The Dallas Stars and Minnesota Wild are heading back to the playoffs.The Stars punched their ticket with a 5-1 win over the Nashville Predators on Monday. The Wild clinched by picking up a point in a shootout loss to the Vegas Golden Knights, combined with Nashville's loss.It's the second straight year and fourth time in the last five seasons that the Stars made the playoffs.Minnesota, meanwhile, earned a postseason berth for a fourth straight year and 10th time in the last 11 campaigns.The Stars and Wild are the first two teams from the Central Division to clinch playoff spots, but the Colorado Avalanche likely won't be too far behind. Dallas and Minnesota are tied for the division lead at 98 points, while the Avalanche are just two points behind with two games in hand on each club.Colorado can clinch as early as Tuesday night. After that, the Seattle Kraken, Winnipeg Jets, Calgary Flames, and Predators will need to battle it out for the final two playoff spots in the Western Conference.Copyright © 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Carson Briere was dismissed from Mercyhurst University's hockey team Monday, the school announced.

We have a very small slate of games on the docket Monday night, with a battle between two of the top seeds in the Western Conference set to take center stage.Let's take a look at the best way to attack that game - and the card as a whole - with three bets.Golden Knights (+115) @ Wild (-135)The Golden Knights - in their current, injured form - are not as good as their record indicates, especially on the road.They've controlled only 44% of the expected goal share at five-on-five over the past 10 road games, which is one of the worst outputs in the NHL. Their poor numbers stem largely from a surprising inability to defend. They're giving up a lot of chances.A recent injury to Shea Theodore isn't going to help improve their process, although his absence hurts more on the offensive side of things.That's not ideal when going up against the Wild. They've defended masterfully for the vast majority of the campaign. That remains the case right now, particularly at home.Over its last 10 home affairs, Minnesota has allowed only 8.6 high-danger chances per 60 minutes of five-on-five play. That's the league's second-best rate, behind only the No. 1-seeded Boston Bruins.Generating legitimate scoring opportunities has been almost impossible for opposing teams. When they do, they then have to deal with Filip Gustavsson.He ranks fourth in goals saved above expected per start, slotting behind only the tandem in Boston and Juuse Saros. Gustavsson has been a brick wall and should have little problem slowing down this banged-up Golden Knights attack.Minnesota's defensive prowess should give the team an edge at five-on-five, and it also has a much more reliable netminder. Throw home ice in as a cherry on top, and there's plenty of reason to expect the Wild to take care of business.Bet: Wild (-135)Jason Robertson over 3.5 shots (-135)Robertson is one of the NHL's most consistent shooters at home. He's registered four-plus shots in 62% of his home games this season, including the only one against the Predators.His shot volume in Dallas is night and day to what it is on the road. Robertson has managed 7.9 shot attempts per home game. That number drops to an even six when on the road.However, what I truly love about Robertson on Monday is the matchup. His bread-and-butter is shooting on the man advantage, where he ranks fifth in total attempts.The Predators are one of the best opponents Robertson could ask for. They take a boatload of penalties, having spent more time shorthanded than all but the Coyotes and Bruins over the past 10 games.Slowing down Robertson is difficult enough. If the Predators parade to the box like usual, it's borderline impossible. Expect Robertson to have a big shooting night.Miro Heiskanen over 2.5 shots (-145)Heiskanen's splits are as drastic as you'll see in any defenseman. He's good on the road, sporting a solid 52% hit rate. He's an absolute machine at home, though, having gone over his total in 71% of the games.Heiskanen is in his finest form right now. He's hit in eight of the past 10 games in Dallas, including six of the last seven. The lone exception came against a Flames team that suppresses shots as effectively as anybody - outside of the Hurricanes, anyway.The Predators are winning a lot of games right now, but it's mostly been on the back of Saros. At five-on-five, they rank in the bottom 10 in shot suppression the past 10 games. As mentioned, they're also taking a ton of penalties.Whether Saros steals the show or not doesn't negatively impact Dallas' ability to pile up the shots. I expect the team's two best volume shooters - Robertson and Heiskanen - to be heavily involved.Todd Cordell is a sports betting writer at theScore. Be sure to follow him on Twitter @ToddCordell.Copyright © 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Toronto Maple Leafs goaltender Matt Murray exited Sunday's loss to the Detroit Red Wings and was unable to return after he was inadvertently knocked over by Lucas Raymond in the first period.

The Edmonton Oilers punched their ticket to the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs with a 6-0 win over the Anaheim Ducks on Saturday.Edmonton is the second team in the Western Conference to clinch a playoff berth, joining the Vegas Golden Knights. The Oilers are now up to 99 points for the season, two back of Vegas for first place in the Pacific Division with one extra game played.Jay Woodcroft's crew has been the league's hottest team since March 1, posting a 13-2-1 record over that span. He guided the Oilers to the playoffs last year after taking over behind the bench for Dave Tippett midseason.The Oilers' 2022 playoff run included series wins over the Los Angles Kings and Calgary Flames before a sweep at the hands of the Colorado Avalanche in the Western Conference Final.Edmonton has now reached the postseason in five of eight campaigns since drafting Connor McDavid first overall in 2015. The runaway MVP favorite played a significant part in helping his club get back to the dance this season with a career-high 62 goals and 146 points.The Oilers' seeding in the Pacific's playoff picture is far from decided. Los Angeles is a single point back of Edmonton with a game in hand.The two clubs will meet in a crucial contest Tuesday.Copyright © 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Tampa Bay Lightning will face the Toronto Maple Leafs in the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the second straight year.Tampa Bay clinched a postseason berth with a 5-0 victory over the New York Islanders on Saturday night.The Bolts vanquished the Leafs in seven games in 2022. They reached the Cup Final, losing in six to the Colorado Avalanche. Tampa got to the championship round for the third time in as many years after winning back-to-back titles.Home-ice advantage for the upcoming series hasn't yet been determined. Toronto sits second in the Atlantic Division, four points ahead of the third-place Lightning with two games in hand. Both clubs earned shutout wins Saturday, as the Leafs defeated the Ottawa Senators 3-0.Toronto clinched a playoff spot Monday when the Senators beat the Florida Panthers. The Leafs have qualified for seven straight seasons but will be looking to win a series for the first time since 2004.Copyright © 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Philadelphia Flyers leading scorer Travis Konecny returned to the team's lineup Saturday against the Buffalo Sabres.Flyers head coach John Tortorella said pregame that forward Sean Couturier won't play this season, according to The Athletic's Charlie O'Connor.Konecny hadn't played since Feb. 20 after sustaining an upper-body injury against the Calgary Flames. Despite missing 16 contests, the 26-year-old still paces the Flyers with 27 goals and 54 points.Couturier has been sidelined due to a back injury. He last played for Philadelphia on Dec. 18, 2021.Tortorella noted that Couturier didn't sustain a setback in his recovery, but that the decision was made to not risk bringing him back for the final eight games of the season, according to O'Connor."I said to (Couturier), 'Why don't we use the next few months to get even more ready?'" Tortorella said."This guy's a whole different animal, he wants to (play)," the coach continued, according to NBCS Philadelphia's Jordan Hall.The Flyers entered Saturday sitting seventh in the Metropolitan Division with a 29-32-13 record.Copyright © 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

As one of the few Edmontonians under the age of 45 who has actually seen the Oilers win a Stanley Cup - and can remember it - fan Chris Davies has been hanging on to those winning memories for a long time.He attended one playoff game in what he called the "glory years" - that franchise-defining run of 13 seasons after joining the NHL in 1979. What he remembers is how loud it was."There was just this continuous, continuous noise," the 40-year-old recalls. "It was super overwhelming as a 9-year-old. People stood for two-thirds of the game." Bruce Bennett / Getty ImagesThe Oilers were one of four teams to join the NHL from the WHA for the 1979-80 season, and they made an immediate impact. Bolstered by a kid phenom by the name of Wayne Gretzky - who, legend has it, was acquired in a backgammon game - they were the lowest playoff seed in their first season but truly announced themselves the next year by taking down a legendary but aging Montreal Canadiens team in the first round.They didn't have to wait long to become legends in their own right: Between 1983-90 they appeared in six Stanley Cup Finals, winning five. They even managed to lock down a Cup without Gretzky, who had been sent to the Los Angeles Kings in one of the most stunning deals in sports history. David E. Klutho / Sports Illustrated / Getty ImagesOf course, shortly thereafter, the dark ages fell upon the Edmonton faithful as their team struggled to reach those heights again. The Oilers have not hoisted the Cup in 32 years. Other than a flash of brilliance in 2006 when they made it to Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final, they've otherwise existed in what appeared to be a perpetual state of rebuilding. For those just slightly younger than Chris Davies, the "glory days" were little more than oral legends, highlight clips, and jersey retirement ceremonies."My dad was an Oilers fan growing up, and I remember him talking about Gretzky and Messier, all those guys. All those years (since), it felt like maybe we'd be at the bottom forever," lifelong fan Tyler Melanson, 28, said.Perhaps as a sign of acceptance, the city meekly scrubbed the audacious "City of Champions" slogan from its branding in 2017. But help was on the way. A savior had arrived in Canada's gateway to the North. McJesus was drafted first overall by the Oilers in 2015, and with him came the hope of a new era.Today's youngest Oilers fans have been spared the lifetime of angst that their millennial parents have endured. The only captain they've ever known is Connor McDavid, who seems to do something special every time he steps on the ice. With him, the once faraway dream of bringing the Cup back to Edmonton seems within the realm of possibility.Chris Davies' 10-year-old son Sam, a self-proclaimed Oilers megafan, remembers well the first game he fell in love with the team. It was May 6, 2022, Game 3 of the Oilers-Kings Round 1 matchup. He didn't even watch it. His teachers provided updates during a school event. But the excitement of an 8-2 Oilers victory from the people around him left an unshakeable mark. Icon Sportswire / Getty Images"McDavid is my favorite Oiler," Sam said. "Just, generally, the way he plays - I like how he plays a level of hockey above everyone else."After watching McDavid in last year's playoffs, Sam begged his dad to let him sign up for youth hockey. "I used to think my goal was to be like McDavid. Now that I see just how good he is, I can see how hard that will be," Sam said. He became a goalie.Winning the Hart Trophy as MVP twice and the Art Ross Trophy four times in his first seven years were merely the appetizer before the main McDavid show. This season, he ascended to hockey's throne room, becoming the first Oilers player since Gretzky to break 140 points. The last time someone approached a rate of two points per game was when the Pittsburgh Penguins' Mario Lemieux recorded 2.3 per game (161 points in 70 contests) in 1996. McDavid is at 1.9 with six games left.Over the last four years, Matt Laird has seen a lot of those points in person - he's only missed about four home games in his role as bandleader and sousaphone player for the Oilers Drum and Brass Crew. Perched with his band in the upper deck of Rogers Place, he has a unique gauge on the crowd.Nur Photo / Getty Images On the nights when McDavid dazzles, the crowd pulses. "You can feel the energy is ... almost like a tangible thing," he said. Laird's band will often perform on the concourse during period breaks. "You can actually feel the floor in Ford Hall shaking when everyone's in there. It's pretty cool, but also a little scary."McDavid's career-high 61 goals and 83 assists through 76 games are certainly giving fans something legitimate to get excited about. And some of those goals are notched in such exquisite fashion that they push the crowd to an even more feverish climax. His 60th goal was one such accomplishment, earned in overtime against the Arizona Coyotes while the Oilers are locked in a heated search for points down the stretch."That was my favorite goal that I've ever seen him score," Laird says. "Such an amazing pass from Draisaitl. He strips the goalie. Misses the net on his own accord. Then Draisaitl fights it back off the boards and another insane pass to Connor who does the exact same move. He strips the goalie again. On the same move. And puts it in the net. I had a tough time sleeping that night because I was electric."After that goal, even McDavid's right-hand man had to acknowledge there's something different about him. "Crazy to try that same move again and score on them the second time, but that's just what he does, I guess," Draisaitl said. "It's pretty hard to score in this league. To score 60 in a season and still have 10 games to go is pretty remarkable. He's just a special player." Andy Devlin / NHL / Getty ImagesEven the characteristically understated McDavid himself admitted that goal was pretty cool."I felt like I was kind of pressing for the 60th all night. At this point, not to bury that one in ... I couldn't get many better looks than that. Not every day you get two breakaways back-to-back like that. Just ridiculous," McDavid said.Surrounded by his mere mortal peers, some nights McDavid looks like a man among boys. Sam compared his own experiences on the ice playing with his younger brother to describe it. "He's playing at a level of hockey above everyone else. He just needs a little bit more competition. He just needs to play with other people at his level." Icon Sportswire / Getty ImagesIt's not just the atmosphere inside Rogers Place that's building, the crowd's momentum is overflowing into nearby bars. "I think people recognize that they're watching - or potentially watching - history happen," said Taylor Iwaasa, owner and operator of popular downtown Edmonton hotspot Greta. "Milestones. Records. The things (McDavid) does on the ice. I think people are in awe of that part of it aside from the records. We're going into another playoff season with a lot of high hopes, and I definitely see a lot of rejuvenation with people starting to come out."But behind all the excitement lurks anxiety. It's not just the 32 years of Cup futility. Oilers fans recognized McDavid's rare talent from the outset. But for the last seven years, the organization has struggled to surround him with the right pieces to make a deep playoff run. McDavid and Draisaitl can't accomplish the feat on their own. Whether it be goaltending, lack of scoring depth, or defensive holes, something has always scuttled the team's chances. Meanwhile, the clock is ticking. Not only will McDavid not be young forever, he's already more than halfway through his eight-year deal. Codie McLachlan / Getty ImagesChris Davies said it like a grizzled vet: "Part of my heart does not want to be ripped out again."Melanson, with the realism of an Oilers fan who has lived through the dark times, said: "I feel like it's a bit of holding our breath." He then guessed that even McDavid himself might say something akin to, "It's great to do well, but if he doesn't win a Cup - was it worth it?"Fans can be thrilled with McDavid's personal accomplishments and the opportunity to see one of the most spectacular seasons in more than a century of NHL hockey. But, ultimately, they want the same thing their McJesus does."At the end of the day, (the milestones) are all just a number. ... Obviously we've got a lot of work left this year," McDavid said.Jolene Latimer is a video producer and feature writer for theScore.Copyright © 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

In case his stats weren't a clear enough indicator, Florida Panthers star Matthew Tkachuk said he's settled into his new surroundings rather nicely this season."I knew I was going to love it, but I didn't think I'd love it this much," Tkachuk told The Athletic's Joshua Kloke.Tkachuk made waves this past summer by commandeering a move from the Calgary Flames after six seasons. He told the club he wouldn't sign a new deal as a restricted free agent, triggering the monumental trade that sent Jonathan Huberdeau and MacKenzie Weegar to the Flames. Tkachuk signed an eight-year, $76-million deal with the Panthers shortly after the deal."I just saw my opportunity and took it," Tkachuk said.He added: "I know Florida as a team isn't talked about as publicly as some other teams. But honestly, I didn't listen to (the doubters)."Tkachuk has played his way into the Hart Trophy conversation this season with 101 points through 73 games while averaging a career-high 20:33 per contest. The Panthers' leading scorer also won All-Star Game MVP in front of his home fans in February.Despite his individual success, the Panthers are in a battle to qualify for a playoff spot one season after winning the Presidents' Trophy. Florida entered Friday's schedule one point back of the Pittsburgh Penguins for the second wild-card spot with an extra game played.Tkachuk admitted not qualifying for the postseason would tarnish an otherwise outstanding debut year with the Panthers."I'm not just going somewhere where I'm able to be in 80-degree weather every day," he said. "I want to have a chance to be on a competitive team each and every year."Copyright © 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

San Jose Sharks top prospect William Eklund underwent season-ending surgery Thursday to repair a torn labrum in his left shoulder, the team announced.Eklund is expected to make a full recovery in time for the start of training camp in September.He suffered the ailment in an AHL game on March 22.

Vancouver Canucks defenseman Filip Hronek is done for the season due to a shoulder injury, head coach Rick Tocchet confirmed, according to The Athletic's Thomas Drance."There's really no reason for him to come back," Tocchet said, according to The Vancouver Sun's Patrick Johnston. The coach added, "He's going to have a long time to make his shoulder perfect."Tocchet said there is no concern that he needs surgery and Hronek would be able to play if it were the playoffs, according to Johnston.The Canucks acquired Hronek prior to the trade deadline along with a 2023 fourth-round pick in exchange for the Islanders' 2023 first-round pick and a 2023 second-round pick.The 25-year-old made his Vancouver debut on March 23. He played four games with the Canucks prior to being shut down, tallying one assist and averaging 24:17.Hronek was recovering from a shoulder injury when the Detroit Red Wings traded him. The ailment forced him to miss nearly one month and delayed his Canucks' debut after being acquired by the team on March 1.Vancouver is sixth in the Pacific Division with a 34-34-6 record.Copyright © 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Vancouver Canucks agreed to terms with goaltender Nikita Tolopilo on a two-year, entry-level contract, the team announced Friday."We are excited to have agreed to terms with Nikita as we continue to build out our prospect pool and add to our organization's depth in goal," general manager Patrik Allvin said. "He provides a combination of tremendous size and skill and has developed well at the professional level the past two seasons in Sweden, serving as one of the more accomplished goaltenders in his league this year."Tolopilo posted a .924 save percentage and a 2.10 goals-against average in 45 regular-season games for Sodertalje SK in HockeyAllsvenskan - the second-best professional league in Sweden.The 22-year-old Belarusian netminder stands 6-foot-6 and 229 pounds.Copyright © 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Jonathan Toews will return to the Chicago Blackhawks' lineup Saturday against the New Jersey Devils, head coach Luke Richardson said, according to Chicago Sun-Times' Ben Pope.Toews hasn't played since Jan. 28 due to ongoing symptoms of long COVID and chronic immune response syndrome.The illnesses forced the Blackhawks captain to miss the entire 2020-21 campaign. He has 14 goals and 28 points in 46 contests this season.The 34-year-old was noncommittal when asked about possibly retiring following the 2022-23 campaign."I'm not near making that decision yet," Toews said Friday, according to Pope. "Either that decision will be clear for me this summer, or I'll be really feeling good and ... ready to train and prepare and get myself to a place where I can play high-level hockey again."Richardson appeared jovial in welcoming Toews back to the lineup amid Chicago's seven-game losing streak."He's like, 'Well, it's not going to be perfect. It might be ugly,' Richardson said, per Pope. "I said, 'We're a little bit ugly right now, so you'll fit right now.'"The Blackhawks have seven games remaining in the regular season.Copyright © 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

It's been nearly two years since the Montreal Canadiens decided to draft Logan Mailloux 31st overall in 2021, and team owner Geoff Molson admits he never expected the level of public scrutiny that followed."I was expecting that there was a backlash, but I think I naively underestimated the backlash and I've publicly said that and I was really upset about it and it's something that I learned a lot from," Molson told The Montreal Gazette's Stu Cowan on Thursday.In November 2020, Mailloux was charged and fined for invasion of privacy and defamation in Sweden after photographing a woman without consent during a sexual encounter and then identifying her to his teammates and sharing the picture with them.He announced prior to the draft that he was withdrawing himself from consideration as he felt he hadn't "demonstrated strong enough maturity or character to earn that privilege.""It was serious," Molson added. "It was a big deal that I took very seriously and I was and still am totally committed to turning a difficult situation into something that is a learning experience for the whole population that follows us."I know that Logan has committed to doing that and he's been through a lot of consultation and he's had a lot of help and he's committed to that. He's a good kid who made a big mistake and we're going to help him along and we'll see how it all turns out."Mailloux, a 19-year-old defenseman, is currently playing for the OHL's London Knights, where he's tallied 53 points in 59 games.Copyright © 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

We had a solid night on the ice Thursday, going 2-1 with our sides and props. We'll look to keep moving in the right direction with three more plays for the night ahead.Red Wings (+210) @ Jets (-250)Jets games are where offense goes to die. They don't score, their opponents don't score, and it feels like every game they're involved in is a grind from start to finish.Forget a total of 6, let alone 6.5; their games have featured five goals or fewer seven times in a row. Seven! While that streak won't last forever, I love the wiggle room that 6.5 provides in this matchup.As mentioned, the Jets are struggling to score. They're doing a great job of preventing goals, though: At five-on-five, they rank second in the NHL in expected goals against over the past 10 games. They're giving up next to nothing.When teams finally do break through, they have the privilege of dealing with Connor Hellebuyck. He owns a .917 save percentage (league average is .899) and ranks sixth in goals saved above expected. He has largely played very well all season. The Red Wings are likely to have a difficult time getting pucks by him.Creating any sort of chance volume against this slow-paced, grind-it-out Jets team is a hard task for anybody, but it should be especially difficult for the Red Wings. At five-on-five, they slot 28th in expected goals generation over the past 10 games. They grade out even worse in terms of actual goals, ranking ahead of only the Blackhawks. I don't see Detroit being the team that forces the Jets into a high-event game.In terms of expected goals pace - combining generation and prevention numbers - both teams rank bottom five over the past 10. There shouldn't be fireworks in this one.Bet: Under 6.5 (-135)Mika Zibanejad over 2.5 shots (-132)Zibanejad has gone cold shooting the puck. He has recorded three shots or more just four times over the past 10 games while posting some underwhelming attempt numbers. That doesn't bother me at all.If you dig deeper, you'll notice Zibanejad's recent string of opponents has been extremely challenging. He's faced the Penguins (three times), Hurricanes (twice), and Devils during this rough patch, and each of those teams is very good at limiting shots.When the Rangers have faced lesser teams or higher-event teams, like the Capitals, Panthers, Predators and Blue Jackets, Zibanejad has gotten the job done.A date with the Sabres is a definite step in the right direction. They're prone to playing high-event hockey and they've allowed the seventh-most shots by centers over the past 10 games.It's also worth noting - even given his recent struggles - Zibanejad has registered three shots or more in 63% of his games this season.Expect him to get back on track in a softer matchup than he's grown accustomed to seeing of late.Roope Hintz over 2.5 shots (-125)Hintz remains somebody we like to target on the road. His success rate is 12% higher in that situation and the numbers suggest it's no coincidence.The Stars forward's attempt outputs are also noticeably higher away from home, where his sole mission is facilitating as many Jason Robertson shots as possible.Tonight he finds himself in a mouth-watering spot against a Coyotes team that bleeds shots to centers. The only side that has conceded more shots to the position over the last 10 is the Blackhawks. They just allowed five shots on goal to Hintz, who rung them up for seven just a couple weeks prior.He has shown the ability to generate more volume on the road and has consistently hit in advantageous matchups. Expect that trend to continue in Arizona.Todd Cordell is a sports betting writer at theScore. Be sure to follow him on Twitter @ToddCordell.Copyright © 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Boston Bruins clinched the Presidents' Trophy as the league's most dominant regular-season squad for the fourth time in franchise history with a hard-fought 2-1 overtime victory over the lowly Columbus Blue Jackets on Thursday night.Sniper David Pastrnak played the hero in the extra frame to secure the Bruins' franchise-best 58th win of the campaign.The victory gave the Bruins 121 points on the season with seven games remaining on their schedule. With 131 points, the 1995-96 Detroit Red Wings hold the record for the highest total since the award was introduced in 1986.

Buffalo Sabres star goaltender prospect Devon Levi will make his first NHL start Friday against the New York Rangers, and the 21-year-old is ready for the challenge."It's exciting," Levi said, per NHL.com's Heather Engel. "I've been dreaming of this moment my whole life, so for it to finally be here, it's a big deal. I'm really excited."The Sabres signed Levi to a three-year, entry-level contract earlier this month after his collegiate career with Northeastern came to a close. Levi made a name for himself as one of the best up-and-coming netminders over two years with the Huskies. He finished the current season with a 17-12-5 record and six shutouts while leading the NCAA with a .933 save percentage.He was among the 10 finalists for the Hobey Baker Award as the nation's top player.Levi joins the Sabres as they seek to snap the league's longest active playoff drought. Buffalo has an outside chance to qualify for the postseason, remaining in the mix with 77 points through 73 games. The club enters Thursday's action five points back of the Pittsburgh Penguins for the second wild-card spot in the East."It's a great situation to be in," Levi said. "I want to help the team make a playoff run. It just makes the game even more valuable, even more precious. It's just a great opportunity, and I'm just grateful that they're giving it to me."The Sabres have used three goaltenders this season - Craig Anderson, Eric Comrie, and Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen - to little success. Buffalo ranks 27th league-wide with an .888 save percentage in all situations, hampering the club's third-ranked offense.Copyright © 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

NHL legend Keith Tkachuk didn't hold back about his son Matthew's Florida Panthers."I'm a little disappointed in the Panthers," Keith told TSN 1050 on Wednesday morning ahead of Florida's 3-2 overtime victory against the Toronto Maple Leafs. "They're a soft team and they're getting everything they deserve right now."Even after securing two massive points on Wednesday, the Panthers are in jeopardy of missing the playoffs a year after winning the Presidents' Trophy. Florida sits a point back of Pittsburgh for the final wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference, and the Penguins have a game in hand. The Cats have a 36% chance of making the postseason, per MoneyPuck.Matthew's play is far from a reason why, as he paces the club with 97 points in 72 games in his first season with the Panthers after an offseason trade from the Calgary Flames. But the lack of team success still bothers Matthew, Keith says."(Matthew is) pretty devastated right now where they're at," Keith said. "But they're still hanging on, they still have a chance, and it's up to them to get their butts going and start playing like a team that should be a lot better than what they're showing right now."Keith is much more pleased with the effort he sees from his youngest son's team: Brady's Ottawa Senators."I know I sound like a frustrated person, but I know every time I come and watch Ottawa they might not be the most talented team, but they're going to play hard," Keith said. "And Florida maybe could take a page out of their book."Although the Senators' chances of making the playoffs are a slim 1.5%, they've played meaningful games down the stretch, which has been a big step in the team's rebuild. Brady, Ottawa's captain, has put together a career year with 77 points in 74 games.Keith amassed 538 goals and 527 assists in 1,201 games during his 18-year NHL career between the Winnipeg Jets/Phoenix Coyotes, Atlanta Thrashers, and St. Louis Blues. He currently works as the Blues' director of recruitment.Copyright © 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Matthew Knies, Logan Cooley, and Adam Fantilli have been named the three finalists for the Hobey Baker Award as the NCAA top men's hockey player.Knies and Cooley make up two-thirds of Minnesota's top line alongside Jimmy Snuggerud.Knies, 20, has 21 goals and 20 assists in 38 games for the Golden Gophers during his sophomore season. Selected 57th overall by the Toronto Maple Leafs in 2021, the 6-foot-3, 209-pound power forward is widely expected to turn pro after the Frozen Four.Cooley, 18, has 20 goals and 37 assists in 37 games with the Golden Gophers in what's been a sensational freshman campaign. The Arizona Coyotes selected the playmaking center third overall in the 2022 NHL Draft.Fantilli, also a freshman, has 29 goals and 35 assists in 35 contests with Michigan. The 18-year-old is the consensus No. 2-ranked prospect for the 2023 NHL Draft behind Connor Bedard.The winner will be announced on April 7.Copyright © 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Travis Hamonic is intent on settling down in Canada's capital.The Ottawa Senators defenseman is hoping to re-sign with the club this offseason after his contract expires."I love it here. And I want to say that from the bottom of my heart," Hamonic told The Athletic's Ian Mendes. "My wife and kids are so happy here. They are really settled here. And the community has really welcomed us. On a personal level, this is a no-brainer. And with the hockey team, this is headed in the right direction. This organization is on the upswing."Hamonic has bounced around in the latter half of his career. After seven seasons with the New York Islanders, he spent three years with the Calgary Flames and parts of two campaigns with the Vancouver Canucks before being dealt to the Senators last season.He said the move to Ottawa has been better than he could have hoped."It just seems like everything has aligned for me to be here. I have really found a home here," Hamonic said. "It was a real blessing in disguise when I got traded here. I didn't know what to expect, but this has been one of the best things that's ever happened to me in my career."Hamonic said his agent and Senators general manager Pierre Dorion have already had preliminary discussions on a new contract, although negotiations have yet to become serious."They've spoken, but there are other fish to fry, too," Hamonic said. "When the time comes, I'm sure we will get something figured out."Ottawa has multiple pending restricted free agents including Alex DeBrincat, Shane Pinto, and Erik Brannstrom. Hamonic and goaltender Cam Talbot are the team's most notable pending UFAs.Hamonic, 32, has served as a steadying veteran presence on a youthful Senators blue line. He's tallied 21 points, 109 hits, and a team-leading 143 blocked shots in 74 games this season while averaging 18:47 of ice time per contest. His current contract carries a $3-million cap hit.Copyright © 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

We have a juicy 11-game slate ahead of us on a busy Thursday night in the NHL. Let's take a closer look at a few of my favorite plays on the board.Rangers (+115) @ Devils (-135)The Devils are playing top-tier hockey at five-on-five right now. They've controlled well above 58% of the high-danger chances over the past 10 games, which slots them third in the NHL.Only the Kings and Penguins - who routinely need to out chance opponents to compensate for horrendous goaltending - have fared better in that regard.With a stacked top six featuring Jack Hughes, Nico Hischier, Timo Meier, and Jesper Bratt, New Jersey will be awfully dangerous when getting the bulk of the chances.That should prove to be the case again Thursday. The Rangers are a very good finishing team that can consistently make the most of the opportunities they get. However, they're not great at carving out an even share against an average opponent, so I imagine a team like the Devils could have a greater edge.We've certainly seen that this season. Through three head-to-head meetings, New Jersey has won the chance battle by a whopping 28 at five-on-five. Even with Igor Shesterkin between the pipes, that's bound to be problematic.The Devils won two of the three games against the Rangers thus far, causing New York a world of problems with their speed. New Jersey's recent acquisition of Meier only adds to it, not to mention the power and finishing ability he also brings to the table.I expect New Jersey's dynamic group of forwards and relentless attacking style to give the Rangers all kinds of problems in this spot, especially if underrated defenseman Ryan Lindgren remains out of the lineup.Back the Devils to return to the win column in what should be an exciting and emotional game.Bet: Devils (-135)Martin Necas over 2.5 shots (-120)Necas is an absolute machine on the road. Even without Andrei Svechnikov in the lineup and the additional opportunity that comes with his absence, we haven't seen any change in Necas' success at home. He remains underwhelming in Carolina (42% hit rate) and a monster away from his own rink (71% hit rate).He's gone over this number in seven of his past 10 road dates, including against the Stars, Golden Knights, and Rangers. Those three teams are a lot better than the Red Wings, but they play similarly slow styles. That Necas excelled against them bodes well for his chances of success in this spot.Necas' volume continues to be rock solid for a 2.5 line, as he averaged 6.3 shot attempts over the past 10 road games. That's a drastic difference from the 3.8 attempts he's put up per night in Carolina.Expect an active offensive night from Necas in Detroit.Jason Zucker over 2.5 shots (-140)Volume is king in the shot prop world, and Zucker has it in spades right now. He's registered three shots or more in nine of his past 10 contests, averaging a whopping 6.6 attempts per game. That's a huge step up from the rate we've previously seen from him this season (4.5).The Penguins have found a way to tilt the ice further in their favor and generate an unmatched amount of shots over the past 10 contests. Clearly, Zucker has been the prime beneficiary.Although Zucker doesn't see much power-play time, the five-on-five matchup is very juicy, and that's what matters most to his shooting ceiling. At full strength, the Predators rank 25th in shots against per 60 minutes over the past 10 games. I don't love Nashville's chances of slowing down the best shot-generating team in the league over that period.Look for Zucker to take advantage.Todd Cordell is a sports betting writer at theScore. Be sure to follow him on Twitter @ToddCordell.Copyright © 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

"I Just Can't Wait to Be King" from "The Lion King" was heard blasting from the Florida Panthers' locker room Wednesday night, according to team beat reporter Jameson Olive, and for good reason.In just his seventh start this season, goaltender Alex Lyon made 38 saves in a crucial 3-2 overtime victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs, which helped the Panthers snap a four-game skid and gain ground in the wild-card race."He gave us every chance to win the game. He stopped the penalty shot, a huge couple of saves in overtime, and throughout the whole game," captain Aleksander Barkov said postgame, according to Bally Sports Florida."He's the type of guy who brings the joy into the locker room and on the ice. You want to play good in front of him. I still think we could have done a little better job in front of him, but he didn't need that today."Lyon saved 0.95 goals above expected at all strengths, per Natural Stat Trick, and few were as important as the stop he made on Maple Leafs star Auston Matthews in the extra frame.

The New York Rangers have signed forward Filip Chytil to a four-year contract extension, the team announced Wednesday.The deal carries a cap hit of $4.43 million, according to NHL.com's Dan Rosen, and kicks in for the 2023-24 campaign. Chytil's current contract is a two-year bridge pact worth $2.3 million per season.The 23-year-old is in the midst of a career year with 22 goals and 42 points through 66 games. He averages 14:34 per contest centering the Rangers' "Kid Line," which features Alexis Lafreniere and Kaapo Kakko on the flanks.New York's top two centers, Mika Zibanejad and Vincent Trocheck, are under contract until 2030 and 2029, respectively.The Rangers are currently third in the Metropolitan Division with 98 points and clinched a playoff berth on Monday. Last season, the Blueshirts reached the Eastern Conference Final.Copyright © 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The next time you watch the Boston Bruins, fix your eyes on No. 37 and don't look away for the entire shift. Take a few mental notes. Then do the same thing when Patrice Bergeron hops over the boards again, and for a third time.By the end of the third shift, you'll start to see the patterns of a hockey genius.The Bruins captain will probably win a faceoff cleanly, and for the following 40 seconds, he'll stay within a few feet of the puck, never cheating for offense or defense. He won't be overbearing to teammates or suffocating to opponents; he'll just be nearby, lurking from the perfect spot. If Boston has the puck, he's a safety valve, and if the opposition has possession, he's a disruptive force. Jeff Vinnick / Getty ImagesAs I discussed during the home stretch last season, Bergeron earns Selke Trophy votes through thousands of subtly smart plays. And the 2022-23 campaign, Bergeron's 19th in the NHL, has been no different. At 37, he remains a textbook 200-foot center and a front-runner for the award that honors "the forward who best excels in the defensive aspects of the game."Bergeron's finished first, second, or third in voting in a staggering 11 straight seasons, claiming the trophy a record five times. He's arguably the greatest defensive forward ever, and until his play tapers off or he retires, the Selke is his to lose.Yet voters don't blindly select Bergeron. It's a deep field this year, with Jordan Staal, Mikael Backlund, Joel Eriksson Ek, and Elias Pettersson among the dozen or so forwards vying for votes.Using data from Sportlogiq and Evolving-Hockey, let's assess how three of them - Mitch Marner of the Toronto Maple Leafs, Aleksander Barkov of the Florida Panthers, and Nico Hischier of the New Jersey Devils - stack up against Bergeron. (All tracking statistics current through Monday's games.)The Marner conversation Andrew Lahodynskyj / Getty ImagesWhat's helping Marner's case: Marner leads the league in takeaways, with 97 in 73 games. Like a grandmaster chess player, he's elite at anticipating his opponent's next move. He takes efficient routes and won't be outhustled.Marner, who's armed with remarkable hand-eye coordination, ranks second among everyday NHL forwards in blocked passes per game. He regularly knocks down clearing attempts and intercepts stretch passes before quickly turning the change of possession into a grade-A scoring chance for the Leafs.Marner is both an offensive dynamo (28 goals and 66 assists for 94 points) and a workhorse (21:19 a night, including 2:20 on the penalty kill). He has Bergeron beat in both areas (57 points in 73 games; 17:36 and 1:46). And while the Selke is by definition reserved for defensive studs, there's logic in the old "the best defense is a good offense" argument. A strong two-way impact should be seen as a boon to - not a drag on - Marner's case. Andrew Lahodynskyj / Getty ImagesWhat's hurting Marner's case: Centers have owned the Selke during the salary-cap era. In fact, 2002-03 was the last time a winger won (Jere Lehtinen). While it'd be nice to break the drought - Mark Stone has come close - the trend is grounded in reason: Wingers generally have it easier than centers on the defensive side of the puck. They don't help out as much deep in the zone or take faceoffs - two areas in which Bergeron absolutely crushes.Bergeron's Bruins also boast the NHL's top penalty-killing percentage while the Leafs sit 14th. Quality of teammates is a major factor with a stat like PK%, and Boston has better personnel, but the 13-team gap is worth mentioning.Meanwhile, Bergeron ranks second in goals against per 60 minutes among the 349 forwards who've logged 500 five-on-five minutes or more this season. His ludicrous rate of 1.31 trails only Stefan Noesen, a Carolina Hurricanes forward who's faced significantly weaker competition. Marner's tied with Jordan Staal for 90th, at 2.18 goals against per 60. Very good, but not Bergeron great.The Barkov conversation Eliot J. Schechter / Getty ImagesWhat's helping Barkov's case: For voters who fancy a pure defensive artist, Barkov would be a tantalizing candidate. Among everyday NHL forwards, he ranks first in puck-battle wins per game, second in stick checks per game, third in loose-puck recoveries per game, and fourth in blocked passes per game. What else could Panthers head coach Paul Maurice ask for?Barkov, the 2020-21 Selke winner, plays a ton (21:15 overall, 2:04 shorthanded) and alongside less talented teammates than the others we're considering here. His two most common linemates at five-on-five this year have been Sam Reinhart and Carter Verhaeghe, while Gustav Forsling and Brandon Montour have been the defensemen who most often share the ice.Bergeron's crew, by comparison, consists of Brad Marchand, Jake DeBrusk, Hampus Lindholm, and Charlie McAvoy. All but DeBrusk are star-caliber players. Joel Auerbach / Getty ImagesWhat's hurting Barkov's case: Barkov's tracking stats are extremely impressive. But Bergeron ranks fairly high on various lists too - fifth in puck-battle wins, sixth in blocked passes, 16th in stick checks, and 49th in loose-puck recoveries. Barkov's edges in those categories aren't definitive.Barkov's shot-based statistics - five-on-five shot attempts against, expected goals against, shots on goal against - grade out at 18th, 118th, and 134th out of 349 qualified forwards. While some of that is linked to Florida's middling five-on-five numbers, the low ranks still sour Barkov's Selke resume. Another thing: Barkov's appeared in only 60 games this year. Missing 14 games isn't cause for exclusion from the discussion, but it diminishes the body of work.Lastly, a note on the quality of Barkov's opponents. Sportlogiq calculates a "strength of opposition" metric, which is the cumulative average of offense-generating plays by opposing forward lines. The higher the average, the more difficult the defensive assignment. Barkov, with a strength of opposition rating of 22.9, is 215th among everyday forwards. Bergeron, with a 24.5 rating, is fifth.The Hischier conversation Icon Sportswire / Getty ImagesWhat's helping Hischier's case: If Marner's the takeaway king and Barkov's the tracking-data wizard, Hischier's the do-everything, all-around guy. The Swiss center doesn't have a discernible weakness, posting good-to-excellent numbers in virtually every relevant defensive category, from expected goals against and faceoff win percentage to puck-battle wins and takeaways.Penalty differential is an interesting separator, though. This season, Hischier's been assessed only four minor penalties but drawn 25 penalties for the league's third-best differential. This type of discipline isn't typically associated with strong defensive play or the Selke, but maybe it should be. Power plays are so lethal in the modern NHL that every man-advantage opportunity is valuable.Something else that can't be discounted: Hischier is the defensive conscience of an upstart Devils team, leading the forward group in shorthanded ice time (New Jersey has the seventh-best PK%). In many ways, he's the yin to Jack Hughes' yang. Patrick Smith / Getty ImagesWhat's hurting Hischier's case: Awkwardly, what helps Hischier is also what hurts him. Bergeron is a do-everything, all-around guy like Hischier, except the Bruin gets better results. Take the faceoff circle: Hischier has won 53.6% of all draws, tying him for 30th in the league, and he's even better in the defensive zone, tying for ninth at 57.8%. Bergeron's 60.6% overall rate (third) and 61.3% D-zone rate (fifth) make Hischier's strong work appear, well, less stellar.Hischier's versatility could certainly earn him a finalist nod. But, like Marner and Barkov, he cannot match the layers of Bergeron's dominance. Not only does Bergeron have a materially better goals against per 60 rate at five-on-five - a clear indicator of defensive prowess - but his strength of opposition is far higher than Hischier's (23.1 rating, 165th among everyday forwards).Bergeron has been competing against the best of the best every shift this season, and still, his results are undeniably Selke-worthy. Even at 37, the man is essentially peerless.John Matisz is theScore's senior NHL writer. Follow John on Twitter (@MatiszJohn) or contact him via email (john.matisz@thescore.com).Copyright © 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Aaron Ekblad doesn't seem ready to forgive Brooks Koepka for chirping him mercilessly last weekend."We're not buddies," the Florida Panthers defenseman said Wednesday, according to Sportsnet's Luke Fox. "(We'll) never be buddies."The former top-ranked golfer in the world and current LIV member used an insulting prop at the Panthers' game against the New York Rangers on Saturday.

The Vancouver Canucks have signed NCAA free-agent defenseman Akito Hirose to a one-year, entry-level contract, the team announced.Hirose is coming off a stellar three-year run at Minnesota State University (Mankato). He tallied four goals and 23 assists in 38 games for the Mavericks this past season."His skating ability is absolutely NHL-quality and he thinks the game at a high level," prospect analyst Chris Peters wrote. "Those two factors give him a chance to be a solid depth defenseman down the line."A native of Calgary, Alberta, Hirose is 23 years old, shoots left, and is listed at 6-feet and 170 pounds. His brother, Taro, has played 58 NHL games with the Detroit Red Wings.Copyright © 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Ottawa Senators are down another marquee blue-liner.Head coach D.J. Smith announced Wednesday that stalwart defenseman Thomas Chabot is "likely out a couple weeks" with an upper-body injury, according to TSN.If Chabot is out exactly two weeks, he'd only be able to return for the final game of the regular season on April 13 against the Buffalo Sabres.The Senators are already without prized trade deadline acquisition Jakob Chychrun, who was ruled out for a couple of weeks on Saturday due to a lower-body issue.In the meantime, defense prospect Tyler Kleven, who just turned pro last week, will make his NHL debut Thursday against the Philadelphia Flyers.Ottawa used the following defense pairs during Wednesday's practice:LDRDJake SandersonArtem ZubErik BrannstromTravis HamonicTyler KlevenNick HoldenChabot leads all Senators skaters in ice time (24:58 per game) and paces the club's defense with 41 points in 68 games.The Senators are five points out of a playoff spot with eight games remaining. They own a 2.3% chance of making the postseason for the first time since 2017, according to MoneyPuck.Copyright © 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

We split our best bets on Tuesday night. The Oilers cruised to a multi-goal victory in Vegas, but the Canucks couldn't convert a plus-19 chance differential into a win.We'll set our sets on three more plays - a total and two props - for Wednesday night's small slate of games.Wild (+135) @ Avalanche (-155)This is a titanic divisional clash between the Central's top two teams. The Wild currently hold top spot but sit just one point ahead of the Avalanche, who also have an extra game in their back pocket.A win would earn the Wild a little bit of breathing room and a three-point cushion over the Avalanche (and Stars). If the Avalanche win, though, they'll hold top spot in the Central and have an extra game in hand over the second-seeded Wild. Suffice to say, there's a lot riding on this one.I think the high stakes could lead to a tighter-checking affair, especially with the Wild missing Kirill Kaprizov. I very much doubt the Wild want to get into a track meet with the Avalanche sans their most threatening player.I also love the goaltending matchup. Filip Gustavsson is a top-five netminder in goals saved above expected and has conceded two goals or fewer in 15 of his past 20 starts (75%). He is routinely helping Minnesota keep even the best offenses in check.While Alexandar Georgiev hasn't played quite to Gustavsson's level, he has also been extremely good this season. Among 57 eligible netminders, Georgiev slots 11th in GSAE per start. He also owns a .919 save percentage, which is miles ahead of league average (.899).The Avalanche are doing a great job of limiting high-danger chances, slotting third over the past 10 games. I don't expect them to give up many to this Wild team without Kaprizov. And, when they do, they can usually rely on Georgiev to come up big.In a high-stakes affair with quality goaltending, there probably won't be a ton of fireworks.Bet: Under 5.5 (+105)Carter Verhaeghe over 3.5 shots (-115)Verhaeghe is a shooting machine. He has registered four shots or more 23 times over his past 30 games, good for an insane 77% hit rate.Although Verhaeghe does his best work at home, he has picked things up away from Florida of late. Verhaeghe has hit in five of his last seven road affairs and is averaging nearly eight attempts per game over the past 10.That is extremely strong volume for an offensive player away from home, and Verhaeghe's recent promotion to the top power-play unit should help him sustain it.The Maple Leafs have been a good defensive team for much of the year, but we've seen a dip following their 400 deadline moves. Since March 3, the Leafs rank in the bottom half of the league in shot suppression and bottom 10 in terms of expected goals allowed.Look for Verhaeghe to take advantage.Nathan MacKinnon over 4.5 shots (-130)MacKinnon loves two things: playing at home and facing the Wild. Dating back to last year, MacKinnon has registered five shots or more in 45 of 70 games at Ball Arena. That's a 64% success rate.The sample size is much smaller against the Wild, of course, but MacKinnon has gone over his total in four of five against the division rivals, including two for two this year.MacKinnon feasted on the Wild in both meetings this season, combining to record 13 shots on a whopping 24 attempts. He hit double-digit attempts in both outings.With a lot riding on this game, I think head coach Jared Bednar will give MacKinnon all the ice he can handle. Expect him to make the most of it.Todd Cordell is a sports betting writer at theScore. Be sure to follow him on Twitter @ToddCordell.Copyright © 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Rick Bowness didn't name names, but the Winnipeg Jets head coach criticized more than one of his players after the lowly San Jose Sharks shut them out Tuesday night."The inconsistencies of some of our players is hurting us," Bowness said following the 3-0 defeat. "If some of these guys think they're giving everything in their tank, they're dreaming. We've got a lot of guys in there giving us everything they can, and we just need a few more guys to jump on board."The Jets are clinging to the second wild-card spot in the Western Conference with the Nashville Predators and Calgary Flames in hot pursuit. The Predators sit three points back with two games in hand, while the Flames trail the Jets by two points and have played the same number of games.Tuesday's result is the second time Winnipeg lost to San Jose this month, falling to the Sharks in overtime on March 6. The last-place club in the Pacific Division has only two wins in its last 16 games, but both came over the Jets.The Central Division's lone Canadian squad outshot San Jose 41-30 Tuesday. The Jets also dominated in scoring chances for (64.06%) and expected goals for (59.9%) at five-on-five, according to Natural Stat Trick."There comes a point where their personal pride has to take over," Bowness added postgame. "If someone has to go in there and point that out to them, then there's a big problem right there."Winnipeg is 5-5-0 over its last 10 games and has only seven left in this regular season.Copyright © 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Chicago Blackhawks captain Jonathan Toews knows his time in the Windy City could be nearing its conclusion."Regardless of what happens in the future this summer, it's definitely on my mind that this could be my last few weeks here in Chicago as a Blackhawk," Toews said Tuesday, according to Ben Pope of The Chicago Sun-Times.Toews, who's spent his entire 15-year NHL career with the Blackhawks, is in the final season of an eight-year, $84-million pact he inked in July 2014. But contractual obligations aside, his ongoing health issues could potentially prevent him from playing hockey anywhere next year.He said in February that he's still dealing with symptoms of long COVID and chronic immune response syndrome, the latter of which forced him to miss the entire 2020-21 season. Chicago's longtime captain said he had been experiencing steady improvement before his health worsened in January. He shut himself down and hasn't played since Jan. 28."When day after day you're just pushing through pain, it's like, to what end?" Toews said. "I'm at that point where it feels like more damage is being done than is a good thing."Toews skated in 46 of Chicago's first 48 games this season, but he says it eventually became too much for his body to handle."It just got to the point where I couldn't move on the ice and didn't even want to put on my skates or roll out of bed to come to the rink," he said. "So it was pretty rough."But he felt well enough to join the team for morning skate on Tuesday. He won't play Tuesday against the Dallas Stars, but he's making a push to return for the last few games of the regular season."That's definitely very important for me to just go out there, enjoy the game, soak it in, and just really appreciate everything I've been able to be a part of here in Chicago - and show my appreciation to the fans as well," he said.Toews has won three Stanley Cups, a Conn Smythe Trophy, and a Selke Trophy during his time in Chicago. He's amassed 880 points across 1,060 regular-season games.Copyright © 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

We have a jam-packed night of games ahead of us, headlined by a clash between two of the Western Conference's best teams.Let's take a closer look at the best way to attack that game - and the slate - with a pair of bets.Oilers (-125) @ Golden Knights (+105)Save for a healthy version of the Avalanche, I think the Oilers - with Stuart Skinner in goal - are as good as any team in the Western Conference.The Oilers have controlled just under 55% of the high-danger chances at five-on-five over the past 10 games. They're playing very well at full strength.Edmonton's power play is as good as anybody's and the Oilers lead the league in shorties. Thus, they'll win a ton of games when playing anywhere close to this level at five-on-five. That's what we're seeing right now, as they're 8-1-1 over the past 10 games.Although I don't think the Golden Knights are as bad as their recent underlying metrics suggest, those numbers are certainly concerning. Vegas has controlled just over 43% of the high-danger chances over the past 10, which sandwiches it between the Canadiens and Blue Jackets. Not where you want to be.The Golden Knights' poor numbers stem mostly from a surprising inability to defend. Across all situations, only the Blue Jackets, Ducks, Sharks, and Senators have conceded more high-danger chances over the last 10.Even in a back-to-back situation, the Oilers are perhaps the last team you'd want to see when you're bleeding chances. That concern is only exacerbated when you're rotating through a handful of underwhelming netminders.Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, and Co. don't need many opportunities in order to make you pay. With the way the Golden Knights are defending right now, they should get plenty.The Oilers are fighting for home ice and, with a little luck, perhaps even a division title. Those hopes go out the window if they don't beat the Golden Knights tonight, and they surely know that. I expect Edmonton to come out and make a statement that it's every bit as good - if not better - than the Western Conference-leading Golden Knights.Bet: Oilers (-125)Canucks (-110) @ Blues (-110)The Canucks are playing very good hockey. Great hockey, even. They have won three in a row and eight of 10, and they're full value for it.Including all game states, the Canucks rank top five in expected goals and high-danger chance share. They're keeping company with playoff-bound teams like the Kings, Devils, and Penguins in that span.Unsurprisingly, their ability to dominate the run of play is leading to success on the scoreboard. Vancouver has bested opponents 36-21 in aggregate over the past 10 games. Elias Pettersson, Quinn Hughes, and Co. are making magic happen nightly while, aided by the return of Thatcher Demko, the goaltending has been very good.Rick Tocchet has the Canucks playing legitimately well at both ends of the ice. While a somewhat soft schedule has perhaps aided their numbers, that's not really the card to play when they're going up against the Blues.The Blues have lost the expected goals battle at five-on-five in 10 straight games. That's unfathomably bad considering they've faced the Ducks, Red Wings (twice), Blue Jackets, and Sharks in that time.They are getting outplayed each and every night and Jordan Binnington (minus-12.7 goals saved above expected) is not going to mask their problems.While a Demko start would be ideal, I see an edge on the Canucks regardless of who's between the pipes. Don't expect them to cool off in St. Louis.Bet: Canucks (-110)Todd Cordell is a sports betting writer at theScore. Be sure to follow him on Twitter @ToddCordell.Copyright © 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Our shot props stayed hot on Monday night, as two of three came through for us. Naturally, it was superstar Leon Draisaitl - in a dream spot against the Coyotes - that failed to get the job done.We'll look to build on Monday's success with three more props for Tuesday night's big slate. Let's dig in.Roope Hintz over 2.5 shots (-110)Hintz is quietly on a nice little shooting run away from home. He has hit in 60% of his last 20 road dates, including seven of the past 10. The volume discrepancy we've seen from Hintz on the road compared to at home has been noticeable all season long, and it's only growing.We'll use recent 10-game increments for perspective. Hintz has averaged 3.7 shot attempts over his last 10 in Dallas. That's not exactly an ideal volume for someone you need three shots on target from to have success.Luckily, his road volume is much higher. Hintz has averaged 5.5 over his past 10 away from home. Significantly better.Perhaps even more important than his road splits, which are much better, is the matchup against the Blackhawks. They rank dead last in shots allowed per game to centers over the last 10.Hintz took full advantage when he faced Chicago a couple of weeks ago, piling up seven shots on a whopping 12 attempts.Although I don't expect Hintz to replicate those numbers, he's very much worth backing on the road in a mouth-watering matchup.Shea Theodore over 2.5 shots (-105)Opposing defensemen have been the Oilers' Achilles' heel all year long. Although their numbers are a tad better of late, the Oilers rank 28th in shots allowed per game to defenders. Enter Theodore.The gifted Golden Knights blue-liner has been the team's best shot generator of late - particularly on home soil. Theodore has generated 64 attempts over the past 10 games in Vegas, which puts him 15 clear of the next-closest Golden Knight, Jack Eichel.A nice little bonus for Theodore is that the Oilers take a lot of penalties. Only five teams have spent more time shorthanded than Edmonton this season.With Theodore quarterbacking the top power play and taking his fair share of shots on the man advantage, he should have an extra couple of opportunities that could well be the difference in going over the number.Win or lose, I expect Theodore to be heavily involved in Vegas' attack.Viktor Arvidsson over 0.5 points (-120)Arvidsson is as hot as any shooter in the NHL, having gone over his total (3.5) in eight of the past 10 games while falling just one puck short in each exception.It just so happens one of those losses came against tonight's opponent: the Flames.Rather than back Arvidsson to hit against one of the league's best shot-suppression sides, we're going to take a different route with Arvidsson: the point market.All of his shooting - and the Kings' ability to control play when he's on the ice - is leading to production. Arvidsson has put up 12 points over the past 10 games, tied for tops on L.A.Arvidsson has a strong history against the Flames as well. He has registered at least a point in five of his last six against Calgary, totaling seven points in that span.With the Adrian Kempe line likely to draw Calgary's top players at even strength, Arvidsson should get an easier matchup at five-on-five. He also skates on the top power play, giving him exposure to all of the team's top players with extra time and space to work with.Jacob Markstrom hasn't exactly been great this season. Give me the hot hand to find the scoresheet at least once at a very reasonable price.Todd Cordell is a sports betting writer at theScore. Be sure to follow him on Twitter @ToddCordell.Copyright © 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The idle Toronto Maple Leafs got a little help from their provincial rivals to become the first Canadian team to clinch a spot in the playoffs this season.The Ottawa Senators defeated the Florida Panthers 5-2 on Monday night, officially sending the Maple Leafs to the postseason for the seventh consecutive campaign.Toronto is in second place in the Atlantic Division with a 44-20-9 record and is virtually locked into another first-round matchup against the Tampa Bay Lightning.The Maple Leafs have failed to make it out of the opening round in each of the past six seasons. The Bolts eliminated them in seven games last year en route to making their third straight run to the Stanley Cup Final.Toronto is seven points clear of Tampa Bay in the standings with one game in hand.Mitch Marner paces Toronto with 94 points in 73 games this season, while Auston Matthews and William Nylander are tied for the team lead in goals with 36 apiece.Copyright © 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Many of the league's best shot generators are set to take the ice Monday night. Let's take a look at three worth backing.Carter Verhaeghe over 3.5 shots (-140)Verhaeghe is firing the puck from anywhere and everywhere. He has amassed 45 shots on goal and 79 attempts over the last 10 games. Those totals are good for first on a Panthers team that generates an insane amount of shot volume almost every single night. The bar to clear is high, and Verhaeghe's doing it.Unsurprisingly, all that volume is leading to consistent success in the prop market. Verhaeghe has recorded four shots or more in nine of his last 10, including against playoff bound sides like the Golden Knights, Devils, Maple Leafs, and Rangers.He begins his week with a sneaky good matchup against the Senators. Their underlying numbers were fairly strong for quite some time. They have dipped of late, though, with some key players - like Jakob Chychrun - out due to injury while the schedule toughens.Only three teams have allowed shots at a higher rate than the Senators over the last 10 games. They're vulnerable and the Panthers are at, or near, the top of the list of sides most likely to exploit that.Look for Verhaeghe, the team's leading trigger man of late, to be front and center for the Panthers.Leon Draisaitl over 3.5 shots (+115)Draisaitl has quietly gone on a healthy shooting run. He leads the Oilers in shots on goal and attempts over the last 10 games, which is saying something considering Connor McDavid has at times seen his shot total at 4.5 in recent weeks.He is skating regularly with Zach Hyman and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins at five-on-five, both of whom are happy to defer to Leon and bring out the ceiling in terms of his shot volume.What I love even more about Draisaitl tonight is the matchup. The Coyotes bleed shots across all situations, give up a ton of volume to opposing centers, and take an awful lot of penalties.Draisaitl is the go-to shooter on the man advantage, so he stands to benefit most from Arizona's inability to stay out of the box.Expect him to be heavily involved in the offense.Mikko Rantanen over 3.5 shots (-120)David Pastrnak. Auston Matthews. Nathan MacKinnon. Those are the only three players in the league with more shot attempts than Rantanen over the past 10 games.Colorado's soon-to-be 50-goal man has been piling up the shots of late against anyone and everyone. I don't see him slowing down Monday night against the Ducks.They continue to struggle defensively, having allowed an average of nearly 36.5 shots against the past 10 games. That's the most in the NHL.A ton of that volume has come from right-wingers. Only the Predators have allowed more shots per game to Rantanen's position during this stretch.Dating back to the beginning of last season, Rantanen has gone over his total in four consecutive games against this Ducks team.Given how much volume they're allowing on a nightly basis - including to right-wingers - I see no reason to expect anything different this time around.Todd Cordell is a sports betting writer at theScore. Be sure to follow him on Twitter @ToddCordell.Copyright © 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Calgary Flames forward Nazem Kadri appears to be busting out of his recent slump with goals in back-to-back games, and head coach Darryl Sutter emphasized that the veteran's recent struggles have nothing to do with his effort level."I just think with Naz ... the summer and the season have been a race, right?" Sutter said Monday. "You see him today, you get these two days (since the last game) and you see more energy again out of him. It's got nothing to do with anything else, it's not about his compete."Kadri had gone 16 games without a goal prior to scoring in Thursday's defeat to the Vegas Golden Knights. He helped the Colorado Avalanche lift the Stanley Cup in late June, and Sutter said his abbreviated summer has "a lot to do" with his skid."Those guys just gave everything they had and that's all they had left," Sutter said. "He went through that run and then being a free agent and all that. ... (Questioning Kadri's effort) is so off-base, it's just strictly getting the guy's energy back."Kadri was named an All-Star after enjoying a strong start to his first season in Calgary but has cooled off since the Flames returned from the break Feb. 6.Season spanGPG/GPP/GPATOIBefore All-Star break (50 GP)19380.380.7617:43After All-Star break (24 GP)4130.170.5416:10The 32-year-old recorded the eventual game-winner Saturday against the San Jose Sharks but saw a season-low 12:34 minutes of ice time. Over his last 12 contests, Kadri's playing time has dipped below the 15-minute mark eight times.Sutter said last week that he doesn't talk to players about reducing their ice time, adding that the onus is "100%" on them to earn it back.For his part, Kadri said Thursday that his relationship with the hard-nosed coach is "fine" and chalked up any speculation of a rift to playing in a Canadian market, according to TSN's Salim Valji.Kadri is in the first season of a seven-year, $49-million pact that he signed with the Flames as an unrestricted free agent in August.The Flames sit four points back of the Winnipeg Jets for the second wild-card spot in the Western Conference with a 33-26-15 record entering Monday's slate.Calgary's next game will come Tuesday against the Los Angeles Kings.Copyright © 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

We have an unusually busy six-game slate to look forward to Monday night. Let's look at the best way to attack it with a pair of best bets.Panthers (-135) @ Senators (+115)The bottom is falling out from beneath the Senators. As the schedule has toughened up, they've shown their true colors and dropped out of the playoff race.They've played eight consecutive games against teams that are either holding down a playoff spot or sitting just outside the picture. Six of those eight games resulted in defeat, with one of the wins coming via a Dylan Ferguson goalie steal on a night they were outshot by 28. Not good!Ottawa ranks last in attempts, expected goals, and high-danger chances allowed per 60 minutes during this eight-game stretch. The Senators are playing truly horrific hockey.Without any of their top goaltenders available, the Senators can't rely on netminding to help mask these issues. The loss of Jakob Chychrun on defense doesn't help matters either.I expect the Senators' struggles to continue Monday night against the Panthers, who are playing some of their best hockey of the year, outshooting teams by double digits (on average) over the past 10 games.With a playoff spot just three points away and the schedule about to get easier, the Panthers know it's now or never. Florida has to start stringing together wins, and a date with this version of the Senators is a good place to start.Ottawa is bleeding shots and lacks stable goaltending. That's not a recipe for success against a high-powered Panthers side that generates shots, and scoring chances, as efficiently as any team in the league.Led by Matthew Tkachuk, Aleksander Barkov, and Carter Verhaeghe, look for Florida's offense to overwhelm the Senators en route to a crucial two points.Bet: Panthers (-135)Kraken (+110) @ Wild (-130)This line doesn't make a whole lot of sense to me. The last time these two sides met, the Wild closed as -120 favorites. Although that game was played in Seattle, Kirill Kaprizov happened to be available.Call me crazy, but if the Wild are priced as -120 favorites with Kaprizov, I don't think they should be -130 without him. Home ice isn't worth that much, especially against this Kraken team.The Kraken have enjoyed great success on the road all season long and are 6-0-1 away from home in March, having picked up wins against the Avalanche and the Stars. I don't think they should be priced so generously against a Wild team missing its best skater by far.Seattle also deserves more credit in its own right. The Kraken have posted a 56% expected goals share at five-on-five over the past 10 games, which is one of the highest outputs in the NHL. For comparison, the Wild are a little below 50% during the same span and rank 18th.While Minnesota does possess an edge between the pipes, the Kraken have played better at five-on-five of late and the Wild are bleeding goals on the penalty kill.The Kraken have a path to a solid offensive night, which could put a low-scoring Wild team that's missing its top producer in a tough spot.Bet: Kraken (+110)Todd Cordell is a sports betting writer at theScore. Be sure to follow him on Twitter @ToddCordell.Copyright © 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The NHL regular season's final weeks are not to be trusted.For bad teams, it's one thing to think about a club relative to its draft position in February or March. Still, it's another thing when losing the final few games guarantees as many draft lottery balls as possible. Management often decrees that certain goaltenders start and lesser players get more ice time in the name of "giving opportunities to the young guys." Why not just bet against the bad teams, then? Well, those young players aren't trying to look bad and are giving everything they have to get noticed. Plus, the market will lean to the favorite even more, so the only play is to back the inferior squad, which isn't a particularly fun way to finish your campaign either.For mediocre teams, it's one thing to think about a club relative to its playoff position and the concept of a must-win game. However, it's another thing to pay the tax oddsmakers charge on backing a club sitting on the playoff bubble just because it has more theoretical motivation. The reality is pressure can only cause problems. Once players are on the ice, they aren't thinking about the standings when they make the snap decision about where to shoot, pinch, or dive to block a shot.For good teams, it's one thing to assume that a club doesn't necessarily have the motivation to win to secure a playoff seed. But it's another thing to fade a squad like the Bruins even after they sit their stars for rest purposes. A good team is more than just a few players; It's a collective - culture, coaching, and player development. On the flip side, you're not likely to get a deal on Boston, Toronto, Tampa Bay, or any other club with its playoffs seeding set.Thoroughly confused? That's what happens in the final weeks of the NHL, NFL, NBA, and MLB seasons. It comes with the territory. These will be the final moneyline projections of the regular season since the best bet for the first full week of April is to take time to regroup and not give back the profits made value-betting during this long NHL season.The recipeWe started the campaign using the regular-season point total market as a baseline for rating teams since it's our best preseason measurement. Throughout the season, we adjust club ratings using on-ice metrics to remove the cognitive bias of win-loss records, which outliers like special-teams results, poor goaltending performances, and other unreliable events can skew. Our priors have almost entirely been flushed out this late in the campaign, and this season's metrics remain.The cheat sheetThere are no bad bets at the right price, but how do we know what a good price is?The following includes my fair price on the games (true moneyline) and the moneyline price I'd need to bet either side. I only need a 1% edge for a favorite if we're getting better than a fair price on the team more likely to win. For the underdog, I'll need 4% or better to make it a bet. For games I project to be closer to a coin flip, a 2.5% edge is enough for a worthwhile wager. I also have a 5% win probability consideration for a team playing in the second game of a back-to-back with travel and a 3% consideration for a team on the second leg of a back-to-back without travel. When it comes to injured players, I do my best to estimate the impact on their team's win probability.When the betting markets open up the night before, you can compare those prices with our "price to bet" column to see if you're getting any value with either side's moneyline. There's also a possibility that a moneyline moves into a bet-friendly range at some point between market open and puck drop.DATEGAMETRUE MLPRICE TO BETMarch 27FLA@OTT-126/+126FLA -121/OTT +149MTL@BUF+155/-155MTL +184/BUF -149NJD@NYI-132/+132NJD -126/NYI +155SEA@MIN+122/-122SEA +143/MIN -117COL@ANA-136/+136COL -131/ANA +161EDM@ARI-181/+181EDM -173/ARI +217March 28CBJ@NYR+206/-206CBJ +249/NYR -197TBL@CAR+132/-132TBL +156/CAR -127MTL@PHI+191/-191MTL +229/PHI -183NSH@BOS-259/+259NSH +319/BOS -246PIT@DET-126/+126PIT -121/DET +148VAN@STL-102/+102VAN +109/STL +112DAL@CHI-167/+167DAL -160/CHI +199LAK@CGY+118/-118LAK +139/CGY -113EDM@VGK+135/-135EDM +159/VGK -129WPG@SJS+118/-118WPG +139/SJS -114March 29NYI@WSH+121/-121NYI +143/WSH -116FLA@TOR+121/-121FLA +142/TOR -116MIN@COL+127/-127MIN +150/COL -122March 30PHI@OTT+129/-129PHI +152/OTT -124CBJ@BOS+301/-301CBJ +378/BOS -286NYR@NJD+175/-175NYR +208/NJD-167FLA@MTL-148/+148FLA -142/MTL +176NSH@PIT+216/-216NSH +261/PIT -206WSH@TBL+196/-196WSH +236/TBL -188CAR@DET-174/+174CAR -167/DET +208STL@CHI-106/+106STL +104/CHI +118LAK@EDM+122/-122LAK +143/EDM -117ANA@SEA+210/-210ANA +254/SEA -201VGK@SJS+101/-101VGK +112/SJS +109March 31NYR@BUF+116/-116NYR +136/BUF -111DET@WPG+191/-191DET +230/WPG -183CGY@VAN-116/+116CGY -111/VAN +136DAL@ARI-147/+147DAL -141/ARI +175April 1STL@NSH+101/-101STL +111/NSH +110BOS@PIT+101/-101BOS +111/PIT +110FLA@CBJ-194/+194FLA -185/CBJ +233TOR@OTT-130/+130TOR -125/OTT +153BUF@PHI+143/-143BUF +169/PHI -137CAR@MTL-211/+211CAR -202/MTL +256NYI@TBL+164/-164NYI +195/TBL -157NJD@CHI-230/+230NJD -220/CHI +280DAL@COL+135/-135DAL +159/COL -129LAK@SEA+106/-106LAK +104/SEA +117MIN@VGK+137/-137MIN +162/VGK -132ANA@EDM+286/-286ANA +356/EDM -272SJS@ARI-145/+145SJS -139/ARI +171April 2NYR@WSH+115/-115NYR +136/WSH -111BOS@STL-146/+146BOS -140/STL +172PHI@PIT+174/-174PHI +207/PIT -166OTT@CBJ-109/+109OTT +102/CBJ +120NYI@CAR+185/-185NYI +222/CAR -178NJD@WPG-107/+107NJD +103/WPG +118DET@TOR+223/-223DET +271/TOR -213LAK@VAN+106/-106LAK +117/VAN +105ANA@CGY+360/-360ANA +464/CGY -340Matt Russell is the senior betting writer for theScore. If there's a bad beat to be had, Matt will find it. Find him on Twitter @mrussauthentic.Copyright © 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

This is the 12th and final edition of theScore's NHL Power Rankings for the 2022-23 regular season. Check back for updated rankings before the playoffs begin.In this edition, we break down each team's best hope to win an individual award at the end of the season. Note that most awards are legit, but some have been creatively thought up.1. Boston Bruins (57-11-5)Previous rank: 1stPatrice Bergeron (Selke Trophy). It's safe to say between Linus Ullmark winning the Vezina Trophy and Jim Montgomery taking home the Jack Adams Award, the Bruins are going to clean up on awards night. But the biggest lock of all is Bergeron being named the best defensive forward for a record-extending sixth time.2. Carolina Hurricanes (47-16-9)Previous rank: 3rdJordan Staal (Selke Trophy). We know we just highlighted Bergeron for the same award, but Staal is equally as deserving to be a finalist. Among all forwards to log at least 800 even-strength minutes this season, Staal ranks second in expected goals against per 60 at 2.05.3. Vegas Golden Knights (46-21-6)Previous rank: 5thLogan Thompson (Calder Trophy). Injuries derailed a legitimate case for hardware in this instance, as Thompson leads all rookie netminders this season in save percentage (.915), goals against average (2.65), and shutouts (two).4. Los Angeles Kings (43-20-10)Previous rank: 12thRob Blake (GM of the Year Award). This award always seems to go to a team that makes it to the conference finals. While there's no guarantee L.A. goes that far, Blake's additions of Kevin Fiala, Joonas Korpisalo, and Vladislav Gavrikov have been paramount to the team's success.5. New Jersey Devils (46-19-8) Rich Graessle / National Hockey League / GettyPrevious rank: 2ndLindy Ruff (Jack Adams Award). Ruff's tenure behind the Devils' bench had a rough start. The team finished in the bottom five of the league's standings in 2020-21 and 2021-22, but he has New Jersey singing a different tune (not to mention a "Sorry Lindy" chant) this season. Under his guidance, the Devils have clinched their first playoff berth since 2018.6. New York Rangers (43-20-10)Previous rank: 7thAdam Fox (Norris Trophy). The 2021 top defenseman has a great chance to be a finalist again this year. Fox hasn't attracted much of the spotlight but has put up 65 points in 73 games while averaging over 24 minutes per night and is in the top 10 among all blue-liners in Evolving-Hockey's WAR and GAR metrics.7. Colorado Avalanche (43-23-6)Previous rank: 10thMikko Rantanen (Conn Smythe Trophy). The Avalanche have been hampered by injuries all season, but Rantanen hasn't missed a single game while helping Colorado overcome several key absences with a career-high 48 goals in 72 contests. If he can keep up that production in the playoffs, he's got a real shot at being named postseason MVP.8. Edmonton Oilers (41-23-9)Previous rank: 11thConnor McDavid (Hart Trophy). McDavid might need a bigger trophy room. While he's also a lock to win the Art Ross Trophy, the "Rocket" Richard Trophy, and the Ted Lindsay Award, we thought we'd highlight the Hart since not only is it the most important of the bunch, but he'll probably win it unanimously for the second time in his career.9. Toronto Maple Leafs (44-20-9)Previous rank: 4thMitch Marner (Selke Trophy). We've already covered why this award is likely going to Bergeron, but Marner shouldn't be slept on, either. The Maple Leafs star leads the team with 94 points while pacing all NHL forwards with 97 takeaways. He's also a key part of the Leafs' penalty kill, averaging north of two minutes shorthanded per contest. Talk about a two-way player.10. Minnesota Wild (42-22-9) Bruce Kluckhohn / National Hockey League / GettyPrevious rank: 9thJared Spurgeon (Lady Byng Trophy). Spurgeon has been a finalist each of the last two seasons, so the third time is the charm, right? The Wild captain is one of the most underrated defensemen in the league, is well-respected by his peers, and has only taken 10 penalty minutes all season.11. Tampa Bay Lightning (42-26-6)Previous rank: 8thSteven Stamkos (Mark Messier Leadership Award). Stamkos is in his 10th season as captain of the Lightning. Not only has he been a leader on the ice as part of two Stanley Cup-winning teams, but he also leads off the ice as a fixture in the Tampa Bay community.12. Dallas Stars (39-20-14)Previous rank: 6thJoe Pavelski (Lady Byng Trophy). Pavelski has received down-ballot votes for this award several times in the past, but this could be the year. The 38-year-old is having another stellar season with 67 points in 73 games, he's one of the most classy and well-respected players in the league, and he's only recorded eight penalty minutes.13. Seattle Kraken (40-24-8)Previous rank: 13thMatty Beniers (Calder Trophy). This should come as no surprise, seeing as the Kraken rookie has been in the driver's seat for the hardware virtually all season. Beniers paces all first-year players with 50 points in 70 games while ranking second on Seattle with 16 even-strength goals. The center has taken his large role with the Kraken in stride as they look to make the playoffs.14. Winnipeg Jets (41-30-3)Previous rank: 14thJosh Morrissey (Norris Trophy). His nickname is "Norrissey" for a reason. The Jets defenseman ranks tied for second among all blue-liners with 69 points in 72 games, trailing only the resurgent Erik Karlsson. Morrissey's previous career high in points was 37. What a coming-out party it's been for the 27-year-old.15. New York Islanders (37-28-9) Mike Stobe / National Hockey League / GettyPrevious rank: 16thIlya Sorokin (Vezina Trophy). Ullmark is a heavy favorite, but there's a valid argument that Sorokin has been the NHL's best goalie this season. He's played 10 more games than Ullmark and leads the league with 42.92 goals saved above expected - eight more than the Bruins netminder. Sorokin is the only reason the Islanders are in line to make the playoffs.16. Calgary Flames (33-26-15)Previous rank: 18thJacob Markstrom (Anti-Vezina Trophy). Flames fans, we apologize because this is kind of mean, but come on. Markstrom went from being a finalist for the Vezina last season to falling directly on his face. He owns a 20-20-10 record this season to go along with an .890 save percentage while ranking among the league's worst netminders in goals saved above average (minus-19.59).17. Florida Panthers (36-30-7)Previous rank: 17thMatthew Tkachuk (Hart Trophy). The Panthers haven't enjoyed a strong follow-up to their Presidents' Trophy-winning campaign, but that hasn't been Tkachuk's fault. He's come as advertised in his first season in Florida, leading the team with 97 points - 31 clear of Aleksander Barkov and Carter Verhaeghe in second place. Tkachuk will be key to the Cats' playoff hopes.18. Pittsburgh Penguins (36-27-10)Previous rank: 15thKris Letang (Bill Masterton Trophy). If returning to NHL action 12 days after having a stroke doesn't display "perseverance" and "dedication to hockey," then what does? Letang is a warrior, and he's still playing at a high level in his age-35 season with 34 points in 55 games.19. Nashville Predators (36-28-8)Previous rank: 21stJuuse Saros (Vezina Trophy). Saros has done his absolute best behind a disastrous defensive outfit this season, ranking third among all goaltenders in GSAx at 33.98. Saros has virtually no chance of winning this award with Nashville outside the playoffs, but it's scary to imagine where the club would be without its star between the pipes.20. Buffalo Sabres (35-31-6) Joshua Bessex / Getty Images Sport / GettyPrevious rank: 20thRasmus Dahlin (Norris Trophy). Karlsson is the favorite, but Dahlin is having a sensational season in his own right that'll warrant plenty of consideration. He's tallied 65 points in 68 games while displaying exemplary two-way play.21. Vancouver Canucks (34-34-5)Previous rank: 23rdQuinn Hughes (Norris Trophy). The Canucks rearguard doesn't have any time for critics of his defensive ability, and for good reason: Hughes is a plus-18 on a struggling Vancouver team that owns a goal differential of minus-17. He also sits tied for second in blue-liner scoring while ranking second in goals above replacement (19.7).22. Washington Capitals (34-32-8)Previous rank: 22ndT.J. Oshie (King Clancy Trophy). An award for humanitarian contributions is difficult to quantify, and there are always several worthy winners around the league. But Oshie, who's generous with charities that support Alzheimer's and youth hockey, would be a deserving winner this year.23. Ottawa Senators (35-33-5)Previous rank: 19thBrady Tkachuk (Mark Messier Leadership Award). This award typically goes to more of a veteran player, but Tkachuk is mature beyond his years in the way he carries himself off the ice. On the ice, he's willing to do anything for his teammates, even if it means dropping the gloves.24. St. Louis Blues (33-34-6)Previous rank: 25thJordan Kyrou (Green Jacket). Unlike Masters champions in golf, this is a jacket Kyrou certainly won't want to wear. The Blues forward is an NHL-worst minus-34 on the season.25. Philadelphia Flyers (28-32-12) Mike Carlson / National Hockey League / GettyPrevious rank: 28thNoah Cates (Selke Trophy). It's Bergeron's award to lose, but Cates, who's probably an unknown player to the average fan, has been one of the league's best defensive forwards this season. His six defensive goals above replacement rank second among forwards.26. Detroit Red Wings (31-32-9)Previous rank: 24thBen Chiarot (Least Impactful Signing). The Red Wings inked the rugged blue-liner to a four-year, $19-million deal last summer, and in his first year in Detroit, Chiarot is a minus-27 while ranking last among the club's D-corps in expected goals and shots against.27. Arizona Coyotes (27-34-13)Previous rank: 26thConnor Ingram (Bill Masterton Trophy). It's a difficult award to measure, but Ingram would be an excellent choice. He voluntarily entered the player assistance program in 2021-22, and this season he's played well with a .907 save percentage in 27 games on a clearly tanking team.28. Montreal Canadiens (29-38-6)Previous rank: 27thCole Caufield (Maurice "Rocket" Richard Trophy). Sure, Caufield's season ended in January thanks to a shoulder injury, but he still leads the Habs with 26 goals in 46 contests. That would put him on pace for 46 tallies over an 82-game season, which obviously wouldn't be enough to catch McDavid, but we wanted to give the sniper a shoutout here.29. Chicago Blackhawks (24-43-6)Previous rank: 30thTaylor Raddysh (Anti-Art Ross Trophy). Raddysh paces the abysmal Blackhawks with 33 points in 73 games, which is by far the lowest total that leads a team this season. Oof.30. Anaheim Ducks (23-40-10) Michael Martin / National Hockey League / GettyPrevious rank: 29thThe fans (Bill Masterton Trophy). Oh boy. The Ducks have been a tire fire this season and own a cataclysmic minus-108 goal differential. Any fan still watching Anaheim limp across the finish line has shown perseverance and dedication to hockey.31. Columbus Blue Jackets (23-42-7)Previous rank: 32ndKirill Marchenko (Cy Young Award). Marchenko's goal-to-assist ratio of 19-3 is awfully reminiscent of a Cy Young-winning MLB pitcher's win-loss record. We're not mad; we're impressed.32. San Jose Sharks (19-39-15)Previous rank: 31stErik Karlsson (Norris Trophy). As bad as the Sharks may be, Karlsson has put together a historically great campaign that makes him the front-runner to be named top defenseman. Points aren't everything, but he has 21 more than the next-closest blue-liner.(Analytics sources: Evolving-Hockey, Natural Stat Trick)Copyright © 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Los Angeles Kings are set to sign forward prospect Alex Laferriere to an entry-level contract now that his sophomore season at Harvard has concluded, Daily Faceoff's Frank Seravalli reports.Laferriere is expected to burn the first year of his deal and play regular-season games for Los Angeles down the stretch, Seravalli adds.Harvard was eliminated from the NCAA Tournament by Ohio State earlier this week. Fellow Crimson standouts Sean Farrell (Montreal Canadiens) and Matthew Coronato (Calgary Flames) also signed with their respective NHL clubs in the aftermath of the loss.The Kings selected Laferriere in the third round of the 2020 draft. He finished second in Harvard's scoring race this season with 42 points in 34 games.Copyright © 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

As the Nashville Predators battle for a playoff spot, it appears they'll have to do so without forward Matt Duchene for at least the next little while.Following Sunday's game against the Toronto Maple Leafs, Predators head coach John Hynes announced Duchene is considered week-to-week after suffering an upper-body injury during the 3-2 loss, according to John Glennon of NHL.com.Duchene exited the game in the second period after taking teammate Dante Fabbro's shot off his hand while in front of the Leafs' net. He was immediately taken back to the dressing room and didn't return to the game.

The Calgary Flames have signed forward prospect Matthew Coronato to a three-year, entry-level contract, the team announced Sunday.Coronato recently finished his sophomore season at Harvard, which was eliminated in the first round of the Frozen Four bracket at the hands of Ohio State earlier this week.Calgary drafted Coronato 13th overall in 2021. The New York native posted 36 points in 34 games in each of his collegiate seasons.The Flames are currently outside the Western Conference playoff picture with eight games remaining, needing to close a four-point gap to catch the Winnipeg Jets.Copyright © 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Los Angeles Kings forward Blake Lizotte was suspended one game for cross-checking Winnipeg Jets defenseman Josh Morrissey, the NHL Department of Player Safety announced.Lizotte was ejected from Saturday's contest after catching Morrissey in the face.

Connor McDavid only needs to score 10 more times in Edmonton's nine remaining regular-season games to become the first player to hit the 70-goal mark since 1992-93, but the Oilers superstar has his eyes on the bigger picture."Obviously, you need to go on a big run (to reach that landmark), and certainly anything is possible," he told NHL.com's Mike Zeisberger on Friday."Is it something that I'm going to be looking for or pressing for? Probably not," McDavid added. "It's more important how our team is playing heading into the playoffs. That's the most important thing, the thing we work all season for."Edmonton was swept out of the Western Conference Final by the Colorado Avalanche last season despite a gargantuan effort from McDavid. He put up seven points in that four-game series and ended up leading all skaters with 33 points in 16 playoff games.Since 2015-16 - McDavid's first season in the NHL - the Oilers made the playoffs four times, advancing past the first round twice.Heading into Sunday's slate, they sat in third place in the Pacific Division with a 41-23-9 record. McDavid's hunt for 70 goals largely stabilized what's otherwise been a roller coaster of a campaign for Edmonton.If he accomplishes the feat this campaign, he'd become the ninth player in NHL history to pull it off, joining Phil Esposito (1970-71), Wayne Gretzky (1981-85), Jari Kurri (1984-85), Mario Lemieux (1987-89), Bernie Nicholls (1988-89), Brett Hull (1989-92), Alexander Mogilny, and Teemu Selanne (both 1992-93).With 60 goals and 139 points in 73 games so far, McDavid is 11 tallies clear of David Pastrnak in second place of the Maurice "Rocket" Richard Trophy race and 27 points ahead of teammate Leon Draisaitl for the Art Ross Trophy.McDavid's next chance to extend his runaway leads will come Monday against the Arizona Coyotes.Copyright © 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Montreal Canadiens and top forward prospect Sean Farrell agreed to terms on a three-year, entry-level contract, the team announced Sunday.Farrell will join the Habs on their upcoming trip to take on the Buffalo Sabres on Monday and the Philadelphia Flyers on Tuesday.The 21-year-old winger enjoyed a standout campaign for Harvard in 2022-23. He paced the team with 33 assists and 53 points in 34 games while tying Matthew Coronato for the second-most goals on the squad with 20.In two seasons with the Crimson, Farrell compiled 30 tallies and 81 points across 58 contests. He notched a career-best five-point game at Dartmouth in February.Harvard's campaign ended with an 8-1 loss to Ohio State on Friday at the NCAA Tournament.The Canadiens selected Farrell in the fourth round of the 2020 NHL Draft.Copyright © 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Devon Levi has been in the NHL for less than a week, but the Buffalo Sabres prospect already has a peer he can look up - or down - to: Nashville Predators netminder Juuse Saros.At 6-feet, Levi is undersized among goaltenders, making Saros, the shortest goalie in the league at 5-foot-11, the ideal role model.The two first met in the fall when Levi, then at Northeastern University, was scheduled to play a game at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville."I just went up and introduced myself. It was cool," Levi told The Athletic's Matthew Fairburn. "He knew who I was, and he was asking me about my gear, I was asking about his gear. … He's a guy that I've looked up to and watched for a while now."After their meeting, Saros said he began studying tape of Levi."I have high expectations. I think he's going to be a great goalie in this league," Saros said. "Just all of his movements and how he reads the game. He's really precise in everything that he does. He's great technique-wise. He's one of those goalies that I really like to watch. I can learn from him, too."Despite being a seventh-round pick in 2020, Levi is considered one of the top goalie prospects in the game.He led Canada to a silver medal at the 2021 World Junior Championship, posting a sparkling .964 save percentage in seven games. The following summer, the Florida Panthers traded him to Buffalo as part of the deal to acquire Sam Reinhart.Across 66 games in two seasons at Northeastern, Levi sported a .942 save percentage. He was a finalist for the Hobey Baker Award as the nation's top player in 2022 and is up for the honor again this year.Saros was a finalist for the Vezina Trophy last season and owns a career .919 save percentage in his eight seasons. The 27-year-old is remarkably consistent, never posting a save percentage below .914 in any of his full campaigns. His elite quickness is one of the many traits that help him overcome his lack of size."He's just unbelievable at doing what he does. He's so consistent. He's like a robot," Levi said. "Every time it's just bang, bang, bang. I like to watch how he moves, how he's always square and just gets hit by the puck, always in position - and he's fast. He has great edge work. I love watching him."Copyright © 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Connor McDavid made it clear the Edmonton Oilers are in full support of Pride night leading up to their festivities on Saturday.Pride warmup jerseys have been a hot-button topic lately, as players and teams across the league have opted against donning the uniforms. The Oilers have never worn Pride jerseys and won't Saturday, but the MVP favorite is adamant his club is an LGBTQ+ ally."Certainly can't comment on other players and their beliefs, and other organizations and what they're up to," McDavid said, per Sportsnet. "I know here in Edmonton, we strongly believe hockey is for everyone and strongly support Pride night. Looking forward to it."He added: "I think we were the first team to use Pride tape in warmup. We're firm believers, obviously, in the celebration that is Pride night."Oilers forward Zach Hyman echoed McDavid's sentiments about Edmonton's stance."Everybody has their own personal opinion. To me, it's an obvious no-brainer," Hyman said. "If I was in that position, I'd wear one. It doesn't go against any of my beliefs, it's probably on the contrary. I think it's extremely important to be open and welcoming to that greater community because they're a minority, and they've faced a lot of persecution over the years."To show that we care and that we're willing and ready to include them in our game, in our sport, is extremely important to me. It's a hard question because people have their own personal beliefs, I just don't agree with them."In January, Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Ivan Provorov refused to wear a Pride jersey in warmup due to his Russian Orthodox religious beliefs. Since then, the Minnesota Wild, New York Rangers, and Chicago Blackhawks scrapped plans to wear the rainbow-colored uniforms. The Blackhawks said they changed plans out of security concerns for their Russian players.San Jose Sharks goaltender James Reimer and Florida Panthers players Marc and Eric Staal skipped wearing the jerseys over the past week due to their Christian faith.Copyright © 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Boston Bruins forward A.J. Greer has been suspended one game for cross-checking Montreal Canadiens forward Mike Hoffman, the NHL Department of Player Safety announced Friday.Greer was ejected from the game after catching Hoffman in the face.

Vegas Golden Knights goaltender Logan Thompson left the team's 3-2 win over the Calgary Flames due to an undisclosed injury Thursday.Thompson has returned to Vegas and will be unavailable Saturday against the Edmonton Oilers, the team announced. Forward Reilly Smith and defenseman Alec Martinez will also miss Saturday's contest due to an undisclosed injury and personal reasons, respectively.The netminder exited with 6:07 remaining in the third period Thursday after making a save on Trevor Lewis.

Columbus Blue Jackets forward Patrik Laine is expected to miss two-to-four weeks after suffering a triceps strain in practice on Thursday, the team announced.If the injury takes two weeks to heal, Laine could be back for the final four games of the regular season. If it's any longer, his 2022-23 campaign might be over.The 24-year-old sniper has tallied 22 goals and 30 assists in 55 games during what's been an injury-riddled season, as he missed time earlier this campaign with elbow and ankle sprains. Laine is in the first season of a four-year, $34.8-million contract signed this past offseason.The last-place Blue Jackets have been marred by injuries this campaign. Most notably, Zach Werenski suffered a season-ending shoulder ailment in November.Copyright © 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

In an edition of the weekday betting guide on March 6, we hypothesized that the Kings might be a buy for everything short of the Stanley Cup in what appears to be a wide-open Western Conference. Since then, in six contests, the Kings haven't lost in regulation amid a nine-game post-trade deadline stretch where they haven't surrendered more than two goals in regulation.However, Los Angeles is having trouble catching Vegas in the Pacific Division as the Golden Knights started 8-2 in March before beating Calgary on Thursday night. The Kings are four points behind Vegas with one game in hand and 11 remaining in total. Let's take a look at how these two teams compare.The following is each team's even-strength metrics since March 1, including expected goal share (XG%), high-danger chance share (%), and each team's high-danger conversion rate at five-on-five.TEAMXG%HDC%HDC CONV%Kings63.0%63.6%11.9%Golden Knights39.6%41.5%21.0%The contrast is pretty stark. Two teams with the same 8-2 moneyline record in a concurrent 10-game span are playing drastically differently during even-strength play. Truthfully, the Golden Knights' 21% high-danger chance conversion rate made me laugh out loud. The league average for converting high-danger scoring chances this season is 11.7%.Prior to March, those same Golden Knights converted these chances 10.9% of the time in a 60-game sample size. This could be explained by variance. (A snarkier term would be "fluke," but we're trying to be nice here.)Both teams have more than a handful of games between now and their final showdown April 6, so we'll see whether regression strikes for both between now and then and how that will be reflected in the standings. That matchup might end up deciding who wins the Pacific Division and avoids Connor McDavid in the first round.The recipeWe started the campaign using regular-season point totals as a baseline for rating teams since it's our best measurement. Throughout the campaign, we adjust club ratings using on-ice metrics to remove the cognitive bias of win-loss records, which can be skewed by outliers like special-teams results, poor goaltending performances, and other unreliable events. This late in the season, our priors have almost entirely been flushed out, and this season's metrics remain.The cheat sheetThere are no bad bets at the right price, but how do we know what a good price is?The following includes my fair price on the games (true moneyline) and the moneyline price I'd need to bet either side. I only need a 1% edge for a favorite if we're getting better than a fair price on the team more likely to win. For the underdog, I'll need 4% or better to make it a bet. For games I project to be closer to a coin flip, a 2.5% edge is enough for a worthwhile wager. I also have a 5% win probability consideration for a team playing in the second game of a back-to-back with travel and a 3% consideration for a team on the second leg of a back-to-back without travel. When it comes to injured players, I do my best to estimate the impact on their team's win probability.When the betting markets open up the night before, you can compare those prices with our "price to bet" column to see if you're getting any value with either side's moneyline. There's also a possibility that a moneyline moves into a bet-friendly range at some point between market open and puck drop.DATEGAMETRUE MLPRICE TO BETMarch 24NJD@BUF-159/+159NJD -153/BUF +189NYI@CBJ-129/+129NYI -124/CBJ +152ARI@COL+197/-197ARI +237/COL -189March 25DET@PHI+126/-126DET +148/PHI -121TBL@BOS+133/-133TBL +157/BOS -128SEA@NSH-124/+124SEA -119/NSH +146WPG@LAK+129/-129WPG +152/LAK -124SJS@CGY+140/-140SJS +166/CGY -135NYR@FLA+156/-156NYR +185/FLA -149CHI@MIN+197/-197CHI +237/MIN -188BUF@NYI+141/-141BUF +167/NYI -136OTT@NJD+202/-202OTT +243/NJD -193CBJ@MTL+137/-137CBJ +162/MTL -132TOR@CAR+130/-130TOR +154/CAR -125VAN@DAL+138/-138VAN +163/DAL -133WSH@PIT+118/-118WSH +139/PIT -113VGK@EDM+124/-124VGK +146/EDM -119STL@ANA-115/+115STL -110/ANA +135March 26COL@ARI-140/+140COL -135/ARI +166BOS@CAR+115/-115BOS +135/CAR -111TOR@NSH-185/+185TOR -177/NSH +222VAN@CHI-125/+125VAN -120/CHI +147STL@LAK+174/-174STL +208/LAK -167Matt Russell is a betting writer for theScore. If there's a bad beat to be had, Matt will find it. Find him on Twitter @mrussauthentic.Copyright © 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.