The Philadelphia Flyers are fielding calls from teams about the availability of defenseman Ivan Provorov, multiple sources told The Athletic's Pierre LeBrun.Provorov, 25, has two goals and 12 assists in 41 games this season while ranking second on the Flyers in average ice time (23:12) behind only Tony DeAngelo.The 2015 seventh overall pick wouldn't be a rental for any interested parties: Provorov has two years remaining on his current pact after this season at a cap hit of $6.75 million.He posted a career-high 41 points during the 2017-18 season - his second in the league - but endured a frustrating stretch as of late. Provorov put up nine goals and 22 assists in 2021-22 but was a minus-20 on the campaign, the second-worst mark among all Flyers defensemen.The Russian rearguard expressed frustration with the media's criticism of his play during last season's exit interviews."No matter what I say, you guys are gonna give me your own grades," Provorov said last May. "It doesn't matter, you're all experts on hockey, so you're gonna give me your super experienced grades. I don't think my opinion really matters to you guys."He's also had to contend with a series of rotating partners after Matt Niskanen retired in October 2020. The acquisition of Ryan Ellis could've helped stabilize the blue line, but he was only able to play in four games last season due to injury and isn't expected to suit up at all in 2022-23.Provorov has spent the majority of his time on a pair with DeAngelo this campaign.The Flyers have had a rough ride through the first half of the 2022-23 campaign - their first under hard-nosed head coach John Tortorella. Like last season, Philadelphia enjoyed a promising start. It went 5-2-0 right out of the gate, but a 10-game losing streak in November sent the team crashing back down to earth.Philadelphia currently sits in seventh place in the Metropolitan Division with a record of 16-18-7.Copyright © 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Edmonton Oilers and Ottawa Senators are interested in Minnesota Wild defenseman Matt Dumba, TSN's Darren Dreger reported Tuesday.Dumba carries a $6-million cap hit and will be an unrestricted free agent at season's end. He recorded four goals and seven assists in 39 games this season while averaging 21:07 of ice time per contest. His underlying numbers have been poor this year. Evolving-Hockey.comBut the 10-year veteran and former seventh overall pick comes with plenty of pedigree. His best season came in 2017-18 when he racked up 14 goals and 36 assists. He's struggled with injuries and inconsistency in the five years since, never cracking 30 points or 70 games.He also shoots right - a trait among defensemen that's often appealing to teams.Minnesota is currently in a playoff spot and entered Tuesday sitting third in the Central Division with 47 points. As The Athletic's Michael Russo noted in December, it may require a lateral move or "hockey trade" for the Wild to move Dumba, rather than the typical seller's ask of draft picks and prospects.The Oilers entered Tuesday hanging on to a wild-card spot, and defense is a clear area of need. Edmonton general manager Ken Holland has scoured the blue-line market, inquiring about the Arizona Coyotes' Jakob Chychrun, the Montreal Canadiens' Joel Edmundson, and just about every potentially available defenseman, The Athletic's Pierre LeBrun reports.The Senators, meanwhile, sit seventh in the Atlantic Division and 13th in the Eastern Conference at 18-19-3. That's not the status of a typical buyer, so they may look to extend Dumba as part of a trade.Ottawa hasn't been shy about its interest in upgrading the blue line. GM Pierre Dorion was unsuccessful in his search for a top-four defenseman in the summer, and the team was linked to Chychrun in September.Copyright © 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Nashville Predators general manager David Poile acknowledged that the organization's decision to waive Eeli Tolvanen could be a misstep as the winger continues to light it up with the Seattle Kraken."Did we give him enough opportunities? Should we have played him higher? Time will tell," Poile said Tuesday during an appearance on 102.5 The Game. "Seattle's a team that plays a little bit differently than us. They really rotate almost their four lines equally, and offensively they put him in a position higher than we have."This could be a mistake on our part. That's on me if he turns out to be really successful, but we thought we tried him in a lot of different areas, different places."The Predators placed Tolvanen on waivers on Dec. 11, and the Kraken scooped him up the following day.Tolvanen, 23, logged two goals and two assists in 13 games with Nashville this campaign. He didn't debut for Seattle until Jan. 1, but early returns indicate he's a great fit. Tolvanen has five points in five contests while donning his new threads, and his three tallies with the Kraken would put him on pace for 49 goals over an 82-game season.The Finn is suiting up for 12:32 of ice time per contest in Seattle, comparable to his average playing time in Nashville this season. However, Tolvanen failed to crack the 11-minute mark in five of his last six games as a Predator.Poile said he didn't want to lose Tolvanen and that the organization hoped he'd spend time with the AHL's Milwaukee Admirals."We had to make some decisions. We were not going anywhere," he said. "He's doing well, great for him, and we've been doing better - not necessarily because of him, but because we've made a decision to go another direction with different types of players."The Predators selected Tolvanen 30th overall in the 2017 NHL Draft. He was a highly touted prospect lauded for his scoring ability but never fully emerged in Nashville. Tolvanen ended his tenure in the Music City with 25 goals and 26 assists in 135 contests.Tolvanen will get a chance to take on his former team when the Kraken visit the Predators for a pair of games on March 23 and 25.Copyright © 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Colorado Avalanche head coach Jared Bednar knows his team has faced adversity this campaign, but he doesn't want the defending champions to be satisfied with just scraping their way into the postseason."I have a lot of confidence and trust in our team. … That confidence can't come off just what we've done in the past," Bednar said, according to the Denver Post's Bennett Durando. "Because it's not just about hanging onto a playoff spot and getting into the playoffs. Like, we're past that."He added: "The regular season is for learning lessons, figuring out how to win, what it takes to win in all aspects of your game. So our game has to get to a spot, for me, where we feel like we can beat anyone in the West and anyone in the league."Bednar doesn't think the "floundering" Avs have met that benchmark 38 games into the season.The Avalanche currently sit in fourth place in the Central Division with a 20-15-3 record. They're two points behind the Edmonton Oilers for the second wild-card spot in the Western Conference, but Colorado has four games in hand.The Avs snapped a five-game losing streak Saturday after scoring three unanswered goals during an overtime victory over the Oilers.Colorado only lost 19 contests in regulation in 2021-22, and the team's longest winless streak was four.However, the Avs have been decimated by injuries in 2022-23. Captain Gabriel Landeskog is still waiting to make his season debut after undergoing knee surgery in October, while superstar Nathan MacKinnon missed 11 games in December due to an upper-body injury. Meanwhile, Valeri Nichushkin, last season's breakout player, has been limited to just 15 games because of an ankle ailment.Colorado's blue line hasn't had much injury luck, either. Josh Manson has been out since Dec. 1 with a lower-body ailment, while Bowen Byram last played Nov. 4."Big picture, you like to think we get guys back, everything comes together - that's fine," Bednar said. "It's good to be confident."Colorado will next play Tuesday against the Florida Panthers.Copyright © 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Toronto Maple Leafs placed defenseman T.J. Brodie on injured reserve, the team announced Tuesday.Brodie didn't play in Toronto's 6-2 victory over the Philadelphia Flyers on Sunday. Sheldon Keefe said Brodie has a rib injury and there is no timeline for his return yet, according to Sportsnet's Luke Fox. Brodie will miss at least three more games.The 32-year-old was already unavailable for 12 contests this season due to an oblique injury.The Maple Leafs have had a rotating cast of blue-liners thanks to various injuries with Morgan Rielly, Timothy Liljegren, Rasmus Sandin, and Jordie Benn all missing time, along with Jake Muzzin and Victor Mete, who remain out.Brodie has two goals and eight points in 28 games this season.Toronto subsequently recalled forward Bobby McMann from the AHL. The 26-year-old left winger captured AHL Player of the Week honors after scoring three goals and six points in three contests. He's yet to make his NHL debut.The Maple Leafs are second in the Atlantic Division with a 25-9-7 record. Toronto is back in action against the Nashville Predators on Wednesday.Copyright © 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

We suffered a setback Monday night, hitting just one of our three props.Thomas Chabot was the swing player, finding the target only twice while missing on six attempts. If one more hit the net, we'd be enjoying another winning night but, alas, the margins are slim in this space.Let's dive into three props that stand out on Tuesday's slate as we look to rebound quickly.Nikita Kucherov over 3.5 shots (-115)It's a day that ends in the letter "Y," which means we are targeting the Blue Jackets with a shot prop.Columbus continues to struggle defensively, ranking 29th in shot attempts against per 60 minutes over the last 10 games.The Blue Jackets still take their share of penalties as well and are going up against a Lightning team that draws plenty of them; only five teams have spent more time on the man advantage this season.The matchup is great for Kucherov on paper, as he has gone over his shot total in both meetings against the Jackets this season.Given his shooting form - only seven players have attempted more shots over the last 10 games - I expect Kucherov to continue throwing pucks on net.Dylan Larkin over 2.5 shots (-120)Larkin has gone a little cold of late, recording three shots or more just three times over the past 10 games. There's a lot to like about Larkin in this spot, though.For one, the Jets give up a lot of shots to opposing centers. Only eight teams have conceded more to the position on a per-game basis.Winnipeg has struggled in that regard for a while now, and Larkin has shown the ability to take advantage. He generated 13 shots on goal over two games against the Jets in the calendar year of 2022.Beyond a strong positional matchup, Larkin should benefit from reinforcements. Tyler Bertuzzi is expected to return from injury and will rejoin Larkin on the top line. Lucas Raymond has been reunited with Larkin as well.With his usual two running mates by his side and better supporting talent to work with, the Red Wings should be able to control more of the play with Larkin on the ice, opening up more offensive zone time and opportunities to shoot.Miro Heiskanen over 2.5 shots (+105)Heiskanen is firing on all cylinders right now. The star blue-liner - no pun intended - has registered three shots or more eight times over the last 10 contests, and the numbers beneath the surface suggest that's no coincidence.He has attempted 65 shots in that span, slotting him behind only Jason Robertson among Stars players.League-wide, Heiskanen ranks fourth among all blue-liners these past 10 games. Roman Josi, Cale Makar, and Dougie Hamilton are the only defensemen to attempt more shots.Heiskanen finds himself in a good spot against an Islanders team that ranks bottom 10 in suppressing shots versus opposing rearguards. Look for him to stay hot.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 juicy 10-game slate on Tuesday. Let's dive into our best bets as we look to rebound following a disappointing start to the week.Flames (-170) @ Blues (+150)The Flames took some heat - no pun intended - for a disappointing overtime loss to the bottom-feeding Blackhawks. The frustration is understandable for a team that hasn't lived up to expectations thus far, barely holding onto a wild-card spot in an underwhelming Western Conference.They know they can't afford to squander opportunities against lesser opponents - as they did Sunday - and I expect that to show in their effort against the Blues on Tuesday night.St. Louis has struggled mightily to create offense over the last 10 games, ranking 30th in high-danger chance generation at five-on-five. Recent injuries to Vladimir Tarasenko, Ryan O'Reilly, and Torey Krug will only make life more difficult offensively - especially against this Flames team.For all their faults, the Flames are a very strong defensive side. Their blue line is rock solid on paper, and the underlying metrics reflect that. Only six teams have done a better job preventing high-danger chances at five-on-five.The Flames should be able to bottle up the Blues' offense while generating plenty of chances of their own. At times, the Flames have struggled to generate quality chances with a large number of shots. That has changed of late. In fact, the Flames have been the sixth-most efficient team at creating high-danger chances in the past 10 games.With more depth and a better process at both ends of the rink, I expect the Flames to bounce back with a win inside 60 minutes.Bet: Flames in regulation (+100)Panthers (+115) @ Avalanche (-135)The Panthers have real problems. Their offense isn't as potent as it should be, and the team's defensive play continues to get progressively worse.At five-on-five, only four teams have given up high-danger chances at a higher rate than the Panthers over the past 10 games. The Ducks, Canadiens, and Blue Jackets are among that group; not exactly the company you want to keep.While the Avalanche have struggled to put the puck in the net at times, generating opportunities is never an issue when healthy. With superstar center Nathan MacKinnon and the underrated Evan Rodrigues recently returning to the lineup, the Avalanche are now much better equipped to make good on their chances.I don't envision them having too much trouble doing that against Sergei Bobrovsky. His play has really fallen off since leaving Columbus; he just can't seem to find his footing.Bobrovsky owns a porous .895 save percentage this season. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to know poor goaltending, mixed with a lot of chances against, is a recipe for disaster.I think Florida's undisciplined play is going to be a factor in this game as well. No team has spent more time killing penalties this season, and the Avalanche have a top-tier power play every single year.I expect that unit to do its part en route to a much-needed victory on home soil.Bet: Avalanche (-135)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.

Tyler Bertuzzi is expected to return to the Detroit Red Wings' lineup Tuesday against the Winnipeg Jets, head coach Derek Lalonde confirmed Monday.The forward has missed 16 games after sustaining a left hand injury on Nov. 30 that required surgery. He injured his right hand earlier in the season, forcing him to miss nine games in October.The 27-year-old practiced Monday on the top line with Dylan Larkin and Lucas Raymond, according to The Athletic's Max Bultman.Bertuzzi's played just nine contests this campaign, tallying one goal and four points. He's coming off a career year in 2021-22 in which he scored 30 goals and 62 points in 68 games.The Red Wings are sixth in the Atlantic Division with a 16-15-7 record and are in the midst of a three-game losing streak.Copyright © 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Good bets lose all the time. It's by far the worst thing about sports betting. Novice bettors, or the stubborn, will claim that if a bet didn't win, then it wasn't a good bet. That couldn't be further from the truth.Last Monday, the Penguins played the Bruins in the Winter Classic at Fenway Park. Sure, the Bruins had more fans in the stands that were set away from the playing surface, but this was far from the usual home game. In fact, no franchise has played more outdoor games (six) than the Penguins, with the Bruins having played one fewer (five). Both teams are familiar with the morning wake-up call required for a Winter Classic.Given that somewhat familiar but also unusual circumstance, how much implied win probability should be accounted for home-ice advantage for an outdoor game?We've got a pretty good handle on the market ratings for both the Penguins and Bruins, and using those ratings, we can expect a moneyline split of around PIT +120 / BOS -140 on neutral ice.On Monday, the moneylines got as high as PIT +160/BOS -185. On the Penguins' side, that's an implied win probability of 38.5% compared to 45.5% for Pittsburgh on neutral ice - a 7% difference.Since home-ice advantage usually translates to approximately a 4% shift from neutral ice, that would suggest significant value on the Penguins. Pittsburgh scored first in the game, but Boston had the best of the even-strength Expected Goal Share (66%), while the shots and scoring chances were even. The Bruins tied the game midway through the third period and took the lead with just over two minutes left. The Penguins thought they may have tied it in the virtual bottom of the ninth at Fenway, but they scored after the clock hit zero.The game largely played out in the 50-50 manner that you ask for when betting a +160 moneyline, even though, in this case, the Penguins ran out of outs. A pretty good bet was lost.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 BETJan. 9PHI@BUF+173/-173PHI +207/BUF -166NSH@OTT-101/+101NSH +110/OTT +111SEA@MTL-124/+124SEA -119/MTL +146EDM@LAK+115/-115EDM +135/LAK -110Jan. 10MIN@NYR+109/-109MIN +128/NYR -104VAN@PIT+166/-166VAN +198/PIT -159CBJ@TBL+434/-434CBJ +580/TBL -407SEA@BUF+114/-114SEA +133/BUF -109NJD@CAR+134/-134NJD +159/CAR -129WPG@DET+101/-101WPG +109/DET +112DAL@NYI+105/-105DAL +116/NYI +105CGY@STL+137/-137CGY -131/STL +162SJS@ARI-131/+131SJS -126/ARI +155FLA@COL+104/-104FLA +115/COL +106Jan. 11WSH@PHI-128/+128WSH -123/PHI +150NSH@TOR+167/-167NSH +199/TOR -160EDM@ANA-156/+156EDM -150/ANA +185SJS@LAK+180/-180SJS +215/LAK -172Jan 12VAN@TBL+250/-250VAN +307/TBL -239SEA@BOS+174/-174SEA +208/BOS -167CAR@CBJ-288/+288CAR -274/CBJ +360TOR@DET-124/+124TOR -119/DET +146DAL@NYR+120/-120DAL +141/NYR -115WPG@BUF-101/+101WPG +110/BUF +111NSH@MTL-114/+114NSH -109/MTL +134MIN@NYI-105/+105MIN +105/NYI +116CGY@STL-137/+137CGY -131/STL +162COL@CHI-212/+212COL -203/CHI +257OTT@ARI-132/+132OTT -127/ARI +156FLA@VGK+101/-101FLA +112/VGK +109Jan. 13WPG@PIT+148/-148WPG +175/PIT -142NJD@ANA-188/+188NJD -180/ANA +225EDM@SJS-107/+107EDM -103/SJS +126Jan. 14CGY/DAL+107/-107CGY +118/DAL +103PIT@CAR+222/-222PIT +270/CAR -212CBJ@DET+205/-205CBJ +248/DET -196PHI@WSH+178/-178PHI +213/WSH -171TOR@BOS+109/-109TOR +120/BOS +102OTT@COL+164/-164OTT +195/COL -157VAN@FLA+236/-236VAN +288/FLA -225MTL@NYI+179/-179MTL +214/NYI -171TBL@STL-170/+170TBL -163/STL +202SEA@CHI-158/+158SEA -151/CHI +188ARI@MIN+261/-261ARI +322/MIN -248BUF@NSH+148/-148BUF +176/NSH -142EDM@VGK+131/-131EDM +155/VGK -126NJD@LAK+109/-109NJD +121/LAK +101Jan. 15VAN@CAR+227/-227VAN +276/CAR -217MTL@NYR+238/-238MTL +291/NYR -227ARI@WPG+264/-264ARI +327/WPG -252Matt 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 been firing on all cylinders with the shot props of late. Let's keep the ball rolling as we look to kick off the week with some winners.Thomas Chabot over 2.5 shots (-115)Thomas Chabot is on a nice little shooting run, especially on home ice. The skilled blue-liner has registered at least three shots on goal in six of the last nine games played in Ottawa. He finished with two shots each time he fell short so, put simply, he is always on the doorstep and giving himself a chance to go over the number.This is a matchup where he should be able to get the job done. At five-on-five, the Nashville Predators rank 31st in attempts against per 60 over the last 10 games. They also take penalties at a pretty healthy rate, offering Chabot extra time in the offensive zone to get over the number.These teams met about a month ago. In that game, Chabot hit the over while attempting seven shots. I expect similar results this time around in the comforts of his own building.Filip Forsberg over 2.5 shots (-140)The Ottawa Senators are a surprisingly strong shot-suppression team. Their Achilles heel, if you will, is opposing left wingers. That is the one position they seem to struggle with on a nightly basis.Only the Chicago Blackhawks and Arizona Coyotes - two teams in the mix for Connor Bedard - have allowed more shots per game to left wingers this season. Enter Filip Forsberg.The dynamic offensive winger has attempted 63 shots over his past 10 games, slotting him 15th among all forwards during that span. Almost every guy ahead of him routinely has their shot prop line set at 3.5, if not 4.5. So you're getting top-end volume from Forsberg - in an advantageous matchup - at a reasonable price.For what it's worth, Forsberg hit in all three meetings against the Senators during the calendar year of 2022 and capped things off in December with a nine-attempt performance.Anze Kopitar over 2.5 shots (+125)Death, taxes, and backing Anze Kopitar against the Edmonton Oilers. The Los Angeles Kings' captain absolutely feasted on them last season, recording three shots or more in 10 of 12 meetings (playoffs included).That's not hard to believe considering the Oilers gave up a ton of shots to centers. Unsurprisingly, they remain very vulnerable in that regard. Only two teams have conceded more shots per game to centers this season.With Kopitar, I generally need two things working in his favor to back him: home ice and a good matchup.The Kings are at home in this game – Kopitar averages 1.1 more attempts per contest in Los Angeles - and, as mentioned, the Oilers bleed shots to centers.Kopitar took advantage of the Oilers time after time a year ago. With a very similar roster and the same coaching staff in place, I think it is fair to expect more of the same.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 are starting the week off with a fun little four-game slate. Let's take a look at a couple of home sides worth backing.Predators (+100) @ Senators (-120)The Nashville Predators enter play on a three-game winning streak. I don't see them extending it to four against the Ottawa Senators.Although the Predators have played a fairly difficult schedule of late, there are some concerning trends beneath the surface, especially on the defensive side of things.At five-on-five, only the Anaheim Ducks and Montreal Canadiens have conceded expected goals at a higher rate over the last 10 games.Ottawa is not an ideal matchup considering those struggles. Despite dealing with injuries to key players like Josh Norris and Tim Stutzle throughout the season, they have not had any issue creating dangerous chances at full-strength. The Senators rank sixth in expected goals per 60 minutes while playing five a side.They should be able to generate more than their share of opportunities against this exploitable Predators defense. And, if all else fails, this is a strong matchup for the Senators' lethal power play.The Predators are a below-average team when it comes to avoiding penalties. They also give up a lot of looks while undermanned. For the season, only the Ducks, Canadiens, and Arizona Coyotes have given up expected goals at a higher rate.Suffice to say, the Senators - who rank top five in expected goals and actual goals per 60 on the power play - are likely to cause real headaches for the Predators.While an Anton Forsberg start here would definitely be preferable, the Predators are a subpar shot-generating team and rank 26th in goals per game. Cam Talbot should be able to put forth a competent performance if DJ Smith goes with him.Bet: Senators (-115)Flyers (+200) @ Sabres (-240)The Buffalo Sabres are a handful to deal with these days. They are on a 8-2-0 run and have outscored opponents 41-27 in that time.I expect their success to continue Monday night against the Philadelphia Flyers.The Flyers are not a good defensive team at all. They have bled shots all season long and, over the last 10 games, rank 29th in expected goals against at five-on-five. They give up a lot of good looks.Sometimes they can get away with that thanks to Carter Hart. He started Sunday night against the Toronto Maple Leafs, though, so the expectation is they'll turn to Samuel Ersson.He has posted a respectable .905 save percentage through four NHL games. However, those came against the Ducks, San Jose Sharks, New York Islanders, and Los Angeles Kings. There is only one playoff team in that group and none of the offenses are overly scary.The Sabres, who lead in goals per game, are a completely different animal than any team Ersson has seen. Given the Flyers' defensive struggles, he's likely to be tested early and often.I don't think he's going to hold up against such a potent offense for 60 minutes. Even with Buffalo's mediocre goaltending, I don't see Philadelphia's offense being able to keep up, either.This Sabres blue line is underrated and fairly solid when healthy. With the likes of Mattias Samuelsson and, more recently, Owen Power returning over the past couple of weeks, the Sabres have the pieces needed to compliment Rasmus Dahlin and provide some stabilizing play behind their potent attack.Look for the Sabres to take care of business inside 60 minutes.Bet: Sabres in regulation (-145)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.

Following Rasmus Dahlin's five-point game against the Minnesota Wild on Saturday night, Buffalo Sabres head coach Don Granato predicted the defenseman won't be an All-Star snub for much longer."He was a force. I don't know (the site for All-Star voting). Whatever it is, there should be some clicks tonight because that was a special night by him," Granato told reporters after Buffalo's 6-5 victory. "To watch that unfold was impressive."The league's department of hockey operations selected Tage Thompson to represent the Sabres during next month's festivities, but there are still three remaining spots on each lineup. An online fan vote will determine those slots.Dahlin has put together an All-Star-calibre season. He currently ranks third among defensemen in scoring with 44 points (12 goals, 32 assists) in 36 games.The 22-year-old also tied a franchise record for most points by a blue-liner in a single game Saturday. Dahlin forced overtime with his second goal of the game and chipped in with three assists, including on Victor Olofsson's winner.Dahlin logged a team-high 29:25 of action against the Wild. He was about to leave the ice prior to factoring in on Olofsson's overtime dagger, but he stayed on after Minnesota defenseman Jonas Brodin went off to the races on a partial break."I have to play defense, I have to take responsibility," he said of his action-packed shift. "(Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen) made a great save (on Brodin), so thanks to him."Granato wasn't surprised to hear about Dahlin's relentless drive."That's where you see his compete. ... I'm sure there was a shot of adrenaline through him at that moment, of feeling, 'Hey, I might feel exhausted, but that's an excuse. I gotta get a job done here.'"And he's identifying better with how to get a job done positionally, technically, learning his position, learning the league. We've seen that as Sabres fans and us in our positions, we've seen the growth in him in just game knowledge and how to shut (teams) down, and it was all on display there."Dahlin's next chance to build on his spectacular campaign will come Monday against the Philadelphia Flyers.All-Star Game voting will be open until Jan. 17.Copyright © 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Washington Capitals will welcome a pair of familiar faces back to the lineup Sunday, with veterans Nicklas Backstrom and Tom Wilson making their season debuts against the Columbus Blue Jackets.In addition, defenseman John Carlson has been moved to long-term injured reserve to accommodate Backstrom's cap hit. Carlson is out indefinitely after taking a slap shot to the head on Dec. 23.Backstrom has been sidelined the entire 2022-23 season after undergoing hip resurfacing surgery in June. The 35-year-old has dealt with hip issues for a large portion of his career. He missed the opening 28 games of last season while recovering from an injury and had arthroscopic surgery in 2015.His resurfacing procedure was considered much more serious than previous operations.Backstrom has spent his entire 15-year career with the Capitals after he was drafted fourth overall in 2006. He's racked up 1,011 points in 1,058 games with the franchise but struggled last season with a career-low 0.53 points-per-game average.Wilson tore his ACL in Game 1 of Washington's opening-round series against the Florida Panthers last spring and was given a recovery timeline of six-to-eight months. The 28-year-old has also been a Capital for his entire career and set career highs in goals (24) and points (52) last season while throwing a whopping 240 hits.The Capitals have put together a strong season despite their key absences up front, currently holding the top wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference with 50 points.Copyright © 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Jon Cooper criticized his Tampa Bay Lightning for failing to stay out of the penalty box during a 4-2 loss to the Winnipeg Jets on Friday night."It's a complete lack of discipline," the Bolts head coach said following the defeat. "It was embarrassing what we did. How many five-on-threes you're up against in one season, you (can) count on maybe one hand, and we gave them two minute-and-a-half five-on-threes in one game. Unacceptable."That shouldn't happen," Cooper continued. "Good on Winnipeg. Honestly, it was really a nothing game going on. That game could've been 0-0 and a shootout. They stayed disciplined, said, '(Let's) sit back and wait for Tampa to screw it up,' and they did."

The Winnipeg Jets received quite a few reinforcements for Friday's game against the Tampa Bay Lightning.Forwards Blake Wheeler, Nikolaj Ehlers, and Cole Perfetti, plus defenseman Nate Schmidt, all returned to the Jets' lineup after stints on the sidelines.Wheeler suffered a ruptured testicle after getting struck by a Josh Morrissey shot Dec. 15 against the Nashville Predators but finished the game, according to The Athletic's Murat Ates. The former Jets captain downplayed the injury Thursday."There's a difference between being hurt and being injured. I didn't know I was injured until the next day," Wheeler said.Of course, it wasn't the first time Wheeler took a shot to the groin area. He did so back in 2021 and delivered a legendary quote afterward.

The NHL announced its initial 32 All-Stars on Thursday for this year's festivities in Florida, with 12 more players to come Jan. 19 after fan votes are tabulated.The four division-based teams are headlined by a crop of the usual suspects, but several prominent superstars didn't make the initial cut. There's a decent chance some, or all, of the players on this list of snubs ultimately get the nod, but as John Scott and Zemgus Girgensons can attest, fans don't always take voting seriously.The All-Star Game itself isn't taken all that seriously by players either; some veterans prefer to spend the time off with their families, while the "one representative from each NHL team" rule tends to dilute the talent pool and takes away from the luster of a true best-on-best format.Major changes to the All-Star Game format don't appear to be on the horizon, though, so without further ado, here are five players we were surprised to see missing from the initial rosters.Auston Matthews, Toronto Maple Leafs Mark Blinch / National Hockey League / GettyMatthews isn't quite having the MVP-caliber season we've grown accustomed to seeing over the past couple years, but he's still one of the game's most recognizable players and elite talents. The NHL should be focused on showcasing its best and most marketable stars in this event rather than appeasing fans of every team. Be honest: Would you rather watch someone like Brock Nelson in the skills competition and three-on-three tournament, or Matthews? The Maple Leafs have a handful of worthy All-Stars this season, but the back-to-back "Rocket" Richard winner is the face of the franchise and has more goals and points this season than Toronto's chosen candidate, Mitch Marner.Leon Draisaitl, Edmonton Oilers John Russell / National Hockey League / GettyThe "one representative from each team" format might be most unfair to Draisaitl. What other player could rank second in points and top 10 in goals and have legitimately no shot at being their team's All-Star representative?When creating the All-Star rosters, Connor McDavid's name has to be the first one written down. Draisaitl's exclusion from the initial lists is an indictment of the format, not the selection process. Any player with 22 goals and 60 points in 38 games should be an automatic participant in the game. Draisaitl has more assists than Pacific Division All-Stars Troy Terry, Nazem Kadri, and Matty Beniers have points, for goodness sake.David Pastrnak, Boston Bruins Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / GettyPastrnak was left off the debut Atlantic roster in favor of Bruins netminder Linus Ullmark, who is having a fantastic season. That said, no one tunes into All-Star Weekend for the goalies. Fans want to see as many goals and fun offensive plays as possible, and goaltenders' involvement in the skills competition generally feels forced. It's not exactly fair to send out a cold backstop to attempt to stop the world's best players while they try out their best breakaway moves.Pastrnak is fifth in the league in goals and seventh in points while leading Boston in both categories by huge margins. He's a legitimate Hart Trophy candidate that might not be involved in the league's premier showcase of talent. It doesn't make sense. Beyond his top-tier production, Pastrnak is one of few NHL superstars with the charisma (just look at that picture above) to match his skills, and he should have been guaranteed the chance to show off both at All-Star Weekend.Mikko Rantanen, Colorado Avalanche Eurasia Sport Images / Getty Images Sport / GettyWhat does Rantanen have to do to get some All-Star recognition? The 26-year-old has just one All-Star Game appearance, coming back in 2019. Not only is he tied for sixth in goals with 26 tallies, he's the only player on the Avalanche with double-digit goals through 37 games.Rantanen was an All-Star snub last year due mainly to Colorado's unbelievable array of talent. Sure, it's hard to get too upset when Cale Makar is representing the Avalanche instead. But few players have been as important to their team in 2022-23 as Rantanen, and his production has kept Colorado in the hunt through significant injury woes. It's been good enough to put him in the Hart discussion.If his overall numbers weren't enough, then surely his superb play over the past month should've been. Rantanen has 11 goals in his last 13 games, averaging an astonishing 25:00 in ice time over that stretch. That deserves an All-Star nod, even if it has to come at Makar's expense.Ilya Sorokin, New York Islanders Ben Jackson / National Hockey League / GettySorokin has unquestionably been the Islanders' best player this season. His 26 goals saved above expected lead the NHL by a notable margin, which he has done in a league-leading 30 appearances.Islanders representative Brock Nelson has had another quality season with 15 goals and 38 points, and it's great to see him spotlighted, but he's nowhere near major award discussions. Sorokin is squarely in the Vezina conversation and should get Hart votes if New York snags a playoff spot.Sorokin has been better than Igor Shesterkin - the All-Star goaltender for the Metropolitan Division - in nearly every statistical category except for wins. The Rangers also have multiple excellent All-Star candidates at forward and defense. Bringing Nelson and Shesterkin instead of Sorokin and, say, Adam Fox is a curious choice.Copyright © 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Montreal Canadiens announced a pair of absences due to lower-body injuries Friday.Defenseman Kaiden Guhle will miss at least eight weeks, while veteran forward Brendan Gallagher is out two weeks.Guhle has been a bright spot for the struggling Canadiens. The 20-year-old has tallied 14 points in 36 games to lead Montreal defensemen in scoring. His 20:46 average time on ice ranks third among rookie blue-liners.Guhle has already missed three games, last playing against the Florida Panthers on Dec. 29. He appeared to be injured after an awkward collision with Aleksander Barkov.

The Seattle Kraken assigned forward Shane Wright to the OHL's Kingston Frontenacs on Friday.Wright is fresh off captaining Canada to a gold medal at the world juniors in Halifax. He notched four goals and three assists - including a tally in the championship game - at the tournament."We're very proud of Shane's performance at the World Juniors, helping captain Team Canada to a gold medal," Kraken general manager Ron Francis said. "He has a bright NHL career ahead of him with the Kraken and now has an opportunity to lead his junior team as they compete for a Memorial Cup. We look forward to watching him the rest of this season and wish him well."Kingston is likely to trade Wright to an OHL contender, according to TSN's Chris Johnston. The Frontenacs are currently fifth in the Eastern Conference with 36 points.Wright put up 94 points in 63 games as Frontenacs captain last season, leading to Seattle drafting him fourth overall in 2022. The 19-year-old pivot has bounced around a fair amount in his rookie year. He started the season with the Kraken but played insignificant minutes and was often a healthy scratch. Wright was then assigned to the AHL on a conditioning stint in December and returned to the Kraken for one game before joining Canada's junior camp.At the NHL level, Wright's managed one goal and one assist while averaging 8:29 per contest. Since he only played eight games, the first year of Wright's entry-level contract is eligible to slide into next season.Copyright © 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Thursday was another good night on the ice as, between best bets and player props, we swept the board at 5-0.We'll aim to keep the ball rolling puck moving with a pair of sides for the weekend ahead.Predators (+135) @ Capitals (-155)

Thursday was another great night for our player props. Alex Pietrangelo, Noah Dobson, and David Pastrnak all came through for us as we swept the board outright.Let's dive into three plays that stand out on Friday night as we look to stay hot.Alex Ovechkin over 4.5 shots (-110)Ovechkin is firing on all cylinders right now, particularly on home ice. The superstar winger has amassed 83 shot attempts and 51 shots on target over his last 10 games in Washington.Unsurprisingly, such a high volume of attempts is leading to consistency in the prop market. Ovechkin has gone over his total in six of the last eight home games.Now Ovechkin finds himself with a plus matchup against the Nashville Predators. They have given up a lot of shots to left wingers this season and can be exploited by volume shooters at that position. We saw that first-hand last night when Andrei Svechnikov (8), Max Pacioretty (6), and Teuvo Tervainen (4) all piled up the shots while soaring past their goals.I don't expect the Predators to allow anywhere close to the same volume as last night (67), but they have been struggling with suppression for a while. Only the Anaheim Ducks have conceded five-on-five shots at a higher rate over the last 10 games. The Predators are also a highly mediocre penalty killing team when it comes to preventing shots; Ovechkin should get plenty of looks there.Seth Jones over 2.5 shots (-105)Seth Jones is on somewhat of a shooting heater. He has registered three shots or more in seven of his last 10 games and six of seven on home ice. He is not putting up otherworldly numbers but is consistently doing enough to have success. Jones has attempted at least five shots in nine of his last 10 in Chicago. He's giving himself a legitimate chance of hitting every single night.I don't see that changing against the Arizona Coyotes. While they have done a better job of preventing shots of late, they give up an awful lot to opposing defensemen. In fact, only the Ducks and Columbus Blue Jackets have allowed more shots per game to the position this season.Jones plays a ton of minutes, the matchup is enticing, and Arizona finds itself in the latter half of a road back-to-back. This is a good spot for Jones to produce.Timo Meier over 4.5 shots (-110)Meier appears to be turning a bit of a corner. He has recorded four shots or more in eight of the last nine games and attempted at least seven shots in seven of those contests.The attempt volume is where it needs to be to hit a line like this with any consistency, as is his usage. Meier is routinely logging more than 20 minutes per night.That's a big part of what makes him such an attractive play against the Ducks. They bleed shots and are arguably the worst defensive team in the NHL. If a shooter like Meier is going to see that kind of ice time in a good spot, he's going to come through more often than not.Although Meier is better in San Jose, he has averaged 7.3 attempts per game on the road this season. He is generating more than enough to back him away from home ice.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.

Now that the calendar has flipped to 2023, the Hart Trophy race is really heating up.The leading MVP candidate is playing like a man possessed, even by his lofty standards. But the intrigue arises when considering who the other finalists should be. Some impact players, like Tage Thompson and Sidney Crosby, might've cracked the list if not for those with stronger cases - or in the example of the former, if his team were more firmly in the playoff hunt.Here are our top five Hart contenders as we near the second half of this NHL campaign:5. Jason Robertson Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / GettyGPGAATOIxGF%40262918:3660.18Robertson remains an MVP contender, but the Dallas Stars youngster has fallen back down to Earth a bit since we last evaluated the race. The 23-year-old posted over a point per game in that span, but he's scored only three goals in his last 12 games.The California-born winger still boasts elite underlying numbers, as only one other player on this list has a better expected goals for percentage at five-on-five in 2022-23. Robertson ranks among the league leaders in both that category and scoring chances for percentage this season.He's still outpacing his teammates by a large margin, too. He's collected seven more goals and 11 more points than Roope Hintz, who ranks second on the team in both categories. Robertson has scored 73% of his goals at even strength, and he sits among the NHL's top producers in both that category and even-strength points.However, since reeling off an 18-game point streak from late October to early December, he's primarily been a distributor, registering just three tallies and 11 helpers over his last 15 contests. He's one of the main reasons the Stars sit atop the Central Division, but he'll need to raise his game to get back into the mix for serious Hart consideration.4. David Pastrnak Gregory Shamus / Getty Images Sport / GettyGPGAATOIxGF%38272519:5556.9Pastrnak was higher on this list in previous editions, but this slight downgrade isn't by much fault of his own. The Boston Bruins superstar is still producing at an elite clip, with nine goals and seven assists in the 13 games since our last edition of these rankings.The Czech winger has notched 11 more goals and 19 more points than his closest teammate. Linus Ullmark's utter excellence in goal and the fact that they play for the league's best team hurt Pastrnak's case to a degree, but there's no denying the skilled forward belongs in the conversation.Strong analytic figures further cement him as a fringe Hart candidate. The Bruins have significantly outplayed the opposition when he's been on the ice at five-on-five this season, boasting stellar xGF and SCF percentages in those situations.If the pending unrestricted free agent sustains his average ice time, he'd set a career high, and only Boston's two best defensemen are getting more burn than Pastrnak among Bruins skaters in 2022-23.3. Jack Hughes Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / GettyGPGAATOIxGF%39242219:5864:01Hughes makes his first appearance of the season on this list, and it's certainly warranted. Others have more goals and points than the New Jersey Devils center, but the Hart Trophy is supposed to reward value first and foremost. Hughes possesses some truly absurd underlying numbers this season and has been the brightest star for a team that's exceeding expectations.For starters, Hughes leads the NHL in both wins above replacement and goals above replacement. That's impressive on its own, but he also ranks fourth in the league in xGF% and fifth in SCF% at five-on-five among those who've played at least 350 minutes in those situations.Hughes has outproduced all other Devils skaters with six more goals and seven more points than his closest teammate. He's also been on fire lately, scoring 17 of his goals in his last 19 games. Plus, he's doing all this at 21 years old. New Jersey had high hopes for Hughes after drafting him first overall in 2019, and the Florida-born pivot is now proving to be one of the NHL's most valuable players in his fourth season.2. Mikko Rantanen Michael Martin / National Hockey League / GettyGPGAATOIxGF%37262223:0851.26The Colorado Avalanche have been riddled with injuries this season and might've been outside the playoff picture without Rantanen, who's kept the defending champions afloat and then some. The Finn was huge in Nathan MacKinnon's absence, racking up nine goals and four assists in the 11 games the Avalanche played without their most dynamic forward.Rantanen has been on an absolute tear recently, collecting 11 goals and five assists in the 13 contests since our last edition. He also leads all NHL forwards (yes, even the Hart favorite) in average ice time this season. Colorado has leaned heavily on Rantanen, and that's unlikely to change with the club still missing captain Gabriel Landeskog, Valeri Nichushkin, Josh Manson, Bo Byram, and Pavel Francouz, among others.The Avalanche have an effective power play as usual, but Rantanen's doing the vast majority of his damage at even strength. The 26-year-old tops the NHL with 21 goals in those situations, meaning he's buried a whopping 85% of his tallies under more difficult circumstances.No other Colorado player has even hit double figures in goals this season, and Rantanen has at least a 12-point edge over every one of his teammates. That's partly due to the injuries, of course, but it still illustrates how critical he's been to keeping the Avalanche competitive. The club has lost five straight games, but don't blame Rantanen, who's registered three goals and three assists during the skid.1. Connor McDavid Lawrence Scott / Getty Images Sport / GettyGPGAATOIxGF%40334222:4655.78We frequently say the MVP race isn't primarily about points, but when someone's lighting up the league the way McDavid is, anything but the top spot would just be wrong.McDavid must've seen Robertson's 18-game point streak and said, "Hold my beverage." The Edmonton Oilers captain put together a 17-game run from late November to late December in which he amassed 16 goals and 21 assists for more than two points per contest. He leads the league in goals and assists, and he has a simply bonkers 15-point cushion in the Art Ross Trophy race.Another development in McDavid's favor is his improved underlying numbers. The otherworldly superstar's analytic figures were favorable but not spectacular in our last edition on Dec. 9. But he's raised both his five-on-five xGF% and SCF% since then, which means his club is controlling an even larger share of the expected goals and scoring chances than it was before.The Oilers occupy fifth place in Pacific Division by points percentage, but they're in the postseason hunt as they have been for most of the campaign. McDavid typically deserves serious consideration if Edmonton is anywhere near the playoff picture, and that's no different this time around - especially considering how much more valuable he's been than any other NHLer in 2022-23.(Analytics sources: Natural Stat Trick, Evolving Hockey)Copyright © 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

New Jersey Devils head coach Lindy Ruff didn't mince words while discussing the performance of his top defenseman Dougie Hamilton after Thursday night's 5-3 loss to the St. Louis Blues."I didn't like his game. It's not good enough for our team to win. You can't get scored against," Ruff said postgame. "I keep telling the team, if you want to play more, you can't get scored against. If you're a young player and want to play, don't get scored against."So, obviously I thought he could have been better."Hamilton picked up an assist but posted a minus-three rating and took a pair of minor penalties while logging a team-high 24:51 in the contest. The 6-foot-6 blue-liner, who's recorded 34 points in 39 games and a plus-14 rating on the campaign, signed a seven-year, $63-million contract with the Devils as a free agent in the 2021 offseason.But New Jersey's highest-paid player wasn't the only target of Ruff's criticism. With Ondrej Palat returning to the lineup, the bench boss explained the decision to make rookie forward Fabian Zetterlund a healthy scratch."Look at the numbers. It's got to be better than that," Ruff said. "If you're not producing, then you better be hitting. If you're not doing either one, then you've got to bring something to the table."Look at what (Alexander Holtz) brought the night before, he deserved to stay in. (Zetterlund) needs to bring more. You've either got to produce, or you've got to be a guy that the other team hates playing against."Zetterlund was getting some early Calder Trophy consideration after popping off for 13 points in his first 20 games this season. However, he's tallied just a lone assist in the 13 contests since, collecting 10 hits in that span.The Devils have come crashing down to earth after a torrid start, going 3-8-2 in their last 13 games.Copyright © 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Philadelphia Flyers head coach John Tortorella bluntly voiced his displeasure with the NHL All-Star Weekend when asked about forward Travis Konecny's omission from the rosters unveiled Thursday."The whole weekend, I don't even watch it. … I don't give a shit," he told The Philadelphia Inquirer's Giana Han following the Flyers' 6-2 win against the Arizona Coyotes on Thursday night.Konecny is in the midst of a career year with 20 goals and 20 assists in 33 games this season. However, Kevin Hayes will be the Flyers' representative at the festivities.Hayes, who racked up 10 goals and 25 assists in 38 contests, said the All-Star nod is an achievement his late brother Jimmy always wanted for him."It could have been a few guys in the room. It’s nice to get the selection," he said. "My brother wanted it for me, but I never thought it would happen. My family’s excited."Copyright © 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Juuse Saros was a busy, busy man on Thursday night.The Nashville Predators goalie made a stunning 64 saves during his side's 5-3 victory over the Carolina Hurricanes, good for a new franchise record and a tie for third in stops made during a single game in NHL history.Here's how his performance stands in the Predators' record books:RankPlayerSavesYear1Juuse Saros6420232Dan Ellis54 (OT)20083Mike Dunham5219984Tomas Vokoun5019985Juuse Saros492021And here's how Saros' gargantuan effort stacks up in league history:RankPlayerTeamSavesYear1Ron TugnuttQuebec Nordiques70 (OT)19912Mario LessardLos Angeles Kings651981T-3Joe DaleyBuffalo Sabres641970T-3Juuse SarosNashville Predators6420235Gump WorsleyMinnesota North Stars631971*Only includes goalies who debuted in 1955-56 or laterIf you exclude overtime, Saros is now tied for the second-most saves made by a goaltender in regulation, behind only Lessard.Saros stopped all 28 shots he faced in the third period alone.The Hurricanes joined the history books in their own right during the loss: Their 67 shots on goal in the contest tied for the fourth most in a single game in NHL history:RankTeamShotsYear1Boston Bruins7319912Boston Bruins7219703Minnesota North Stars681981T-4Boston Bruins671971T-4Carolina Hurricanes672023*Tracked since 1959-60Heading into Thursday's contest, Saros, 27, owned a .915 save percentage and 2.76 goals against average in 28 appearances on the campaign.The Finnish product was named a finalist for the Vezina Trophy last season.Copyright © 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The NHL announced the initial rosters for the 2023 All-Star Game on Thursday.The league's department of hockey operations chose one player from each team to send to the event in Florida next month, totaling eight players on each division's roster.The three remaining players (featuring two skaters and one goalie) on every lineup will be decided by an online fan vote that will open Thursday at 9 p.m. ET and run through Jan. 17.For now, let's take a look at the first 32 players to make the cut.Atlantic DivisionPositionPlayerTeamFNikita KucherovTBLFDylan LarkinDETFMitch MarnerTORFNick SuzukiMTLFTage ThompsonBUFFBrady TkachukOTTFMatthew TkachukFLAGLinus UllmarkBOSMetropolitan DivisionPositionPlayerTeamFSidney CrosbyPITFJohnny GaudreauCBJFKevin HayesPHIFJack HughesNJDFBrock NelsonNYIFAlex OvechkinWSHFAndrei SvechnikovCARGIgor ShesterkinNYRCentral DivisionPositionPlayerTeamFKirill KaprizovMINFClayton KellerARIFJason RobertsonDALFVladimir TarasenkoSTLDSeth JonesCHIDCale MakarCOLDJosh MorrisseyWPGGJuuse SarosNSHPacific DivisionPositionPlayerTeamFMatty BeniersSEAFKevin FialaLAKFNazem KadriCGYFConnor McDavidEDMFElias PetterssonVANFTroy TerryANADErik KarlssonSJSGLogan ThompsonVGKEach roster will include nine skaters and two goalies.The fan-driven selection process for the last 12 players will also include a Twitter vote, which will begin Jan. 12 and end on Jan. 14.For votes on Twitter to count, tweets must include the hashtag "#NHLAllStarVote" followed by the player's full name or Twitter handle. Tweets referring to players by their last names only won't be valid.The final additions to each roster will be announced Jan. 19.Sunrise, Florida, will host the festivities beginning with the skills competition on Feb. 3 and wrapping up with the All-Star Game on Feb. 4.Copyright © 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Max Pacioretty made his Carolina Hurricanes debut Thursday against the Nashville Predators.The 34-year-old forward sustained a torn Achilles in August, an injury that has kept him out of all 38 games this season. He was limited to 39 games in 2021-22 due to a broken foot and broken wrist but managed to tally 19 goals and 37 points when he was in the Vegas Golden Knights' lineup.Vegas traded Pacioretty and his $7-million cap hit to the Hurricanes in July, along with defenseman Dylan Coghlan, for future considerations.Carolina leads the Metropolitan Division with a 25-7-6 record. Its 11-game win streak was snapped Tuesday by the New York Rangers.Copyright © 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

We have an action-packed 10-game slate ahead of us Thursday night, meaning there are an abundance of player props to dissect.Let's take a closer look at three that stand out from the pack.David Pastrnak over 4.5 shots (+100)David Pastrnak is generally someone I prefer to target on home ice. However, this spot is worth an exception.Although the Los Angeles Kings are a solid shot-suppression team, they do have an Achilles heel. Penalty killing.The Kings rank 30th in goals against per minute while killing penalties this season, and, well, they take a lot of them.They've spent an average of 6:59 per game shorthanded over the last 10 contests, which is more than all but the Anaheim Ducks (7:05).That should be music to the ears of Pastrnak. He is a strong shot generator at five-on-five, no doubt, but his bread and butter is the power play. No player has generated more shots on target on the man advantage this season than Pastrnak.Getting him shots is priority No. 1, No. 2, and No. 3 for the Boston Bruins while on the man advantage. With the Kings struggling to stay out of the box, Pastrnak should be able to put plenty of rubber towards the net in this contest.Noah Dobson over 2.5 shots (-132)The Edmonton Oilers are a pretty solid shot-suppression team. They are prone to giving up a lot to opposing defenders, though. Only four sides have allowed more shots to defensemen this season.Noah Dobson, like most gifted offensive players, tends to generate shots at a higher rate at home. That being said, he has averaged more than six attempts per game over his last 10 on the road. That is very strong volume.It's also worth noting Dobson faced the Oilers three times during the calendar year of 2022. He cleared three shots in each meeting while averaging more than six attempts per game.Look for his success to continue against Edmonton.Alex Pietrangelo over 2.5 shots (-120) Alex Pietrangelo has been shooting the lights out since returning to the lineup, attempting an impressive 53 shots over eight games. That is more than all but Cale Makar, Roman Josi, and Dougie Hamilton on defense.It's important to note that Pietrangelo has logged more ice than every defenseman in the league during this stretch. With so many key players out - especially on the back end - he is getting all the opportunity in the world. Naturally, that is leading to plenty of shots.Shea Theodore, Alec Martinez, and Zach Whitecloud should all be out of the lineup against Pittsburgh, so Pietrangelo is not in any danger of a role change.He should see all the ice he can handle against a Penguins team that offers a surprisingly good matchup. They have been giving up a lot of shots of late, especially to defensemen. In fact, only the Ducks have conceded more shots per game to the position over the last 10.Expect Pietrangelo to be plenty involved in the offense.Todd Cordell is a sports betting writer at theScore. Be sure to follow him on Twitter @ToddCordell.Copyright © 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Wednesday was a great one for our best bets as we swept the board. Despite a surprise start from Brian Elliott, our under of 6.5 goals in Minnesota came through. We also hit both player props.We'll look to keep the ball moving in the right direction with a pair of sides for Thursday's slate.Capitals (-200) @ Blue Jackets (+170)The Washington Capitals are on a roll. They have won seven of the last 10 games and collected at least a point in nine of them.Their underlying process in that time has been strong, as they slot seventh with an expected goal share above 55% at five-on-five. They are always dangerous on the power play - and the goaltending is potent - so the Capitals are evidently an extremely difficult team to deal with when getting the job done at full-strength.We have every reason to believe they can deliver Thursday night in Columbus. For one, T.J. Oshie is expected to return and skate alongside Marcus Johansson and Lars Eller on the third line. His presence makes that unit a lot more formidable, giving the Capitals three lines with legitimate scoring threats. He'll give a strong power play an extra little boost.The Blue Jackets are not a good five-on-five team, especially defensively. Only the Anaheim Ducks have given up Grade A chances at a higher clip than the Blue Jackets.That's not ideal for a team scheduled to start Elvis Merzlikins. Among all goaltenders with at least 10 appearances this season, Merzlikins ranks last in Goals Saved Above Expected (minus-18) and GSAE per start (minus-1.531).Joonas Korpisalo is a plus in both categories while dealing with the exact same playing circumstances. Thus, it is fair to say Merzlikins is making a bad Blue Jackets team even worse.Given the level of play we have seen from the Jackets this season, all the injuries they're dealing with, and the fact a strong Capitals team is starting to get healthy, I expect the latter to take care of business with relative ease inside 60 minutes.Bet: Capitals in regulation (-130)Penguins (+105) @ Golden Knights (-120)Things are not looking good for the Pittsburgh Penguins right now. They have struggled defensively for a few weeks and it has really started to catch up to them. The Pens have dropped five consecutive games, giving up at least four goals in four of them.With Jeff Petry (injury) and Kris Letang (personal) sidelined, their blue line is having a very difficult time holding up. Given as much, the Penguins are more reliant on goaltending than they generally have been in the past. That's why the recent injury to Tristan Jarry is even more troublesome.Now the Penguins have to try and right the ship against a very good Vegas Golden Knights team.Despite dealing with a ton of injuries all season long, the Golden Knights lead the Pacific Division and enter play in strong form.They own a 6-3-1 record over the last 10 games and have controlled better than 59% of the high-danger chances at five-on-five. That slots them third in the NHL.The Penguins have posted a 45% high-danger chance share over the same period and rank near the bottom of the NHL. Their poor share stems mostly from struggles preventing Grade A chances.The imminent return of Jack Eichel won't make life any easier for Pittsburgh. He leads the Golden Knights in points per game and average Game Score. He is by far the team's most threatening weapon.Eichel's return will provide some much needed firepower to the lineup and give Vegas more depth at the center position, which will come in handy going up against the likes of Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin.I think the Golden Knights are underpriced in this spot at home against a vulnerable Penguins side.Bet: Golden Knights (-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.

The Boston Bruins won the Winter Classic, but they suffered a significant blow in the process.Jake DeBrusk sustained hand and lower-body injuries in the team's 2-1 win at Fenway Park. He's expected to miss approximately four weeks.The Bruins placed DeBrusk on long-term injured reserve, meaning he is required to miss at least 10 games and 24 days of the NHL season.The winger was the star of Boston's outdoor victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins, scoring two third-period goals on Monday. However, he appeared to be laboring after Matt Grzelcyk's slap shot hit him just before he scored his first goal of the game.Montgomery explained he didn't realize DeBrusk was hurt during the contest."I saw him wince when he took the shot (in the leg), but then he scored right after. … I used him in the last minute of play," the Boston bench boss said. "I was trying to get him his hat trick for the empty net. I did not have any issue or think that there was anything wrong, possibly, with him."Montgomery also clarified that postgame comments he made referring to DeBrusk's toughness were about the forward's overall play and not the injury.DeBrusk was on track for a career season with 16 goals and 14 assists over 36 games. Five of those tallies came in the last six contests. He'd missed only one game before the injury in 2022-23 and was on pace for 35 goals and 31 assists had he been able to play 80 games.The 26-year-old was thriving on the Bruins' top line alongside Brad Marchand and Patrice Bergeron.DeBrusk collected 25 markers and 17 helpers across 77 tilts in 2021-22. He's in his sixth campaign with Boston. The Bruins nearly traded him in November 2021 and then again in March, but he rescinded his request to be dealt in July.Boston also recalled veteran forward Chris Wagner. The 31-year-old has nine goals and 11 points in 27 contests with Providence in the AHL. Wagner has played 359 games in the NHL - 185 with Boston - but has yet to appear for the Bruins in 2022-23.Copyright © 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Welcome to the fourth edition of theScore's 2022-23 Norris Trophy Rankings and the third in-season version. New rankings are published once a month throughout the campaign.These rankings focus on analytics and the all-around ability of defensemen rather than just points or reputation.

The NHL is incorporating Twitter activity into All-Star voting this season.Fans will choose a dozen of the 44 players that will suit up for the festivities in Sunrise, Florida, next month, and the league will factor tweets into the equation, NHL chief marketing officer Heidi Browning told ESPN's Emily Kaplan.The league's hockey operations department has already chosen 32 All-Stars, who'll be revealed Thursday night. The NHL is opening the voting Wednesday for the remaining players - two skaters and a goaltender from each of the four divisions - for both the All-Star Game and the skills competition.Twitter voting will be combined with the standard online selection procedure and incorporate tweets mentioning a player's name or handle while using the official All-Star hashtag, as well as retweets, replies, and quote tweets.The 12 remaining players are likely to be unveiled Jan. 19, just over two weeks before the skills event on Feb. 3.Last season, fans selected the four divisional team captains and the four "Last Men In."Former enforcer John Scott got an All-Star nod and ultimately claimed MVP honors in 2016 after the "Marek vs. Wyshynski" podcast supported his candidacy with a tongue-in-cheek online campaign. The NHL changed the process following that saga to limit the fans' influence over voting.The retired forward couldn't help but make reference to that incident Wednesday:

Detroit Red Wings forward Jakub Vrana cleared waivers Tuesday, according to Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman.Vrana has only played two NHL games this season and was reinstated from the NHL/NHLPA player assistance program on Dec. 16. He was subsequently assigned to the AHL's Grand Rapids Griffins for a conditioning stint, which Red Wings head coach Derek Lalonde said Monday would be extended for its full two weeks.The Red Wings needed to clear a roster spot to accommodate Robby Fabbri's return to action Wednesday. Fabbri hasn't played this season due to recent ACL surgery.Vrana carries a $5.25-million cap hit for this season and next before hitting unrestricted free agency. Detroit acquired him from the Washington Capitals in a blockbuster deal at the 2021 trade deadline, but he's only appeared in 39 games since because of injuries and his time in the assistance program.The 26-year-old has been productive for Detroit when healthy, though, recording 22 goals and 10 assists.Vrana was the 13th overall pick in 2014. He's collected 189 points in 323 career games and helped Washington win the Stanley Cup in 2018.Copyright © 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Tuesday night was a solid one on the ice. While we split our best bets, two of our three shot props came through - with William Nylander falling one shy of a sweep - to earn us a winning night.Let's keep the ball rolling with three plays for Wednesday's modest NHL slate.Lightning (-105) @ Wild (-115)Though this game features plenty of high-end offensive players, it's the under that stands out.The goaltending matchup between Andrei Vasilevskiy and Filip Gustavsson is a very good one. Vasilevskiy owns a .921 save percentage through 26 appearances and enters this contest scorching hot. He's conceded two goals or fewer in 10 of his last 12 starts and posted save percentages above league average in the two exceptions.Vasilevskiy isn't giving opponents any freebies and is keeping the Lightning in every game. With Tampa Bay on the latter half of a road back-to-back, the team will no doubt try to slow things down and let Vasilevskiy take care of the rest.Gustavsson, meanwhile, has played surprisingly well this year, recording a .920 save percentage through 14 appearances in his debut season with the Wild. He's stopped 0.424 goals above expected per start - good for 14th among 62 NHL goaltenders who have played in at least 10 games.The goaltending should be sound in this game. But, quite frankly, neither netminder should be tested to the extreme.Minnesota ranks third in high-danger chance suppression over the last 10 games. Only the Maple Leafs and Golden Knights have been better at five-on-five during that stretch.Tampa Bay has been stout in its own right, sitting top 10 in high-danger chances against per 60 minutes over the same period.With both teams limiting Grade A looks and a strong matchup between the pipes, don't expect a ton of scoring in this game.Bet: Under 6.5 (-125)Miro Heiskanen over 2.5 shots (-140)The Ducks are quickly entering Blue Jackets territory when it comes to surrendering shots to opposing defensemen. Anaheim is now giving up more than 11 shots per game to opposing blue-liners, joining Columbus (11.03) as the only other team above that mark.The Ducks haven't caught up to the Blue Jackets because the latter have stiffened up; Anaheim's struggles have just reached new heights. The Ducks have conceded 12.1 shots per game to defensemen over their last 10 contests, putting them nearly 1.5 shots clear of the next-closest team in that time.Suffice it to say, Miro Heiskanen finds himself in a mouth-watering spot Wednesday when the Stars visit the Ducks - and he's more than capable of taking advantage.A dark horse for the Norris Trophy, Heiskanen has recorded 56 shot attempts over his last 10 games. Only seven defensemen - including Cale Makar, Roman Josi, and other elite offensive rearguards - have bested him in that time.Look for Heiskanen to keep shooting against a putrid Ducks team.Joel Eriksson Ek over 2.5 shots (-110)Joel Eriksson Ek - like many we target for shots - is more efficient at generating them on home ice.The underrated two-way pivot has averaged 5.3 shot attempts per game over his last 10 in Minnesota compared to 4.4 attempts per road game this season.Furthering Eriksson Ek's appeal in this spot is the stylistic matchup. He doesn't seem to pile up many shots against porous defenses that allow the Wild's top players to embrace a run-and-gun style. He's at his best in slow, methodical, grind-it-out games - which is what we should see in Wednesday's tilt against the Lightning.Examining Eriksson Ek's recent shot-volume history, he's gotten the job done against the Flames, Stars, and Predators while falling short against less structured teams like the Blackhawks and Red Wings.Eriksson Ek has also fared well against the Lightning over the years, generating four shots or more in four of his last six contests versus Tampa Bay.Todd Cordell is a sports betting writer at theScore. Be sure to follow him on Twitter @ToddCordell.Copyright © 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The New York Rangers have signed forward Jimmy Vesey to a two-year contract extension, the team announced Wednesday.The extension carries an $800,000 cap hit, according to Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman. Vesey was set to become an unrestricted free agent following the 2022-23 campaign.Vesey has tallied six goals and 12 points in 38 contests with the Rangers this season. The 29-year-old attended New York's training camp on a professional tryout before signing a one-year, league-minimum contract on Oct. 9.A star at Harvard University, Vesey captured the 2016 Hobey Baker Award as the top collegiate player. He became a coveted free agent when he elected not to sign with the Nashville Predators, who drafted him in the third round in 2012.Vesey signed with the Rangers in 2016 to begin his NHL career, tallying 50 goals and 90 points over 240 games in his first stint with the team.He struggled to find a consistent home after New York traded him in 2019; he spent time with the Buffalo Sabres, Toronto Maple Leafs, Vancouver Canucks, and New Jersey Devils over the past three seasons.Vesey has 78 goals and 147 points in 460 career NHL games.Copyright © 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Welcome to the third in-season edition of theScore's 2022-23 Vezina Trophy Rankings. Only one goalie remains in the same spot as December's list, while a veteran debutant and a brand new No. 1 candidate shake things up.Each of our candidates have been scorching hot over the past few weeks and are separated by the slimmest of margins. Here's how things stand as we wade into 2023.GSAA = Goals saved above average

Leon Draisaitl returned to the lineup in the Edmonton Oilers' 5-2 loss to the Seattle Kraken on Tuesday night after missing two contests with an undisclosed injury.He put up one assist in 23:37 of ice time in the defeat.Draisaitl said Monday that his ailment healed sooner than expected."I think it recovered pretty well and pretty quick, maybe a little quicker than I thought it would, but I'm happy (with) the way it's feeling."Draisaitl only missed two games since 2018-19 before his latest absence. The Oilers went 1-1 without the 27-year-old; their win came against Seattle last Friday.Draisaitl is in the midst of another outstanding season, ranking second behind Connor McDavid in league scoring with 58 points through 37 games.Copyright © 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The New York Rangers raised some eyebrows when the team made Alexis Lafreniere a healthy scratch during Thursday's shootout loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning, but it doesn't appear that the winger will be on the move anytime soon."My understanding is, yeah, certainly, predictably, there were teams that checked in with the Rangers last week after his healthy scratch that made news around the league," TSN's Pierre LeBrun reported on Tuesday's edition of "Insider Trading." "But the reality is that the Rangers have told those teams, 'Hey, we still believe in this young man.'"The Rangers - my understanding is - have told the same to Lafreniere himself, that they hope this is a good reset, and they very much believe in his long-term potential here. So for now, he's certainly a Ranger."New York selected Lafreniere with the first overall pick in 2020 after he led the QMJHL with 77 assists and 112 points in 52 games as a member of the Rimouski Oceanic.However, his NHL tenure hasn't lived up to the lofty expectations many had for the 21-year-old. He currently has 17 points in 37 games so far this season - his third in the big leagues - and has yet to crack the 40-point mark in his career.Before his surprising scratch, Lafreniere was demoted to the fourth line during the Rangers' 4-0 loss to the Washington Capitals last Tuesday.He returned to the lineup on Jan. 1 against the Florida Panthers and logged a season-low 11:48 of ice time while failing to register a point in the 5-3 victory.Lafreniere owns 36 goals and 33 assists in 172 career NHL games.Copyright © 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The San Jose Sharks have made Ryan Merkley available after the defenseman requested a trade, sources told Daily Faceoff's Frank Seravalli.Merkley skated in 39 games with the Sharks last season, registering a goal and five assists. However, he's spent the entire 2022-23 campaign with the AHL's San Jose Barracuda, recording 14 helpers in 30 contests.It was assumed Merkley would take on a greater role this season after the departure of fellow right-handed defenseman Brent Burns. Yet even though Erik Karlsson and Matt Benning are the only right-shooting blue-liners on the roster, Merkley hasn't been given a shot.The Sharks selected Merkley 21st overall at the 2018 NHL Draft. He enjoyed a prolific junior career with the Guelph Storm, Peterborough Petes, and London Knights.However, current Sharks general manager Mike Grier, who was hired in July, didn't draft Merkley and has no ties to the 22-year-old.Copyright © 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

With a whopping 11 games scheduled for Tuesday night, there's an abundance of player props to comb through.Let's take a closer look at three that stand out.William Nylander over 3.5 shots (+100)Nylander has hit a new gear when it comes to shot generation. The ultra-talented winger registered at least four shots in 10 of his last 13 games, including six in a row on home ice.League-wide, only nine players attempted more shots than Nylander during that stretch. He's been generating shots at the same rate as the likes of Auston Matthews, Tage Thompson, Nikita Kucherov, Kirill Kaprizov, and many of the league's best scoring threats. With volume like that, it's no wonder he's been hitting consistently.What I especially like about Nylander today is that he's playing in Toronto and has a good matchup. He averages 6.9 attempts per game on home ice this season, compared to 5.9 away from Toronto.The St. Louis Blues are also a highly pedestrian defensive team, and they're now without the likes of Ryan O'Reilly, Torey Krug, and Vladimir Tarasenko. They should spend a lot of time absorbing pressure and, thus, shots in this game.Thomas Chabot over 2.5 shots (-140)Death, taxes, and targeting the Columbus Blue Jackets for shots from defensemen. Columbus concedes an average of 11.11 shots per game to opposing rearguards, which ranks dead last in the league.The Blue Jackets are weak defensively even at full health, and with injuries across the board, there's no reason to expect meaningful improvement any time soon.That brings Chabot to the forefront. He registered at least three shots on goal in five of the last six games, which is impressive considering he's had two minutes (or fewer) of power play four times in that span. Even though the Ottawa Senators haven't been getting those extra opportunities to help prop up the totals, he's still gotten the job done.I expect no different Tuesday in arguably the best matchup Chabot could ask for.Pierre-Luc Dubois under 2.5 shots (-105)Dubois is someone I consider a matchup-dependent shooter. The ceiling is never very high with him; he generally needs a weak opponent - or a side that allows a lot of shots to centers - to get the job done.The Calgary Flames certainly don't match that billing. For all their struggles this season, they've defended well - especially of late.At five-on-five, only the Maple Leafs and Carolina Hurricanes have done a better job of suppressing shots over the last 10 games. The Flames are not a team you want to attack with shot volume in mind.They aren't just good at limiting shots - they're good at keeping pucks out of the middle of the ice. A lot of what they give up comes from the wings and the point, and it's been that way since Darryl Sutter took over.Dubois recorded just five shots on goal over five games against Sutter's Flames, generating no more than two in any contest.With Dubois struggling to generate much volume overall - he went under the total in 10 of the last 15 - I think this line is quite fruitful given the difficulty of his 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 11-game slate Tuesday night. Let's take a look at a couple of home sides that stand out as we try to start the new year on a positive note.Blues (+220) @ Maple Leafs (-270)The Toronto Maple Leafs are playing fantastic hockey. They've won seven of their last 10 games and are full value for their success.In that time, the Leafs picked up marquee wins over the Tampa Bay Lightning, Dallas Stars, and Colorado Avalanche - all of whom they beat by at least three goals - and posted some remarkably good underlying metrics.At five-on-five, the Maple Leafs controlled 61.14% of the expected goal share and 63.54% of the high-danger opportunities during this 10-game stretch. Both of those totals comfortably rank first in the NHL.It doesn't take a rocket scientist to recognize that the Leafs - with all their firepower - will win significantly more often than not when consistently generating more chances than their opponents.There's every reason to believe that'll be the case against the St. Louis Blues. They rank 27th in expected goal share over the last 10 and recently lost three important players - Ryan O'Reilly, Vladimir Tarasenko, and Torey Krug - for the foreseeable future.Those absences leave the Blues very thin at center and on defense while also taking a lot of life out of their attack.I expect the Blues will spend a lot of time on their heels in this game, and I don't think their 28th-ranked goaltending is close to good enough to compensate.Look for the Leafs to pick up a multi-goal victory on home ice.Bet: Maple Leafs -1.5 (-105)Blue Jackets (+180) @ Senators (-210)The Ottawa Senators sit well outside of the playoffs, but don't let that fool you - they're a pretty good hockey team.The Sens are on a nice 7-3-1 run over the last 11 games and have steamrolled opponents at five-on-five during that stretch, ranking seventh with a high-danger chance share above 55%.A nice bonus for the Senators is that their power play has also been firing on all cylinders. Only the Edmonton Oilers - led by the best offensive duo in the NHL - scored more power-play goals over the last 11 games.With Tim Stutzle healthy again, the floor and ceiling of this Senators team dramatically increase.That spells trouble for a bad Columbus Blue Jackets team dealing with an absurd amount of injuries. Although Patrik Laine and Cole Sillinger recently returned to the lineup, the Blue Jackets are still missing a pair of top-six forwards and half of their defensive core. That's problematic considering they weren't a good team to begin with.Only the Anaheim Ducks conceded high-danger chances at a higher rate than the Blue Jackets over the last 10 games. That means Stutzle, Brady Tkachuk, Alex DeBrincat, and Co. should be able to generate more than their fair share of good looks.I expect them to make it count en route to a win inside 60 minutes.Bet: Senators in regulation (-140)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.

It's time for another rookie class vibe check with our first edition of the Calder Trophy rankings of 2023!It looked like Arizona Coyotes winger Matias Maccelli was going to make his debut on these rankings, but he's expected to miss about five more weeks with a lower-body injury, which threw a wrench into those plans.There are still two new faces on the list this time around, so let's get into it.5. Wyatt Johnston, Stars Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / GettyGPGPATOI38111714:31Johnston may not have been on everyone's Calder Trophy shortlist to start the season, but he went ahead and earned his debut on these rankings thanks to a strong December. He found the back of the net five times last month, drawing him even with Matty Beniers for the most goals by a rookie so far this campaign. Perhaps more impressive, Johnston sees the least amount of ice time out of all first-year players that have reached the 10-goal mark in 2022-23.In addition, nine of the youngster's goals have come at even strength, good for the third-most on the Stars. Johnston's producing at a fantastic rate of 1.15 goals per 60 minutes at five-on-five, which is the highest clip among all rookies to play at least 300 minutes this season and ranks within the top 40 when accounting for all skaters. Not too shabby for a 19-year-old working through his first few months in the NHL.Johnston has also been centering a line with Jamie Benn and Mason Marchment recently with some promising results despite the small sample size. The trio could potentially pay dividends for the Stars if Johnston continues to exceed expectations.4. Logan Thompson, Golden Knights Ethan Miller / Getty Images Sport / GettyGPSV%GAASO28.9152.612Let us start by acknowledging that Thompson has cooled down considerably from his red-hot start. He went 5-5-1 in December, posting a .905 save percentage and 2.92 goals against average, as well as an increasingly shoddy minus-4.64 goals saved above average and minus-5.49 goals saved above expected at five-on-five.All that said, his 18 wins on the season are tied for the second-most in the league, alongside Connor Hellebuyck, while his save percentage and goals against average rank within the top 20 of goalies to make at least 10 starts this campaign.To be completely fair to Thompson, the Golden Knights have been grappling with substantial absences, especially on the back end, with the likes of Shea Theodore, Alec Martinez, Alex Pietrangelo, and Zach Whitecloud all missing time in December. This is also Thompson's first year as a starting goalie; the 25-year-old has already far surpassed his previous career high of 17 starts in a single season, so his little slump might just be growing pains as he continues to find consistency at the NHL level.Either way, Vegas is one of the top dogs in the Western Conference, so Thompson will likely continue to rack up wins while discovering his groove.3. Owen Power, Sabres Bill Wippert / National Hockey League / GettyGPGPATOI3201223:46Here's Power on the podium, to no one's surprise.We've mentioned Power's playing time as a major factor in his Calder Trophy contention in the past, and guess what? We're going to do it again. The Sabres defenseman sees almost three more minutes of ice time per game than Jake Sanderson, the league's second-busiest rookie.What's more, Power's underlying metrics only got stronger in December. The 20-year-old ranks within the top three among all rookies to play at least 300 minutes at five-on-five in goals for percentage (60.9%) and shot attempts for percentage (54.2%) while placing in the top 10 in expected goals for percentage (51.8%) and shots for percentage (50.4%) this season. That's impressive, especially considering his workload.Power missed three games with a lower-body injury last month, but he returned to action with a two-point performance on Dec. 29. He has yet to score a goal this season, but it feels like a matter of time as Power continues to grow his game. Buffalo is an exciting team to watch, and Power is a key member of the youth movement that drives the Sabres.2. Pyotr Kochetkov, Hurricanes Josh Lavallee / National Hockey League / GettyGPSV%GAASO15.9281.943Clearly, Kochetkov thought we were all fawning over Thompson too much, so he decided to force his way into the spotlight.You may be wondering why it has taken until now for Kochetkov to debut on these rankings, and the answer is playing time. He suited up for just seven contests during the entirety of October and November, but he made seven starts in December, including a run in which he won five straight games while surrendering just five goals.The 23-year-old is rocking a record of 10-1-4 and is tied for the most shutouts this season alongside the likes of Ville Husso, Darcy Kuemper, Hellebuyck, and Ilya Sorokin despite seeing significantly less game action than his peers. He boasts the second-best save percentage and goals against average of all netminders to make at least 10 starts in 2022-23, trailing only Vezina Trophy candidate Linus Ullmark.The only threat to Kochetkov's Calder case is what might happen once all of Carolina's goaltenders are healthy, seeing as Frederik Andersen has been sidelined since Nov. 6. Andersen and Antti Raanta won the William M. Jennings Trophy last season as the league's top tandem, so the Canes may be reluctant to part with that duo. Kochetkov also hasn't played since Dec. 20, and coach Rod Brind'Amour said he hasn't been 100%. Carolina has since turned to Raanta, whose stellar play will make it hard for Kochetkov to seize the crease.1. Matty Beniers, Kraken Steph Chambers / Getty Images Sport / GettyGPGPATOI35112517:09We'd love to switch things up by picking someone else for the No. 1 spot, but Beniers keeps forcing our hand.The Kraken youngster hasn't been as hot lately - only registering one goal and four points in 11 games since the last publication of these rankings on Dec. 6 - but he still tops all rookies in points while tying for the lead in goals. It's also important to mention that his shooting percentage during his mini-lull dropped to a mere 5%. For comparison, his career average is 16.3%, so it's reasonable to expect a few more goals from him in the near future. Even with the drought, Beniers is on pace for a respectable 59 points over the course of an 82-game season.Beniers seemingly has had no problem carrying the pressure as the Kraken's first-ever draft pick. He's been producing at a rate of 2.38 points per 60 minutes at five-on-five, good for the highest pace among all rookies to suit up in at least 10 games this season. He's also second in the class in goals above replacement (7.8) and wins above replacement (1.3).The 20-year-old center is still the front-runner for the Calder Trophy, but Kochetkov certainly has the potential to push him for the top spot if he sees substantial playing time down the stretch.Honorable mentions: Mason McTavish (ANA), Maccelli (ARI), Jack Quinn (BUF), Kirill Marchenko (CBJ), Stuart Skinner (EDM), Shane Pinto (OTT), Sanderson (OTT), Cole Perfetti (WPG)(Analytics sources: Natural Stat Trick, Evolving-Hockey)Copyright © 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Connor Bedard continues to amaze.The 17-year-old phenom scored a sensational OT winner Monday in the quarters of the World Junior Hockey Championship, leading Canada past Slovakia.

Expansion appears to be the theme of next year's Winter Classic.The Seattle Kraken will host the Vegas Golden Knights at T-Mobile Park for the annual outdoor event on Jan. 1, 2024, the league announced Monday.T-Mobile Park is the home of MLB's Seattle Mariners. It will be the eighth baseball stadium to host the Winter Classic and has a capacity of nearly 48,000.The Kraken are currently in their second NHL season after being awarded an expansion franchise in 2018. The Golden Knights entered the league in 2017-18.Seattle will be the 29th NHL team to play an outdoor game. The Golden Knights participated in one in 2021 against the Colorado Avalanche in Lake Tahoe.The Kraken and Golden Knights have faced each other six times since Seattle joined the Pacific Division, with Vegas winning five times.Copyright © 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

St. Louis Blues captain Ryan O'Reilly and star winger Vladimir Tarasenko were placed on injured reserve Monday and will remain sidelined for the foreseeable future.O'Reilly's broken foot will be re-evaluated in six weeks, while Tarasenko will be on the shelf for at least four weeks with a hand ailment, the team announced."Injuries are part of the profession, part of the game," general manager Doug Armstrong said. "Winning people and winning organizations don’t dwell on what they don't have. Guys who have been (wanting) more ice time are going to get it."Both forwards are pending unrestricted free agents and could become targets at the March 3 trade deadline if St. Louis can't tread water without a pair of top-six fixtures.O'Reilly has struggled to produce this season, managing only 16 points in 37 games, but he's built a reputation as one of the league's premier two-way centers. He won the Selke Trophy and Conn Smythe when the Blues won the Stanley Cup in 2019.Tarasenko has notched 29 points in 2022-23 but only 10 goals. The veteran sniper is well-known for his ability to score, eclipsing the 30-goal mark six times in his 11-year career.Here's how St. Louis lined up in its first practice since the injury news.

This is the sixth 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 select a New Year's resolution for each team in 2023.1. Boston Bruins (28-4-4)Previous rank: 1stWin the Stanley Cup. OK, every single team wants this, but everything has been clicking for the Bruins this campaign. Boston's core isn't getting any younger, so it'd be a shame for the team to squander such a dominant season.2. Carolina Hurricanes (25-6-6)Previous rank: 2ndFigure out what's going on in the crease. The Hurricanes have a good problem: Antti Raanta and Pyotr Kochetkov are both playing exceptionally well, and the situation will only get more complicated once Frederik Andersen returns. Who's the odd man out? Will Carolina carry three goalies?3. Toronto Maple Leafs (23-8-6)Previous rank: 4thWin a round. The Maple Leafs have had the same resolution for years now but, like many of us, forget to follow through on it after a few months.4. Dallas Stars (23-9-6)Previous rank: 9thKeep their foot on the gas. The Stars hold a five-point edge over the Winnipeg Jets in the Central, but with the Colorado Avalanche starting to get healthy again, no division lead should feel safe. Dallas needs to keep it going to set itself up with the best playoff matchup in Round 1.5. Tampa Bay Lightning (23-11-1) Mike Carlson / National Hockey League / GettyPrevious rank: 3rdMake it to the Stanley Cup Final. The Lightning have already done it three times in a row, so this is probably their resolution every year. We wish we were as committed to our resolutions as the Bolts.6. Vegas Golden Knights (25-12-2)Previous rank: 7thStay healthy. Few teams have been hit as hard by injuries over the past two seasons, and the Golden Knights are hopeful to be at full strength down the stretch run and into the playoffs.7. Washington Capitals (21-13-5)Previous rank: 14thKeep it up. The Capitals went 11-2-2 in December and have effectively put their poor start to the season in the rearview mirror. Led by Alex Ovechkin's record-chasing exploits, Washington continues to win and will soon be adding Tom Wilson back into the mix.8. Winnipeg Jets (23-13-1)Previous rank: 8thGive Connor Hellebuyck another lengthy playoff run. The Jets goalie has been spectacular this season as Winnipeg rebounds from an underwhelming 2021-22 campaign. Hellebuyck owns a career .921 save percentage in the postseason, and he boasted a .922 clip while helping the Jets reach the Western Conference Final in 2018. We want to see more of that.9. Minnesota Wild (21-13-2)Previous rank: 12thFind some scoring. Minnesota's cap situation is delicate, but the Wild, ranking 24th in five-on-five goals, should aspire to trade for an impact forward in 2023.10. New Jersey Devils (23-11-3) Joe Sargent / National Hockey League / GettyPrevious rank: 5thFix the power play. The Devils' penalty kill is strong, but the same can't be said of their work on the man advantage. They rank among the bottom 10 teams in power-play efficiency, converting on just 19.1% of their chances. During New Jersey's six-game winless streak in December, the power play fired at a mere success rate of 11.8%.11. Pittsburgh Penguins (19-11-6)Previous rank: 6thMake the fans love them again. After the Penguins coughed up a 4-0 lead to the Detroit Red Wings on Dec. 28, Evgeni Malkin said he hoped the fans hated them, per The Athletic's Rob Rossi. They followed up that defeat with a loss to the Devils that saw Pittsburgh go 0-for-9 on the power play. Tighten it up and earn that love, Pens.12. New York Rangers (20-12-6)Previous rank: 10thNo more lineup drama. The Rangers are hot of late, but a surprising scratch of 2020 No. 1 overall pick Alexis Lafreniere had the hockey world wondering what's going on behind the scenes in Manhattan. Ditch the distractions, and let the kids play.13. New York Islanders (21-15-2)Previous rank: 13thGive Oliver Wahlstrom more ice time when he returns. The Islanders winger is currently sidelined with a lower-body injury, but when he's back in the lineup, head coach Lane Lambert should trust the 2018 first-round pick more. He ranks fourth among the team's qualified skaters in goals per 60 minutes, but he only averages 12:10 of ice time per game. For a team that needs more offense, it might be worth expanding his role.14. Colorado Avalanche (19-13-3)Previous rank: 12thProtect Nathan MacKinnon at all costs. The league is just a lot better with him in it, so every game he sits out feels like a bit of a travesty. The Avalanche have shouldered a litany of injuries this season, so we wouldn't blame them if they wrap MacKinnon in bubble wrap.15. Los Angeles Kings (21-13-6) Juan Ocampo / National Hockey League / GettyPrevious rank: 15thImprove in net. The Kings are seventh in the league in points yet own a minus-six goal differential. Netminders don't grow on trees, but if Los Angeles doesn't find some help between the pipes, 2022-23 will likely be a wasted season.16. Calgary Flames (18-13-7)Previous rank: 22ndRe-establish an identity. The Flames had a ton of turnover in the offseason, losing core stars Johnny Gaudreau and Matthew Tkachuk while bringing in Jonathan Huberdeau, MacKenzie Weegar, and Nazem Kadri. Calgary needs to get hot, and a good way to do that is by finding the pulse of the team.17. Buffalo Sabres (18-15-2)Previous rank: 21stProtect the crease. The Sabres are arguably the most enjoyable team in the NHL to watch for a neutral observer. They lead the league in goals per game thanks to a talented, young core, but they also give up a lot defensively. If they can find a way to better insulate their goalies, they could make a serious run at the playoffs.18. Edmonton Oilers (20-16-2)Previous rank: 17thBuckle down defensively. The Oilers seem to have lost the identity they discovered when Jay Woodcroft took over last season. Edmonton ranks 20th in goals against per game this season. For a team hanging on to a playoff spot by a hair, that's not going to cut it.19. Seattle Kraken (19-12-4)Previous rank: 16thMake the playoffs. The Kraken didn't make the postseason during their underwhelming inaugural campaign, but they have a chance to go to the dance this season. Seattle has some work to do, though: The league's newest franchise is currently battling with the Avalanche and Oilers for the wild-card spots in the Western Conference.20. Detroit Red Wings (16-12-7) Dave Reginek / National Hockey League / GettyPrevious rank: 23rdHelp Ville Husso. The Red Wings goaltender has appeared in 24 games so far this season, posting a record of 12-6-5. Husso's supporting cast of Alex Nedeljkovic and Magnus Hellberg have a combined four wins across 13 showings. There's a lot on Husso's plate right now, with Detroit outside the playoff picture.21. Ottawa Senators (17-17-3)Previous rank: 20thFind an owner. The Senators are generating lots of interest from investors and should look to finalize a sale to the right bidder in 2023. Once that happens, the focus can shift to locking up a downtown arena deal.22. St. Louis Blues (17-17-3)Previous rank: 19thDon't get fooled by a hot stretch. The Blues are on the outside of the playoff picture, but a potential winning streak could move them into a postseason spot. However, any hot stretch shouldn't stop St. Louis from being a trade deadline seller. This team, which owns substandard underlying numbers, likely doesn't have another Cup run in them, so it shouldn't think twice about getting assets for pending UFAs Ryan O'Reilly and Vladimir Tarasenko.23. Nashville Predators (15-14-6)Previous rank: 26thMake a splash. This may seem like an odd resolution given the Predators' current place in the standings, but this team is in win-now mode. They're a veteran club that plays tight defense with a good goalie - a recipe for playoff success if they can squeak in. They also have no key pending UFAs. If Nashville can find a game-breaking forward with an extra year of term, 72-year-old GM David Poile should go all-in with his executive career winding down.24. Florida Panthers (16-18-4)Previous rank: 18thStart fresh. The reigning Presidents' Trophy-winning Panthers face an uphill battle to make the playoffs. But Florida has more than half the season to forget a poor start and remind the NHL it's only a few months removed from being a powerhouse.25. Vancouver Canucks (16-17-3) Jeff Vinnick / National Hockey League / GettyPrevious rank: 24thGet a haul for Bo Horvat. It's looking increasingly unlikely that the Canucks' captain, a pending UFA, signs an extension. But in the midst of a career year, the price tag for Horvat should be sky-high. If the Canucks hit a home run on a trade return - preferably something that includes a top defense prospect - there are enough pieces in place for a quick turnaround.26. Philadelphia Flyers (13-17-7)Previous rank: 29thGear up for 2023-24. It's already a lost campaign for the Flyers. Ryan Ellis, Cam Atkinson, and Sean Couturier haven't played this season, and only the latter hasn't been ruled out for the year. The Flyers just need to build some positive momentum heading into next season.27. Arizona Coyotes (13-17-5)Previous rank: 28thFind a road recipe. Arizona's home cooking is surprisingly delicious, as the Coyotes own a 7-3-2 record at Mullett Arena this season. Away from their compact new barn, they're a woeful 6-14-3.28. San Jose Sharks (12-20-7)Previous rank: 27thConvince Karlsson to waive his NMC. Erik Karlsson's trade value will never be higher than it is right now amid a sensational bounce-back season. So if the Sharks can convince him to waive his no-movement clause, they shouldn't think twice about offloading him and his massive contract if the right deal presents itself.29. Montreal Canadiens (15-19-3)Previous rank: 25thStop hanging goalies out to dry. The Canadiens left Jake Allen in for all nine goals against the Capitals on New Year's Eve. Head coach Martin St. Louis even admitted that it was a mistake. It's a bad look for the young bench boss and shouldn't happen again in future blowouts.30. Columbus Blue Jackets (11-22-2) Ben Jackson / National Hockey League / GettyPrevious rank: 30thStick with it. The Blue Jackets have built a decent core of players but have been ravaged by injuries in a year that had fans excited to see progress. Nothing you can do about that. Perhaps their misfortune this season is a blessing in disguise, as Columbus looks poised to have good odds in the Connor Bedard lottery.31. Anaheim Ducks (10-23-4)Previous rank: 31stLose as many games as possible. Look, Bedard is awesome, and we love the idea of him joining a Ducks team that already has Trevor Zegras and Mason McTavish. Bedard and McTavish already played together for Canada at the 2022 World Junior Championship.32. Chicago Blackhawks (8-24-4)Previous rank: 32ndNothing. The Blackhawks' current path gives them the best chance at securing the first overall pick, and that's what this rebuilding season is all about. So don't change anything.(Analytics sources: Evolving-Hockey, Natural Stat Trick)Copyright © 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Dallas Stars signed veteran forward Joe Pavelski to a one-year contract extension with a base salary of $3.5 million and potential for up to $2 million in performance bonuses, the team announced Sunday.The 38-year-old was bound for unrestricted free agency this summer. This marks the second consecutive year Pavelski has inked a midseason pact, having signed a one-year, $6-million extension last March."Joe continues to prove why he is one of the best players in the NHL, and we are fortunate that he will be part of our group for another season," general manager Jim Nill said. "He embodies what it means to be a professional hockey player with his approach to the game both on and off the ice. Joe's leadership in the locker room is invaluable and the level of respect that he has throughout the entire league speaks volumes to the man that he is."Pavelski joined Dallas as a free agent in 2019 after 13 years with the San Jose Sharks. He's been one of the Stars' best players since arriving, putting up 200 points in 243 games, including a career-high 81 in 2021-22.The Wisconsin native is third on Dallas in scoring this season with 12 goals and 25 assists and is closing in on the 1,000-point plateau for his career, sitting at 961.Pavelski was the Stars' most prominent pending unrestricted free agent. Dallas was projected to have over $12 million in available money for 2023-24 before his extension, according to Cap Friendly, but the league hasn't finalized next year's salary cap yet.The Stars lead the Central Division with a 23-9-6 record.Copyright © 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Many of the NHL's most watchable teams this season are the usual suspects from recent years, but there have been a few surprises. The New Jersey Devils are possession demons despite cooling off lately. The Vegas Golden Knights are proving the doubters wrong after some figured they'd take a step back due to goaltending concerns and a lack of depth.However, several other squads will deserve more attention over the next 365 days than they've received so far in this campaign. These teams have risen recently and will only become more compelling in 2023.Here are three clubs worth watching in the latter portion of this campaign and into the next one.Buffalo Sabres Bill Wippert / National Hockey League / GettyThe notions of the Sabres boasting the NHL's best offense and Tage Thompson being an MVP candidate and a Maurice "Rocket" Richard Trophy contender this season would've been far-fetched if predicted over the summer. But that's what's transpiring as we near the campaign's halfway point. In an unlikely twist, Buffalo has suddenly become one of the league's most entertaining teams and is riding a six-game win streak to boot.The Sabres are still flawed, though. While Rasmus Dahlin has become an elite No. 1 blue-liner, the rest of the team's defense is a work in progress. Buffalo ranks in the bottom half of the NHL in expected goals against per 60 minutes at five-on-five and goals against per game in all situations. The club is in a similar spot in expected goals for percentage. None of that bodes particularly well defensively.However, this team has taken a big step forward and should improve in the new calendar year. Owen Power is in the Calder Trophy conversation thanks to his heavy workload, and he's part of an influx of youth that includes Dylan Cozens, Jack Quinn, and J.J. Peterka. Buffalo's youngsters have impressed and should continue to develop fairly steadily. The Sabres' more established players, like Jeff Skinner and Alex Tuch, are also firing on all cylinders, ensuring this squad will be one to keep an eye on in the present and future.Los Angeles Kings Michael Martin / National Hockey League / GettyThe Kings don't get a ton of love, perhaps because they play in the NHL's worst division. But they'll be a club to watch in the coming year and beyond. Los Angeles has successfully injected youth into the mix to complement its aging core, and it's become one of the most sneakily fun teams to watch in the process.Arthur Kaliyev, Gabriel Vilardi, Sean Durzi, and 2020 second overall pick Quinton Byfield should keep making progress in 2023. Offseason acquisition Kevin Fiala and summer 2021 additions Viktor Arvidsson and Phillip Danault have been great fits.The Kings need better goaltending, but their success in controlling play has mitigated that weakness to a degree. Los Angeles boasts strong underlying numbers, which suggest the team is likely to improve once its younger players get even more comfortable at the NHL level.Whether this squad can go deep in the postseason remains to be seen. But after taking the eventual Western Conference finalist Edmonton Oilers to seven games in the first round last spring, L.A. is primed to build on that impressive showing. The Kings are already one of the Pacific's best clubs, and the future looks bright in Hollywood.Seattle Kraken Christopher Mast / National Hockey League / GettyAside from the Devils, the Kraken have been the most pleasant surprise in the league in 2022-23. Seattle was supposed to be playing the long game before becoming competitive, but the NHL's newest franchise might be ready sooner than later.The Kraken have regressed a bit after an unexpectedly strong start to the campaign. However, they remain a possession-driving club with surprising postseason aspirations. While they're still not playing anywhere near the level the Golden Knights did upon their arrival, the low expectations set by management might be benefiting the club on the ice.The Kraken also have issues in goal, but they've been decent defensively. Seattle ranks in the top half of the league in expected goals against per 60 minutes at five-on-five in 2022-23. The Kraken also sit near the middle of the pack in goals against per game this season despite both of their goaltenders authoring sub-.900 save percentages.From an offensive standpoint, Jared McCann is on a 40-goal pace, and Matty Beniers is one of the leading candidates for the Calder Trophy. Seattle has a skilled supporting cast that includes Andre Burakovsky, Jordan Eberle, Jaden Schwartz, Alexander Wennberg, and Oliver Bjorkstrand. The Kraken are still far from being Stanley Cup hopefuls, but they're accelerating their development and should be compelling in 2023.Copyright © 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The 2023 Heritage Classic between the Edmonton Oilers and Calgary Flames will take place Oct. 29 at Commonwealth Stadium, the teams announced Saturday.The event was previously reported earlier in December, but a date was never confirmed.The Battle of Alberta has reignited in recent years, but this will mark the first time the two provincial rivals play each other outdoors.It'll also mark the 20th anniversary of the inaugural Heritage Classic, which was played between the Oilers and Montreal Canadiens in front of 57,167 fans at Commonwealth Stadium - the home of the CFL's Edmonton Elks.Copyright © 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The injury-riddled Colorado Avalanche have their best forward back.Colorado activated Nathan MacKinnon off injured reserve, the club announced Saturday. The two-time Hart Trophy runner-up missed 11 games with what the team called an upper-body ailment. He was hurt during a loss to the Philadelphia Flyers on Dec. 5.He played over 22 minutes and was held without a point in the Avalanche's 6-2 loss to Toronto.MacKinnon was off to a strong start before getting hurt, posting eight goals and 26 assists in 23 games. The Avalanche went 6-3-2 in the 27-year-old superstar's absence.Colorado is still playing without captain Gabriel Landeskog, key winger Valeri Nichushkin, defensemen Josh Manson and Bo Byram, backup goaltender Pavel Francouz, and veteran forward Darren Helm due to injuries.Copyright © 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

As we approach the new year, let's review the biggest stories that summarized the NHL in 2022:10. Senators go up for sale Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / GettyIt didn't come as a surprise that the Ottawa Senators were officially put up for sale in November. Longtime owner Eugene Melnyk died in April and left the team to his two daughters as part of a massive estate.But what is surprising is the likely new face of the Senators: Ryan Reynolds. The Canadian-born actor is widely expected to buy a minority stake in the club along with whichever bidding ownership group purchases the franchise.While Reynolds doesn't have deep enough pockets to buy the team himself, having one of the most prominent pop culture figures as part of the team can only be a good thing for the Senators and the NHL. If Ottawa can finally secure a plan for a new downtown arena, things will really be looking up for the club in 2023.9. Kessel sets ironman record Ethan Miller / Getty Images Sport / GettyNice guy, tries hard, loves the game, NHL ironman. That's Phil Kessel for you.Kessel, of all players, played in his 990th straight contest in October, passing Keith Yandle for the NHL's all-time consecutive games played record. He's still going, too, at 1,021 straight, including Saturday.In a way, Kessel's dry humor, lack of commitment to off-ice training, and pedigree as a two-time Stanley Cup champion make him the perfect man to hold the ironman belt.There really aren't any active threats to Kessel's crown, either. Brent Burns has played in 715 straight games, but he's two and a half years older.8. Deprivation of international best-on-best continues EMMI KORHONEN / AFP / GettyHockey fans starved for an international best-on-best tournament will have to keep waiting to get their fix.First, the NHL was supposed to take part in the 2022 Winter Olympics before COVID decided otherwise. Then, after plans for a February 2024 World Cup of Hockey began to take shape, the NHL postponed it until at least 2025 because of the "current environment." In translation, it's being pushed back due to Russia's invasion of Ukraine.There hasn't been a best-on-best international hockey tournament since the 2016 World Cup. Sure, the circumstances have made things challenging, but it will be truly disappointing if hockey fans never get to see Connor McDavid and Sidney Crosby as teammates.Here's an idea: If it's too difficult for the NHL and NHLPA to get the whole world involved, why not try and organize a Canada-United States rivalry series to be played in September? That would be some first-class entertainment.7. Josi flirts with 100 points John Russell / National Hockey League / GettyRoman Josi nearly pulled off the unthinkable in 2021-22: reaching 100 points as a defenseman. He ended up with 96, the most by a blue-liner since Phil Housley's 97 in 1992-93.Only five defensemen have ever registered triple-digit points in a season: Bobby Orr, Denis Potvin, Paul Coffey, Al MacInnis, and Brian Leetch. The fact that Josi nearly joined them in an era that's so much more difficult to score in compared to the '70s, '80s, and early '90s is incredible.6. Matthews hits 60-goal mark, joins 50-in-50 club Andrew Lahodynskyj / National Hockey League / GettyWhile Auston Matthews didn't enjoy the same postseason success as Cale Makar, he still deserves plenty of recognition for his efforts in 2022. The Toronto Maple Leafs superstar became the first player since Steven Stamkos in 2011-12 to score 60 goals in a season. He did it, remarkably, in just 73 games.Matthews got off to a slow start after undergoing offseason wrist surgery, scoring just seven times in his first 17 games in 2021-22. But then he exploded, scoring 51 goals over his next 50 games. Accomplishing the feat midseason doesn't put him in the "official" 50-in-50 club, but it's still impressive nonetheless. He's just the 13th player ever to accomplish the feat and the first since Mario Lemieux in 1995-96.5. Makar's sensational run leads Avs to Stanley Cup Dave Sandford / National Hockey League / GettyMakar was a man possessed in 2022. There's a case to be made he was the best player of the calendar year.First, he won the Norris Trophy after racking up 28 goals and 86 points in 77 regular-season games, including 60 points in 54 games once the calendar flipped to January. But he was even better in the playoffs, recording eight goals and 21 assists in 20 contests en route to winning the Stanley Cup and the Conn Smythe as playoff MVP.With the feat, Makar joined Bobby Orr and Nicklas Lidstrom as the only players ever to win the Norris and Conn Smythe in the same year. That's some elite company. To top it off, Makar become the fastest defenseman in league history to reach 200 career points back in November.It was only a matter of time before the Avalanche won the Cup, but Makar was undoubtedly their most important player.4. Shane Wright's draft slide Bruce Bennett / Getty Images Sport / GettyShane Wright entered the 2021-22 campaign as the consensus No. 1 overall pick in the 2022 draft. After all, he took the OHL by storm as a 15-year-old in 2019-20 when he tallied 39 goals and 66 points in 58 games. The pandemic wiped out his 2020-21 campaign, and he just didn't dominate in his draft year the way many expected him to despite putting up 32 goals and 94 points in 63 games.But even on the day of the draft, it still felt there was a 50/50 chance the Montreal Canadiens would select him with the No. 1 pick. So, while it came as a surprise that the Habs passed on him, it wasn't completely unexpected. But when the New Jersey Devils and the Arizona Coyotes both went in different directions, it caught the entire hockey world off guard.To make matters even juicier, Wright didn't hide his discontent with Montreal's decision. When he stepped up on stage after the Seattle Kraken drafted him fourth overall, he gave the Canadiens' draft table an intense staredown. Of course, it was only fitting when Wright scored his first NHL goal against the Habs in December.3. The Mitchell Miller fiasco MediaNews Group/Boston Herald via Getty Images / MediaNews Group / GettyThe Boston Bruins created a self-inflicted, unmitigated public relations disaster when they signed Mitchell Miller to an entry-level contract in November. The Arizona Coyotes drafted Miller in the fourth round in 2020 even though he admitted in court in 2016 that he bullied a Black developmentally disabled classmate. Arizona renounced the pick shortly thereafter.Miller frequently called Isaiah Meyer-Crothers the N-word and "brownie" during years of harassment while they grew up together in Ohio. In one incident, Miller and another classmate tricked Meyer-Crothers into eating a piece of candy they had wiped along the inside of a urinal. Meyer-Crothers had to be tested for hepatitis, HIV, and STDs.Bruins president Cam Neely said he was under the impression it was just an isolated incident, but if the organization had done even a shred of research, it would've learned it was much more serious than that.Firstly, the Bruins didn't consult the NHL. Shortly after the signing, Gary Bettman said Miller may never even be eligible to play in the league. Secondly, they didn't ask their own players about the decision; Patrice Bergeron, Brad Marchand, Nick Foligno, and others all condemned the move. And most importantly, the organization never spoke to Meyer-Crothers or his family before signing Miller.If the Bruins had talked with the Meyer-Crothers family, they would've learned about Miller's lack of remorse for his actions. According to Isaiah's mother, Miller never said he was sorry to Isaiah outside of a court-mandated letter until the Bruins told him they wouldn't sign him unless he apologized. "It's empty," Isaiah's mother said. Isaiah himself detailed Miller's years of harassment in a harrowing statement of his own.The Bruins parted with Miller just two days after signing him, although he's technically still under contract with the club.But because they failed to do even the bare minimum research, Meyer-Crothers had to relive his trauma. The Bruins should be ashamed of themselves for that.2. The Gr8 Chase Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / GettyAlex Ovechkin's pursuit of Wayne Gretzky's all-time goals record is so historic that he even trademarked the catchphrase "THE GR8 CHASE." Breaking Gretzky's record - which was once thought as untouchable - is now a matter of when, not if.Ovechkin began the calendar year with 754 career goals. He ended Saturday's clash with Montreal at 806, just 88 back of Gretzky after recording a hat trick against the Canadiens.2024 seems to be the most likely year that Ovechkin will pass Gretzky, but the entire hockey world will be on notice to see much more ground he can make up in 2023.1. Flames' offseason overhaul Eliot J. Schechter / National Hockey League / GettyThe 2022 offseason was a roller coaster of emotions for Calgary Flames fans. First, Johnny Gaudreau left as an unrestricted free agent, stunning the entire hockey world by signing with the Columbus Blue Jackets. Then, Matthew Tkachuk - one year away from being a UFA - told the Flames he wouldn't sign a long-term extension.General manager Brad Treliving essentially had two options: justifiably blow it up and start a rebuild, or say "screw it" and go all-in.Treliving did the latter, and we applaud him for it. First, he traded Tkachuk for Jonathan Huberdeau and MacKenzie Weegar - as well as prospect Cole Schwindt and a first-rounder, to boot - from the Florida Panthers to keep the Stanley Cup window open. He also signed both centerpieces to eight-year extensions.But Treliving wasn't done there. In an effort to upgrade the middle of the ice, he spent a first-round pick of his own to get rid of the final year of Sean Monahan's contract and used that newfound cap space to land the last big UFA in Stanley Cup champion Nazem Kadri.On paper, it appeared Treliving might've made the Flames an improved team - a remarkable turn of events considering the hand he was dealt. But on the ice, they currently find themselves fighting for their playoff lives after winning the Pacific Division a season ago.Treliving's offseason moves put the Flames squarely in win-now mode. But if they can't turn things around in 2023, the future in Calgary looks bleak.Copyright © 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.