The Philadelphia Flyers were responsible for one of the most head-scratching moves - or lack thereof - of the trade deadline by hanging on to pending unrestricted free agent James van Riemsdyk.The Flyers were obvious sellers but weren't able to facilitate a trade for the seven-time 20-goal scorer. General manager Chuck Fletcher said there were no firm buyers for van Riemsdyk."The market spoke," Fletcher told reporters after the deadline.There were rumors that the Flyers were sending van Riemsdyk to the Detroit Red Wings, but a trade apparently fell through."I didn't have any offers until about 1:40 (p.m.)," Fletcher said. "I got a call from a team and they had a concept that if they were able to move a forward off their team, then they'd have interest in acquiring JVR."We talked about the parameters and what the deal would look like. It made sense from that standpoint, but all along it was conditional on the other trade going through, and eventually the other trade fell through (about 25 minutes before the deadline)."Fletcher added that he had been speaking to teams for three weeks about van Riemsdyk leading up to the deadline.Part of the issue was van Riemsdyk's $7-million cap hit. Fletcher said they were willing to retain 50% of it and take back an expiring contract, but they still couldn't get a deal done.Van Riemsdyk, 33, has tallied nine goals and 14 assists in 41 games this season. He's added 20 goals and 11 helpers in 71 career postseason contests.The Flyers did make two trades on the day. They shipped Patrick Brown to the Ottawa Senators for a sixth-round pick, and dealt Zack MacEwen to the Los Angeles Kings for Brendan Lemieux and a fifth-rounder.Copyright © 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Buffalo Sabres traded forward Rasmus Asplund to the Nashville Predators for a 2025 seventh-rounder, the teams announced Friday.Asplund, 25, has two goals and six assists in 27 games this season while averaging just over 11 minutes of ice time.A pending restricted free agent with arbitration rights, Asplund carries a cap hit of $825,000.Asplund has 18 tallies and 31 helpers in 164 career matchups, all with the Sabres.Buffalo selected him in the second round of the 2016 NHL Draft.Copyright © 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Pittsburgh Penguins acquired defenseman Dmitry Kulikov from the Anaheim Ducks for forward Brock McGinn and a 2024 third-round pick, the teams announced Friday.Kulikov is a pending unrestricted free agent. Anaheim is retaining 50% of his $2.25-million salary.The 32-year-old has been a top-four blue-liner on the porous Ducks all season, collecting 15 points in 61 games while averaging over 20 minutes. The Penguins will be Kulikov's fifth team since 2020.McGinn cleared waivers earlier this week and is owed $2.75 million per season through 2024-25. He spent the first six years of his career with the Carolina Hurricanes and registered 16 points in 60 games with the Penguins this season while averaging 13 minutes.Anaheim now has 13 total picks within the opening three rounds of the next three drafts.The Penguins have made a series of depth trades leading up to the deadline. Pittsburgh brought in Mikael Granlund and Nick Bonino in separate moves before the Kulikov trade. They also shipped out Teddy Blueger.Copyright © 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Minnesota Wild acquired forward Oskar Sundqvist from the Detroit Red Wings in exchange for a 2023 fourth-rounder, the teams announced Friday.Sundqvist has seven goals and 14 assists in 52 contests this campaign while seeing 14:16 of ice time per game.A pending unrestricted free agent, Sundqvist comes with a cap hit of $2.75 million.The 28-year-old was shipped to Detroit during last season's trade deadline as part of the package that sent defenseman Nick Leddy to the St. Louis Blues.Sundqvist has 116 points in 340 career NHL games split between the Pittsburgh Penguins, Blues, and Red Wings.Detroit now holds 28 selections in the next three NHL drafts, including five first-round picks and five second-rounders.Copyright © 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Philadelphia Flyers traded forward Patrick Brown to the Ottawa Senators in exchange for a 2023 sixth-round pick, the teams announced.Brown will provide Ottawa with some depth up front and another option down the middle. He doesn't provide much offense, as he's only tallied two goals and five assists in 43 games this season, but his underlying defensive numbers are strong. Evolving-HockeyThe 30-year-old is a physical presence, tallying 125 hits. He's also proficient in the faceoff circle, as the right-handed shot has won 53.8% of his draws.Prior to joining the Flyers in 2021, he spent time with the Carolina Hurricanes and Vegas Golden Knights. He's registered 19 points in 120 career NHL games across seven seasons.Copyright © 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

For the first time in his 15-year NHL career, Los Angeles Kings veteran Drew Doughty is no longer teammates with Jonathan Quick, and the defenseman is wary about facing the new Vegas Golden Knights goaltender down the line."I'm a little scared of the fire he's probably going to have in his belly if we do play him," Doughty said, according to the Los Angeles Times' Helene Elliott. "It's not going to be easy, but you gotta do what you gotta do."The Kings traded Quick, a conditional 2023 first-round pick, and a 2024 third-rounder to the Columbus Blue Jackets in exchange for defenseman Vladislav Gavrikov and netminder Joonas Korpisalo on Wednesday.However, Columbus flipped Quick to Sin City for goaltender Michael Hutchinson and a 2025 seventh-round pick on Thursday, with the Blue Jackets retaining 50% of Quick's $5.8-million cap hit.Quick was reportedly displeased about being shipped to Columbus, according to Daily Faceoff's Frank Seravalli.The netminder said the trade to Vegas is "motivating," according to The Athletic's Jesse Granger.As of Friday, the Golden Knights and Kings sit in the top two spots of the Pacific Division and could potentially face each other in the playoffs. The two teams have met in the postseason once before in 2017-18 when Vegas swept Los Angeles in the first round.Quick owns a career .921 save percentage and a 2.31 goals-against average in 92 career playoff appearances.With Quick gone, Doughty and captain Anze Kopitar are the only two players remaining from the Kings' Stanley Cup-winning squads in 2012 and 2014.Doughty said Quick's departure was "probably the toughest moment" of his career so far."The last two days it's affected us a lot. It's really sad and unexpected. And it sucks seeing one of your best friends of your life leave," he said, per Elliott. "Just so many emotions."It sucked. That's the bottom line. Never wanted to see (Quick) go. Expected to play with him the rest of my career. ... It's business."Quick can get his first crack at his former team when the Golden Knights host the Kings on April 6.Copyright © 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Toronto Maple Leafs acquired forward Radim Zohorna from the Calgary Flames for forward Dryden Hunt, the teams announced Friday.Zohorna has zero points in eight NHL games this season but 10 goals and 29 points in 40 AHL contests.In 33 career NHL games, the 6-foot-6 winger has four goals and 10 points. Zohorna is an impending unrestricted free agent. He was claimed off waivers by the Flames in October from the Pittsburgh Penguins.Hunt scored one goal in nine games with the Maple Leafs. He has three goals in 37 NHL contests in 2022-23 split between Toronto, the Colorado Avalanche, and the New York Rangers.The 27-year-old had four goals and nine points in 15 games with the AHL's Toronto Marlies. The Maple Leafs acquired Hunt in December for forward Denis Malgin.Copyright © 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Buffalo Sabres acquired forward Jordan Greenway from the Minnesota Wild for a 2023 second-round pick and a 2024 fifth-round selection, reports The Athletic's Michael Russo.There's no salary retention in the deal, Russo adds. Greenway is under contract at $3 million per season through 2025, and his agreement includes an eight-team no-trade list in the final year.Greenway was a second-round pick of the Wild in 2015. The 6-foot-6 left-shot has managed only seven points in 45 games this season. It's the worst offensive pace of his career by a considerable margin.Greenway played under Sabres head coach Don Granato on the U.S. National Team Development Program Under-18 team in 2014-15.The Sabres are in pursuit of their first playoff berth since 2010-11. Buffalo currently sits four points back of the second wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference but has four games in hand.Copyright © 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Pittsburgh Penguins have reunited with forward Nick Bonino by way of a three-team trade involving the San Jose Sharks and Montreal Canadiens, the clubs announced Friday.The Sharks received the rights to defenseman Arvid Henrikson from the Canadiens, as well as a conditional 2024 fifth-rounder and a 2023 seventh-round pick from Pittsburgh. The conditional pick will become a fourth-rounder if the Penguins advance to the 2023 Eastern Conference Final.Montreal ended up with San Jose's 2024 fifth-round selection and the rights to blue-liner Tony Sund. The Canadiens will retain 50% of Bonino's $2.05-million salary.A pending unrestricted free agent, Bonino has put up 10 goals and 19 points in 59 games this campaign while averaging just over 16 minutes per contest. He ranks second among all NHL forwards with 74 blocks.The 34-year-old veteran captured back-to-back Stanley Cup championships with the Penguins in 2015-16 and 2016-17. He put up eight goals - including three game-winners - and 17 assists over 45 playoff matchups during that span.Bonino was selected by San Jose in the sixth round of the 2007 NHL Draft. He has 353 points in 820 career NHL games split between the Anaheim Ducks, Vancouver Canucks, Penguins, Nashville Predators, Minnesota Wild, and Sharks.The Penguins have made moves to revamp their bottom-six forward group. In addition to Bonino, Pittsburgh acquired Mikael Granlund from the Predators on Wednesday in exchange for a 2023 second-round pick.Copyright © 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Winnipeg Jets acquired forward Vladislav Namestnikov from the San Jose Sharks for a fourth-round pick in 2025, the teams announced Friday.Namestnikov was traded to San Jose from the Tampa Bay Lightning earlier in the week. The Lightning retained 50% of his $2.5-million cap hit in the deal.The 30-year-old is a pending unrestricted free agent who's now been traded on four separate deadline days - 2018, 2020, 2022, and 2023 - which ties an NHL record, according to Sportsnet Stats.Namestnikov has registered 15 points in 57 games this season and projects to be a depth piece for the Jets down the stretch. Winnipeg has made a notable effort to reinforce its forward corps leading up to the deadline, previously acquiring winger Nino Niederreiter from the Nashville Predators.The Jets currently hold the second wild-card spot in the Western Conference with 72 points. They're five points clear of their closest chaser and trail the Colorado Avalanche by a single point for the third spot in the Central Division with two extra games played.Copyright © 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Ottawa Senators enforcer Austin Watson won't have a hearing for his hit on New York Rangers forward Tyler Motte during Thursday's contest, reports ESPN's Greg Wyshynski.The league determined the play wasn't charging and that it didn't meet the criteria for an illegal check to the head.Watson was handed a five-minute major and a game misconduct for the incident. He was issued a charging major, but he also appeared to catch Motte's head with his elbow.

The Los Angeles Kings acquired forward Zack MacEwen from the Philadelphia Flyers for forward Brendan Lemieux and a 2024 fifth-round pick, the teams announced Friday.MacEwen has four goals and nine points in 46 contests this season. He was activated off of injured reserve Friday after sustaining a broken jaw Jan. 26.The 26-year-old is tied for ninth leaguewide with six fighting majors in 2022-23. He has a $925,000 cap hit and will be a restricted free agent at season's end.Lemieux has no goals and three points in 27 games. The Kings originally acquired him at the 2021 trade deadline for a fourth-round pick. The 26-year-old has a cap hit of $1.35 million and is an impending unrestricted free agent.The Kings create $425,000 of cap space in the transaction.Copyright © 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The New Jersey Devils acquired forward Curtis Lazar from the Vancouver Canucks in exchange for a 2024 fourth-round pick, the teams announced Friday.Lazar has three goals and two assists in 45 games while averaging just over 12 minutes of ice time per contest this season. The 28-year-old ranks second among all Canucks forwards with 124 hits and 49 blocks while winning 51.9% of his faceoffs.He has two years remaining on his deal after this season at a cap hit of $1 million.Drafted by the Ottawa Senators in the first round in 2013, Lazar has 95 points in 449 career contests. He signed with the Canucks as an unrestricted free agent in July after scoring a career-high eight goals in 70 games with the Boston Bruins last campaign.The Devils made major noise on Feb. 26 by acquiring Timo Meier from the San Jose Sharks in a blockbuster deal that involved nine players and four picks. New Jersey is looking to make the playoffs for the first time since 2017-18.Copyright © 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Although Friday night's slate is a little small, we still have 17 games on our plate over the next couple of days.We're going to back a couple of Eastern Conference teams trending upward as we look to improve upon Thursday's split of our best bets.Devils (-110) @ Golden Knights (-110)

We have a small - but juicy - five-game slate ahead of us Friday night. Let's take a look at three props that stand out.Connor McDavid over 4.5 shots (-115)McDavid has always been much more of a passer than a shooter. He's flipping the script this year, or at least closing the gap.He has netted a whopping 52 goals through 62 games and scored at least two goals in five straight contests. Unsurprisingly, the shot volume is remarkably high during this miraculous run.Over the past 10 games, McDavid has generated a league-leading 58 shots on target. He's just one shot attempt back of Nathan MacKinnon and David Pastrnak for top spot in that time.The Jets are a solid defensive team at five-on-five but are missing one of their best two-way players in Pierre-Luc Dubois, which is not ideal when going up against McDavid.It's also worth noting only four teams have spent more time in the box over the past 10. If the Jets are going to take penalties at an above-average rate, it will open up extra time and space for McDavid to test Connor Hellebuyck.Martin Necas over 2.5 shots (-132)Necas is a road warrior. He has gone over his shot total exactly 50% of the time at PNC Arena, a stark contrast from the 72% success rate we've seen when the Hurricanes are away from.There is every reason to believe he will stay hot in a mouthwatering matchup against the Coyotes.They are among the NHL's worst shot-suppression teams and only the Senators have spent more time killing penalties on a per-game basis. They're a dream opponent for shooters.Necas found that out firsthand the last time these two sides met in November. He attempted an impressive 10 shots while hitting the target four times.With players like Jakob Chychrun and Nick Bjugstad having recently departed the organization, things figure to get even worse for Arizona.Look for Necas to take advantage.Trevor Zegras over 2.5 shots (+110)Zegras is a talented but inconsistent shooter. With players like him, there are two things I need to get on board: home ice and a juicy matchup. Both boxes are checked for tonight's game, as Zegras' Ducks host the Canadiens.To say Zegras has been more productive at home would be an understatement. He averages 5.4 attempts per game in Anaheim, which is a massive uptick from the 3.9 he has managed away from home.Montreal is giving up a ton of shots, particularly on the road. Only the Ducks have conceded more per game over the last 10 road dates.Zegras had three shots and six attempts the last time these two sides met. I expect a similar output 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.

The St. Louis Blues acquired forward Jakub Vrana from the Detroit Red Wings for forward Dylan McLaughlin and a 2025 seventh-round pick, the teams announced Friday.Detroit will retain 50% of Vrana's salary. He's signed through 2023-24 at a $5.25-million cap hit, so St. Louis takes on Vrana at $2.625 million.The 27-year-old entered the NHL/NHLPA player assistance program in October. He returned to the Red Wings in December and was subsequently placed on waivers.Vrana tallied six goals and 11 points in 17 AHL contests. Detroit called him up in February, but he failed to find the scoresheet in three games. He scored a goal and two points in two games before entering the player assistance program.Prior to 2022-23, Vrana struggled to remain in the lineup due to various injuries. He played a combined 76 games across 2020-21 and 2021-22. However, when he's been in the lineup, he's been an efficient scorer.Since 2020-21, Vrana's 1.60 goals per 60 at five-on-five ranks behind only Auston Matthews among players with more than 80 games, according to Natural Stat Trick.McLaughlin was signed by St. Louis in July 2022. The 27-year-old, who returned to action Feb. 25 after a lengthy injury, has one goal in six AHL contests this season. The pending unrestricted free agent has yet to play in the NHL.After the trade, the Red Wings have a little over $8 million in cap space, according to CapFriendly.Copyright © 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Journeyman defenseman Luke Schenn isn't taking his second stint with the Toronto Maple Leafs for granted.The 33-year-old was re-acquired by the Leafs in a trade with the Vancouver Canucks on Tuesday, nearly 15 years after Toronto drafted him fifth overall in 2008 and over 10 years since he was traded away to the Philadelphia Flyers in 2012."There's no question, for where I'm at in my career, this is pretty special," Schenn said following his first game back with the Leafs, a 2-1 win over the Calgary Flames, according to The Athletic's Jonas Siegel.Schenn added that he got "chills" when he put the Maple Leafs sweater back on again.It was a stellar debut for Schenn, too, who posted a plus-1 rating with four hits and two blocks in 10:42 of action. His 60.56% expected goals share at five-on-five topped all Leafs defensemen in the contest, per Natural Stat Trick. His effort was enough to earn him the player of the game belt.

The Chicago Blackhawks are sending Max Domi and goaltender Dylan Wells to the Dallas Stars for a 2025 second-round pick and netminder Anton Khudobin, the Stars announced Thursday night.Domi is a pending unrestricted free agent. The forward, who turned 28 on Thursday, will be joining his sixth NHL club. He's in his eighth season and was in his first with the Blackhawks, who aren't retaining any of his $3-million cap hit. Chicago held him out of Thursday's loss to the Stars for "roster management" reasons.Domi has 18 goals and 31 assists in 60 games this season. He can play at center or on the wing and has a career-best success rate of 53.7% on faceoffs in 2022-23.Wells played his lone NHL game in November and has spent the rest of the campaign with the AHL's Rockford IceHogs. The 25-year-old went 9-6-1 with a .905 save percentage in 17 contests with the farm club this season.Khudobin hasn't played at all this season and only played nine games in 2021-22 due to hip issues. The Stars buried his contract in the minors and were on the hook for approximately $2.2 million of his $3.3-million cap hit as a result, according to CapFriendly. The veteran puck-stopper, who's a pending UFA, will turn 37 in May.Copyright © 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Columbus Blue Jackets traded veteran goaltender Jonathan Quick to the Vegas Golden Knights, the teams announced Thursday.The Blue Jackets received goaltender Michael Hutchinson and a seventh-round draft pick in 2025 in return. Columbus acquired Quick and two picks on Wednesday from the Los Angeles Kings for Vladislav Gavrikov and Joonas Korpisalo.Columbus will retain 50% of Quick's $5.8-million cap hit.Sources told Daily Faceoff's Frank Seravalli that Quick was unhappy with the initial trade to Columbus.Quick spent 16 years with the Kings, winning two Stanley Cups and a Conn Smythe Trophy while setting franchise records in games played for a goalie, wins, shutouts, and save percentage.He signed a 10-year, $58-million contract in 2012 that expires this year.The 37-year-old is far removed from his prime, having posted sub-.900 save percentages in three of the past five seasons. This campaign, he's 11-13-4 with a .876 clip and a 3.50 goals-against average.The Golden Knights have dealt with injuries in the crease all season. Robin Lehner hasn't suited up at all and promising rookie Logan Thompson is out as well, leaving a duo of Adin Hill and Quick.Vegas has been busy leading up to Friday's deadline, acquiring forwards Ivan Barbashev and Teddy Blueger in separate deals before nabbing Quick.Quick will have to wait until the end of the regular season to potentially face his former team, as the Golden Knights and Kings aren't scheduled to meet until April 6. However, there is a decent possibility that the Pacific Division rivals will clash in the playoffs as they jockey for top spot down the stretch.Copyright © 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Edmonton Oilers acquired veteran center Nick Bjugstad and defenseman Cam Dineen from the Arizona Coyotes in exchange for a 2023 third-round pick and defense prospect Michael Kesselring, the Oilers announced Thursday.Arizona is retaining 50% of Bjugstad's $900,000 salary. The Coyotes have now used the maximum three retention slots and are ineligible to add another until July 1, according to CapFriendly. Oliver Ekman-Larsson and Patrick Kane are the other partial contracts on Arizona's ledger.Bjugstad registered 23 points in 59 games this season and provides Edmonton with reliable depth down the middle. The 30-year-old was a first-round draft pick of the Florida Panthers in 2010. He also spent time with the Pittsburgh Penguins and Minnesota Wild throughout his 11-year career.Edmonton had $450,000 in deadline cap space before acquiring Bjugstad, meaning it's right up against the salary limit pending any further moves.The Oilers also made a big splash earlier this week, bringing in Mattias Ekholm for a package of picks, Tyson Barrie, and prospect Reid Schaefer.Copyright © 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Boston Bruins signed superstar winger David Pastrnak to an eight-year extension worth $11.25 million per season, the team announced Thursday.Pastrnak was due to hit unrestricted free agency this summer. His new deal will make him the league's sixth-highest-paid player when it kicks in next season, trailing only Nathan MacKinnon, Connor McDavid, Artemi Panarin, Auston Matthews, and Erik Karlsson.The Bruins have gotten immense value from Pastrnak throughout his current contract, which has paid him $6.67 million annually since 2017-18. Over that span, the 26-year-old has collected 223 goals and 461 points in 398 games while adding 70 points in 64 playoff appearances.Pastrnak has made the most of his platform campaign, ranking second in the NHL this season with 42 goals and fourth with 80 points. Despite negotiating his new contract throughout much of the season, Pastrnak said it was never a distraction."I didn't really worry about it much," he said, per Boston.com's Conor Ryan. "I wouldn't say (it) affected me on the ice."He added: "I'm honored and happy that I'm staying here. I can't wait to get to work."Pastrnak's new deal includes a full no-move clause in the first five years and a modified clause in the final three, according to TSN's Darren Dreger.The Czechia native will be Boston's highest-paid player next season, eclipsing Charlie McAvoy's $9.5-million mark. After Pastrnak's monster raise, the Bruins have approximately $10.5 million in cap space for 2023-24 with a roster size of 14, according to CapFriendly.Notable Boston players currently on expiring contracts include Patrice Bergeron, David Krejci, and Trent Frederic, along with recent trade deadline acquisitions Dmitry Orlov, Garnet Hathaway, and Tyler Bertuzzi.The Bruins pace the league standings with a whopping 99 points through 60 games and are 13 clear of second place.Copyright © 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

We have a whopping 10 games on the docket for Thursday night's slate. Let's waste no time in getting to three props that stand out from the pack.Carter Verhaeghe over 3.5 shots (-115)Verhaeghe has quietly turned into one of the league's most consistent shot-generators, especially on home ice. He's averaged 3.7 shots per game in Florida this season and gone over his shot total a whopping 63% of the time.Verhaeghe is somehow still trending upward, having hit in nine consecutive games at home. His attempt volume over the last 10 has been 1.1 higher than his season average, and his ice time is up about a minute and a half as well.While Verhaeghe failed to get the job done against the Nashville Predators just last week, I expect things to be different this time around.First and foremost, the game will be played in Florida. Verhaeghe's success rate is 25% higher at home.The Predators have also gone through somewhat of a fire sale, dealing Mattias Ekholm, Mikael Granlund, and Tanner Jeannot while also losing Ryan Johansen to injury. This team is much more vulnerable than the one Verhaeghe last saw.David Pastrnak over 4.5 shots (-105)Pastrnak is another guy who does his best work at home. Although the splits aren't anywhere close to as drastic, Pastrnak's numbers (4.8 shots, nine attempts) are better when playing in Boston.He's gone a little cold of late, failing to go over in five of six games at home and three straight overall, but this is a nice spot for him to get back on track.The Buffalo Sabres are a mid-tier defensive team that tends to play a lot of high-event games. That should create a good game environment for Pastrnak to shoot in bulk.Rasmus Dahlin's absence on the backend also will make life easier for Pastrnak. Unsurprisingly, the Sabres haven't defended well of late without Dahlin. They rank seventh from last in five-on-five shot suppression over the last 10 games.With a good matchup and a monster extension in Pastrnak's back pocket, perhaps he'll have a little more pep in his step to stick it to a rival.Jason Robertson over 3.5 shots (-135)Robertson is a player I much prefer to back when he's playing in Dallas. There are exceptions to everything, though, and a date with the Blackhawks in Chicago calls for one.Only the St. Louis Blues and Anaheim Ducks have conceded five-on-five shots at a higher clip over the last 10 games. With the likes of Patrick Kane and Jake McCabe being shipped out of town, the Blackhawks have less weaponry for the offensive zone, and they should be even worse when opposing teams enter their third.Robertson is the Stars' No. 1 shooting threat on a nightly basis. They're in the thick of a race for the top spot in the division and conference, so they'll no doubt be looking to get the most out of this game.That should mean plenty of ice for Robertson, even in a back-to-back situation. Look for him 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.

Wednesday night was a tough one for our best bets. The Capitals dominated the Ducks from start to finish but were unable to win the game inside regulation. We also fell a puck short of the over in Vegas, with the Golden Knights failing to put one in the empty net to bring us home.We'll look to rebound with a pair of sides for Thursday night's monster slate.Kraken (-115) @ Red Wings (-105)The Kraken are not playing their best hockey. In fact, they're playing some of their worst. They have won just four of the past 10 games and controlled only 45% of the expected goals share at five-on-five.Thursday presents a nice opportunity to buy low against a Red Wings team in a really bad spot. Detroit has dropped three games in a row - essentially ending any hope of claiming a playoff spot - and just moved two of its better players (Tyler Bertuzzi and Filip Hronek) for draft picks. That takes a big bite out of a team that wasn't very good to begin with.As concerning as the Kraken's play has been of late, the Red Wings look even worse; their high-danger chance share sits at 42% over the past 10 games.Seattle has an abundance of depth that should be able to gain real traction against this shallow Detroit side.With Philipp Grubauer - rather than Martin Jones - expected to be between the pipes, those edges have a much better chance of holding up. Believe it or not, Grubauer ranks 13th among 39 eligible netminders in five-on-five save percentage since the calendar flipped.Beyond Seattle's deeper roster and better underlying profile, this price is also way off from what the market previously told us.The Kraken closed -180 last time they faced the Red Wings, implying a 64.3% win probability. The current price suggests the Kraken will win 53.5% of the time.Call me crazy, but I don't think home ice is worth more than a 10% swing in probability, and that's before noting that multiple quality pieces have been plucked from this version of the Red Wings.Back the Kraken to get right against a Detroit team trending downward in a hurry.Bet: Kraken (-115)Penguins (+140) @ Lightning (-165)The Lightning are quietly in a rut. They've been blown out in back-to-back games, dropped three of four overall, and were outshot by nearly 30 in the lone game they won.Although the regular season doesn't hold a ton of meaning for a team like the Bolts, I expect they'll be looking to right the ship and put this poor run of play behind them as soon as possible.A home date with the Penguins seems like an opportune time for that. The Pens have played better recently but, by and large, they've struggled defensively all season.The Lightning should be chomping at the bit for a chance to play them. They're 22-5-3 on home ice this season and have scored more goals - at five-on-five and overall - than every team in the league in their own building.That is anything but a coincidence. The Lightning are the NHL's most efficient team when it comes to generating high-danger chances at home. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to predict a team with that kind of talent will score a lot when generating such impressive chance volume.Look for the Lightning's lethal home attack to lead them to a victory inside 60 minutes.Bet: Lightning in regulation (-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 Boston Bruins have acquired forward Tyler Bertuzzi from the Detroit Red Wings in exchange for a top-10 protected 2024-first round pick and a 2025 fourth-round selection, the teams announced Thursday.The Red Wings will retain 50% of Bertuzzi's salary in the deal.Bertuzzi is a pending unrestricted free agent with a cap hit of $4.75 million. The Bruins only had roughly $550,000 in deadline cap space at the time of the trade but created an additional $6 million in wiggle room by placing Taylor Hall on long-term injured reserve, according to CapFriendly.Bertuzzi has registered 14 points in 29 contests this season. He's been held back by a 6.5% shooting percentage, but he's a three-time 20-goal-scorer who recorded 30 tallies in only 68 games last season.The league-leading Bruins appear all-in leading up to the deadline. Boston had already dealt a first-round pick to acquire Dmitry Orlov and Garnet Hathaway from the Washington Capitals.Copyright © 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

That's it?That's all Jakob Chychrun fetched after more than a year on the trade market?Really?!The Arizona Coyotes traded Chychrun, a top-four, cost-controlled defenseman, to the Ottawa Senators on Wednesday in exchange for three draft picks - a 2023 first-rounder, a 2024 second-rounder, and a 2026 second-rounder. (The 2024 second-rounder becomes a first in 2024 or 2025 in the unlikely scenario that the Senators make the conference finals this season.) Jana Chytilova / Getty ImagesSenators general manager Pierre Dorion emerges from this negotiation looking ingenious. Two firsts and a high-end prospect was the reported asking price from the Coyotes for several months, and Dorion cut that package roughly in half. By moving out Nikita Zaitsev's $4.5-million cap hit last week, Ottawa had the requisite cap space to absorb the entirety of Chychrun's $4.6-million hit.Although slow-playing a negotiation for a player of Chychrun's caliber doesn't always pay off, it did this time. Dorion was incredibly patient. No matter how it's spun in Arizona, GM Bill Armstrong simply didn't get enough value back.Chychrun, the best blue-liner available in the lead-up to the trade deadline, was such a desirable asset in part because he's under contract through the 2024-25 season. The 6-foot-2, 220-pounder has averaged 23 minutes a night the past three seasons for the Coyotes. He transitions the puck extremely well, boasts a booming shot, and squashes opposing attacks with physicality and stick work. In a nutshell, Chychrun is a modern two-way defenseman. Norm Hall / Getty ImagesSitting out the past eight Coyotes games for "trade-related reasons," Chychrun last played on Feb. 10. He's recorded seven goals and 21 assists in 36 games after starting the year on injured reserve. The shot-generation machine ranks fifth among all defensemen in shots on goal per 60 minutes.On the season, Arizona outscored the opposition 35-25 at five-on-five when Chychrun was on the ice. Without him patrolling the blue line at five-on-five, the 21-30-9 Coyotes were outscored 105-71 for an ugly minus-34 rating.Chychrun, who turns 25 later this month, will be a major boost to Ottawa's playoff push. The Sens were five points out of a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference heading into Wednesday's slate of games. They're in a six-team battle with the Detroit Red Wings, Florida Panthers, Buffalo Sabres, Pittsburgh Penguins, and New York Islanders for the conference's two wild-card spots.This trade injects yet another key contributor to the Sens' impressive 26-and-younger core. Chychrun joins Thomas Chabot and Jake Sanderson on the back end, while Brady Tkachuk, Alex DeBrincat, Drake Batherson, Shane Pinto, Tim Stutzle, and Josh Norris comprise a stellar six-pack up front.Dorion deserves an "A" grade for his work on Wednesday. Well done, Pierre.Capitals trying to thread needle The Washington Post / Getty ImagesWashington Capitals GM Brian MacLellan didn't make a single trade for seven-plus months. Over the past week, with his club sputtering on the ice, MacLellan's flipped the script, trading away five NHL regulars in four swaps.The Caps selling, while a rare sight, isn't shocking. The Eastern Conference is stacked, and Washington, lacking finish and crushed by injuries all season, is too far back in the playoff hunt. Standing pat or buying would have made zero sense.MacLellan actually took concrete steps toward a retool, as none of his deals were half measures. He was aggressive. He focused his moves on nothing but the future, and he didn't get greedy. The Caps acquired four draft picks and two NHL players, and one of the players - forward Craig Smith - is a pending unrestricted free agent who'll likely walk this coming summer.The GM's next steps will be extra intriguing. John McCreary / Getty ImagesFranchise owner Ted Leonsis has been on record saying the Caps won't be rebuilding during the tail end of Alex Ovechkin's illustrious career. Fair. With that in mind, MacLellan must continue reshaping the roster beyond this past week's activity, which has seen Lars Eller, Dmitry Orlov, Garnet Hathaway, Marcus Johansson, and Erik Gustafsson depart, and Rasmus Sandin arrive.Washington has loads of cap space and term tied up in Ovechkin, Nicklas Backstrom, Evgeny Kuznetsov, Tom Wilson, T.J. Oshie, Dylan Strome, John Carlson, Nick Jensen, and Darcy Kuemper. But the roster doesn't scream "imminent Stanley Cup contender!"Perhaps Wilson and Oshie should be next to leave. Maybe top prospects and first-round picks can be flipped for more young NHLers like Sandin. These subsequent moves aren't necessarily urgent; they can wait until the summer. The main objective would be to enter 2023-24 with a younger, faster lineup.It won't be easy, but MacLellan is trying to thread the needle with this retool.Karlsson and the NorrisThe description for the Norris Trophy is as follows: "An annual award given to the defenseman who demonstrates throughout the season the greatest all-round ability in the position."The key phrase there, especially within the context of this season's Norris discussion, is "greatest all-round ability." Erik Karlsson, a two-time winner who has an eye-popping 77 points in 61 games, is firmly in the running for defenseman of the year, yet he falls way short of being a well-rounded player. Kavin Mistry / Getty ImagesKarlsson is an offensive wizard - one of the best creators from the back end in NHL history, in fact - but his defensive play leaves something to be desired. Two stats help illustrate: The San Jose Sharks have scored 78 goals with Karlsson on the ice during five-on-five action - tops in the NHL. They've also surrendered 63 goals with No. 65 on at five-on-five - tops in the league, too.Karlsson's extreme numbers raise a philosophical question, though: At what point is the offensive value so overwhelming that contributions on defense are more or less unimportant? Brian Leetch was the last defenseman to hit triple digits in points, way back in 1991-92, and Karlsson's on pace for a tidy 103.Put another way, is Karlsson's "defense" actually his ability to generate offense for an 18-31-12 team? He's been everything to the Sharks, not only leading the club in ice time (25:34), assists (58), and points but also managing to pace every NHLer - even Connor McDavid - in even-strength points (53).The Sharks have accounted for 53.7 of the expected goals during Karlsson's five-on-five minutes, which means he's more than offsetting his goals against with positive offensive impact. (That said, he's not exactly a world-beater in xGF%, ranking 47th among the 183 defensemen who've played at least 500 five-on-five minutes.)Cale Makar, Rasmus Dahlin, Josh Morrissey, and Adam Fox are Karlsson's main competition, with roughly a quarter of the season remaining. If his production falls off, one of those other four could swoop in as the Norris favorite. If his production doesn't fall off, we've got a hot debate on our hands.Parting shotsKen Holland: I have no rooting interest in the NHL, but there are situations I feel passionately about. For example, the Oilers needing to do something significant ahead of the deadline. With McDavid and Leon Draisaitl at the peak of their powers and the Western Conference wide-open, general manager Holland most notably had to improve his blue line. On Tuesday, the famously conservative executive acquired Mattias Ekholm from the Nashville Predators. Does this trade solve all of Edmonton's issues? No, but it's a start for the Oilers to add a 6-foot-4 defensive defenseman who isn't a liability with the puck on his stick and has term left on his contract. So I'm happy to give Holland a thumbs up. Anxious to see what he has in store in the final days.

The Pittsburgh Penguins acquired forward Mikael Granlund from the Nashville Predators in exchange for a 2023 second-round pick, the teams announced Wednesday.The deal comes shortly after the Pens flipped Teddy Blueger to the Vegas Golden Knights.Granlund has recorded nine goals and 27 assists in 58 games with the Preds this season. A veteran of 11 NHL seasons, the 31-year-old can play all three forward positions. However, his underlying numbers over the past three seasons have been poor. Evolving-HockeyThe 31-year-old is signed through 2024-25 with a $5-million cap hit.A three-time 60-point producer, the Pens will look for Granlund to add an offensive spark to the team's bottom-six forward group if they wish to play him in that role. It's possible he plays wing on one of the top two lines centered by Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin.If he centers one of the bottom two lines, it'll be a defensive downgrade from Blueger, who excelled in a shutdown role but provided little offense.The Predators, meanwhile, have now traded away Nino Niederreiter, Tanner Jeannot, Mattias Ekholm, and Granlund - all players with team control - since Saturday.Copyright © 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Tampa Bay Lightning dealt forward Vladislav Namestnikov to the San Jose Sharks for forward Michael Eyssimont, the Sharks announced Wednesday.The Lightning are retaining 50% of Namestnikov's $2.5-million cap hit.Namestnikov is a pending unrestricted free agent. He's now been traded five times since February 2018. The 30-year-old is in his ninth full season. He made his NHL debut with the Lightning in 2014 but played only three more games at the highest level that season. Namestnikov rejoined Tampa as a free agent in 2022 after stints with the New York Rangers, Ottawa Senators, Colorado Avalanche, Detroit Red Wings, and Dallas Stars.Eyssimont is a pending RFA. The Sharks claimed the 26-year-old off waivers from the Winnipeg Jets in early January. He's in the final season of a two-year pact he inked with the Jets in July 2021. It carries a cap hit of $750,000.Copyright © 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Pittsburgh Penguins traded forward Teddy Blueger to the Vegas Golden Knights for a 2024 third-round pick and defenseman Peter DiLiberatore, the teams announced Wednesday.Blueger has recorded two goals and eight assists in 45 games this season. He's never cracked 30 points in his five-year NHL career but has proved to be an effective defense-first center.

The Los Angeles Kings organization has invested further in the goaltending position.The Buffalo Sabres traded coveted goalie prospect Erik Portillo to the Kings for a 2023 third-round pick, the teams announced.Wednesday's deal comes less than 24 hours after the Kings acquired netminder Joonas Korpisalo from the Columbus Blue Jackets.Portillo was the Sabres' third-round pick in 2019. He remains unsigned and is eligible to become an unrestricted free agent this summer. His path to playing time in Buffalo would've potentially been blocked by 23-year-old Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, who's already in the NHL, and 21-year-old Devon Levi, who's also unsigned but is a more highly touted goalie prospect.The Kings' goalie depth chart is made up of Korpisalo, a pending UFA, journeyman Pheonix Copley, and Cal Petersen.Portillo, who stands 6-foot-6, has posted a .908 save percentage in 31 games at Michigan this season. The Swede was named to the Big Ten Second All-Star Team a year ago when he recorded a .926 save percentage in 42 appearances with the Wolverines.Sabres general manager Kevyn Adams said the team tried to sign Portillo in the summer, according to WGR's Paul Hamilton. Adams added he intends to sign Levi as soon as his college season is over.Copyright © 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Ottawa Senators have won the Jakob Chychrun sweepstakes.Ottawa acquired the defenseman from the Arizona Coyotes in exchange for a top-five protected pick this year, a 2024 conditional second-rounder, and a 2026 second-round selection, the clubs announced Wednesday.If the Coyotes land in the top five of this year's draft, that pick will slide to next year and become an unprotected first-rounder. If the Senators reach the Eastern Conference Final this spring, the 2024 second-round choice becomes a top-10 protected first-rounder in the same year; if Arizona is in the top 10, the pick becomes an unprotected 2025 first-round selection.Chychrun was - and has long been - one of the most tantalizing trade targets on the market. He's signed through 2024-25 at a $4.6-million cap hit.The Florida-born rearguard hasn't played since Feb. 10 because the Coyotes were holding him out to protect their trade asset from injury.The Chychrun saga dated back to at least January 2022 when the Coyotes were reportedly seeking an "Eichel-like haul" - as in similar to what the Buffalo Sabres got when they traded Jack Eichel to the Vegas Golden Knights. Trade interest in Chychrun apparently intensified at multiple junctures, including last fall.With Bo Horvat, Timo Meier, Patrick Kane, and other big names already dealt, Chychrun was the best player available two days before the deadline.The 24-year-old has seven goals and 21 assists in 36 games this season. He was in his seventh campaign with Arizona. The Coyotes drafted him 16th overall in 2016.Copyright © 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Vancouver Canucks have found their right-handed defenseman.The Detroit Red Wings traded blue-liner Filip Hronek and a 2023 fourth-round pick to the Canucks for a conditional 2023 first-round pick and a 2023 second-round pick, the teams announced Wednesday.The conditional 2023 first-round pick in the deal originally belonged to the New York Islanders but was sent to Vancouver in the Bo Horvat trade. It's top-12 protected, so the Red Wings will receive the Islanders' unprotected 2024 first-round pick if it falls in the top 12 this year.Hronek is in the midst of a breakout year, recording 38 points in 60 games while averaging 21:32 per contest. The 25-year-old is under contract through 2023-24 with a $4.4-million cap hit and will be a restricted free agent upon the completion of the deal.His underlying numbers this season have been outstanding at five-on-five, on the power play, and on the penalty kill. Evolving-HockeyThe Canucks have long been searching for a top-four-caliber right-handed defenseman. Hronek immediately jumps to the top of Vancouver's depth chart at that position, and it's possible he'll play on the top pair with franchise tentpole Quinn Hughes. The team's other right-shooting defensemen are Ethan Bear, Tyler Myers, Kyle Burroughs, and Noah Juulsen.Vancouver has a better chance of winning the draft lottery (7%) than making the playoffs (0%) this year, according to MoneyPuck, but this trade fills a key need moving forward. Canucks president of hockey operations Jim Rutherford has been on record saying he wants to retool the team rather than undertake a full-on rebuild.The Red Wings' playoff hopes for this season (2.8%) took a hit following a recent two-game sweep at the hands of the Ottawa Senators.Copyright © 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Arizona Coyotes traded defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere to the Carolina Hurricanes for a 2026 third-round pick, the teams announced Wednesday.An offensive-minded blue-liner who excels at quarterbacking a power play, Gostisbehere recorded 10 goals and 21 assists in 52 games for the Coyotes this season. He's entering the final year of his contract and carries a $4.5-million cap hit.

The 2022-23 NHL trade deadline is fast approaching, and we've already seen some significant moves.Bo Horvat, Vladimir Tarasenko, Ryan O'Reilly, and Patrick Kane were four of the best players available before they were sent packing by their former teams, but plenty of others could join them in being shipped out before March 3. Many of them are pending unrestricted free agents, as usual, but some - including the No. 1 player on the market - are either pending restricted free agents or still have term left on their contracts beyond this season.On this list, we've taken the talent of each player into account but also considered their likelihood of being dealt.Here are the top candidates to be dealt before deadline day:1. Jakob ChychrunPositionAgeContractCap HitLD25 on March 31Signed through 2024-25$4.6MIt seems like Chychrun's been on the trade block forever, but at least the saga appears to be nearing a conclusion. The Arizona Coyotes are holding him out of games for trade-related reasons "until something happens," so his days in the desert certainly appear numbered. As has been the case for a while now, the term and digestive cap hit on the skilled blue-liner's pact further enhance his value.2. Brock BoeserPositionAgeContractCap HitRW26 on Feb. 25Signed through 2024-25$6.65MThe Vancouver Canucks already parted with their biggest trade chip in Horvat, but Boeser should also garner some interest. He's having a somewhat disappointing season, though so are the Canucks as a whole. Other teams may figure he'd rediscover his scoring touch with a change of scenery, and while the American's AAV isn't ideal, the fact that he's under contract for two more seasons could make him more of a target.3. James van RiemsdykPositionAgeContractCap HitLW/RW33Pending UFA$7MSome of the Philadelphia Flyers have flown under the radar this season amid the team's struggles, and one of those players is Van Riemsdyk. He's Philly's second-highest-paid forward and will turn 34 in May, but he's posted favorable underlying numbers despite the Flyers' lackluster play. Although the American winger missed all of November with a broken finger, he's been healthy for a while and offers a combination of playmaking ability and experience.4. John KlingbergPositionAgeContractCap HitRD30Pending UFA$7MKlingberg's failed bet on himself has been well-documented, but he's still appealing for a couple of reasons. Since the calendar flipped to 2023, the Anaheim Ducks rearguard has raised his offensive game and started to play like he has for most of his career. Also, it may not be a coincidence that as of Jan. 1, his previously full no-trade clause turned into a modified one with a 10-team list of teams he'd be willing to join.5. Max DomiPositionAgeContractCap HitLW/C/RW28 on March 2Pending UFA$3MDomi has been streaky but fairly effective while playing primarily as Chicago's top-line center, and he also occupies the net-front position on the team's top power-play unit. The former Coyote, Canadien, Blue Jacket, and Carolina Hurricane's positional flexibility makes him even more intriguing as a potential addition.6. Joel EdmundsonPositionAgeContractCap HitLD/RD29Signed through 2023-24$3.5MEdmundson's not the most appealing defenseman available, but he's a good bet to be traded as the Montreal Canadiens' rebuild continues. His defensive metrics aren't pretty this season, but that could be partially a result of playing for one of the worst teams in the league. He's got term and a reasonable AAV. Plus, he helped the Blues win the Stanley Cup in 2019.7. Sean MonahanPositionAgeContractCap HitLW/C/RW28Pending UFA$6.375MThe Canadiens could look to move Monahan, considering he's playing on an expiring deal. His AAV won't make that easy, though, and he can also submit a 10-team no-trade list. The ex-Calgary Flames forward has been out since December due to injury but is nearing a return and could fetch the Habs an asset if he heals up before the deadline.8. Matt DumbaPositionAgeContractCap HitRD28Pending UFA$6MMuch like with Chychrun, it's hard to remember when Dumba wasn't on the trade block. It's been another uncertain season for the Minnesota Wild rearguard, who head coach Dean Evason twice made a healthy scratch earlier in the campaign. Dumba isn't playing like he has in the past, and both his AAV and 10-team no-trade list make a deal more difficult. He could be a worthwhile depth addition, though the Wild may not become sellers if they stay in a playoff spot.9. Karel VejmelkaPositionAgeContractCap HitG26Signed through 2024-25$2.725MIt's pretty rare that a relatively young goaltender with term and a team-friendly cap hit gets traded, but this is the Coyotes we're talking about. Vejmelka's underlying numbers have been stellar this season, too. His favorable contract and commendable performance on a subpar Arizona squad make him an intriguing option for contenders looking for stability in the crease.10. Nick BjugstadPositionAgeContractCap HitC/RW30Pending UFA$900KThe Coyotes may not stop there, as Bjugstad could be another Arizona trade chip. The veteran forward comes at a cost that's just above the league minimum, and he plays on both the power play and penalty kill for the Desert Dogs. Bjugstad would likely improve a contender's bottom six and could probably be had for a reasonable price.11. Nick SeelerPositionAgeContractCap HitD29Signed through 2023-24$775KAnother Nick may get a call or two before the deadline, and for good reason. Seeler has emerged as a potential trade candidate because of the Flyers' struggles, his bargain-bin price tag, and the fact he's under team control for another season after this one. The Minnesota-born defenseman has impressive underlying figures considering his club's woes.(Contracts source: CapFriendly)Copyright © 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Detroit Red Wings signed captain Dylan Larkin to an eight-year contract extension that carries an average annual value of $8.7 million, the team announced Wednesday.Larkin was due to hit unrestricted free agency this offseason. His previous deal, signed in 2018, paid him $6.1 million yearly.The Michigan native was subject to trade rumors this deadline season due to his uncertain contract status, but Larkin said in February he only sees himself as a Red Wing.Larkin's new deal doesn't include any signing bonus and features a no-trade clause for the first five years. Afterward, he can submit a list of 10 teams to whom he could be dealt, according to Puckpedia. Larkin was already Detroit's highest-paid player, but even after his lucrative new deal, the Red Wings have an estimated $23.5 million in cap space for next season, according to CapFriendly.Detroit drafted Larkin 15th overall in 2014, and he's appeared in 563 games with the club since. The 26-year-old is in the midst of a career season with 57 points in 59 contests and is posting terrific underlying numbers at both ends of the ice.

Ryan O'Reilly's time as the new kid on the block with the Toronto Maple Leafs was short-lived, but the veteran center is happy the club continued making moves."We're all-in," O'Reilly said, per Sportsnet. "That's the group and the consensus around. Like I said before, that's an exciting thing. We've got a great team here and a lot of good pieces. It's time to put in the work and start building it."General manager Kyle Dubas made a flurry of deals Tuesday, shipping Rasmus Sandin to the Washington Capitals and Pierre Engvall to the New York Islanders while acquiring Luke Schenn from the Vancouver Canucks. The trio of trades came the day after Toronto added Jake McCabe and Sam Lafferty from the Chicago Blackhawks.Dubas acquired O'Reilly and Noel Acciari from the St. Louis Blues on Feb. 17, his first big transaction leading up to the March 3 deadline."He's done a great job of getting things done early," head coach Sheldon Keefe said Tuesday, according to Sportsnet's Luke Fox."Kyle has looked at our team and has been really honest about it. He's tried to figure out ways we can get better, and he's been aggressive with it. So I don't think there's any doubt we've improved in our depth and our competitiveness at both forward and defense."The Maple Leafs sit fourth in the NHL with 82 points. The club appears locked into a first-round playoff rematch with the Tampa Bay Lightning and will try to win a series for the first time since 2004.Copyright © 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Colorado Avalanche acquired forward Lars Eller from the Washington Capitals on Wednesday for a 2025 second-round pick.Eller has seven goals and 16 points in 60 games this season. The 33-year-old has a $3.5-million cap hit and is a pending unrestricted free agent.Washington is reportedly retaining 31% of Eller's salary, according to Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman. He will cost $2.415 million against the Avalanche's salary cap."Solid, big, strong third-line center. ... This is a good pickup," Avalanche head coach Jared Bednar said of Eller, according to The Athletic's Peter Baugh. "We need help in the middle of the ice."Eller's 54.6% faceoff percentage would be the best on Colorado. No Avalanche forward currently on the roster has a faceoff percentage above 50%.Bednar said there's a chance Eller plays against the New Jersey Devils on Wednesday, according to MSG Network's Bill Spaulding.Eller has 96 games of postseason experience. He's recorded 15 goals and 49 playoff points, including 18 points in Washington's Stanley Cup run in 2018.The Avalanche have $4.5 million of LTIR cap space remaining after the trade, according to CapFriendly.Copyright © 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

We have six games on the docket for a pretty busy and enticing Wednesday night.Let's dive into a couple that stand out.Hurricanes (-140) @ Golden Knights (+120)The Carolina Hurricanes and Vegas Golden Knights are strong defensive teams. They forecheck hard, play with a lot of structure, and generally make it quite difficult on opposing teams to work the puck into high-danger areas of the ice. Yet I still see value on the over.Carolina's a well-oiled machine offensively. Regardless of the opponent, the Hurricanes simply always generate chances in bulk.They've taken their chance generation to new heights of late, averaging nearly 18 grade A chances per game over the last 10. Unsurprisingly, that total leads the NHL.I don't see Vegas' goaltending holding up against anywhere close to that level of volume. Adin Hill is projected to get the nod in goal tonight. He enters play having allowed 4.2 goals above expected on the year, which ranks him 39th among the 50 netminders who've played at least 20 games.While I don't have as much faith in the Golden Knights' offense, they rank in the top half of the league in chance generation over the last 10 games. Shea Theodore recently returned to the lineup, and the addition of Ivan Barbashev up front also gives them a little boost.They have enough talent to cause problems for Frederik Andersen, who ranks just one spot ahead of Hill in goals saved above expected for the season.With Sebastian Aho, Andrei Svechnikov, Martin Necas, Jack Eichel, and Theodore among the notable weapons taking the ice, I think 5.5 goals is simply too low - especially given the pedestrian goaltending matchup.Bet: Over 5.5 (-120)Capitals (-190) @ Ducks (+160)The Washington Capitals' management has punted on the season, recently shipping away solid contributors like Dmitry Orlov, Garnet Hathaway, Marcus Johansson, and Erik Gustafsson to better position themselves for the future.That being said, there's a difference between management giving up on the year (so to speak) and players doing so.While the Caps lost some of their depth, they still roster a ton of quality veteran players like Alexander Ovechkin, T.J. Oshie, Evgeny Kuznetsov, Tom Wilson, and Darcy Kuemper.Those are good, prideful players who'll no doubt continue going full steam ahead. A win over this lowly Anaheim Ducks squad could get them within three points of a playoff spot with 19 games to go. It's still a very manageable task.The players no doubt know the importance of this game and will be looking for revenge after suffering a defeat at the hands of the Ducks just last week.Washington allowed an average of more than 43 shots and 4.3 expected goals per game over the last 10. Both totals rank dead last in the NHL. But with plenty of firepower remaining, the Capitals should be able to cause the Ducks' defense all kinds of problems.At the end of the day, Anaheim has lost 41 of 60 games and shown no signs of improvement analytically.Odds are - despite their recent struggles - the Capitals get a result here. I like backing them to do it inside 60 minutes.Bet: Capitals in regulation (-125)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 Los Angeles Kings and Columbus Blue Jackets have pulled off a blockbuster swap.The Kings traded goaltender Jonathan Quick, a conditional 2023 first-round pick, and a 2024 third-rounder to the Blue Jackets for defenseman Vladislav Gavrikov and netminder Joonas Korpisalo on Wednesday.If Los Angeles misses the playoffs, Columbus will receive second-round picks in 2023 and 2024 instead of the 2023 first-round selection.Quick has struggled in recent years but is a Kings franchise icon. He led Los Angeles to Stanley Cup championships in 2012 and 2014 and is the club's all-time leader in wins, saves, and shutouts - though he also tops the team in all-time losses and goals against by virtue of having played more games for L.A. than any other puck-stopper."Jonathan Quick is a two-time Stanley Cup winner who has been an outstanding goaltender in our league for a long time, and this deal provides us with draft capital that will be valuable as we move forward as an organization," Blue Jackets general manager Jarmo Kekalainen said.The pending unrestricted free agent is in the final season of the 10-year extension he inked with the Kings in 2012. It carries a $5.8-million cap hit, according to CapFriendly. Quick is 11-13-4 with a .876 save percentage over 31 contests in 2022-23.Gavrikov was one of the NHL's top remaining trade targets ahead of the March 3 deadline. The steady rearguard is a pending UFA on a $2.8-million cap hit. He has three goals and seven assists in 52 games this campaign, but he's also produced 89 blocked shots, 56 hits, and 19 takeaways with only 14 giveaways in 2022-23.Much like the Russian blue-liner, Korpisalo had spent his entire NHL career with the Blue Jackets. The Finnish goalie, who's also a pending UFA, went 11-11-3 with a .911 save percentage in 28 games with Columbus this season. His cap hit is $1.3 million.Copyright © 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

We don't have a ton of games in front of us Wednesday night, but many of the league's brightest stars will be in action.Let's take a closer look at three players worth backing.William Nylander over 3.5 shots (+100)Nylander is red-hot on the road. He registered four or more shots in seven of his last 10 away games, including six of the last seven. The lone exception came against a slow-paced, stingy Kraken team.His recent success isn't just smoke and mirrors. Nylander's average shot generation on the road increased to 7.3 attempts per game over his last 10 road dates. That's well above his season road average of six.Nylander finds himself in a good spot to keep it going Wednesday night. Although the Oilers have tightened up of late, they've been vulnerable when it comes to conceding shots to opposing right-wingers.Playing on the second line, Nylander should see more of Leon Draisaitl than Connor McDavid. The former centers the lesser line defensively, so that matchup should be advantageous for Nylander's shot generation.Look for Nylander to get it done away from home in what could be an eventful game.Nathan MacKinnon over 4.5 shots (-115)No Cale Makar, no problem. Nathan MacKinnon has picked up the offensive slack in the No. 1 blue-liner's absence, generating a mind-numbing output.MacKinnon registered 14 points over the last seven games without Makar, finding the scoresheet each and every time. His shot generation has been remarkably good in that time, with six - yes, six! - shots or more in five of those games.The two defeats came in a blowout win against the Jets (there was no need to push the envelope offensively) and against a stout Flames team that would go on to outshoot the historically good Bruins by nearly 40.While the Devils have been a strong defensive side this season, their metrics have tailed off a bit - at least away from home. They rank 27th in five-on-five shot suppression over their last 10 road games.Look for MacKinnon to fire from anywhere and everywhere in what should be a fast-paced and exciting affair.Alex Ovechkin over 4.5 shots (-125)Ovechkin's shot volume decreased over the last month or so. The superstar winger recorded four shots or more in just four of 10 games, averaging 6.7 attempts per contest.While that volume is still very good for most players, it doesn't meet Ovechkin's usual standards (eight attempts on average per game this season). Ovechkin is one of the few with a shot total of 4.5.Despite the dip, I think Ovechkin is worth backing against the Ducks. The matchup is simply too good.The Capitals laid an egg against the Ducks just last week, but Ovechkin still managed to register five shots on nine attempts. Very strong numbers.Anaheim is conceding a whopping 43 shots against per game over the last 10. Over that span, it allowed nearly seven more than the closest team. The Ducks can't defend a lick.This is the ultimate get-right spot for Ovechkin, who should be able to breeze to a rather effortless victory.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 Patrick Kane saga has reached its conclusion. Finally.The New York Rangers acquired Kane and minor leaguer Cooper Zech on Tuesday in a three-team trade with the Chicago Blackhawks and Arizona Coyotes.Chicago received a conditional 2023 second-round draft pick, a 2025 fourth-rounder, and minor leaguers Vili Saarijarvi and Andy Welinski while retaining 50% of Kane's $10.5-million salary. Arizona, meanwhile, received a 2025 third-rounder from New York for 25% retention.The trade, which closes a chapter in Blackhawks history, is complicated and indicative of a wild trade market, so let's unpack some winners and losers.Winner: Patrick Kane Patrick McDermott / Getty ImagesIn the end, "Showtime" got his way.Kane negotiated a no-move clause into his contract back in 2014, and over the past few months, he exercised it to its full potential. The pending unrestricted free agent waited and waited before finally making a decision. It was well within his rights to take his time and select a landing spot (score for player empowerment!), and now he's joining forces with old pal Artemi Panarin and the rest of the 34-17-9 Rangers, a legitimate Stanley Cup contender.Kane, 34, won three Stanley Cups over a 16-year run with the Blackhawks. He's one of the best offensive players of his generation, with a trophy case full of individual awards to prove it. And while he's no longer in his prime, Kane's going to benefit greatly from being surrounded by more talent in New York.For the first time in a long time, he can be "A Guy," not necessarily "The Guy."Loser: Kyle DavidsonLet's face it, Chicago's general manager was dealt a pretty crappy hand.Davidson began 2022-23 with two legacy stars to dangle as premier deadline rentals. Trading both Kane and Jonathan Toews, while not an easy task thanks to no-move clauses and expensive contracts, would expedite a deep rebuild.Health issues eventually removed Toews from the trade block. And now Kane has been shipped out for a less-than-ideal package: two draft picks, one of which might turn into a first-rounder. (The 2023 second-rounder becomes a first in 2024 or 2025 if the Rangers reach the Eastern Conference Final this season.)No guaranteed first, no A-level prospect, and no young NHLer; not exactly a haul.Yes, Davidson had little control over the situation. But it doesn't erase the fact that he lost this trade with the Rangers - who had all the leverage due to Kane choosing New York as his only destination - and couldn't trade Toews, period.Winner: Gerard Gallant Bruce Bennett / Getty ImagesThe Rangers head coach officially has an embarrassment of riches up front.This month alone, Gallant's been gifted forwards Kane, Vladimir Tarasenko, and Tyler Motte. Kane is having a down year by his lofty standards (45 points in 54 games) but has turned it on of late with 10 points in his past four games. Despite his age, Kane remains a lethal setup man. He possesses silky hands and the requisite hockey IQ to execute extremely creative plays.That revamped top six - Kane, Tarasenko, Panarin, Mika Zibanejad, Chris Kreider, and Vincent Trocheck - is as good as any in the NHL, and the usage and deployment possibilities are endless. The so-called "Kid Line" of Alexis Lafreniere, Filip Chytil, and Kaapo Kakko is an enviable third line. And a fourth line of Motte, Jimmy Vesey, and Barclay Goodrow is, well, laughably good.Rangers GM Chris Drury also acquired defenseman Niko Mikkola for Gallant's third pair. Yeah, February has been very kind to the coach and his lineup card.Loser: Jarmo KekalainenThe Columbus Blue Jackets GM must be fuming right now.Technically, the Kane trade didn't see a first-round pick change hands. But down the road, New York could fork over a first-rounder for Kane, so the deal represents yet another instance over the past month where a contending team included a first in a trade package. There are only so many.In total, eight first-rounders over the next three drafts have been sacrificed (one of them twice in a matter of days) for the likes of Tarasenko, Ryan O'Reilly, Jake McCabe, Tanner Jeannot, Dmitry Orlov, Bo Horvat, Rasmus Sandin, Mattias Ekholm, and Timo Meier. (The Meier deal featured a guaranteed first and a conditional second that may turn into another first.)Apparently, none of these clubs are super intrigued by Vladislav Gavrikov, the rugged Columbus defenseman who on Tuesday sat out his eighth straight game for "trade-related reasons." A deal between the Blue Jackets and Bruins was reportedly very close, but Boston ultimately chose Orlov over Gavrikov.Surely Gavrikov will be scooped up before the deadline. But for what?Winner: Eastern Conference Icon Sportswire / Getty ImagesThe Kane deal added to the arms race well underway in the East.The difference between the two conferences was striking prior to the first major move of this wacky trade period (Horvat to the New York Islanders on Jan. 30). A month later, the East occupies spots one through six on the points percentage leaderboard while dominating the West on the trade market.Here's the list of notable NHLers who've been moved to or stayed within the East since that first domino fell with the Horvat swap: Kane, Tarasenko, O'Reilly, Orlov, Meier, Jeannot, McCabe, Jesse Puljujarvi, and Luke Schenn.And the West: Ekholm, Nino Niederreiter, Ivan Barbashev, Evgenii Dadonov, and Tyson Barrie.Keep in mind, too, the Carolina Hurricanes - who trail only the Bruins in points percentage - have only acquired Puljujarvi. There's no way Carolina's done.Loser: 'Trade-related reasons'The term "trade-related reasons" (and its cousin, "roster management reasons") is getting quite the workout this month. Kane, who missed his final two games in Chicago, became the first big name to actually get moved after being scratched out of fear of injury before a trade could be finalized.Gavrikov (out eight games without a trade) and Arizona Coyotes defenseman Jakob Chychrun (eight games) are still waiting for news. Healthy and useful players sitting around doing nothing for weeks isn't a great look for the NHL, though the situation appeared worse when Jeannot, Schenn, Sam Lafferty, and Vitali Kravtsov had also watched at least one game from the press box.The latest "trade-related" scratches? Blue Jackets goalie Joonas Korpisalo and Coyotes forward Nick Bjugstad were both sidelined Tuesday night.Winner: Third-party brokering NHL Images / Getty ImagesCoyotes GM Bill Armstrong has joined Wild GM Bill Guerin in the 2022-23 third-party brokers club - and membership may grow in the coming days.Guerin has taken on salary in two different trades, first receiving a 2025 fourth-round pick from Toronto for retaining 50% of O'Reilly's salary and then netting a 2023 fifth-rounder from Boston for eating 50% of Orlov's salary.This mini-trend is a byproduct of the salary cap's minimal increase during the pandemic. Last season saw one third-party broker deal (Max Domi), while 2020-21 had three such deals (Mattias Janmark, Nick Foligno, David Savard).Of course, a third team isn't always needed to retain salary. Over the past few weeks, we've seen plenty of selling teams eat a portion of a contract to make the money work for the buyer. Teams can retain on a total of three players.Loser: Trade deadline showsLet's keep this last one short: While it's awesome to see so much trade activity, TV executives in Canada and the United States can't be too pleased.Friday won't be dead - there's always movement on deadline day, and this season definitely feels abnormally busy, in general - but a lot of the marquee names have already changed teams. Time to prepare the gimmicky segments.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.

As top names continue to drop off the board in the lead-up to Friday's trade deadline, more focus is shifting to players in the secondary market, a number of whom can make a notable impact should they move by the end of this week.Here are five under-the-radar NHLers who teams should target before the trade deadline.Nick Schmaltz, Arizona Coyotes Norm Hall / National Hockey League / GettyA name recently appearing in trade rumors is Arizona Coyotes forward Schmaltz. If the 27-year-old is available, multiple teams should be seriously interested in the underrated winger.Acquiring a player with term remaining on their contract can be tricky at the trade deadline. This is especially true when the player has a significant salary. In Schmaltz's case, his $5.85-million cap hit through 2025-26 is a tough deal to bring in for any contending team.That being said, a few teams that can certainly make it work and have the need. The Buffalo Sabres and Carolina Hurricanes are likely in the market for a top-six forward and have maneuverability both this year and into the future.Considering Schmaltz has a 10-team no-trade list that kicks in this summer, it makes a lot of sense for the Coyotes to entertain offers now.Schmaltz's scoring has flown under the radar over the past two seasons. His 0.92 points per game since the start of 2021-22 ranks 60th in the league among players with at least 82 games played over this span. That's ahead of the likes of Alex DeBrincat, Sam Reinhart, and Nikolaj Ehlers.The Wisconsin native is a high-end playmaker. According to Corey Sznajder's tracked data, Schmaltz is in the 90th percentile or above in shot assists, chance assists, high-danger assists, and rush assists. He's also among the league's best entering the offensive zone with the puck on his stick (97th percentile in carry entries) and exiting the defensive end with control (95th percentile in pass exits).Should he be traded, Schmaltz would be among the highest-impact players to move despite not being one of the top names.Jakub Vrana, Detroit Red Wings Rich Graessle / National Hockey League / GettyFew NHL players are as fascinating as Detroit Red Wings forward Vrana.He's been a potent threat when on the ice over the past three seasons. Since 2020-21, Vrana ranks among the league's most efficient goal-scorers at five-on-five.PlayerGames5-on-5 goals/60Auston Matthews1781.77Jakub Vrana801.62David Pastrnak1791.39Max Pacioretty921.38Filip Forsberg1581.35He's also missed significant time due to various injuries, didn't play in the early part of the 2022-23 campaign while receiving care from the NHL/NHLPA player assistance program, and cleared waivers in January.There may not be a bigger boom-or-bust player available at the deadline than Vrana. Despite his $5.25-million cap hit through next season and all of the risks involved, he's still a worthwhile swing at the deadline.Simply put, goal-scorers with Vrana's upside don't typically become available. Everyone recognizes that he isn't an Auston Matthews- or David Pastrnak-level scorer, but he doesn't need to be for his cap hit to be worth it. Middle-six wingers who can score as efficiently as Vrana are valuable. Factor in the likelihood of the Red Wings adding a sweetener to move the contract, and there's too much potential to pass on.It'd be a shame if Vrana doesn't move at the deadline and goes back to spending time in the AHL. Someone should take the gamble, whether it be a team on the playoff bubble with cap space or a club that misses out on Timo Meier and pivots to try and find goal-scoring elsewhere.Nick Jensen, Washington Capitals Patrick Smith / Getty Images Sport / GettyEditor's Note: Jensen signed a 3-year, $12.15M contract extension to stay with Washington later Tuesday after this story was published.An unexpected seller emerged last week when the Washington Capitals shipped pending unrestricted free agents Dmitry Orlov and Garnet Hathaway to the Boston Bruins.It's safe to assume the Capitals aren't done shedding players from their roster after trading their best healthy defenseman. Another Washington blue-liner that should be on many teams' radars is Jensen.The 32-year-old is in the midst of a splendid year, having already broken his career high in points with 24 while playing 20:58 per game, the highest mark of his NHL tenure.Jensen has often gone overlooked despite being a consistently strong defensive presence. Since he became a full-time NHLer in 2017-18, only Chris Tanev has accumulated more defensive goals above replacement.PlayerGamesDef. GARChris Tanev35437.9Nick Jensen42037.4Jonas Brodin39935.3Brandon Carlo37633.6Charlie McAvoy35932.6Jensen's excellent defensive metrics are thanks in large part to a superb ability to retrieve pucks and break out of the zone with control. From Corey Sznajder's tracked data, Jensen is in the 98th percentile in defensive zone retrievals and 97th percentile in carry exits.Numerous teams in the playoff mix could use a defender like Jensen. As underrated as he is, it wouldn't be a surprise to see a bidding war develop for the Minnesota native.Dante Fabbro, Nashville Predators Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / GettyA drop in production has resulted in Nashville Predators defenseman Fabbro reportedly becoming available. Still only 24 years old, the former first-round pick makes for a prime buy-low candidate at the deadline.With just eight points through 43 games, a career-low 15:57 per game, and an impending $2.4-million qualifying offer in the summer, the market for Fabbro likely leans toward teams on the outside of the playoff picture with cap space.Don't let the basic stats fool you - Fabbro is still a quality puck-moving blue-liner. He's in the 95th percentile in pass entries and the 90th percentile in pass exits, results based largely on his league-leading success rate retrieving the puck in the defensive zone, according to Corey Sznajder's tracked data.Two teams that would be smart to inquire about Fabbro are the Ottawa Senators and the San Jose Sharks.The Senators are still in need of a top-four right-side defenseman. Fabbro's ability to break the puck out of the defensive zone makes for an intriguing potential fit with Jake Sanderson and their exciting top-six forward group.As for the Sharks, Fabbro played his first two years at Boston University under current San Jose coach David Quinn. He knows the player well, and the Sharks have plenty of ice time to go around to help build Fabbro's stock back up.Mikey Eyssimont, San Jose Sharks Kavin Mistry / National Hockey League / GettyPrior to 2022-23, Eyssimont was a full-time AHLer with one notable offensive season under his belt as a professional.This season, Eyssimont has taken his opportunity in the NHL and run with it, spending the early part of the campaign with the Winnipeg Jets and later being claimed off waivers by the Sharks.Across 38 games with the two teams, the 26-year-old has four goals and 13 points. Nothing remarkable, but solid production nonetheless.Eyssimont begins to stand out as an intriguing target when you look a bit deeper. He leads the Sharks at five-on-five in Corsi For rating (58.1%) and expected goals for (64.1%), outscoring the opposition 16-14 as well. Even in Winnipeg, Eyssimont was posting above-average metrics.As a result of his strong play, Eyssimont has gone from playing 9:16 in his Sharks debut to featuring on the top line and playing 19:13 in his most recent outing.Of course, that's not to suggest Eyssimont is a top-line player. With a league-minimum cap hit of $750,000 and restricted free-agent status in the summer, the Littleton, Colorado, native would make for a truly under-the-radar add for a capped-out playoff team looking to bolster depth at the bottom of their lineup.Statistics via Natural Stat Trick, Evolving Hockey, All Three Zones, JFreshCopyright © 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Washington Capitals re-upped defenseman Nick Jensen for three more seasons at an average annual value of $4.05 million, the club announced Tuesday.Jensen, who was a pending unrestricted free agent, is in the final season of a four-year pact carrying a $2.5-million cap hit, according to CapFriendly.The 32-year-old righty has two goals and 22 assists in 62 games this season. He's in his fourth full campaign and fifth overall with the Capitals, who acquired him in a trade with the Detroit Red Wings in February 2019.Jensen has become a reliable stay-at home blue-liner with strong underlying numbers.

The Edmonton Oilers traded forward Jesse Puljujarvi to the Carolina Hurricanes for prospect Patrik Puistola on Tuesday.Puljujarvi has five goals and 14 points in 58 games this season. The 24-year-old tallied a career-high 14 goals and 36 points in 2021-22.The Oilers aren't retaining any of Puljujarvi's $3-million cap hit, according to TSN's Pierre LeBrun. He's an impending restricted free agent.Puljujarvi had a tumultuous tenure in Edmonton. After being drafted fourth overall in 2016, the 6-foot-4 winger failed to make an impact in his first three seasons.The Finnish international returned home in 2019, playing a season and a half in Liiga before coming back to the NHL in 2021. He looked to have found another level upon his return, tallying 29 goals and 61 points in 120 games across the 2020-21 and 2021-22 campaigns.Puljujarvi's scoring regressed this season, and he was made a healthy scratch at times. The trade frees up $3 million in cap space for the Oilers."Jesse possesses a great blend of size and skill, and he will add to the depth of our forward group," Hurricanes general manager Don Waddell said. "He has familiarity with some of our other Finnish players, and we see him as a great fit for our team and locker room."Puljujarvi will be reunited with Sebastian Aho, his linemate at the 2016 World Junior Championships, in Carolina. The duo formed a potent combination with Patrik Laine at the tournament en route to the gold medal. Puljujarvi led the event in scoring with 17 points and took home tournament MVP.Puistola was drafted in the third round in 2019 by the Hurricanes. The 22-year-old winger has had a breakout campaign in Finland, scoring 15 goals and 38 points in 56 games. His exclusive rights are set to expire on June 1, which would make him an unrestricted free agent if Edmonton doesn't sign him to an entry-level contract.Copyright © 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Minnesota Wild acquired forward Marcus Johansson from the Washington Capitals for a 2024 third-round pick on Tuesday.Johansson has 13 goals and 28 points in 60 games this season. The pending unrestricted free agent was traded to the Capitals at last year's deadline by the Seattle Kraken.The 32-year-old has a cap hit of $1.1 million.Johansson spent the 2020-21 campaign with the Wild, tallying six goals and 14 points in 36 games. He appeared in three postseason contests with Minnesota as well.After acting as a third party for salary retention purposes twice in February, Johansson is the first player Minnesota has added in advance of the trade deadline.General manager Bill Guerin expressed his interest last week in being "very active" prior to the deadline.Minnesota is third in the Central Division with a 33-21-6 record.Copyright © 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Luke Schenn is back where it all started.The Toronto Maple Leafs acquired the rugged defenseman from the Vancouver Canucks in exchange for a 2023 third-round pick on Tuesday, the teams announced.Schenn was drafted fifth overall by the Leafs in 2008 and spent the first four years of his career in Toronto.The 33-year-old journeyman will bring an element of physicality that Toronto's defense lacks. The 6-foot-2, 225-pounder leads the NHL with 258 hits this season. He also comes with an affordable $850,000 cap hit and will be an unrestricted free agent at year's end.Schenn has recorded 21 points - one away from tying a career high - in 55 contests while logging 17:11 per game with the Canucks this season. Here are his underlying numbers:

It's Showtime in the Big Apple.The New York Rangers acquired star forward Patrick Kane from the Chicago Blackhawks in a three-team deal with the Arizona Coyotes, the teams announced Tuesday.The Blackhawks are getting a 2023 conditional second-round pick, a 2025 fourth-round pick, defenseman Andy Welinski from the Rangers, and blue-liner Vili Saarijarvi from the Coyotes. If the Rangers make the conference finals, the second-round pick becomes a first-round selection in either 2024 or 2025, sources told ESPN's Emily Kaplan.In addition to Kane, the Rangers also receive minor-league defenseman Cooper Zech.The Coyotes collect a 2025 third-round pick from the Rangers as part of the deal.The Blackhawks will retain 50% of Kane's $10.5-million cap hit, while Arizona will take on 25% of his salary. He's a pending unrestricted free agent.A three-time Stanley Cup champion, Kane has 16 goals and 45 points in 54 games this season. A lingering hip injury reportedly made teams concerned about his status.Kane has 52 goals and 132 points in 136 career postseason games. He captured the Conn Smythe Trophy in 2013.He released a heartfelt message after the deal became official.

The Columbus Blue Jackets dealt Gustav Nyquist to the Minnesota Wild for a fifth-round pick in this year's draft, the Blue Jackets announced Tuesday.Columbus is retaining 50% of Nyquist's salary and cap hit, so Minnesota is paying $595,000 for the former and $654,000 of the latter, according to The Athletic's Michael Russo.Nyquist has been out since late January with a shoulder injury but may be back for the playoffs. Columbus sits in the league's basement, but the Wild entered Tuesday occupying third place in the Central Division.The 33-year-old is in his 11th season and his third with the Jackets, which signed him as a free agent in July 2019.Nyquist has collected 10 goals and 12 assists over 48 games in 2022-23. The Swede spent his first eight campaigns with the Detroit Red Wings before they traded him to the San Jose Sharks in February 2019.The veteran has produced 174 goals and 249 assists across 700 NHL games.Copyright © 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Nashville Predators traded defenseman Mattias Ekholm and a 2024 sixth-round pick to the Edmonton Oilers for blue-liner Tyson Barrie, forward prospect Reid Schaefer, a 2023 first-round pick, and a 2024 fourth-round pick, the teams announced.The 6-foot-4 Ekholm recorded 18 points in 57 games this season for the Predators, where he's spent his entire 12-year career. He's posted excellent underlying defensive numbers. Evolving-HockeyEkholm, 32, is signed through 2025-26 with a $6.25-million cap hit. The Predators are retaining 4% of Ekholm's contract, per TSN's Pierre LeBrun.Barrie, an offensive defenseman, registered 43 points in 61 games with the Oilers this season while posting superb underlying offensive numbers. He's also done an excellent job quarterbacking Edmonton's first-ranked power play. Evolving-HockeyThe 31-year-old is signed through 2023-24 with a $4.5-million cap hit, but his inclusion was necessary to make the deal work from a salary cap perspective.Edmonton is the top offensive team in the league but middle-of-the-pack defensively, so this deal makes them more balanced. Darnell Nurse and Evan Bouchard are the most likely candidates to replace Barrie on the top power play.Of the Oilers' top six defensemen, four are left-handed shots. So barring further moves, one may need to play on their off side. Here are some possible pairings:LDRDDarnell NurseCody CeciMattias EkholmBrett Kulak (L)Philip BrobergEvan BouchardSchaefer, meanwhile, is a 6-foot-3 winger who was selected 32nd overall by the Oilers in 2022. He's tallied 47 points in 44 games with the WHL's Seattle Thunderbirds this season and was a member of Canada's gold-medal-winning world junior team.Copyright © 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Columbus Blue Jackets are holding goaltender Joonas Korpisalo out of the lineup Tuesday against the Buffalo Sabres for trade-related reasons, the team announced, according to The Athletic's Aaron Portzline.Korpisalo has posted a .911 save percentage in 28 appearances in 2022-23. He ranks 16th among NHL goalies this season with 10.18 goals saved above expected, per Evolving-Hockey.The 28-year-old carries a $1.3-million cap hit and will be an unrestricted free agent at season's end.The club recalled netminder Jet Greaves from the AHL in Korpisalo's absence.Copyright © 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Toronto Maple Leafs traded forward Pierre Engvall to the New York Islanders for a third-round pick in the 2024 draft, the Leafs announced Tuesday.Engvall, 26, potted 12 goals and added nine assists in 58 games this season.The Swede tallied 83 points in four seasons with the Leafs after they selected him in the seventh round of the 2014 draft.The swap came shortly after Toronto made two other trades Tuesday, acquiring defenseman Erik Gustafsson from the Washington Capitals and blue-liner Luke Schenn from the Vancouver Canucks.Toronto has been busy leading up to the trade deadline. Kyle Dubas and his front office also acquired defenseman Jake McCabe and forward Sam Lafferty on Monday after reeling in forwards Ryan O'Reilly and Noel Acciari on Feb. 17.Copyright © 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.