The Anaheim Ducks claimed defenseman Lassi Thomson off waivers Sunday.Thomson, 23, was selected 19th overall by the Ottawa Senators in the 2019 draft. The right-shot blue-liner recorded five assists in 18 games over two seasons in Ottawa.Last year, Thomson tallied seven goals and 33 points in 56 contests with the AHL's Belleville Senators.The Finnish rearguard joins a Ducks back end that already features new additions on the right side in Radko Gudas and Ilya Lyubushkin. Right-shot defender Jamie Drysdale remains without a contract as a restricted free agent.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

This year's rookie class is loaded with as much depth and high-end talent as any in recent memory.Connor Bedard is rightfully the heavy favorite to take home the Calder. But there isn't a ton of value in backing the young phenom since there are a lot of other quality rookies in this class, and considering one unlucky injury could take the Blackhawks center out of the race.With that in mind, let's look at a few rookies worth considering beyond Bedard.Player OddsConnor Bedard-130Luke Hughes+700Logan Cooley+1000Adam Fantilli+1200Devon Levi+1200Matthew Knies+2200Leo Carlsson+3000Brandt Clarke+3500Shane Wright+3500Luke Evangelista+3500Simon Edvinsson+4000Jakob Pelletier+4000Dustin Wolf+5000Simon Nemec+5000Note: Only listed players 50/1 or shorter.Logan Cooley (+1000)There's a lot to love with Cooley. He's a supremely talented center who should take on a huge role with the Coyotes from the word go. For years, Arizona has lacked talent down the middle and a dynamic center who can break a game open on any given shift. Cooley is that guy. He's an exceptional playmaker who possesses great hands in tight and a dangerous shot.He'll be a staple in the top six, and it's not as if the Coyotes are devoid of talent around him. He should play with some combination of Clayton Keller, Jason Zucker, Nick Schmaltz, and former Canadian world junior standout Dylan Guenther on any given shift. Cooley will also skate on the top power play and no doubt do a lot of the facilitating.Arizona may be flawed defensively, but its offense - at least at the top of the lineup - is legitimately good. Cooley is going to play a lot of minutes and put up a lot of points in his debut campaign.Adam Fantilli (+1200)Fantilli is in a very similar situation to Cooley. He's coming off an absolutely dominant season in college hockey and is stepping onto a roster where he should get all the opportunity in the world.Much like the Coyotes, the Blue Jackets have long lacked a dynamic, top-tier center. They have some useful pieces like Boone Jenner and Jack Roslovic to take some of the load off Fantilli, but those guys don't carry anywhere close to the same explosiveness and upside - even at this stage in Fantilli's career.With the likes of Patrik Laine, Johnny Gaudreau, and Zach Werenski on the roster, the Jackets have the pieces to score goals in bunches on the power play. Fantilli is expected to skate on that top unit, which will give him a very high floor and ceiling for production.Brandt Clarke (+3500)Clarke is a very smart and talented offensive defenseman who just put up two - yes, two - points per game with the OHL's Barrie Colts after the Kings returned him to junior.Clarke is unlikely to quarterback the top power play as long as Drew Doughty is available. Still, the 20-year-old should play a meaningful role at even strength and skate on PP2.I expect Clarke to post strong on-ice metrics while chipping in with his share of points and forcing the team into giving him a larger role as the season progresses.Although he's unlikely to produce enough points to unseat Bedard, Cooley, Fantilli, or some of the ridiculously talented forwards, I see Clarke as a very discounted Luke Hughes.They're both high draft picks, extremely talented, playing for very good teams, and (likely) not getting top power-play time barring injury to big-ticket blue-liners (Dougie Hamilton in N.J., Doughty in L.A.).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.

Welcome to theScore's 2023-24 fantasy hockey rankings.Yahoo uses hits in standard head-to-head leagues and blocks in standard head-to-head points leagues, so we're factoring both stats into our rankings.Here's what we're including.SkatersGoaliesGWAGAAPPPSV%SOGSavesPlus/minusSOHitsBlocksThese rankings are based on 12-team leagues and factor in positional value. The value of certain positions can change depending on the size of the league. Positional eligibility is courtesy of Yahoo.RankPlayerPosition1Connor McDavidC2Auston MatthewsC3Leon DraisaitlC/LW4Nathan MacKinnonC5Matthew TkachukLW/RW6Cale MakarD7David PastrnakRW8Brady TkachukLW9Rasmus DahlinD10Mikko RantanenRW11Jason RobertsonLW12Timo MeierLW/RW13Igor ShesterkinG14Ilya SorokinG15Jake OettingerG16Alex OvechkinLW17Kirill KaprizovLW18Nikita KucherovRW19Roman JosiD20Connor HellebuyckG21Jack HughesC/LW22Evan BouchardD23Adam FoxD24Andrei SvechnikovLW/RW25Elias PetterssonC26Aleksander BarkovC27Tim StutzleC/LW28Miro HeiskanenD39Juuse SarosG30Alexandar GeorgievG31Moritz SeiderD32Mika ZibanejadC33Tage ThompsonC34J.T. MillerC/RW35Mitch MarnerRW36Erik KarlssonD37Jack EichelC38Sidney CrosbyC39Matt BoldyLW/RW40Charlie McAvoyD41Dougie HamiltonD42William NylanderRW43John TavaresC44Brad MarchandLW45Artemi PanarinLW46Linus UllmarkG47Filip GustavssonG48Roope HintzC49Filip ForsbergLW50Chris KreiderLW51Alex TuchRW52Sebastian AhoC53Steven StamkosC/LW54Stuart SkinnerG55Tristan JarryG56Josh MorrisseyD57Mikhail SergachevD58Kyle ConnorLW59Frederik AndersenG60Ilya SamsonovG61Zach HymanLW/RW62Ryan Nugent-HopkinsC/LW63Vitek VanecekG64Akira SchmidG65Adin HillG66Logan ThompsonG67Alex PietrangeloD68Victor HedmanD69Alex DeBrincatLW/RW70John CarlsonD71Brayden PointC72Evander KaneLW73Patrik LaineLW/RW74Carter VerhaegheC/LW75Kris LetangD76Drake BathersonRW77Kevin FialaLW78Quinn HughesD79Martin NecasC/RW80Morgan RiellyD81Thatcher DemkoG82Jacob MarkstromG83Connor BedardC84Brent BurnsD85Joe PavelskiC/RW86Mark StoneRW87Joel Eriksson EkC88Jake DeBruskLW/RW89Evgeni MalkinC90Devon ToewsD91Darcy KuemperG92Jeremy SwaymanG93Joonas KorpisaloG94Shea TheodoreD95Adrian KempeC/RW96Pavel BuchnevichC/LW97Pierre-Luc DuboisC/LW98Jacob TroubaD99Elias LindholmC100Darnell NurseD101Tom WilsonRW102Jakob ChychrunD103Thomas ChabotD104Jake GuentzelLW105Andrei VasilevskiyG106Bo HorvatC107Jonathan HuberdeauLW108Noah DobsonD109Travis KonecnyRW110Valeri NichushkinLW/RW111Sam ReinhartC/RW112Nico HischierC113Jamie BennLW114Nikolaj EhlersLW115Rasmus AnderssonD116Jared McCannLW117Jesper BrattLW/RW118Dylan LarkinC119Mark ScheifeleC120Cole CaufieldLW/RW121Artturi LehkonenLW122Jonathan MarchessaultRW123Tyler BertuzziLW124Mathew BarzalC/RW125Rickard RakellRW126Drew DoughtyD127Cam TalbotG128Seth JonesD129Zach WerenskiD130Philipp GrubauerG131Vincent TrocheckC132Johnny GaudreauLW133Clayton KellerLW/RW134Tanner JeannotLW135Vince DunnD136Sam BennettC137Carter HartG138Spencer KnightG139Sergei BobrovskyG140Pheonix CopleyG141Claude GirouxC/RW142Jeff SkinnerLW143Dylan CozensC144Mats ZuccarelloRW145Dmitry OrlovD146MacKenzie WeegarD147Seth JarvisC/RW148Jordan KyrouC/RW149Brandon HagelLW150Sean DurziD151Hampus LindholmD152Devon LeviG153Ville HussoG154K'Andre MillerD155Ivan BarbashevC/LW156Owen TippettRW157Matty BeniersC158Nazem KadriC159Logan CoutureC160Brandt ClarkeD161Tomas HertlC162Trevor ZegrasC163Josh NorrisC164Vladimir TarasenkoRW165David PerronLW/RW166Marc-Andre FleuryG167Troy TerryRW168Justin FaulkD169Bowen ByramD170Anze KopitarC171Bryan RustRW172Nino NiederreiterRW173Mattias EkholmD174Nick SchmaltzC/RW175Elvis MerzlikinsG176Jordan BinningtonG177Tyler ToffoliRW178Brayden SchennC/LW179Anders LeeLW180Gustav ForslingD181Pavel ZachaC182Neal PionkD183Chandler StephensonC184Viktor ArvidssonLW/RW185Andre BurakovskyLW/RW186Ryan HartmanC/RW187Taylor HallLW188Brandon MontourD189Luke HughesD190Karel VejmelkaG191John GibsonG192Matt DucheneC/RW193John KlingbergD194Lucas RaymondLW/RW195Robert ThomasC196Dawson MercerC/RW197Andrei KuzmenkoLW198Owen PowerD199Jake SandersonD200Brock NelsonC201Gabriel VilardiC202Aaron EkbladD203Nick SuzukiC204Noah HanifinD205Andrew MangiapaneLW/RW206T.J. OshieRW207Reilly SmithLW/RW208Filip HronekD209Eeli TolvanenRW210Lawson CrouseLW/RW211Radko GudasD212Luke SchennD213Teuvo TeravainenLW/RW214Torey KrugD215Brock BoeserRW216Logan CooleyC217Quinton ByfieldC218Anton LundellC219William EklundC/LW220Alexis LafreniereLW221Matthew KniesLW222Sean CouturierC223Tyler SeguinC/RW224Michael BuntingLW225Anthony DuclairLW226Jason ZuckerLW227Samuel GirardD228Jakub VranaLW229Boone JennerC/LW230Oliver BjorkstrandRW231Phillip DanaultC232Trevor MooreLW233Cody GlassC234Mason MarchmentLW235Anthony BeauvillierLW/RW236Brandon TanevLW237Mason McTavishC/LW238Rasmus SandinD239Wyatt JohnstonC240Adam FantilliC241Calen AddisonD242Cam FowlerD243Cam YorkD244Connor BrownRW245Kaapo KakkoRW246Cole PerfettiC247Evgeny KuznetsovC248Kirby DachC249Jack CampbellG250Patrick KaneRWJosh Wegman has been theScore's resident fantasy hockey expert since 2015. Find him on X @JoshWegman_.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Calgary Flames vice president of hockey operations and assistant general manager Chris Snow died Saturday after a lengthy battle with ALS. He was 42."Today we hugged Chris for the last time and said goodbye as he went to give four people the gift of life by donating his kidneys, liver and lungs," Snow's wife, Kelsie, wrote on social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter. "We are deeply broken and deeply proud. In life and in death, Chris never stopped giving. We walk forward with his light guiding us."Snow was diagnosed with ALS in 2019. His father, two uncles, and cousin also died of the disease, according to The Canadian Press.Snow continued to work for the Flames after his diagnosis despite his health challenges.He was a sportswriter before he became a hockey executive. He and Kelsie met while they were both working in the sports department at the Boston Globe, and the couple married in 2007. The Minnesota Wild hired him as their director of hockey operations one year earlier.The Flames brought him in as director of hockey analysis in 2011, and promoted him to assistant GM eight years later. Snow was then elevated to vice president in May when Craig Conroy took over as GM."Chris was my friend," Conroy wrote in a statement. "He taught us all so much by how he confronted ALS with grace, positivity, and hope. ... He fought with courage and determination for every day he had with Kelsie, (and children) Cohen and Willa, making countless memories with them over these past five years."We will never replace a person like Chris; we simply pay tribute to him by moving forward with the same passion that he brought to his life each day."

Forward Shane Pinto and the Ottawa Senators aren't close to a new contract more than a week into the preseason, Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman reports.The Senators recently offered Pinto a contract in the one-year, $1-million range, sources told Friedman. The player is reportedly looking for a deal around $2.5 million.General manager Pierre Dorion indicated the team hoped to sign Pinto prior to the start of training camp earlier in September.Ottawa has significant leverage in negotiations with Pinto. The 22-year-old is a restricted free agent without arbitration rights. He's also not eligible for an offer sheet due to a lack of pro seasons.Pinto tallied 20 goals and 35 points in 82 games last season with the Senators. He was named Rookie of the Month for October after a hot start to the campaign, scoring six goals in eight contests.A shoulder injury limited Pinto to five games in the 2021-22 season.Ottawa has $120,953 in projected cap space with a 21-man roster, according to CapFriendly.The Senators drafted Pinto with the first pick of the second round in 2019.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Anaheim Ducks forward Alex Killorn is expected to miss four-to-six weeks after sustaining a fractured finger in preseason action against the San Jose Sharks, the team announced Saturday.The Ducks signed Killorn to a four-year, $25-million contract on the opening day of free agency in July.The 34-year-old scored a career-high 27 goals and 64 points last season with the Tampa Bay Lightning. Killorn hasn't missed a game since the 2019-20 campaign.Killorn's lined up alongside 2023 second overall pick Leo Carlsson throughout Ducks training camp.Anaheim's already without Isac Lundestrom to start the season, and the team has yet to sign restricted free agents Trevor Zegras and Jamie Drysdale.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

NHL teams' offensive attacks seem to get scarier and scarier every year, so we're going through the six lines we think will be the most lethal in 2023-24.For this edition of the exercise, we focused solely on lines we expect to be consistent trios with a high chance of getting substantial ice time together. There are some new lines featured here, but each one includes an established duo from the 2022-23 campaign.With that out of the way, let's get to it.Statistics guide:

The Minnesota Wild inked forwards Mats Zuccarello and Marcus Foligno to new deals Friday.Zuccarello agreed to a two-year contract extension with an average annual value of $4.125 million, the team announced. Several hours later, Foligno re-upped on a four-year pact at $4 million annually.The Norweigan had one year left on a contract signed in 2019 that carries a $6-million cap hit. He'll be 38 years old at the expiration of his new deal, which includes a no-move clause in both years, according to the Star Tribune's Sarah McLellan.Zuccarello tallied 22 goals and 67 points in 78 games last season to rank second on the Wild in scoring. His 20:12 average time on ice was the highest mark of his 13-year career. Since joining the Wild in 2019, he's produced 72 goals and 218 points in 255 contests. He leads the team in assists with 146 over this span.The veteran has had a career resurgence since the arrival of Kirill Kaprizov in the abbreviated 2021 campaign. After scoring just 37 points in 65 games the previous season, Zuccarello has recorded 181 in 190 since Kaprizov's debut. The duo has played over 2,200 minutes at five-on-five in three seasons, and Minnesota has outscored the opposition 119-86 in that time, according to Natural Stat Trick.Foligno is entering the final season of a three-year contract carrying an AAV of $3.1 million. He turned 32 in August.The Buffalo-born winger has played six seasons with the Wild after suiting up for the same number of campaigns with the Sabres, who drafted him 104th overall in 2009. Foligno isn't known for his offense, but he established career highs with 23 goals and 19 assists over 74 games in 2021-22.Foligno leads Minnesota in hits while ranking fourth in goals and games played since he joined the team.The Wild have $71 million in cap commitments for the 2024-25 season after the signings, according to CapFriendly.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Tampa Bay Lightning have a goalie problem. All-world netminder Andrei Vasilevskiy will miss approximately two months after having back surgery. That leaves 28-year-old backup Jonas Johansson alone to weather the storm until Vasilevskiy can return.Johansson's NHL career has not been promising to this point - he owns an .887 save percentage in 35 appearances across four seasons. But it's much less inspiring behind him. There's 22-year-old prospect Hugo Alnefelt and 29-year-old journeyman Matt Tomkins, who've combined to make seven career NHL saves.The Lightning won't be going big-game hunting to find a Vasilevskiy replacement. The netminder's $9.5-million cap hit can be placed on LTIR while he's out, but the team will need that space for when he's back. So the Bolts, who are extremely close to the cap, will have to scrape the bottom of the bargain bin to find someone to pair with Johansson in the meantime.The ideal candidate brings NHL experience, the ability to be somewhat competent, and as low a salary as possible - ideally around $1 million or less. Below, we present our most realistic options.Editor's note: The Columbus Blue Jackets claimed Spencer Martin on Friday.Brian Elliott, free agent Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / GettyBringing back Elliott makes sense. He spent the last two seasons as Vasilevskiy's backup, so he'd be a familiar face in the room, and he's familiar with the Lightning's defensive system. The former William M. Jennings Trophy winner also brings 543 games of NHL experience and was a high-level starter earlier in his career. As an unrestricted free agent, the Lightning don't have to give up assets to get him, and he'd likely come in for the league minimum if he's willing to play another year.On the downside, there's a reason Elliott remains unsigned. He's 38 years old and coming off a down season in which he posted an .891 save percentage in 22 games. It's also unclear what kind of game shape he's in after failing to latch on to an NHL training camp. But it's worth a phone call at the very least.Jaroslav Halak, free agent Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / GettyHalak is in a similar situation as Elliott. As a free agent, he'd likely be happy to sign for the league minimum - especially to join a Cup contender. But he's also 38 years old.While he doesn't share the same familiarity with the organization, he's been a better goalie in recent years. The two-time Jennings winner recorded a .903 save percentage and stopped 4.04 goals above expected in 25 games as Igor Shesterkin's backup with the Rangers a year ago.Sam Montembeault/Cayden Primeau, Canadiens Francois Lacasse / National Hockey League / GettyMontreal has three intriguing goalies on their roster. Jake Allen is the best of the bunch, but his $3.85-million cap hit is too rich for the Lightning to take on.However, Montembeault, 26, could be available via trade. He only carries a $1-million cap hit and was stellar for the Habs last season in 40 games. His .901 save percentage wasn't overly pretty, but he stopped 16.78 goals above expected - the 13th-best among NHL goalies.And then there's Primeau, who has not performed as well in limited NHL opportunities (.871 save percentage in 21 games), but he's only 24 and has been decent in the AHL. And he only carries an $890,000 cap hit for the next two years. If the Habs don't want to carry three goalies, they could risk losing him for nothing on waivers.Flipping Montembeault or Primeau for a minor asset may be the best option for the rebuilding Canadiens.Anthony Stolarz, Panthers Norm Hall / National Hockey League / GettySpencer Knight appears ready to return to the NHL after entering the player assistance program last season. With Sergei Bobrovsky still under contract in Florida, Stolarz would be the odd man out. At $1.1 million, the 29-year-old is the highest-paid goalie on this list.The Panthers likely wouldn't trade him to a division rival, but they'll have to subject him to waivers unless they plan to keep three goalies in the fold. Brandon Montour and Aaron Ekblad are both likely headed for LTIR to begin the year, so cap room wouldn't be an issue in that decision.The Lightning are 20th in the NHL's waiver priority order, so there'd be no guarantee Stolarz would make it to them in that circumstance. But the Bolts would likely be thrilled if he did.Stolarz, who's massive at 6-foot-6 and 243 pounds, has been one of the league's best backups over the last two seasons. With the basement-dwelling Ducks, he posted a .909 save percentage and 6.78 goals saved above expected across 47 games.Martin Jones, Maple Leafs Derek Cain / Getty Images Sport / GettyJones' only path to the Leafs' opening night lineup is an injury to either Ilya Samonsov or Joseph Woll. If that duo stays healthy, Jones is likely bound for waivers. As it stands, he's on a one-year deal with a $875,000 cap hit.The 33-year-old has been one of the NHL's worst goalies in recent years: Jones posted an .886 save percentage in 48 games with the Kraken last year. But, he was once a quality starter with the San Jose Sharks, which could be attractive for the Bolts.Like Florida, Toronto probably wouldn't trade their No. 3 goalie to the Lightning to help out a rival, but the Bolts could possibly pluck the veteran netminder off of waivers.Alex Lyon, Red Wings Eliot J. Schechter / National Hockey League / GettyThe Panthers wouldn't have gone on their improbable Stanley Cup Final run without Lyon. He was lights out down the stretch to get them into the playoffs, starting in the club's final eight games of the regular season to collect a 6-1-1 record and a .943 save percentage.That's obviously a small sample size, and Lyon came down to earth in the playoffs, allowing Bobrovsky to retain the No. 1 job. The 30-year-old signed a two-year deal with a $900,000 cap hit with Detroit in the offseason, but the Red Wings could expose him to waivers if he loses the backup goalie battle to James Reimer.Alex Stalock, Ducks Derek Cain / Getty Images Sport / GettyStalock was one of the NHL's best stories last season. He was limited to just one game across the 2020-21 and 2021-22 campaigns due to a myocarditis diagnosis, but he bounced back with a .908 save percentage in 27 games with the lowly Blackhawks a year ago, earning a Bill Masterton Trophy nomination.The 35-year-old signed a one-year, $800,000 deal with Anaheim over the summer. But if the club wants to keep 23-year-old Lukas Dostal as John Gibson's backup to begin the year, it's possible Stalock could end up on waivers.Louis Domingue, Rangers Joe Sargent / National Hockey League / GettyDomingue is best remembered for his spicy pork and broccoli-fueled heroics in Game 1 of Round 1 of the 2022 playoffs. In a relief appearance, he helped the Penguins beat the Rangers by stopping all 17 shots he faced to secure the win in triple OT. But he's a legitimate and familiar option.The Rangers signed Jonathan Quick to be Shesterkin's backup, so Domingue and his $775,000 cap hit will likely be exposed to waivers.The 31-year-old spent parts of three seasons in the Lightning organization, serving as Vasilevskiy's primary backup from 2017-19. He owns a respectable .905 save percentage in 142 career NHL games.Spencer Martin, Canucks Jonathan Kozub / National Hockey League / GettyMartin could've been a member of the Lightning as early as 2 p.m. ET on Friday, as he was placed on waivers by Vancouver on Thursday. He struggled with the Canucks last season, sporting an .871 save percentage in 29 games. But, on the bright side, he's only 28 years old and carries a cap hit below the league minimum at $762,500.(Cap source: CapFriendly)

New York Rangers goaltender Igor Shesterkin is embracing a happier approach to the upcoming season after a self-proclaimed poor attitude hindered his performance in 2022-23."I just want to be positive every day because last season I was so mad at myself because I didn't play like I want," Shesterkin told NHL.com's Dan Rosen. "I hope this season will be the other way, and I will be more happy and enjoy more to talk with you guys."Shesterkin was among the league's top netminders last season with 37 wins and a .916 save percentage. However, it was a notable step back from his dominant Vezina-winning 2021-22 campaign when he led the NHL in save percentage (.935), goals against average (2.07), and goals saved above average (44.9).The 27-year-old admitted he had difficulty handling the regression."Oh yeah, I was too hard on myself, for sure," Shesterkin said. "I think you remember how I was every practice, so mad, and I didn't want to talk too much with anybody except my family."He added: "I don't need to think about anything, just make a push, stop, and be focused, but last season, I just started thinking too much before a shot, before a pass, and I made the first move. It's easier for forwards to score."The Rangers finished third in the Metropolitan Division last campaign with 107 points before surrendering a 2-0 series lead to the New Jersey Devils in the opening round of the playoffs. Shesterkin managed a .931 save percentage over the seven-game series.The deflating elimination prompted the club to fire head coach Gerard Gallant and replace him with Peter Laviolette.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

There's a 13-second video of Chris Snow that, in its simplicity, reveals a lot about a man whose heartbreaking and inspirational battle with ALS will leave a lasting impact.Four years into his fight, Snow, the vice president of hockey operations and assistant general manager for the Calgary Flames, is seen checking a chore off the to-do list."Chris has almost no use of his hands and arms, but here he is today, mowing the lawn after he got home from work. Where there's a will ..." Snow's wife, Kelsie, wrote as she shared the video on X, previously Twitter, on July 20.

The Ottawa Senators hired Steve Staios as president of hockey operations, the team announced Friday.Staios resigned from his position as a special assistant to the general manager with the Edmonton Oilers in order to join Ottawa.The 50-year-old spent seven seasons with new Senators owner Michael Andlauer with the OHL's Hamilton Bulldogs from 2015-22. As the team's president and general manager, Staios won two OHL titles and was named the league's best GM in his final season with the Bulldogs."I'm so excited that Steve is joining me in Ottawa to lead our hockey operations," Andlauer said in a statement. "I have worked with Steve for many years and know first-hand that he will strengthen our team with his hockey acumen, attention to detail, commitment to excellence, and enthusiasm for the game and its players."Staios joins GM Pierre Dorion to oversee the Senators' hockey operations department."In hockey, you can never accumulate too much talent," Andlauer said. "Having Steve and Pierre leading our hockey department gives us a formidable team."Staios is Andlauer's first major hire after he completed his purchase of the Senators earlier in September.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Just because an NHL team is good doesn't mean it's exciting to watch, and vice versa. Several clubs that made the Stanley Cup Playoffs last season wound up in the bottom 16 of this series, and there's more than one squad in the top 16 that might very well miss out on the postseason.That's why it's important to remember the distinction between a great team and a genuinely entertaining one. This isn't like a typical power rankings that evaluates the strength of each club in relation to one another. It's entirely about how appealing the squads are and how much they make the average viewer put down what they're doing and turn on the game.Here's who we consider the 16 most watchable NHL teams as we approach the start of the upcoming campaign:16. Chicago BlackhawksThe rebuilding Blackhawks would have no business being in the top 16 if not for a certain No. 1 overall pick. Fans will surely tune in just to watch Connor Bedard, even if Chicago loses more often than not. He's dominated at every level - including internationally - so it won't be surprising if he justifies the hype sooner rather than later.15. Buffalo SabresLooking for a team that's sure to be fun even if they don't make the playoffs? Look no further. Highly touted goaltending prospect Devon Levi is primed to take the reins behind a gifted Sabres core featuring Tage Thompson, Rasmus Dahlin, Dylan Cozens, and Calder Trophy finalist Owen Power. Buffalo may still experience some growing pains, but this squad should give hometown and out-of-state fans alike plenty to talk about.14. New York RangersThe Rangers boast one of the best playmaking defensemen in the NHL in Adam Fox, one of the best goaltenders in Igor Shesterkin, and a solid collection of forwards that includes Artemi Panarin, Mika Zibanejad, and Chris Kreider. That hasn't translated into much success, but there's enough talent on this team to ensure that they'll be at least moderately compelling yet again.13. Seattle Kraken Christopher Mast / National Hockey League / GettyThe Kraken were one of the league's best stories in 2022-23, exceeding expectations in their second season. Only three teams scored more goals than Seattle (Jared McCann's out-of-nowhere 40 certainly helped), but the club ranked 20th in shots per game, suggesting a little luck was involved. Regardless, the Kraken should be worth a gander in 2023-24 as Calder Trophy winner Matty Beniers and the rest of the squad continue to grow.12. Boston BruinsTo say this isn't the same Bruins team that set numerous records last season would be an understatement. Boston's franchise fixtures at center - Patrice Bergeron and David Krejci - both retired this summer and the club's two big trade deadline prizes - Tyler Bertuzzi and Dmitry Orlov - signed elsewhere as free agents. David Pastrnak, Brad Marchand, and Charlie McAvoy are still aboard, but a sizeable drop-off in excitement is expected here.11. Tampa Bay LightningThere was a time when not putting the Lightning at or near the top of this list would've seemed absurd. But this Tampa Bay squad isn't on the same level as the ones that claimed the Stanley Cup in 2020 and 2021 and made the final in 2022. Nikita Kucherov, Steven Stamkos, Brayden Point, and Victor Hedman are still doing their thing, but only Point is under 30 among them - and now Andrei Vasilevskiy is out for the first two months of the season.10. Los Angeles KingsLanding Pierre-Luc Dubois from the Winnipeg Jets was a bit of a coup for the Kings, who were already one of the more aesthetically pleasing clubs in the NHL in terms of their style of play. Los Angeles has also successfully injected youth into the mix alongside a veteran core. The Kings were a top-10 team in scoring as well as the key underlying categories last season.9. Pittsburgh Penguins Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / GettyThe Penguins' status as must-see TV had dwindled in recent years, and they missed the playoffs for the first time in nearly two decades last season. But, in August, Pittsburgh's new dual executive Kyle Dubas landed Erik Karlsson in a blockbuster trade. The Pens will initially play both the reigning Norris Trophy winner and Kris Letang on PP1. As a great man once said, "Get your popcorn ready."8. Dallas StarsThe Stars have been known for their defense for years, and they're still elite on that front. But Dallas is now one of the best offensive teams in the league as well. Superstar winger Jason Robertson, skilled center Roope Hintz, ultra-dependable rearguard Miro Heiskanen (who exploded production-wise last season after primarily dominating on the blue line in prior campaigns), and promising youngster Wyatt Johnston give this team plenty of intrigue.7. Florida PanthersThe Panthers were exciting long before their surprising run to the Cup Final, and they haven't changed a whole lot in the offseason. Florida led the NHL in shots on goal and ranked sixth in goals. The Cats also placed in the top five in both expected goals for percentage and scoring chances for percentage at five-on-five, which shows how well they can drive play. They won't have defensemen Aaron Ekblad or Brandon Montour to start the season, but there's enough skill in Sunrise to ensure the Panthers remain one of the league's most tantalizing teams.6. Toronto Maple LeafsYet another playoff disappointment led to a significant change in the Maple Leafs front office, and new general manager Brad Treliving brought in what Mitch Marner called "snot, piss, and vinegar" with the questionable signing of Ryan Reaves along with Bertuzzi and Max Domi. Toronto's Core Four will still make the club worth watching, but the new emphasis on grit may not be a recipe for additional entertainment value.5. Vegas Golden Knights Ethan Miller / Getty Images Sport / GettyThe defending Cup champs are obviously one of the most enticing squads in the league, but just because they won it all doesn't mean they're No. 1 in watchability. Vegas was average in terms of scoring and puck possession during the 2022-23 regular season, although they played without Mark Stone for about half of it. But the captain's supporting cast, which includes Jack Eichel, returns largely intact, so the Golden Knights should be one of the NHL's most riveting teams.4. Carolina HurricanesThe Hurricanes were the league's best puck possession squad in 2022-23, authoring the top expected goals for percentage and scoring chances for percentage at five-on-five. Carolina ranked 15th in goals per game but placed third in shots, so this club likely would've lit the lamp more with better luck. Stellar forwards Sebastian Aho and Andrei Svechnikov, along with the Canes' rock-solid defensive corps, make this team dependable both in terms of the viewing experience and their play on the ice.3. New Jersey DevilsWhat if one of the NHL's most enjoyable teams added a two-time 30-goal scorer? That's exactly what happened when the Devils acquired Tyler Toffoli in a trade with the Calgary Flames in late June. Toffoli - who also racked up 28 tallies over only 52 games during the abbreviated 2021 season - adds to the appeal this can't-miss club already had. Jack Hughes, Nico Hischier, and Co. dominate possession and own an elite offense, making them an absolute blast to observe.2. Edmonton OilersConnor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl. It's really that simple when it comes to the Oilers. Even the most casual fans will gleefully flip over to Edmonton games just to see what the best player in the world and his superstar teammate can pull off next. But it's not just the dynamic duo: The Oilers had the best offense in the NHL last season in terms of goal-scoring, and 104-point man Ryan Nugent-Hopkins was a big reason for that.1. Colorado Avalanche Codie McLachlan / Getty Images Sport / GettySure, the Oilers have two of the league's absolute best players, but the Avalanche have three. Nathan MacKinnon, Cale Makar, and Mikko Rantanen are all game-breakers who cement Colorado as the NHL's most watchable team. This club's offensive and analytic figures were diminished by injuries last season, but the Avalanche are utterly explosive when everybody's healthy.Devon Toews is a perennially underrated star in his own right, and the 2021-22 Stanley Cup champions made some shrewd offseason additions, too. Fans can't afford to miss out on watching Colorado when the team is firing on all cylinders and, considering the Avalanche's impressive collection of talent, that figures to be the case more often than not this season.(Analytics source: Natural Stat Trick)Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Connor Bedard did anything but disappoint in his first taste of the preseason, but the gifted Chicago Blackhawks rookie believes there's plenty of room for improvement."I think I could be a lot better," he said, according to the Chicago Sun-Times' Ben Pope. "I don't think I personally played great."Bedard made several memorable plays in the Blackhawks' 2-1 win over the St. Louis Blues on Thursday night.The No. 1 pick in June's draft didn't take too long to start skating circles around his opponents.

As the new NHL season approaches, we've already put together power rankings, offseason grades, and even team rankings by tiers. But what about assessing the clubs purely from an entertainment standpoint?That's the goal of this exercise, which, as always, is entirely about how watchable each squad will be, regardless of how well they actually perform. It could be a superstar or two (or more), a high-flying style of play, or a promising young core that might make you want to check out these squads.However, we begin the countdown by looking at the lower half of the league and the teams lacking that absolute must-see quality for one reason or another.Here are the 16 clubs we foresee being the least watchable in the upcoming season:32. San Jose SharksThe Sharks were a bottom-feeder in 2022-23, and then they traded Erik Karlsson for an underwhelming return in August. Logan Couture and Tomas Hertl aren't bad players, but there's really no good reason to flip over to a San Jose game now that the reigning Norris Trophy winner and potent forward Timo Meier are gone.31. Philadelphia FlyersJohn Tortorella's club hasn't been very entertaining (intentionally, anyway) since he took the reins, and we don't see that changing anytime soon. The Flyers aren't completely devoid of talent, but they're still recovering from inept former general manager Chuck Fletcher wreaking havoc on the roster. "I've got to get home to catch the Flyers tonight" isn't a phrase we expect to hear fans utter often, if at all, this season.30. Montreal CanadiensCole Caufield was on a 46-goal pace before a shoulder injury and subsequent surgery ended his season 46 games in. It'll be worth watching the diminutive dynamo to see if he can pick up where he left off. But aside from that, the Canadiens are well into their rebuilding phase. Only Nick Suzuki and Juraj Slafkovsky stand out as other Habs to keep tabs on.29. Columbus Blue Jackets Ben Jackson / National Hockey League / GettyThe Blue Jackets weren't going to be very watchable under Mike Babcock, even with Johnny Gaudreau and Patrik Laine in the fold. Now, they're free from Babcock's clutches (and phone inspections), so they might play with a little more spirit under Pascal Vincent. Youngsters Kent Johnson and Adam Fantilli could also impress, but that won't entice throngs of casual fans to tune in regularly.28. St. Louis BluesThe Blues clearly aren't what they once were - a perennially competitive Stanley Cup contender. St. Louis ranked 27th in expected goals for percentage and 26th in scoring chances for at five-on-five in 2022-23. The team also shipped out past core members Ryan O'Reilly and Vladimir Tarasenko in February. As legendary bluesman B.B. King would say, the thrill is gone.27. Nashville PredatorsThe Predators had a weird offseason, and their roster now leaves something to be desired aside from their three stars. Roman Josi, Filip Forsberg, and Juuse Saros are great players, but Nashville ranked 28th in goals per game last season. And it did that with leading scorer Matt Duchene, who it replaced with Ryan O'Reilly. Granted, Forsberg and Josi missed time due to injuries, but this Preds squad won't be on too many PVRs this time around.26. Arizona CoyotesThe Coyotes uncharacteristically acquired some talent in the summer, bringing in Jason Zucker, Matt Dumba, and Sean Durzi. They also feature underrated star Clayton Keller, the NHL's 2022-23 rookie points per game leader Matias Maccelli, and promising newcomer Logan Cooley, who scored an incredible goal in his preseason debut. But this is still the Coyotes we're talking about. While there's more to like about the team now, Arizona still isn't worth planning your TV-watching schedule around on a regular basis.25. Washington Capitals G Fiume / Getty Images Sport / GettyAlex Ovechkin's pursuit of Wayne Gretzky's all-time goals record is really the only reason to watch the Capitals these days. It's a decent reason, and the 38-year-old can still take over a game from time to time. However, the rest of Washington's core isn't aging as gracefully, and the Caps' days as a can't-miss club are now a thing of the past.24. Detroit Red WingsAlex DeBrincat was reportedly unhappy that he wasn't a first-liner in Ottawa, and it looks like he'll get that opportunity with his hometown Red Wings. Putting the two-time 41-goal scorer next to Dylan Larkin could generate some highlights, but the rest of Detroit's roster is riddled with mediocre players possessing little upside.23. Anaheim DucksTrevor Zegras is a threat to produce a viral highlight at any given time - assuming the restricted free agent eventually re-signs. Troy Terry, Mason McTavish, and 2023 second overall pick Leo Carlsson are also interesting. The Ducks still need to produce more consistently, but they should be a little more compelling than last season when they finished with the NHL's worst record.22. Vancouver CanucksThe Canucks didn't control play at five-on-five last campaign, ranking near the bottom of the NHL in xGF% in those situations. But Vancouver did have a good power play, sitting 11th in the league in that department. Elias Pettersson and Quinn Hughes are bona fide stars, but the Canucks won't be consistently watchable until they can roll their success with the man advantage over to even-strength play.21. New York Islanders Mike Stobe / National Hockey League / GettyThe Islanders always seem to be a better team than they are a watchable one. The defense-first club ranked 22nd in goals per game in all situations and 20th in xGF% at five-on-five in 2022-23. That should improve with midseason trade acquisition Bo Horvat in the lineup for the balance of the upcoming campaign. Mathew Barzal is no slouch, either. But this club doesn't exactly boast a thrilling style of play, and it's been that way for years.20. Calgary FlamesThe Flames were the third-best possession team in the league last season, but having the most overtime or shootout losses in the NHL caused them to miss the playoffs by two points. Darryl Sutter's gone, but so is the team's 2022-23 leading scorer, Tyler Toffoli, who Calgary traded to the New Jersey Devils in June. While the Flames should play more freely under Ryan Huska, they won't have as much punch on offense as they did a season ago.19. Winnipeg JetsThe Jets seem destined to be less exciting this campaign, even though they're not planning to trade Mark Scheifele and Connor Hellebuyck for now. Winnipeg ranked 21st in goals per game in 2022-23, and it's hard to see that improving after trading Pierre-Luc Dubois and buying out Blake Wheeler. Gabe Vilardi has upside, but Alex Iafallo and Rasmus Kupari are basically replacement-level players. Even if Winnipeg makes the playoffs, it likely won't be among the most electric teams in the league.18. Minnesota WildThe Wild are similar to the Jets in terms of being a solid defensive team that doesn't produce enough offense. Minnesota was even worse than Winnipeg in the goal-scoring department (23rd) last season but made the playoffs mostly because it allowed the sixth-fewest goals against. Kirill Kaprizov buried 40 in 67 games the previous campaign, and Matt Boldy notched 31. But that's it when it comes to thrilling members of the Wild.17. Ottawa Senators Jim McIsaac / Getty Images Sport / GettyThe Senators are more entertaining than their record and statistics as a team have shown of late. Ottawa is just outside the upper echelon of watchable squads but has assembled a plucky core led by Brady Tkachuk and Tim Stutzle. The Sens didn't score enough or control the possession game last season, but they generated the seventh-most shots on goal. If more of those attempts start going in, Ottawa will be higher on this list and many others next year.(Analytics source: Natural Stat Trick)Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Tampa Bay Lightning will begin the 2023-24 campaign without their workhorse goaltender, as Andrei Vasilevskiy will miss approximately two months after undergoing back surgery on Thursday, the team announced.He underwent a microdiscectomy to address a lumbar disc herniation. The timeline means he'll likely miss the first 20 games of the regular season.Head coach Jon Cooper initially described Vasilevskiy's injury as day-to-day and didn't view the ailment as a long-term issue.Vasilevskiy is a two-time Stanley Cup champion, the 2021 Conn Smythe Trophy winner, and the 2019 Vezina Trophy recipient. He led the league in wins in five of the last six seasons. The 29-year-old posted a .915 save percentage and a 2.65 goals-against average in 60 games last season.Since becoming the Lightning's full-time No. 1 goalie in 2017-18, Vasilevskiy has appeared in 433 regular season and playoff games - 30 more than the netminder with the next most.Jonas Johansson, 28, is the Lightning's backup goalie. The journeyman owns an .887 save percentage in 35 career NHL games. He was stellar with the AHL's Colorado Eagles last season, posting a .920 save percentage in 26 appearances.Hugo Alnefelt, 22, and Matt Tomkins, 29, are the only other goalies under contract with the Lightning, but they have just one game of NHL experience combined. It's possible the Lightning will look outside the organization to add a goalie to pair with Johansson in Vasilevskiy's absence.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Winning the Norris Trophy once is extremely difficult. Winning it twice in a row in this day and age is borderline impossible.We haven't seen a single repeat winner over the past 15 years. The last player to string together back-to-back Norris wins was Nicklas Lidstrom in 2005-08.Where does the value lie in this year's race? Let's take a closer look.Player OddsCale Makar+200Adam Fox+600Rasmus Dahlin+800Miro Heiskanen+1200Quinn Hughes+1200Erik Karlsson+1300Charlie McAvoy+1600Roman Josi+1600Dougie Hamilton+2000John Carlson+3000Josh Morrissey+3000Victor Hedman+3000Evan Bouchard+3500Moritz Seider+3500Jakob Chychrun+4000Luke Hughes+5000Brandon Montour+6000Brent Burns+6000Devon Toews+6000Owen Power+6000Rasmus Dahlin (+800)Dahlin took a massive step forward last season, setting career highs in goals (15) and points (73) while helping the Sabres to their highest win total in more than a decade.Dahlin wasn't a power-play merchant or an empty-calorie offensive producer who gave it all back at the other end of the ice. He tied for seventh among defensemen in five-on-five points, recording more than stars like Roman Josi, Quinn Hughes, and Miro Heiskanen. Dahlin also drove play at a high level, leading the Sabres in expected goals for percentage at five-on-five.Really, Dahlin did it all. The only thing lacking was team success to help compensate for the gap in production between him and the winner, Erik Karlsson.Besides maybe Cale Makar, it's unlikely any blue-liner will finish an obvious tier above the rest in points. If Dahlin can put together another 70-plus-point campaign on a high-flying Sabres team that fights its way back to relevancy, he will garner a lot of attention.Miro Heiskanen (+1200)For years, many people - myself included - gushed about Heiskanen's game. His effortless skating, stout defense, and ability to log all the ice time he was given without seeming to tire always stood out. What was missing was the offense. Everyone thought he had the tools to be a prolific point producer, but he had to go out and do it.Heiskanen finally made that leap last year, piling up 73 points in 79 games for a very strong Stars team. That wasn't enough to make him a Norris finalist, but he was on the radar, finishing one voting point outside of the top six.Heiskanen is one of the best defenders in the sport. If he can replicate that sort of production, he'll get a lot of votes as a dominant two-way force.Evan Bouchard (+3500)My true wild card is Bouchard. He put up 40 points last season while playing second fiddle to Tyson Barrie on the Oilers' power play for much of the year.With Barrie out of the picture and Darnell Nurse somewhat limited in his playmaking abilities, Bouchard should be Edmonton's full-time power play quarterback in 2023-24. That carries a ton of weight.It's no exaggeration to say the Oilers are one of the best power-play teams I've ever seen. They are historically dominant and will remain so as long as they have Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl at the peak of their powers.Simply sharing the ice with those two means Bouchard will be out there for a ton of goals and will enjoy an abundance of opportunities to collect points.Bouchard isn't a matchup defenseman like Heiskanen, so he needs outrageous offensive outputs to give him a fighting chance. Given his situation, I think it's possible, even if it may not be likely. At +3500, Bouchard is a worthwhile flier.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.

Mark Stone doesn't expect to see Hayden Hodgson any time soon after the Los Angeles Kings winger ignited Wednesday's preseason clash with a gigantic hit on the Vegas Golden Knights captain.Hodgson caught Stone near the end boards as the latter reached for a loose puck. A lengthy skirmish erupted in the aftermath as Vegas came to the defense of its leader.

The Calgary Flames announced a two-year extension for Mikael Backlund on Tuesday and also named him the 21st captain in franchise history. The deal is worth $4.5 million per season."Mikael Backlund is our captain. He has been our captain for some time. Today we are excited to extend Mikael for two more seasons and officially add the captaincy to his jersey," general manager Craig Conroy said."We look forward to his continued leadership on the ice, in the locker room and in our community."Backlund was entering the final year of his contract before hitting unrestricted free agency. The 34-year-old signed a six-year, $32.1-million deal with the Flames in 2018.He was one of several key players on Calgary's roster set to enter the 2023-24 campaign on an expiring contract. Elias Lindholm, Noah Hanifin, Nikita Zadorov, and Chris Tanev are all eligible to sign extensions as well.Backlund reportedly said over the summer that he wanted to play out the upcoming season before committing to a new deal with the Flames, but he reversed course after seeing how the club operated under new head coach Ryan Huska.Backlund said in a statement that he's proud to be the leader of the "historic franchise."He added: "I'm ready for the responsibility that goes with wearing the 'C' and I'm surrounded by a strong leadership group in our locker room that will help us take the next step toward winning the Stanley Cup."The Flames haven't had a captain since Mark Giordano was selected in the Seattle expansion draft.Backlund has played his entire 15-year career with Calgary after being drafted 24th overall in 2007. He posted a personal-best 56 points last season and maintained his status as one of the league's top defensive centers, finishing in the top 10 of Selke Trophy voting for the third time in the past seven seasons.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Calgary Flames forward Jakob Pelletier will undergo shoulder surgery next week and will be out indefinitely, the team announced Tuesday.Pelletier's left shoulder was injured during Monday's preseason game against the Seattle Kraken when Marian Studenic drilled him into the boards.The 22-year-old Pelletier was vying for a full-time job with the Flames. He tallied three goals and four assists while averaging 14:11 per game in 24 NHL contests last season. Pelletier added 37 points in 35 games with the AHL's Calgary Wranglers.The Flames selected Pelletier 26th overall at the 2019 NHL Draft.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Given the high-variance nature of the goaltending position, it's not necessarily surprising that nobody has won the Vezina Trophy in back-to-back years since Martin Brodeur in the late 2000s.Let's see the top of the oddsboard and then take a closer look at three goaltenders I see value in backing to unseat last season's winner, Linus Ullmark.Player OddsIlya Sorokin+400Igor Shesterkin+600Juuse Saros+600Connor Hellebuyck+700Andrei Vasilevskiy+800Jake Oettinger+1100Filip Gustavsson+1800Linus Ullmark+1800Alexandar Georgiev+2500Carter Hart+3000Jacob Markstrom+3000Jeremy Swayman+3000Thatcher Demko+3000Ilya Sorokin (+400)Sorokin checks all the boxes for a potential award-winning goaltender. He consistently posts elite save percentages, he wins a lot more than he loses - despite limited offensive support, he is 17 games above NHL .500 (which excludes overtime losses) the past two years - and he carries an insane workload.Sorokin played in 62 games a season ago, which was more than all but Connor Hellebuyck and Juuse Saros. And there is every reason to expect another monster workload this year.With the Islanders opting to bring back almost the exact same roster, their margin for error in terms of trying to make the playoffs is slim. They simply don't have enough talent to breeze through the regular season. That means they'll need Sorokin in the net as often as possible in order to seriously contend for a playoff spot.Although many goaltenders see rather extreme variance in their numbers on a year-to-year basis, Sorokin is a rare exception. He's posted save percentages of .924 and .925 as a starter. He ranks top three in both total save percentage and high-danger save percentage in that span.He is as reliable as they come and has been knocking on the door of a Vezina. It's only a matter of time.Jake Oettinger (+1100)Oettinger is one of the NHL's brightest young stars - no pun intended - at his position. He is already one of the better goaltenders in the league and he's still getting better.Oettinger has played three NHL seasons. Each year his save percentage has risen, as has his workload.He is coming off a monstrous 2022-23 campaign in which he posted a 37-11-11 record and .919 save percentage. Although it wasn't enough for a Vezina nomination, there's plenty of reason to believe he'll be in the mix in 2023-24.The Stars are clearly willing to give him all the starts he can handle. With only $1 million committed to journeyman backup goaltender Scott Wedgewood, that is surely their plan once again.Dallas is one of the best defensive teams in the NHL - last year, it ranked sixth in expected goal suppression - so Oettinger shouldn't see many high-quality chances on any given night. That'll make it easier to post strong numbers.The Stars can also score in bunches, so Oettinger won't leave many wins on the table due to a lack of run support.Alexandar Georgiev (+2500)Georgiev is a mouthwatering dark horse to bring home some hardware. His debut season with the Avalanche couldn't have gone much better, with Georgiev posting a 40-16-6 record and .919 save percentage over 62 games.The Avalanche are fairly heavily invested in Pavel Francouz as a platoon candidate, but he has dealt with a lot of injury problems and appears to be out of the picture for a while to start this year. That means another heavy workload for Georgiev, who proved he could handle it a season ago.Colorado is a true Stanley Cup contender that overwhelms opponents with its offense almost every night. Georgiev is going to get a ton of run support and, thus, wins.Nobody in Georgiev's price range plays for a team that's even close to as good as the Avalanche. Considering the numbers he put up a year ago, and the fact Francouz's injury troubles have already popped up, there is a lot of value at +2500.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.

Washington Capitals defenseman Joel Edmundson is expected to miss four-to-six weeks after undergoing a procedure to stabilize a fractured hand, the team announced Wednesday.Edmundson sustained the injury during a scrimmage on Sunday.The 30-year-old was acquired by the Capitals this summer from the Montreal Canadiens with 50% salary retention in exchange for a third-round and seventh-round draft pick."It's tough," Capitals head coach Spencer Carbery told TNT's Tarik El-Bashir on Tuesday. "He's battled some stuff over the last couple of years. This was a little bit of a fresh start for him. I felt like he was in a really good place."Edmundson missed 79 games over the past two seasons due to various ailments. Last year, he suited up in 61 games with the Canadiens, registering two goals and 13 points to go with a team-worst minus-29 rating.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Philadelphia Flyers appear open to taking on Ottawa Senators forward Mathieu Joseph's contract.The Flyers like Joseph and see a fit with him, reports Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman. However, that doesn't mean the two sides are close to agreeing on a trade.Philadelphia is asking for a high-level prospect or possibly a first-round pick, Friedman adds. The Senators have two 2024 first-rounders: their own and a conditional first-round pick acquired from the Detroit Red Wings as part of the Alex DeBrincat trade. Ottawa reportedly isn't willing to meet that price at this point.The Senators are looking to clear cap space to sign their last remaining restricted free agent, Shane Pinto, who projects to play a critical role as the club's third-line center.Ottawa has $120,953 in cap space, per CapFriendly. The club could likely increase that total to $1.7 million with a roster of only 17 skaters and two goalies. But that number still may not be enough to sign Pinto. Evolving-Hockey projects him getting a two-year deal at $1.88 million per year.The Senators drafted Pinto 32nd overall in 2019. The 6-foot-3 center tallied 20 goals and 15 assists in his rookie year in 2022-23.Joseph, who makes $2.95 million per season through 2025-26, has been rumored as the logical candidate to get dealt to make room for Pinto. The 26-year-old speedy winger managed just three goals and 15 assists in 56 contests last season. The Sens acquired the 2021 Stanley Cup winner and a fourth-round pick from the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2022 for Nick Paul.The Senators are determined to make the leap and snap their six-year playoff drought - the third-longest in the league.The Flyers appear to be in the early stages of a rebuild and are willing to weaponize their cap space (over $7 million) to gain assets.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The only thing worse in fantasy sports than missing out on a breakout talent one year is to overcorrect the following season and end up with a bust.Here are five candidates to be wary of in your fantasy draft who could be in store for regression after posting great 2022-23 campaigns.Jamie Benn, LW, Dallas Stars Christopher Mast / National Hockey League / GettyBenn turned back the clock last season with 33 goals and 78 points to finish second on the Stars in scoring. It was the first time he eclipsed the 30-goal, 70-point mark in five campaigns.As a result of the 34-year-old's return to form, he's naturally a player to be hesitant to take early in fantasy drafts. Benn's average draft position in Yahoo leagues is 75.7 - ahead of Kevin Fiala, Johnny Gaudreau, and teammate Joe Pavelski.Benn's 13.1% five-on-five on-ice shooting percentage was the highest in the league among those who played more than 50 games. However, Benn averaged 7.7% in this statistic from 2018-22.In addition to Benn's five-on-five luck likely to regress, the Stars added more offensive depth this summer in the form of Matt Duchene. That means more competition for offensive opportunities at five-on-five and on the man advantage.Benn can still be a useful asset in fantasy this season, but he's being drafted too early when other higher-end forwards are still on the table. After an unexpected bounce-back campaign, Benn's ceiling is what he accomplished last year. Pass on the veteran in his current slot and opt for a player with a clearcut shot to operate in their team's most advantageous situations.Andrei Kuzmenko, LW, Vancouver Canucks Jeff Vinnick / National Hockey League / GettyKuzmenko burst onto the scene last year, making his awaited North American debut following a superb career in the KHL. The Russian exceeded expectations with the Canucks, racking up 39 goals and 74 points to set team records as a first-year NHLer.While Kuzmenko remains in an excellent spot on Elias Pettersson's wing, there's a significant warning sign that he could be in for regression as a sophomore.Kuzmenko's 39-goal campaign came off the back of a sky-high 27.3% shooting percentage. It's the highest single-season shooting percentage by a player since 2004 and the top mark by a 30-goal scorer since Sergei Makarov in 1990-91.It's doubtful Kuzmenko will operate at such a clip again this campaign. Looking at the 10 highest single-season shooting percentages from 2018-22, no player increased their goal output the following year. Even Leon Draisaitl's and Brayden Point's goal productions dipped after scoring at 20-plus percent rates during this span.Kuzmenko's average draft position in Yahoo leagues is 110.9, putting him ahead of other left-wingers like Jonathan Huberdeau, Cole Caufield, and Filip Forsberg.Readjust your hopes if you expect Kuzmenko to build on his previous season and crack the 40-goal plateau.Josh Morrissey, D, Winnipeg Jets Jonathan Kozub / National Hockey League / GettyIt's an understatement to say Morrissey exploded on offense in 2022-23. He recorded 16 goals and 76 points from the Jets' backend, more than doubling his previous career high.Morrissey never received Norris Trophy votes in his six previous full-time campaigns before vaulting into second in scoring among defenders last season.The 28-year-old will remain a workhorse on Winnipeg's blue line with minimal competition for prime minutes on the power play. However, it isn't realistic to expect Morrissey to continue scoring at such a drastically different rate than he did before last season.With Morrissey going around No. 70 in Yahoo drafts, opt for the higher-end upside of Evan Bouchard or safer options in Brent Burns or John Carlson.The Calgary native will be a useful asset in fantasy this season, but he likely won't hit the massive highs of the previous campaign to be worthwhile as the No. 11 defenseman off the board.Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, C/LW, Edmonton Oilers Andy Devlin / National Hockey League / GettyNobody predicted a 100-point season from Nugent-Hopkins coming into the 2022-23 campaign. Thanks largely to a historic Oilers power play, the former No. 1 draft pick set career highs with 37 goals and 104 points.Since the 2007-08 season, no 100-point player scored a higher percentage of their points on the man advantage than Nugent-Hopkins last campaign. A whopping 62.5% of his points a year ago came on the power play.Of course, Nugent-Hopkins isn't just a power-play scorer. His 39 points at five-on-five were in line with the likes of Gaudreau and Mark Scheifele. But neither of those two is sniffing the top 30 in Yahoo drafts like Nugent-Hopkins.Nugent-Hopkins will need the Oilers' power play to be at the level it was last season for him to be a worthwhile pick at his average draft position of 32.5 - a higher slot than Steven Stamkos and Artemi Panarin.Yes, Edmonton's man advantage is outrageous and will likely lead the league again, but we're talking about the highest success rate for a power play in NHL history. It's unrealistic to expect the Oilers to repeat that, making Nugent-Hopkins an unnecessary risk at that stage in drafts.Linus Ullmark, G, Boston Bruins China Wong / National Hockey League / GettyThere isn't enough to say about Ullmark's remarkable 2022-23 campaign - just look at his eye-watering .938 save percentage and 40 wins in 49 appearances.That earned him the Vezina Trophy last season and slots him as the No. 6 goaltender off the board in Yahoo leagues. Despite how well Ullmark performed a year ago, that isn't a risk worth taking.The odds of the Bruins replicating their historic 135-point regular season from 2022-23 are incredibly low. Boston lost its top centers, Patrice Bergeron and David Krejci, to retirement and deadline additions Tyler Bertuzzi and Dmitry Orlov to free agency.The Bruins need to be one of the top teams in the league to justify taking Ullmark as a top-30 player, and that isn't likely with the immense competition in the Atlantic Division.Boston has split starts between Ullmark and Jeremy Swayman for the most part, and that projects to continue this season.After Ullmark at an average draft position of 29.7, the top tandem goaltenders being taken in Yahoo drafts are Swayman (52.3), Filip Gustavsson (66.2), and Frederik Andersen (79.2). It's incredibly low that the Bruins will be good enough to justify a 30-slot difference between Ullmark and the next highest drafted non-Bruins tandem goaltender.With Ullmark going in drafts ahead of workhorse netminders like Connor Hellebuyck and Juuse Saros, let others pick Ullmark too high and either take a workhorse starter in this range or wait until later to snag a tandem netminder.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Flames appear to be making progress in securing one of their most important pending unrestricted free agents beyond the upcoming campaign.Mikael Backlund and the Pacific Division squad have begun negotiating a contract extension and will continue to do so in the "near future," TSN's Chris Johnston said on Tuesday's edition of "Insider Trading.""Backlund is in a position where he's willing to engage on a commitment, a longer-term commitment than he has remaining for this season," Johnston added.Over the summer, the Swedish forward reportedly said he wasn't interested in talking about an extension and wanted to see how the season played out. But he apparently changed his mind after arriving in Calgary and seeing the team operate under new head coach Ryan Huska.Backlund tied for third on the Flames with 56 points while playing all 82 games in 2022-23. He led the club in plus/minus at +24 and ranked second among all Calgary forwards in average ice time at 18:10. The 34-year-old also posted favorable underlying numbers and won 50.9% of his 1,386 faceoffs last season.The veteran center has spent his entire 15-year career (including one game in 2008-09) with the Flames, who drafted him 24th overall in 2007. In June, he won the King Clancy Trophy, which recognizes the player that "best exemplifies leadership qualities on and off the ice and has made a noteworthy humanitarian contribution in his community."Backlund is entering the final season of a six-year, $32.1-million deal he inked with Calgary in 2018, according to CapFriendly.The Flames have a slew of players whose contracts expire at the end of the campaign, including potential UFAs Elias Lindholm, Noah Hanifin, Chris Tanev, and Nikita Zadorov, among others.Hanifin also said he didn't want to talk extension earlier in the summer, but later clarified he only meant over this offseason and is willing to consider re-signing in general.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Gerard Gallant isn't ready to call it quits on his NHL head coaching career just yet.The former Vegas Golden Knights and New York Rangers bench boss recently told The Athletic's Pierre LeBrun that he is "eager" to coach again and will be paying close attention if any vacancies arise throughout the 2023-24 campaign.Gallant spent the past two campaigns in the Big Apple, amassing a 99-46-19 record. The Rangers made the Eastern Conference Final in his first season behind the bench but tumbled out of the first round this past spring, losing a seven-game series to the New Jersey Devils.The 60-year-old said after his team's hasty exit in May that he did enough to keep his job, adding that if he couldn't stand by his track record with the Rangers, then "there's something wrong." New York and Gallant parted ways shortly after reports emerged that he and general manager Chris Drury had a heated altercation after the club's Game 4 loss.Prior to joining the Rangers, Gallant served as the Golden Knights' first-ever head coach. Vegas made the Stanley Cup Final in its inaugural campaign in 2017-18 under his direction but replaced Gallant during his third season in January 2020.Gallant also spent time as the head coach of the Columbus Blue Jackets and Florida Panthers. He owns an all-time record of 369-262-4-70.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Connor McDavid dethroned Auston Matthews and won the award with a remarkable 64-goal campaign a season ago.Can McDavid defend his title after the most prolific scoring season we've seen since 2007-08, or will there be a new sheriff in town? Let's take a closer look at where the value lies.Player OddsConnor McDavid+200Auston Matthews+350Leon Draisaitl+750David Pastrnak+1100Nathan MacKinnon+1300Mikko Rantanen+1800Jason Robertson+2000Matthew Tkachuk+2000Brayden Point+3000Jack Hughes+3000Kirill Kaprizov+3000Tage Thompson+3000Alex Ovechkin+4000Nikita Kucherov+5000Timo Meier+5000Elias Pettersson+6000Kyle Connor+6000Roope Hintz+6000Note: listed players 60:1 or shorter. Odds via theScore Bet.Leon Draisaitl (+750)The market suggests there is a pretty clear gap between Draisaitl and the two front runners, Connor McDavid and Auston Matthews. I don't see it that way.Draisaitl has scored 107 goals over the past two seasons. That puts him just one goal behind McDavid for the league lead in that span - and Draisaitl made a couple fewer appearances. On a per-game basis, nobody has scored more than Draisaitl over the last couple years.Draisaitl is the go-to guy on a historically good power play - he is 21 power play goals clear of the NHL's second most prolific scorer in that time - and he is extremely durable, having missed only two games over the past three seasons.While Draisaitl is not as dynamic as McDavid, he is more of a traditional shooter and finishes at a noticeably higher rate. I think +750 is a very generous price for arguably the sport's best sniper.Kirill Kaprizov (+3000)Kaprizov has quietly been one of the league's best scorers over the past couple of seasons. He scored 47 goals in his sophomore year with the Wild and followed it up with 40 in 67 games last season, a 49-goal pace.While the winner snuck into the 60s in back-to-back years, the "Rocket" Richard winner needed no more than 53 goals for a decade before that. Kaprizov was sniffing around that territory last season - and there's reason to believe he could amp things up further.Kaprizov's shot volume has increased each year in the league, and he's gotten to the point where - unlike many stars up front - he is playing more than 21 minutes per game. That's top-tier usage.Had Kaprizov finished at, say, a 17% clip - as opposed to 15% - he'd have scored 45 goals in 67 games last year, which is a 55-goal pace.I think Kaprizov will have the shot volume, usage, and finishing rate necessary to score more than 50 goals. If the bar is in the mid-50s, rather than the 60s (like the last two seasons), Kaprizov will have a fighting chance. At +3000, he's worth a dart throw.Jack Hughes (+3000)When Hughes entered the NHL, he was a very slim playmaking forward who didn't have the shot power, or release, to test goaltenders. He almost looked like a kid playing years above his age group, which, technically speaking, he was.He has come a long way in a short period of time, having averaged 45 goals per 82 games over the last two seasons.Hughes is a puck-dominant player who now threatens as a passer and a shooter. Last season, he finished fifth in shots on goal and scored more five-on-five goals than the likes of Matthews and Nathan MacKinnon. Yeah, he was that good - and at just 21 years of age.The Devils improved the personnel around Hughes and are hoping new assistant coach Travis Green can help get more out of the team on the power play.Hughes doesn't need to ramp things up a notch at five-on-five to get in contention for hardware. If he can make marginal improvements finishing - while maintaining the same kind of shot volume - and boost his power play outputs, the sky really is the limit.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.

Longtime NHL goalie Cory Schneider is hanging up his pads after 16 years in professional hockey, he announced Sunday."I'm at peace with it," Schneider told Phil Stacey of the Salem News. "I'll miss my teammates and the intensity of playing, but it's the right time for me."The 37-year-old played for the Vancouver Canucks, New Jersey Devils, and New York Islanders across 13 NHL campaigns. At his peak, he was one of the game's best goalies.From 2010-11 to 2015-16 (his last three seasons in Vancouver and first three in New Jersey), Schneider played in 260 games and owned a .926 save percentage and 2.13 goals against average - both best among NHL goalies who made at least 100 appearances during that stint.Schneider backed up Roberto Luongo after breaking into the NHL with the Canucks. They shared the Jennings Trophy in 2010-11 and led Vancouver to the Stanley Cup Final that season."Vancouver was the high point for me," Schneider said. "They drafted me (26th overall in 2004), and the organization had great people, I had great teammates, and we came within one game of bringing the city its first Stanley Cup."But it was with the Devils that Schneider became a true workhorse goalie. He also had big shoes to fill in New Jersey, eventually taking over for Martin Brodeur as the team's No. 1 netminder. Schneider ranked third among NHL goalies with 228 starts during his first four seasons with the Devils."New Jersey was a great place for my family and I," Schneider said. "My kids were both born there, I had some great teammates, and it was a terrific place to play."Injuries slowed Schneider's career, and the Devils bought him out in 2020. He joined the Islanders organization for the final three years of his career, playing in one NHL game while spending the rest of his time in the AHL.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Ryan O'Reilly could've re-signed with the Toronto Maple Leafs and taken another crack at bringing a Stanley Cup to his hometown team, but he opted to join the re-tooling Nashville Predators instead.The 32-year-old center, who is a native of Clinton, Ontario - just over two hours west of Toronto - recently elaborated on his decision and said he thoroughly enjoyed his brief time with the Leafs."It was and is an amazing place to play," O'Reilly said of Toronto, according to Sportsnet's Adam Vingan. "Just putting on that jersey, you can just feel the love that comes with it, how much pride people take in that jersey. It's hockey's team. ... It was definitely not an easy decision not (to re-sign) there."It's no secret that playing in Toronto isn't easy, as the constant attention in hockey's biggest media market can be a lot to handle."You could tell everything's amplified," O'Reilly said. "I don't do it often, (but) it was a good thing when I played there that I didn't turn on the TV much or turn on the radio, because there are (so many outlets) talking about it. ... Everything's covering it, talking about it. Here, it gets a little time on the TV, but it's not everything. It is more than just a game there."Things are much different in Nashville - on and off the ice.On the ice, the Leafs have become a perennial lock for the postseason in the Auston Matthews era. That's hardly the case for the Predators, who missed the playoffs with 92 points a year ago. Evolving-Hockey is projecting another 92-point campaign without a trip to the postseason in 2023-24.The Predators also added another former Maple Leaf in Luke Schenn, but they lost multiple key members, including Matt Duchene and Ryan Johansen. With that duo gone, O'Reilly will likely be the team's No. 1 center. He probably would've been third on the depth chart in Toronto.Nashville gave O'Reilly a four-year contract with a $4.5-million cap hit - a deal Toronto was likely unwilling to match. But he cited family reasons, among others, for his decision to sign with the Predators."There were just so many things that were attractive to here," O'Reilly said. "We have something here that, if we do things the right way, we're going to be very competitive."The Leafs landed O'Reilly from the St. Louis Blues prior to the 2023 trade deadline as part of a three-team swap in which they surrendered four draft picks, including a first-rounder. He managed 11 points in 13 regular season games with the Leafs, then added another nine points in 11 postseason contests.O'Reilly, who won the Stanley Cup, Conn Smythe Trophy, and Selke Trophy in 2019 with the Blues, has tallied 702 points in 991 career games.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Battle of Alberta will have a new look to it come Oct. 29 at Commonwealth Stadium.The Edmonton Oilers and Calgary Flames revealed their uniforms for the 2023 Heritage Classic on Tuesday. NHL MediaConnor McDavid and Nazem Kadri modeled the jerseys for their respective teams.

Hey, someone has to try to stop Connor McDavid when he's on a breakaway. Somebody gets paid to step in front of those booming Alex Ovechkin one-timers. Let's just hope the league's blue-liners healed all their wounds so they can do it again for another 82 games.Behold, the top six defense pairings heading into the 2023-24 campaign.All stats are from the 2022-23 regular season at five-on-five:

Calgary Flames rookie Jakob Pelletier was in a humorous mood when he explained why he switched from No. 49 to No. 22 this offseason."I think it's easier for the coaches to kind of know the No. 22 (than) the No. 49," he said with a laugh.Pelletier's comment appears to be a lighthearted reference to former Flames head coach Darryl Sutter's remarks about the youngster's NHL debut in January. When asked about Pelletier's performance, Sutter asked, "What number is he?" before reading out his stats in a flat tone.

Jason Robertson believes the Dallas Stars are fully equipped to play for the Stanley Cup, and that's his primary goal heading into the 2023-24 season."It's winning it all," Robertson told ESPN's Kristen Shilton. "That's what you want to do. We have those expectations. We have the players, the coach that it takes to win. Everyone has a recipe to win. We've got a big forward group, great defensemen, and elite goalie. You have all those criteria that were checked off."Dallas finished eighth in the NHL standings last season with 108 points and then advanced to the Western Conference Final, where they lost in six games to eventual champions the Vegas Golden Knights.Even though the Stars boasted one of the deepest forward corps in the NHL a season ago, general manager Jim Nill made a significant splash over the summer by signing veteran Matt Duchene."So, we have high expectations this year, and we're fortunate enough to where our GM has built this group well," Robertson said. "And the young guys are going to step up and take control, like me and the younger guys. So, we're excited."Robertson, 23, was the Stars' driving force offensively, racking up a career-high 109 regular-season points on his way to a first-team All-Star selection and a fourth-place finish in Hart Trophy voting. He also contributed 18 points in 19 postseason contests.The Stars are set to begin their season Oct. 12 against the St. Louis Blues.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Buffalo Sabres superstar Rasmus Dahlin no longer has to keep his head on a swivel for Connor Clifton.Clifton garnered a reputation as a fear-inducing open-ice hitter during his five seasons with the Boston Bruins, but he's now a member of the Sabres after inking a three-year, $10-million contract as a free agent in the offseason."On the ice, you see his toughness," Dahlin said, per Buffalo Hockey Beat's Bill Hoppe. "I remember playing him in Boston. I was scared of him. I hated to play against him."Despite being just 5-foot-11, 190 pounds, Clifton led the Bruins and finished 10th among NHL defensemen with 208 hits last season.Dahlin and Clifton have been defensive partners through the beginning of training camp. The former is looking to reach new heights off the heels of a breakout, 73-point season in 2022-23 and has impressed Clifton thus far."He's a fun player to watch," Clifton said. "It's even more fun playing next to him."Head coach Don Granato, who coached Clifton with the U.S. National Team Development Program, likes what he sees from the pairing."They both read and play the same together," Granato said. "One's moving off the other and they're showing experience."Clifton projects to play a larger role in Buffalo after averaging just 17:51 minutes per game in Boston last season.The Sabres are hoping Clifton can be a steadying presence on the back end for a team that finished 26th in goals against in 2022-23 and missed the playoffs by a single point despite owning the league's third-best offense.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Finding a player hitting his stride at the right time in fantasy hockey can be just as satisfying as landing a bona fide star at the top of your draft. Quality depth is crucial to competing for a championship, and below, we identify options who may fit the bill this coming season.Here are 10 candidates - ranging from star sophomores to veterans who'll play alongside scoring machines - poised to break out in 2023-24.ForwardsMatias Maccelli, LW, Coyotes Norm Hall / National Hockey League / GettyMaccelli could be one of the best-kept secrets in fantasy hockey this year, and it'd be wise to target him late in your drafts as a breakout option. Though he finished fourth in Rookie of the Year voting this offseason, he led all freshmen in points per game (0.77) and five-on-five points per 60 (2.21) while ranking second in even-strength points (36) despite appearing in only 64 contests.Coyotes players typically don't get a ton of action in fantasy, but Arizona did bring in a lot of offensive talent over the summer - and Maccelli is in prime position to benefit. Early projections have him on a line with top prospect Logan Cooley and veteran Jason Zucker, along with deployment on the top power-play unit. Maccelli is a gifted playmaker; a modest uptick in production with the man advantage could make him a worthwhile gamble.Connor Brown, RW, OilersBrown's inclusion on this list is simple: he projects to play alongside Connor McDavid. That should mean career highs across the board for Brown, who's cracked the 20-goal mark twice in his career. Power-play time on Edmonton's stacked top unit will be difficult to come by for the veteran grinder, and a knee injury that limited him to only four games last season is a legitimate concern, but there's no need to overthink this one. Top-line exposure with the best player in the world makes Brown a worthy draft pick this fall.Owen Tippett, RW, Flyers Chase Agnello-Dean / National Hockey League / GettyIt's common knowledge the Flyers are embarking on a full-scale rebuild, but someone needs to score while they're in the doldrums, and Tippett is the best bet. The 24-year-old, who was the main piece of the return in the Claude Giroux trade in 2022, erupted for 27 goals last season after a previous career high of 10. Another uptick could be on the horizon as he projects to be the Flyers' main triggerman at five-on-five and on the power play.Tippett's high-end shot was a major reason he was the 10th overall pick in 2017. He fired more pucks than ever last season, with an average of three per game. That would add strong peripheral value to his goals and assists should you roster him. While Philadelphia doesn't have enough talent to push for the playoffs, Tippett will be one of its most heavily involved players. That's often a better situation in fantasy than drafting a player buried on the depth chart of a good team.Kent Johnson, C/LW, Blue JacketsJohnson produced a solid 40 points in his first full NHL campaign last year and showed flashes of the offensive brilliance that made him the fifth overall pick in 2021. His 16 goals and 24 assists came despite averaging only 14:31 per game. An increase in ice time under new coach Pascal Vincent could go a long way toward making Johnson a must-have player.Players tend to hit sophomore slumps as defenses start to figure them out, but Johnson can be insulated by a ton of talent in Columbus' top six. He could suit up on the left side with captain Boone Jenner or this year's No. 3 pick and former University of Michigan teammate Adam Fantilli - both attractive options. Johnson is likely to slot behind both Johnny Gaudreau and Patrik Laine on the top unit's depth chart. That may prevent him from challenging for the team's scoring title just yet, but it's safe to expect him to elevate his totals in Year 2.Anthony Beauvillier, LW/RW, Canucks Derek Cain / Getty Images Sport / GettyBeauvillier's never topped 40 points through seven seasons in the NHL, but he now has a prime opportunity to set new personal benchmarks as the top left winger on Vancouver's depth chart - and riding shotgun to Elias Pettersson. The pair posted positive metrics and outscored the opposition in just under 300 five-on-five minutes together after Beauvillier arrived from the Islanders last season. It's fair to assume coach Rick Tocchet will allow them to re-establish their chemistry.Clinging to Pettersson is an easy way for any player to up their point totals. But Beauvillier is worth an extra look come draft season if he snags a piece of Vancouver's loaded top power-play unit, which could also feature J.T. Miller, Andrei Kuzmenko, and Quinn Hughes. Beauvillier won't be the driving force of the Canucks' offense at five-on-five or with the man advantage, but points are points, and he's well-positioned to rack them up as it stands.DefensemenEvan Bouchard, OilersListing Bouchard here kind of feels like cheating considering he had 17 points in 12 playoff games just a few months ago, but we expect the young blue-liner to evolve from a household name into a bona fide superstar this coming fantasy season. After all, the young rearguard runs point on one of the best power plays in NHL history. While it's easy to dish it off to McDavid or Leon Draisaitl, Bouchard's capable of creating goals himself thanks to a bomb of a shot, bringing an entirely new element to the Oilers' man advantage.He notched 19 of his 40 points last season in just 21 contests after taking over top-unit responsibilities. The sky's the limit over a full 82-game slate.Jake Sanderson, Senators Bill Wippert / National Hockey League / GettyIt's time for the Senators' $64.4-million defenseman to show the hockey world what he's capable of. Many scoffed when Ottawa awarded the 21-year-old an eight-year extension after just 77 NHL games played, but Sanderson quietly produced 32 points, including 17 on the power play, in his freshman campaign. Wrangling the top-unit spot from Thomas Chabot is a long shot, but Sanderson has shown he's more than capable of filling in for the oft-injured veteran.Sanderson averaged nearly 22 minutes per game as a rookie, most of which came behind one of Ottawa's stacked top two lines. If he doesn't get adequate power-play time, five-on-five production shouldn't be much of an issue given who he projects to share the ice with. His 147 blocks also offer enticing value elsewhere if you're in a banger league.Luke Hughes, DevilsHughes' status as a breakout candidate might be best served in keeper or dynasty leagues, but the 20-year-old turned heads this past spring with four points in five games between the regular season and playoffs after the Devils pried him from the University of Michigan. His inclusion on this list is largely based on reputation - his older brothers Quinn and Jack sure are doing alright for themselves - rather than an elite lineup situation. Still, the youngest Hughes should get power-play time with New Jersey's second unit and generate plenty of looks at even strength with a strong supporting cast of forwards.GoaliesDevon Levi, Sabres Bill Wippert / Getty ImagesInvesting in a rookie goaltender - in fantasy and real life - can be a frightening proposition, but Levi is too tantalizing of a talent to ignore. The 21-year-old will backstop the up-and-coming Sabres in his first full campaign after going 5-2 with a .905 save percentage in his first taste of the NHL late in 2022-23.Those numbers don't exactly jump off the page, but Levi's amateur track record speaks for itself. He was a Hobey Baker finalist twice at Northeastern, where he also was named collegiate goaltender of the year in both of his NCAA seasons. Levi also won world championship gold with Canada, albeit in a limited role, to further strengthen his pedigree. We're not suggesting you bet on Levi to win the Vezina in his rookie year. But Buffalo would've made the playoffs with stronger goaltending last year, and its new netminder looks like the answer.Pyotr Kochetkov, HurricanesKochetkov is buried behind Frederik Andersen and Antti Raanta on Carolina's depth chart, but the veteran duo is highly injury-prone, which could open the door for the 24-year-old. The Hurricanes clearly believe in Kochetkov as a viable NHL goaltender, as they signed him a four-year extension in November with only a handful of games under his belt.Should Kochetkov find his way into Carolina's crease, he can be trusted to rack up wins behind Rod Brind'Amour's defensive structure. He went 12-7-5 in his chances last season while posting a respectable .909 save percentage.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

New York Rangers veteran Vincent Trocheck has lofty expectations for his team this coming season after a disappointing first-round exit over the spring."No B.S.," Trocheck told NHL.com's Dan Rosen."This team has been looked at as a team that can take the next step in the future for a while now. That future is now. We don't have all this time to waste. It's put up or shut up at this point."The Rangers have made the playoffs in each of the past two seasons after only making it once - the qualifying round of the 2020 bubble postseason - in the four years prior.New York reached the Eastern Conference Final in its return to the playoffs in 2022 but blew a 2-0 series lead to the rival New Jersey Devils in the opening round in 2023, Trocheck's first season with the club. The early elimination led to the firing of head coach Gerard Gallant, who led the team to 110- and 107-point seasons in two years at the helm.The Rangers were commonly viewed as a young team on the rise under Gallant, but Trocheck believes New York has the necessary experience to be a contender."We don't have that 'get to the playoffs and that's success' mentality," he said. "We know how awful it was losing in the first round last year, so we're coming in here, and we mean business. You get sick of losing."Trocheck managed 64 points in 82 games in his first season on Broadway, then added a single goal in the playoffs. He'll begin his 11th NHL campaign on Oct.12 when the Rangers meet the Buffalo Sabres.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Sidney Crosby believes Connor McDavid can ascend to even higher heights in the upcoming campaign after seeing what he did last season.The Pittsburgh Penguins captain said he wouldn't be surprised to see the Edmonton Oilers dynamo collect more than 170 points in 2023-24, according to NHL.com's Mike Zeisberger."I didn't think 150 was going to be in the cards for him but he found a way to get there," Crosby said. "So, I don't think anything is out of the question for him as far as numbers are concerned."He just finds a way to find another level time and time again, so I would never bet against him."McDavid led the NHL with 153 points last season, winning the Art Ross Trophy by 25 points over teammate Leon Draisaitl while posting the highest single-season point total since Mario Lemieux's 161 in 1995-96. The Oilers captain also claimed the Hart Trophy for the third time, his fourth Ted Lindsay Award, and his first "Rocket" Richard Trophy after pacing the league with 64 goals.Crosby's praise for McDavid is nothing new, as the future Hall of Famer has called the Oilers center the NHL's best player since 2018. But no one has reached the 170-point plateau since Lemieux racked up 199 in 1988-89. Crosby hasn't changed his opinion on who's best right now, though."Yeah, I think it's (still) hard to argue that one," Crosby said. "I mean, you've got Nate (MacKinnon) and Leon and some other guys who are right there, but I think (McDavid has) proven that."Crosby and McDavid could finally get to play together for Canada if the NHL and NHLPA follow through on their plan to hold a best-on-best international tournament in February 2025."The chance to play with Connor and, for that matter, some other guys would be cool," Crosby said. "It's a pretty amazing honor to play for Team Canada and to be with the best players in the world competing. Just seeing that level of hockey, it's impressive, and it's fun, and it's hockey at its finest."Hopefully, we get that opportunity."As for playing against each other, Crosby and McDavid won't face off this season until March 3, followed by a rematch between the Penguins and Oilers seven days later. That means the first time the two superstars meet in 2023-24 could be in early February at the All-Star festivities in Toronto.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Clayton Keller couldn't think of a more incredible goal he's witnessed than the one teammate Logan Cooley scored during the Arizona Coyotes' preseason win over the Los Angeles Kings in Australia on Saturday."That was one of the best moves I've ever seen," Keller said postgame, according to team reporter Patrick Brown. "The spin-o-rama was one thing, but then to have the patience to pull it to your forehand and then finish it, it's definitely the best I've ever seen."Cooley flew into the Kings' defensive zone, pulled off the spin-o-rama, and then buried it while falling down, embarrassing multiple L.A. players in the process during the second period in Melbourne.

The Toronto Maple Leafs will explore giving Auston Matthews a role on the penalty kill this coming season, and the two-time "Rocket" Richard winner is all for the new opportunity."You're down a man but at the same time, it's hockey, a lot of anticipation, a lot of reads, and I feel like I have a good stick and can break up plays," Matthews said, according to NHL.com's Dave McCarthy. "I'd love to be utilized on it."Matthews has only logged 24:19 on the kill since entering the league in 2016-17. He does boast some skills that could translate to the role, as he ranks fourth among all forwards in blocks (443) and fifth in takeaways (447) over the past seven seasons."I've always thought of it too when you go out against guys like Patrice Bergeron and Brad Marchand on the penalty kill, it definitely makes you think a little bit more maybe just because not only are they very good defensively, they can knock pucks out of the air and force you to make plays in tough positions and then transition the other way," Matthews said."Obviously, you're not trying to score every time you are out there, but there's definitely a lot of opportunity there and something I definitely want to embrace."Toronto had the NHL's 12th-ranked penalty kill last season at 81.9%, then struggled in the playoffs with a 73.3% clip. The Maple Leafs lost several shorthanded contributors over the offseason, including Noel Acciari, Ryan O'Reilly, and Alex Kerfoot.Head coach Sheldon Keefe said the roster overhaul has played a part in the decision to give Matthews a look."A need and a void perhaps is the best way to describe it," Keefe said. "This will be a longer look for him just to get comfortable and familiar with it. ... Ideally for me, Auston is comfortable to take penalty-kill reps, same with (William Nylander) who has killed more than Auston over the last couple of seasons and will take a bigger step this year as well, but also have others step up so depending on what the game is calling for, we can utilize different people in different situations."Matthews registered 40 goals and 85 points in 74 games last season, a notable step back from his 2021-22 MVP campaign when he notched 60 tallies and 46 helpers.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Pittsburgh Penguins will let defensemen Erik Karlsson and Kris Letang share the ice on the man advantage."The power play is very important to Erik and Kris," head coach Mike Sullivan told ESPN's Greg Wyshynski. "So we'll start with both of them on the top unit. And so we'll see how it goes. We've got a lot of options."Karlsson's future power-play usage was a notable topic of discussion when Pittsburgh acquired him from the San Jose Sharks over the offseason, as Letang has run the top unit for much of his 17-year career.There don't appear to be any hard feelings between the two stars, though, with Letang having reportedly endorsed the team's pursuit of the reigning Norris Trophy winner before the deal was struck.Along with the two veteran defensemen, Pittsburgh's No. 1 power play will likely feature Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, and Jake Guentzel - who may miss some time at the start of the season due to an ankle injury.The Penguins ranked 14th in the NHL in power-play proficiency last season at 21.7%. Karlsson notched 27 of his 101 points with the man advantage. He has 273 power-play points to his credit through 14 NHL seasons.Letang contributed 21 power-play points in 2022-23. Since Karlsson broke into the NHL in 2009-10, he and Letang rank first and fifth, respectively, among all blue-liners in power-play production.Many eyes will be on the new-look Penguins this coming year after they missed the playoffs for the first time since 2005-06. The team underwent significant changes to the front office and roster this offseason.Pittsburgh's season opener comes Oct. 10 against the Chicago Blackhawks.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Warning: Story contains coarse languageToronto Maple Leafs winger Nick Robertson doesn't seem bothered that he's not viewed the same way he used to be in terms of his potential."I know my name isn't what it used to be. I don't give a fuck," Robertson told The Athletic's Joshua Kloke with a smile.Despite enduring numerous injuries and watching the club overhaul its depth chart, the 22-year-old still thinks he can stick in the NHL."I believe. I believe in anything," he said.Robertson became the Maple Leafs' best prospect soon after they drafted him 53rd overall in 2019. He racked up 55 goals and 31 assists over 46 games with the OHL's Peterborough Petes the following season, then debuted with the Leafs in the bubble, scoring a goal in four playoff games.However, he hurt his knee during his regular-season debut in the abbreviated 2021 campaign, tore his adductor with the AHL's Toronto Marlies later that season, broke his fibula with the farm team early in 2021-22, and then injured his shoulder when Los Angeles Kings defenseman Matt Roy hit him in December 2022.Robertson opted for surgery on the latter ailment, which ended his season. He's been limited to 31 regular-season contests in the NHL over three campaigns, mustering just three goals and four assists.Matthew Knies has since usurped Robertson as the Maple Leafs' most tantalizing young forward. The Hobey Baker Award finalist, who'll turn 21 in October, collected an assist in three regular-season games with Toronto last season before adding a goal and three assists in seven playoff appearances.Knies is expected to play a larger role with the club in 2023-24. He departed the University of Minnesota to sign an entry-level deal with Toronto in April.Robertson is now fully recovered from his shoulder surgery, and he'll have plenty to prove as he enters the final year of his own entry-level pact."In the long run, I know this is an important year for me," he said. "I didn't want to miss training camp. It was a tough decision for me. It really was. But it was something I had to be mature about."So far in camp, Robertson has played on a line with players like Pontus Holmberg and Nick Abruzzese, who aren't locks to make the team. Robertson is still exempt from waivers, so he can be sent down to the AHL without the risk of being claimed by other NHL squads.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Travis Sanheim was aware of his involvement in trade rumors this past offseason - and he wasn't a fan."It sucks," Sanheim said, per Flyers Nitty Gritty's Jamey Baskow. "There is a reason I signed here for eight years. I want to be here in Philadelphia."Sanheim was reportedly supposed to be involved in the trade that sent Kevin Hayes from the Flyers to the St. Louis Blues, but the deal fell apart after Torey Krug refused to waive his no-trade clause to go to Philadelphia. Hayes was eventually shipped to the Blues for a sixth-round pick.But Sanheim said he had good conversations with president of hockey operations Keith Jones and head coach John Tortorella and is willing to put the past behind him."There were no hard feelings on either side," Sanheim said.Sanheim enters the first season of an eight-year, $50-million extension, which was signed by former general manager Chuck Fletcher in October 2022. Daniel Briere is the club's new GM.The 27-year-old blue-liner tallied seven goals and 16 assists while averaging 20:24 per game in 81 contests last season. With the departures of both Ivan Provorov and Tony DeAngelo - Philly's two minutes leaders in 2022-23 - Sanheim is projected to take on an expanded role this campaign.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Vegas Golden Knights are channeling the same mentality as last year as the team looks to defend its Stanley Cup triumph."You look at the players we have, it's pretty ironic that people were writing us off," Golden Knights captain Mark Stone told Las Vegas Sun's Danny Webster. "I almost hope the same thing this year. I hope people write us off. I hope it gives us motivation."We want to have that same chip on our shoulder. A lot of people say we can't do it again. We have to use that as fuel to try and get back to where we want to be."After missing the playoffs in 2022, Vegas stormed its way to the team's first-ever Stanley Cup this spring. The Golden Knights demolished the Florida Panthers in five games to win the Cup and never faced elimination en route to the finals."Everyone loves their preseason picks," star forward Jack Eichel said. "Were we anyone's preseason picks last year? No."You go out there and prove yourself on the ice every night, and the ultimate goal of our season is a long, long way away, and I think we learned that last year."Head coach Bruce Cassidy enters his second season behind the bench in Vegas with the task of replicating last year's immense success."We're here to win the Cup," Cassidy said. "So are 31 other teams. We feel like we're returning a lot of players that give us that opportunity. We're in that age frame right now where it's not just this year, but next year. All those things bode well for us."The Golden Knights commence their preseason schedule Sunday against the San Jose Sharks and open their regular season on Oct. 10 against the Seattle Kraken.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Arizona Coyotes general manager Bill Armstrong sees a boatload of potential in Clayton Keller."Just being around him, (Keller) is a competitor," Armstrong said, per NHL.com's Amalie Benjamin. "The greatest thing that people don't know about him is that this guy lives and breathes hockey. He's on the ice all summer working on a shot. He's doing all the little things."He's one of our best players, and he might be the best Coyote ever, in the end."Keller enjoyed a career campaign last season, leading the team with 37 goals and 49 assists in 82 contests. His 86 points on the year tied Keith Tkachuk for the most in a single season by a Coyote since the team moved to the desert from Winnipeg in 1996.That performance is even more impressive given how Keller's 2021-22 season ended. He had to be stretchered off the ice with a broken leg during a contest against the San Jose Sharks on March 30, 2022, and immediately underwent surgery to repair the fracture.Keller was able to recover in time for the 2022-23 campaign and was named a finalist for this season's Bill Masterton Trophy - which honors perseverance and dedication to hockey - as a result of his efforts.Now, the talented winger is confident he can be the first Coyote to hit the 100-point mark and the franchise's first player to accomplish the feat since Teemu Selanne in 1992-93 when the team was still in Winnipeg."I feel really good, obviously," Keller said. "A full summer of training and skating as opposed to last summer, not much, and a lot of uncertainty going into the season about my health and things like that. I feel great. It's the most excited I've been going into a season."In order to claim the title as the best Coyote ever, Keller will have to wrestle the mantle away from Shane Doan, who's the team's leader in goals (395), points (955), and games played (1,466) - excluding his debut campaign in Winnipeg when he netted seven goals and 17 points in 74 contests.At 25 years old, Keller already ranks fifth in goals (133) and points (342) as well as 11th in games played (442) in Phoenix/Arizona Coyotes history.Keller is entering the fourth season of an eight-year, $57.2-million extension.The Coyotes' preseason kicks off on Saturday at midnight ET in Australia.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

With the Michael Andlauer era officially underway in Ottawa, NHL commissioner Gary Bettman has high hopes for the Senators."I don't think there's anybody who should have any concerns about the future of this franchise," Bettman said Friday while officially introducing Andlauer as the team's new owner, per Sportsnet. "In fact, to the contrary, I think everybody can be assured that the best days of this franchise are yet to come."Andlauer's group reached a deal to buy the Senators for a reported $950 million in mid-June after the team first hit the market in November. The league's board of governors officially approved the purchase Thursday."It's been worth the journey," Andlauer said. "I can really say I'm finally home."

The following players may not be fantasy relevant during the 2023-24 season, but they could become incredibly valuable in keeper leagues down the line.Most of these players will need to be designated as not active, so be sure to check your league's settings before drafting any of them.Gabriel Landeskog, LW, Avalanche Christian Petersen / Getty Images Sport / GettyThose in true dynasty leagues where almost the entire roster is kept year to year can probably ignore this advice, but for those in keeper leagues where only a portion of the roster is kept or where players are kept based on draft position, this is for you.Landeskog has been ruled out for the entire 2023-24 season after undergoing a third knee surgery, so he likely won't be on most fantasy managers' radars. But if your league has enough injured reserve spots, it's worth grabbing Landeskog late in your draft, stashing him on IR, and reaping the benefits in 2024-25.While there's no guarantee Landeskog returns to his pre-injury form after missing two seasons, it's worth a shot since the risk is almost nonexistent. Landeskog was still a threat offensively when he was last on the ice, racking up 30 goals and 29 assists in 51 games during the 2021-22 regular season. He also added 94 hits and 78 penalty minutes for leagues that factor in certain secondary stats.Matthew Savoie, C, Sabres Joshua Bessex / Getty Images Sport / GettySavoie might have the longest path to fantasy stardom of any player on this list, but it could be worth it in the end. The Sabres selected the highly skilled forward ninth overall in 2021. The 19-year-old is likely destined for another season in the WHL, a league in which he tallied 95 points in 62 games last season. What happens after that remains to be seen.He could debut with the Sabres in 2024-25, although the club may want to give him a year of seasoning in the AHL once he turns pro. So 2025-26 seems like the year Savoie will definitely be a full-time NHLer. With all of the young talent the Sabres already have in the NHL and coming through the system, it'll be a great environment for Savoie to shine and rack up points.David Jiricek, D, Blue Jackets Ben Jackson / National Hockey League / GettyJiricek looks NHL-ready after dominating the AHL as a teenager with 38 points in 55 games. He even got into four NHL games due to injuries on Columbus' blue line, displaying strong secondary-stat potential with seven blocks and nine hits.While shooting right typically works in a defenseman's favor to get more minutes, it's actually hurting Jiricek's path to the opening-night NHL lineup. The Blue Jackets have significant financial commitments to four right-shooting defensemen: Damon Severson ($6.25-million average annual value), Erik Gudbranson ($4 million), Andrew Peeke ($2.75 million), and Adam Boqvist ($2.6 million). With Zach Werenski and Ivan Provorov logging big minutes on the left side, there doesn't appear to be room for Jiricek to get a regular role.Rather than being in and out of the lineup in the NHL, the best path for his development would be another year dominating the AHL. This would also help his value for fantasy keeper leagues - he could be placed on NA for the majority of 2023-24 before coming up and playing a big role for the Blue Jackets in 2024-25.The 2022 No. 6 pick has all the makings of a future star, too. He was named top defenseman at the 2022 World Junior Championship after carrying Czechia to the gold-medal game. He possesses great size, skill, and offensive awareness.Jesper Wallstedt, G, Wild Andy Devlin / Getty Images Sport / GettyWallstedt's path to the NHL is blocked for at least another year - barring injury, of course. Filip Gustavsson re-upped for another three years, and Marc-Andre Fleury still has one more year left on his contract.It wouldn't be shocking if this is Fleury's last year with the Wild, though - or in the NHL in general. He turns 39 in November and has accomplished just about everything a goalie possibly can. And if he does want to continue playing, the Wild may just let him walk if they view Wallstedt as NHL-ready. His entry-level salary would be a boon for a team that'll once again be facing a significant cap crunch until the Zach Parise and Ryan Suter buyouts become palatable in 2025-26.Wallstedt has all the pedigree to make the NHL by 2024-25. The Wild drafted him 20th overall in 2021 and viewed him as a mature, technically sound, goalie they could fast-track to the NHL. The 6-foot-3 netminder's first year in North America was a success, as he posted a .908 save percentage in 38 games with the AHL's Iowa Wild. One more year in the minors should be enough.The Swede has been lights out on the international stage, posting a .940 save percentage in five games at the 2022 world juniors and a .947 mark in three appearances at the 2023 World Championship.If he gets to the NHL in 2024-25, he could become an immediate fantasy contributor. The Wild are perennially one of the NHL's best defensive teams, and they historically like to ride a two-goalie platoon rather than relying on one workhorse. Don't be surprised if Wallstedt works his way into a near 50-50 split with Gustavsson in his rookie season.Yaroslav Askarov, G, Predators Minas Panagiotakis / Getty Images Sport / GettyIt's a toss-up between Wallstedt and Askarov as to who the NHL's best goalie prospect is. Wallstedt is probably a safer bet to be a long-term NHL starter, but Askarov has more upside due to his raw athleticism.The Predators selected the 6-foot-3 Askarov 11th overall in the 2020 NHL Draft. He's had some ups and downs since then but is coming off a strong debut AHL campaign in which he posted a .911 save percentage in 48 games.Askarov is likely to spend another year as an AHL starter barring injuries to the Predators' goalie tandem of Juuse Saros and Kevin Lankinen. But after the 2023-24 season, all bets are off. Lankinen will be a free agent, and Saros will be entering the last year of his deal.If the Predators miss the playoffs again, they could pivot to a full rebuild under new general manager Barry Trotz. That could result in trading Saros, which would open the door for Askarov to be the starter in 2024-25. Even if they keep Saros, Askarov would be the likely backup as long as he has another strong year in the AHL.Josh Wegman has been theScore's resident fantasy hockey expert since 2015. Find him on X @JoshWegman_.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

As is the case every season, numerous players are within reach of accomplishing major career milestones. Some are even set to etch their name atop their franchise's all-time lists.Ahead of the 2023-24 campaign, let's look at some notable milestones and team records that are attainable this season.A duo chase 1,000 career points ... plus a wild card Mark Blinch / National Hockey League / GettyTwo players in very different situations are within striking distance of joining the list of 97 NHLers to have tallied 1,000 career points.Phil Kessel's the closest active player to the mark. The 35-year-old is only eight points away but remains without a contract through mid-September. Will someone give the NHL's ironman an opportunity to extend his consecutive games streak and reach the 1,000-point crew?Considering the uncertainty around Kessel as we approach the new campaign, Toronto Maple Leafs forward John Tavares is the most likely new addition to the career 1,000-point scorers table.The Maple Leafs captain starts the season 25 points shy of hitting the milestone. When he reaches the plateau, he'll be the 15th player to have been drafted first overall to accomplish the feat.While Kessel and Tavares are the only two with a high percentage chance of reaching 1,000 career points this season, there's one other wild card who can put his name on the list: Connor McDavid.The Edmonton Oilers superstar begins the 2023-24 campaign with 850 career points. He's 150 points shy of 1,000 - a single-season total seen only once since 1996. Of course, that lone occasion was last year when McDavid hit 153.Should Tavares and Kessel add their names to the 1,000-point list early in the season, the next player to hit the mark would be the 100th in league history.A late-season McDavid chasing a second-straight 150-point campaign and 1,000 career points to become the 100th player ever to accomplish the feat? Yes, please.Two icons seek even more history Eliot J. Schechter / National Hockey League / GettyAs is the case every year, Sidney Crosby and Alex Ovechkin will continue to drive their names up all-time lists this season.No milestone or record chase has garnered as much attention as Ovechkin's pursuit of Wayne Gretzky atop the goal charts. The 38-year-old won't do it this season, as he enters the campaign 72 goals back of 894. But he could put a significant dent in the deficit to put himself within reach for 2024-25.That said, Ovechkin still has significant totals within reach. He's already the all-time leader in power-play goals, but he'll become the first player to reach 300 tallies on the man advantage with his first power-play goal of the campaign.Ovechkin also needs only 15 points to become the 16th player to reach 1,500 career points.As for Crosby, he begins the year 15th on the all-time scoring list at 1,502 points. If the 36-year-old can play another full season, he could pass Phil Esposito to reach the top 10 in career points. Crosby needs 88 points to move into a tie for tenth with Esposito - a total he surpassed for the first time in four years last season.20 aim for a silver stick Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / GettyRyan O'Reilly, Victor Hedman, Brad Marchand, and Erik Karlsson are among the 20 players who can reach the 1,000-game mark this season.Though the list of players who can accomplish the feat includes multiple marquee names, none would be as notable as Marc-Andre Fleury reaching the plateau.Just three goaltenders have reached 1,000 NHL games, and each is in the Hall of Fame - Martin Brodeur, Roberto Luongo, and Patrick Roy. Fleury will add his name to the list with his 15th appearance of the campaign.Here's the list of players who can earn a silver stick in 2023-24:PlayerTeamGames to 1KRyan O'ReillyNashville Predators9Marc-Andre FleuryMinnesota Wild15Kyle OkposoBuffalo Sabres16Cal ClutterbuckNew York Islanders18Matt DucheneDallas Stars24Victor HedmanTampa Bay Lightning26TJ OshieWashington Capitals42Lars EllerPittsburgh Penguins46Alex PietrangeloVegas Golden Knights48Brad MarchandBoston Bruins53Jordan EberleSeattle Kraken60James van RiemsdykBruins60Luke SchennPredators67Jeff SkinnerSabres68Nick LeddySt. Louis Blues71John CarlsonCapitals73Logan CoutureSan Jose Sharks73Erik KarlssonPenguins80Erik JohnsonSabres80Tyler MyersVancouver Canucks82Fleury's also within punching distance of second all-time on the wins list. With 544 victories entering the campaign, the 38-year-old's just eight wins away from surpassing Roy for sole possession of the No. 2 spot behind Brodeur.Even with Filip Gustavsson expected to take more of a starting role after a breakout 2022-23 campaign, there's still plenty of history to be made for Fleury this season.Trio of coaches close on career marks Julio Aguilar / Getty Images Sport / GettyJon Cooper enters his 11th full season behind the bench of the Tampa Bay Lightning on the verge of a major career milestone. The 56-year-old's 20 wins away from becoming the 29th head coach in league history to reach 500 career victories.Most impressively, every win on his NHL resume has come with Tampa Bay. Barring an unforeseen disaster, Cooper will be just the sixth coach to reach the 500-win mark with a single franchise.Two veteran bench bosses in the Metropolitan Division will coach their 1,500th games this season. John Tortorella is set to be the seventh coach to reach the milestone in the 35th contest of the campaign, and Peter Laviolette will become the eighth to do so shortly afterward. The New York Rangers' recent hire will accomplish the feat in game No. 70 this season.Team records up for grabs Claus Andersen / Getty Images Sport / Getty

Logan Couture and Tomas Hertl are committed to the San Jose Sharks for the time being, but general manager Mike Grier admitted on Thursday that the team would try to accommodate them if either player requested a move in the future."I check in with (Hertl and Couture) a lot, and if there ever were to come a time when they felt like they needed or wanted to go somewhere else, it's definitely something I would listen to, and if it made sense for us, I would explore it," Grier said, according to Bay Area News' Curtis Pashelka.Both Couture and Hertl have spent their entire careers with the Sharks. Couture - the team's captain - has four years remaining on a contract signed in 2018. The 34-year-old has accrued 14 seasons in San Jose and is coming off a 27-goal, 67-point campaign in 2022-23.Hertl's entering the second season of an eight-year extension signed in 2022. The 29-year-old scored 22 goals and 63 points in 79 games last year and is beginning his 11th campaign with the Sharks.Despite the acknowledgment from Grier, he made it clear that neither player is interested in a move away from San Jose at the moment."They're all in," Grier said, according to San Jose Hockey Now's Sheng Peng. "They enjoy working with (head coach David Quinn) and the coaching staff. They're excited by some of the young players."Should either Couture or Hertl want to play elsewhere, both have a significant say over where they can be traded. Hertl holds a full no-move clause through 2025, while Couture has a 29-team no-trade clause, according to CapFriendly.Grier's no stranger to obliging a trade request. Erik Karlsson wanted a move this summer after he won the Norris Trophy, and Grier found him a new home with the Pittsburgh Penguins in a complex transaction involving 12 pieces.Couture's currently unavailable on a week-to-week basis with a lower-body injury. He confirmed there's no timetable for him to get back on the ice, per Pashelka."I'm doing everything that I possibly can," Couture said of being ready for opening night on Oct. 12, according to Peng. "That's all I can give you."The Sharks commence their preseason schedule on Sunday against the reigning Stanley Cup champion Vegas Golden Knights.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Michael Andlauer officially has the keys to the Ottawa Senators.The Toronto billionaire's purchase of the NHL franchise was unanimously approved by the league's board of governors, the NHL confirmed Thursday.Andlauer, who reached a deal to buy the team for a reported $950 million in June, will be introduced with his partners on Friday at Canadian Tire Centre.The 57-year-old's prior experience with the league and owning a hockey team were apparently key parts of his success in landing the franchise. He owns the OHL's Brantford Bulldogs and was a minority shareholder of the Montreal Canadiens.Former Senators president Cyril Leeder will join the club's front office under Andlauer, Garrioch added.The Senators went up for sale in November. Keeping the team in Ottawa was the only condition for prospective buyers. Anna and Olivia Melnyk, the daughters of the late previous owner Eugene Melnyk, kept a 10% legacy stake in the team.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.