipeg and/or Calgary are out of contention come the March 8 trade deadline, they could hold a serious influence over the frenzy. Contending teams will undoubtedly be calling about players of that caliber.Elsewhere, Carolina seems content to let Pesce play out the final season of his contract and boast perhaps the deepest defensive corps in the league. A trade could have made sense a few months ago but, with the season upon us, why would the Cup-contending Canes give up such a vital piece? The same could be said for Kuznetsov and Konecny, even though the Capitals and Flyers don't have feasible championship aspirations.Trading any of these players now isn't beneficial to their respective clubs, but it would be favorable for blockbuster-hungry fans if they're back in the trade mix within a few months.Can the Senators or Sabres shake up the playoff race? Andre Ringuette / National Hockey League / GettyMany were shocked at the meteoric rise of the New Jersey Devils last season: They went from seventh in the Metropolitan Division to third in the entire NHL in one year. Naturally, many wonder who could be the next contender lurking in the shadows.The two consensus options are Buffalo and Ottawa, who are set to make the Atlantic Division much more interesting in 2023-24. The Sabres and Senators were each on the cusp of the postseason last year, and both squads got better while, as mentioned above, the usual suspects in the division got a little bit weaker. It could be the perfect recipe for either - or both - teams to shift the landscape of the Eastern Conference.Although the young core of the Senators has plenty of time to emerge into a powerhouse, this coming season is likely playoffs or bust for the jobs of head coach D.J. Smith and general manager Pierre Dorion. Ottawa hasn't reached the postseason since 2017, and a berth this year is the only appropriate measure of progress for a team with all the pieces to compete. A full year of Jakob Chychrun, while also adding Vladimir Tarasenko and Joonas Korpisalo to a rock-solid pre-existing roster, might make for something special in Canada's capital.The Sabres will again ice a young, lethal offense and a modestly reinforced blue line as they look to snap the NHL's longest active playoff drought of 12 seasons. While much of Buffalo's roster will be the same as the one that missed the postseason by a single point in April, there's now a potentially massive improvement between the pipes in rookie Devon Levi. He's undeniably the Sabres X-factor for the season ahead and, if his debut campaign goes anywhere near as well as his path to the pros went, Buffalo could be in for a significant surge in the standings.Is Bedard a lock for the Calder? Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / GettyProbably. But we're not gift-wrapping the hardware to Bedard just yet. The NHL's latest generational star is already putting on a show night in and night out during the preseason and is the rightful Rookie of the Year favorite. However, generational players aren't always decorated in their debut seasons - Connor McDavid and Sidney Crosby can attest - and there's a deep group of freshmen that could cause some chaos in the Calder race. Let's highlight a few.First, there's Coyotes stud Logan Cooley, who may have already scored the goal of the year with his dazzling spin-o-rama Down Under. The University of Minnesota product has a year on Bedard and will be given every opportunity to succeed with major ice time in Arizona.Adam Fantilli, who went two picks after Bedard this summer, may already be the Columbus Blue Jackets' No. 1 center. He's a scintillating blend of size and skill and could enjoy a productive debut campaign playing in a sneaky talented top six.Other candidates include the aforementioned Levi, who will be a lock to be at least a finalist if he leads Buffalo to the playoffs. Devils' youngster Luke Hughes has the name cache and the raw talent to be an immediate star, while Matthew Knies is going to get a golden chance to be an impact player on a Maple Leafs squad that should compete for a division title.This question could age like milk if Bedard lights up the league in his first year as many expect but, at least for now, keep an eye on the rookie race in 2023-24.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

This is the preseason edition of theScore's NHL Power Rankings for the 2023-24 campaign. Check back for updated rankings every other Monday during the regular season.In this edition, we look at how the teams stand following preseason play as we prepare to enter the season.1. Colorado AvalancheOffseason rank: 2Is there anything more terrifying than a motivated Avalanche squad? Colorado tore through the league en route to the Cup in 2022, and after a disappointing first-round exit in the spring, the determination to prove doubters wrong is back. A lineup featuring as many as six new forwards gives a different flavor to this Avs team behind the elite trio of Nathan MacKinnon, Mikko Rantanen, and Cale Makar.2. Vegas Golden KnightsOffseason rank: 1Aside from Reilly Smith, the 2023-24 Golden Knights will be virtually the same team that just won the Stanley Cup. None of us has ever been an NHL general manager, but we would've done the exact same thing. There was no overthinking here: If it ain't broke, don't fix it.3. Carolina HurricanesOffseason rank: 3The Hurricanes responded to a humiliating playoff sweep by signing the most coveted unrestricted free agent (Dmitry Orlov) and a versatile forward with top-line experience (Michael Bunting). The reigning Metropolitan Division champs also locked up their franchise player (Sebastian Aho) and brought back their veteran duo in goal. Carolina should be a powerhouse yet again, and young netminder Pyotr Kochetkov is still waiting for a prolonged shot if anything happens to Frederik Andersen or Antti Raanta.4. New Jersey DevilsOffseason rank: 4The Devils won't take anyone by surprise this year, but they look talented enough to squash any notions that last season's breakout was a fluke. New Jersey is stacked up front, solid on the blue line, and should be battling for home ice in the divisional playoff race.5. Dallas Stars Glenn James / National Hockey League / GettyOffseason rank: 6The Stars' already deep forward group gained more depth with the savvy offseason addition of Matt Duchene. There are questions on the blue line behind Miro Heiskanen and Esa Lindell, so Dallas will count on progression from Thomas Harley and Nils Lundkvist. Having Jake Oettinger in net should help hide any defensive hiccups, though.6. Edmonton OilersOffseason rank: 5The Oilers were a wagon after the addition of Mattias Ekholm last season. Edmonton went 18-2-1 with the Swede in the lineup during the regular season and gave the eventual Cup champion Golden Knights their toughest test of the playoffs. As long as Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl are around, the Oilers will be must-see TV.7. Toronto Maple LeafsOffseason rank: 7Much to the chagrin of a portion of the Maple Leafs fanbase, Toronto's core forward group of Auston Matthews, William Nylander, Mitch Marner, and John Tavares is still intact. This time, it'll be bolstered by a snotty supporting cast of Tyler Bertuzzi, Ryan Reaves, and Max Domi. Maybe "piss and vinegar" are the keys to advancing past the second round.8. New York RangersOffseason rank: 8The Rangers still have elite players in all three positional groups with Igor Shesterkin in goal, Adam Fox on defense, and the likes of Artemi Panarin, Chris Kreider, and MIka Zibanejad up front. New York has some promising youth, too. The upstart Devils sent the Blueshirts packing in seven games last spring, but the team in the Big Apple still boasts plenty of talent and promise.9. Los Angeles KingsOffseason rank: 10The Kings boast arguably the league's best center depth with a three-headed beast of Anze Kopitar, Pierre-Luc Dubois, and Phillip Danault to anchor impressive talent on the wings. Goaltending will be the X-factor again for Los Angeles this year, but the playoffs should be a shoo-in with just league-average play between the pipes.10. Florida Panthers Bruce Bennett / Getty Images Sport / GettyOffseason rank: 11The Panthers are out to prove their miraculous Stanley Cup Final run was no fluke. But they'll be in tough without their two top defensemen in Aaron Ekblad and Brandon Montour until December. Matthew Tkachuk, Aleksander Barkov, and Co. will have to step their games up even further in order to weather the early-season storm.11. Pittsburgh PenguinsOffseason rank: 12Kyle Dubas made a significant impact on the Penguins' roster in short order. Pittsburgh's new president and general manager completely reformed the team's bottom six this summer and rounded out the top six by scooping up Reilly Smith from the Golden Knights. But the clear statement move of the offseason came when Dubas landed Norris Trophy winner Erik Karlsson. With an injection of new faces, does this aging Penguins core have one last hurrah in them?12. Boston BruinsOffseason rank: 13The 2023-24 Bruins won't be the same dominant force that just set single-season records in wins (65) and points (135). Boston lost its top two centers - Patrice Bergeron and David Krejci - this offseason and will rely on Pavel Zacha and Charlie Coyle to fill the void. They're surely hoping reigning Vezina Trophy winner Linus Ullmark doesn't regress too much.13. Tampa Bay LightningOffseason rank: 9The Lightning still have all their star skaters - namely Nikita Kucherov, Steven Stamkos, Brayden Point, and Victor Hedman - but losing injured goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy for the first two months of the season will present a major challenge. The Bolts' core is also aging as only Point is under 30 among the quartet. Tampa Bay should still be competitive, but this squad's days as a truly elite group appear to be in the rearview mirror.14. Seattle KrakenOffseason rank: 14The Kraken should be a factor in the Western Conference playoff picture again on the strength of their depth, but their goaltending will need to be better. Seattle reached the postseason in 2022-23 despite boasting two primary netminders with sub-.900 save percentages.15. Buffalo Sabres Bill Wippert / National Hockey League / GettyOffseason rank: 15The Sabres are banking heavily on internal growth to snap the NHL's longest active playoff drought of 12 seasons. Buffalo only acquired Connor Clifton and Erik Johnson this offseason despite having loads of cap space and trade assets. That's underwhelming, to say the least. But after missing the playoffs by a point a year ago, this core is close.16. Minnesota WildOffseason rank: 16It was a quiet summer for the Wild. GM Bill Guerin's lone addition of note was Pat Maroon. However, business has picked up as of late with extensions for Mats Zuccarello, Ryan Hartman, and Marcus Foligno. Minnesota should comfortably compete for a postseason spot but will need internal growth from young guns such as Marco Rossi and Brock Faber to take another step.17. Ottawa SenatorsOffseason rank: 17Is this the year the Senators get over the hump? Ottawa used an outlandish seven goaltenders in 2022-23. Joonas Korpisalo is hoping to stabilize things this season after signing a five-year, $20-million deal in July. The young Senators project to be an exciting team to watch, but they'll have their work cut out for them to make the playoffs in an incredibly competitive Atlantic Division.18. Calgary FlamesOffseason rank: 22The Flames' big front-office and coaching changes should allow them to reboot after disappointing in 2022-23. But the Pacific Division club also traded away leading scorer Tyler Toffoli for an underwhelming return. Calgary was among the league's best teams in terms of possession and shots on goal last season but needed to win more close games. This club will only rise in the standings if they can win those contests.19. Winnipeg JetsOffseason rank: 21Winnipeg already had a promising new look after trading Dubois and buying out Blake Wheeler, but the Jets took a serious step in the right direction ahead of a pressure-packed season by extending Mark Scheifele and Connor Hellebuyck.20. New York Islanders Mike Stobe / National Hockey League / GettyOffseason rank: 18The Islanders are perennially one of the NHL's least sexiest teams, yet they've made the playoffs four times in the last five years. A full season with Bo Horvat should help, but New York will need Ilya Sorokin to play out of his mind once again in order to have a fighting chance.21. Detroit Red WingsOffseason rank: 20Can the Red Wings finally get back into contention for a playoff spot? GM Steve Yzerman again splashed the cash in free agency to bring in J.T. Compher, Shayne Gostisbehere, and Justin Holl, but the biggest moves of Detroit's offseason came via trade. The addition of Alex DeBrincat significantly upgrades the team's top six, while Jeff Petry should take some of the onus off Moritz Seider.22. Washington CapitalsOffseason rank: 19The Capitals were totaled by injuries last season and missed the playoffs for the first time since 2013-14. Alex Ovechkin will be one motivated man this year, and that should scare 31 other NHL teams. The offensive-minded Spencer Carbery will look to right the ship in his first gig as a big-league head coach.23. Vancouver CanucksOffseason rank: 25The Canucks added some depth players over the summer, but Vancouver's core group essentially remains the same. Elias Pettersson and Quinn Hughes have ascended to superstardom, and 39-goal scorer Andrei Kuzmenko has sworn off waffles. There's promise here, but the Canucks are still finding their way back to being a consistently competitive club.24. Nashville PredatorsOffseason rank: 24Nashville is stuck between a full rebuild and a modest re-tool, but the Predators could climb this list throughout the year if Juuse Saros carries over last season's dominant form. The star netminder is good enough to win games single-handedly, and he's likely to save the Preds from being a bottom-feeder in the league standings.25. St. Louis Blues Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / Getty ImagesOffseason rank: 26The Blues will look to bounce back after missing the playoffs for the first time since 2017-18. Significant internal improvement will be required to get back to the postseason as Kevin Hayes was the only notable offseason addition. It all starts with Jordan Binnington, who was awful with a .894 save percentage last season.26. Columbus Blue JacketsOffseason rank: 23Mike Babcock's hiring and firing are distractions from what should be a very fun Blue Jackets team. Adam Fantilli headlines a group of young up-and-comers, while Damon Severson and Ivan Provorov comprise a brand-new top-four pairing. Expectations remain low, but a bounce back from Elvis Merzlikins could see Columbus begin to surge back up the standings.27. Arizona CoyotesOffseason rank: 27Fans who enjoy a little schadenfreude every now and then will probably have to look outside Arizona this season. No, really, the Coyotes actually added functioning players. Like, to help them win games. Crazy, right? They brought in the likes of Jason Zucker and Matt Dumba, but youngster Logan Cooley headlines the new guard. Let the next step of the rebuild begin.28. Montreal CanadiensOffseason rank: 28The Canadiens won't be very good or very watchable this season, but at least they have Cole Caufield and Nick Suzuki. Caufield was on pace for nearly 50 goals when he got hurt last season, while Suzuki made strides of his own donning the "C." The Habs still have a long way to go in their rebuild, but they do have some promising pieces.29. Chicago BlackhawksOffseason rank: 29Chicago's upcoming campaign is, rightfully, all about Connor Bedard. The phenom's rookie season is one of the top storylines of the campaign, and hockey fans would be foolish to do anything but soak in as much as they can.30. Anaheim Ducks Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / GettyOffseason rank: 30The good news is that restricted free agents Trevor Zegras and Jamie Drysdale signed before opening night. The bad news? This roster still has no chance of competing in 2023-24. That may be a good thing in the long run, though, as another high draft pick would go a long way to boosting an already-loaded farm system.31. Philadelphia FlyersOffseason rank: 31GM Daniel Briere started to make his mark on the Flyers' roster this summer by trading Kevin Hayes and Ivan Provorov. The return of Sean Couturier and Cam Atkinson from injury is a nice boost for the fanbase, but the focus in Philadelphia will be on who does and doesn't get moved before the deadline.32. San Jose SharksOffseason rank: 32The Sharks were bad bad last season, and they don't even have Erik Karlsson anymore. The most interesting part of San Jose's 2023-24 campaign will be if general manager Mike Grier opts to trade Logan Couture, Tomas Hertl, Kevin Labanc, Anthony Duclair ... the list goes on and on. Keep an eye on those draft lottery odds.(Analytics sources: Evolving Hockey, Natural Stat Trick)Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Toronto Maple Leafs prospect Fraser Minten cracked the club's opening-night roster out of camp, and he's soaking in his big opportunity."It means everything," Minten told media, including Sportsnet. "It's been a dream of mine for as long as I've been alive and playing hockey to be in a position like this."The Maple Leafs cut 10 players from their training camp roster on Monday, but Minten noted general manager Brad Treliving informed him Sunday that he made the team."It's hard to get here, and it's even harder to stay, so you look at it one day at a time and I think that's the best I can do," Minten said, per the Toronto Star's Mark Zwolinski. "I can't tell you what the biggest challenge will be, I haven't experienced it yet."Minten centered a line with Matthew Knies and Calle Jarnkrok at practice Monday, but it's unclear at this point if he'll maintain that role when Toronto opens its season Wednesday against the Montreal Canadiens.The Maple Leafs drafted Minten 38th overall in 2022. He produced 67 points in 57 games with the WHL's Kamloops Blazers last season.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Toronto Maple Leafs goaltender Matt Murray will miss a minimum of six-to-eight months after undergoing bilateral hip surgery, the team announced Monday.Murray was placed on long-term injured reserve in July, but the Leafs didn't specify the ailment he was dealing with. Toronto was reportedly looking to trade the netminder earlier in the offseason for salary cap savings.The Maple Leafs acquired Murray from the Ottawa Senators last July. His debut season in Toronto was marred by multiple injuries that limited him to only 26 games in which he posted a .903 save percentage.Murray is set to become an unrestricted free agent next summer.The Maple Leafs will start the 2023-24 season with a tandem of Ilya Samsonov and Joseph Woll between the pipes.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Devon Toews may be a little bit biased, but the rearguard is steadfast in his belief that his Colorado Avalanche own the NHL's best defense corps."I don't even think it is a question," he said, per the Denver Post's Corey Masisak. "I feel like no one can contend with us because of the way we move the puck, the way we skate, and the way we help push offense."Toews also shouted out the Carolina Hurricanes, Vegas Golden Knights, and Boston Bruins due to their strong defensive structures, but he still gave the crown to the Avalanche."I feel like the players that we have and the structure we play in as a team is really good," he said. "There's definitely some out there that can really defend and play hard in their own zone. We pride ourselves on that, but we also pride ourselves in helping to contribute offensively."Leading the way for Colorado is Cale Makar, who's been a Norris Trophy finalist for the past three seasons. He took home the hardware, as well as the Conn Smythe Trophy, in 2022. He ranks second among all defensemen with 246 points in 238 contests since his regular-season debut in 2019-2020.He and Toews - who's coming off his second consecutive 50-point season - have formed one of the league's most dominant top pairs since their first campaign together in 2020-21. Since Toews' arrival in Denver, he ranks second among all defensemen league-wide in goals above replacement (53.2) and wins above replacement (9.3), trailing only Makar in both metrics, per Evolving Hockey.Filling out the remainder of the Avalanche's back end are Bowen Byram, Josh Manson, Samuel Girard, and Jack Johnson. Johnson opted to prolong his second stint in Colorado by signing a one-year, $775,000 deal with the club in the summer. A veteran of 17 NHL seasons, Johnson has seen many defensive groups in his time, but he acknowledged that they were "nothing like this one."Byram, meanwhile, is a fan of the physicality that Johnson and Manson bring to the table, adding that it gives Colorado a "good balance."All six defensemen helped the Avalanche lift the Stanley Cup in 2022.Toews is entering the final season of his current four-year, $16.4-million pact and can become an unrestricted free agent in the summer. However, the 29-year-old has made it clear that he wants to re-sign with Colorado.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Toronto Maple Leafs traded forward Sam Lafferty to the Vancouver Canucks for a fifth-round pick in the 2024 draft, the team announced Sunday.Lafferty will make $1.15 million this season and was a bubble candidate to make Toronto's roster with final cuts looming. The Maple Leafs will likely carry a roster smaller than 23 players due to salary cap restraints and could fill out their forward group by signing Noah Gregor from his professional tryout agreement or giving preseason standout Fraser Minten a chance.All 32 NHL teams have until 5 p.m. ET on Monday to finalize cap-compliant rosters for the 2023-24 campaign.Toronto acquired Lafferty prior to last season's trade deadline from the Chicago Blackhawks along with defenseman Jake McCabe. The 28-year-old winger managed six points in 19 regular-season games after the move and added a goal and two assists in the playoffs.He was a fourth-round pick of the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2014 and has registered 59 points in 210 career games.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

We've covered the Atlantic, Metropolitan, and Central Divisions, which leaves us with the Pacific as the last one to cover before regular-season games start on Oct. 10.The group out west is headlined by the defending Stanley Cup champion Golden Knights and one of this year's top favorites, the Oilers.The betting market suggests these two powerhouses should be fighting for the division crown all season.FuturesTeamStanley CupWestern Conf.Pacific Div.Oilers+900+500+185Golden Knights+1200+600+245Kings+2500+1000+425Flames+3500+1200+800Kraken+3500+1800+1000Canucks+7500+2500+1500Ducks+30000+10000+20000Sharks+30000+10000+20000The Oilers head into another campaign with Stanley Cup aspirations. Connor McDavid is coming off the best season of his career, tallying 153 points and winning his third MVP award. Alongside Leon Draisaitl, this duo is by far the best one-two punch in the league.However, Edmonton's core lacks playoff success. The team's reached the conference finals only once in McDavid's eight-year career, getting swept by the Avalanche in 2022.Oddsmakers are giving the Oilers a 10% chance of winning their first Cup since 1990.The Golden Knights hoisted their first Stanley Cup last season in the franchise's sixth campaign. A large portion of the roster is returning, and the betting market believes Vegas has a 7.7% chance of repeating.Defending isn't all that uncommon. Two teams - Lightning and Penguins - have won back-to-back Cups in the past eight years.To Make The PlayoffsTeamYesNoOilers-750+450Golden Knights-650+400Kings-400+280Flames-180+135Kraken-130+100Canucks+125-160Ducks+1500-5000Sharks+1800-5000The betting market indicates that three teams from the Pacific should make the playoffs. The Kings have an implied probability of 80% before a steep drop off to the remainder of the clubs.The Flames, Kraken, and Canucks appear to have a decent chance of reaching the postseason. Only Seattle made the playoffs of this group last season.What could work in this trio's favor is that two of the worst teams in the NHL are also in the Pacific. Playing additional games against the Ducks and Sharks is a luxury that clubs on the bubble in the Central Division don't have. Those extra contests could prove extremely important when the wild-card spots are up for grabs late in the campaign.The Sharks (+275) and Ducks (+350) are the favorites to have the worst regular-season record.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Connor McDavid is confident Chicago Blackhawks phenom Connor Bedard can handle the pressure of adapting to NHL life as a potentially generational No. 1 pick."It's a really, really hard league," the Oilers captain told NHL.com's Tracey Myers. "It's a league full of grown men that have been playing for a long time, and you know what? He's a really special 18-year-old hockey player, and it'll take some time."I don't expect it to take all that much. He's that good. But I think that's just a reminder. It's a really, really hard league, and there's a lot of change going on at that age."Bedard is widely regarded as the top talent to enter the NHL since McDavid was given the same label when he was drafted in the top spot in 2015. Comparisons between them have been commonplace at this point of Bedard's career, but the 18-year-old said in August he isn't aiming to immediately match McDavid's lofty standards.McDavid has lived up to his pre-draft hype and then some, winning three MVPs and five scoring titles through his first eight seasons. The 26-year-old had 48 points in his debut campaign, which was limited to 45 games due to a shoulder injury.Bedard, the odds-on favorite to win the Calder Trophy as rookie of the year, looked comfortable in the preseason, notching one goal and four assists in four appearances.His regular-season debut is scheduled for Oct. 10 against the Pittsburgh Penguins. Bedard and McDavid will clash for the first time on Dec. 12 in Edmonton.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

There's little doubt about the front-runner for the Hart Trophy as the NHL season approaches. Connor McDavid rightfully took home the hardware for the second time in three years and third time overall after piling up 153 points in 2022-23.Where the debate begins - as was the case for virtually all of last season - is in mulling the runners-up. While we expect the two other finalists from the summer to again vie for MVP honors, a previous winner will look to get back in the mix and a different perennial contender should keep himself in the hunt if he can stay healthy.Jack Hughes appears destined to be a fixture in the Hart conversation for years to come, but he's not yet among the handful of the league's most valuable players. The Devils dominated as a team last season, and the young star's deep supporting cast got even deeper when New Jersey traded for Calgary Flames leading scorer Tyler Toffoli in late June. Consider Hughes an honorable mention.Here are the top five MVP candidates as we near the start of the 2023-24 campaign:5. Nathan MacKinnon Michael Martin / National Hockey League / GettyIf anyone has a stellar group around him, it's MacKinnon. But few would argue with the Colorado Avalanche center being in the upper echelon when it comes to the NHL's most important players.Colorado's catalyst might have some trouble cracking the top three because of how incredible Cale Makar is - not to mention Mikko Rantanen, Devon Toews, and some shrewd offseason additions. But MacKinnon's individual impact is undeniable. Despite missing 11 games due to injury last season, he ranked third in the NHL in wins above replacement and goals above replacement, which are both cumulative statistics as opposed to averages.That alone demonstrates MacKinnon's value, as the two players above him on those lists (McDavid and Matthew Tkachuk) played more games than he did. MacKinnon's rate of 1.56 points per game last season was bested by only two players - McDavid and Leon Draisaitl. If MacKinnon can avoid missing more than 10 games due to injury this time around, he should garner serious Hart consideration.4. Matthew Tkachuk Bruce Bennett / Getty Images Sport / GettyTkachuk was brilliant in 2022-23. The Florida Panthers' tenacious talent deserved plenty of praise for his WAR and GAR figures, particularly in the context of this race because they factor in two-way play. He also buried 40 goals while ranking among the league leaders in points and several other categories. Voters rightfully recognized him for his efforts, as he finished third for the Hart before leading the Panthers all the way to the Stanley Cup Final.However, the upcoming season is already looking more challenging for Tkachuk and his team. For one thing, key defensemen Aaron Ekblad and Brandon Montour are out to start the year with no definitive return dates. Tkachuk does have a prime opportunity to further prove his value by carrying the Panthers without those blue-liners. Doing so would bolster his MVP case if he and the club manage to excel in their absence.But, on the other hand, Florida only made the playoffs by a single point in the spring, and the Cats need to make it again for Tkachuk to be a serious Hart candidate. If they slip out of the postseason picture with their integral rearguards missing time, it'll be much harder for MVP voters to consider Tkachuk. One could argue it's actually more impressive to thrive on a worse team, but that's not how Hart voters typically think.Tkachuk has already proven he can provide the Panthers with significant value, but his team's fortunes - or misfortunes, as the case may be - could hinder his Hart chances, even if he matches or improves his statistical output.3. Auston Matthews Josh Lavallee / Getty ImagesMatthews wasn't in the thick of the Hart race last season because his typically eye-popping production and newfound defensive prowess diminished as he played through a hand injury. Assuming his health holds up in 2023-24, there's little reason to suspect the player who amassed 60 goals during his MVP campaign in 2021-22 can't pull off something similar again.The 26-year-old enters this season with the added pressure of having signed a contract extension in August that'll make him the NHL's highest-paid player in 2024-25. However, Matthews' track record of posting arcade-like offensive numbers when healthy, along with his commendable two-way play, suggest he'll be firmly in the Hart discussion yet again. He'll also be playing on the penalty kill in 2023-24, which is a testament to his defensive growth and should only further cement his case.Two of the Toronto Maple Leafs' divisional opponents - the Boston Bruins and Tampa Bay Lightning - are expected to take steps back this season, even if they do still make the playoffs. Leading the Maple Leafs to a division title would also strengthen Matthews' case among voters who place importance on the success of a candidate's team (regular-season success, of course).The Leafs have three other stars and some depth on the roster. But if their best player can separate himself from his teammates by a sizeable margin in terms of production while authoring strong underlying numbers, he'll be right back in the race he won outright two seasons ago.2. David Pastrnak Boston Globe / Boston Globe / GettyMuch like with the Panthers and Tkachuk, the Bruins' predicted slide in the standings could affect Pastrnak's MVP chances. However, the difference here is that Boston isn't likely in danger of missing the playoffs. The Bs won't ... be ... as good as they were in their historically dominant 2022-23 campaign, but that could actually help their game-breaking winger's Hart pursuit.The Bruins are expected to tumble because Patrice Bergeron, David Krejci, Tyler Bertuzzi, and Dmitry Orlov are all gone. Their depleted supporting cast means Pastrnak will need to do even more heavy lifting, which in turn will demonstrate his value to a greater degree - assuming he performs as he's shown he can.Pastrnak amassed 34 more goals and 46 more points than his closest teammates last season, so just imagine what those disparities will look like in 2023-24 without those four departed impact players around. Pastrnak's playmaking abilities and even-strength dominance make that scenario quite plausible. It might even provide enough evidence for him to usurp McDavid as the front-runner (gasp), but Pastrnak has his work cut out for him in that regard.1. Connor McDavid Ethan Miller / Getty Images Sport / GettyChoosing anyone else for this spot would be foolish. There's no disputing that McDavid is the most valuable player in the NHL - generally speaking - so all he has to do is play like it to justify the honor. The Edmonton Oilers superstar certainly did that last season when he led all of the league's skaters in goals, assists, and points (a whopping 153) while besting all forwards in average ice time.Expecting virtually any other player to duplicate that kind of success would be questionable, but no one will be surprised if McDavid equals - or even exceeds - the absurd numbers he posted in 2022-23. Sidney Crosby recently said he would never bet against McDavid when asked if his Oilers counterpart was capable of notching 170 points this season.It's hard to disagree with the former best player in the world's assessment of the current one. And it's not just about counting stats, either, as McDavid's NHL-best WAR and GAR from a season ago further illustrate how valuable he is to his team.(Analytics sources: Natural Stat Trick, Evolving-Hockey)Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Wyatt Johnston shoulder checks to his right, then his left, before collecting the puck deep in the Seattle Kraken's zone. With icing waved off and opponents now barrelling down on him, the Dallas Stars rookie forward quickly but casually roofs it - backhand, short side, awkward angle - past the goalie.At the other end of the rink, Jake Oettinger stands slack-jawed in Dallas' crease. He's trying to process what just happened; it's Game 7 in the second round of the NHL playoffs, for crying out loud. Johnston not only rose to the occasion in a high-pressure moment but scored on a tricky maneuver that requires confidence, creativity, and hockey intelligence."Most kids his age would maybe fold or crumble in a situation like that. But Johnny embraced it, and he leaned into his ridiculous skill set," Oettinger said in a recent phone interview. "He wanted to be a difference-maker." Icon Sportswire / Getty ImagesThat goal, scored with 7:12 left in regulation, turned out to be historic. At 20 years old and one day, Johnston became the youngest player in NHL history to net a series-clinching goal in a Game 7. Impressively, it wasn't an isolated flash of brilliance. Johnston's first pro season, which covered 101 total games, was defined by his ability to one-up himself every few weeks."There was never that moment where you were like, 'Oh, this kid's hit the rookie wall,'" Stars winger Joe Pavelski said. "No, it was like, 'What else can we give him now? What else can he learn? What else can he develop?'"Johnston's mature game is accompanied by a wholesome personality and aw-shucks looks. Childhood friends describe him as the "nicest kid on the planet," and last year, he was the little brother figure on the Stars."A lot of the guys have been playing in the league for a decade," Johnston told theScore. "I still have a lot to learn from them. I'm still only 20 years old."Johnston, the 23rd overall pick in the 2021 draft, grew up in Toronto. He was an elite forward at an early age and spent half his minor hockey career skating with and against kids a year older than him. One of his coaches back then was legendary defenseman Paul Coffey, who'd tell any NHL scout and general manager who'd listen that Johnston doesn't rely solely on his offensive skills."It didn't matter what point of the game it was - if I needed to win a faceoff, to kill a penalty, to score a goal, Wyatt was always the first guy I tapped to go out there," Coffey recalled of a teenager with "off the charts" hockey sense. Dennis Pajot / Getty ImagesMarc Savard, the former head coach of the OHL's Windsor Spitfires, joked about how Johnston made his job easy. "When Wyatt was on the ice, I could go to the dressing room if I needed to because I knew nothing bad was going to happen in our end," Savard said. "That's pretty high praise because I know he can score, make plays. But he's damn good in his own zone, too."That hard-wired versatility endeared Johnston to Pete DeBoer, too. Dallas' head coach talked glowingly about him throughout 2022-23, concluding in May that he'd never seen a rookie transition like Johnston in his 15 years running an NHL bench. Johnston made the team out of training camp, contributed immediately, and got better with additional responsibilities."This guy is unflappable," DeBoer told reporters ahead of the postseason.Johnston appeared in every regular-season game, averaging 15:29 a night. He centered - and elevated - captain Jamie Benn and either Evgenii Dadonov or Ty Dellandrea and earned roles on both special teams. He tied Calder Trophy winner Matty Beniers for most goals by a rookie (24) and led all first-year players with 21 even-strength tallies. (For context, annual 50-goal threats Alex Ovechkin and Leon Draisaitl scored 22 and 20 at even strength, respectively.) Sam Hodde / Getty Images"I've heard people say it, and it's been true: You don't really understand how good the NHL game is until you're out there and in the middle of everything," Johnston said, reflecting on his All-Rookie team showing. "You get to see how good the guys you're playing against are, and it's pretty eye-opening."Nothing about the above quote is untrue. Yet, Oettinger would be quick to note how the messaging is typical of Johnston: even-keeled, modest, and deferential."We always give him shit," the goalie said with a laugh. "The guys will chirp him. We'll tell him he's cocky. But it's totally a joke because he's actually the exact opposite. Most people, if they were doing what he's doing, they'd be walking around like they're God's gift to earth. But he's the exact opposite: a nice kid that, personality-wise, is, honestly, very normal. He's down to earth.""I don't think you could ever get in an argument with him," added Jack Beck, Johnston's longtime pal and a forward for the OHL's Soo Greyhounds. "We'll get into little back-and-forths, especially about hockey, but he's always just so nice about it. I've never gotten in a fight with him. Ever. It'll never get heated."Johnston is less polite on the ice. He refuses to live on the perimeter like some of his offensively gifted peers, instead reminding coaches and scouts of Pavel Datsyuk. Similar to the future Hall of Fame center, Johnston cares deeply about the defensive side of the game, doesn't shy away from puck battles, and uses his smarts and quick stick to regularly strip it from opponents. With possession, he excels at distributing and shooting in tight quarters. Mark LoMoglio / Getty Images"Even if you're not directly focusing on it," Johnston said about the art of stripping pucks, "when you're playing a scrimmage, three-on-three, or even a normal game, it's something you're able to work on here and there."That's one thing that's always been a strength of mine. A lot of it is experience, timing, and realizing when the puck is exposed, so you can attack at that exact moment."Being mentioned in the same sentence as Datsyuk is "pretty awesome and pretty generous" - and at least partially attributable to studying the former Red Wings great. "I watched his highlights a few weeks ago," he said.This cerebral approach to impacting three zones will be Johnston's calling card throughout his career. Even though he's been dealing with a minor upper-body injury in the preseason, he says he feels prepared for his sophomore campaign, which starts Oct. 12. He added eight pounds of muscle in the summer, giving his shot extra zip and helping with puck protection.Now 6-foot-2 and 184 pounds, Johnston considers himself fortunate to have Pavelski, a respected vet who's twice his age, as a mentor. He lived with Pavelski and his family as a rookie and decided to return to the spacious Dallas-area home for Year 2 after briefly exploring other options."You've got time to live on your own the rest of your life," Johnston said. "Situations like this, with Pavs and his family, don't come up too often." Richard Rodriguez / Getty ImagesThe situation is ideal. Johnston gets to be part of the Pavelski family while being away from his own and can regularly pick the brain of a first-line winger who's played 1,250 NHL games. Observing and asking about Pavelski's preparation and recovery methods alone is invaluable education.The more Johnston embraces the off-ice aspects of being a pro, the better off he'll be. "What he's doing isn't a fluke," Johnston said of Pavelski's longevity.Asked how Johnston can avoid the dreaded sophomore slump, Pavelski shared this bit of wisdom: "If there's anything to focus on, it's that you can't be satisfied. You need to want more. You have the foundation, you're willing to put in the work, so what can you add to that base without subtracting?"The Stars, who lost in the Western Conference Final last year, are legitimate Stanley Cup contenders. Led by 2017 draftees Oettinger, Miro Heiskanen, and Jason Robertson, the roster's a terrific mix of mid-career stars, veteran depth, and promising youngsters. And Johnston's in line for a bump in ice time."Even last year, the belief in the room was that we could win the Cup. And it's the same this year," Johnston said. "That's the expectation. That's the goal. Everyone's bought into that; everyone believes that."Last October, Johnston was focused on starting his NHL career without any major hiccups, so the organization wouldn't have a choice but to keep him around all season. A year later, he's an essential piece of a win-now core and "just scratching the surface," according to his goalie."Johnny wants to be great. He wants to be a great NHLer," Oettinger said. "And I know, 100%, that he's going to be."John Matisz is theScore's senior NHL writer. Follow John on Twitter (@MatiszJohn) or contact him via email (john.matisz@thescore.com).Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Ottawa Senators head coach D.J. Smith admitted the team is surprised by Josh Norris' continued absence."Everyone involved never seen this coming," Smith said Saturday, according to The Athletic's Ian Mendes. "We all thought Josh would go through a little bit of practice, take a few bumps, and get in an exhibition game, and away we'd go. And that just didn't happen."Norris was limited to just eight games last season due to a shoulder injury. He returned to the Senators' lineup in January but only appeared in three contests before being shut down for the remainder of the campaign to undergo surgery."With injuries, things happen sometimes where maybe it didn't rehab quite the way they expected," Smith said. "Everyone involved is not willing to let him go out there and play."Norris was anticipated to play in the preseason but has yet to receive clearance from the medical staff."We thought he was going to play the game at home against Winnipeg (on Sept. 29), and he wasn't cleared or allowed to play," Smith said. "Then, we thought he would play against Pittsburgh (on Oct. 2). Same thing. At this point, I'm just told he's unable to play."Never did we think that possibly we'd start the year without him, and it certainly looks that way."Smith didn't give a timeline for Norris' return.In addition to Norris' absence, Ottawa has yet to sign forward Shane Pinto to a new contract. The 22-year-old is the last remaining unsigned restricted free agent.The Senators play their final preseason game on Saturday before commencing the regular season on Wednesday against the Carolina Hurricanes.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Minnesota Wild general manager Bill Guerin continues to take care of business ahead of time.The club signed forward Ryan Hartman to a three-year contract extension with a cap hit of $4 million on Saturday.The Wild signed fellow 2024 unrestricted free-agent forwards Mats Zuccarello and Marcus Foligno to multi-year extensions last Friday.Hartman put together the two most productive seasons of his career after moving from wing to center ahead of the 2021-22 campaign. He set career highs that season with 34 goals and 31 assists in 82 games, then produced 37 points in 59 contests in 2022-23.While Joel Eriksson Ek is regarded as the team's most complete pivot, Hartman once again projects to center the team's top line between Zuccarello and Kirill Kaprizov in 2023-24.The Chicago Blackhawks selected Hartman 30th overall at the 2013 NHL Draft. He spent time with the Nashville Predators and Philadelphia Flyers before signing with the Wild as a free agent in 2019.Marc-Andre Fleury, Alex Goligoski, Brandon Duhaime, and Pat Maroon are the Wild's last remaining 2024 UFAs.Minnesota now projects to have approximately $12 million in cap space next offseason in what will be the final year of the bloated buyout cap hits for Zach Parise and Ryan Suter. The combined dead cap hit will shrink from $14.7 million this year and next year to just $1.6 million in 2025-26.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The difference a year can make as an NHL head coach is incredible. In 2022, Darryl Sutter won the Jack Adams Award as coach of the year after leading the Calgary Flames to a 111-point campaign. A year later, he was fired after his club missed the postseason.Leashes are short and turnover is inevitable. A staggering 19 of the 32 NHL bench bosses have yet to coach their teams for two full seasons.No coach should feel safe, but the following six should feel more heat than the rest.Coaches were ordered by their hiring date. Our hot-seat-o-meter is on a scale of one to five .Mike Sullivan, Penguins Dave Sandford / National Hockey League / GettyHired: Dec. 12, 2015There's evidence to suggest Sullivan's job is safe. He led the Penguins to back-to-back Stanley Cups in 2016-17 and is regarded as one of the best bench bosses in the league. He still has two years left on his contract and assisted in ownership's search for a new hockey operations architect. That doesn't sound like someone who's on thin ice, does it?But Sullivan is the second-longest tenured coach in the league, and the Penguins haven't won a playoff series since 2018. The club even missed the postseason last year. That's not to say it's Sullivan's fault - the roster is aging and always seems to be littered with injuries at the wrong time.It's a results-driven business, though, and the Penguins' sole goal is to make one last run while Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, and Kris Letang are still effective. It's why new president of hockey operations and general manager Kyle Dubas made a win-now move to acquire another veteran star in Erik Karlsson.As much as Dubas praises his inherited coach, Sullivan is not his guy. If the Penguins get off to a bad start, Dubas might believe the team needs a fresh voice. And if Pittsburgh misses the playoffs again, that'll surely be the last straw for Sullivan.Hot-seat-o-meter:Craig Berube, Blues Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / GettyHired: Nov. 19, 2018Berube is in a similar situation as Sullivan. He guided the Blues to a Stanley Cup in his first season on the job which, in theory, should give him a longer leash. But he's only led the club past the first round of the playoffs one time since, and St. Louis missed the postseason altogether in 2022-23.Replacing Mike Yeo with Berube in 2018 helped catapult the Blues to a spectacular second half and a Stanley Cup victory. So would it really be shocking if GM Doug Armstrong believes a new bench boss could yield similar results this season if his team gets off to a poor start? We don't think so.The Blues' roster has undergone plenty of changes since winning the Cup in 2019. There's more speed and skill, and less size and physicality. Berube's north-south coaching style is a better fit for the latter, so replacing him with a more open-minded, creative offensive coach would be logical if things go awry.Hot-seat-o-meter:Todd McLellan, Kings MARTIN KEEP / AFP / GettyHired: April 26, 2019It's highly unlikely the Kings make a midseason coaching change. They're one of the most well-rounded teams in the league and should cruise to a playoff spot.However, GM Rob Blake has aggressively added to his roster lately. First, it was Kevin Fiala in the 2022 offseason, then it was Vladislav Gavrikov at the 2023 trade deadline, and finally Pierre-Luc Dubois this summer. Between those additions and the unknown of how much longer Anze Kopitar and Drew Doughty will remain highly effective players, there's ample expectation on the Kings to deliver in the playoffs - stat.McLellan is a good coach but, under his watch, the Kings bowed out in the opening round of the playoffs two years in a row. He's also the longest-tenured coach in the league to not win a Stanley Cup or Jack Adams Award. Considering the Kings' talent, another first-round exit will likely cost him his job.Hot-seat-o-meter:D.J. Smith, Senators Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / GettyHired: May 23, 2019It's a make-or-break year for Smith, who's under more pressure than any head coach in the NHL this season. He's the longest-tenured coach without a playoff series victory and is in the last guaranteed year of his contract. (His deal has a club option for 2024-25.)Ottawa's failures early in Smith's tenure were excusable since the team was rebuilding. But GM Pierre Dorion built a roster that's now more than talented enough to make the playoffs.Poor starts have plagued the Senators in the past: They began the 2022-23 campaign with a 6-12-1 record and were never able to dig themselves out of that hole.Smith's job security last year was likely due, at least in part, to uncertainty surrounding the team's ownership. But with Michael Andlauer assuming full control in September, there's no reason Smith should survive another poor start. If Ottawa misses the playoffs for a seventh straight season - and fifth under Smith - a coaching change will be a guarantee.Hot-seat-o-meter:Sheldon Keefe, Maple Leafs Mark Blinch / National Hockey League / GettyHired: Nov. 20, 2019Keefe's chances of getting fired during the season are slim. The Leafs have been a regular season juggernaut under his guidance, and he owns the third-highest points percentage of all time among coaches with at least 100 games. The Leafs are also the heavy favorite to win the Atlantic Division this year since the Lightning are without Andrei Vasilevskiy to start the campaign and the Bruins lost so many key pieces.The postseason will determine Keefe's fate. Sure, he led Toronto to its first playoff series win since 2004 last season, but losing to the Panthers in five games in Round 2 was an extremely underwhelming finish.Keefe also has a new boss above him in GM Brad Treliving. If Toronto's postseason ends in disappointing fashion yet again, it'd be understandable for Treliving to want to hire his own coach - despite giving Keefe a two-year extension in August.Hot-seat-o-meter:John Tortorella, Flyers Len Redkoles / National Hockey League / GettyHired: June 17, 2022Tortorella's first season as the Flyers head coach was a rocky one. We'll excuse him for the poor on-ice results. A 14th-place finish in the conference may not be pretty, but it's hard to imagine anyone could've done much better with a flawed roster that was hit hard by injuries. But he seemed to clash with several players, which is not a distraction this organization needs.The hard-nosed, old-school bench boss just doesn't seem to be a fit for a rebuilding team like the Flyers. Tortorella can be an effective motivator for a veteran, win-now club, but overseeing the development of a young roster isn't the 65-year-old's forte at this point in his career.When former GM Chuck Fletcher hired Tortorella, he thought his team was good enough to compete for a playoff spot. But things have changed and, even though expectations are low, it wouldn't be surprising if new GM Daniel Briere made a coaching change if he doesn't see his young players developing as hoped.Hot-seat-o-meter:Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Welcome to the first edition of theScore's 2023-24 Vezina Trophy Rankings, a look at the top netminders across the league set to be published each month throughout the season.Boston Bruins star Linus Ullmark dominated last year's Vezina voting, but we project a much different race this time around.Note: All stats from 2022-23 regular season

There wasn't much suspense when it came to the divisional slots for the Stanley Cup Playoffs last season. But the wild-card races provided some drama, as two teams in the Eastern Conference missed out by a single point, and two more in the West failed to qualify by two and three points, respectively.Some of those bubble teams have a legitimate chance to get over the hump in 2023-24, and not every team that snuck into the postseason in 2022-23 is a lock to do so again.Here are the five teams that are most likely to create playoff chaos, either by taking a step back and concluding their campaigns early or by rejoining the postseason field:Buffalo Sabres Darcy Finley / National Hockey League / GettyThe Sabres' rebuild is heading in the right direction, and a postseason berth could be a realistic goal for the club in 2023-24. Buffalo was one of those Eastern Conference squads that came up short by a single point after 82 games, so it's entirely conceivable that this up-and-coming team will make it next spring.This season could be a golden opportunity for the high-flying Sabres to grab a wild-card spot or even a divisional berth, as a couple of longtime powerhouses in the East may have a harder time reaching the postseason than usual. The Boston Bruins got significantly worse over the summer thanks to two big retirements and two impact players exiting in free agency. Meanwhile, the Tampa Bay Lightning have to play at least the first two months of the campaign without their stalwart in the crease.The Sabres could greatly benefit if one or both of those Atlantic Division foes experience a big drop-off in performance. Of course, that may not be all that likely. But even if Boston and Tampa don't slide in the standings, one or both of last season's Eastern Conference wild-card teams could slip up.That alone would open the door for a talented Buffalo squad that ranked third in the NHL in goals per game in 2022-23. And once the Sabres are in, their skilled youngsters and lower expectations could help them surprise one or more established contenders - including the Bruins and Lightning.Florida Panthers Bruce Bennett / Getty Images Sport / GettyBefore eliminating the historically dominant Bruins and making it all the way to the Stanley Cup Final, the Panthers scratched and clawed their way into the playoffs by one point as one of the aforementioned wild-card teams in the East. Florida still boasts Hart Trophy finalist Matthew Tkachuk, two-way wizard Aleksander Barkov, and a solid supporting cast including Carter Verhaeghe and Sam Reinhart. However, the Cats will be without key defensemen Aaron Ekblad and Brandon Montour for at least October.Given how the standings shook out in 2022-23, every available point is crucial. The Panthers will be forced to trot out the decaying husk of Oliver Ekman-Larsson and reclamation project Mike Reilly while their two integral players on the back end are on the shelf. If Florida loses even one or two more games than expected during this stretch, it could come back to haunt the defending Eastern Conference champions in April.The Panthers led the NHL in shots on goal and ranked sixth in goals per game last season. They were also a top-five team in terms of expected goals for percentage and scoring chances for percentage at five-on-five. So Florida should once again excel at puck possession and creating scoring chances.But even so, the margin for error is incredibly thin, and one rough week could be the difference between the Cats making another playoff run and cleaning out their stalls wondering what went wrong.Pittsburgh Penguins Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / GettyWhen the Penguins missed the playoffs for the first time in 17 years this past spring, big changes were inevitable. Pittsburgh fired general manager Ron Hextall and his right-hand man, Brian Burke, replacing them with Kyle Dubas in a dual role. The new boss then made a huge splash by acquiring reigning Norris Trophy winner Erik Karlsson in a blockbuster three-way trade.The Pens' aging core should be invigorated by Karlsson's arrival. Even if the 33-year-old regresses as expected following a surprising career year, he gives Pittsburgh another star and a potentially explosive top power-play unit. The Penguins also missed the last postseason by a single point, so the addition of the dynamic defenseman could easily get them back into the picture. This team has more than enough experience with Cup wins and playoff runs to do damage once it gets there, too.The New York Islanders qualified by two points in 2022-23, claiming the East's top wild-card spot by one point over the Panthers and by two over the Sabres and Pens. But it isn't hard to envision the new-look Penguins leapfrogging their Metropolitan Division counterparts this time around.Winnipeg Jets Zak Krill / National Hockey League / GettyMuch like the Panthers in the East, the Jets could stir up some postseason chaos simply by not being a part of the proceedings in the West.Winnipeg would fall short of the playoffs for the second time in three years if that were to happen - and it's not too far-fetched to imagine. The Jets made it by two points in 2022-23 before the eventual champion Vegas Golden Knights bounced them out of the first round in five games. Winnipeg then traded the disgruntled Pierre-Luc Dubois and bought out declining former captain Blake Wheeler.During the offseason, it looked like the Central Division squad might engage a full rebuild, as ever-reliable goaltender Connor Hellebuyck and productive center Mark Scheifele - both of whom are now pending unrestricted free agents - were trade candidates. But GM Kevin Cheveldayoff insisted his goal was winning with the dependable duo in the lineup.That might be possible, particularly if Gabriel Vilardi - who Winnipeg acquired in the Dubois trade - breaks out and helps compensate for the departed forward's absence. But the Jets' return to the dance is by no means a certainty, and that could give another western Canadian squad a shot at redemption.Calgary Flames Derek Cain / Getty Images Sport / GettyThe Flames seem to have just as many things working in their favor as they have working against them as they try to restore their past status as a potential playoff threat. On a positive note, notoriously grating head coach Darryl Sutter is no longer around, and Calgary should play with more freedom under new bench boss Ryan Huska.This club was also the third-best in the NHL in terms of both xGF% and SCF% at five-on-five in 2022-23. It fired more shots on goal than every team in the league except the Panthers. Calgary simply couldn't win enough close games. The 2021-22 Pacific Division champions dropped the most overtime or shootout contests in the NHL last season, missing the playoffs (while finishing behind the Jets in the overall standings) by two points.A new head coach and some better luck in tight tilts could get the Flames back on track. Of course, there are also reasons why that might not happen. The biggest of which is they traded away their leading scorer, Tyler Toffoli, in June. Calgary already had issues putting the puck in the net, so players who struggled under Sutter, like Jonathan Huberdeau, will need to rediscover their past elite form. There's also the matter of goaltending, as the previously solid Jacob Markstrom had an atrocious 2022-23 campaign.But if the 33-year-old can just give the Flames league-average goaltending, they'll have a legitimate shot at returning to the playoffs. Given their success in the puck possession game with largely the same group last season, this is a team that could succeed in the playoffs if it gets there. And that isn't unrealistic, especially considering Winnipeg appears headed in the other direction.(Analytics source: Natural Stat Trick)Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

To prepare for the 2023-24 NHL season, theScore has all the fantasy hockey advice you need to dominate your draft and win your league.

Jonathan Huberdeau is certain of one thing ahead of his second season in Calgary: Flames fans haven't seen the real him just yet."I didn't have fun last year," he said during a recent appearance on the "Frankly Speaking" podcast. "I think that's the first time in my career I kinda lost the passion, a little bit, to come to the rink and stuff like that. The way I was playing on the ice, it wasn't me. It kinda frustrated me."I wasn't myself in the room, too, with the guys, and I know I can be a funny guy and be good to be around the guys. I think this year, I'm more myself. I tried just to learn from last year ... and come back this year and be me, be a leader in this room."Huberdeau's struggles in 2022-23 were well-documented. When the Flames acquired him as part of the blockbuster trade that sent Matthew Tkachuk to the Florida Panthers, Huberdeau was coming off a career-high 115-point campaign. He wasn't the same player during his first season north of the border, chipping in with just 55 points in 79 outings.When Huberdeau is at his best, he said he feels lighter on the ice."Last year was heavy all the time and stuff like that," he said. "It doesn't mean you're not as in shape - I think it's just mentally it drains you, and then it gets to your body. I think it's just to be free mentally and just go out there, have fun."The 30-year-old revealed in early May that he and then-Flames head coach Darryl Sutter "really didn't click" and that the typically hard-nosed bench boss' game plan "didn't fit" Huberdeau's style. The Flames parted ways with Sutter after missing the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs by two points and replaced him with Ryan Huska.Huberdeau told the "Frankly Speaking" podcast that he believes his new head coach will give him "every chance to be successful" and that there's a "different" feel around camp this time around."You can feel everybody's excited. Obviously, last year, we had a lot of expectations on our team," he said. "This year, I don't think that we have many. I think it's a good thing - we're going to be the underdog."Huberdeau is about to enter the first season of an eight-year, $84-million extension he signed with the Flames in August 2022.Calgary's 2023-24 campaign begins Oct. 11 against the Winnipeg Jets.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Florida Panthers assigned goaltender Spencer Knight to the AHL's Charlotte Checkers, the team announced Friday.Knight posted a .901 save percentage in 21 games with the Panthers last season. He left the team in February to enter the NHL/NHLPA player assistance program. In September, Knight told The Hockey News' David Dwork that he checked into the program due to his battle with obsessive-compulsive disorder.The 22-year-old rejoined the team over the summer, participating in the team's development camp. Knight's appeared in three preseason contests and has a .918 SV% in those games."This wasn't a training camp decision," Panthers head coach Paul Maurice told team reporter Jameson Olive. "This is something we looked at from the start. He's made progress in his program. He feels good and looked fantastic. ... But we need him in a No. 1 position and to run his program."The three-year, $13.5-million contract Knight signed in September 2022 commences this season. Despite his $4.5-million cap hit, he doesn't require waivers to be sent down. Knight has only played 59 NHL games in three seasons, and waivers are required after 80 contests or five professional seasons based on the signing of an entry-level contract, according to CapFriendly.The Panthers will commence the season with Anthony Stolarz as Sergei Bobrovsky's backup. The 29-year-old signed a one-year contract worth $1.1 million on July 1 after posting a .899 SV% in 19 appearances with the Anaheim Ducks last season.Florida begins its regular season on Oct. 12 against the Minnesota Wild.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Minnesota Wild defenseman Jared Spurgeon is out week-to-week after sustaining an upper-body injury in Thursday's preseason game, the team announced Friday.Spurgeon left Minnesota's contest versus the Chicago Blackhawks with 59 seconds remaining in the first period and didn't return. He appeared to sustain the ailment in a collision with Blackhawks forward Reese Johnson:

Toronto Maple Leafs forward William Nylander isn't shutting the door on in-season contract negotiations.The 27-year-old gave his agent permission to continue contract talks with the Maple Leafs throughout the 2023-24 campaign, he told The Athletic's Jonas Siegel.Nylander is coming off a career-high 40 goals and 87 points last season. He's set to become an unrestricted free agent for the first time in his career next summer.He indicated he doesn't want updates on negotiations until the two sides are nearing an agreement.The last time Nylander was on an expiring contract, he opted not to negotiate during the season. The result was a drawn-out process that carried all the way until the restricted free-agent signing deadline of Dec. 1, when he ultimately signed a six-year, $45-million deal."(I was) just focusing on playing," Nylander said. "I don't remember what I was thinking at that point."Toronto general manager Brad Treliving failed to sign Johnny Gaudreau to an extension while he was at the helm of the Calgary Flames in 2022. Gaudreau and Nylander have the same agent.The Maple Leafs signed Auston Matthews to a four-year contract extension with a record $13.25-million cap hit in August.Nylander's entering his ninth season with Toronto after being drafted by the team eighth overall in 2014. He's accumulated 177 goals and 430 points in 521 contests with the Maple Leafs.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The NHL is thinking outside the box in their search for a venue for the 2024 draft.The league is considering hosting the next draft at The Sphere in Las Vegas, reports TSN's Chris Johnston.The Sphere is a groundbreaking, 18,600-seat music and entertainment arena located just off of the Las Vegas strip. It's garnered attention for its advanced audio and video capabilities, wraparound LED screen, and 4D physical effects.U2 played the $2.3 billion venue's first concert on Sept. 29.NHL Drafts have primarily been held inside a team's arena over the last 30 years.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The NHL offseason served up countless headlines, from Norris Trophy winner Erik Karlsson's trade to veteran coach Mike Babcock's firing before training camp. What should we make of all the change? Here are 24 predictions for 2023-24 - some long shots, others totally realistic, lots in the middle.1. Matthew Tkachuk turns top five into top sixThe order is debatable beyond No. 1, but Connor McDavid, Nathan MacKinnon, Auston Matthews, Cale Makar, and Leon Draisaitl are the consensus top five players on the planet. Tkachuk, already a top-10 guy, is more than capable of elevating his game to a level where he turns the top five into a top six by season's end. The Panthers' playoff run revealed the ultra-smart Tkachuk is on a steep upward trajectory - even after back-to-back seasons of 100-plus points and stellar defensive metrics. Last year's Hart Trophy finalist nod isn't the agitating, play-driving winger's ceiling. Winning the Hart is Tkachuk's ceiling, and it isn't out of the realm of possibility in 2023-24.2. Sabres end historic drought Kevin Hoffman / Getty ImagesAfter 12 lost years, this is the season the Sabres snap the longest postseason drought in NHL history. It's the next logical step for a squad with the bones of a future Stanley Cup contender. I loved the trade-deadline bet on Jordan Greenway and the summer signings of Connor Clifton and Erik Johnson. Those three players add balance to an offense-focused group, while rookie goalie Devon Levi looks like the real deal. Last season was too early for Buffalo to throw a bunch of money around midseason, but it isn't early anymore, and the club happens to hold $8.8 million in cap space.3. Connor Brown is league's best bargainExcluding players on entry-level contracts, Buffalo's Tage Thompson had the lowest cost-per-point last season at $14,893 per point, according to CapFriendly. Brown's set up to steal the title from Thompson (whose salary is jumping from $1.4 million to $7.1 million) after landing with the Oilers on a one-year, $775,000 deal. An injury limited Brown to four games in 2022-23, but the 29-year-old is fully healthy and may land a spot on former OHL teammate McDavid's line. Brown, who recorded a career-high 43 points for Ottawa four seasons ago, is a poor man's Zach Hyman - relentless on the puck, tough around the net, a sharp hockey mind, and responsible defensively. Brown's biggest contender for "best bargain" is probably Blake Wheeler, who's making $800,000 for the Rangers after a Jets buyout.4. Jeremy Swayman takes over Bruins' crease Boston Globe / Getty ImagesLinus Ullmark enjoyed a season for the ages last year, posting a .938 save percentage and saving 38.1 goals above expected (per Evolving-Hockey) in 49 games en route to the Vezina Trophy. Compiling similar numbers will be nearly impossible, especially with elite stoppers Patrice Bergeron and David Krejci no longer lining up at center. Swayman, meanwhile, was on a starter's trajectory before Ullmark arrived in Boston. The 24-year-old American is fresh off a fine year himself and should be given every opportunity to surpass Ullmark as the go-to netminder in a 1A-1B setup. Ullmark trending downward while Swayman has more to prove sets the stage for a role shuffle.5. UFA class (for once) lives up to the hypeThere's a pattern to how we discuss the upcoming unrestricted free-agent class: we get excited about the quantity or quality (or both) in the fall, half the interesting names sign extensions, and by July 1, the hype is all but gone. Well, I think the 2024 UFA class will buck this trend. Players have strategically set themselves up for hefty paydays as the salary cap jumps from $83.5 million to $87.7 million in 2024-25 and $92.1 million in 2025-26. Steven Stamkos, Connor Hellebuyck, Elias Lindholm, Mark Scheifele, William Nylander, Jake Guentzel, and Brandon Montour headline the class. The second tier is strong, too, with Jonathan Marchessault, Sam Reinhart, Noah Hanifin, Tyler Bertuzzi, Teuvo Teravainen, and Brett Pesce leading the way.6. Berube is first coach or GM fired Icon Sportswire / Getty ImagesTechnically, Mike Babcock already claimed this unwanted prize. But we're not going to count his firing forced resignation since it happened prior to Blue Jackets training camp. Berube, the league's fifth-longest tenured coach, is ostensibly on the hot seat in St. Louis. The good vibes generated by the Blues' magical 2019 Cup win are gone, and longtime general manager Doug Armstrong's next move may be to can the coach. In the past, Berube hasn't seen eye-to-eye with the club's star players, and the roster seems to be in transition in general. Of note: Ownership won't be on the hook for too much money if the Blues let Berube go soon. He reportedly makes $3.5 million a year and is under contract for one more season.7. League-wide scoring steadiesThe NHL's scoring rate increased in four of the past five seasons, with 2022-23's 6.4 goals per game counting as the highest average since 1993-94. I expect scoring averages to stabilize this season, but the rate will finish around 6.4 again because the NHL is cyclical, and coaches now have sufficient video and data on modern offenses. Led by the goaltenders, defenses are finally ready to push back in a discernible way. To be clear: I'm not predicting a notable dip in scoring, or the end of an entertaining, offense-first era. But it feels like the timing is right for the year-over-year climb in goals to cool off ever so slightly.8. Quinton Byfield breaks through Andy Devlin / Getty ImagesWord out of Kings camp is Byfield's found his swagger. The 6-foot-5, 220-pound forward is competing with the confidence of a second overall pick and will likely spend the full season in the NHL for the first time. Now, here's what a breakout will look like for Byfield: about 15-20 goals (previous high of five) and 30-35 assists (previous high of 19) for around 50 points. The 21-year-old is especially effective when he's hard on the forecheck and firing shots off quickly, and he found promising chemistry with veteran studs Anze Kopitar and Adrian Kempe late last season.9. Full steam ahead for next World CupLet's be optimistic about the future of international hockey for a moment. The plan right now is for NHLers to compete in a scaled-down World Cup of Hockey in February 2025, then participate in the 2026 Olympics. The World Cup won't be perfect - nothing beats the Olympics, and with Russia's status up in the air, the event won't be a traditional eight-team tournament. Nevertheless, it could be sensational. The 2016 World Cup is the lone time McDavid, MacKinnon, Matthews, and their Gen Z peers played in a best-on-best format - and even then, they were part of a gimmicky under-23 team. Here's to finalizing 2025 and getting back on the right path.10. Vasilevskiy injury sinks Lightning Andy Devlin / Getty ImagesTampa Bay received the biggest blow of the preseason last week: superstar Andrei Vasilevskiy is out for the first two months of the regular season after undergoing back surgery. Jonas Johansson, a 28-year-old journeyman who's appeared in 35 NHL games, is now atop the goaltending depth chart, which is wild (we thought Johansson backing up Vasilevskiy was suboptimal). Unless the Lightning get extremely creative, their options to bring in outside help are limited. They're up against the cap and barely have any draft capital to burn. The Atlantic Division remains highly competitive, so the Vasilevskiy injury, especially when mixed with depth depletion at forward, is a ruinous development. It'll sink their season.11. Jets re-sign one pending UFA star, trade the otherWinnipeg's a bubble playoff team as currently constructed. If the Jets make it, nobody will be terribly surprised. Ditto if they don't. In other words, the club is in the league's mushy middle, which isn't ideal given 30-year-olds Scheifele and Hellebuyck are both pending UFAs. It'd be unwise for GM Kevin Cheveldayoff to sign both players to long-term extensions - not because they're unworthy of lengthy deals, but because the Jets need to fully turn the page. Buying out Wheeler and trading Pierre-Luc Dubois isn't a big enough change. I think Cheveldayoff should trade Scheifele and Hellebuyck midseason. What he'll probably do instead: try to sign both, find out one of them probably isn't interested, and be forced to make a trade.12. Penguins return to playoffs, fall short of conference finals Icon Sportswire / Getty ImagesIntrigue is high around the Penguins after new GM Kyle Dubas landed Norris winner Karlsson in the trade of the summer while also reeling in secondary scoring help (Reilly Smith), a defensively minded center (Lars Eller), and a useful defenseman (Ryan Graves). If the veteran-laden Pens can stay healthy, they should have no trouble securing an East playoff spot. However, even with Karlsson joining Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Kris Letang, and Co., Pittsburgh isn't a top-tier Metropolitan team. Getting past the Devils and Hurricanes will be a tall task.13. Hischier wins first Selke of post-Bergeron worldBergeron's retirement means he'll finally release his grip on the Selke Trophy. Nico Hischier, who finished second in voting last year, is the candidate to circle in pen. He's the chief defensive center on a Cup-contending team. He leads the Devils' top-five penalty kill. His metrics are tremendous across the board, from traditional to shot-based to tracking. The definition of the award focuses on a forward who "best excels in the defensive aspects of the game," but voters typically loop in two-way ability - and Hischier checks that box as well (80-point guy). A side prediction for the hell of it: Elias Pettersson and Roope Hintz will be Selke runners-up.14. Blue Jackets' PP goes from bottom 10 to top 10 Kirk Irwin / Getty ImagesI refuse to believe the Blue Jackets' underwhelming 2022-23 power-play percentage - 18.3%, or 3 percentage points below the league average - will carry over. Not with new assistant coach and Hockey Hall of Famer Mark Recchi at the whiteboard. Not with Zach Werenski's quarterbacking ability, Patrik Laine's and Kirill Marchenko's booming shots, and Adam Fantilli and Johnny Gaudreau's zone entries and seam passes. There's a ton of untapped potential here, as only Gaudreau played 60 or more games last year (Fantilli was in college). I wouldn't bet on Columbus earning a postseason spot, but its power play - previously ranked 26th in the NHL - can crack the top 10.15. Hurricanes win Presidents' TrophyCarolina's floor has been quite high over Rod Brind'Amour's tenure. At worst, the Canes entered all five seasons as a playoff-caliber team and went on to either meet or exceed expectations. Now, after supplementing a well-built roster with Dmitry Orlov, Michael Bunting, and Tony DeAngelo, the club's ceiling is also quite high. The Hurricanes will pile up regular-season points because they're talented, deep, and play with structure. Then, if all goes to plan, they'll make noise in the playoffs. Carolina will be the kind of Cup favorite that won't sneak up on anybody.16. Devils - not Oilers - lead NHL in goals Icon Sportswire / Getty ImagesYou already know I'm high on the Devils if you read my series slotting all 32 teams into tiers, and their goal-scoring depth is a huge reason why. From Jack Hughes (who quietly bagged 43 last year) to 30-goal guys Hischier and Jesper Bratt, to Tyler Toffoli, Timo Meier, Dawson Mercer, and Ondrej Palat, there's no shortage of proven finishers. Other weapons include rookie winger Alexander Holtz and bottom-six center Michael McLeod, as well as blue-liners Dougie Hamilton and Luke Hughes. In 2022-23, the Oilers torched the NHL for 325 tallies - 20 more than any other team. The Devils will be this year's Oilers.17. William Nylander has huge year, walks in free agencyI don't have a crystal ball. I don't know if Nylander will re-sign with the Maple Leafs or head elsewhere next summer. But if the pending UFA sticks at center, feasts on inferior competition throughout the regular season, and impresses in the playoffs, he may price himself out of Toronto. Centers are typically paid more than wingers, so if Nylander can replicate his output from a year ago (40 goals, 47 assists), he'll be in line for a massive pay bump, perhaps in the neighborhood of $10 million annually over seven or eight years. Nylander says he wants to stay in Toronto, and the Leafs say they want him back, yet starting the year without an extension keeps the door wide open for him to leave. You have to wonder, too, if Nylander is content being the third-best forward on his team. Does he want to try being No. 1 or No. 2 on another squad?18. Somebody scores 60 Jeff Bottari / Getty ImagesScoring 60 goals in the NHL is an extremely rare feat. Well, it used to be, anyway. Three of the five 60-goal seasons this century have come in the past two years, with Matthews bagging 60 in 73 games in 2021-22 and David Pastrnak (61 in 82) and McDavid (64 in 82) reaching the milestone last season. I don't think the fun stops this year. To me, there are five legitimate threats to crack 60: Matthews, McDavid, Pastrnak, Draisaitl, and Mikko Rantanen. All of them are still in their 20s, in their primes, and one will blast off.19. Harley, Lundkvist become Stars' answerThere aren't many franchises with more roster security than Dallas. GM Jim Nill has assembled a star-studded forward group to go along with a franchise goalie and franchise defenseman. The Stars' only glaring issue is blue-line depth beyond Miro Heiskanen. Jani Hakanpaa, Ryan Suter, Esa Lindell, Thomas Harley, and Nils Lundkvist are all NHL-caliber defensemen - which is fantastic - but where are the difference-makers? Veterans Suter, Hakanpaa, and Lindell are what they are at this point. So it's up to Harley, 22, and Lundkvist, 23, to level up. Harley was excellent in the playoffs and Lundkvist added 15 pounds of muscle over the offseason. Yeah, one will elevate.20. Bedard leads Chicago in scoring, doesn't win Calder Icon Sportswire / Getty ImagesWe won't know for sure until we see him skate in regular-season games, but Connor Bedard looks like he may be the Blackhawks' best player. (That's equal parts a compliment to Bedard and an insult to the roster as constructed.) Despite little help, I'm betting Bedard finishes with a team-leading 70 points. He'll be nominated for the Calder Trophy but will lose out to a player with legitimate support. Someone in the field - Logan Cooley, Fantilli, Levi, Hughes, or Matthew Knies - will have a better case.21. Macklin Celebrini goes wire to wire as top 2024 draft prospectThe 2024 draft class doesn't have a Bedard-type prospect, but Boston University center Macklin Celebrini is still worth tanking for. The 17-year-old from Vancouver has everything going for him: He's a dual threat on offense, he gives a damn about defense, he has size, and he's clutch. Celebrini has company, though, as part of a Big Three featuring goal-scoring American winger Cole Eiserman and playmaking Russian winger Ivan Demidov. There'll be plenty of debates about who should go first overall, but Celebrini's primed to go wire to wire as the class' premier prospect given his tools, size, and position.22. Patrick Kane signs with Avalanche Dave Sandford / Getty ImagesOne of the marquee names on the 2023 UFA market remains unsigned. Kane, recovering from offseason hip surgery, reportedly won't start talking to interested GMs for another few weeks. There are no obvious fits, given Kane probably prefers to join a highly competitive team and virtually every noteworthy club is capped out. Buffalo's believed to be in the hunt, while Carolina, Vegas, Toronto, Dallas, and Boston register as other potential landing spots. I predict he'll end up in Colorado. The Avalanche have a winning pedigree, Kane can fly under the radar due to market size and the star power already on the roster, and he can fill in for sidelined winger Gabriel Landeskog (before Landeskog "pulls a Kucherov" and returns for the playoffs). The Avs need to shed money to bring "Showtime" aboard, and I say they do it.23. Ovi drops out of Rocket contentionThis will be the year Alex Ovechkin noticeably slides down the goal-scoring leaderboard, but he'll still maintain a respectable pace in pursuit of Wayne Gretzky's all-time record (he starts the season 72 goals behind Gretzky's 894). No longer at the peak of his powers and coming off a 42-goal campaign, I think Ovechkin drops into the 35-40 range. He's unbelievable - trust me, I want him to snipe 50 - but Father Time comes for everybody, and the Capitals captain is 38 and in his 19th season. If Ovechkin reaches 40 goals, he'll have his sights set on passing Gretzky in 2024-25, the second-last year of his deal.24. Oilers beat Hurricanes in Cup Final Icon Sportswire / Getty ImagesThis year's Cup-contending field is deep - a handful of teams in each conference have a realistic chance of making the final. But I predict Edmonton and Carolina survive the gauntlet of the first three rounds and meet for a rematch of the 2006 final, with the Oilers crowned champs this time around. Edmonton's roster isn't perfect, but GM Ken Holland made enough improvements to give McDavid and Draisaitl ample support - and we all know what Connor and Leon are capable of in high-pressure moments. It all comes together for Nos. 97 and 29 in 2023-24.John Matisz is theScore's senior NHL writer. Follow John on Twitter (@MatiszJohn) or contact him via email (john.matisz@thescore.com).Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Los Angeles Kings forward Arthur Kaliyev has been suspended two preseason and two regular-season games for kneeing Anaheim Ducks forward Chase De Leo, the NHL Department of Player Safety announced Thursday.Kaliyev was assessed a minor penalty during the second period of Tuesday's contest for the collision.

The Calgary Flames' new arena project is on - and it comes with a promise that the club will stay put for more than three decades.Alberta premier Danielle Smith, Calgary mayor Jyoti Gondek, and representatives from the Flames and their parent company, the Calgary Sports and Entertainment Corporation, made it official Thursday.Gondek said the CSEC, the city of Calgary, the province of Alberta, and the Calgary Stampede have all signed final agreements on the event center plans, according to The Athletic's Julian McKenzie.The Flames committed to remaining in Calgary for 35 years, according to TSN's Salim Nadim Valji.The project, which was originally agreed upon in principle in April, will involve the construction of an entire entertainment district that includes the Flames' arena. It will cost $1.2 billion, with the provincial government spending $330 million. The city's contribution wasn't announced Thursday, but in April it was pegged at $537.3 million, with the CSEC paying the remaining $356 million.No provincial tax dollars will be used, said Devin Dreeshen, the minister of transportation and economic corridors, according to McKenzie.Construction is likely to begin next year, and Dreeshen hopes it'll be completed by 2026 or 2027, at which point the Saddledome will be demolished. The new building is expected to seat between 18,000 and 18,400 fans, which would be smaller than the current arena's capacity of 19,289.The Flames had a previous deal in place for a new arena in 2019, but it fell apart two years later after the cost increased by over $50 million.The Saddledome is the second-oldest current arena in the NHL, having opened in 1983. Among active facilities in the league, only Madison Square Garden in New York City has been around longer.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Anaheim Ducks signed defenseman Jamie Drysdale to a three-year contract, the team announced Thursday.The pact carries an average annual value of $2.3 million, Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman reports.A torn labrum limited Drysdale to only eight games last season. The 21-year-old was a restricted free agent with no arbitration rights and wasn't eligible for an offer sheet due to a lack of professional seasons.Drysdale, the 2020 sixth overall pick, tallied four goals and 32 points in 81 contests in 2021-22.Anaheim signed its other restricted free agent, Trevor Zegras, to a three-year contract with a $5.75-million cap hit on Oct. 2.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

After looking at the Atlantic and Metropolitan Divisions in the Eastern Conference, it's time to turn our attention to the Western Conference. Let's start with the Central Division.The Avalanche headline this group of eight and are the second favorites behind the Hurricanes to hoist the Stanley Cup. The betting market made the Stars the clear choice as the second-best team in this division.Futures oddsTeamStanley CupWestern Conf.Central Div.Avalanche+800+400+150Stars+1400+700+170Wild+3500+1000+650Jets+6000+1600+900Predators+7500+1800+1800Blues+7500+3000+1800Blackhawks+15000+10000+10000Coyotes+30000+10000+10000All odds via theScore Bet and are subject to change.The Avs are two years removed from winning their franchise's third Stanley Cup, and the core of that championship roster remains intact. However, captain Gabriel Landeskog remains on the shelf and is expected to miss his second straight season as he recovers from knee surgery.Colorado narrowly won the Central last season without Landeskog, only to be upset by the Kraken in the first round.The Stars finished a point behind the Avalanche in the division in 2022-23 but managed to advance to the Western Conference Final. Dallas added Matt Duchene in the offseason to a solid offensive attack that includes captain Jamie Benn, Jason Robertson, Joe Pavelski, and Tyler Seguin.The betting market suggests the Wild are the third-best team in the Central and the only true threat to the Avalanche and Stars. Many expect Kirill Kaprizov to take another step forward and lead Minnesota offensively.To Make The PlayoffsTeamYesNoAvalanche-1000+550Stars-750+450Wild-200+160Jets-140+110Predators+160-200Blues+190-250Coyotes+550-1000Blackhawks+700-1400Despite the Stanley Cup aspirations at the top of this division, perhaps the biggest storyline comes from the team with the worst odds of making the playoffs.Connor Bedard is the most hyped No. 1 pick since Connor McDavid and will look to single-handedly lift the Blackhawks back to relevancy in the NHL.Oddsmakers suggest the ask for Bedard will be too much in his first year, giving the Blackhawks only a 12.5% chance of making the playoffs after earning only 59 points last season.Chicago did its best to surround Bedard with a supporting cast by bringing in veterans Taylor Hall, Nick Foligno, and Corey Perry. However, the club will be without longtime captain Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane for the first time since the 2007-08 season.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Welcome to the first edition of theScore's 2023-24 Norris Trophy Power Rankings. New rankings will be published once a month throughout the season.Note: All stats from 2022-23

It's not as dramatic as the popular 2015 Netflix documentary "Making a Murderer." Instead of exposing the police and judicial system in rural Wisconsin, we're merely going to bring to light how an NHL moneyline is made.We started the NFL season with a similar exercise, but football is predicated on point spread wagers, while NHL betting is done primarily on the moneyline. It's more difficult to assign odds for a team to win in hockey than it is to guess what a point spread should be in a football game.What's behind a moneyline?Moneylines are a function of win probability. If your team is -200 to win a game, it is deemed 66.6% likely to win since you have to put up $200 to win $100. If you think there's better than a two-thirds chance the favorite is victorious, the team would be worth a bet. The opponent would likely be around +170 on the moneyline or 37% likely to win. If you think the likelihood of winning is closer to 50/50, it's worth a bet on the underdog.*If you're doing the math and realizing that the two percentages above don't equal 100%, that excess percentage is the sportsbook's rake, otherwise known as "vig" or "juice," and is how sportsbooks make money.What goes into team ratings?You can guess the percentage likelihood a team wins each game, or you can be more informed. Moneyline odds are created off a team's market rating, with a starting point of how likely the team is to beat an average NHL team.There are three main pieces of information you can use to rate teams.

Evander Kane believes the third time might be the charm for NHL hockey in Atlanta.The current Edmonton Oilers forward and former Atlanta Thrashers star is adamant Georgia's capital city could support a team this time around."You talk about a great city to live in, a great city to be a part of," Kane told Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman. "The fan base. Everybody talks about a lack of fans, but the fanbase we had there was so awesome. They were so passionate about us as a hockey team. We had fans at practice all the time."Kane was drafted fourth overall by the Thrashers in 2009 and spent the first two years of his NHL career in Atlanta before the franchise relocated to Winnipeg to become the Jets."As an 18-year-old, I loved being there," Kane said. "Great travel. Four other major sports. There's lots to do. It's a hub, you can get anywhere in the U.S. or even internationally from Atlanta. There's so many good things I have to say about it. I would be 100% supportive."Atlanta was home to the NHL's Flames from 1972-80 before relocating to Calgary, and home to the Thrashers from 1999-2011.NHL expansion is not imminent, but commissioner Gary Bettman didn't rule out the eventual possibility."We're not in a mode where I'm saying, 'Okay, if you're interested in expansion, submit your applications,'" Bettman said. "We're not there. We're just getting expressions of interest. And as you all know, I take meetings all the time on a variety of subjects, and if somebody wants to talk to us, we talk to them."If somebody came in and said, 'Okay, we have a building, this is our market, this is our ownership group, we'd really like to go.' Then we'll take a look at it and decide whether we're inclined to expand at this point in time."Relocation is perhaps a sooner likelihood. The Arizona Coyotes, notably, have been the subject of relocation rumors after failing to secure a deal for a new arena in Tempe in May. The club has two seasons left on their lease to play at Mullett Arena, a 4,600-seat rink on the campus of Arizona State University. After that, the Coyotes will again be without a home.NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly said in September that he sees Atlanta as a viable NHL market despite the two past failures. Houston, Quebec City, and Salt Lake City are among other locations that have seen speculation as feasible NHL homes.Kane, Blake Wheeler, and Zach Bogosian are the last three remaining active NHLers who played for the Thrashers.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Predators have undergone quite the transformation during Barry Trotz's first few months as general manager, but the executive made one thing clear: Netminder Juuse Saros is "absolutely" a part of Nashville's plans moving forward."I think he's a special goaltender," Trotz told The Athletic's Pierre LeBrun. "Obviously, he's created his own little legacy. We've been blessed with great goaltending in Nashville. It started with Tomas Vokoun, then Pekka Rinne, and hopefully Juuse for the future."Saros has two seasons remaining on his current four-year, $20-million deal and will be eligible to sign a new pact next July. Even though Trotz can't actually get Saros to put pen to paper just yet, it's still something that's on his mind."I've already reached out to (Saros' agent) Kevin Epp and their group (to) see what their thoughts are on talking," he said.Saros enjoyed yet another outstanding campaign with the Predators in 2022-23 and finished fourth in Vezina Trophy voting behind finalists Connor Hellebuyck, Ilya Sorokin, and Linus Ullmark. Saros owned a 33-23-7 record to go along with a .919 save percentage and 2.69 goals against average while ranking second among all goalies in goals saved above expected (45.49) at all strengths, per Evolving-Hockey. He also faced a league-high 2,099 shots last season.The 28-year-old has appeared in over 60 games for the Predators in each of the last two campaigns, and his 71 wins over that span are the third most in the NHL. He was named a finalist for the Vezina Trophy for the first time in his career in 2021-22.Nashville is in the midst of a retooling phase after missing the playoffs for the first time since 2013-14. David Poile, who served as the Predators' GM since the team was awarded an expansion franchise in 1997, officially stepped down in June, paving the way for Trotz to take the helm.The Predators then embarked on an interesting summer that saw them buy out the final three seasons of Matt Duchene's contract, trade Ryan Johansen to the Colorado Avalanche, and reel in a couple of Stanley Cup champions in Ryan O'Reilly and Luke Schenn on the free-agent market.The puck drops on Nashville's 2023-24 campaign on Oct. 10 against the Tampa Bay Lightning.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Western Hockey League suspended Wenatchee Wild head coach Kevin Constantine indefinitely following an independent investigation that determined he made "derogatory comments of a discriminatory nature," the league announced.Constantine, who spent parts of seven seasons as an NHL head coach in the 1990s and early 2000s, can't apply for reinstatement to coach in the WHL until July 2025 at the earliest."The WHL holds our players and staff to a very high standard of conduct at all times," WHL commissioner Ron Robison said in a statement. "We have extensive programming which emphasizes the importance of always treating players and staff in a respectful manner, and there is a zero tolerance for any comments of a derogatory nature."Those in leadership capacities in the WHL, in particular our head coaches, are expected to set examples for our players and not conduct themselves in a manner that would impact adversely on the team environment or inflict damage on the reputation of the league."Constantine was originally suspended in September after the WHL's independent reporting channel received a complaint regarding his conduct. He wasn't permitted to have contact with any member of the organization during the investigation.The 64-year-old spent time as the bench boss of the San Jose Sharks (1993-95), Pittsburgh Penguins (1997-99), and New Jersey Devils (2002).Constantine was previously the head coach of the WHL's Everett Silvertips (2003-07, 2013-17). The Wild named him their first-ever WHL head coach in July.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

NHL commissioner Gary Bettman told owners that very preliminary revenue projections suggest a salary cap rise to between $87 and $88 million for the 2024-25 campaign, according to TSN's Pierre LeBrun.The league's salary cap increased to $83.5 million for the upcoming 2023-24 season. It was the second straight year the cap jumped $1 million after being at a stagnant $81.5 million from 2019-2022.A bump up to $87.5 million would be a $4-million rise in one offseason. It would be the biggest single-summer increase for the NHL's cap since it jumped up $4.5 million ahead of the 2019-20 season.Bettman's preliminary projections are in line with the three-year estimation that sources gave Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman and Rory Boylen in September 2022.Bettman added that the outstanding escrow debt owed by players to owners due to the pandemic is down to approximately $50 million and will be paid off this season, per Daily Faceoff's Frank Seravalli.William Nylander, Steven Stamkos, and Connor Hellebuyck are among the top pending unrestricted free agents that could benefit from a rising salary cap next summer.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

We've already previewed the Atlantic Division, so let's look at the other teams in the Eastern Conference.The Metropolitan Division boasts two of the top four Stanley Cup favorites and four clubs priced under +2000 to win it all, making it - in oddsmakers' eyes - the best division in hockey.The Hurricanes are the favorites to hoist the Cup, and the Devils share the third shortest odds with the Oilers.Futures oddsTeamStanley CupEastern Conf.Metro Div.Hurricanes+700+450+180Devils+900+550+230Rangers+1400+800+400Penguins+1800+1200+650Islanders+6000+2500+1500Capitals+7500+3000+2500Blue Jackets+15000+8000+10000Flyers+20000+8000+10000All odds via theScore Bet and are subject to change.The Canes narrowly edged the Devils for the division crown last season and made it to the Eastern Conference Final before getting swept by the Panthers. They didn't lose anyone notable in the offseason but managed to bolster their blueline by signing Dmitry Orlov.The Devils have one of the youngest rosters in the league and added two top-line forwards to their opening-day roster from last year. They re-signed Timo Meier, who they acquired at the previous trade deadline, and traded for Tyler Toffoli in the offseason after his 73-point 2022-23 campaign with the Flames.The Rangers and Penguins are expected to be the next two best teams in the Metropolitan.New York went for it all last season by acquiring Patrick Kane and Vladimir Tarasenko before the deadline. However, it was ousted in the first round of the playoffs, and neither of those names are on the roster heading into this campaign. Blake Wheeler and Nick Bonino are the team's two biggest offseason additions, meaning the Rangers will likely need Vezina Trophy candidate Igor Shesterkin to be the league's best goalie for a second time to make some noise.The Penguins made a splash by landing Norris Trophy winner Erik Karlsson in what could be the last best chance Pittsburgh has of winning another Cup with Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin up the middle.To Make The PlayoffsTeamYesNoHurricanes-1000+550Devils-750+450Rangers-500+340Penguins-200+160Islanders+100-130Capitals+225-310Blue Jackets+900-2000Flyers+600-1200The betting market believes the top four teams in the Metropolitan have a great chance of making the playoffs. The Penguins -200 odds (66.7% implied probability) are the longest of the group.The Islanders, who have made the postseason in four of the past five seasons, are sitting at even money to clinch a playoff spot. Their +2500 odds of winning the Eastern Conference puts them in the same neighborhood as the Senators and Red Wings, according to the betting market.The aging Capitals, who missed the playoffs for the first time last campaign since the 2013-14 season, aren't expected to contend with the Hurricanes or Devils but are given a 30.8% chance of making the playoffs.As for the Blue Jackets and Flyers, they're expected to be two of the worst teams in the league.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Ottawa Senators prospects Jacob Bernard-Docker and Egor Sokolov cleared waivers Wednesday.The Sens drafted Bernard-Docker 26th overall in 2018. He then spent three years at North Dakota. The 23-year-old has played the majority of his pro career with Belleville, collecting four goals and 11 assists in 99 games over the last two seasons. He's played briefly with Ottawa, registering a pair of helpers in 32 games across three campaigns.Sokolov, who's also 23 years old, signed a one-year, two-way contract worth the league minimum of $775,000 at the NHL level in September. The Senators selected Sokolov 61st overall in 2020.On Saturday, Ottawa placed defenseman Lassi Thomson on waivers, and the Anaheim Ducks claimed him Sunday. The Sens chose the 23-year-old 19th overall in 2019.Ottawa forward Shane Pinto remains without a contract for the upcoming season. The 22-year-old is a "10.2c" player, meaning he hasn't played enough to obtain Group 2 (standard) restricted free-agent status.Pinto - who played with Bernard-Docker for two years at North Dakota - notched 20 goals and 15 assists while playing all 82 games in his first full NHL campaign in 2022-23. Ottawa picked Pinto 32nd overall in 2019.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Kirill Kaprizov is determined as ever to win a playoff series in 2024 after the Minnesota Wild bowed out in the opening round for the fourth consecutive year this past spring."I'm staying calm but for sure extremely motivated, extremely hungry, and the fire's been lit for sure," he told NHL.com's Jessi Pierce. "Every year, you learn from your mistakes. You take those losses, and you learn from them. You try to get better."The Wild's most recent series win came in 2015, and the club has qualified for the postseason in all but one season since. Kaprizov's been on the team for the last three playoff disappointments.Minnesota's 2023 elimination saw it surrender a 2-1 series lead to the Dallas Stars, who outscored the Wild 11-3 in Games 4-6 to win the series. Kaprizov was limited to a single goal in the series after returning from a significant lower-body injury with two games left in the regular season.The 25-year-old winger has led the Wild in scoring in each of his three NHL seasons, including 40 goals and 75 points in only 67 games in 2022-23 - but he says individual success isn't his focus."I'm not a big fan of guessing or setting expectations ahead of time," he said. "I'm going to show up and do the best I can, and I expect the team to do the same, to be the best that we can, and that's what I expect from myself and from the team. Obviously, the goal is to make the playoffs and do really well in playoffs, and that's what we're going to strive for."The Wild begin their regular season Oct. 12 against the Florida Panthers.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The puck drops in less than a week on the 2023-24 season. We've given out best bets for many major markets, with one glaring exception: the Stanley Cup!Let's look at a few teams worth backing to lift hockey's holy grail.TeamOddsCarolina Hurricanes+800Colorado Avalanche+900Edmonton Oilers+900New Jersey Devils+900Toronto Maple Leafs+900Vegas Golden Knights+1000Dallas Stars+1400New York Rangers+1400Boston Bruins+1600Florida Panthers+1800Pittsburgh Penguins+1800Los Angeles Kings+2000Tampa Bay Lightning+2500Minnesota Wild+3000Seattle Kraken+3000Buffalo Sabres+3500Calgary Flames+3500Ottawa Senators+4000Odds via theScore Bet. Teams above +5000 are not listed.Edmonton Oilers (+900)Is this the Oilers' year? It just might be! Led by Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, Edmonton should again be one of the league's top offensive teams. The club has plenty of talent around those stars in the top six, and adding Connor Brown should provide a nice boost at both ends of the ice. McDavid's former Erie linemate is a speedy winger who can chip in offensively and kill penalties.I think Evan Bouchard will be a star and flourish in an expanded role. Getting a full season out of Mattias Ekholm, one of the more underrated two-way defenders in the league, will also make a big difference.While the Oilers could use more scoring punch in the bottom six, that's certainly something they can address at the deadline. Edmonton has the key pieces needed to contend for the Stanley Cup.New Jersey Devils (+900)The Devils are loaded with firepower. Jack Hughes, Jesper Bratt, and Tyler Toffoli figure to make up one of most dynamic lines in the NHL. Right behind them on the depth chart is a unit featuring two-way stud Nico Hischier - coming off an 80-point season in which he was a Selke finalist - and prolific goal-scorer Timo Meier, fresh off a 40-goal campaign.New Jersey also has plenty of depth in the bottom six, with Dawson Mercer and Ondrej Palat headlining what should be a strong third line.Jonas Siegenthaler and Dougie Hamilton form one of the NHL's best defense pairings, and John Marino reliably anchors the other top-four unit.Throw in the highly talented Luke Hughes - and potentially Simon Nemec - and this defense core has as much skating, skill, and puck-moving ability as any.There are questions in goal surrounding Vitek Vanecek and Akira Schmid. But it's worth noting that Vanecek ranked 14th in goals saved above expected last season. Also, Schmid managed a .922 save percentage over 18 regular-season games - and we all know what he did in the playoffs against the Rangers. The position isn't exactly a lost cause.If all else fails, general manager Tom Fitzgerald will have to address the position at the deadline. That shouldn't be difficult since his to-do list will otherwise be short.Dallas Stars (+1400)I'm not sure there's a more complete, well-balanced team. The Stars have high-end talent at every position. They have an elite top line. Aided by the free-agent signing of Matt Duchene, they have strong secondary scoring. Dallas is also one of the league's most stable defensive clubs, finishing in the top five in expected goal suppression last season. And it has a workhorse between the pipes in Jake Oettinger.If the playoffs started tomorrow, the Stars could enter with the roster at hand and not lose one bit of sleep about how well they're equipped at any position. This team checks all the boxes.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.

Dillon Dube believes his rookie teammate Matt Coronato is ready to make an immediate impact with the Calgary Flames thanks to his lethal shot."His shot is up there with the top guys in the league - the way he releases it and how quick it is," Dube said, according to Sportsnet's Eric Francis. "(On Monday) he beat one of the best goalies in the league. It's an NHL shot for sure."Coronato entered Tuesday tied for the NHL lead with four goals in five preseason games. He's second in points with seven.The 20-year-old scored a hat trick in Calgary's preseason opener against the Vancouver Canucks. His latest tally came against Connor Hellebuyck on Monday, beating the former Vezina Trophy winner clean with a power-play snipe.

Anaheim Ducks star Trevor Zegras hit the ice Tuesday for the first time since ending his contract stalemate, and the main thing he worked on with new head coach Greg Cronin was his defensive game."(Cronin) was telling me how to play defense," Zegras said with a laugh, according to NHL.com's Matt Weller. "We were doing some shuffle around the dots, and the first thing he did was take my stick and throw it in the corner, which I thought was definitely interesting, but we'll work through it for sure."Zegras added that a commitment to figuring out his two-way game was "a big thing" when it came to negotiating his new three-year, $17.25-million bridge deal."That was a big emphasis from (general manager Pat Verbeek's) point of view, and if you want to play in this league, it's something you have to commit to," he said. "I think Cronin is definitely the guy for that."Zegras has had no problem wowing the league with his offensive abilities, but his performance on the other side of the puck hasn't been going as well through his first three NHL seasons: Evolving-HockeyThe 22-year-old led the Ducks in giveaways (75) for the second straight campaign in 2022-23, and he owns 158 giveaways in his career compared to just 77 takeaways. Zegras also ranked among the 15 worst skaters in defensive goals above replacement (minus-7.9) last season, per Evolving-Hockey.Cronin has been working to improve Anaheim's defensive structure throughout the preseason and says he's excited to do the same with Zegras now that he's with the team."When I talk to 'Z,' I don't talk to him about his offense," he said. "He's a dynamic offensive player. First, get to know the person, then when you sit down and talk to them, you start talking about value systems. Some of these guys that are offensive their whole careers, they just follow the offense. ... Just keep focusing on the offense, that's all you're going to chase, is offense."Cronin continued, "(Zegras') offense isn't going away - it's always going to be there - but we're going to try to create a focus for him to be defensively responsible. And I guarantee you if he does that, he'll get more possessions with the puck."Getting the puck on Zegras' stick will only lead to good things for Anaheim. The creative forward paced his teammates with 65 points in 81 games in 2022-23.Cronin was hired to take over behind the bench in June, and he's inherited a Ducks team that owned an abysmal goal differential of minus-129 last season.Puck drops on Anaheim's 2023-24 regular season Oct. 14 against the Vegas Golden Knights.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Oilers head coach Jay Woodcroft won't name his starting goaltender for Edmonton's regular-season opener on Oct. 11, saying that it's still an "open competition" between Stuart Skinner and Jack Campbell."I don't think that I have all the information to make that decision just yet," he told the media Tuesday. "I'm not gonna lay out my process in making that decision. We're realists and we understand that we need both goalies - it's a two-goalie league now. We have 1A and 1B, and they're going to sort out who's who."Skinner and Campbell have both appeared in two games so far this preseason, but the latter has boasted better numbers, albeit in a small sample size:GoalieTOISV%GAXGAGSAAStuart Skinner120.88065.06-1.24Jack Campbell122.97126.784.47All figures courtesy of Natural Stat Trick at all strengths."They both are gonna get another (preseason) game here to sort that out and make my decision easy," Woodcroft said.Skinner wrestled the starting job away from a disastrous Campbell in 2022-23 and was named a Calder Trophy finalist after registering a .914 save percentage to go along with a 29-14-5 record.The 24-year-old started all 12 playoff games for Edmonton in the spring but struggled with an under-.900 save percentage, while Campbell was stellar in four relief appearances, logging a .961 clip and 1.01 goals against average.Campbell said in September that he aims to build on his promising playoff performance and is looking forward to getting an opportunity to "write a new script" in 2023-24. He is entering the second season of a five-year, $25-million contract.Woodcroft has been impressed by what he's seen from the veteran in the preseason and believes that it will be "very healthy" for Skinner to be pushed by an improved Campbell."I think (Campbell) went into the summer with a clear frame of mind on what he wanted to get better at," he said. "He appears to me to be very relaxed. He's letting the game come to him, he's made numerous great saves. He's in a good headspace, he's in a good physical space. ... What a guy to be partnered up with."The Oilers ranked 15th in on-ice save percentage (90.1) at all strengths last season.Edmonton has two preseason games remaining on its schedule: Oct. 4 against the Calgary Flames and Oct. 6 versus the Seattle Kraken.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Derek Stepan retired from the NHL after 13 seasons, he announced Tuesday."I want to thank my family and friends for always supporting me and allowing me to live my dreams," he said in a statement. "I want to thank the four organizations I had the privilege of playing for and my teammates for allowing me to be part of their family. Finally, I want to thank the fans, it was an honor to play in front of you."The 33-year-old became an unrestricted free agent this offseason after playing on two consecutive one-year deals with the Carolina Hurricanes. He managed just 11 points in 73 games last season while averaging 9:05 per contest.Stepan also suited up for the New York Rangers, Arizona Coyotes, and Ottawa Senators throughout his career. His most notable stint was on Broadway, where he played seven seasons. He produced his most memorable moments with the Rangers, including a hat trick in his NHL debut and the Game 7 overtime winner against the Washington Capitals in the second round of the 2015 playoffs.Across 890 career games, Stepan produced 182 goals and 333 assists to go with 55 points in 120 playoff appearances.Internationally, Stepan represented the United States at the world juniors (2010), world championship (2011), Olympics (2014), and World Cup of Hockey (2016).Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

We've identified the best bets for most of the major awards in the lead-up to the 2023-24 NHL campaign.Now it's time to dig into the best of the rest and some of the niche markets I see value in.Sharks worst regular-season record (+275)The Sharks are going to be bad. Next level bad. No team won fewer games than the Sharks last season, and that was while having Timo Meier on the roster for most of his 40-goal campaign. Not to mention, Norris Trophy-winning defenseman Erik Karlsson put up more than 100 points.Both of those players are gone, leaving the Sharks almost completely devoid of high-end talent. Tomas Hertl and an aging, banged-up Logan Couture are all they have left - and they have next to no support.The likes of Alexander Barabanov, Luke Kunin, Anthony Duclair, and Mike Hoffman are penciled in as top-of-the-lineup wingers, while the projected top pairing features Mario Ferraro skating alongside Jan Rutta, who was a cap dump this past offseason.This team is going to be at a massive talent disadvantage every single night, and the goaltending is nowhere close to good enough to compensate.A tandem of Kaapo Kahkonen and Mackenzie Blackwood is as bad and unstable as you'll find in the NHL. Kahkonen was truly dreadful last season, posting an abysmal .883 save percentage over 37 appearances.Blackwood isn't exactly a reliable alternative. The 26-year-old once looked promising, but his play has fallen off a cliff in recent years. He's managed just a .893 save percentage over 47 appearances in the last two seasons.With two goaltenders coming off sub-.900 seasons being relied upon to backstop a team that should bleed chances each and every night, the Sharks will be as close to a free two points as you'll see.I think they're by far the league's biggest threat to finish dead last.Kirill Kaprizov over 43.5 goals (-115)Kaprizov has been a menacing goal-scorer since the day he stepped into the NHL. He's scored 114 goals through 203 regular-season games, which equates to 46 goals per 82 games.Kaprizov is on an upward trajectory as well. He netted 47 in 2021-22 and took things up another notch last season, scoring 40 times in just 67 games. With better health, he would've flirted with 50.He's incredibly good at generating shots, and the Wild rely on him more than almost any forward in the league. His usage jumped up two minutes per game last season, with Kaprizov averaging more than 21 minutes per night.Getting him the puck is priority No. 1 for the Wild. He'll be spoonfed all the ice time he can handle, which is a recipe for gaudy totals with how efficient he is.If Kaprizov can stay healthy and play in even 70-to-75 games, I think he'll go over this number rather easily.Todd Cordell is a sports betting writer at theScore. Be sure to follow him on Twitter @ToddCordell.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The 2023-24 NHL rookie class is elite.That should make for a nail-biter of a Calder Trophy race, right?Right?Wrong.Everyone already knows who's the favorite to take home the hardware in the spring. However, that doesn't mean we can't assess the rest of the field vying for second place.Let's get into it.All stats are from the 2022-23 season with the league specified in the games played column5. Luke Hughes, Devils Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / GettyGP (NHL)GPATOIDrafted21216:144th overall (2021)There are a few other prominent rookie defensemen to keep an eye on this season, but Hughes is arguably the first-year rearguard best set up for success. He gets to slot right into a Devils lineup that's dominant with the puck and filled to the brim with offensive weapons. (His brother, Jack, is chief among them.)That style suits the youngest Hughes sibling just fine. He ended his NCAA career with 27 goals - including four game-winners - and 87 points in 80 games over two seasons at the University of Michigan. That production surpasses what his eldest brother, Vancouver Canucks blue-liner Quinn, accomplished during his two-year tenure with the Wolverines (13 goals and 85 points in 91 games).New Jersey got a taste of what Hughes could do at the NHL level at the end of the 2022-23 season, punctuated by a stunning overtime winner in the regular-season finale against the Washington Capitals. The Devils then gave him a shot in three playoff games in the second round.Hughes projects to take on a decent amount of responsibility after New Jersey lost Ryan Graves and Damon Severson in the offseason. However, Hughes likely won't be called upon to quarterback the top power-play unit with Dougie Hamilton around. Regardless, Hughes should see an ample amount of minutes, and the points should follow given the sheer amount of talent in New Jersey.4. Devon Levi, Sabres Kevin Hoffman / Getty Images Sport / GettyGP (NHL)SV%GAADrafted7.9052.947th round (2020)The future is now with Levi in the Sabres' crease.The 21-year-old netminder is projected to be Buffalo's No. 1 starter in 2023-24. If his brief preview last season is any indication, that is very, very good news for the Sabres. Buffalo heavily relied on Levi with the team in the throes of a tight wild-card race, and he went 5-2-0 while saving 0.7 goals above average and 3.69 goals above expected at all strengths. The latter clip ranked 11th overall in the league since his debut March 31.Speaking of his NHL debut, Levi showed off his characteristic poise and athleticism en route to a dazzling 31-save effort in a 3-2 overtime victory against the New York Rangers. The hype surrounding him is real, as evidenced by the raucous "Levi" chants that rained down from the KeyBank Center throughout his first NHL game.The opportunity for Levi to be the guy in Buffalo is there. The Sabres didn't add another goalie in the offseason, meaning he'll just have to compete with Eric Comrie and Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen. There'll be plenty more "Levi" choruses to come if he can give Buffalo some much-needed stability in the blue paint.3. Adam Fantilli, Blue Jackets Jason Mowry / Getty Images Sport / GettyGP (NCAA)GPDrafted3630653rd overall (2023)Fantilli is semi-shockingly with the Blue Jackets after widely being expected to go second overall at the 2023 NHL Draft. But hey, we bet Columbus isn't complaining.The 18-year-old center is jumping right into his NHL career following one dominant season in the NCAA in which he led the entire league in points as a rookie. Fantilli won the Hobey Baker Award for his efforts while thriving against slightly older competition.He's joining a Blue Jackets squad that features some standout wingers up front, like Johnny Gaudreau and Patrik Laine, as well as Kirill Marchenko and fellow University of Michigan alum Kent Johnson. If Fantilli slots into the top six, he'll have no shortage of talented linemates to play with. However, Laine has played center this preseason after saying he'd be open to the position, and captain Boone Jenner will likely play in the middle of one of the top two lines.As a result, Fantilli's ascension up the lineup may be a bit slower than the No. 2 guy on this list. So, we've put him in the bronze-medal spot ... for now. Anything can happen once they start playing actual NHL games.2. Logan Cooley, Coyotes Josh Chadwick / Getty Images Sport / GettyGP (NCAA)GPDrafted3922603rd overall (2022)The Coyotes are ready to move onto the next phase of their rebuild, and here to help things along is Cooley. Surprise! If that spin-o-rama preseason goal he scored in Australia is any indication, the league is in trouble.Cooley was initially committed to play out the 2023-24 campaign at the University of Minnesota. However, much to the delight of Coyotes fans, he had a change of heart and inked his entry-level pact with Arizona in late July, saying that he felt "ready for the challenge" of the NHL. His jump to the big leagues makes sense given that Cooley terrorized the NCAA as a freshman last season. He led the Golden Gophers in goals - including six game-winners - and points and was named a finalist for the Hobey Baker Award.The 19-year-old will likely slot into the Coyotes' top six right out of the gate, but he'll probably take second-line duties behind Arizona's underrated top unit of Clayton Keller, Barrett Hayton, and Nick Schmaltz. However, the dynamic Cooley may be quick to seize the role as Arizona's No. 1 center after Hayton mustered just 43 points last season.A swift ascension to the top line would've aided Cooley's Calder hopes if it didn't already feel like the winner of the hardware has already been decided. Cooley and Fantilli may prove to be worthy adversaries for the honor, but it's going to take a hell of a lot for them to usurp the top dog.1. Connor Bedard, Blackhawks Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / GettyGP (WHL)GPDrafted57711431st overall (2023)Who else?Get used to seeing Bedard's name in the No. 1 spot on these rankings. Barring disaster, it's going to be a common occurrence. He's long been hailed as a generational talent in the same vein as Connor McDavid and Sidney Crosby, and if you've ever watched him play, it's easy to see why.Bedard torched the CHL in 2022-23, operating at an outlandish 2.51 point-per-game clip. As a result of his efforts, he won the CHL's Top Prospect Award, Top Scorer Award, and David Branch Player of the Year Award, becoming the first player to take home all three honors in the same campaign.The 18-year-old also received the inaugural IIHF Male Player of the Year award after leading the 2023 World Junior Championship with nine goals and 23 points - nine clear of Cooley in second place - in seven games. He was named tournament MVP while helping Canada win gold, becoming the country's all-time leader in goals and points at the world juniors in the process.The table is set for Bedard to eat up top-line minutes with the Blackhawks this season, and Chicago even did him a solid by getting him a competent linemate in Taylor Hall. Although the team is still decently thin up front, we anticipate Bedard being able to drive offense all by himself.Hang tight everyone, we'll just have to wait a little longer for the Bedard era to officially begin in the Windy City.Keep an eye on:

The start of the new NHL season is a week away, with regular-season action beginning Oct. 10.We'll prep you for the lengthy 82-game campaign by previewing each of the four divisions from a betting perspective and evaluating what the odds say about each team's outlook.Let's start with the Atlantic Division.Futures oddsTeamStanley CupEastern Conf.Atlantic Div.Maple Leafs+900+550+175Bruins+1600+800+350Panthers+1800+900+400Lightning+2500+900+700Sabres+3500+1600+1000Senators+4000+2000+1000Red Wings+6000+3000+2500Canadiens+20000+8000+10000The betting market believes the Maple Leafs are the best team in the Atlantic, making them favorites to win the division at +175 (36.5% implied probability).Toronto changed its general manager but didn't make any other drastic overhauls to a roster that was bounced in disappointing fashion to the Panthers in the second round of last year's postseason. However, they did add some "snot" - as new GM Brad Treliving likes to call it - with the additions of Tyler Bertuzzi, Max Domi, and Ryan Reaves.Oddsmakers believe those changes are enough for the team to dethrone the reigning Presidents' Trophy-winning Bruins. Boston has some question marks this year after losing captain Patrice Bergeron and longtime centerman David Krejci to retirement. The Bruins were also upset by the 8-seed Panthers in the playoffs last year after setting an NHL record for most regular-season points.The Panthers appear to be the third-best team in this division based on the odds. They marched to the Stanley Cup Final last season before losing to the Golden Knights.To make the playoffsTeamYesNoMaple Leafs-700+425Bruins-300+220Panthers-220+170Lightning-145+115Sabres-110-120Senators-125-105Red Wings+230-320Canadiens+1300-3500The top three teams in the division are heavy favorites to make the playoffs. The Panthers at -220 (68.8% implied probability) have the worst chance of the trio, according to the betting market.Oddsmakers seem to believe the Lightning will take a step back in 2023-24. A 59.2% implied probability of making the playoffs is very low for a team that won two of the last four Stanley Cups. The loss of Andrei Vasilevskiy for two months due to back surgery may be a large reason why. However, given the experience of the Lightning's core, they have to be included as favorites to win the division.There's a gap in the odds of winning the division after the Lightning. The Sabres, Senators, and Red Wings are all trending in the right direction but may be a year or two away from contending with the Atlantic's top teams.It's worth noting the Senators have better odds of making the playoffs than the Sabres but worse odds of winning the Eastern Conference and Stanley Cup.After recording only 68 points last year and receiving the fifth pick in the 2023 draft, the betting market is expecting the Canadiens to struggle once again. Their +20000 odds of winning the Stanley Cup are ahead of only the Ducks, Coyotes, and Sharks.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Thatcher Demko saw his 2022-23 campaign derailed by a groin injury that almost required surgery, but the Vancouver Canucks goaltender believes he came out of the experience an improved player."It was really my first time being severely hurt like that," he said during a recent interview on the "Frankly Speaking" podcast. "I'd never really been hurt in the middle of a season and had so much time off rehabbing and then had to come back and try to find my game. It was a new experience for me, but it was one that I think builds your character."I'm definitely better off for it now, just mentally. If you can kinda come back through that, I think you can get back through anything. ... I feel really good."Prior to sustaining the ailment on Dec. 1, Demko was struggling to stay afloat despite coming off a successful 2021-22 campaign when he finished seventh in Vezina Trophy voting. He began to look more like himself upon his return almost three months later on Feb. 27.Date rangeGPSV%GAAGSAXOct. 12 - Dec. 115 (3-10-2).8833.93-11.35Feb. 27 - April 1117 (11-4-2).9182.529.86Demko said he "loved" where his game was at by the end of the season and was aiming to build on that progress in the summer.The Canucks will need him in tiptop shape to have any hope of accomplishing Demko's goal for the 2023-24 campaign: making the playoffs."We've come short of that the last few years. That's something that I know eats at the group. ... It's pretty obvious that it's time to step up," he said. "We know what the pressure is around the team and we know what the expectation is. I don't think anyone's backing down from that."The Canucks haven't made the playoffs since the bubble in 2020 when they fell to the Vegas Golden Knights in the second round. Vancouver finished a distant 12 points outside of the postseason picture in 2022-23.Demko, 27, owns a career .910 save percentage and 2.90 goals-against average in 168 appearances, all with the Canucks.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Dylan Cozens has sent a strong message to 31 other NHL teams ahead of the 2023-24 season: The Buffalo Sabres won't be pushed around."We're a young team and guys are going to try and take advantage of that, thinking we're soft or whatever, that we're not gonna fight back," the forward said Monday, according to the Buffalo News' Mike Harrington. "We know we have to show that we're not going to get bullied, and we stick up for each other."We're not scared of anyone, and we'll do whatever it takes to defend each other."Cozens offered a preview of his philosophy during a preseason game Saturday after Columbus Blue Jackets forward Dmitri Voronkov knocked down rookie goaltender Devon Levi. The 6-foot-3, 195-pound Cozens immediately rushed in to defend his netminder.

The Anaheim Ducks and star forward Trevor Zegras agreed to a three-year contract, the team announced Monday.Financial terms of the pact weren't disclosed, but the deal carries an annual cap hit of $5.75 million, according to Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman.Zegras wasn't with the Ducks through training camp or the preseason up to this point as the two sides negotiated. The 22-year-old became a restricted free agent this past offseason when his entry-level contract expired.Ducks RFA defenseman Jamie Drysdale is still unsigned with the regular season set to begin next week. Anaheim has approximately $10 million to work with after signing Zegras, according to CapFriendly.Zegras led the last-place Ducks in scoring last season with a career-high 65 points in 81 games. He also set personal bests in assists (42), even-strength goals (19), shots (184), and average ice time (18:50).Anaheim drafted Zegras ninth overall in 2019. He broke into the NHL toward the end of the 2020-21 campaign and was the runner-up for the Calder Trophy the following season. He's notched 139 points in 180 career games.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Last season, Connor McDavid claimed his third Hart Trophy - and in the most decisive fashion yet. He didn't just surpass everyone else; he blew them out of the water.McDavid scored more goals than anybody and, excluding teammate Leon Draisaitl, recorded 40 more points than the next-closest player.McDavid made a statement that the league is his and left no room for anybody to suggest otherwise.He rightfully enters this season as a heavy favorite to win another Hart Trophy. That being said, there isn't much value in laying a +100 price for him to do so.Let's examine a few players worth considering if you choose to dive into the Hart Trophy waters.Player OddsConnor McDavid+100Auston Matthews+1100Nathan MacKinnon+1100Matthew Tkachuk+1300Leon Draisaitl+1400Jack Hughes+1600David Pastrnak+2000Kirill Kaprizov+2000Nikita Kucherov+2200Cale Makar+3000Jason Robertson+3000Tage Thompson+3000Elias Pettersson+5000Mikko Rantanen+5000Sebastian Aho+6000Brady Tkachuk+7500Mitch Marner+7500Sidney Crosby+7500Jack Eichel+7500Leon Draisaitl (+1400)Draisaitl is the most productive player in the NHL outside of McDavid. He has only scored three fewer goals than No. 97 over the past three seasons and is nearly 60 points clear of Nathan MacKinnon, the closest non-Oiler to Draisaitl.He's a lethal finisher, the go-to shooter on a historically dominant power-play unit, and he carries a ridiculously large workload for a forward. Draisaitl doesn't even need to be that efficient to put up huge numbers because of how many minutes he plays seemingly every night.Just a few years ago, Draisaitl won a Hart Trophy despite playing on the same team as McDavid. It's hardly impossible to think he could do so again - especially if McDavid were to miss any time.Let's say McDavid misses 15 games, and Draisaitl leads the league in points while carrying the Oilers (as he and McDavid always do). I would think he'd be first in line to get the Hart Trophy, and the odds don't reflect that. At +1400, I think Draisaitl is a strong value.Jack Hughes (+1600)Hughes took the league by storm a season ago, producing at better than a 100-point pace. He did so despite spending much of the year on a line with Erik Haula - who couldn't finish anything for the majority of the season - and not getting a ton of help from a mediocre power play.The picture looks much brighter for Hughes in 2023-24. He'll play with some combination of Jesper Bratt, Tyler Toffoli, Timo Meier, and Dawson Mercer at even strength - he's starting out with the former two - and has a lot more talent around him on the man advantage.While Hughes has developed into a quality finisher, he didn't have a ton of shooting talent around him on the Devils to finish the chances he created. With 40-goal man Meier expected to be a fixture on the top power play, that should be much less of an issue.Hughes is one of the most puck-dominant players in the league. He plays on a very strong up-and-coming team and has a lethal supporting cast around him.If he could produce at a 100-plus-point pace in his age-21 season, it's exciting to think about what he can accomplish with another year under his belt and a better supporting cast around him.Nikita Kucherov (+2200)Kucherov is a dark horse I really like. He's averaged 116 points per 82 games the past two seasons, which is about the best production clip you can expect from someone not named McDavid or Draisaitl.With goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy set to miss at least a couple of months, the Lightning are going to need to score a lot of goals to stay afloat. Simply put, Jonas Johansson and his career .887 save percentage isn't going to be good enough for the Lightning to grind out low-scoring wins.I expect a heavy workload for Kucherov as Jon Cooper looks to squeeze every bit of juice he can possibly get from the offense.If the Lightning remain a playoff team despite missing one of their key cogs for a healthy chunk of the season, Kucherov is going to play a big part - and no doubt get a lot of attention as a result.Todd Cordell is a sports betting writer at theScore. Be sure to follow him on Twitter @ToddCordell.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The top of the 2024 NHL draft class is sure to include plenty of prospects who have yet to introduce themselves to the hockey world on a big stage.It's a notable difference from the previous two entry drafts. Both Shane Wright and Connor Bedard were known commodities at the start of their draft years as players whom Hockey Canada granted exceptional status.Unlike last year's draft, where a generational prospect in Bedard and a plethora of forward talent were available, this year's crop lacks the star power at the top of the class and should include a slew of defensemen projected to go early after a trio of forwards.Here are 11 prospects to keep an eye on entering the 2024 draft year.Macklin Celebrini, C2022-23 StatsGPGAPTSChicago (USHL)50464086 Eurasia Sport Images / Getty Images Sport / GettyCelebrini, a forward from Boston University, is the preseason favorite to go first overall next June.The Vancouver native decimated the USHL last season, winning Rookie and Player of the Year as a member of the Chicago Steel, and he makes the jump to the NCAA this fall.Expectations are high for Celebrini after Adam Fantilli's superb freshman campaign last season at Michigan. As a 17-year-old with the Steel in 2021-22, Fantilli scored 74 points in 54 games. Celebrini, at age 16, exceeded that with 86 in 50.Celebrini followed up his excellent USHL performance by leading Team Canada in scoring at the U18s with 15 points in seven contests. He did so on a roster that featured three forwards taken in the first round of the 2023 draft.He ticks the boxes of a future top-line center. Celebrini is well-rounded at both ends and combines high intelligence with superb puck skills. He's listed at a sturdy 6-feet and 190 pounds as well. It's a recipe that will make him difficult to bump from the top spot.Cole Eiserman, LW2022-23 StatsGPGAPTSU.S. NTDP (USHL)32281644The biggest challenger for Celebrini's top spot is American sharpshooter Eiserman.Once a teammate of Celebrini at Shattuck St. Mary's, Eiserman joined the U.S. National Team Development Program last season and immediately showcased his remarkable shooting talent. Tallying 69 goals in 62 total games, he blew past the NTDP's previous Under-17 single-season goal record of 54 set by Cole Caufield.Eiserman will be gunning for the all-time record - 72, also set by Caufield - this season.He scored nine goals at the U18s in the spring to match 2023 fourth overall pick Will Smith for the tournament lead.Eiserman's tantalizing ability to put the puck in the net makes him such an intriguing talent at the top of the class. He'll have to showcase more than just his shot if he's going to surpass Celebrini to the top spot in 2024, though.Ivan Demidov, RW2022-23 StatsGPGAPTSSKA-1946 (MHL)41194362If there's a player who can disrupt the duo at the top, it's Demidov.The Russian possesses jaw-dropping skill, which was on full display last season in the MHL. The only player to score at a higher rate before their draft year in the league's history is Philadelphia Flyers prospect Matvei Michkov, who tallied 51 points in 28 MHL games two years ago.Demidov isn't quite at Michkov's level, but there are also fewer questions about his long-term status. Demidov's KHL contract expires after the 2024-25 season, just one year after next summer's draft. Michkov, meanwhile, will remain signed for another season after that.Waiting just one year post-draft to bring Demidov to North America instead of the three the Flyers have to wait for Michkov is significant. Don't anticipate Demidov to slide down the board in the same way Michkov did.Artyom Levshunov, RHD2022-23 StatsGPGAPTSGreen Bay (USHL)62132942The Mighty Ducks of Anaheim drafted Ruslan Salei ninth overall in 1996, and the rearguard has been the highest-drafted Belarussian since.That could change in 2024. Levshunov, a 6-foot-2, right-shot blue-liner impressed last season after making the jump from Belarus to North America in the USHL. He earned All-Rookie Team honors and landed on the Third All-Star Team as well.Levshunov joins Adam Nightingale's rapidly improving Michigan State program this fall. He has NHL size and showcased exciting offensive potential in his maiden North American campaign.If he can hold his own defensively in the NCAA while producing points in the Big Ten, he'll be a strong candidate to be the first defenseman off the board in June.Berkly Catton, C2022-23 StatsGPGAPTSSpokane (WHL)63233255Catton leads the way out West following an impressive showing at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup.As captain of the Canadian squad, Catton scored a tournament-high eight goals and 10 points in five games, leading his nation to the gold medal in August.Catton's listed at a slight 5-foot-11 and 163 pounds, but the Saskatoon native makes up for his lack of weight with his immense offensive talent. He's already off to a flying start in the WHL with the Spokane Chiefs, and a 100-point campaign isn't out of the question.Beginning the year as the No. 2 center available behind Celebrini, Catton will have a chance to solidify a place in the top five and be the first CHLer to hear his name called.Sam Dickinson, LHD2022-23 StatsGPGAPTSLondon (OHL)6291423 Dennis Pajot / Getty Images Sport / GettyDickinson's the latest top prospect to come through the London Knights.The Toronto native played his way into a top-four role on a good Knights team last season - no easy feat for a 16-year-old. He excelled in the postseason, posting eight points and a plus-12 rating in 21 contests.With Montreal Canadiens prospect Logan Mailloux graduating to the professional ranks, Dickinson will not only see more responsibility at even strength but will also take on a much greater role on the man advantage. Expect a significant jump from the 23 points he put up a year ago.Dickinson's tools are obvious. He's listed at 6-foot-3, skates very well, and moves the puck just as effectively. He has all the makings of a minute-munching top-four defenseman.Konsta Helenius, C2022-23 StatsGPGAPTSJukurit (Liiga)333811Finland hasn't produced a top-10 pick since the New York Rangers took Kaapo Kakko second overall in 2019. That looks set to change with two candidates in 2024.Helenius demolished the Finnish junior league last season, producing at a rate slightly better than Kakko at the same age, albeit in half the games.His performance earned him a spot in the top Finnish men's league after returning from the World Under-17 Hockey Challenge in November. Helenius finished the campaign with 33 games in Liiga, a total that hasn't been reached by a 16-year-old in the league since the 1970s.Already featuring as a top-six center in a men's league, Helenius will challenge Catton to be the second pivot off of the board should he take another step with Jukurit.Aron Kiviharju, LHD2022-23 Stats GP G A PTSTPS (Liiga)21033Kiviharju was one of the first 2024 draft-eligible prospects to pop up on the radar. He's dominated the Finnish junior ranks, but after struggling in his first stint at the pro level, his stock has fallen behind others at the top of the class.He's already played at two U18s and has matched Miro Heiskanen's record of 13 career points by a Finnish defenseman at the event. Kiviharju's done so in fewer games, and if he plays at a third U18s in the spring, he'll blow past that mark.Despite his success at the junior level and internationally, he had a disappointing season overall, which led to him being cut from Finland's world junior squad. He failed to make an impact in Liiga, which resulted in him moving to a new team.After years in the TPS system, Kiviharju moves to HIFK for his draft year - the same team that developed Heiskanen into a No. 3 pick in 2017. Kiviharju doesn't have the same physical traits as the Dallas rearguard - he's listed at just 5-foot-10 and 165 pounds - but has outproduced Heiskanen at each level so far.If Kiviharju figures it out with HIFK, there's a good chance he can vault himself back up the board and into the conversation to be the top blue-liner in the class.Anton Silayev, LHD2022-23 Stats GP G A PTSNovgorod (MHL)41268To say that Silayev has burst onto the scene as a potential top pick in the draft would be an understatement.After scoring only eight points in the Russian junior league last season, the defenseman has already tallied six points in the KHL early in the campaign. His output would be impressive for a forward, let alone a blue-liner.Silayev is listed at 6-foot-7 and 207 pounds, and he's mobile too. There are kinks to be worked out with his puck-handling and decision-making, but the tools are clear as day.Considering 6-foot-6 Dmitry Simashev went sixth overall after going without a point in 18 KHL contests a year ago, it's likely we'll hear Silayev's name called very early if he maintains his spot in the KHL.Adam Jiricek, RHD2022-23 Stats GP G A PTSPlzen U20 (Czechia)41121729The younger brother of Columbus Blue Jackets prospect David Jiricek, Adam ticks a lot of the same boxes.Just like David - who was taken sixth overall in 2022 and appeared in four NHL games last season - Adam is a right-shot blue-liner with an impressive frame at 6-foot-2. He plays an aggressive style and has the makings of a two-way force.We got a glimpse of Jiricek's potential in the Hlinka Gretzky Cup gold-medal game, where he logged 32:07 against Canada's best before Czechia lost in the dying seconds of the first overtime period.He's expected to make the full-time jump to the Czech pro league this season with HC Plzen and should feature in a prominent role at the world juniors.Cole Hutson, LHD2022-23 Stats GP G A PTSU.S. NTDP (USHL)3242125 Eurasia Sport Images / Getty Images Sport / GettyJiricek isn't the only top-ranked defense prospect in the 2024 class with a familiar surname.Cole Hutson - the younger brother of Canadiens prospect and Boston University phenom Lane - bears a resemblance to his older sibling as well.Listed at 5-foot-10, Cole was more productive than Lane at the same age with the NTDP and possesses similar exhilarating skating and puck skills that have made the elder Hutson a hot topic in the prospect sphere over the past year.Despite the high-octane offensive game Lane played at the NTDP, he still dropped to the end of the second round in the 2022 draft. It's highly unlikely teams make the same mistake with the third Hutson brother, especially if he exceeds Lane's totals from the 2021-22 campaign.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Veteran NHL forward Brandon Sutter announced his retirement from hockey on Sunday.Sutter spent training camp on a professional tryout with the Edmonton Oilers, but he was released from that opportunity before hanging up his skates."I'm grateful for the opportunity that Ken (Holland), Jay (Woodcroft) and the Oilers organization have provided to me the past few weeks," Sutter said. "You need to be 100% healthy to compete in the NHL, and although my health continues to improve, in consideration of my health and family, I am officially retiring from hockey."Thank you to the Oilers, Canucks, Penguins, and Hurricanes, as well as all my past coaches, trainers, and teammates for the incredible experiences throughout my 13 seasons in the NHL."Sutter hadn't played in the NHL since the 2020-21 campaign with the Canucks due to long-term COVID symptoms.The son of former NHL player and coach Brent Sutter, Brandon was drafted 11th overall by the Hurricanes in 2007. He spent his first four seasons in Carolina and enjoyed his most productive campaign with the club in 2009-10 with 21 goals and 40 points.Sutter was traded to the Penguins in 2012 as part of the deal that sent Jordan Staal to the Hurricanes. He played three years in Pittsburgh until he was shipped to Vancouver in 2015.The 34-year-old garnered a reputation as a defensive-minded center throughout his career. He received down-ballot Selke Trophy votes twice, finishing as high as 20th in 2011-12. He also finished as high as 11th in Lady Byng voting in 2012-13.Sutter tallied 289 points in 770 career NHL games.On the international stage, Sutter won a gold medal with Canada at the 2008 world juniors.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.