The Washington Capitals acquired defenseman Rasmus Sandin from the Toronto Maple Leafs for blue-liner Erik Gustafsson and a 2023 first-round pick, the teams announced Tuesday.The first-round selection that Washington is sending was initially acquired from the Boston Bruins in the Dmitry Orlov trade.Toronto selected Sandin 29th overall in 2019. The 22-year-old has posted 20 points in 52 games this season. He's signed through 2023-24 at a $1.4-million cap hit and will then be a restricted free agent.Gustafsson has registered 38 points in 61 games with the Capitals this campaign. He carries an $800,000 cap hit and will reach unrestricted free agency at season's end.The 30-year-old journeyman has proven to be an excellent power-play quarterback throughout his seven-year NHL career. His best season came in 2018-19 with the Chicago Blackhawks when he posted 60 points in 79 games. Toronto will be his sixth NHL stop if the club doesn't flip him before Friday.The deal saves the Maple Leafs $1 million in cap space.It marks the third significant move made by Leafs general manager Kyle Dubas over the last couple weeks. He landed Ryan O'Reilly and Noel Acciari from the St. Louis Blues on Feb. 17, then Jake McCabe and Sam Lafferty from the Blackhawks on Monday. Sandin was the first notable player to be moved off the active roster.Dubas may not be done, either.

The San Jose Sharks acquired defenseman Henry Thrun from the Anaheim Ducks on Tuesday for a 2024 third-round pick.Thrun has 26 points in 28 contests with Harvard University this season, his last in the NCAA. The 21-year-old informed the Ducks earlier in February that he won't sign with the team."Henry is a very good two-way defenseman with high character and leadership skills," Sharks general manager Mike Grier said. "He was named captain for Harvard this year and has a solid pedigree as a player, earning All-American honors last season after helping guide Harvard to an ECAC Championship."A left-shot blue-liner, Thrun is listed at 6-foot-2 and 195 pounds. He won gold at the 2021 World Junior Championships with Team USA.Thrun won't be eligible to sign an entry-level contract until his collegiate campaign is complete. Harvard commences its postseason March 10.Anaheim drafted Thrun in the fourth round in 2019.Copyright © 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Pittsburgh Penguins waived forward Brock McGinn and defenseman Mark Friedman on Tuesday.McGinn has two years remaining on his contract with a cap hit of $2.75 million. The 29-year-old has 10 goals and 15 points in 59 games this season.Friedman is signed through 2023-24 at a cap hit of $775,000. The 27-year-old cleared waivers in October. He has one goal in 11 NHL games this season.Should McGinn and Friedman clear waivers and subsequently be assigned to the AHL, the Penguins would free up $1.9 million in cap space.Pittsburgh placed Kasperi Kapanen on waivers Sunday. The St. Louis Blues claimed the 26-year-old and his $3.2-million cap hit Monday.Copyright © 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

New York Rangers defenseman K'Andre Miller was suspended for three games on Tuesday after spitting on Drew Doughty in Sunday's contest against the Los Angeles Kings.

The Detroit Red Wings signed defenseman Jake Walman to a three-year extension Tuesday with an average annual value of $3.4 million.Walman has five goals and 10 points through 40 games this season while averaging 18:55. He was a pending unrestricted free agent.The extension is all base salary and includes a 10-team no-trade list for each season of the contract, according to CapFriendly.The 27-year-old has blossomed on the Red Wings' top pairing with Moritz Seider. In 324:29 at five-on-five, the duo have posted a 52.6% Corsi-for and 58.2% expected goals-for, according to Natural Stat Trick. They lead both categories among Detroit pairings that have played at least 100 minutes.Walman was acquired by the Red Wings on Mar. 21, 2022, along with Oskar Sundqvist and a 2023 second-round pick from the St. Louis Blues for Nick Leddy and Luke Witkowski. He signed a one-year contract worth $1.05 million as a restricted free agent in August.The Red Wings are fifth in the Atlantic Division with a 28-23-8 record. They are three points behind the Pittsburgh Penguins for the final wild-card position in the Eastern Conference.Copyright © 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Vancouver Canucks activated No. 1 goaltender Thatcher Demko from injured reserve Monday. He made 34 saves in Monday's 5-4 overtime win over the Dallas Stars.Vancouver assigned fellow netminder Arturs Silovs to the AHL in a corresponding move.Demko hadn't played since suffering a lower-body ailment Dec. 1 against the Florida Panthers. The 27-year-old - who finished seventh in Vezina Trophy voting last year - has endured a poor season, posting an .884 save percentage in 16 contests.Silovs, 21, posted a .908 save percentage in four games with the Canucks.Between Demko, Silovs, Collin Delia, and Spencer Martin, the Canucks ranked last in the NHL with a team save percentage of .872 entering Monday.Copyright © 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

With most of the available big-name forwards already spoken for, Philadelphia Flyers center Kevin Hayes has started to draw some interest.The Carolina Hurricanes, Colorado Avalanche, and Minnesota Wild have checked in on the 30-year-old's availability, reports Daily Faceoff's Frank Seravalli.Hayes has three seasons remaining on his pact after this one and would come with a cap hit of about $7.14 million. The Flyers would realistically have to retain some of that salary to make a deal work.His contract carries a 12-team no-trade list, but Seravalli reports that Carolina, Colorado, and Minnesota aren't on it.A first-time All-Star this season, Hayes ranks second on the Flyers with 17 goals and 48 points in 60 games. He's just eight points away from surpassing his previous career high that he set with the New York Rangers and Winnipeg Jets in 2018-19.All three potential suitors could use some help down the middle.The Avalanche have turned to J.T. Compher to fill in as second-line center following Nazem Kadri's offseason departure but are lacking high-quality depth.Carolina could use an upgrade on Jesperi Kotkaniemi behind Sebastian Aho, and the Hurricanes have yet to join the arms race currently going on in the Eastern Conference.Wild general manager Bill Guerin said recently he wants to reward the team for its hot streak of late by being "very active" ahead of the deadline. However, Minnesota's dead-cap space will rise to nearly $15 million in 2023-24 and 2024-25 due to the buyouts of Zach Parise and Ryan Suter.The trade deadline is March 3 at 3 p.m. ET.Copyright © 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Toronto Maple Leafs acquired defenseman Jake McCabe, forward Sam Lafferty, and two conditional fifth-round draft picks from the Chicago Blackhawks on Monday.The Maple Leafs send forward Joey Anderson, forward Pavel Gogolev, a conditional 2025 first-round pick, and a 2026 second-round pick to Chicago.Toronto's 2025 first-round pick is top-10 protected. If the selection falls in the top 10, Chicago will receive a 2026 first-rounder, according to TSN's Pierre LeBrun.Chicago is retaining 50% of McCabe's salary. Toronto will receive the blue-liner at a $2-million cap hit through 2024-25.The Maple Leafs are receiving a 2024 and a 2025 conditional fifth-round pick. For the earlier selection, they'll get the lowest of the Blackhawks' fifth-rounders, according to CapFriendly.General manager Kyle Dubas views his two new acquisitions as pieces that will give the Leafs a new look and can help them finally advance past the first round of the playoffs."There's no reason for us to really beat around it," Dubas said, according to The Athletic's Jonas Siegel. "We've wanted to become more competitive."He added, "That’s been the goal here (with these trades), something we feel like in those big moments we've needed and maybe we've lacked a little bit of."McCabe has 20 points in 55 games while averaging 19:29 of ice time. The 29-year-old left shot is in the second season of a four-year contract signed with the Blackhawks in 2021.The Wisconsin native has yet to play on a team that finished above .500 in his eight full seasons. His 122 hits are the most by a Chicago blue-liner and would rank first among Maple Leafs defensemen.Lafferty's 10 goals and 21 points are already career highs. The 27-year-old is averaging 15:07 and has won 52.4% of his faceoffs. The right-shot center is signed through next season at a $1.15-million cap hit.Anderson cleared waivers Thursday. He's played 14 games with the Maple Leafs this season, tallying two goals and three points. The 24-year-old has 14 goals and 27 points in 30 contests in the AHL and is a pending restricted free agent. Toronto acquired him in 2020 for Andreas Johnsson.Gogolev was signed by the Maple Leafs as a free agent in 2021. The 23-year-old has spent the majority of the campaign in the ECHL, where he has 21 goals and 48 points in 33 games.Toronto has failed to make it out of the opening round in six consecutive postseasons. The Maple Leafs made a splash earlier this month by acquiring forwards Ryan O'Reilly and Noel Acciari from the St. Louis Blues."Every year we're in it," Dubas said Monday, per Sportsnet's Luke Fox. "With where we're at right now, we have to give the team the best chance to win. ... Because just being a fun matchup and being fun to watch isn't good enough for us. It's trying to win."McCabe and Lafferty are expected to join their new team in Seattle for practice Tuesday. The Maple Leafs take on the Edmonton Oilers on Wednesday.Copyright © 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Vancouver Canucks traded defenseman Riley Stillman to the Buffalo Sabres for forward prospect Josh Bloom, the teams announced Monday.Stillman recorded five assists in 32 games with the Canucks this season while averaging 16:06 per contest. The 24-year-old is signed through next season with a $1.35-million cap hit and will be a restricted free agent at the end of the deal.His underlying numbers were strong in 2020-21 but have been poor the past two campaigns.

San Jose Sharks general manager Mike Grier didn't explicitly say he wouldn't trade star defenseman Erik Karlsson at the March 3 deadline, but he certainly poured some cold water on the idea."There's teams that still always want to check in when you've got a great player like that who can make a difference and maybe win you a Stanley Cup," he told reporters Sunday evening. "I think there's always a little bit of interest, but at the same time, I think, with five days to go until the deadline to make everything work, it might be something that's difficult to pull off."But at the end of the day, if someone wants him bad enough, as they say, 'Where there's a will, there's a way.' ... At this time, I'm anticipating him being here for the rest of the season. ... Anything can change at the drop of a hat, right?"Karlsson is making a serious push for his third Norris Trophy this season. The 32-year-old has 77 points in 60 games and is on pace for 105 points. He'd be the first blue-liner to reach the century mark since Brian Leetch in 1991-92.The veteran's resurgence has turned some heads, with the Edmonton Oilers reportedly being among the interested parties. However, Karlsson has four seasons remaining on his pact after this one with a monstrous cap hit of $11.5 million, which has evidently been an impediment to any potential deals.Karlsson's contract carries a no-movement clause but said Grier hasn't approached him about it."I think it'd be weird if he comes now with three days left to ask me to waive my no-move," Karlsson said, according to NBC Sports' Sheng Peng. "We've had plenty of time for that if that was the case."Grier acknowledged that moving Karlsson in the offseason would be "easier to do."One major domino already fell Sunday for the retooling Sharks. Grier made his biggest move as general manager, sending pending restricted free agent Timo Meier to the New Jersey Devils in a swap that included nine players and four picks.Karlsson addressed the blockbuster deal Monday."You trade a guy like Timo, I don't think that shows that this is going to be a quick turnaround," he said. "It's unfortunate. ... (I) understand what needs to be done from an organizational perspective, and it just sucks that it happened to be where I'm at in this stage of my career."Karlsson said in January that he loves San Jose but had hoped the team's return to contention was within his "timeline," adding that if it wasn't, it would be a "different discussion."San Jose is in seventh place in the Pacific Division with an 18-30-12 record. The Meier-less Sharks take on the Montreal Canadians on Tuesday.Copyright © 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Vancouver Canucks forward J.T. Miller is out week-to-week due to a lower-body injury, the team announced Monday.Miller was limited to 18:37 on Saturday against the Boston Bruins. He didn't travel with the team to Dallas for Monday's game against the Stars."J.T. has a minor injury, might be out a week or so," Miller's agent, Brian Bartlett, told CHEK News' Rick Dhaliwal. "J.T. not playing in Dallas is not trade-related at all."The 29-year-old has 20 goals and 54 points through 59 contests. He signed a seven-year, $56-million extension in September that begins next season. Miller set career highs in goals (32) and points (99) in 2021-22.Copyright © 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

This is the 10th edition of theScore's NHL Power Rankings for the 2022-23 campaign. Check back for updated rankings every other Monday during the regular season.In this edition, we grant one wish for each team ahead of the March 3 trade deadline.1. Boston Bruins (45-8-5)Previous rank: 1A goalie goal for Jeremy Swayman. Starting netminder Linus Ullmark electrified the hockey world by lighting the lamp on Saturday, and we want more! But seriously, the Bruins don't need to add anything else. They're practically perfect in every way.2. Carolina Hurricanes (39-11-8)Previous rank: 2A top-six forward. Unfortunately for the Hurricanes, it seems like every top forward available this trade season has gone to a member of the Eastern Conference. Carolina will have to think outside of the box to add some top talent up front. Perhaps there's a match to be made with the Nashville Predators.3. New Jersey Devils (39-15-5)Previous rank: 3Instant chemistry with Timo Meier. The Devils got their guy. Now, they've got to see how he fits into the lineup. The 26-year-old playing alongside either Jack Hughes or Nico Hischier would be must-watch hockey.4. Toronto Maple Leafs (37-15-8)Previous rank: 7A defenseman. The Maple Leafs could use a bottom-six winger as well, but they've already bolstered their forward group by adding Ryan O'Reilly and Noel Acciari, so general manager Kyle Dubas should focus on reinforcing the back end next.5. Tampa Bay Lightning (37-18-4) Mike Carlson / National Hockey League / GettyPrevious rank: 4Health. The Lightning have roughly $770,000 in deadline cap space and no first-round picks until 2026 after adding Tanner Jeannot. Barring something unforeseen, it looks like Tampa will be rolling into the playoffs mostly as is, so the least it can do is hope all hands are on deck.6. Colorado Avalanche (33-19-5)Previous rank: 10A second-line center. Even as the Avalanche have gotten healthy, a glaring hole remains at second-line center. Colorado's lack of cap space will make it tricky to address, but 2C has to be Chris MacFarland's top priority at the deadline.7. Vegas Golden Knights (35-18-6)Previous rank: 11A big fish. Most of the league's elite teams have already made their moves, so is there anyone of significance left for the Golden Knights to nab with their new-found cap space? Six wins in 10 games suddenly made Vegas a buyer again.8. Edmonton Oilers (32-20-8)Previous rank: 6Erik Karlsson. Who doesn't want to see Karlsson passing the puck to Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl? A potential deal with the San Jose Sharks for the two-time Norris Trophy winner would be complicated due to his $11.5-million cap hit, but it's not impossible. Work the calculators and get it done, Ken Holland.9. New York Rangers (34-17-9)Previous rank: 5Patrick Kane. It's no secret that the Rangers are Kane's preferred (and possibly only) destination. Kane's recent hot streak, combined with New York's moves to create cap space, makes this combination feel like an inevitability.10. Los Angeles Kings (33-20-8) Norm Hall / National Hockey League / GettyPrevious rank: 12Jakob Chychrun. There aren't many goalies available to help the Kings' 29th-ranked five-on-five save percentage, so they might as well target the top defenseman available to solidify their status in the Pacific Division. Los Angeles has the assets to make a potential blockbuster for the Coyotes D-man work.11. Dallas Stars (31-16-12)Previous rank: 8A top-six forward to play with Tyler Seguin. We've known for months that this is what the Stars want, and we're not convinced Evgenii Dadonov fits the bill for the Central Division-leading squad.12. Winnipeg Jets (35-24-1)Previous rank: 9Depth scoring. Nino Niederreiter was a shrewd pickup for the Jets on Saturday, giving them a versatile winger who can slot in anywhere on the wing in their top nine. Adding another scorer to the bottom six would only help Winnipeg climb the goal charts.13. Seattle Kraken (32-21-6)Previous rank: 13A seller in need of picks. The Kraken have kept their deadline plans largely under wraps, but the playoffs are in sight for the league's newest franchise, and they should give the fanbase a jolt by doing some shopping. Seattle has three second-round picks this year and two third-rounders in 2024 - attractive trade chips for teams out of contention looking to stock up.14. Buffalo Sabres (31-23-4)Previous rank: 18A playoff berth. It's kind of cheating, but we don't think there's a player on earth Sabres fans would want to add over making the postseason this spring and ending an 11-year drought.15. Minnesota Wild (33-21-6) NHL Images / National Hockey League / GettyPrevious rank: 20A top-six forward. The Wild have the fewest goals per game of any team currently in a playoff spot. Having failed to replace the production that departed last summer when they traded Kevin Fiala to the Kings, a difference-maker up front would be a major boost.16. Detroit Red Wings (28-22-8)Previous rank: 22For Tyler Bertuzzi and Dylan Larkin to remain Red Wings. That would mean that Detroit is still firmly in the playoff hunt and, therefore, unwilling to part with the pair of pending unrestricted free agents.17. Florida Panthers (29-26-6)Previous rank: 14Help on the back end. Without their own first-round pick, thanks to last year's Ben Chiarot trade, there isn't much incentive for the Panthers to sell at the deadline since they can't improve their draft position by losing more games. Reinforcing the blue line and easing the workload for Aaron Ekblad, Brandon Montour, and Gustav Forsling - who are each averaging over 23:00 per game - would be beneficial to their playoff hopes.18. Pittsburgh Penguins (29-21-9)Previous rank: 16A savior for the third line. The Penguins ... oof. They've got to fetch an upgrade on Jeff Carter down the middle. Kasperi Kapanen is no longer around after they lost him on waivers, which gives them a little extra cap space. Pittsburgh has got to shore this up. Evgeni Malkin and Sidney Crosby can't do everything.19. New York Islanders (31-25-7)Previous rank: 19The Bo Horvat trade to pay off. The Islanders already made their big splash by acquiring Horvat, and his importance to the team has increased significantly amid a tight playoff push of late as New York battles some key injuries up front. It's Bo's time to shine.20. Calgary Flames (27-21-12) Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / GettyPrevious rank: 21Extra goal-scorers. The Flames certainly aren't the only team that covets scoring depth, but Brad Treliving is on record saying it's his top priority. This one was a bit of a layup.21. Ottawa Senators (28-26-4)Previous rank: 23Long-term help. The Senators are in an awkward spot: too far from the bottom to truly be in the race for Connor Bedard but also too far behind to realistically have a shot at the playoffs. Targeting assets that can help past this season at a reasonable price, such as Dante Fabbro, would be the best use of this year's deadline.22. Nashville Predators (29-22-6)Previous rank: 17Assets. The Predators are barreling toward a rebuild, and with a changing of the guard on the horizon in the front office, they might as well start collecting as many picks and prospects as they can while they have attractive players to ship out.23. Washington Capitals (29-27-6)Previous rank: 15A successful retool. The playoffs are beginning to feel like a long shot for the Capitals, which is hard to fathom given their success over the past decade. Ownership won't tear it down while Alex Ovechkin is around, so management might as well make the most of a lost season while they have a whopping 10 pending UFAs on the roster.24. St. Louis Blues (26-28-5)Previous rank: 25Less tension. The Blues have already traded their unrestricted free agents and lost out on Meier, so what's next? We think St. Louis is in need of a little breather in the aftermath of head coach Craig Berube and Robert Thomas' recent disagreement.25. Philadelphia Flyers (23-28-10) Len Redkoles / National Hockey League / GettyPrevious rank: 24A nice haul for JVR. We mentioned a few teams that should wish for some scoring depth. Enter: James van Riemsdyk, Philadelphia's most attractive trade chip with a ton of goal-scoring experience.26. Montreal Canadiens (25-30-4)Previous rank: 27A match for Sean Monahan. The Canadiens would certainly have to retain some of the pending unrestricted free agent's $6.375-million cap hit, but they'll hopefully be able to seek out a dance partner in spite of his injury. There are some teams out there that could really use a center.27. Vancouver Canucks (23-31-5)Previous rank: 28As many trades as possible. The Canucks need to commit to a full rebuild if they want a sustainable future centered around Elias Pettersson and Quinn Hughes. The best way to do that is by shipping out as much salary as possible, and Vancouver has several pieces that could fetch quality returns.28. Arizona Coyotes (20-30-9)Previous rank: 29An end to the Chychrun saga. His time with the Coyotes has been considered over for more than a year, yet he's still in the desert. The blue-liner hasn't played since Feb. 10 due to trade-related reasons. Enough is enough.29. Chicago Blackhawks (21-32-5)Previous rank: 31Sell, sell, sell! The Blackhawks are well on their way to sending Kane to the Rangers. They've already ruled out trading Jonathan Toews but can certainly pick up more assets for Max Domi, Sam Lafferty, and Jake McCabe.30. San Jose Sharks (18-30-12)Previous rank: 26Keep it up, Mike Grier. The new Sharks general manager already shipped off Meier and is almost certainly listening to offers for other key players like Karlsson and Logan Couture. The rebuild roars on.31. Anaheim Ducks (19-34-7)Previous rank: 30For someone to take John Klingberg. Though the defenseman has turned it around offensively the past couple of months, the one-year, $7-million prove-it pact he signed with the Ducks isn't going as planned. He may not fetch Anaheim a first-round pick, but there ought to be someone out there who could use him.32. Columbus Blue Jackets (19-35-6)Previous rank: 32Desperate bidder for Vladislav Gavrikov. The Blue Jackets are aiming sky-high with their reported asking price for Gavrikov. With the Bruins out of the mix, Columbus will hope someone cracks under the pressure of the deadline and pays up for the 27-year-old blue-liner.(Analytics sources: Evolving-Hockey, Natural Stat Trick)Copyright © 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

On Friday, we talked about the forwards and defensemen who matter most to a moneyline and an NHL team's implied win probability. Naturally, though, there's more to the player availability equation than just the skaters.

On Saturday, New Jersey Devils fans chanted "We Want Timo!" during a 7-0 trouncing of the Philadelphia Flyers. Their wish was granted 24 hours later.In a mammoth, 13-piece deal, the Devils acquired forwards Timo Meier and Timur Ibragimov, defensemen Scott Harrington and Santeri Hatakka, goalie Zachary Emond, and a 2024 fifth-round draft pick from the San Jose Sharks.In exchange, the Sharks received forwards Andreas Johnsson and Fabian Zetterlund, defensemen Shakir Mukhamadullin and Nikita Okhotiuk, a 2023 first-round pick, a 2024 second-rounder, and a 2024 seventh-rounder.To make the money work for New Jersey, San Jose is retaining 50% of Meier's $6-million salary and cap hit. (Meier is a pending restricted free agent.)Two of the picks are conditional. The 2023 first-rounder going to San Jose transfers to a 2024 first-rounder in the extremely unlikely scenario that it becomes a first or second overall pick. The 2024 second-rounder transfers to a top-10-protected first-rounder if the Devils make the conference final this season or next and Meier appears in 50% of 2023 playoff games.Got all of that?Let's dig into the two perspectives of the deal and hand out some grades.Devils' side of deal Jeff Bottari / Getty ImagesTake a bow, Tom Fitzgerald.The Devils general manager has reeled in the most desirable player on the trade market in 2022-23 while holding on to high-end youngsters Luke Hughes, Simon Nemec, Alexander Holtz, and Dawson Mercer. The kicker: Meier's and New Jersey's playing styles are a match made in heaven.Meier, 26, is a play-driving, shot-producing power forward who can kill the opposition in so many ways, most notably off the rush and forecheck. He's third among all NHLers in shots on goal and fourth in shot attempts. The Swiss winger is a top-10 player at generating scoring chances off the rush, unleashing his deadly wrist shot often. He's also very effective at using his 6-foot-1, 220-pound frame to sustain zone time on the forecheck or cycle.The Devils excel at the same things: Smart and speedy, they're a top-five team at generating chances off the rush and a top-five team at generating chances off the forecheck, according to Sportlogiq. What makes the fit even better is that Meier adds a physical, net-front element to a smallish top six. Thearon W. Henderson / Getty ImagesMeier, who recorded 31 goals and 21 assists in 57 games for the woeful Sharks, will be paired with an elite playmaking center in New Jersey - either Jack Hughes or Nico Hischier. Meanwhile, the overqualified third wheel on Meier's new line will likely be one of Jesper Bratt, Ondrej Palat, or Mercer.(As an aside, don't be surprised if offensive blue-liner Dougie Hamilton benefits from this trade. Meier and Erik Karlsson, a similar player to Hamilton, were electric together in San Jose, working the give-and-go game super well.)The Devils sit second in the Metropolitan Division with a 39-15-5 record and plus-51 goal differential. They're a superb five-on-five team, dominating both offensively and defensively, and Meier will help a 19th-ranked power play.Acquiring Meier allows Fitzgerald and coach Lindy Ruff to keep pace in a conference that's gone bananas in the lead-up to the trade deadline. The Boston Bruins, New York Rangers, Toronto Maple Leafs, and Tampa Bay Lightning have already bulked up (and could add again in the coming days), while the Carolina Hurricanes are primed to make a big splash of their own.As complicated as this transaction may look on paper, for New Jersey it begins and ends with Meier. And through the lens of the 2022-23 season, there's minimal downside. Meier is a true difference-maker, and the package going the other way, while not nothing, is palatable. The Devils want to win now, and this is the kind of home run swing contending GMs must take.And if Meier - an RFA with a giant $10-million qualifying offer - ends up signing a long-term extension, well, Fitzgerald will look like an A+ genius.Grade: ASharks' side of deal Bruce Bennett / Getty ImagesThe 2023 first-rounder and Mukhamadullin - a 21-year-old who could blossom into a top-four NHL defenseman soon - are the jewels of the Meier return.Zetterlund is a middle-six sniper, Johnson is a fringe NHLer, Okhotiuk seems destined to be a third-pair defenseman one day, and the other picks are nice-to-haves. (Of course, if that 2024 second becomes a first, now we're talking.)Mix all of that together and I don't love or despise this trade for San Jose. The package doesn't blow me away - again, no Hughes, Nemec, Holtz, or Mercer - or feel like a complete ripoff. With a middle-of-the-pack prospect base and an NHL roster lacking star power and depth, Sharks GM Mike Grier went for the quantity-over-quality play. And if the first and Mukhamadullin both hit in a few years, he could look smart in hindsight.Hired last July, this is Grier's second major trade after sending Brent Burns to the Carolina Hurricanes in another rebuild-focused deal involving salary retention in the offseason. A third such transaction doesn't seem likely anytime soon, as Grier told reporters Sunday night that he anticipates Karlsson will stay in San Jose for the rest of the season. His contract is simply too difficult to move.That news puts a damper on the last few days before the deadline for Sharks fans, who are probably viewing the Meier return with a shrug or a "we'll see."Or maybe some disappointment.Grade: C+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.

The New Jersey Devils have won the Timo Meier sweepstakes.New Jersey acquired the star winger from the San Jose Sharks in exchange for rookie winger Fabian Zetterlund, forward Andreas Johnsson, prospects Shakir Mukhamadullin and Nikita Okhotiuk, a conditional first-round pick in 2023 and 2024, and a 2024 seventh-round pick, the teams announced Sunday.The Devils also received defensemen Scott Harrington and Santeri Hatakka, forward Timur Ibragimov, goalie prospect Zachary Emond, and a 2024 fifth-round pick.If New Jersey's 2023 first-rounder is a top-two selection, San Jose will receive the team's 2024 first-round pick instead.If the Devils make the Eastern Conference Final this season or next and Meier plays 50% of the games, the Sharks will get New Jersey's 2024 first-rounder (top-10 protected). If not, it'll be a second.Widely considered the best player available on the trade market, Meier is a pending restricted free agent with a $6-million cap hit. However, the Sharks are retaining 50% of his salary.The Devils don't have an extension in place for their newest acquisition, according to The Athletic's Pierre LeBrun, but general manager Tom Fitzgerald said that getting him signed is a priority."We will start at some point to ink his name to a long-term deal," he said shortly after the trade was announced, according to team beat reporter Amanda Stein. "I think New Jersey will sell itself."Meier will be due a $10-million qualifying offer to retain his negotiation rights.The 26-year-old has 31 goals and 52 points in 57 games this season. Meier is only five tallies away from breaking his previous career high of 35, which he set last campaign.He hasn't played since Feb. 18 and is considered day-to-day with an upper-body injury.The Switzerland native brings more star power into a squad that already features the likes of Jack Hughes and Nico Hischier. The Devils are one of the league's top possession teams at five-on-five, ranking among the top three in virtually every key category, including shot attempts for percentage (53.8%), goals for percentage (58.4%), expected goals for percentage (55.3%), and scoring chances for percentage (55.2%), according to Natural Stat Trick.Meier fits that profile perfectly. Despite the club's struggles, San Jose controlled over 50% of the shot attempts, scoring chances, and high-danger chances with him on the ice, as well as an impressive 57.8% of the expected goals.He referred to himself as "your typical power forward" in his first presser as a Devil while emphasizing his excitement about joining the team."They're a super dynamic team, super fast, super skilled. They can be in it in many ways," Meier said.Devils fans broke out into "We want Timo!" chants during games this season, and Fitzgerald said he heard them "loud and clear.""I understood who they wanted. It's great when it aligns with what the organization wants," he said, per The Fourth Period's James Nichols. "But this is something (the fans) deserve. Not only the players but our fanbase deserves this excitement. ... It's only gonna get better."We're coming into a situation where we know our team believes we have a championship-caliber team."As for the rest of the Devils' haul, Harrington heads to New Jersey with one goal and six assists in 28 games this season while averaging 15:18 per contest. Hatakka, meanwhile, saw his first nine games of NHL action last campaign and has two helpers under his belt.Ibragimov and Emond have played in the ECHL this season, where the former has 32 points in 52 games, and the latter has posted a .936 save percentage in four appearances.On the Sharks' end, Mukhamadullin was selected by the Devils with the No. 20 pick in 2020. The 21-year-old defenseman has 25 points in 67 KHL games this season and is a plus-16.Okhotiuk put up one goal in 10 games with the Devils this season. The Devils picked him in the second round in 2019. The 22-year-old blue-liner also has six points in 20 AHL games this year.Zetterlund chipped in with six goals and 14 helpers across 45 contests with the Devils in what's been his first full NHL campaign.Johnsson has played just two Devils games this season and has spent the bulk of the campaign in the AHL. The 28-year-old has 113 points in 248 career NHL games split between New Jersey and the Toronto Maple Leafs.The Devils officially opened their contention window this campaign and are primed to make the playoffs after a four-season drought. They sit second in the Metropolitan Division with a 39-15-5 record.The rebuilding Sharks are trending in the opposite direction, toiling in seventh place in the Pacific Division with a record of 18-30-12.Copyright © 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Tampa Bay Lightning have acquired hard-nosed winger Tanner Jeannot from the Nashville Predators for defenseman Cal Foote and a package of five draft picks, including a conditional first-rounder in 2025 and a second-rounder in 2024, the team announced Sunday.Nashville also receives third-, fourth-, and fifth-round selections in 2023. Tampa Bay's first-round pick in 2025 is top-10 protected.Jeannot carries an $800,000 cap hit and is an arbitration-eligible restricted free agent after this season.The 25-year-old broke onto the scene last season with 24 goals and 41 points as a rookie. Jeannot hasn't been nearly as productive in 2022-23, registering five goals and nine assists through 56 games. However, his shooting percentage this year is down to 5.7% from 19.4%.The Lightning are now without a first-round pick until 2026 and don't have a selection in the 2023 draft until the sixth round. Acquiring Jeannot continues an all-in strategy for Tampa Bay, which has sent out several assets in recent years to add depth pieces for the playoffs en route to two Stanley Cups and an additional appearance in the final. Last deadline, general manager Julien BriseBois added forwards Brandon Hagel and Nick Paul. In years prior, the club acquired David Savard, Blake Coleman, and Barclay Goodrow.Tampa currently sits third in the Atlantic Division and is all but locked into a first-round playoff clash with the Toronto Maple Leafs for the second consecutive year.The Predators have their eyes set on the future and now own 10 picks in the first five rounds of the 2023 draft, along with three second-rounders in 2024. Nashville is reportedly open for business leading up to the March 3 deadline, with Filip Forsberg, Roman Josi, and Juuse Saros declared the only untouchables. Nino Niederreiter was dealt to the Winnipeg Jets on Saturday.Foote was a first-round pick of the Lightning in 2017. He's appeared in 117 NHL games, including 26 this season.Copyright © 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Avalanche have brought back a familiar face on their back end.Colorado acquired defenseman Jack Johnson from the Chicago Blackhawks in exchange for blue-liner Andreas Englund, the team announced Sunday.Johnson skated in 13 playoff games with the Avalanche last season and averaged 11 minutes per contest during Colorado's Stanley Cup run.The 36-year-old is a pending unrestricted free agent with a $950,000 cap hit. He put up four assists, 96 blocks, and 75 hits in 58 games with the Blackhawks this season while averaging the third-most ice time on the team (19:50).Johnson joined the Avalanche on a professional tryout prior to the 2021-22 campaign and made the team's opening-night roster. He put up one goal and nine points in 74 regular-season games with Colorado.Englund, 27, has three assists in 36 games this season while averaging just over 11 minutes of ice time.Copyright © 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

David Poile is stepping down as Nashville Predators general manager and president of hockey operations as of June 30, making way for former head coach Barry Trotz to take over, the team announced Sunday.Poile has been Nashville's general manager since it was awarded an expansion franchise in 1997. He oversaw 15 playoff appearances and a trip to the Stanley Cup Final in 2017.Earlier this season, Poile became the first GM to be in charge for 3,000 games. Before he joined the Predators, the 73-year-old held the position in Washington for 15 years.Poile is expected to remain in Nashville's front office in a consultant role."This is a decision that is best for me personally and best for the Nashville Predators," Poile said. "For the Predators, I believe it is time for a new voice and a new direction. I am proud of the foundation we have put in place in our hockey operations, investing in and improving every area of the department. This is the right time for someone else to move our franchise forward."Trotz has been out of the league since he was surprisingly let go by the New York Islanders last May. He interviewed for multiple head coach vacancies this past offseason but ultimately decided to take more time weighing his options.The 60-year-old was the first head coach in Predators history and held his post until 2014. From there, Trotz joined the Capitals, where he won a Jack Adams Award in 2015-16 and a Stanley Cup in 2018.He won another Jack Adams with the Islanders in 2019.The Predators have made the postseason in eight consecutive years but are entering a transitional period. Nashville is essentially out of the Western Conference playoff race and is reportedly "open for business" leading up to the March 3 trade deadline.Copyright © 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Vegas Golden Knights acquired forward Ivan Barbashev from the St. Louis Blues for prospect Zach Dean on Sunday.Barbashev has 10 goals and 29 points in 59 games this season. He's a pending unrestricted free agent carrying a $2.25-million cap hit.The 27-year-old had a breakout campaign in 2021-22, tallying 26 goals and 60 points in 81 contests. In 50 career playoff games, Barbashev has three goals and nine points. He'll reunite with Alex Pietrangelo in Vegas, who Barbashev won the 2019 Stanley Cup alongside with the Blues.St. Louis tried to negotiate an extension but opted to trade Barbashev due to his desire to play in the postseason, according to Bally Sports Midwest's Andy Strickland.The Golden Knights drafted Dean 30th overall in 2021. The 6-foot forward has 49 points in 38 QMJHL games this season. He captured gold with Team Canada at the 2023 World Junior Championship, scoring a goal and three points at the tournament.Copyright © 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The seven Canadian NHL teams range from legitimate Stanley Cup contenders to plummeting Connor Bedard hopefuls. While there's a significant talent gap north of the border, all seven squads can significantly influence the March 3 trade deadline in their own way.Below, we dive into how each team should approach the frenzy.Calgary Flames: Find top-6 winger Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / GettyGeneral manager Brad Treliving made it known well before the deadline that he wants a scoring winger to add some punch to the Flames' attack. The team ranks 16th in goals per game this season after finishing sixth in 2021-22, and Jonathan Huberdeau, Calgary's prized summer acquisition, hasn't delivered offensively the way everyone expected.With approximately $4 million in cap space and $82 million already committed to next year's roster, it's unlikely the Flames will be able to grab a big name like Timo Meier or any other winger with term. Perhaps Treliving can convince the Flyers to retain salary on seven-time 20-goal man James van Riemsdyk, and if not, Max Domi would be a budget-friendly option who plays with the type of snarl Darryl Sutter prefers.While there's no shortage of suitable options to fulfill Treliving's desire for a more potent offense, Calgary's precarious position in the Western Conference wild-card race might make him reluctant to go for it. A quick string of losses before March 3 could oust the Flames from the postseason race, so the reigning Pacific Division champs may have to act swiftly and jump the market.Edmonton Oilers: Add sensibly to blue line Brian Babineau / National Hockey League / GettyIt's clear the Oilers want reinforcements on defense to increase their chances at a championship while Connor McDavid runs roughshod in his best season yet. Edmonton has been linked to Chicago Blackhawks rearguards Connor Murphy and Jake McCabe, but talk of the club's interest in Erik Karlsson caught on like wildfire.As fun as the two-time Norris winner's resurgence has been this season, and as salivating as it is to imagine his perfect saucer passes springing endless breakaways for McDavid, the Oilers are not an offensive defenseman away from becoming a championship team - even if Karlsson is one of the greatest to ever play the role.The Oilers are among the worst teams currently holding a playoff spot in terms of expected goals against and shots against per 60. They should focus on adding bodies capable of limiting chances against instead of adding a dynamic offensive player when they already have two of the world's best up front. Bolstering two defensive pairings with affordable players is the smart thing to do, especially for a team pushing the cap limit.Montreal Canadiens: Get involved somehow Andy Devlin / National Hockey League / GettyThe Canadiens have 11 picks in the 2023 draft - including potentially two shots at Connor Bedard - and if they play their cards right leading up to March 3, could stock up even more. Montreal doesn't have the same quality of trade chips it did last year when it shipped out Tyler Toffoli, Artturi Lehkonen, and Ben Chiarot for big hauls, but some intriguing pieces remain if they can get healthy by the deadline.Sean Monahan had 17 points in 25 games before landing on long-term injured reserve and could be an enticing option for teams looking for depth down the middle at a reasonable cost relative to other centers on the market. Monahan arrived in Montreal as a pure cap dump, so getting anything back is gravy for GM Kent Hughes.Joel Edmundson could also land the Habs a quality return. Perhaps the Oilers could come calling if they follow our advice above. Contending GMs have proved time and time again they're willing to pay for hard-nosed defensemen, and Edmundson is one with an extra year of term (at an affordable $3.5 million per) and a Stanley Cup ring to boot. He's a leader on this young team, but Montreal has nothing to lose at this deadline and could just be delaying the inevitable for 2024, at which point Edmundson will be valued as a rental.If the players' health issues scare potential suitors away, the Canadiens would be wise to shift their focus to being a third-party salary broker to come away with an extra pick or two.Ottawa Senators: Deal the UFAs Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / GettyThe lofty expectations generated by Senators supporters after a thrilling offseason didn't come to fruition in Year 1. Rather than search for ways to supplement its young core, Ottawa will again be selling off assets come March 3. The process is already underway now that Pierre Dorion shipped Tyler Motte to the New York Rangers, but five pending unrestricted free agents remain. Austin Watson, Derick Brassard, Travis Hamonic, Nick Holden, and Cam Talbot are all useful depth pieces, and acquiring a pick for any of those players will help in the long run.The Senators only have $62 million committed to next year's roster, and although they've wanted to add at center and on defense for a while, now's not the time. Collecting as many assets as possible and using them as ammunition for a trade or two in the offseason is the logical route. On top of selling off the UFAs, Ottawa can snag extra picks by utilizing its $20 million in cap space to retain salary as a third party.Toronto Maple Leafs: Add a defenseman Mark Blinch / National Hockey League / GettyThe Maple Leafs already made two forward lines better by adding Ryan O'Reilly and Noel Acciari, so their focus should shift to adding bodies on the back end. Without Jake Muzzin, Toronto severely lacks physicality and playoff experience on its D corps, which should be a serious area of concern as it barrels toward a playoff rematch with the high-flying Tampa Bay Lightning.Sheldon Keefe's crew is a top-five defensive team on the year, but Muzzin's absence creates a big hole, and management should strive to bring in someone of a similar ilk who can challenge Rasmus Sandin, Justin Holl, and Conor Timmins for valuable minutes. Toronto has just over $4 million in cap space to work with, which means it could hunt for someone more prominent than just a depth piece. However, the Leafs are already without six draft picks over the next two years, so they may have to give up a roster player - they have a glut of NHL-caliber forwards - to sweeten a potential package.Even though the Leafs have parted with a ton of future assets in recent years, further emptying the cupboard might be the most likely option given how grueling the Eastern Conference playoff picture projects to be.Vancouver Canucks: Tear it all down Jeff Vinnick / National Hockey League / GettyThe Canucks have endured a tumultuous season, but a productive deadline would provide a silver lining. In our estimation, that would mean finally committing to the rebuild that management has put off for far too long. It's become crystal clear there is no quick fix, and it's time to do it right.Vancouver doesn't have many rentals to part with aside from defenseman Luke Schenn, who's a virtual lock to be dealt, but it does have valuable pieces with term who could be parted with. Brock Boeser and Conor Garland are two players who could yield quality returns and in no way should be considered untouchable. Although goaltender Thatcher Demko is only a year removed from being a star, the Canucks shouldn't be afraid to pull the trigger if a team comes calling. By the time this club is ready to contend again, Demko will likely be past his prime anyway.While there's more pain ahead, the only way to start fresh and build toward a sustainable future is to clear as much salary as possible and kick-start the rebuild. All players not named Elias Pettersson and Quinn Hughes should be on the table this week.Winnipeg Jets: Keep adding depth Minas Panagiotakis / Getty Images Sport / GettyThe Jets aren't a dominant team analytically, but they have star players at every position and are in contention for the top seed in the Western Conference. Saturday's shrewd acquisition of Nino Niederreiter signaled that Winnipeg wants to make the most of its bounce-back year, and with over $4 million left to play with, Kevin Cheveldayoff should keep adding.Bringing a strong bottom-six forward or two could go a long way for the Jets, who already have one of the league's best attacking units. Or, maybe after already adding up front, they could seek a defenseman to make Connor Hellebuyck's life a little bit easier. The Jets' strength is their core, but filling a couple more holes like they did in the trade with Nashville could elevate them from playoff participants to Cup threats.Copyright © 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Buffalo Sabres forward Alex Tuch is week-to-week after sustaining a lower-body injury Friday, the team announced Sunday.Tuch is amid a career season with 28 goals and 62 points through 57 contests. The Sabres placed the 26-year-old on injured reserve Saturday.General manager Kevyn Adams said Tuch is expected to return to the lineup before the end of the regular season, according to The Athletic's Matthew Fairburn.Star defenseman Rasmus Dahlin is also considered day-to-day with an undisclosed ailment. He'll miss Sunday's contest against the Washington Capitals.The Sabres sit fourth in the Atlantic Division with a 30-23-4 record. They're one point behind the Pittsburgh Penguins for the Eastern Conference's final wild-card position.Copyright © 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Dallas Stars acquired forward Evgenii Dadonov from the Montreal Canadiens for forward Denis Gurianov on Sunday.Montreal is retaining 50% of Dadonov's $5-million cap hit in the deal.The pending unrestricted free agent scored four goals and 18 points in 50 games with the Canadiens. Montreal acquired Dadonov last June for Shea Weber's contract.Dadonov will be reunited with head coach Peter DeBoer in Dallas. The 33-year-old had a resurgent 2021-22 campaign under DeBoer with the Vegas Golden Knights when he registered 20 goals and 43 points."Evgenii is a skilled forward that can play anywhere in our lineup," general manager Jim Nill said. "Recording 20 or more goals in four of his previous five seasons, he is a proven goal-scorer at the NHL level and will bolster our offensive attack."Gurianov tallied two goals and nine points through 43 contests with the Stars. The 25-year-old posted a career-high 31 points in 2021-22, while his lone 20-goal campaign came in 2019-20. A pending restricted free agent, Gurianov has a cap hit of $2.9 million.Dallas drafted the 6-foot-3 goal-scorer 12th overall in the 2015 draft.The Stars free up $400,000 in cap space in the trade. They'll have just over $2 million in cap space come deadline day, according to CapFriendly.Copyright © 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Patrick Kane's time with the Chicago Blackhawks appears to be ending.The three-time Stanley Cup champion sat out Saturday's 4-3 shootout win over the San Jose Sharks due to roster management, the Blackhawks announced. Forward Sam Lafferty also didn't play for the same reason."Based on the current status of Patrick's situation, we collectively felt it was more appropriate to have him not play during this period of reflection," Kane's agent, Pat Brisson, said prior to the game, according to TSN's Pierre LeBrun.The 34-year-old is believed to have left the team and returned to Chicago, per TSN's Darren Dreger.Much has been speculated about Kane's future as he's a pending unrestricted free agent and holds a no-trade clause in his contract. The Buffalo native's preferred destination is the New York Rangers, according to The Athletic's Scott Powers and Arthur Staple.Kane has 16 goals and 45 points through 54 contests this season, including three multi-goal efforts in his past four games.Copyright © 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Boston Bruins goaltender Linus Ullmark was just as excited as everyone else in the hockey world after he became the first netminder in over three years to score a coveted goalie goal."It's pretty cool. The guys that have scored a goal in this league are terrific goaltenders that went down into the Hall of Fame as well," he told reporters after his team's 3-1 victory against the Vancouver Canucks. "It's hard to describe what I'm feeling right now. I have to kind of digest it all. I'm just so bloody happy."

The Montreal Canadiens had some bad news on the injury front on Saturday.The team announced that popular rookie defenseman Arber Xhekaj will undergo season-ending surgery on his right shoulder next week, while forward Kirby Dach is out indefinitely with a lower-body injury.Xhekaj, 22, hasn't played since Feb. 12 against the Edmonton Oilers. He exited the contest after a fight with Oilers blue-liner Vincent Desharnais.Affectionately nicknamed "Wifi," the undrafted 6-foot-4 rearguard quickly endeared himself to Habs fans because of his penchant for dropping the gloves. Xhekaj put up five goals, 13 points, and 159 hits in 51 games while seeing just over 15 minutes of ice time per night.Dach, meanwhile, was held out of the Canadiens' 6-2 loss to the Carolina Hurricanes because of an illness. However, further testing revealed that his illness-like symptoms were actually related to a lower-body injury.The 22-year-old has impressed during his first season in Montreal, setting new career highs with 12 goals and 35 points in 54 contests. The Canadiens acquired him from the Chicago Blackhawks in July for a first- and third-round pick in 2022.Canadiens sniper Cole Caufield was ruled out for the remainder of the season because of a shoulder injury in January. Juraj Slafkovsky, the 2022 first-overall pick, hasn't played since Jan. 15 due to a lower-body injury.The struggling Habs sit in the basement of the Atlantic Division with a 25-30-4 record.Copyright © 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Nashville Predators have apparently determined which direction they'll go at the March 3 trade deadline.After dealing forward Nino Niederreiter to the Winnipeg Jets in exchange for a 2024 second-round pick, general manager David Poile's team is "very much open for business," Sportsnet's Jeff Marek reported on Saturday's edition of "32 Thoughts."Marek added he believes captain Roman Josi, goaltender Juuse Saros, and star forward Filip Forsberg are untouchable, but anyone else is on the table.Marek said he expects defenseman Dante Fabbro to be moved next week, while teams have reportedly been calling about power forward Tanner Jeannot. Both players are pending restricted free agents.Fabbro, 24, was the Predators' first-round pick in 2016. He's put up one goal and seven assists in 53 games this season while seeing his ice time take a substantial hit; Fabbro is averaging 16:03 per contest, three full minutes less than the past three campaigns. He carries a cap hit of $2.4 million.Jeannot, meanwhile, erupted onto the scene in his rookie year last season, posting 24 goals and 41 points in 81 games while leading the team with 318 hits. However, he's totaled just five goals and nine assists in 56 contests this campaign while being handcuffed by a shooting percentage of 5.7%. The 25-year-old's price tag is $800,000.Nashville has made the playoffs in eight consecutive seasons but entered Saturday's slate seven points behind the Colorado Avalanche for the second wild-card spot in the Western Conference.Copyright © 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Philadelphia Flyers have made veteran winger and pending unrestricted free agent James van Riemsdyk available for trade and are expected to deal him prior to the March 3 deadline, Sportsnet's Jeff Marek reported on Saturday's 32 Thoughts.The Vegas Golden Knights, Minnesota Wild, and Dallas Stars are potential suitors, Marek adds. The Winnipeg Jets were also interested but Saturday's trade for Nino Niederrieter may have pulled them out of the market for the Flyers' forward.Philadelphia held van Riemsdyk out of Saturday's clash with the New Jersey Devils, but general manager Chuck Fletcher said it was a maintenance day, not a trade-related scratching.Van Riemsdyk has nine goals and 14 assists in 40 games this season. He's a five-time 20-goal scorer, and has eclipsed 30 tallies twice in his 14-year career.The 33-year-old carries a $7-million cap hit, so salary will likely have to be retained in a potential deal.Copyright © 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Winnipeg Jets acquired veteran forward Nino Niederreiter from the Nashville Predators for a 2024 second-round pick, the team announced Saturday.Niederreiter, 30, has 18 goals and 10 assists in 56 games this campaign. He's under contract through next season at a $4-million cap hit.The Swiss winger signed a two-year deal with the Predators last summer after four seasons with the Carolina Hurricanes. The New York Islanders drafted Niederreiter fifth overall in 2010, but he played only 64 games with the franchise before being moved to the Minnesota Wild.He's a six-time 20-goal scorer and has posted strong underlying numbers for much of his career.

The Vancouver Canucks acquired forward Vitaly Kravtsov from the New York Rangers on Saturday for forward William Lockwood and a 2026 seventh-round pick.The Rangers drafted Kravtsov ninth overall in 2018. He has six points in 28 NHL games this season.Kravtsov had a tumultuous tenure in New York. He requested a trade in Nov. 2021 and was subsequently loaned to the KHL. Kravtsov returned to the Rangers this season but struggled to gain minutes. He again requested a trade earlier this month.The 23-year-old has an $875,000 cap hit and is a pending restricted free agent with arbitration rights."Vitaly is very happy going to the Canucks, he has always liked Vancouver, he has lots of friends on the team," Kravtsov's agent Dan Milstein said, according to CHEK News' Rick Dhaliwal.Kravtsov won bronze at the 2019 World Juniors with Russia alongside Vasily Podkolzin, his new teammate in Vancouver.Lockwood played 13 games with the Canucks in 2022-23, tallying one assist. The 24-year-old has 12 goals and 18 points in 26 contests in the AHL. Vancouver selected the former Michigan Wolverine in the third round of the 2016 draft.The trade gives the Rangers needed cap space to potentially target Chicago Blackhawks star Patrick Kane. The 34-year-old was scratched for Saturday's contest against the San Jose Sharks due to roster management. New York would have enough cap space to add Kane come Mar. 1 should Jake Leschyshyn be dropped from the roster Sunday, according to PuckPedia.Copyright © 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Over the next week, pending unrestricted free agents - or "rentals" - will be swapped from Team A to Team B as buyers buy and sellers sell in advance of the NHL's March 3 trade deadline. There's a predictable progression to it all.What's less predictable is the fate of non-rentals. Deals involving players under team control are often classified as "change of scenery" moves, as at least one player involved is being flipped after a period of diminished ice time or poor performance. Usually, this non-rental has failed to meet lofty expectations set by a high draft slot or strong start to a pro career.The players discussed below could be traded within the next week, or in the offseason, or never. What connects all eight: It's time for a change and multiple teams should be trying to acquire the player.(Note: We excluded Coyotes defenseman Jakob Chychrun and Red Wings forward Jakub Vrana from this exercise because their respective situations have been well publicized.)Brock Boeser, Canucks Jeff Vinnick / Getty Images2022-23 stats: 10 goals, 27 assists in 50 games (16:55 average)

The St. Louis Blues claimed forward Kasperi Kapanen off waivers from the Pittsburgh Penguins on Saturday.Kapanen has seven goals and 20 points through 43 contests this season. He is signed through 2023-24 at a cap hit of $3.2 million."It's a good pick up, he brings speed, has good skill," Blues head coach Craig Berube said. "I'm looking forward to getting him here, coaching him, and having him be part of the team."Kapanen won't be available for Saturday's contest against his former team.The 26-year-old had fallen out of favor in Pittsburgh, finding himself a healthy scratch and playing the lowest average ice time of his career since his rookie campaign."When a team doesn't live up to expectations, change is inevitable - that's part of it," head coach Mike Sullivan said Friday. "(Kapanen) is a really talented player. To a certain extent, it's on all of us because we didn't find a way to maximize his potential.""The feeling was that last year was a bit of a down year and that he would bounce back," general manager Ron Hextall said. "He's still almost a half-a-point-a-game guy. I think he can be a productive player. Unfortunately, it hasn't worked here. Tough decisions have to be made along the way, and that's what this was."Kapanen's best offensive year came in the shortened 2020-21 season when he tallied 11 goals and 30 points in 40 games. His lone 20-goal campaign came in 2018-19 with the Toronto Maple Leafs.The Penguins acquired Kapanen in August 2020 from the Maple Leafs along with Pontus Aberg and Jesper Lindgren in exchange for Filip Hallander, Evan Rodrigues, David Warsofsky, and a 2020 first-round pick that was used to draft Rodion Amirov.Copyright © 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

After stumbling out of the All-Star break, the Minnesota Wild's five-game point streak has general manager Bill Guerin interested in being a major player at the trade deadline."They're showing me they're serious," Guerin told The Athletic's Joe Smith on Friday. "We're going to be in a dogfight until the very end. We'd like to be active. What we can do or whatever we'll be able to do is another story. But we have to take a look at being very active."The Wild already helped broker major trades for other teams in the past week. Minnesota acted as a third party for additional retention in Ryan O'Reilly's move to the Toronto Maple Leafs and Dmitry Orlov's trade to the Boston Bruins."I think we've managed our cap well and have flexibility that's important," Guerin said. "But it just doesn't mean that we're going to go out and use it all, because that costs assets. And we're just not necessarily in that spot."Minnesota is in a unique position with upward of $10 million in available cap space at the trade deadline but limited room to maneuver past this season. The Wild's dead cap space rises to nearly $15 million in 2023-24 due to the buyouts of Zach Parise and Ryan Suter.Guerin added they don't want to trade first-round picks or top prospects. With the lowest goals for record of any team currently in a playoff position, his preference is to make additions at forward.Despite speculation that defenseman Matt Dumba could be traded, the pending unrestricted free agent appears set to remain with the Wild through the end of the campaign."I would lean that way," Guerin said of keeping Dumba. "Matt's played really well. His game is in a very good place. Right-shot defensemen who can skate - it's tough to replace. Matt being a big part of the room and the organization for a number of years, it's not an easy thing to do."The Wild are third in the Central Division with a 32-21-6 record. The Colorado Avalanche are one point back of Minnesota with three games in hand.Copyright © 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Less than 24 hours after St. Louis Blues head coach Craig Berube questioned his players' dedication, young star Robert Thomas stood up for his teammates."Yeah, it's obviously frustrating to hear that," Thomas said of Berube's harsh criticism during an appearance on "The Opening Drive" on Friday. "I've been a part of this team for a long time. What he said couldn't be further from the truth. I know everyone in that room cares."Berube was the talk of the hockey world following the Blues' 3-2 overtime loss to the Vancouver Canucks that saw his team surrender a 2-1 lead with 29 seconds remaining in regulation.A clearly frustrated Berube said St. Louis' best players "don't play with any passion." When asked why he wasn't getting what he wanted from his top guys, he quipped, "I guess they don't care about the team."Berube doubled down on his comments on Friday."I don't regret things, no. Like I said, we need to be better as a team," he said, according to NHL.com's Lou Korac. "Individuals need to be better, and that's the bottom line. We need to be better. I need to be better. Coaching staff needs to be better."So, we've got to work on getting better. Sometimes you say things, and hopefully, you get a response."Thomas, who was a minus-two and failed to register a point during the loss, echoed Berube's emphasis on accountability. The 23-year-old will enter the first season of an eight-year, $65-million extension in 2023-24 and is largely viewed as a key piece of the Blues' future."You always learn through winning, you learn a lot about what it takes to win and how a team should be in order to succeed," Thomas said. "I think you learn even more when you're losing and when you're going through a disaster. I think this is the best time for guys to step up, including myself."The Blues are currently navigating a time of mass change. With the team's playoff hopes dwindling, St. Louis parted ways with pending unrestricted free agents and franchise mainstays Vladimir Tarasenko and Ryan O'Reilly earlier this month.After sending Tarasenko to the New York Rangers, Blues general manager Doug Armstrong said the team's 2019 Stanley Cup-winning era was over.Armstrong confronted Thursday's postgame drama in a press conference on Friday."We can allow this to snowball, and we can allow this to be the talking point of how we're going to finish the rest of this season, or we can address it, understand the raw emotion of it," he said. "But at some point, you have to move on. Today is the day we have to move on."The Blues' next chance to move forward will come Saturday against the floundering Pittsburgh Penguins.Copyright © 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Erik Cernak was handed a two-game suspension for elbowing Buffalo Sabres captain Kyle Okposo during Thursday's contest, the NHL Department of Player Safety announced.The incident occurred late in the third period of the Sabres' 6-5 overtime victory. Cernak did not receive a penalty. Okposo was able to stay on the bench but didn't take another shift.

Seattle Kraken goaltender Chris Driedger cleared waivers Friday.Driedger has not played since tearing his ACL during the gold-medal game of the 2022 World Championship as a member of Team Canada.The 28-year-old has two seasons remaining on his contract with a $3.5-million cap hit and a 10-team no-trade clause. The Kraken gain $1.125 million in cap space after assigning Driedger to their AHL affiliate.Driedger posted an .899 save percentage in 27 appearances with the Kraken in 2021-22. He was impressive at the World Championship before his injury, though, notching a .915 save percentage in six starts.Seattle selected Driedger from the Florida Panthers in the 2021 expansion draft. The native of Winnipeg was among the league's best backups in his stint with the Panthers, registering a .931 save percentage in 35 games across two seasons.Copyright © 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Florida Panthers goaltender Spencer Knight will be unavailable indefinitely while he receives care from the NHL/NHLPA player assistance program, the league announced Friday.Knight will continue to be paid while receiving treatment and can return to the Panthers once program administrators clear him for on-ice competition.The 21-year-old has a .901 save percentage and a 9-8-3 record in 21 appearances this season. Knight last played on Feb. 18 when he replaced Sergei Bobrovsky midway through the Panthers' 7-3 loss to the Nashville Predators.Florida drafted Knight 13th overall in 2019.Copyright © 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Winnipeg Jets rookie Cole Perfetti will miss a minimum of eight weeks due to an upper-body injury, head coach Rick Bowness announced Friday.Perfetti has already missed two games with the ailment. He last played on Feb. 19 against the New Jersey Devils.The 21-year-old has eight goals and 30 points in 51 contests while averaging 14:58 per night. He ranks third in rookie scoring behind Matty Beniers and Mason McTavish.Bowness said the ailment isn't related to the injury Perfetti sustained last year and that he doesn't require surgery at this point.Winnipeg is second in the Central Division with a 35-22-1 record. The Jets face the Colorado Avalanche on Friday.Copyright © 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

January and February in the NHL is a grind. Fresh legs are a thing of the past, and the urgency of a playoff push is still to come. The last few weeks have seen star players in and out of lineups. Cale Makar, Auston Matthews, Bo Horvat, Jack Hughes, Filip Forsberg, Vladimir Tarasenko, Ryan O'Reilly, and Alex Ovechkin have all been removed from lineups for various reasons and, in some cases, added to others. That's required a quick shift in team valuations each gameday.One of the most difficult elements for both novice and veteran bettors is trying to understand how much one player matters to his team's probability of winning an individual game.Connor McDavid is headed for his third Hart Trophy - he's quite literally the league's most valuable player. He hasn't missed a game this season, so we don't have an up-to-date look at how moneylines shift in his absence and, in turn, how the Oilers' rating and win probability changes.Using moneyline adjustments for when other stars have missed games as a starting point, and using on-ice metrics to determine how valuable a player is to their team's implied win probability (IWP), here's the list of the league's most valuable skaters.PLAYERTEAMIWP DIFF.Connor McDavidEDM10%Cale MakarCOL8%Rasmus DahlinBUF7%David PastrnakBOSAaron EkbladFLA6%Roman JosiNSHAdam FoxNYRThomas ChabotOTTSidney CrosbyPITErik KarlssonSJSVictor HedmanTBLJacob ChychrunARI5%Nathan MacKinnonCOLTyson BarrieEDMLeon DraisaitlEDMZach HymanEDMKirill KaprizovMINDougie HamiltonNJDJack HughesNJDBrady TkachukOTTNikita KucherovTBLJosh MorrisseyWPGAlex OvechkinWSHAuston MatthewsTORJohn TavaresTORQuinn HughesVANElias PetterssonVANTage ThompsonBUF4%Sebastian AhoCARBrent BurnsCARRasmus AnderssonCGYSeth JonesCHIDevon ToewsCOLMiro HeiskanenDALJason RobertsonDALDylan LarkinDETMatthew TkachukFLABrandon MontourFLADrew DoughtyLAKBo HorvatNYIChris KreiderNYRJake GuentzelPITKris LetangPITVince DunnSEASteven StamkosTBLBrayden PointTBLMitch MarnerTORAlex PietrangeloVGKShea TheodoreVGKMark ScheifeleWPGKyle ConnorWPGJohn CarlsonWSHA lot of good players fall into the wider section of a bell curve, but the "4% Club" is reserved for players that drive goals for their team while also helping prevent them. Many players not on this list are hurt by being on teams that are too good - their absence for one game doesn't make as much of an impact as it would if they played for a weaker club - and in some other cases by being on teams that are so bad their presence can't make enough of a difference.The recipeWe started the campaign using regular-season point totals as a baseline for rating teams since it's our best measurement. Throughout the campaign, we adjust club ratings using on-ice metrics to remove the cognitive bias of win-loss records, which can be skewed by outliers like special-teams results, poor goaltending performances, and other unreliable events.The cheat sheetThere are no bad bets at the right price, but how do we know what a good price is?The following includes my fair price on the games (true moneyline) and the moneyline price I'd need to bet either side. I only need a 1% edge for a favorite if we're getting better than a fair price on the team more likely to win. For the underdog, I'll need 4% or better to make it a bet. For games I project to be closer to a coin flip, a 2.5% edge is enough for a worthwhile wager. I also have a 5% win probability consideration for a team playing in the second game of a back-to-back with travel and a 3% consideration for a team on the second leg of a back-to-back without travel. When it comes to injured players, I do my best to estimate the impact on their team's win probability.When the betting markets open up the night before, you can compare those prices with our "price to bet" column to see if you're getting any value with either side's moneyline. There's also a possibility that a moneyline moves into a bet-friendly range at some point between market open and puck drop.DATEGAMETRUE MLPRICE TO BETFeb. 24BUF@FLA+208/-208BUF +251/FLA -199OTT@CAR+220/-220OTT +267/CAR -210MTL@PHI+142/-142MTL +168/PHI -137MIN@TOR+221/-221MIN +269/TOR -211LAK@NYI+112/-112LAK +132/NYI -108COL@WPG+130/-130COL +153/WPG -125Feb. 25EDM@CBJ-160/+160EDM -154/CBJ +191NYR@WSH+103/-103NYR +114/WSH +107PIT@STL-125/+125PIT -120/STL +147BOS@VAN-187/+187BOS -179/VAN +225ANA@CAR+529/-529ANA +741/CAR -492OTT@MTL-124/+124OTT -119/MTL +146PHI@NJD+213/-213PHI +257/NJD -203TBL@DET-166/+166TBL -160/DET +198DAL@VGK+112/-112DAL +131/VGK -107CGY@COL-143/+143CGY -138/COL +170CHI@SJS+214/-214CHI +259/SJS -205Feb. 26WSH@BUF-105/+105WSH +105/BUF +116CBJ@MIN+237/-237CBJ +289/MIN -226NYI@WPG+132/-132NYI +156/WPG -127LAK@NYR+111/-111LAK +130/NYR -106TBL@PIT-127/+127TBL -122/PIT +150NSH@ARI-119/+119NSH -114/ARI +140TOR@SEA-149/+149TOR -143/SEA +177Matt Russell is a betting writer for theScore. If there's a bad beat to be had, Matt will find it. Find him on Twitter @mrussauthentic.Copyright © 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

We have a busy weekend of hockey ahead of us with 16 games scheduled over the next couple of days. Let's get right into our best bets.Wild (+180) @ Maple Leafs (-210)The Wild are having a miserable time offensively right now. Although they have won four consecutive games, they've only scored more than three goals once since the middle of January.As such, it should be no surprise that 12 of their last 13 games have gone under 6.5 goals, and I don't expect that to change Friday night in Toronto.For one, both teams are above average defensively. At five-on-five, the Wild rank fifth in expected goals against per 60 this season, while the Maple Leafs rank fifth over the past 10 games.With the Wild in a back-to-back situation and their offense struggling, they'll likely lean on their defense and try to keep this game as compact as possible. If and when breakdowns do arise, the goaltending should hold up.Filip Gustavsson has very quietly been one of the better goaltenders in the NHL this season. While that may seem like an egregious claim on the surface, the numbers support it.He owns a remarkable .928 save percentage through 26 starts and is one of the leaders in goals saved above expected. Gustavsson slots seventh in total GSAE and sits only behind Linus Ullmark and Ilya Sorokin on a per-game basis.At the other end, Ilya Samsonov's numbers have tailed off a little bit of late, but they're still well above average for the season. He's more than capable of holding his own against this anemic Wild attack.Some of the top-tier finishers in this game could make things a little sweaty, but with strong defense and goaltending and a high total, there's plenty of reason to believe this game goes under the number.Bet: Under 6.5 (-130)Oilers (TBD) @ Blue Jackets (TBD)I love, love, love what I'm seeing from the Oilers. They've picked up points in nine of the last 10 games and the numbers suggest that is no fluke.At five-on-five, they have controlled a whopping 59% of the expected goals during this stretch, which is second to only the Hurricanes.It doesn't take a rocket scientist to know a team with superstars like Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl will pile up the points when consistently outchancing the opposition. That's what we're seeing right now.There is every reason to believe their dominance will continue against the Blue Jackets. Columbus has some of the worst underlying numbers in the league this season and things will likely continue to get worse as the team subtracts players from the lineup leading up to the trade deadline.Elvis Merzlikins getting the start in this game would be a nice cherry on top. The Jackets generally switch goaltenders following a loss. With Joonas Korpisalo losing last time out, we should see Merzlikins back between the pipes in this game.Among 63 netminders with at least 15 appearances this season, Merzlikins ranks dead last in goals saved above expected per start. He has largely played very poorly and I don't see that changing against the kind of firepower Edmonton possesses.Bet: Oilers -1.5 (would play to -120)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.

Thursday was a bounce-back night for our player props, with Alex Ovechkin and Connor McDavid coming through to give us a 2-1 record.We'll look to build on it with three more plays for Friday's slate of games.William Nylander over 3.5 shots (-105)Although a date with the Wild doesn't seem the most appealing on the surface, there's a lot of reason to believe Nylander can find success shooting the puck Friday night.His hit rate is 10% higher on home ice than on the road this season. Nylander also shoots the most when skating on a line with Auston Matthews, who recently returned to the lineup.The 26-year-old has gone over his shot total in three of four games since Matthews rejoined the lineup, coming up just one shy in the lone exception. With 27 shot attempts over that span, his volume has been very promising.Nylander has a surprisingly strong track record against the Wild: 25 attempts and 14 shots on target over his last three meetings since the beginning of last season.The Wild take penalties at an above-average clip and are in a road back-to-back. They should be a little more susceptible to giving up shots, which should benefit Nylander.Kirill Kaprizov under 3.5 shots (-115)By now, you all know I'm a big fan of Kaprizov when he plays in Minnesota, where he's one of the most consistent volume shooters in the NHL. The same can't be said when playing on the road.To say there's a drastic difference would be an understatement - it's truly night and day. Kaprizov recorded four or more shots in 58% of his games at home, compared to just 31% on the road. That's a 27% swing.Kaprizov found success on the road Thursday night against the Blue Jackets, but the Maple Leafs are a much different animal. At five-on-five, they rank top 10 in shot suppression over the last 10 games and don't take many penalties. Kaprizov won't have many easy opportunities to shoot the puck.In a back-to-back situation against a Maple Leafs team that defends a lot better than it gets credit for, I don't expect Kaprizov to buck that trend.Nathan MacKinnon over 4.5 shots (-145)I generally try and recommend plays closer to even money, but MacKinnon is a player worth making exceptions for.His shot floor and ceiling are as high as anybody in the league. He recorded five shots or more in five straight games and is averaging 5.4 per this season while hitting the over 59% of the time.MacKinnon has torched the Jets time and time again in recent years, generating a whopping 7.3 shots on goal per meeting over his last six. Insane production.With Cale Makar sidelined due to a concussion, even more offensive responsibility falls on MacKinnon's shoulders. He produced multiple points and no fewer than six shots on goal in four straight games without Makar, so the forecast is positive.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.

We've already witnessed trades for numerous big-name NHL players in the weeks leading up to this season's NHL trade deadline, and there are still seven days to go.Despite Bo Horvat, Vladimir Tarasenko, and Ryan O'Reilly already having been dealt, there are still a handful of potential moves that would elicit excitement. Not all of them are realistic, but that won't stop us from dreaming up our ideal scenarios.Here are five swaps we'd love to see before the clock strikes 3 p.m. ET on March 3.Sharks ship Erik Karlsson to Oilers Brian Babineau / National Hockey League / GettyThis is the move everybody wants - well, presumably everybody except NHL teams not named the Edmonton Oilers. Hopefully the San Jose Sharks eventually come around and put themselves in the "want to see it" category as well, because this absolutely needs to happen.We got a taste of what it would look like earlier in February at the All-Star Game, when Pacific Division head coach Bruce Cassidy slotted Karlsson in alongside Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl to form a tantalizing three-on-three trio. No one who watched those three play together came away thinking that should be the only time it takes place.There is of course the rather gargantuan obstacle of Karlsson's contract, which carries an $11.5-million cap hit through 2026-27. It obviously makes a deal difficult, but not impossible. The Oilers could throw together a package of future assets and current NHL players. Tyson Barrie and Jesse Puljujarvi would pretty much have to be involved because of their cap hits, as would at least a first-round pick and a youngster like Dylan Holloway or Philip Broberg. San Jose would need to retain a chunk of Karlsson's salary.A third team might be required to make sure the Oilers are cap-compliant, but like the Minnesota Wild in the O'Reilly trade, the broker club could receive a prospect or a draft pick in exchange for easing the financial burden. Karlsson will turn 33 on May 31, and the Norris Trophy favorite's offense generally comes at the expense of his defensive responsibilities. He has a history of injuries, too, so that contract could bite whoever's paying it down the road. But the Oilers could use a shot in the arm, and with a little cap creativity, this would be the most entertaining move they could make.Devils ensnare Meier Andy Marlin / National Hockey League / GettyChances are wherever Timo Meier ends up, it'll be a fun scenario, but we'd love to see the New Jersey Devils land the talented Sharks forward for a few reasons.First, Meier would make an already aesthetically pleasing club even more fun to watch. The Devils rank near the top of the NHL in goals per game and trail only the Carolina Hurricanes in five-on-five expected goals percentage and scoring chances for percentage this season. New Jersey boasts three of the top 14 NHL forwards in terms of five-on-five xGF% among those with at least 500 minutes played in those situations, and Meier ranks 21st. The Devils have five of the top 35 forwards in SCF% using that criteria, and Meier slots in at 37th. So he'd fit right in.The Canes would be another intriguing destination for Meier, but this brings us to the second reason we'd prefer to see New Jersey nab him. Carolina is already blessed with more established stars and has more experience as a team. Simply put, the Devils need Meier more than their Metropolitan Division counterparts.Third, he'd be joining a club that already boasts a pair of players from Switzerland with a third one knocking on the door. Meier's countrymen, Devils captain Nico Hischier and defenseman Jonas Siegenthaler, have played key roles this season, and goaltender Akira Schmid has excelled in his limited NHL opportunities.Meier's a pending restricted free agent, so the team that acquires him is more likely to sign him to an extension than let him walk in the summer. Since he probably won't be a rental, the Devils would have to pony up. But they could offer their top forward prospect, Alexander Holtz, along with a 2023 first-rounder and additional picks, plus a player like Miles Wood to balance the money.'HurriKane' warning in effect Chase Agnello-Dean / National Hockey League / GettyCarolina would certainly be better off adding Meier. But if the Canes miss out on the league's top deadline target, acquiring Patrick Kane would be a prudent maneuver - and not just because of all the wordplay possibilities.The obstacles and the reasons for concern are well-known by now. Kane has a full no-trade clause and therefore must consent to the Blackhawks moving him. His cap hit is nearly on par with Karlsson's at $10.5 million. He's a liability on the defensive end, sitting near the bottom of the entire league in both wins above replacement and goals above replacement. He also supposedly has a bad hip, but based on his vintage play of late, that doesn't appear to be a major issue.The 34-year-old - who has the Hart, Art Ross, Conn Smythe, and Calder trophies on his mantle - has proven this season that he can still contribute offensively. Also, some of the blame for his poor underlying numbers can be placed on his team, which has nosedived this season while shamelessly tanking.To make a deal like this happen, the Blackhawks would need to retain a sizable portion of Kane's contract, but they have plenty of room to do that and wouldn't be burdened beyond this season because he's a pending UFA. If they keep 50% of it, the Hurricanes could absorb the $5.25-million hit because they're projected to have just over $10 million in deadline cap space. Carolina doesn't have many blue-chip prospects, but the Canes do have "the largest group of relevant prospects in the NHL," according to The Athletic's Corey Pronman. So they could offer Chicago a collection of prospects, picks, and NHLers to get it done.Goaltender Pyotr Kochetkov is likely off limits considering the uncertain futures of Carolina's top two netminders, but either defenseman Alexander Nikishin - an emerging KHL star - or forward Jack Drury would be a good get for Chicago. The Hurricanes have first-round picks in each of the next three drafts and two second-rounders in 2024, so they could comfortably part with a first and a second. Throw in a young NHLer like Seth Jarvis, and the Blackhawks would be hard-pressed to say no if Kane is open to playing elsewhere.Maple Leafs reunite with Schenn Bruce Bennett / Getty Images Sport / GettyMuch like the Karlsson-to-Oilers dream, this one might not have a great chance of happening. But it would be pretty neat to see the Toronto Maple Leafs turn back the clock and reacquire Luke Schenn, who played his first four seasons with the Leafs after they drafted him fifth overall in 2008.Toronto already addressed two other needs, reeling in new second-line center Ryan O'Reilly and fourth-liner Noel Acciari up front. But the team still has a bit of wiggle room to address its defense corps. Schenn is one of many blue-liners on the market and the Vancouver Canucks are now holding him out of games to protect their trade asset.The 33-year-old appears to be fairly highly coveted. That's not surprising considering his status as a pending UFA, an affordable $850,000 cap hit, 15 years of experience, a championship pedigree (two rings with the Tampa Bay Lightning), and the value of right-shot rearguards. There are more talented options available, but they'll cost more in terms of what a team like the Leafs would have to part with in a swap.Toronto likely wouldn't want to give up a first-rounder for a player of Schenn's ilk, and the club has no second-round picks through 2025. So again, this wouldn't be the most likely pairing of trade partners, but it's not completely far-fetched. The Leafs still have other assets - be it prospects or relatively young players with some value - they could package with a third-round selection. No matter how unlikely it is, there's no denying it would be a good story to see Schenn's career come full circle.Boeser goes home to the Wild Jeff Vinnick / National Hockey League / GettyAnother compelling narrative would be a homecoming of a different sort. Canucks forward Brock Boeser is also on the market, and he's one of the best players available. The Wild have a dynamic top line led by Kirill Kaprizov, but they could use another playmaker.While Boeser's goal-scoring has tapered off this season, he's playing for a lackluster Vancouver squad and has been in and out of the lineup, including as a healthy scratch. The Burnsville, Minnesota-born winger would surely welcome a deal that sends him to his home state, and the Wild could accommodate his contract's $6.65-million average annual value by sending Jordan Greenway and his $3-million cap hit the other way along with a draft pick while getting a third "broker" team involved to help balance the books.Boeser could benefit from a change of scenery, especially one that brings him closer to where he grew up. The Athletic's Michael Russo and Joe Smith reported that Boeser's agent, Ben Hankinson, has been "all over" Wild general manager Bill Guerin trying to make it happen, and for good reason. It would be the perfect fit from both a hockey perspective and for the heartwarming narrative.(Contracts source: CapFriendly)

The Boston Bruins acquired forward Garnet Hathaway and defenseman Dmitry Orlov from the Washington Capitals in exchange for forward Craig Smith, a 2023 first-round pick, a 2025 second-round pick, and a 2024 third-round pick, the teams announced Thursday.The Capitals will retain 50% of Orlov's salary as part of the trade. The Minnesota Wild are also retaining an additional 25% and sent Boston the rights to forward Andrei Svetlakov in exchange for the Bruins' 2023 fifth-round pick.Boston's pair of new acquisitions can both become unrestricted free agents in the summer. Before retention, Orlov carried a cap hit of $5.1 million, but he'll now cost the Bruins $1.275 million. Hathaway, meanwhile, comes with a $1.5-million price tag.Orlov and Hathaway were set to be scratched for Thursday's game against the Anaheim Ducks due to trade-related reasons.Boston has been a dominant force all season long, sitting atop the league with a 44-8-5 record following Thursday's thrilling 6-5 win over the Kraken. The Bruins are on pace for 134 points and 63 wins, which would set two NHL records.By adding Orlov and Hathaway, Boston has done well to shore up its blue line and bottom-six forward group.Hathaway, 31, has nine goals and seven assists in 59 games this season while leading the Capitals with 198 hits and pacing all Washington forwards with 65 blocks.Orlov, 31, ranks second on the Caps in average ice time (22:43) while chipping in with three goals, 19 points, 88 hits, and 62 blocks in 43 games.The Capitals find themselves in an interesting spot. Following Thursday's 4-2 loss to the Ducks, the team sits two points behind the Red Wings for the second wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference, but Detroit has three games in hand.With Washington's place in the playoffs on unsteady ground, extensions for Hathaway and Orlov did not appear to be imminent."This trade allows us to acquire draft capital, infuse youth, and restock our system," Capitals general manager Brian MacLellan said. "While this season has proven challenging with injuries to our significant players, we are in a position to use some of our current assets to retool our club and build a competitive team moving forward."Rounding out Boston's haul, Svetlakov was selected by the Wild in the sixth round of the 2017 draft. The 26-year-old has 27 points in 66 KHL games this campaign.On the Capitals' end, Smith, 33, has logged four goals and six assists in 42 games this season.Copyright © 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

St. Louis Blues head coach Craig Berube let his top players have it following a 3-2 overtime loss to the Vancouver Canucks on Thursday."A lot of our best players not doing their job," Berube said.When asked why, Berube didn't mince words. "I don't know, you'll have to ask them, Jim. I guess they don't care about the team," he said.Berube said star forwards Robert Thomas and Jordan Kyrou weren't good enough in a contest that saw the Blues cough up a lead late in regulation, and suggested they take a page out of Alexey Toropchenko's book - one of the few players that drew praise from the frustrated coach."Our best players don't play with any passion, no emotion and no inspiration at all," Berube said. "They don't play inspired hockey. You cannot play in this league without emotion, grit, being inspired. They're getting paid lots of money and they're not doing the job. End of story."Kyrou and Thomas are St. Louis' two leading scorers on the year, but were held off the scoresheet Thursday and were minus-3 collectively.Toropchenko questioned the Blues' effort level as well."Even if we are not in a playoff spot, I will do everything because it's a hockey game," he said, per NHL.com's Lou Korac. "This is NHL. You are not playing in a beer league or something. You need to show something, you need to show character and be strong everywhere, play from your heart."The Blues are essentially out of the Western Conference playoff picture with 56 points on the year, and management signified their intentions of planning for the future by trading core veterans Vladimir Tarasenko and Ryan O'Reilly earlier this month.St. Louis returns to the ice Saturday against the Pittsburgh Penguins.Copyright © 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Alex Ovechkin returned the Washington Capitals' lineup Thursday against the Anaheim Ducks after missing four games on personal leave.The Capitals captain had been away from the team since Feb. 14 following the death of his father, Mikhail.

The Washington Capitals are scratching defenseman Dmitry Orlov and forward Garnet Hathaway for Thursday's game against the Anaheim Ducks for trade-related reasons, the team announced.Deals for either player don't appear to be imminent. Protecting assets has become a theme across the NHL leading up to March 3, with Jakob Chychrun and Luke Schenn, among others, finding themselves in the press box as their respective teams navigate trade waters.Both Orlov and Hathaway are pending unrestricted free agents.Orlov carries a $5.1-million cap hit, and has been one of Washington's top defenders for years. This season, he's chipped in 19 points, 62 blocks, and 88 hits while averaging nearly 23 minutes per contest.Hathaway earns $1.5 million per year, and is a useful bottom-six player. The rugged right winger has recorded 16 points and 198 hits in 2022-23.A five-game losing streak has dropped the Capitals two points back of the second wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference entering Thursday's game.Copyright © 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Montreal Canadiens claimed forward Chris Tierney off waivers Thursday.Tierney has two goals and three points in 13 games with the Florida Panthers this season, along with three goals and 16 points in 20 AHL contests with the Charlotte Checkers.The 28-year-old is a veteran of 574 NHL games. His best offensive season came in 2018-19 with the Ottawa Senators when he scored nine goals and 48 points in 81 games.Tierney has a league-minimum cap hit of $750,000 and is a pending unrestricted free agent.Copyright © 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Wednesday night was a tough one for our NHL shot props, with Josh Morrissey and Jason Robertson both coming up a puck shy - despite advantageous matchups and ideal game scripts.We'll look to rebound with a full three-play card for Thursday's slate.Alex Ovechkin over 4.5 shots (-125)Ovechkin makes his return to the lineup Thursday in a mouthwatering matchup against the NHL's last-place team.The Ducks remain inept defensively, giving up shots and chances at extreme rates against any and every opponent. Things are not improving one bit. In fact, they're probably getting worse.Anaheim has allowed an average of 42 shots per 60 minutes over its last 10 games. Only one other team is giving up more than 36. The Ducks are easily the worst shot-suppression team in the league, and there's nobody who should benefit more than Ovechkin.The Capitals superstar has been generating shots at an absurd rate lately, even for a player of his caliber. Ovechkin has attempted 100 shots in his last 10 games at Capital One Arena, going over the total on seven occasions.Expect him to pick up where he left off against the Ducks.Connor McDavid over 4.5 shots (+100)McDavid is one of the hottest shot generators in the league right now. Perhaps the hottest; he's posted a league-leading 53 shots on target over his last 10 games.The Penguins, meanwhile, have quietly allowed more shots per game over the last 10 contests than every team except the Ducks and Coyotes. Pittsburgh is not a strong defensive squad and gives up a ton of shots to opposing centers. In fact, only the Ducks have allowed more per game this season.With the Penguins struggling against centers at the best of times, it's hard to believe they'll be able to slow the best player in the league at a time when he's firing at will.Look for McDavid to have another big performance in what figures to be a high-event game.Matt Boldy over 3.5 shots (+110)We've targeted the Blue Jackets with great success all season, and we're not going to stop now.Boldy is a road warrior. At home, Kirill Kaprizov gets the softer matchups and is the Wild's best shot generator. But he faces top competition when on the road, which opens things up for a player like Boldy.Boldy has taken advantage throughout the season, averaging 3.6 shots per road game while going over the total at a 54% clip. That's a stark contrast to what he's accomplished at Xcel Energy Center, where he's averaged 2.8 shots per contest and hit the over just 38% of the time.The 21-year-old finds himself in a great spot against Columbus: He's facing a bottom-five shot-suppression team in an environment where he won't get all the attention.With Minnesota in the middle of the wild-card race and struggling to score, Boldy figures to get every opportunity to exploit this juicy matchup.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.

We have a jam-packed 10-game slate to look forward to Thursday night. Let's waste no time in getting to our best bets.Rangers (-165) @ Red Wings (+145)The Red Wings are hot, having won seven of their last 10 games to get back in the race for a wild-card spot.Although the Wings have done some good things defensively and been opportunistic in finishing, this run does not appear to be sustainable.Detroit has really struggled to create offense at five-on-five. The team is 31st in high-danger chances per 60 during this spell, narrowly ahead of the Blue Jackets. Nobody has fared worse than the Red Wings in terms of generating expected goals.They deserve credit for making the most of their chances, but a lack of volume generally won't lead to success against a goaltender like Igor Shesterkin.He predictably hasn't been as dominant this season as last. Even so, he still owns a save percentage well above league average and is top 10 in goals saved above expected.Converting three or four times on a shot count that is likely to hover around the mid-20s is a tall order for the Red Wings. That's likely what they'll need to do to hang around - let alone win - against a sizzling Rangers squad.The Rangers have picked up points in nine of 10 and are firing on all cylinders offensively. Aided by the recent addition of Vladimir Tarasenko, they have a loaded three-line attack that opponents are having a miserable time slowing down.I expect the Wings to have a tough time. Look for them to drop this game inside 60 minutes.Bet: Rangers in regulation (-105)Wild (-190) @ Blue Jackets (+160)The Wild finally appear to be turning a corner and gaining some traction in the Western Conference.They have won three games in a row on the back of stout defense and strong goaltending. While their offense still has definite room for improvement, a date with the Blue Jackets should help bring out the best in them.Columbus has controlled only 42% of the high-danger chances at five-on-five the past 10 games. The Blue Jackets spend a lot of time absorbing pressure, which is not what you want to be doing - especially against a team featuring weapons like Kirill Kaprizov and Matt Boldy.I think this matchup gives the Wild a welcome opportunity for regression. Nobody will confuse them for a high-flying offensive team, but they've shot 4% at five-on-five over the last 10 games and about 5.5% overall. Whether the lineup lacks finishing or not, numbers that low are not sustainable for any club, let alone one holding down a playoff position.Elvis Merzlikins getting the nod in goal for Columbus would be preferable - Joonas Korpisalo is having a pretty strong season - but the Wild hold enough advantages that they should be able to grind out a much-needed win regardless.Back Minnesota to claim two points inside regulation.Bet: Wild 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.

Nashville Predators forward Ryan Johansen will be out for around 12 weeks after undergoing surgery on his right leg Wednesday, the team announced Thursday morning.A skate blade cut Johansen during Tuesday's victory over the Vancouver Canucks.The Predators are already without star forward Filip Forsberg, who's missed five games with an upper-body injury. Johansen's absence will not help Nashville's minuscule playoff chances, as the club currently sits seven points back of the second wild-card spot in the Western Conference.Johansen's logged 28 points in 55 games this season while averaging 15:46 per contest. The 30-year-old is in the sixth season of an eight-year, $64-million contract signed in 2017.Copyright © 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Despite winning at a record-setting rate through 56 games, Brad Marchand insists the Boston Bruins aren't hung up on any potential regular-season glory."People have talked a lot about some of these records, that we could potentially hit or we have hit," Marchand said, according to ESPN's Greg Wyshynski. "Nobody cares about those in this room. We could care less about any of these regular-season records. Because they really don't mean anything."The Bruins (43-8-5) are currently on pace for 133 points and 63 wins, which would set two NHL records. The 1976-77 Montreal Canadiens hold the benchmark in points (132), while the 1995-96 Detroit Red Wings and 2018-19 Tampa Bay Lightning share the title for victories (62)."Before we were going through this season, if you asked any of the guys on this team who owned any of those records, nobody would know because nobody cares. Because it's not about the regular season," Marchand said. "As soon as somebody brings it up, it's in one ear and out the other."The 1977 Canadiens won the Stanley Cup, but the Red Wings and Lightning were ousted in the playoffs. Tampa was famously eliminated in a first-round, four-game sweep at the hands of the Columbus Blue Jackets.This year's Bruins - who set an NHL record with 15 consecutive home victories to start the season - look like they'll cruise to the Presidents' Trophy, but that's not the hardware Marchand is after."If you win the Presidents' Trophy but you don't win the Cup, nobody cares," Marchand said. "That's what we know on this team."Only eight teams have won the Presidents' Trophy and Stanley Cup in the same season, most recently the Chicago Blackhawks in the lockout-shortened 2013 campaign.The Bruins are looking to win their first Stanley Cup since 2011 - Marchand's second year in the league. Boston returned to the final in 2013 and 2019 but fell short each time.Copyright © 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.