The sports world mourned the loss of a few legends in 2022. We remember these 60 for their contributions to the games - and our enjoyment of them - through the years.Jan. 1 - Dan Reeves, 77, was a running back for the Dallas Cowboys from 1965-72 but was better known as an NFL head coach, spending 23 years in stints with the Broncos, Giants, and Falcons from 1981-2003. Three of his Denver teams reached the Super Bowl in the 1980s, as did his Atlanta team in 1998, but all lost. He won one Super Bowl each as a player and an offensive coordinator.Jan. 5 - Ralph Neely, 78, was an offensive tackle for 13 seasons with the Dallas Cowboys from 1965-77. He was a three-time first-team All-Pro from 1967-69. In the 1970s, he moved from right tackle to left tackle, protecting Roger Staubach's blind side and opening holes for the likes of Calvin Hill, Walt Garrison, Robert Newhouse, and Tony Dorsett. In his final season, the Cowboys won Super Bowl XII over Denver. He is a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame's all-1960s team.Jan. 10 - Don Maynard, 86, was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1987. He was a receiver for 16 pro seasons, including one with the NFL's New York Giants out of college and one with Hamilton in the CFL, before signing with the AFL's New York Titans (later renamed the Jets). He spent 13 with them, including their Super Bowl season in 1968. When he retired in 1973 after a season in St. Louis, he was pro football's leading receiver with 633 catches, 11,834 yards, and 88 touchdowns. He was the first player to eclipse the 10,000-yard mark.Don Maynard making a catch in a 1967 AFL game against Buffalo. Walter Iooss Jr. / Sports Illustrated / Getty ImagesJan. 11 - Don Sutherin, 85, is a member of the Canadian Football Hall of Fame. The defensive back/kicker won four Grey Cups as a player (two with Hamilton and two with Ottawa) and later won three more titles as a coach. He spent two seasons in the NFL and was also a member of Ohio State's 1957 national championship team, kicking the winning field goal in the Rose Bowl.Jan. 15 - Joe B. Hall, 93, was the head basketball coach at Kentucky from 1972-85. He led the Wildcats to eight SEC regular-season titles, 10 appearances in the NCAA Tournament, and three Final Fours. His 1976 team won the NIT championship, and the 1978 squad took the NCAA title. He was elected to the College Basketball Hall of Fame in 2012.Jan. 18 - Lusia Harris, 66, won three straight women's national championships at Delta State in the 1970s and was the tournament MVP all three times. She was a member of the U.S. team that won the silver medal in the first Olympic women's basketball tournament in 1976. In 1977, the New Orleans Jazz selected her in the seventh round of the NBA draft, although she declined to attend training camp. She is the first Black woman enshrined in the Basketball Hall of Fame. This year, a documentary about her called "The Queen of Basketball" won the Academy Award for best short subject.Jan. 21 - Clark Gillies, 67, was a member of the Islanders' Trio Grande line with Mike Bossy and Bryan Trottier that led New York to four Stanley Cups championships from 1980-83. He remains fourth all-time in goals for the Islanders franchise (304), fifth in assists (359), fourth in points (663), and seventh in penalty minutes (891). He was a popular fixture with fans around the team in retirement. The Islanders retired his No. 9 in 1996, and he was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2002.Clark Gillies, left, with Islanders teammates Bryan Trottier and Denis Potvin. Bruce Bennett / Getty ImagesFeb. 2 - Bill Fitch, 89, coached in the NBA for 25 seasons with five teams, reaching the summit with the 1981 champion Boston Celtics. He started in the NBA as the coach of the expansion Cavaliers. Following his four years in Boston, he took the Rockets to the NBA Finals in 1986, and later coached the Nets and Clippers. He was a two-time coach of the year, and ranks fourth on the NBA's all-time coaching list with 2,050 games.Feb. 19 - Charley Taylor, 80, was selected in the top 10 in both the NFL and AFL draft in 1964 out of Arizona State. Washington took him at No. 3 and he enjoyed a 13-year career there, first as a halfback and then as a wide receiver. He made eight Pro Bowls, was first-team All-Pro in 1967, and was a member of the 1972 team that lost Super Bowl VII to the perfect-season Dolphins. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1984.Charley Taylor at training camp in 1971. Nate Fine / Getty ImagesFeb. 19 - Emile Francis, 95, played in the NHL for six seasons after World War II but made a bigger name as a coach and executive with the Rangers, Blues, and Whalers from the mid-1960s until he retired in 1993. He coached the Rangers for 10 seasons from 1965-75, taking them to the Stanley Cup final in 1972. He later spent three seasons behind the bench in St. Louis. He is credited with expanding grassroots hockey in the U.S. by starting junior B leagues in the eastern U.S. and in the St. Louis area.Feb. 24 - John Landy, 91, was the second person to break the four-minute mile, doing so two months after Roger Bannister in 1954. At a race in Finland, Landy eclipsed Bannister's record by 1.5 seconds with a clocking of 1:57.9. Later that year, he and Bannister jointly broke the four-minute mark again as Bannister won the race at the British Empire and Commonwealth Games in Vancouver. Landy represented Australia at the Olympics in 1952 and at the 1956 Games in his hometown of Melbourne, earning the bronze medal in the 1,500 meters.Feb. 25 - Dick Versace, 81, was the head basketball coach at Bradley for eight seasons, winning the NIT title in 1982. He then joined Chuck Daly's staff in Detroit before becoming the head coach of the Indiana Pacers from 1988-90. He later joined the Vancouver/Memphis Grizzlies as director of basketball operations and general manager.March 4 - Shane Warne, 52, was a cricket bowler for Australia's national team from 1992-2007, which earned him numerous accolades including induction into the ICC Hall of Fame in 2013. He competed in nearly 350 Test and one-day international matches, and was a member of Australia's World Cup-winning team in 1999.March 8 - Johnny Grier, 74, joined the NFL as an official in 1981 and became the first Black referee in 1988. He worked his only Super Bowl in 1988, which was his final game as a field judge (now called the back judge). He worked 15 playoff games in his career, with his biggest assignment as a referee coming in the 1993 AFC championship game. He retired from on-field duties in 2004 because of leg injuries.Johnny Greer working a Rams-49ers game in 1990. George Rose / Getty ImagesMarch 14 - Scott Hall, 63, was a WWE Hall of Fame wrestler who fought under the ring name "Razor Ramon" and under his own name in WCW. He was WWE's intercontinental champion in the mid-1990s and was also a founding member of the Hall of Fame collective nWo.March 15 - Jean Potvin, 72, played in the NHL as a defenseman for five teams from 1970-81. He played eight of those seasons with the New York Islanders, where he suited up with his brother Denis, the Hall of Famer, for seven of them. He has his name on the Stanley Cup as a member of the 1980 and 1981 championship teams, although he didn't appear in the playoffs in those seasons.March 16 - Ralph Terry, 86, pitched for the New York Yankees in eight of his 12 major-league seasons, earning two World Series titles in 1961 and 1962. He was the MVP of the 1962 Series for winning Game 5 and pitching a four-hit complete-game shutout in Game 7 in which he successfully protected a 1-0 lead over the final five innings on the road at Candlestick Park.Ralph Terry, center, between Yankees teammates Mickey Mantle and Roger Maris. Bettmann / Getty ImagesMarch 18 - John Clayton, 67, was a long-time NFL reporter who gained notoriety nationally after joining ESPN in 1995. He was selected for a spot in the writers' wing of the Hall of Fame in 2007 by the Pro Football Writers Association.March 28 - Eugene Melnyk, 62, purchased the Ottawa Senators from near bankruptcy in 2003 and watched them reach the Stanley Cup final in 2007, as well as the conference final in 2017. His hockey-ownership path began in the Ontario Hockey League in 2001 and extended to the American Hockey League in 2016. As an owner and breeder, his horses have won all three of the Canadian Triple Crown races, and Sealy Hill won the fillies' Triple Tiara in 2007 and was Canada's horse of the year. Melnyk was twice named Canada's thoroughbred owner of the year. Andre Ringuette / NHL / Getty ImagesApril 3 - Tommy Davis, 83, was an 18-year major leaguer, most notably with the Dodgers, with whom he won three World Series championships in 1959, 1963, and 1965. Davis won the National League batting title in 1962, and his .346 average and 153 RBIs from that season remain club records.April 3 - Gene Shue, 90, played for 10 seasons in the NBA with Philadephia, New York, and Baltimore, and spent six highly productive years with the Pistons franchise. He was a five-time All-Star with Detroit from 1958-62 and earned a first-team All-NBA selection in 1960. He coached in the league for another 22 years with the Bullets, Sixers, and Clippers franchises, earning two trips to the Finals and two coach-of-the-year awards. In the early 1990s, he was the general manager of the Sixers for two seasons.April 7 - Rayfield Wright, 76, played for 13 seasons with the Dallas Cowboys as an offensive tackle on their legendary teams of the 1970s. He was a three-time first-team All-Pro, six-time Pro Bowler, and member of the Super Bowl-winning teams from the 1971 and 1977 seasons. He was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2006.April 15 - Mike Bossy, 65, only played 10 seasons in the NHL but left an indelible mark. His 573 goals were fifth all-time when he retired, and he was a key member of the New York Islanders' run of four straight Stanley Cup victories. He was named the winner of the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP in 1982 and scored the Cup-winning goals in 1982 and 1983. Bossy, Alex Ovechkin, and Wayne Gretzky are the only players to record nine 50-goal seasons; he and Gretzky are the only ones with five 60-goal campaigns. He entered the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1991 and had his number retired by the Islanders in 1992. Back and knee injuries forced him to retire at the age of 30. His last job was as an analyst on TVA Sports broadcasts.Mike Bossy, center, with Clark Gillies to his left in 1982. John Iacono / Sports Illustrated / Getty ImagesApril 21 - Daryle Lamonica, 80, played 12 seasons in the AFL and NFL as the first great quarterback in Raiders history. Coming out of Notre Dame, he was a 24th-round selection by Buffalo in the 1963 AFL draft, and Green Bay took him in the 12th round in the NFL. He was never able to supplant Jack Kemp as the Bills starter and was traded to Oakland before the 1967 season. He was the AFL player of the year in 1967 and 1969, and took the Raiders to three straight AFL championship games. The 1967 team steamrolled the Oilers in the title game but lost to Green Bay in Super Bowl II.April 22 - Guy Lafleur, 70, had a 17-year Hall of Fame career in the NHL, primarily with Montreal, with which he won five Stanley Cups; he later came out of a three-year retirement to play with the Rangers and Nordiques. He was a first-team All-Star for six straight years, was voted the outstanding player in the league three times by his peers, and won the Hart Trophy in 1977, the second of three consecutive seasons in which he led the league in scoring. When he retired in 1991, he was seventh all-time in goals (560) and eighth in points (1,353).Guy Lafleur in 1984. Bruce Bennett / Getty ImagesMay 10 - Bob Lanier, 73, was a seven-time All-Star center for the Detroit Pistons in the 1970s. The No. 1 overall pick after leading St. Bonaventure to the Final Four in 1970, he averaged 22.7 points and 11.8 rebounds in nine full seasons with Detroit, but the team only made the playoffs four times. He finished his career with five campaigns in Milwaukee, helping them to the Eastern Conference final in 1984, his last season. He was elected to the Basketball Hall of Fame in 1992.May 12 - Gino Cappelletti, 88, spent his entire 11-year playing career with the Patriots organization and later served as a game analyst on radio for another 28 seasons. He was the AFL player of the year in 1964 when he did double-duty as a receiver and placekicker, and was a five-time Pro Bowler. He still holds the Patriots record for points in a game, as he caught two TD passes, kicked four field goals, and added four extra points in a 42-14 win over the Oilers in 1965.May 20 - Roger Angell, 101, had a long career as a writer and editor at The New Yorker but is best known for his baseball writing. He published six baseball books through the years, in addition to his essays about the game in the magazine. He received the first PEN/ESPN Award for Literary Sports Writing in 2011, and earned the J. G. Taylor Spink Award from the Baseball Writers Association of America and the Hall of Fame in 2014.May 24 - Thomas Ulsrud, 50, skipped Norway's entry at 12 world curling championships, winning in 2014 on his 10th try. He also earned a silver and three bronze medals at the event. He competed in three Olympics including the 2010 Games, when he lost to Canada's Kevin Martin in the final and the team first wore Loudmouth Golf pants that became a Norwegian staple.Thomas Ulsrud delivers a rock at the 2014 Winter Olympics. Streeter Lecka / Getty ImagesJune 17 - Hugh McElhenney, 93, was a member of the 49ers' Million Dollar Backfield in the mid-1950s and went on to play 13 seasons in the NFL with late-career stops in Minnesota, New York, and Detroit. When he retired in 1964, he had compiled the third-highest all-purpose yards total in league history. He went into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1970 and the College Football hall in 1981.June 22 - Tony Siragusa, 55, had a 12-year NFL career as an interior defensive lineman, first with Indianapolis from 1990-96 and then with Baltimore through 2001. He was a key cog in the Ravens' all-time great defense that backstopped their Super Bowl XXXV victory. His big personality gave him a second career as a sideline reporter with Fox from 2003-15.June 22 - Bruton Smith, 95, started his auto racing empire as a race promoter in the early 1950s competing with NASCAR. He made his first big splash by building Charlotte Motor Speedway with partner Curtis Turner in 1959. He repurchased Charlotte in 1973 and founded Speedway Motor Sports in 1994, which now owns and operates 11 race tracks.June 27 - Marlin Briscoe, 76, was an unlikely choice to be the first Black starting quarterback in NFL history as an unheralded 14th-round draft pick in 1968 from the University of Nebraska-Omaha. But the opportunity presented itself in the fourth quarter of a September game in his rookie year in Denver, and he grabbed it. He started five games that season. Seeking to continue to play quarterback, he asked for his release and jumped to the AFL, but never started another game at QB. Instead, he became an accomplished receiver in Buffalo for three seasons, earning an all-star nod in 1970. He spent the next three years back in the post-merger NFL with Miami, winning two Super Bowls.Marlin Briscoe at a 50th anniversary celebration for the undefeated 1972 Miami Dolphins. Joel Auerbach / Getty ImagesJune 29 - Jim Pappin, 82, had a 14-year NHL career including five with Toronto, seven with Chicago, and the last two with the California/Cleveland franchise. He was a member of the Maple Leafs' 1964 and 1967 Stanley Cup-winning teams, scoring four goals in the six-game final in 1967 against Montreal. With the Black Hawks, he was a member of the well-regarded MPH line with Pit Martin and Dennis Hull.July 4 - Hank Goldberg, 82, had a long career at ESPN as an NFL analyst, and a football and horse racing handicapper. He began both his media and betting careers as an aide to Jimmy "The Greek" Snyder in the 1970s, and became the Miami Dolphins' color analyst on radio in 1977, a spot he held until 1991. He had a daily radio show in Miami from 1978 through 2007.July 6 - Bryan Marchment, 53, was a rugged defenseman who played for 17 years in the NHL with nine teams, most notably San Jose and Edmonton. He amassed 44 goals, 2,409 penalty minutes, and was plus-35 in 1,010 regular-season and playoff games. He later rejoined the Sharks organization as a scout after he retired from playing in 2006.July 21 - Jim Lynch, 76, was a standout linebacker at Notre Dame in 1965 and 1966, and played 11 seasons in the NFL with Kansas City. Lynch was the defensive captain of Notre Dame's 1966 national championship team, a unanimous All-American, and earned the Maxwell Award as the country's top player. As a pro, he was a starter on the Chiefs' team that won Super IV, earning him a spot in the team's Hall of Fame. In 1992, he was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame.July 31 - Bill Russell, 88, won 11 NBA championships in his 13 years with the Boston Celtics, tied for the most ever won by a player in any major North American sport. He was a player-coach for the last three titles. He was a five-time most valuable player and a 12-time All-Star. He is one of four players to appear on all four NBA anniversary teams (25th, 35th, 50th, and 75th). He was elected to the Basketball Hall of Fame in 1975 and subsequently named to the FIBA and college basketball halls. Before his pro career, he led the University of San Francisco to two straight national titles in 1955 and 1956, and the U.S. to gold at the 1956 Olympics. The NBA has retired his No. 6 league-wide.Bill Russell, left, and coach Red Auerbach celebrate after the Celtics won their eighth NBA title in a row in 1966. Bettmann / Getty ImagesAug. 2 - Vin Scully, 94, was the preeminent voice of baseball on TV and radio for nearly seven decades. He called Dodgers games continuously from 1950-2016, first on radio and then on television, starting in Brooklyn and moving with them to Los Angeles. He also worked a number of network jobs, calling an NBC TV Game of the Week, working World Series in both mediums, and doing NFL games and golf for CBS. He received the Ford Frick Award from the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1982, was a four-time National Sportscaster of the Year, and has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.Aug. 15 - Pete Carril, 92, used the so-called Princeton Offense to its greatest effect as the men's head coach at the school from 1967-96. He took the Tigers to 13 Ivy League championships, 11 NCAA tournaments, and two NITs, winning the NIT in 1975. In 1989, they nearly became the first No. 16 seed to win in the first round, losing 50-49 to Georgetown. In his final season, Princeton upset defending champion UCLA in the first round. Following his retirement from Princeton at age 66, he worked for the NBA's Sacramento Kings as an offensive assistant for three stints until 2011.Aug. 20 - Tom Weiskopf, 79, was a major name in golf in the 1970s, winning 12 of his 16 titles in the decade. He won the Open Championship, Canadian Open, and World Series of Golf in 1973, and another Canadian Open in 1975. Between 1969 and 1975, he finished second at the Masters four times. He joined the Senior Tour in 1993 and won the 1995 U.S. Senior Open.Tom Weiskopf circa 1971. PGA TOUR / Getty ImagesAug. 24 - Len Dawson, 87, had trouble landing a starting spot in the NFL before jumping to the AFL in 1962 and leading the Dallas Texans to the league title. He joined Kansas City the next season and stayed for 14 years. He led the Chiefs to the AFL title in 1963 and to Super Bowl I. The Chiefs were the last AFL winner of the Super Bowl when it was a contest between the rival league champions. Dawson had a long media career as the sports director at a Kansas City TV station, as the host of HBO's Inside the NFL, as a color analyst for NBC for six years, and then as the analyst for Chiefs games on radio for more than 30 years.Sept. 19 - Maury Wills, 89, was one of baseball's greatest base-stealers - the first modern-era player to swipe more than 100 bases in a season. His 1962 season earned him the National League MVP crown when he hit .299 and stole 104 bases to edge out Willie Mays. He was a five-time all-star shortstop in his time with the Dodgers and earned two Gold Gloves. The Dodgers won three World Series with him in 1959, 1963, and 1965. He played two seasons in Pittsburgh after being traded. He was taken in the expansion draft by Montreal but was traded back to L.A. where he spent his final four seasons.Maury Wills following his MVP season in 1962. Bettmann / Getty ImagesOct. 13 - Bruce Sutter, 69, won the 1979 National League Cy Young Award and was a six-time all-star in his 12-year major-league career with the Cubs, Cardinals, and Braves. In the era when relievers regularly threw 100 or more innings, Sutter led the NL in saves five times. He earned three saves in the playoffs as a member of the St. Louis team that won the 1982 World Series. He retired with 300 saves, which was the third-highest career total at the time, and was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in the Class of 2006. He was the first pitcher to enter the Hall without ever starting a major-league game. The Cardinals retired his number, 42, the same year.Oct. 19 - Charley Trippi, 100, was an all-around threat on offense, defense, and special teams with Georgia in the 1940s and was an early NFL star with the Chicago Cardinals from 1947-55. Georgia won the national championship his sophomore year in 1942, and after two years serving in World War II, he returned to win the Maxwell Award in 1946 and finish second in Heisman Trophy voting. He signed for $100,000 to join the Cardinals' Million-Dollar Backfield and helped them to the 1947 NFL championship by playing on both sides of the ball and returning kicks. He entered the College Football Hall of Fame in 1959 and the Pro Football Hall in 1968.Charley Trippi, center, with Chicago Cardinals teammates during a 1947 game. Nate Fine / Getty ImagesOct. 28 - Vince Dooley, 90, was involved in football at the University of Georgia for more than 40 years, starting as head coach in 1964 at the age of 31. He was the head coach for 25 seasons and won 201 games, six SEC titles between 1966 and 1982, and one national championship in 1980 with a roster led by freshman running back Herschel Walker. Dooley also became an athletic director in 1979, a role he maintained until 2004. He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1994.Oct. 31 - John McVay, 91, is best known as the head of football administration for the San Francisco 49ers during their heyday from 1979-94. The franchise won five Super Bowls in that span, three under head coach Bill Walsh and two under George Seifert. McVay led the drafts that netted players such as Joe Montana, Jerry Rice, John Taylor, Ronnie Lott, Ricky Watters, Roger Craig, and Charles Haley. McVay's grandson, Sean, is the current head coach of the Rams.Nov. 3 - Ray Guy, 72, remains the only player who was exclusively a punter to be enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. He was also the first punter to be selected in the first round of the NFL draft, going 23rd to the Oakland Raiders. It was a fruitful pick as Guy led the league in yards per punt in three of his first five seasons and made the Pro Bowl in seven of his first eight. He was a three-time first-team All-Pro from 1976-78 and was particularly known for his hang time. He was an All-American as a senior at Southern Miss and was elected to the College Football Hall of Fame in 2004.Ray Guy at his Hall of Fame induction. Jason Miller / Getty ImagesNov. 6 - Peter McNab, 70, enjoyed a 14-year career as a center in the NHL with Buffalo, Boston, Vancouver, and New Jersey. He spent his formative years in San Diego where his father Max, who played three NHL seasons himself, was the coach of the minor-pro team. McNab earned a baseball scholarship to the University of Denver but ended up playing hockey there instead. Following his playing career, he re-joined the Devils as the color commentator on TV starting in 1987–88. After eight years, he moved back to Denver to become the first color analyst for Avalanche games, a job he held until his death.Nov. 24 - Borje Salming, 71, was one of the elite defensemen in the NHL in his prime from 1974-80 with Toronto. He was a first-team year-end all-star in 1976-77, and a second-teamer in the other five seasons. He finished in the top four in Norris Trophy voting each season, and was runner-up to Larry Robinson in both 1977 and 1980. He anchored the Maple Leafs' blue line for 15 seasons, concluding his NHL career with one season in Detroit. He also played three seasons with Brynas before jumping to the NHL and spending three more with AIK before retiring for good. In 1996, he became the first European-raised player elected to the Hockey Hall of Fame and was selected among the top 100 players of the NHL's first 100 years.Borje Salming, right, at a 1979 All-Star Game skate with Maple Leafs teammates Darryl Sittler and Lanny McDonald. Frank Lennon / Toronto Star / Getty ImagesNov. 30 - John Hadl, 82, had a 16-year career as one of the top quarterbacks in the NFL, 11 of them coming with San Diego and the remainder with the Rams, Packers, and Oilers. He was a two-time All-American at Kansas as quarterback/halfback in 1960 and 1961, and was drafted by both the NFL and AFL in 1962. He selected the Chargers and was Tobin Rote's backup on the 1963 AFL championship team. From 1964-69, Hadl established himself and was a four-time AFL all-star. In 1973, he took the Rams to the playoffs and earned his only nod as an NFL first-team All-Pro. He was elected to the College Football Hall of Fame in 1994.Dec. 1 - Gaylord Perry, 84, was well-known in his 22-year major-league pitching career for having not only a vast repertoire of pitches, but as a leading practitioner of deploying foreign substances on the ball. (He was only ejected from a game for this once, in 1982.) After breaking in with San Francisco in 1962, he went on to pitch with Cleveland, Texas, San Diego, the Yankees, Atlanta, Seattle, and Kansas City. He won 314 games with a career ERA of 3.11 and is one of 19 pitchers who reached 3,000 strikeouts. He was the AL Cy Young winner in 1972, his first year with Cleveland, and became the oldest player to win a Cy Young in 1978 in his age-39 season with the Padres. He was sent to the Hall of Fame in the class of 1991.Dec. 4 - Nick Bollettieri, 91, was perhaps the most well-known professional tennis coach, establishing his eponymous tennis academy in 1978 in Bradenton, Fla., which is now the multi-sport IMG Academy. Bollettieri notably coached Andre Agassi, Monica Seles, and Jim Courier as they reached No. 1 in the world, and also trained Maria Sharapova, Anna Kournikova, Mary Pierce, Jelena Jankovic, and Max Mirnyi. The Williams sisters often trained for Grand Slams at the academy. He was elected to the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 2014.Dec. 6 - Mills Lane, 85, is best known for presiding over the second Mike Tyson-Evander Holyfield bout in 1997, in which Tyson was disqualified for biting Holyfield's ear twice. He started refereeing boxing matches in 1971 and parlayed his later fame into a TV career as the star of the syndicated courtroom show "Judge Mills Lane" (he was a lawyer and judge in real life) from 1998-2001, and as the voice of his own regular character on MTV's "Celebrity Deathmatch." He was enshrined in the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 2013.Mills Lane steps in between Evander Holyfield and Mike Tyson early in their controversial 1997 fight. Mike Nelson / AFP / Getty ImagesDec. 10 - Paul Silas, 79, simply did it all on the basketball court, from being California's Mr. Basketball in 1960 at age 17, to returning to the sidelines to coach the Charlotte Bobcats in 2010 at age 67. He was a second-round draft pick by the St. Louis Hawks in 1964 after being a second-team All-American at Creighton. He played 16 seasons in the NBA as a high-rebound power forward with the Hawks, Suns, Celtics, Nuggets, and SuperSonics. He was twice an all-star and earned three rings, two of which came with Boston in 1974 and 1976, and the other with Seattle in 1979. His first head coaching job was with the Clippers in 1980 and he spent 23 seasons on the sidelines, 12 as head coach. His son, Stephen, is now the head coach of the Houston Rockets.Dec. 10 - Grant Wahl, 49, was a sportswriter best known for his work covering soccer in the U.S. and around the world. He got his start at Sports Illustrated, where he wrote about college basketball, soccer, and the Olympics. He also worked in TV, covering soccer with Fox and then CBS. In 2020, he launched his own independent site to cover the sport. He wrote two books, "The Beckham Experiment" and "Masters of Modern Soccer."Dec. 12 - Mike Leach, 61, was the head football coach at three major college programs between 2000 and 2022. In 21 seasons, his teams went to 17 bowl games while he earned four conference coach of the year awards and took home national coach of the year awards in 2008 and 2018. He got his start in coaching at small colleges starting in 1987 before becoming the offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach at Kentucky in 1997. In 1999, he joined Bob Stoops' staff as the OC at Oklahoma. In 10 seasons as the head coach at Texas Tech, he was 84-43, and the 2008 team rose as high as No. 2 in the AP poll while going 11-2. He took over the program at Washington State in 2012, staying for nine seasons, and his 2017 and 2018 teams both rose into the top 10 in the AP poll. In 2020, he joined the program at Mississippi State.Mike Leach coaching against LSU in September. Jonathan Bachman / Getty ImagesDec. 21 - Franco Harris, 72, was the primary ball carrier for the Pittsburgh Steelers dynasty that won four Super Bowls in the 1970s. He had a modest college career at Penn State but was selected 13th overall by Pittsburgh in the 1972 draft. He made an immediate impact, rushing for 1,055 yards and 10 touchdowns to earn offensive rookie of the year honors and a second-team All-Pro nod. He had eight 1,000-yard seasons in his 11 years with the Steelers and was selected to nine Pro Bowls. He was named the MVP of Super Bowl IX after rushing for 158 yards in the 16-6 win over Minnesota. He was third in career rushing yards (12,120) and touchdowns (91) when he retired after a final season in Seattle in 1984. He was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1990.Dec. 24 - Kathy Whitworth, 83, holds what may be an unbreakable record: 88 LPGA Tour victories in her career, six more than fellow Hall of Famer Mickey Wright (and six more than PGA Tour all-time leader Sam Snead). She won her first in 1962 and 52 more in the decade; she won her last event in 1985. In between, she was the LPGA player of the year seven times in a span of eight years and the tour money leader in eight seasons. She won six majors, including the LPGA Women's Championship three times. She passed the World Golf Hall of Fame qualifying standards in 1975 and was officially enshrined in 1982.Dec. 29 - Pele, 82, started playing first division soccer in Brazil at the age of 15 and was on the national team by 16. By the time he was 21, he was so important to Brazil that all attempts by European teams to sign him were rebuffed. He led Brazil to World Cup titles in 1958, 1962, and 1970. His club team, Santos, is the only Brazilian side to win the state, league, and continental trophies in a single year (1962). Santos won Brazil's Serie A championship six times in the 1960s. He holds a Guinness world record for most goals scored in all competitions, including friendlies: 1,279 in 1,363 games. In 1975, he left Brazil to sign with the New York Cosmos of the North American Soccer League, setting attendance records in his three seasons and opening up America to other world legends. Following his playing career, he was Brazil's Minister of Sport for a time in the 1990s but was more known as an ambassador of sport in different forms. AFP / Getty ImagesTo read about more sports personalities who died in 2022, visit our extended list.Copyright © 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

We split our best bets Thursday night. The Buffalo Sabres handled the Detroit Red Wings on home soil, but the New York Rangers were unable to hold on to their lead in Tampa Bay and eventually lost to the Lightning in a shootout.We'll set our sights higher and aim to end the year in style with a couple plays for the weekend ahead.Predators (-165) @ Ducks (+135)

Thursday night was a great one for our shot props, as we swept the board with a clean 3-0 mark.Timo Meier, Jason Robertson, and Cale Makar - all of whom were priced at -125 or better - took care of business for us to keep the prop train rolling.Let's try and build on it with three more plays for Friday night's small slate.Dougie Hamilton over 2.5 shots (-175)The New Jersey Devils always heavily rely upon Dougie Hamilton. With top-four defensemen John Marino and Ryan Graves injured, he'll have even more responsibility on his plate.Hamilton has registered 8.3 shot attempts per contest through three games without both defenders. He's also averaged around 24 minutes per contest during that span, which is a couple of minutes higher than his usual workload.The shoot-first blue-liner will be given every opportunity to make his mark on the game, and the matchup is better than it looks on the surface.The Pittsburgh Penguins have really struggled defensively of late. Believe it or not, only the Anaheim Ducks have allowed shots at a higher rate over the last 10 games.It's also worth noting the Penguins have given up shots in bulk to opposing defenders all season long. Just four teams - including Arizona, Anaheim, and Columbus - have allowed more shots per game to defensemen.Expect Hamilton to generate more than his fair share of attempts.Roman Josi over 4.5 shots (+110)I generally prefer to back Roman Josi on home ice. His volume is noticeably better in Nashville, which has been the case for some time. That being said, I can make an exception here since he's playing in Anaheim.Whether you focus on the full season or the last 10 games, the Ducks have been the league's worst team at preventing shots at five-on-five. They're also a subpar penalty-killing team and are prone to taking penalties.Add it all up, and they're the best team in the league to target for shots. Josi ranks sixth in the league in shot attempts and in the top 10 in shots on target, so he's the kind of guy who can really pop in a spot like this.He's shown that versus Anaheim over the past year and change, registering five shots or more in three of four meetings dating back to last season.I expect his success to continue against a horrendous Ducks team that's showing no signs of tightening up defensively.Jared McCann over 2.5 shots (+115)Death, taxes, and backing Jared McCann against the Edmonton Oilers. He has a very strong history against them dating back to his time in Pittsburgh, having hit the over in five consecutive meetings.More important than the past, though, is the present. McCann leads all Seattle Kraken forwards in shot attempts over the last 10 games. He's at his best when playing opposite Jordan Eberle, which should be the case in this game.At five-on-five, McCann averages nearly 16 attempts per 60 minutes when skating on a line with Eberle. He has a higher shooting output with Eberle than any of the other forwards he's skated with regularly this season.McCann also sits second on the Kraken in power-play shot attempts. He's a focal point on the man advantage as well, giving him extra opportunities to pile up shots.I think +115 is a very good price for McCann in this spot.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're counting down the top 10 NHL players of the 2022 calendar year. Our list is forward-heavy, and the margins between our chosen few are slim, but we factored regular-season and playoff stats along with individual achievements into our criteria.This ranking is separate from our preseason top 100 countdown and doesn't factor in career-long pedigree. For example, Victor Hedman, a consensus top defenseman for several years now, sat ninth on our list in October based on his sterling reputation but didn't qualify here after a pedestrian calendar year by his standards.Let's get started.10. Mitch Marner, Maple Leafs Mark Blinch / National Hockey League / Getty2022 stats: 84 GP, 42 G, 75 A

Connor Bedard once again took center stage during Team Canada's 11-0 thrashing of Austria at the world juniors Thursday night.The projected 2023 first overall pick tied Jordan Eberle for the most all-time career goals by a Canadian at the world juniors after scoring his 13th and 14th in the host nation's second straight victory.Bedard's first goal of the contest came from a very sharp angle in the second period, and he went on to match Eberle's feat while getting knocked down late in the final frame.The 17-year-old tied another Canadian world juniors record for most points in a single game Wednesday versus Germany after putting up a hat trick and four assists.Bedard chipped in with six more points Thursday, giving him 27 total in just 12 career games at the world juniors. He has now taken sole possession of second place on Canada's all-time points list and is only four back of Eric Lindros for the lead.Despite Bedard's dominance, teammate Logan Stankoven was named Canada's player of the game after recording one goal and three assists against Austria.It took about 14 minutes for the first goal to be scored, but the Canadians never looked back after Dylan Guenther capitalized on his team's first power-play opportunity.Canada netted four goals in each of the next two periods and outshot Austria 47-12 overall. Goaltender Ben Gaudreau earned the shutout after being pulled from Canada's tournament-opening loss to Czechia.Ten different players lit the lamp for Canada in the rout. Zach Dean, Nolan Allan, Adam Fantilli, Nathan Gaucher, and Tyson Hinds each scored their first goal of the tournament, while captain Shane Wright and Joshua Roy also tallied for the reigning gold medalist.Austria had been outscored 20-0 by its opponents entering Thursday's matchup and surrendered 11 goals for the second time this tournament.Bedard's next chance to break Eberle's record will come Saturday against Sweden, while Austria will take on Germany on Friday.Copyright © 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

New York Rangers forward Alexis Lafreniere was a healthy scratch during his side's 2-1 shootout loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning on Thursday night.Gallant dropped Lafreniere to the fourth line for Tuesday's game against the Washington Capitals, which New York lost 4-0."I want him to be better," Gallant previously said when asked to explain the demotion. "He's got some chances to play with good people, and he's played well at times, but it's the inconsistency."Lafreniere struggled Tuesday night, registering only one shot on goal and committing a pair of giveaways in only 13:14 of ice time. He's notched four assists in his last seven games but managed only four shots on goal in that span with none in three of those contests.The 21-year-old forward has collected only five goals and 12 assists across 36 contests this season. He's in his third campaign with the Rangers, who drafted him first overall in 2020.Many experts viewed Lafreniere as a generational talent when he was a prospect. He's shown flashes of his potential at the NHL level but hasn't had sustained success. The former QMJHL superstar has produced 36 goals and 33 assists in 171 career NHL games after hitting triple digits in points for the Rimouski Oceanic in consecutive campaigns.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Just call him "Officer Sid."Sidney Crosby's home country gave him one of its highest honors Thursday, elevating the Pittsburgh Penguins superstar to the Order of Canada.Governor General Mary Simon named Crosby one of 32 new officers and 99 new appointments to the Order "for being one of the greatest hockey players of all time and for supporting community service initiatives for youth."Crosby has long been one of the NHL's brightest stars. The future Hall of Famer has a lengthy resume of accomplishments, including many on the international stage. Most memorably, he scored the "Golden Goal" in 2010, helping Canada defeat the United States in overtime to win that Olympic tournament.The 35-year-old also helped the Canadian squad win the World Cup of Hockey in 2016 and served as captain for the 2014 Olympic team that repeated as champions. He became a member of hockey's "Triple Gold Club" (Olympic, World Championship, and Stanley Cup titles) when he led Canada to victory at the worlds one year later. He also became the only player to captain all three gold-winning teams.Crosby also won gold with Canada's national junior team in 2005. On the NHL stage, he's won the Cup three times, including back-to-back championships in 2016 and 2017. The Nova Scotia-born center has also won the Hart, Conn Smythe, "Rocket" Richard, and Art Ross trophies twice, and his peers voted him the Ted Lindsay Award winner as MVP in their opinion three times.He's done a considerable amount of charitable work throughout his career. Crosby donated 100,000 meals through the Greater Pittsburgh Food Bank in 2020 and partnered with CCM to donate 87 sets of hockey equipment to under-represented Nova Scotia communities in 2019.The Sidney Crosby Foundation's goal is "proudly supporting charities that improve the lives of disadvantaged children."The Penguins drafted Crosby first overall in 2005.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

We split our shot props Wednesday night. Alex Pietrangelo came through with a first-period hit against the Anaheim Ducks, but Nikita Kucherov let us down with a dud at home to the Montreal Canadiens.We'll set our sights higher as we dig into three standout plays for Thursday night's busy slate of games.Cale Makar over 3.5 shots (-105)The Makar train continues to chug along sans Nathan MacKinnon. Makar registered at least four shots on goal in eight of 10 games since MacKinnon went down with an injury. He also hit the over in six consecutive games, averaging nearly five shots in that span.This hot streak is by no means smoke and mirrors. Makar attempted more than eight shots per game over the last 10, slotting him third in the NHL during that span. Only snipers David Pastrnak and Mikko Rantanen generated more volume in that time.Makar is a much more prolific shooter without MacKinnon and does his best work on home soil. The Avalanche blue-liner averaged 8.2 attempts per game in Colorado this season, compared to just 6.6 on the road.Unsurprisingly, he hasn't enjoyed nearly as much success away from home - his hit rate is 15% lower than it is in Colorado.The Los Angeles Kings are generally not a team to target for shots on goal, but Makar is playing so many minutes - and being asked to carry so much of the offense - that I see value here anyway.Timo Meier over 4.5 shots (+115)Meier was seemingly automatic to start the season, recording five shots or more in eight of his first nine home games.The San Jose Sharks winger hit five shots in just three of 10 home dates since that point, appearing to cool off immensely. However, Meier actually averaged 8.6 attempts per game in San Jose during that span, which is more than his season average at home (8.2).He's still generating a lot of shots - they just haven't hit the net at the same clip. I doubt Meier magically forgot how to shoot on target, so as long as the volume is there, he's still a priority for me.What I love about Meier tonight is the matchup. The Philadelphia Flyers rank 25th in shot suppression over the last 10 and, on the road, 29th for the season. They give up a ton of shots, and I expect Meier to be the primary beneficiary.Jason Robertson over 3.5 shots (-125)Robertson has some of the most insane home/road splits you'll see, and he's generally not someone to play outside of Dallas.But tonight, Robertson finds himself in a sneaky spot against the Minnesota Wild. Their games featured a ton of special teams play of late, with the Wild averaging around 46 minutes of five-on-five time over the last 10 games.Robertson is very reliant on the power play and has the ability to quickly pile up shots in bulk on the man advantage. He has 81 attempts on the man advantage this season, nearly double that of his closest Dallas Stars teammate, Miro Heiskanen (44). Clearly, Robertson is option Nos. 1 through 3 on the man advantage. Against an opponent that's been lending itself to a lot of special teams play, he could do some real damage.He also has a strong history against this Wild team. Robertson recorded at least six shots in all three meetings against Minnesota this calendar year.Look for his shooting success to continue.Todd Cordell is a sports betting writer at theScore. Be sure to follow him on Twitter @ToddCordell.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Thursday features a busy 11-game NHL slate. Let's waste no time in getting to our best bets.Red Wings (+140) @ Sabres (-165)The Red Wings deserve a lot of credit for their comeback road win against the Penguins on Wednesday night - but they're still a team to attack.Detroit has played poorly of late. The team has controlled just over 38% of all high-danger scoring chances at five-on-five over its last 10 games, better than only the Canadiens and Ducks.The Red Wings have struggled at both ends of the ice over that span, ranking bottom five in both chance generation and prevention.Though the Sabres aren't contenders, they're certainly capable of causing Detroit problems.Buffalo's defense is surprisingly potent when healthy, so the imminent return of Owen Power will be huge. Led by Tage Thompson, Alex Tuch, Dylan Cozens, and Rasmus Dahlin, among others, the Sabres are also making noise on offense - especially on home ice.Buffalo ranks second in goals per 60 minutes at home this season and is averaging a whopping 3.98 tallies through 17 games at KeyBank Center. After a taxing overtime victory, the Red Wings now have to travel and try to slow that offense down.That's a difficult task, especially after starting netminder Ville Husso played against the Penguins - at least until they chased him; he isn't as fresh as he normally would be heading into a start.This underrated Sabres offense is going to cause all kinds of issues for a pedestrian and fatigued Red Wings defense.Look for Buffalo to take care of business in 60 minutes.Bet: Sabres in regulation (+100)Rangers (+110) @ Lightning (-130)The Lightning enter this contest fresh off a Wednesday win over lowly Montreal, but the Rangers appear to be hitting their stride. They've won eight of their last 10 games and rediscovered the formula that made them so successful last season.While their overall numbers still leave plenty to be desired, the Rangers are excelling in a few key areas.New York has played well defensively during this winning spell, ranking top 10 in high-danger scoring chances against per 60 minutes at five-on-five. It's very difficult to score on Igor Shesterkin when opportunities are few and far between.The power play has also found new life. The Rangers have averaged more than 10 goals per 60 minutes on the man advantage over their last 10 outings. It's a small sample size, but that rate is higher than it was last season when New York's power play was among the league's best.The Rangers' power play is clicking right now, and Tampa Bay sometimes struggles with discipline; that could create opportunities for New York to make some noise with the man advantage.The Rangers should also benefit from a substantial edge in goal. Shesterkin hasn't been as dominant this season as he was last year, but he remains one of the NHL's best netminders. His Lightning counterpart, Brian Elliott, owns an .894 save percentage on the year and has conceded 20 goals over his last six games.With a hot power play, a superior goaltender, and a rest advantage, the Rangers offer value as healthy underdogs in this game.Bet: Rangers (+110)Todd Cordell is a sports betting writer at theScore. Be sure to follow him on Twitter @ToddCordell.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Connor Bedard tied the Canadian world juniors record for most points in a single game after putting up seven in the host country's 11-2 rout of Germany on Wednesday.

Slovakia scored three times within a 3:19 span in the second period en route to a 6-3 upset of Team USA during Wednesday's action at the world juniors.The U.S. carried a 2-1 lead into the middle frame, but Dalibor Dvorsky buried the equalizer midway through the period on the power play. Robert Baco gave Slovakia its first lead less than two minutes later, and Filip Mesar scored off a deflection 92 seconds after that.USA outshot Slovakia 36-26. American netminder Kaidan Mbereko made 25 saves for an .800 save percentage in the losing effort, while Slovakian goaltender Adam Gajan dazzled with a 33-save performance.Peter Repcik converted on a partial breakaway to pad the Slovaks' lead in the third period. American forward Tyler Boucher netted his second goal of the game on the power play and with the goalie pulled, but that's as close as the U.S. would get as Alex Ciernik iced the contest with an empty-netter.

Toronto Maple Leafs head coach Sheldon Keefe announced Wednesday that defenseman Morgan Rielly is expected to return when his side takes on the Arizona Coyotes on Thursday, according to Sportsnet's Luke Fox.Rielly last played on Nov. 21 against the New York Islanders. He sustained a knee injury following an awkward collision with Islanders forward Kyle Palmieri in the third period that ultimately forced him to leave the game.Despite his absence, Rielly still paces Toronto's blue line with 16 points in 20 contests this season. The 28-year-old is playing out the first campaign of an eight-year, $60-million extension signed in October 2021.Rielly skated on a pair with Timothy Liljegren during Wednesday's practice. The long-time Leaf leads the team with 23 minutes of average ice time in 2022-23.

The NHL sent the Toronto Maple Leafs a pair of bills Wednesday.Toronto was fined $100,000 for violating a rule prohibiting team activities over the holiday break, the league announced. Additionally, head coach Sheldon Keefe has been docked $25,000 for "demeaning conduct directed at the officials" during Tuesday night's win over the St. Louis Blues.Article 16.5(b) of the NHL's CBA states Dec. 24, 25, and 26 are to be off days "for all purposes, including travel."The Leafs were supposed to fly to St. Louis just after midnight ET on Tuesday, but they departed shortly before 10:30 p.m. on Monday, according to Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman.The team's rationale was because St. Louis is at least a 90-minute flight, it'd be preferable to leave at night and arrive then as players are used to, as opposed to departing at 5 a.m., Friedman adds.Keefe's frustrations boiled over early in the third period of the Leafs' 5-4 overtime win Tuesday. He initially appeared to be upset about a potential goaltender interference violation on the Blues' tying goal, but he was in fact incensed about a pick on Leafs defenseman Jordie Benn earlier in the play.

Colorado Avalanche forward Valeri Nichushkin has no timeline to return after re-injuring the ankle he had surgically repaired in early November, head coach Jared Bednar said Wednesday, according to The Denver Gazette's Kyle Fredrickson.Nichushkin didn't play from late October until early December following the procedure. He amassed seven goals and five assists in seven games before his absence and recorded four assists in eight games after returning.The 27-year-old was instrumental in Colorado's Stanley Cup run last spring, posting nine tallies and six helpers in 20 contests. He parlayed that performance into an eight-year, $49-million contract with the Avalanche as a free agent in July.Selected 10th overall by the Dallas Stars in 2013, Nichushkin broke out with Colorado last season after years of unmet expectations. He joined the Avalanche in 2019-20 after four seasons with the Stars and two campaigns in the KHL.Colorado has dealt with a slew of injuries in 2022-23. Nathan MacKinnon has been out since early December and appears to be nearing a return, but the club is still without captain Gabriel Landeskog, defensemen Josh Manson and Bowen Byram, backup goaltender Pavel Francouz, and veteran forward Darren Helm.The Avalanche entered Wednesday sitting fourth in the Central Division at 19-12-2.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Bruce Boudreau wouldn't call it "swagger," but the Vancouver Canucks head coach can see his players gaining more confidence in their abilities after a disappointing start to the season."I don't like that word, but I think the team is starting to believe in themselves, and I think that's important," Boudreau told reporters Tuesday night after his club defeated the San Jose Sharks 6-2 for Vancouver's third straight win.The Canucks have inched their way back into the playoff hunt with seven victories in their last 10 contests. Vancouver occupies sixth place in the Pacific Division but now sits five points behind the fourth-place Edmonton Oilers with two games in hand.Bo Horvat produced his second straight four-point game Tuesday, having notched two goals and two assists both times. The Canucks captain has been spectacular amid swirling trade talk this season. He's tied for second in the NHL in goals with 26 in 34 contests, burying nine in his last 10. The pending unrestricted free agent is only five tallies behind league leader Connor McDavid.The Canucks rank 25th in expected goals for percentage at five-on-five this season but 20th over the last 10 games, according to Natural Stat Trick. Vancouver heads to Winnipeg to face the Jets on Thursday before meeting the Flames in Calgary on Saturday.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

We have a fun little five-game slate on the docket Wednesday night as we look to get back in the swing of things.Let's dive into the best ways to attack it.Golden Knights (-190) @ Ducks (+160)The Vegas Golden Knights are banged up and find themselves in the latter half of a road back-to-back as they come out of the holiday break. Even so, I expect them to get a result in this game.We've targeted the Anaheim Ducks all season long, and we're not going to stop now. Put simply, the Ducks are an unmitigated disaster. They rank 31st in goals for and 32nd in goals against, and their underlying numbers are equally painful.At five-on-five, no team has allowed more shots, expected goals, or high-danger chances per minute than Anaheim both this season or over the last 10 games. There are no signs of improvement with this team.Making matters worse, the Ducks are undisciplined. It's awfully difficult to compensate for horrendous five-on-five play when you're often shorthanded and struggle to survive when that's the case.Injuries or not, the Golden Knights still rank in the top 10 in expected goal and high-danger chance share over the last 10 games. They've also been firing on all cylinders on the power play, scoring at a more efficient rate than all but the Edmonton Oilers.This is a dream matchup for the Golden Knights as they look to rebound from a tough divisional loss Tuesday night.There could be reinforcements on the way, too, as Jonathan Marchessault has been traveling on the team's California road trip.Whatever the case may be, I expect Vegas to take care of business inside 60 minutes.Bet: Golden Knights in regulation (-120)Nikita Kucherov over 3.5 shots (-110)Nikita Kucherov continues to be a player we target primarily on home ice. Although his hit rate is only 6% higher in Tampa than on the road, the process is much better at home.He averages 7.6 attempts per game in Tampa and has generated eight or more on eight different occasions. On the road, Kucherov generates 6.3 attempts per contest and has cleared eight only three times.Beyond Kucherov simply being more productive at home, there's a lot to like about his matchup Wednesday. The Montreal Canadiens aren't a good five-on-five team and, perhaps more importantly, they tend to offer opponents plenty of power-play opportunities.The Canadiens have spent more than six minutes per game killing penalties over their last 10 contests, which ranks in the bottom eight in the NHL. They also bleed shots on the penalty kill.Look for Kucherov to have a big night.Alex Pietrangelo over 2.5 shots (-115)Alex Pietrangelo has been a shooting machine since returning to the lineup. Through five games, the veteran defenseman has led Vegas with 34 shot attempts. He's also averaged better than 26 minutes per game and logged nearly 30 more than the closest teammate.With so many key players missing for the Golden Knights, and against the Ducks, Pietrangelo's shooting ways should continue Wednesday night. Anaheim ranks dead last in attempts against per minute at five-on-five over the last 10 games. The Ducks have also paraded to the box during that span, spending a league-high 7:21 per contest undermanned.This is a mouthwatering matchup for Pietrangelo. Given his current workload, he'll have every opportunity to take advantage of it.Todd Cordell is a sports betting writer at theScore. Be sure to follow him on Twitter @ToddCordell.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

St. Louis Blues defenseman Torey Krug will be re-evaluated in six weeks due to a lower-body injury, the club announced Tuesday.The veteran will be placed on long-term injured reserve, and the Blues recalled blue-liner Tyler Tucker from their AHL affiliate, the Springfield Thunderbirds, in a corresponding move.Krug was quarterbacking St. Louis' power play, which ranked 12th in the NHL entering Tuesday. The 31-year-old has collected 17 points in 31 games this season and was on a four-game point streak in which he posted five assists.The Michigan-born rearguard is in his third campaign with the Blues after signing a seven-year, $45.5-million contract as a free agent in October 2020. Krug played his first seven full seasons with the Boston Bruins. They signed him as an undrafted free agent in 2012. Krug was a finalist for the Hobey Baker Award (the NCAA's top individual honor in men's hockey) that same year.Krug is one of the most consistent point producers among defensemen. He's registered at least 39 points in eight of his previous nine full campaigns and 49 or more in four of them.St. Louis was already off to a disappointing start to this campaign. The Blues enter Tuesday's clash with the Toronto Maple Leafs sitting in sixth place in the Central Division by points percentage with a record of 16-16-2. Their minus-19 goal differential ranks eighth-worst, and their 46.87 expected goals for percentage is the ninth-worst mark in the league, according to Natural Stat Trick.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The NHL had its Christmas break, but with the season poised to resume, I've got a gift for you: a chance to complain.The whole "peace on earth, goodwill toward men" thing is over for another year, so without further adieu, here's my rating for each team from now through the rest of the year. Perfect for something to grumble about.How to read the ratings:As usual, current standings are meaningless. That shootout win your favorite team earned in October doesn't help win games in February. This is not about ranking teams to this point; it's about who will be profitable from Dec. 27 to April 14.A rating of 1.00 represents a league-average team. If your favorite team gets a higher rating - a 1.05, for example - that club can be expected to be 5% better than a league-average team from here on out. In turn, squads rated at 0.95 are expected to be 5% worse than the average team. In betting terms, a team that's 5% better than its opponent would be -111 on the moneyline before a sportsbook applies the vigorish.TEAMPRESEASON RATINGRATING NOWToronto Maple Leafs1.171.21Carolina Hurricanes1.121.19Florida Panthers1.151.19Tampa Bay Lightning1.131.15Boston Bruins1.051.15New Jersey Devils1.001.15Colorado Avalanche1.221.13Calgary Flames1.121.11Minnesota Wild1.091.10Vegas Golden Knights1.061.09New York Rangers1.091.09Pittsburgh Penguins1.111.08Edmonton Oilers1.121.07Los Angeles Kings1.061.06Dallas Stars1.031.04Washington Capitals1.031.03Nashville Predators1.061.03Winnipeg Jets0.970.99New York Islanders1.020.98Seattle Kraken0.890.98St. Louis Blues1.070.98Vancouver Canucks1.010.95Ottawa Senators0.950.95Detroit Red Wings0.930.92Buffalo Sabres0.860.92San Jose Sharks0.820.92Columbus Blue Jackets0.870.82Philadelphia Flyers0.800.81Montreal Canadiens0.790.81Anaheim Ducks0.870.79Chicago Blackhawks0.730.74Arizona Coyotes0.720.73The left column shows where teams stood before the season. The column on the right illustrates how perceptions have changed and expectations going forward.The recipeWe started the campaign using regular-season point totals as a baseline for rating teams since it's still our best measurement. Throughout the campaign, we'll 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 BETDec. 27CHI@CAR+319/-319CHI +404/CAR -302WSH@NYR+147/-147WSH +175/NYR -141BOS@OTT-128/+128BOS -123/OTT +151PIT@NYI-104/+104PIT +106/NYI +115TOR@STL-120/+120TOR -115/STL +141DAL@NSH+116/-116DAL +136/NSH -111MIN@WPG-129/+129MIN -124/WPG +152COL@ARI-123/+123COL -118/ARI +145EDM@CGY+125/-125EDM +148/CGY -120SJS@VAN+104/-104SJS +115/VAN +107VGK@LAK+126/-126VGK +148/LAK -121Dec. 28MTL@TBL+248/-248MTL +305/TBL -237BOS@NJD+143/-143BOS +169/NJD -137DET@PIT+134/-134DET +158/PIT -128CGY@SEA+112/-112CGY +131/SEA -107VGK@ANA-122/+122VGK -117/ANA +143Dec. 29OTT@WSH+124/-124OTT +146/WSH -119MTL@FLA+113/-113MTL +132/FLA -108DET@BUF+143/-143DET +169/BUF -137NYR@TBL+119/-119NYR +140/TBL -114CBJ@NYI+195/-195CBJ +235/NYI -187CHI@STL+192/-192CHI +231/-184DAL@MIN+132/-132DAL +156/MIN -127VAN@WPG+127/-127VAN +150/WPG -122LAK@COL-111/+111LAK +100/COL +122TOR@ARI-204/+204TOR -195/ARI +247PHI@SJS+164/-164PHI +196/SJS -158Dec. 30NSH@ANA-139/+139NSH -134/ANA +165NJD@PIT+104/-104NJD +115/PIT +107FLA@CAR+195/-195FLA +234/CAR -186EDM@SEA-103/+103EDM +108/SEA +114Dec. 31BUF@BOS+191/-191BUF +229/BOS -183CHI@CBJ+117/-117CHI +137/CBJ -112NSH@VGK+161/-161NSH +191/VGK -154PHI@LAK+227/-227PHI +277/LAK -217MTL@WSH+166/-166MTL +197/WSH -159ARI@TBL+304/-304ARI +382/TBL -288MIN@STL-108/+108MIN +102/STL +119TOR@COL-133/+133TOR -128/COL +157OTT@DET+111/-111OTT +123/DET +100SJS@DAL+152/-152SJS +180/DAL -146VAN@CGY+200/-200VAN +241/CGY -192WPG@EDM+139/-139WPG +164/EDM -133Jan. 1CAR@NJD+108/-108CAR +119/NJD +103NYR@FLA+108/-108NYR +120/FLA +102BUF@OTT+125/-125BUF +147/OTT -120SJS@CHI-120/+120SJS -115/CHI +141NYI@SEA+117/-117NYI +137/SEA -112Matt 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 © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Czechia shocked Canada to round out opening-day action at the world juniors, beating the defending gold medalist 5-2.The upset is Czechia's first win against Canada at the world juniors since 2013.Shane Wright scored the opening goal for Canada, but David Spacek and David Moravec combined to tally two goals in 35 seconds to take a lead Czechia never surrendered.Stanislav Svozil potted the eventual winner 44 seconds into the second frame.Canadian Zach Dean received a controversial match penalty for making contact with Ales Cech's head during a hit. Jaroslav Chmelar and Matous Mensik scored on the ensuing five-minute power play to put the game out of reach.Canada goaltender Benjamin Gaudreau was pulled after allowing five goals on 17 shots. His opposite number, Tomas Suchanek, made 36 saves in the victory.Czechia faces Austria on Tuesday, while Canada will look to bounce back against Germany on Wednesday.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The sports photographers at Getty Images snap action shots around the world. We illuminate 22 of our favorite images they captured this year.San Francisco 49ers kicker Robbie Gould celebrates the last-second field goal he booted to bounce the Green Bay Packers from the playoffs. Patrick McDermott / Getty ImagesFrance rugby union winger Gabin Villiere dives for a try while an Italian opponent despairs. Shaun Botterill / Getty ImagesChinese para alpine skier Liang Jingyi rams through a gate in the men's Super-G (standing) race at the Winter Paralympics in Beijing. Ryan Pierse / Getty ImagesDetroit Pistons forward Jerami Grant absorbs a foul from Duncan Robinson of the Miami Heat. Michael Reaves / Getty ImagesUConn forward Aaliyah Edwards sets to shoot against NC State in the NCAA Tournament. The Huskies won the Elite Eight matchup but lost to South Carolina in the final. Elsa / Getty ImagesProfessional golfer Abraham Ancer tosses his glove on the 10th tee at the Mexico Open. Hector Vivas / Getty ImagesSloane Stephens plays a forehand return at the French Open. Clive Brunskill / Getty ImagesColorado Rockies infielder Ryan McMahon throws on the move to first base against the Atlanta Braves. Dustin Bradford / Getty ImagesFinals MVP trophy in hand, Stephen Curry celebrates the Golden State Warriors clinching the NBA title in Boston. Jesse D. Garrabrant / NBA / Getty ImagesUFC fighter Gloria de Paula strikes Maria Oliveira during their strawweight bout in Austin, Texas. Oliveira bounced back to win in a split decision. Carmen Mandato / Getty ImagesFresh off defeating the Tampa Bay Lightning in six games, Colorado Avalanche captain Gabriel Landeskog hoists the Stanley Cup. Christian Petersen / Getty ImagesToronto Blue Jays catcher Alejandro Kirk warms up for a home game on Canada Day. Mark Blinch / Getty ImagesAmerican sprinter Noah Lyles rejoices at the World Athletics Championships in Oregon. Lyles won the men's 200m final in 19.31 seconds, the fourth-fastest time ever recorded. Steph Chambers / Getty ImagesFans surround Danish cyclist Jonas Vingegaard amid the Tour de France's 18th stage. Vingegaard won the stage and went on to clinch his first yellow jacket as champion. Michael Steele / Velo / Getty ImagesTriumphant England players storm the postgame press conference to revel in their victory in the Euro 2022 final. England beat Germany 2-1 in extra time. Sarah Stier / UEFA / Getty ImagesEnglish long jumper Abigail Irozuru takes flight at the Commonwealth Games. David Ramos / Getty ImagesManchester City striker Erling Haaland scores a golazo to beat Borussia Dortmund - his former club - in the Champions League group stage. James Gill / Danehouse / Getty ImagesClemson defensive tackle Jabriel Robinson fires up the crowd before a home win over Louisiana Tech. Grant Halverson / Getty ImagesLas Vegas Aces forward A'ja Wilson celebrates the franchise's first WNBA championship. The Aces topped the Connecticut Sun in four games. Maddie Meyer / Getty ImagesHouston Astros players douse manager Dusty Baker with beer following the club's victory in the ALDS. Houston wound up winning the World Series. Steph Chambers / Getty ImagesTampa Bay Buccaneers defenders lunge in vain as Los Angeles Rams receiver Allen Robinson makes a highlight-reel catch. Mike Ehrmann / Getty ImagesUplifted by Argentina teammates and supporters, Lionel Messi raises the World Cup trophy in Qatar. Michael Regan / FIFA / Getty ImagesClick to see more of Getty's top photos from 2022.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Washington Capitals defenseman John Carlson was released from a hospital Saturday and will be out for an indefinite period of time, the club announced.The Capitals' medical staff is still looking after Carlson, who was taken to hospital Friday night following a slap shot to the side of the head less than a minute into the third period. He left the game and didn't return.

One of the best things about the World Junior Championship is watching future NHL stars and top prospects test their skills on the international stage. Some surefire talents confirm their abilities, while other players' weaknesses are illuminated in the process.A number of skaters who flashed their potential at the tournament in the last few years haven't taken long to become difference-makers at the NHL level. The league is loaded with young talent, and some of those burgeoning stars foreshadowed their future success with strong showings at the world juniors.Here are five recent world junior standouts from no earlier than the 2019 tourney who've wasted little time cementing themselves as key players in the pros.Trevor Zegras Codie McLachlan / Getty Images Sport / GettyBefore Zegras was a viral play-producing Calder Trophy finalist with the Anaheim Ducks, the Bedford, New York-born forward was a fixture in the U.S. program. He collected nine assists in five games for the Americans at the 2020 world junior tournament, showing plenty of promise despite his country's sixth-place finish.Zegras broke out in the next year's event, racking up seven goals and 11 assists in seven games. He also scored his side's second goal in a 2-0 victory over Canada in the gold-medal game. Anaheim's ninth overall pick in 2019 was snubbed by the tournament brass for best forward in 2021, but the media named him tournament MVP and one of the top three forwards.The Ducks phenom showed flashes of skill and creativity in 24 games with Anaheim and 17 more with the team's AHL affiliate in 2020-21 before sticking in the NHL the following campaign. If not for Detroit Red Wings defenseman and 2021-22 Rookie of the Year Moritz Seider, Zegras would've cruised to the Calder with 23 goals and 38 assists over 75 contests.The now-21-year-old is producing at around the same clip for the Ducks in 2022-23. Zegras should only improve in the years to come, but let's not forget that his play at the world juniors helped to establish him as a future star.Tim Stutzle Codie McLachlan / Getty Images Sport / GettyStutzle - the beneficiary of the Zegras snub in 2021 - had himself quite a tournament. He joined his American counterpart as one of the media's top three forwards, producing five goals and five assists in five games. The German center helped his country reach the quarterfinals by building on his five-assist performance over five contests at the 2020 event.Stutzle has made a fairly smooth transition to the NHL since debuting for the Ottawa Senators in January 2021. The 2020 third overall pick finished ninth in Calder voting in 2020-21 after registering 29 points in 53 games. He took another step forward in 2021-22, tallying 22 goals and 36 assists across 79 contests, and he's been even better this season, notching nearly a point per game.Stutzle, who'll turn 21 next month, stood out at the world juniors before becoming an instrumental piece of the Senators' promising, young core and a key building block for the franchise.Spencer Knight Codie McLachlan / Getty Images Sport / GettyKnight has gone from being the future in the Florida Panthers' crease to very much the present this season. But before he arrived on the NHL scene, the talented goaltender played a major part in the United States' 2021 gold-medal victory.The Connecticut-born netminder went 6-1-0 with three shutouts in that tourney, allowing only nine goals for a .940 save percentage. He would've surely been named goaltender of the tournament had Canada's Devon Levi not also gone 6-1-0 with a save percentage of .964.Knight has blossomed into an above-average NHL puck-stopper since then. Most impressively, he's carved out a significant chunk of playing time despite competing for starts with Sergei Bobrovsky, who Florida handed a mammoth contract in the summer of 2019, less than two weeks after they drafted Knight 13th overall.Pyotr Kochetkov Kevin Light / Getty Images Sport / GettyKochetkov is one of the NHL's early breakout stars this season, but some may forget how well he played at the world juniors. The Carolina Hurricanes netminder went 4-1-0 with a .953 save percentage for Russia at the 2019 event. He helped his country claim bronze while surrendering only seven goals in total.The IIHF brass named him goaltender of the tournament for his efforts, and the now-23-year-old continued his upward trajectory after that. Kochetkov further displayed his potential in the KHL and AHL before being forced into action for Carolina due to injuries to Frederik Andersen and Antti Raanta during the playoffs last spring.Kochetkov has taken another leap in 2022-23 amid yet another Andersen injury, providing stability in the crease and grabbing the Canes' No. 1 job in the process. His dominance at the world juniors provided a glimpse of what he'd accomplish years later in the pros.Dylan Cozens Codie McLachlan / Getty Images Sport / GettyCozens is in the midst of a breakout campaign of his own with the Buffalo Sabres. He's posting nearly a point per game and playing a big part in his club's surprising transformation into the NHL's best offense (yes, that still feels weird to write). But before he arrived on the scene at the highest level, the "Workhorse from Whitehorse" was one of the most productive Canadian players in world junior history.The now-21-year-old racked up 10 goals and 15 assists over 14 games in his two world junior tournaments (2020 and 2021), including eight tallies and eight helpers over seven contests in the latter event.Cozens helped Canada win gold in his first go-around and then served as a Canada co-captain in 2021 following Kirby Dach's injury. That squad settled for silver, but the media named Cozens one of the top three forwards along with Zegras and Stutzle. Cozens' international pedigree surely helped set him up for NHL success.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Alex Ovechkin was about to be mobbed by teammates with a minute remaining in regulation Friday night, and all he could muster was a half-assed shoulder shrug. He'd just scored goal No. 802 into a vacant net.Yes, 802 was anticlimactic for a larger-than-life man known for blasting one-timers and mortifying goalies for 18 seasons. But a goal's a goal, and Ovechkin's now second on the NHL's all-time goals list, surpassing the legendary Gordie Howe with that empty-netter against the Winnipeg Jets."Going to a bar right now. Hot dog, nachos, you know. Why not?" the always-colorful Ovechkin told reporters following the Capitals' memorable 4-1 victory.Ovechkin, 37, now needs only 93 goals to break Wayne Gretzky's record - a revered goal-scoring standard many in the hockey world once believed would never be broken. The native of Moscow, Russia, is on pace to score 50 goals for the 10th time in his storied career. He's under contract with Washington for three seasons beyond this one, offering ample runway to reach 895 tallies.Below is a breakdown of the five Ws - who, what, when, where, and why, though not in that order - pertaining to Ovi's prolific goal-scoring.Why he's scored so many goalsSome goal-scorers are volume shooters. Others are sharpshooters.Ovechkin is both.He's accumulated a record 6,218 shots on goal during his NHL career, which is a mind-bending 2,398 clear of Eric Staal, who's second in shots since 2005-06. The difference between Ovechkin's and Staal's totals is roughly the same as the difference between Staal's and Viktor Arvidsson's, 230th on the list. Dave Reginek / Getty ImagesThe NHL didn't start counting shot attempts until 2007-08. Unsurprisingly, nobody's even in the same universe as Ovechkin's 10,846. (No. 2 Brent Burns is at 7,406 attempts, or 3,440 behind Ovechkin, while No. 10 Evgeni Malkin trails by 5,443.) This unprecedented volume is attributable to his proactive approach. Ovechkin doesn't wait for an ideal shooting lane or angle. He funnels an average of nine pucks to the net a game and sees what happens.Efficiency is the other separator. Ovechkin isn't the most efficient shooter in league history. Still, he's bagged 397 more goals than Phil Kessel - who's fourth in attempts since 2007-08 - partly because he converts on a higher percentage of his shots on goal. Ovechkin is a 12.9% shooter for his career, while Kessel, an elite sniper with 405 career goals, is a 10.8% shooter.Ovechkin's generational shot is deceptive and quick off the stick and heavy and accurate in flight. He can outhustle, outsmart, or overpower the goalie or plainly pick a corner with some combination of hustle, smarts, and power.For all of his gifts, Ovechkin doesn't surpass Howe or earn a career goals-per-game rate of 0.61 without help from playmakers. A total of 106 players have registered an assist on an Ovechkin goal, with longtime Capital teammates Nicklas Backstrom (278 assists), John Carlson (142), Evgeny Kuznetsov (104), Mike Green (70), and Marcus Johansson (57) leading the charge. Bruce Bennett / Getty ImagesThe best ability, as they say, is availability, and Ovechkin has a near-flawless attendance record in the NHL. Counting 2022-23, he's played every game in six different seasons and missed five or fewer contests in 10 of the other 12. All told, the self-proclaimed "Russian machine" who "never breaks" has missed 47 games in 18 years - including 27 due to injury and seven due to supplemental discipline for illegal hits, according to CapitalsOutsider.com.On its own, Ovechkin's durability is commendable. After factoring in his involvement in on-ice collisions, it's nothing short of freakish. Ovechkin has delivered 3,379 hits in his career, and he's surely been on the receiving end of at least half as many. His ironman-like career can be partially chalked up to good injury luck. (How has he managed never to suffer a freak injury?) Yet, in another way, Ovechkin's had crappy luck thanks to two lockouts and a pandemic, which together removed 155 games he could have played in.One last nugget on the logic-defying longevity: Ovechkin hasn't been on cruise control lately. It took him just 162 contests to jump from 700 to 800 goals, whereas Gretzky and Howe needed 231 and 256 games to do the same.What types of goals he's scored Scott Taetsch / Getty ImagesOvechkin has never been a subtle hockey player. He's an assertive skater and body checker who turns on attack mode every time the puck enters his orbit.Early-career Ovechkin was a heat-seeking missile who'd force his way into prime scoring areas, leaving lunging defenders in his wake. With his patented physicality toned down in recent years, late-career Ovechkin has devoted more energy to bombing pucks from his "office" inside the left faceoff circle.In both scenarios, Ovechkin's an intimidating sniper relying largely on three types of shots - wrist, slap, and snap. Here's his shot selection since the NHL started tabulating shot types in 2009-10:

Minnesota Wild forward Mason Shaw was suspended two games for kneeing San Jose Sharks forward Evgeny Svechnikov, the league announced Friday.Shaw was assessed a match penalty on the play. Svechnikov returned to the game after initially leaving to be evaluated.

The Los Angeles Kings opted for a roster reset a few years ago, adding speedy youngsters to replace plodding veterans and generally turning the page on the Stanley Cup triumphs of last decade. But management made it clear Drew Doughty, Anze Kopitar, and Jonathan Quick weren't going anywhere.The plan was for those aging stars, with their lengthy and pricey contracts in tow, to be a part of the next era in L.A. Doughty's situation was the most complex because his deal was the longest (expires in 2027) and most expensive ($11-million cap hit). Boston Globe / Getty ImagesIt still stands out, actually. Doughty, now 33 years old, isn't quite as dynamic offensively as he was at 23. However, he remains highly effective in all three zones of the ice and is the unquestioned leader of a blue line featuring several under-25 defensemen: defense partner Mikey Anderson, plus Sean Durzi, Jordan Spence, and Brandt Clarke, who all shoot right-handed like Doughty.Doughty's veteran-savvy play and hands-on leadership give him staying power as an organizational pillar. From afar, there doesn't appear to be a single person in the L.A. market criticizing Doughty's overall contributions. No one's calling him overpaid or underwhelming or lobbying for his departure."For those kids to have Dewey, it's hugely important," forward Alex Iafallo told theScore. "It's a mentorship, really, especially with defensive responsibilities."Head coach Todd McLellan praised Doughty's dedication to the craft, rattling off habits younger Kings can absorb by studying No. 8's shifts. "The competitiveness, the precise passing, the ability to defend," McLellan said."Pride in defending is a big thing that isn't always found in young players anymore. Everybody's coming in, and they think they need (scoring) stats to stay. … Drew takes as much pride, or sometimes more, in the defending part. It's really good for our younger players, in particular, to see that." Juan Ocampo / Getty ImagesThe 2016 Norris Trophy winner and the runner-up in 2015 and 2018, Doughty's always been a first-pair guy. He's skating for 26:28 a night this season, the league's second-highest average but right around his career rate."He's very efficient," Durzi said. "If you watch him out there, he's not moving much. But he's always in a good spot. He puts himself in situations where he doesn't have to exert that much energy. That allows him to play that many minutes. One day, hopefully, I'll be able to incorporate that into my game."Plenty of legit Vezina optionsAt the holiday break, roughly 40% through the season, one Russian, one Swede, and one American have emerged as Vezina Trophy front-runners.If I were casting a vote right now, I'd have difficulty deciding between Ilya Sorokin of the New York Islanders, Linus Ullmark of the Boston Bruins, or Connor Hellebuyck of the Winnipeg Jets. All of them have fantastic numbers while shouldering substantial workloads. There's truly no wrong answer. Bruce Bennett / Getty ImagesGun to my head, though ... I'd go with Sorokin.The Isles' transition from airtight defensive-zone play under Barry Trotz to leaky defense under new bench boss Lane Lambert hasn't affected the 27-year-old Russian. Ahead of Thursday night's games, Sorokin owned a league-leading goals saved above expected rate (0.49 per 60 minutes), according to Sportlogiq. This ability to rise to the occasion also shows in Sorokin's performance in high-leverage situations (.813 inner-slot save percentage, fourth among NHL starters) and night-to-night consistency (66.7% quality starts, tied for first among starters).The case for Ullmark, meanwhile, revolves around his 18 wins and .937 save percentage, both tops in the league. The case against: One, wins are a team statistic, so take that data point with a grain of salt; Two, Boston is arguably the NHL's friendliest goalie environment, so his save rate is inflated. Jonathan Kozub / Getty ImagesThe case for Hellebuyck, a native of Commerce, Michigan, revolves around dependability. He boasts similar basic and advanced stats to Sorokin and Ullmark while starting 25 of 32 games behind Winnipeg's league-average defensive environment. Hellebuyck's case is legit but missing any oomph.A few Vezina dark horses to keep an eye on: Nashville's Juuse Saros (Finnish), the Rangers' Igor Shesterkin (Russian), and Colorado's Alexandar Georgiev (Bulgarian). I point out each goalie's nationality to highlight the diversity among the league's top stoppers. At the same time, it sure shines a light on the lack of standout netminders from Canada.Hot backup goalie marketYoung backup goalies Dan Vladar, Pyotr Kochetkov, and Stuart Skinner have all inked multi-year contract extensions over the past two months.Is this a coincidence? A trend? A combination of both?All three are between the ages of 23 and 25. All three were drafted outside the first round. All three are earning less than $1 million this season and had 33 games or fewer of NHL experience before inking the new deal. All three were scheduled to become restricted free agents this summer. Icon Sportswire / Getty ImagesMost crucially to their respective clubs, Vladar, Kochetkov, and Skinner have all shown flashes of starter potential amid chaotic situations. Vladar re-upped with the Calgary Flames for two years at a $2.2-million cap hit as No. 1 Jacob Markstrom struggled. The Carolina Hurricanes secured Kochetkov for four years at a $ 2-million hit as regulars Frederik Andersen and Antti Raanta battled injuries. Skinner and the Edmonton Oilers agreed on a three-year deal at a $2.6-miilion hit Monday as starter Jack Campbell, under contract through 2026-27, tried to find his groove after a horrendous first two months.Is this a matter of teams trying to find value by investing in these backups before they take over the crease full time? Or does this mini-trend say more about the goalies seeing an opportunity while their value is high?"It's a give and take," is how an assistant general manager working for another NHL team put it to me earlier this week."From the team's perspective, you understand the risk when you do these deals. They are unproven guys. But you're also really focused on the upside." Andy Devlin / Getty ImagesFor instance, if Skinner becomes the unquestioned No. 1 guy for the Oilers and the club wins a playoff round or two, his extension, which doesn't kick in until next season, will look team-friendly. For that reason, the AGM was a "little surprised" Skinner and his camp opted to sign this early in the season."I guess the give and take there was that the team was going to walk Skinner right into (unrestricted) free agency with that four-year extension, right?" the AGM said. "He'll be a UFA when this new deal expires, so there'll be money waiting for him if he continues to make progress and becomes a true starter."On the other hand, all three goalies likely salivated at the prospect of gaining security in the form of a one-way, multi-year NHL contract that included a hefty raise. In total, the extensions will pay Vladar, who's 25, $4.4 million; Skinner, 24, $7.8 million; and Kochetkov, 23, $8 million.Regardless of trajectory, it's hard to walk away from guaranteed money, the AGM said. "That's a lot of money for guys not making much right now."Ducks in worst-of-era territory Debora Robinson / Getty ImagesTechnically, the Chicago Blackhawks are the NHL's worst team with a league-low .290 points percentage from 18 points in 31 games.Peel back the layers of futility, and the Anaheim Ducks emerge as not just the worst squad in 2022-23 but potentially of the entire salary-cap era.Anaheim has earned 21 points through 34 games for a .309 points percentage - still a depressingly bad rate. But the shock value can be found in two places: goal differential (minus-62) and regulation wins (three). The Ducks are on pace for seven regulation wins over the full 82-game season, which would be the fewest among the 548 teams to compete in the NHL since 2005-06. (The 2013-14 Buffalo Sabres collected only 11 regulation wins in 82 games.)What's more, the defense-deprived Ducks are surrendering the most shots per game (37.9) and goals per game (4.2) of the cap era, while their special teams rank 31st and 28th this season. If you prefer advanced statistics, how about this doozy: Anaheim currently has the lowest five-on-five expected goals share of the analytics era (2007-08 onward) at an unfathomable 38.9%.All of this losing increases the likelihood of the Ducks landing the first overall pick and drafting Connor Bedard. But losing this way certainly isn't helping the psyche of young, long-term core players like Troy Terry and Trevor Zegras.Parting shotsSteven Stamkos: An early salute to Stamkos, who enters the holiday break with 497 goals in 954 regular-season games. The hockey world has been enthralled by 800-goal man Alex Ovechkin, and for good reason, so Stamkos' milestone chase has flown under the radar. With 46 players in the 500-goal club, the accomplishment isn't as prestigious as it once was. Yet Stamkos reaching 500 in his early 30s (he turns 33 in February) suggests 700 is possible, and there are only eight 700-goal guys. He's also a likable star and has always been a tremendous ambassador for the sport. He sniped 60 goals in 2011-12, a season in which just three others hit 40, and he authored an all-time playoff moment in Game 3 of the 2020 Stanley Cup Final. Remember when Stamkos scored on his lone shot of the postseason?

It was another good night for our shot props as we went 2-1, putting us at 8-4 for the week.Let's look at three of my favorite plays for a busy Friday night and hope to keep the ball rolling.Seth Jones over 2.5 shots (-115)Jones is heating up. He's registered at least three shots in five consecutive games, averaging four shots per contest over the stretch.He's in arguably the best possible matchup Friday to keep his shooting success going. The Blue Jackets have conceded shots at a higher rate than all but the Ducks over the last 10 games. They're giving up a ton of volume.With all the injuries Columbus is dealing with, the club should continue to bleed shots - even against a weaker opponent like the Blackhawks.The Blue Jackets have been particularly bad at defending opposing blue-liners. No team has given up more shots per game to the position this season. That should be music to the ears of a gifted offensive defenseman who plays a ton of minutes like Jones.There's also a little bit of a revenge factor here. Jones has faced the Blue Jackets once since the team traded him to Chicago. He registered four shots - and found the scoresheet - in that game.I expect a similar result this time around.Kevin Fiala over 2.5 shots (-135)We have successfully backed Fiala several times during his insane shooting run at home. This game won't be played in Los Angeles - where his volume is generally higher - but there's still plenty of reason to get on the Fiala train again.Fiala has gone over his shot total in five straight contests, two of those on the road, and averaged a whopping 5.4 shots on goal during the stretch.If we extend the sample to 10 games, Fiala has hit seven times and leads the Kings in attempts, shots on goal, and scoring chances. He's red-hot right now.The Coyotes are one of the worst teams in the league. They spend most games chasing play in the defensive zone and bleeding shots. It's been that way for a while, and Fiala has often taken advantage, hitting in four of his last five versus Arizona.I expect one more big game from him before heading into the break.Cale Makar over 3.5 shots (+120)Makar is one of my favorite players to back for shots right now. With so many key players out for the Avalanche, the onus is on him to get up in the play and help create offense every chance he gets.Without Nathan MacKinnon, in particular, we've seen Makar take off. He's registered at least four shots in six of the last seven games. He generated absurd volume over that span, attempting 10-plus shots in four contests and exceeding seven in all but one.That should continue versus a Predators team that Makar has enjoyed plenty of success against. He's averaged 4.4 shots over 18 meetings against Nashville.At +120, there's plenty of value in backing Makar to go over the number again.Todd Cordell is a sports betting writer at theScore. Be sure to follow him on Twitter @ToddCordell.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The 2023 World Junior Championship is just around the corner. After a strange summer tournament, the event is back in its traditional slot on the schedule and generating excitement thanks to plenty of highly regarded prospects.To kick off our coverage, we'll review one prospect at the tournament from each NHL team.Note: The Pittsburgh Penguins and Toronto Maple Leafs don't have any prospects playing at the 2023 World Junior Championship. All 30 other NHL teams have at least one at the tournament.Anaheim Ducks Andy Devlin / Getty Images Sport / GettyOlen Zellweger led the 2022 world juniors in scoring among defensemen. What can he accomplish this time? The Ducks' second-round pick in 2021 has been among the best offensive blue-liners in junior hockey for the past two years with the WHL's Everett Silvertips. Zellweger is set to feature on Canada's top pairing and power play.Arizona CoyotesEven with Dylan Guenther loaned to Team Canada, forward Logan Cooley is the one to watch from the Coyotes organization. Arizona fans have had a chance to familiarize themselves with Guenther during his 21 games in the NHL this year. But Cooley, the Coyotes' third overall pick this past summer, has not had that same spotlight. Averaging over a point per game at the University of Minnesota, Cooley needs to produce if the USA is to make an impact at this year's tournament.Boston BruinsThe Bruins' prospect pool is devoid of potential game-breakers, except for one name: Fabian Lysell. The Swedish forward has made a seamless transition to the AHL after spending one year in the WHL. He's tallied 19 points in 20 games with the Providence Bruins to lead the AHL in scoring among U20 forwards. The 2021 first-rounder is set to play a major offensive role for Sweden.Buffalo Sabres Andy Devlin / Getty Images Sport / GettyThe third of the Sabres' three first-round picks in 2022, Jiri Kulich has taken his game to another level each time he's suited up for Czechia. He potted nine goals at the 2022 U18s to take home tournament MVP and followed that up with eight points at the summer world juniors. Buffalo has three first-round picks at this year's tournament (2022 ninth overall pick Matthew Savoie was left off Team Canada), and Kulich has the best chance among them of becoming a top story at the event.Calgary FlamesFinland lacks depth at center, which may open the door for Topi Ronni to slide into a top-six role. The Flames' 2022 second-rounder doesn't have gaudy totals - only two points in 10 Liiga games this season - but his solid support play should blend well with Finland's plethora of offensive talent on the wings.Carolina HurricanesThe Hurricanes have a stacked prospect pool on the back end, and Finland's Aleksi Heimosalmi is a big part of it. The right-shot blue-liner has been impressive on the international stage, winning Best Defenseman at the 2022 U18s and tallying seven points at the summer world juniors. After a lackluster rookie campaign in Liiga, Heimosalmi has found his rhythm in 2022-23 to lead the Finnish pro league in scoring among U20 defensemen.Chicago BlackhawksThe Blackhawks are contributing three members to Canada's blue line, including 2022 first-rounder Kevin Korchinski. While he may not play as much as fellow Chicago prospect Ethan Del Mastro, Korchinski - drafted seventh overall with a pick from the Alex DeBrincat trade - is the one to watch due to his electric offense.Colorado AvalancheWith just five selections over the past two drafts, it's no surprise that the Avalanche have only one representative at the world juniors. Defenseman Sean Behrens was limited to one game at the summer event after being injured against Switzerland. No stranger to big moments - he captured the NCAA championship with the University of Denver in the spring - Behrens will look to make an impact on an incredibly deep American blue line.Columbus Blue JacketsDefenseman David Jiricek has been phenomenal early in his North American tenure. The sixth overall pick in 2022 has scored 20 points in 19 games with the AHL's Cleveland Monsters and got a two-game taste of NHL action in late October. Injured last December against Canada at the original 2022 world juniors, the Blue Jackets' top prospect will look for redemption as one of the top players at the event. He may literally play half the game for Czechia in the elimination rounds.Dallas Stars Andy Devlin / Getty Images Sport / GettyThe Stars seem to have another second-round steal in forward Logan Stankoven. The diminutive center has torched the WHL this season with 44 points in 21 games, only getting outproduced on a per-game basis by projected first overall pick Connor Bedard. Stankoven impressed at the summer world juniors with 10 points and is expected to be the second-line pivot for Team Canada this time around.Detroit Red WingsRed Wings top prospect Simon Edvinsson declined an invite from Sweden in order to focus on the AHL campaign, leaving Red Savage as the lone representative from the Detroit organization at the world juniors. The 2021 fourth-rounder was named an alternate captain for the U.S. and will play an important role as a bottom-six pivot.Edmonton OilersIt's been an impressive rise for Oilers prospect Reid Schaefer over the past year and a half. Entering last season without a goal in his WHL career, Schaefer broke out with the Seattle Thunderbirds to sneak into the first round of the 2022 draft. He's continued his upward trajectory to produce at over a point-per-game clip in 2022-23. Schaefer is expected to play as a physical bottom-six winger for Canada.Florida PanthersForward Sandis Vilmanis has had a productive start to his career in North America, scoring 11 goals and 24 points through 29 contests with the OHL's Sarnia Sting. The Panthers' 2022 fifth-rounder has a cannon of a shot and will need to pot goals if the Latvians are to avoid relegation.Los Angeles KingsIt's funny what a year can do. Snubbed from last December's world juniors, defenseman Brandt Clarke needed to be loaned to Team Canada by his NHL team. The Kings' blue-chip prospect scored at over a point-per-game rate in the OHL last season and carried that momentum into training camp, earning an NHL gig despite Los Angeles' incredibly deep blue line. Clarke is Team Canada's best right-shot defender and will anchor one of its top two pairings.Minnesota Wild Andy Devlin / Getty Images Sport / GettyForward Liam Ohgren enters the world juniors with a ton of momentum. The Wild's 2022 first-rounder is on a six-game point streak in Sweden's second-tier pro league, highlighted by a hat trick on Dec. 13. After captaining Sweden to U18 gold in 2022, Ohgren is set to play a massive role in Sweden's pursuit of a podium spot at the U20 level.Montreal CanadiensFew prospects are as fascinating as the Canadiens' 2022 second-rounder, Lane Hutson. The 5-foot-8 defenseman has had no issues translating his game to the NCAA, leading the Hockey East conference in scoring among blue-liners with 18 points through 16 games. His play as a freshman has caught the attention of many, including Team USA. Hutson's tantalizing skill makes him a must-watch for Habs fans at this year's world juniors.Nashville PredatorsPredators first-rounder Joakim Kemell was a major offensive piece for Finland at the 2022 world juniors, tallying four goals and 12 points to land on the tournament All-Star team. Just five forwards return from the squad that won silver in the summer, and Kemell was the only one who registered more than two points. If Finland is to repeat, or improve, on its performance, the team needs Kemell to be among the leading scorers yet again.New Jersey DevilsThe Devils have, not one, but two defensemen drafted in the top five at this year's world juniors in Luke Hughes and Simon Nemec. While Nemec was selected second overall, Hughes will get the brightest spotlight. The fourth overall pick in 2021 was named captain of Team USA and could very well be the best blue-liner at the tournament with his dazzling skating and high-octane offense. Hughes was already playing well over 20 minutes per game at the 2022 world juniors. Expect that number to climb even higher.New York IslandersDefenseman Calle Odelius hasn't put up many points - just five assists in 26 games in the Swedish second-tier league - but he's been a quality player in his short professional tenure. Odelius' plus-11 rating leads his club team among blue-liners. Sweden will lean on the experience and strong play of the Islanders' second-rounder as it looks to find a mix on defense that makes up for the absence of three top U20 options.New York Rangers Andy Devlin / Getty Images Sport / GettyForward Brennan Othmann appears to be the lucky left winger that gets to play alongside Shane Wright and Connor Bedard. The Rangers' first-rounder has received reps in that spot through Canada's camp, which comes as little surprise. Othmann played on the same line as Wright at the U16 level with Don Mills and at the 2021 U18s. After bouncing around Canada's lineup in the summer, Othmann will hope to lock down that first-line position early on.Ottawa SenatorsSenators prospect Tyler Boucher hasn't matched the production typically expected of a 10th overall pick. He left Boston University after 17 games and has just 29 points in 41 career OHL games. But that doesn't affect his anticipated role with Team USA. The Americans brought in Boucher to be a physical, bottom-six presence with some offensive upside. His status as a top-10 pick will result in extra attention at this tournament.Philadelphia FlyersForward Cutter Gauthier's role for the U.S. will be clarified in the coming days. Gauthier shifted to center on a full-time basis with Boston College this season - a major reason the Flyers drafted him fifth overall in July - but he was stellar as a left winger for the USNTDP, playing with Logan Cooley and Jimmy Snuggerud. If Team USA reunites that line, it will be among the best in the tournament. However, lacking center depth, the Americans may play Gauthier down the middle to optimize their lineup.San Jose SharksAs is the case for nearly every team at the world juniors this year, goaltending is a massive question mark for Canada. Sharks 2021 third-rounder Benjamin Gaudreau has the inside track for the starting gig thanks to his international results: He had a .919 save percentage at the 2021 U18s while capturing gold and winning Best Goaltender. Gaudreau will hope he can find that form again and avoid replicating the .868 save percentage he's posted with the OHL's Sarnia Sting this season.Seattle KrakenNo player is under more pressure to perform at the world juniors than Shane Wright. After falling to fourth in the 2022 draft and struggling to get consistent minutes in the Kraken's lineup, a star-level performance would do a lot to dispel the negative perception that has followed Wright for the better part of the past year. He'll have every opportunity to show his quality as captain of the Canadian squad.St. Louis Blues Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / GettyFew 2022 draft picks have been as impressive as Blues first-rounder Jimmy Snuggerud this season. The University of Minnesota freshman makes up one-third of the best line in college hockey, taking the ice alongside Logan Cooley and Matt Knies. He ranks second in the NCAA in scoring with 27 points through 20 contests and leads the country with a plus-20 rating. Snuggerud will feature on Team USA's top line with Cooley, his Golden Gophers linemate.Tampa Bay Lightning'Mr. Irrelevant' as the final selection of the 2021 draft, Niko Huuhtanen has had his stock rise quite a bit in the year and a half since the Lightning selected him 224th overall. Huuhtanen impressed with the WHL's Everett Silvertips in 2021-22 and hasn't missed a beat returning to Finland. His 16 points in 24 games lead the Finnish league in scoring among U20 players. The power forward could be a difference-maker for Finland at the tournament.Vancouver CanucksForward Jonathan Lekkerimaki hasn't been as impactful as expected early in his professional tenure, registering just five points through 20 games in the Swedish second-tier league. The Canucks first-rounder will hope to replicate his spectacular performance at the 2022 U18s, where he led the tournament with 15 points en route to Sweden's gold-medal finish. Lekkerimaki will likely play on the top line with his Djurgardens teammates Liam Ohgren and Noah Ostlund.Vegas Golden KnightsGolden Knights seventh-rounder Carl Lindbom is in the midst of a breakout campaign in the Allsvenskan. His .936 save percentage is the best in the Swedish second-tier league, and Lindbom's registered the mark as a starter who's played 21 games. Many of the tournament's top contenders have significant question marks in net; Sweden does not have that issue.Washington CapitalsThe U.S. has plenty of offensive defensemen who will provide excitement at the world juniors. But Capitals second-rounder Ryan Chesley will be tasked with keeping Team USA's end of the ice in check. The University of Minnesota freshman is expected to be an anchor of the top four and play a major role on the penalty kill.Winnipeg Jets Andy Devlin / Getty Images Sport / GettyThere isn't a player at the world juniors with a wider range of outcomes than Jets first-rounder Brad Lambert. He could take over the tournament with his immense talent and remind the hockey world why he was once considered the primary challenger to Shane Wright at the top of the 2022 draft class. But Lambert could also struggle to make an impact and fall out of favor with the Finnish coaching staff, just as he did in the summer.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

We split our best bets Thursday night, pushing our record to 6-2 for the week.Let's dive into a couple of sides that stand out on a busy Friday night.Panthers (-115) @ Islanders (-105)The Panthers have been a big disappointment through the first chunk of the season. Projected to be one of the better teams in the Eastern Conference, Florida has won just 15 of 34 games and currently sits outside of the playoffs. Injuries have played a big part, but even the team's biggest detractors wouldn't have expected this.Although I don't think the Panthers are Stanley Cup contenders, they are - and have been - better than the results suggest.Florida has done a lot of good things, particularly at five-on-five. Its share of the high-danger chances over the last 10 games sits above 56%, sandwiching the club between the Hurricanes and Devils. However, the Panthers' reward for their strong process was just four wins.I think this is a nice get-right spot for them as they get set to head into the holiday break. And this Islanders team is quite flawed.New York's power play isn't good. The club gives up a lot of opportunities at five-on-five. And tonight, the Islanders are playing in the latter half of a back-to-back.That could mean a night off for Ilya Sorokin, who owns a ridiculous .924 save percentage and ranks third among goaltenders in goals saved above expected.If Sorokin isn't playing, it'll improve the Panthers' already solid win probability by a few percent.Look for the Fancy Cats to get a well-deserved two points and head into the break on a positive note.Bet: Panthers (-115)Canucks (+180) @ Oilers (-210)The Oilers have won only five of their last 10 games, but they're quietly playing some strong hockey.They've controlled better than 54% of the expected goal share and high-danger chances at five-on-five during this stretch. Both outputs rank them inside the top 10 in the NHL.Edmonton is a very scary team when it's clicking at full strength because it always has a lethal power play in its back pocket. Normally, the Oilers' power play is used to make up for any shortcomings at five-on-five. But now, it can be used to build on what the club is accomplishing rather than just getting it back to square one.I expect Edmonton to flex its five-on-five muscles in this game. The Canucks rank 23rd in expected goal share over their last 10 contests and have been anything but consistent all season. A get-out-of-town game in the latter half of a back-to-back is probably not where they'll find their footing.Beyond having more high-end talent, a better five-on-five profile, and arguably the league's most terrifying power play, the Oilers should also benefit from a goaltending edge.Stuart Skinner owns a .913 save percentage this season, well above the league average of .900. He's also a net positive in goals saved above expected.Collin Delia, Skinner's expected counterpart, has managed a .888 save percentage through nine AHL starts this campaign. He conceded nearly five goals more than expected over eight starts with the Blackhawks last season.Look for Edmonton's big guns to cause Delia real problems en route to a regulation victory.Bet: Oilers in regulation (-140)Todd Cordell is a sports betting writer at theScore. Be sure to follow him on Twitter @ToddCordell.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Wednesday was another good night for our best bets as the Nashville Predators took care of business inside regulation (-110) and the underdog Edmonton Oilers (+120) picked up a multi-goal victory in Dallas. Those two wins push our best bets to 5-1 on the week.Let's keep the ball rolling in the right direction with two plays for Thursday night's slate of games.Capitals (-115) @ Senators (-105)We successfully targeted the Ottawa Senators on Tuesday night when Tim Stutzle was out of the lineup. The expectation is that he'll be back centering the top line tonight, which means there's value in backing Ottawa.The Senators are a completely different team with Stutzle in the lineup. Not only is he a fantastic player in his own right, but he also helps get the most out of Ottawa's other top players.Brady Tkachuk and Claude Giroux posted a putrid 37.5% expected goal share when Derick Brassard centered them on the top line. That trio was completely destroyed.With Stutzle playing alongside Tkachuk and Giroux, the Senators have a whopping 66.8% expected goal share. That's over the span of 170-plus minutes, so it's not as if we're just looking at a sample size of a few games. They've been dominant over the long haul.Stutzle's presence makes Ottawa's top line one of the best in the league and gives it a very potent top six with Alex DeBrincat, Shane Pinto, and Drake Batherson skating on the second unit.They're now well-equipped to generate five-on-five offense against a stout defensive team like the Washington Capitals.It's important to note that this is also a good spot for Ottawa's lethal power play. Over the last 10 games, the Capitals' penalty kill ranks 23rd in high-danger chances against and 25th in expected goals against, on a per-60-minute basis.Ottawa's power play sits fourth in expected goals and actual goals during the same period.I expect the offense to lead the charge and get the Senators back in the win column.Bet: Senators (-105)Flames (-120) @ Kings (+100)The Calgary Flames own a 5-2-3 record over their last 10 games but haven't been all that impressive.Though they routinely win the shot battle rather convincingly, they do so by way of a quantity-over-quality approach.Despite controlling more than 56% of the five-on-five shot attempts over the last 10 - good for first in the NHL - they come in around 47% with high-danger chances. They're getting more shots, but the opposing team often comes out with the edge in quality looks.That stems mostly from an inability to really break teams down and generate grade A opportunities. Only seven teams created fewer high-danger chances at five-on-five over the last 10 games, just one of which is currently holding onto a playoff spot.I'm more impressed by the Los Angeles Kings' recent work. They generated 106 high-danger looks in that time (ninth most) and controlled over 54% of the high-danger opportunities. Impressive numbers.The Kings should be able to get the better of the Flames at five-on-five - although Chris Tanev's recent return will complicate their task - and there's also real potential for the power play to make noise.Beyond the Anaheim Ducks, no team spent more time shorthanded than Calgary over the last 10. Penalty troubles are nothing new for the Flames, who've been one of the NHL's least-disciplined teams all season.If the goaltending can hold up, I think the Kings have a strong chance of coming through at home.Bet: Kings (+100)Todd Cordell is a sports betting writer at theScore. Be sure to follow him on Twitter @ToddCordell.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Wednesday was an off night for our shot props. Matt Boldy recorded twice as many shots as needed, but Nikita Kucherov and Gustav Forsling came up short.We'll aim to get back in the win column with three more plays for Thursday's slate.David Pastrnak over 4.5 shots (-110)Pastrnak is starting to heat back up after a bit of a shooting dry spell - by his standards, anyway. He's registered at least five shots on goal in four of the last six games, and his attempt volume is unmatched in the previous 10.Pastrnak has attempted a ridiculous 93 shots during that span, nine more than the next closest player (Alexander Ovechkin). Patrik Laine is the only other forward above 80 shot attempts, so Pastrnak has been in a tier of his own.Although the Jets are a solid team, they don't dominate puck control, nor are they bulletproof defensively. At five-on-five, they rank 18th in shot attempts against per 60 minutes over the last 10 games. Injuries to Nate Schmidt and Blake Wheeler won't help matters.Pastrnak should be able to generate some shot volume at full strength, and he's always the primary target on the man advantage.It's also worth noting that Pastrnak has an extremely encouraging history against the Jets. He's registered at least five shots in five of his last six meetings versus Winnipeg and netted nine goals in the previous nine.Auston Matthews over 4.5 shots (-110)Matthews started the season posting low shot totals, especially by his standards. He recorded five shots or more only four times over his first 19 games. As high of a bar as Matthews has to surpass each night (4.5 shots), that's very abnormal for a player of his caliber.However, he's quietly turned a corner lately. Matthews has five shots or more in eight of his last 11 games and four straight on home ice.Now Matthews draws an advantageous matchup at home against a bad Philadelphia team. The Flyers are among the worst possession and shot-suppression clubs in the NHL. They spend a lot of time on their heels absorbing pressure in the defensive zone. That should lead to plenty of shooting opportunities for Matthews, who generated eight shots on target in his only other meeting against Philadelphia this season.Look for No. 34 to stay hot at home.Kevin Fiala over 2.5 shots (-130)Fiala is firing on all cylinders. The dynamic winger has registered at least three shots on goal in 11 consecutive home games.He's averaged 4.36 shots per contest in that span, so he isn't just squeaking by.Fiala leads Los Angeles with 48 shots, 54 scoring chances, and 73 shot attempts over those 11 games. No other Kings player is within 15 in any of those categories.The Flames aren't a great team to target for shots at five-on-five, but they take a lot of penalties. That offers extra opportunities for power play shooters to go to work. It just so happens Fiala is also the Kings' go-to guy on the man advantage.This is a sneaky good spot for him to find success again.Todd Cordell is a sports betting writer at theScore. Be sure to follow him on Twitter @ToddCordell.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Scoot Henderson idolized the late Kobe Bryant because he admired his ruthlessness and iron will. But on the biggest night to date of his NBA draft season, Henderson channeled Michael Jordan's audacity.The G League Ignite point guard drove the lane in suburban Las Vegas on Oct. 4 against the top-tier French pro club Metropolitans 92. Henderson, who turns 19 this winter, hit the brakes at the restricted area as two defenders soared past him in the third quarter. He swished a short jumper to cap the stylish fake, then shrugged as he jogged back on defense. Your browser does not support the video tag. NBA G League"That play signifies how confident he is. How much of a competitor he is. I know he really wanted to win the game," Ignite head coach Jason Hart told theScore recently. "Emotion and his confidence met at the same time."Henderson wasn't the starriest prospect involved in the play. The help defender was Victor Wembanyama, the 7-foot-3 unicorn from the outskirts of Paris who does anything he wants on the court. A genuine two-way force, Wembanyama is the top scorer and shot-blocker in France's LNB Pro A league at 18 years old. His general dominance against the Ignite affirmed to American viewers that he's special.Transcendent teenagers are set to enter and reshape two leagues next year. The NBA's never welcomed a talent like Wembanyama, meaning Henderson shouldn't kick himself in the likely event he's drafted second overall. On the ice, virtuosic Western Hockey League center Connor Bedard is the object of every tanking NHL team's affection. The rest of Bedard's draft cohort is also showing historic promise.Scoot Henderson (left) drives past Victor Wembanyama in Nevada on Oct. 4. Ethan Miller / Getty ImagesC.J. Stroud (left) and Bryce Young. Rich Graessle / Icon Sportswire / Getty ImagesBryce Young and C.J. Stroud, the best quarterbacks in the class of 2023, aren't in Wembanyama and Bedard's rarefied tier. But NFL teams that slump into the top five of the draft are expected to snap them up. Both players have been Heisman Trophy finalists - Young won it last year - and both could round into franchise cornerstones. That upside will be valued after the 2022 draft class was bereft of such passers.Young's Alabama Crimson Tide and Stroud's Ohio State Buckeyes are gearing up to play in major bowl games on New Year's Eve. Bedard headlines the star-studded roster Canada sent to the World Junior Championship, which begins Monday. Fans nationwide will marvel at his gifts."For him, it's all about speed off the rush. He's the closest thing I've seen to Connor McDavid in regards to how he attacks our practices," said Nick Quinn, Bedard's longtime offseason skills coach with the Power Edge Pro consultancy."(We put) extreme stress on the player's mind to think and have his feet and his hands respond at the same time," Quinn added. "When you watch Bedard, that's what you see. You see an elite multi-tasker - a player who can create deception at top speed. He's reacting to defenders quicker than they can respond."The Hockey News dubbed Bedard the future of the sport when he was 13 years old. Now he's 17 and skates circles around peers who aren't remotely on his level. Held scoreless in the Regina Pats' season opener, Bedard's recorded a point or five in every game he's played since. He's on pace to smash the WHL high for points per contest this century (2.14).Unimposing at 5-foot-10 and 185 pounds, Bedard's slick stickwork enables him to toy with players. His dangles and feints embarrass international opponents and powerhouse WHL teams. Entire lineups sometimes fixate on his forays up ice, freeing teammates to pot easy goals. Quick and creative, intelligent and dexterous, Bedard can corral a deflected pass and snipe to the top corner without breaking stride. Your browser does not support the video tag. TSN / House of HockeyBedard's shot is accurate and forceful. He beats goalies from awkward angles and when he's knocked off balance. He might have 50-goal potential in the pros. Without reaching the show yet, Bedard shoots the puck better than 95% of NHLers, Quinn estimates."He can make the stick torque. (He generates power) behind his shot. He's got great technique," Quinn said. "But it's the way he can give deception to get the defender to bite and get his stick in a different lane, or his body in a different lane, so he can shoot the puck. Very few players can do that at top speed."Wembanyama is Bedard's basketball analog. LeBron James and Steph Curry have called him an alien and a 2K create-a-player, respectively. He combines the strengths of Kevin Durant and Rudy Gobert, the countryman Wembanyama blocked and splashed jumpers over in a viral two-on-two showdown when he was 16 years old.He embodies how basketball is evolving. Young 7-footers who shield the rim now dribble the ball and stroke threes like guards, bending the action at both ends to their will. Good luck stopping them.Uniquely graceful for his frame - his standing reach is 9-foot-7 - Wembanyama is the closest thing to unguardable. He crosses up defenders and scores at every level. In the Oct. 4 Ignite exhibition, Wembanyama swatted Henderson's jumper and dunk attempt while resembling Curry on offense, nailing three treys in a four-minute span via pick-and-pops and a handoff in transition. He dropped 37 points that game and 36 in an Oct. 6 rematch.Meanwhile, Henderson's explosiveness and spunk at 6-foot-2 have stoked Ja Morant comparisons. He's averaging 21 points and six assists while shooting 47.1% from distance in his second year with the Ignite, the prospect incubator that springboarded Jalen Green and Dyson Daniels to the NBA.Henderson's game is flashy yet controlled. He can dissect a defense with his smart passing reads or tight handle. He poured in 28 points and added nine assists in the first Ignite-Metropolitans matchup, draining a step-back three over Wembanyama's elastic arm and beating him to the rim to finish multiple layups."He's fearless. A mistake doesn't define who he is," Hart said. "He'll try anything at any point in the game, and he's confident that he can make something happen."In football, the marquee quarterbacks have one more shot to burnish their draft resumes. Seeded fourth in the College Football Playoff, Stroud's Ohio State squad plays top-ranked Georgia in the Peach Bowl on Dec. 31, with the winner advancing to the national championship game. Young and No. 5 Alabama will face Kansas State in the Sugar Bowl after barely missing the playoff.Stroud and Young are somewhat similar. Neither player makes many mistakes. Their pinpoint passes blend power and touch. Comparably superb in 2021, both passers slipped statistically this season after losing star wideouts to the NFL (Garrett Wilson and Chris Olave at Ohio State, Jameson Williams and John Metchie from Alabama).Regardless, they're in contention to be drafted No. 1. Young is 6-foot and lacks bulk at 194 pounds, but he reminds NFL Network draft analyst Daniel Jeremiah of Drew Brees. Mobile and improvisational, he showcased the scope of his talent in last year's SEC title game. He fashioned a pitch on the fly and scrambled up the gut for a touchdown before he stuck to the script and burned Georgia's secondary with a deep ball to Williams. Your browser does not support the video tag. CBS / WheelsStroud's most recent game - the blowout loss to Michigan that almost cost Ohio State its playoff berth - was a rare lapse, the second time in 24 college starts that he threw two interceptions. Usually, his ball placement is pristine. Staring down an early deficit to Utah in last year's Rose Bowl game, Stroud passed for 573 yards and six touchdowns - three of them on consecutive downfield slings - to orchestrate a memorable comeback win. Your browser does not support the video tag. Big Ten Network"He knows when to throw it hard and when to throw it soft. He doesn't just bullet everything. It's not like he has to show his arm strength every time that he can," said Mark Verti, Stroud's head coach in high school in Rancho Cucamonga, California."He's always been able to put the ball in good places," Verti added. "Some guys (are innately accurate) no matter how much you work on it. He's able to hit the spot outside the shoulder to go away from the defender."Every sport's prospect pool is deep at the top. Kentucky passer Will Levis might join Young and Stroud in the top 10 of the draft. Chet Holmgren, the injured Oklahoma City Thunder 7-footer, should challenge Wembanyama for Rookie of the Year honors when he debuts next season. Forwards from three hockey nations - Canada's Adam Fantilli, Russia's Matvei Michkov, and Sweden's Leo Carlsson - will be drafted right after Bedard and heralded as potential franchise saviors.Chet Holmgren. Michael J. LeBrecht II / NBA / Getty ImagesConnor Bedard. Andy Devlin / Getty ImagesCellar dwellers in all leagues - from the Anaheim Ducks to the Charlotte Hornets to the Houston Rockets and Texans - will count on these players for revitalization. That dependence comes with immense pressure, though Quinn senses Bedard has too much fun when he plays to feel burdened."I don't think I've ever trained a guy who loves scoring goals the way he does, whether it's 9-0 or it's 2-1," Quinn said. "He just wants to bury shots.""I noticed (that about) McDavid when he was coming through," he added. "I always thought, 'Does he not feel the pressure? How does he do it?' I think it's that Tiger Woods mentality: 'I just want to be the best.' He's able to drown out that outside noise."Hopefully, injuries won't mar their careers. Back, shoulder, and finger issues sidelined Wembanyama for more than half of the 2021-22 season, stoking concerns about his durability. NBA international scout Jason Filippi voiced a counterpoint to The Guardian: Wembanyama is growing into his frame, will add mass, and "hasn't even scratched the surface" of his powers yet.Henderson bumped knees with Wembanyama back on Oct. 6 and bowed out early in the Ignite-Metropolitans rematch. More recently, he missed several G League games with a concussion and nasal fracture. That won't stop him from being drafted high or disturb his acclimation to the NBA grind, though.Greatness will be within reach starting next year. Henderson's coach recommends he remain dogged and humble."His work ethic will never change. That's who he is," Hart said. "As long as he keeps his work ethic, all of his dreams will come true."Nick Faris is a features writer at theScore.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Nashville Predators captain Roman Josi registered a goal and an assist Wednesday to tie then pass David Legwand for top spot on the franchise's all-time points list.PlayerPointsRoman Josi567David Legwand565Filip Forsberg494Martin Erat481Shea Weber443Josi joins Boston Bruins legend Ray Bourque as the second defenseman in NHL history to lead an active franchise in points.He set up Thomas Novak's goal in the history-making moment.

Friday's game between the Tampa Bay Lightning and the Buffalo Sabres has been postponed due to a severe winter storm that's expected to impact western New York and surrounding areas, the league announced Wednesday.The game will instead be played on March 4. Additionally, the Sabres' original home game for March 4 against the Philadelphia Flyers has been moved to Jan. 9.Buffalo is supposed to get hit with rain, snow, heavy winds, and more in the coming days.

The Ottawa Senators and defenseman Artem Zub agreed to a four-year contract extension worth $4.6 million per season, the team announced Wednesday.He was set to become an unrestricted free agent at the end of the 2022-23 campaign. When his new deal kicks in next season, he'll be Ottawa's second-highest-paid blue-liner behind Thomas Chabot, who earns $8 million per campaign."Artem's transition to North American hockey has been remarkable," general manager Pierre Dorion said. "He has worked hard to establish himself as an excellent NHL player and a strong defender. He consistently helps make us a better defensive team while he's on the ice."Zub has only appeared in 14 games this season due to injuries. He managed two goals and two assists while averaging over 22 minutes per night. The 27-year-old is most valuable in his own end and posted solid defensive metrics this season.

Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Rasmus Sandin won't be available for Thursday's contest against the Philadelphia Flyers after injuring his neck Tuesday, head coach Sheldon Keefe said, per Sports Illustrated's David Alter.Sandin is still being evaluated. He left Tuesday's 4-1 win against the Tampa Bay Lightning in the second period and didn't return.The Maple Leafs don't play again until Dec. 27 following Thursday's matinee due to the holiday break.Sandin's ailment adds to the long list of injuries on the Maple Leafs' blue line this season. Morgan Rielly and Jake Muzzin remain out of the lineup, while T.J. Brodie missed four weeks earlier this campaign.Sandin entered Tuesday's matchup with 13 points through 32 games while playing a career-high 18:24 per contest.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Tuesday night was a good one on the ice. Despite the curveball of Connor Hellebuyck missing the game with an illness, the Jets stomped the Senators 5-1, while the Flyers also took care of business inside regulation at near even money (-110) against a banged-up Blue Jackets team.We'll look to build on a strong night with two more best bets for Wednesday's slate.Predators (-190) @ Blackhawks (+170)The Predators have really struggled lately, winning just four of the last 10 games and controlling a measly 47% of the expected goal share at five-on-five, good for 21st in the league - not great.Even so, there's plenty to like about Nashville in this spot. The Blackhawks are in as bad of form as you'll see anywhere in the NHL this season: They are on a 1-9-0 run, have dropped seven consecutive games, and their underlyings are mind-numbingly bad.The Blackhawks have controlled just 42% of the expected goal share at five-on-five. Their defensive numbers are not good either, but that's mostly a result of their completely inept offense.Chicago has generated just 1.93 expected goals and 8.55 high-danger chances per 60 minutes over the last 10, both of which rank dead last in the NHL.The Blackhawks are struggling to create anything of real danger. The Preds are not flawless on defense by any means, but they should be able to limit this opponent's putrid attack. Nashville's goaltending tandem is more than capable of taking care of business on the few occasions Chicago does break through with a good chance.Juuse Saros is Juuse Saros, and Kevin Lankinen has been surprisingly lights out as a backup. Lankinen sits ninth on a per-game basis - sandwiched between Hellebuyck and Carter Hart - in goals saved above expected.With Saros having played three in a row and the next game coming against the Avalanche, I think the Predators may slip Lankinen in for a start versus his former team.Based on what we've seen from him this year and the state of this Chicago attack, he'll likely be just fine.On the flip side, this is a great spot for Nashville's offense. Petr Mrazek owns an .872 save percentage and is a bottom-five goaltender in GSAE per start. The Predators should have no problem mustering up three goals or more.Look for them to win this inside 60 minutes.Bet: Predators in regulation (-110)Oilers (+120) @ Stars (-145)The Oilers let us down in overtime last time out, but we're going right back to the well against the Stars.Simply put, Edmonton is playing much better than recent results suggest. The Oilers have controlled 55.7% of the expected goal share at five-on-five over the last couple of weeks, giving them the fifth-highest total in the league and ranking them first among all Western Conference teams.Say what you want about the Oilers' depth - it isn't good - but there is no denying the insane firepower they have atop the roster. If they're going to get the better of the chances to this extent, Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, and Co. will convert that into wins more often than not.If the Oilers can play the Stars even at full strength, which isn't a big ask, I like their chances of winning on special teams.We all know Edmonton's power play is as prolific as any team's, and it's important to note that Dallas is having a hard time killing penalties right now.The Stars rank 27th in expected goal suppression while undermanned over the last 10 contests. They're giving up plenty of chances, which is a recipe for disaster against this Edmonton team.Dallas has also struggled with discipline - only five teams have spent more time shorthanded per game this season.Behind both the power play and Stuart Skinner - Edmonton's clear top netminder - the Oilers should be able to snap out of their three-game funk and claim two points.Bet: Oilers (+120)Todd Cordell is a sports betting writer at theScore. Be sure to follow him on Twitter @ToddCordell.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Tuesday night was another great one for our shot props, as Mitch Marner, Kevin Hayes, and Kevin Fiala all came through for us on home soil.We'll look to replicate that success Wednesday. Let's dive right into it.Nikita Kucherov over 3.5 shots (+110)Death, taxes, and backing Nikita Kucherov against the Detroit Red Wings. To say that he's had their number over the years would be an understatement.The superstar winger recorded four shots or more in six straight head-to-head meetings and nine of the last 10 overall.There's every reason to expect his success - at least in the shot department - to continue in this one. The Red Wings are getting caved in on a nightly basis and rank 29th in five-on-five shot share over the last 10 games. Kucherov should be a prime beneficiary of that.It's also worth noting that Brian Elliott is starting for the Lightning. He's obviously nowhere near the same caliber as Andrei Vasilevskiy and is thus more likely to concede goals. Assuming that transpires, Tampa Bay will need to push for offense and provide him with more run support than necessary on most other nights. That could help Kucherov as well.Gustav Forsling over 2.5 shots (-120)Forsling is quickly developing into one of my favorite under-the-radar targets for shots. He averaged 24.5 minutes per game over the last 10, more than two minutes above his season average. He's taken full advantage of that extra opportunity, generating nearly 20 more shot attempts than his closest teammate.He registered at least three shots on goal seven times during that stretch, falling one puck short in each of the other three games. He's a legitimate threat to go over this number every single night.I love the volume we're getting with him. While the New Jersey Devils aren't a great team to target for shots, Forsling did find success against them just a few days ago. Given how much Paul Maurice is putting on his plate, I'm happy to take my chances he can do it again.Matt Boldy over 2.5 shots (-115)Some players - like Kirill Kaprizov - are much better at generating shots on home soil than on the road. Boldy is the complete opposite.The Wild forward averaged only 3.9 shot attempts per game in Minnesota this season. That number skyrockets to 5.4 - and 6.6 over the last 10 - on the road.Unsurprisingly, that attempt volume is leading to plenty of success. Boldy generated at least three shots on target in seven of the last nine road games.I expect more of the same Wednesday night against the Anaheim Ducks. They've legitimately been the worst shot-suppression team in the league all season and are playing in the latter half of a back-to-back. There's no reason to expect the screws to be tightened here.I see a lot of value backing Boldy in what is probably the best possible matchup he could ask for.Todd Cordell is a sports betting writer at theScore. Be sure to follow him on Twitter @ToddCordell.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Pittsburgh Penguins star defenseman Kris Letang admitted Tuesday he's keeping an early eye on the Metropolitan Division standings."I'm watching them every day," Letang said following Pittsburgh's win against the New York Rangers, according to team reporter Michelle Crechiolo. "That's how tight it is. You see how we created a gap with that losing streak, and you're like, oh, shoot - we have to get going. You don't want to dig yourself too deep because it's too tough of a division and league."Pittsburgh fell to 27th in the NHL in early November with just 10 points following a seven-game losing streak. However, the Penguins have gone on a 15-3-2 run to pull within four points of the division-leading Carolina Hurricanes.Pittsburgh has made the playoffs every season since 2006-07.The Penguins will have a chance to make up further ground against the Hurricanes when they host Carolina on Thursday.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Monday was another good night for our player props picks. The double dip with the Dallas Stars proved successful, as both Jason Robertson and Miro Heiskanen went over their shot totals.The Alex Tuch play also looked like a winner after he hit three early in the final period, but he had a shot taken away well after the game, leaving us one shy of a 3-0 night.Let's keep the ball rolling with three more plays for Tuesday's slate.Mitch Marner over 2.5 shots (-130)Marner has been shooting the puck a lot of late. The ultra-talented winger picked up at least three shots on goal in eight of his last 10 games, averaging a healthy 3.6.Marner generated five shots on goal and attempted a whopping 10 shots when he faced the Tampa Bay Lightning during this hot spell.Shooting success against the Lightning is nothing new for Marner. He recorded at least three shots in eight of his last 12 against Tampa Bay.This game should come down to the wire, meaning Marner is likely to see a full workload of more than 20 minutes. Look for him to make the most of it.Kevin Fiala over 2.5 shots (-145)I love, love, love Fiala in this spot. The Los Angeles Kings' prized acquisition is lethal shooting the puck - especially at home. He generated at least three shots on goal in 10 consecutive games played in Los Angeles.Now he draws a date with a putrid Anaheim Ducks team that can't defend a lick. The Ducks rank 31st in five-on-five attempts against per 60 for the season and 32nd over the last 10 games. They're truly miserable.Fiala has taken advantage of them time after time in recent years, hitting the over in 10 of his last 12 meetings and six straight overall.Look for him to have a big night.Kevin Hayes over 2.5 shots (-120)Say what you will about Hayes' effort levels or defensive play - John Tortorella clearly has concerns - but the guy can create offense.He generated 32 shots on goal and 60 attempts over the last nine games. Those are impressive outputs, especially since he was benched for a large chunk of one of them.Hayes has been Philadelphia's most consistent shot generator. Fresh off a healthy scratch, you can bet he'll be looking to make an impact in his return to the lineup.A matchup against the Columbus Blue Jackets is certainly a prime opportunity to do just that. They rank dead last in five-on-five shot suppression this season and are playing in the latter part of a road back-to-back with what feels like half of their roster missing.Hayes should be able to put his stamp on this game and have a strong offensive showing.Todd Cordell is a sports betting writer at theScore. Be sure to follow him on Twitter @ToddCordell.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

We split our best bets to begin the week. The Boston Bruins took care of business in regulation but the Edmonton Oilers were unable to get past the Nashville Predators in overtime.Let's dive into a couple of games that stand out on Tuesday's eight-game slate.Senators (+130) @ Jets (-147)Just when things started to turn for the better in Ottawa, Tim Stutzle suffered a shoulder injury. He is not going to be out long term, thankfully, but the ailment will keep him out of the lineup for this game. That is big.Normally a strong five-on-five team, the Ottawa Senators have struggled in their short period of time without Stutzle. Through four games, they have posted a 47% share of the expected goals and generated only 2.21 xG per 60 minutes.Those numbers don't hold a candle to their season numbers of 52% and 2.89 xG per 60.One of the biggest issues with Stutzle's injury is that it forces Derick Brassard to play way over his head as the top-line center. Brady Tkachuk and Claude Giroux own a putrid 42.9% xG share with Brassard as their pivot. That's a far cry from the 66.8% they own alongside Stutzle.This is all a long way of saying Ottawa's offense is not nearly as potent right now, which is problematic when going up against the Winnipeg Jets.The Jets sit seventh in high-danger chances against per 60 over the last 10 games. They really aren't giving up much. When they do, Connor Hellebuyck - who ranks second in goals saved above expected - is more than up to the task.Without their top two centers in Stutzle and Josh Norris, I don't see the Senators' offense doing much damage in this game. Back the Jets to rebound on home ice.Bet: Jets (-147)Blue Jackets (+145) @ Flyers (-170)Things are going from bad to worse for the Columbus Blue Jackets. Already without Zach Werenski, Jakub Voracek, and half their defensive core, the Blue Jackets placed captain Boone Jenner on injured reserve Monday. They also announced skilled youngster Cole Sillinger is banged up with an undisclosed injury.All of those absences leave the Blue Jackets paper thin on the back end and with little scoring depth to compensate. Thus, the Blue Jackets need quality goaltending to win games. That's not something they're likely to get tonight.Elvis Merzlikins appears destined to start for the Blue Jackets in the latter half of their back-to-back. He is in the midst of an absolutely miserable season, sporting a woeful .864 save percentage.He has conceded 18 more goals than expected through just 14 appearances, which slots him last in the NHL by quite a margin. Kaapo Kahkonen (minus-14.2 GSAE) is the only other goaltender below minus-11.3.Meanwhile, Merzlikins' counterpart, Carter Hart, is enjoying a strong bounce-back campaign. He owns a .913 save percentage and ranks fourth in the league in GSAE (plus-13.6).Win or lose, Hart is allowing the Flyers to hang around in plenty of games. The same can't be said about Merzlikins.With the Blue Jackets getting caved in at five-on-five on a nightly basis, dealing with a cluster of injuries across the board, and facing a back-to-back situation, it is hard to envision their fortunes turning on Tuesday night, even against a bad Flyers team.Back the healthier side that should also hold a big advantage in goal.Bet: Flyers (-110)Todd Cordell is a sports betting writer at theScore. Be sure to follow him on Twitter @ToddCordell.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

San Jose Sharks pivot Tomas Hertl has been suspended two games for high-sticking Calgary Flames forward Elias Lindholm during Sunday's contest, the NHL Department of Player Safety announced Monday.Hertl received a minor penalty on the play, which occurred during the opening faceoff of the third period. Lindholm stayed in the game, scoring twice shortly after to ensure a Calgary win."I get frustrated," Hertl said after the game, according to Curtis Pashelka of the Mercury News. "Three times to the shoulder, I just tried to slash him on the stick. The stick flew a little high; it's a terrible penalty. I don't think I even had him close to the face, but it looks bad. A mistake by me - can't do that. You never try to hit a guy high, but it happens."Hertl leads all Sharks forwards with 32 points in 33 games this season. The 29-year-old will miss Tuesday's rematch against the Flames and Thursday's contest against the Minnesota Wild. He's eligible to return on Dec. 27 against the Vancouver Canucks.Lindholm, 28, is also enjoying a strong campaign, pacing the Flames with 28 points in 31 appearances.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Goaltender Andrew Hammond announced his retirement from professional hockey Monday following a 10-year career.Hammond was sensational with the Ottawa Senators during the 2014-15 campaign. He posted a 20-1-2 record and a .941 save percentage to help the Senators earn an unlikely playoff berth and became affectionately known as "the Hamburglar."The Senators traded Hammond to the Colorado Avalanche after a five-year stint in the Ottawa organization as part of the deal for Matt Duchene. Hammond replaced the injured Jonathan Bernier in Colorado's first-round series against the Nashville Predators during the 2018 Stanley Cup Playoffs, making 44 saves in the Avalanche's Game 5 win before the team was eliminated in Game 6.Hammond made an unexpected return to the NHL last season, appearing in 11 games split between the Montreal Canadiens and New Jersey Devils.The 34-year-old suited up for two contests with the KHL's Traktor Chelyabinsk in October. He cited an ankle injury sustained with Montreal as the reason for his retirement.Hammond posted a 31-20-7 record with a .916 save percentage in 67 career NHL games.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Philadelphia Flyers forward Kevin Hayes wasn't shy about expressing his displeasure regarding head coach John Tortorella's decision to make him a healthy scratch Saturday against the New York Rangers."I'm never gonna say there's a benefit to being benched. I'm sorry. I don't think I should have been benched, but it's not my decision," Hayes said Monday, per The Athletic's Charlie O'Connor. "He's a coach. I'm a player. He makes the lineup, he wants the best team on the ice to ultimately win, and that's what he went with."The Flyers lost the game 6-3. They sit second last in the Eastern Conference with a 10-15-7 record.Hayes leads Philadelphia with 29 points in 31 games this season. He also began his career with the Rangers and spent parts of five seasons in New York.Tortorella didn't divulge his reasons for benching Hayes."That's between Kevin and I," Tortorella said, per NBC's Jordan Hall.Hayes is in the fourth season of a seven-year contract that carries a $7.14-million cap hit.He's expected to rejoin the lineup when the Flyers take on the Columbus Blue Jackets on Tuesday.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Cam Atkinson's season is over before it even started.The Philadelphia Flyers winger will undergo neck surgery on Wednesday and won't suit up at all in 2022-23, the team announced Monday. He's expected to make a full recovery.Atkinson produced 23 goals and 27 assists in 73 games with the Flyers last season, marking the seventh time in his 11-year career he reached the 20-goal plateau.The Flyers acquired Atkinson in the 2021 offseason from the Columbus Blue Jackets in exchange for Jakub Voracek.Philadelphia has had bad luck with injuries this season. Defenseman Ryan Ellis won't play at all this campaign and center Sean Couturier isn't expected to make his season debut until at least February after undergoing back surgery for the second time in less than a year.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Last week, we discussed how to determine the game-to-game value of a star player like Nathan MacKinnon relative to the moneyline, at least as it pertains to the betting market. There was an 11% moneyline adjustment in the first two games the Avalanche played without MacKinnon. Colorado lost both, but there was an interesting reaction last week.The betting market seemed to either forget that MacKinnon was out or didn't care.Here are our projected moneylines with and without MacKinnon for three games from Dec. 11-16:OPPONENT ML W/O MACKINNONCLOSING ML@ STLCOL +170COL -115VS. PHICOL -125COL -225VS. BUFCOL -105COL -190That disparity in pricing came from oddsmakers no longer taxing the Avs for missing MacKinnon, along with captain Gabriel Landeskog. The previous two games, where there was an 11% shift, were against good teams: the Bruins and Rangers. The Blues, Flyers, and Sabres aren't currently in the playoff picture, so maybe it was deemed that Colorado didn't need its star power to win those games.Sure enough, the Avalanche won two of three, with a loss to the Sabres (+160) mitigating the overall win for Colorado bettors. But a slightly deeper look at the results paints a different picture.The Avalanche were nine seconds away from losing to the Blues, but it was a remaining star that saved the day. Mikko Rantanen tied the game with the goalie pulled and then won it in overtime.Two days later, Colorado was a massive favorite to lowly Philadelphia, despite the Flyers having beaten the Avs a week earlier. That might have been due to Philly sitting star goaltender Carter Hart. With backup netminder Felix Sandstrom only able to stop 22 of 25 shots, the Avalanche edged the Flyers 3-2. In the loss, Philadelphia had more expected goals (XG) and high-danger chances created at five-on-five.Those willing to keep firing against the MacKinnon-less Avs were finally rewarded when the Sabres upset Colorado, though the Avs were the better team at even strength with a 71% XG share.With MacKinnon out another two-to-four weeks, it's anyone's guess how his absence will, and should, be treated by the betting market.The recipeWe started the campaign using regular-season point totals as a baseline for rating teams since it's still our best measurement. Throughout the campaign, we'll 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 BETDec. 19DAL@CBJ-128/+128DAL -123/CBJ +151DET@WSH+145/-145DET +172/WSH -139FLA@BOS+102/-102FLA +113/BOS +108EDM@NSH+108/-108EDM +126/NSH -103NYI@COL+101/-101NYI +112/COL +109BUF@VGK+146/-146BUF +172/VGK -140MTL@ARI-104/+104MTL +106/ARI +115STL@VAN+109/-109STL +120/VAN +102Dec. 20NYR@PIT+120/-120NYR +141/PIT -115CBJ@PHI+167/-167CBJ +199/PHI -160TBL@TOR+114/-114TBL +134/TOR -109NJD@CAR+119/-119NJD +140/CAR -114OTT@WPG+124/-124OTT +146/WPG -119STL@SEA+137/-137STL +161/SEA -131ANA@LAK+173/-173ANA +207/LAK -166CGY@SJS-134/+134CGY -128/SJS +158Dec. 21NJD@FLA+156/-156NJD +185/FLA -149TBL@DET-112/+112TBL -108/DET +132MTL@COL+144/-144MTL +170/COL -138NSH@CHI-151/+151NSH -145/CHI +179EDM@DAL+109/-109EDM +121/DAL +101ARI@VGK+231/-231ARI +282/VGK -220MIN@ANA-178/+178MIN -171/ANA +213Dec. 22PHI@TOR+233/-233PHI +285/TOR -223NYI@NYR+144/-144NYI +171/NYR -138CAR@PIT+100/+100CAR +110/PIT +110WPG@BOS+158/-158WPG +188/BOS -152WSH@OTT+103/-103WSH +114/OTT +107SEA@VAN+114/-114SEA +134/VAN -110MIN@SJS-110/+110MIN +101/SJS +121CGY@LAK-106/+106CGY +104/LAK +118Dec. 23DET@OTT+143/-143DET +170/OTT -138PHI@CAR+251/-251PHI +308/CAR -239TBL@BUF-138/+138TBL -132/BUF +163WPG@WSH+127/-127WPG +149/WSH -122BOS@NJD+154/-154BOS +183/NJD -148FLA@NYI-164/+164FLA -157/NYI +195COL@NSH+149/-149COL +176/NSH -143MTL@DAL+187/-187MTL +224/DAL -179CBJ@CHI+115/-115CBJ +136/CHI -111VAN@EDM+148/-148VAN +175/EDM -142LAK@ARI-150/+150LAK -144/ARI +178STL@VGK+125/-125STL +147/VGK -120CGY@ANA-138/+138CGY -132/ANA +163Matt 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 © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

We have an abnormally busy eight-game slate to look forward to this Monday night. Let's waste no time in getting to our best bets.Panthers (+160) @ Bruins (-190)The Boston Bruins are a truly well-oiled machine. Despite all the injuries they dealt with early in the season, the Bruins sit first in the NHL and show no signs of slowing down.They have picked up at least a point in nine of the last 10 games while their underlying numbers are trending upwards.The Bruins have controlled better than 60% of the expected goals share and are conceding just over one five-on-five goal per game during said stretch.With a dangerous power play and stout penalty kill in the Bruins' back pocket, it's almost impossible for opposing teams to make up the ground they're losing at five-on-five.I don't think the Florida Panthers are going to be the team to buck that trend. They are very banged up right now, especially up front. Anton Lundell and Anthony Duclair were skating in non-contact jerseys this weekend, suggesting they aren't quite ready to return. Meanwhile, captain Aleksander Barkov went down with a knee injury, joining a laundry list of injured personnel.Facing the Bruins while potentially missing three of the top six or seven Panthers forwards is a recipe for disaster. So is Florida's penalty trouble. Only three teams have spent more time shorthanded per game this season.Boston's power play boasts firepower and synergy. It's not a unit you want to spoon-feed opportunities.If all else fails, the Bruins should be able to count on an edge between the pipes. Linus Ullmark has played shockingly well this season, sitting second in the league in goals saved above expectation (plus-15.7). His expected counterpart, Sergei Bobrovsky, owns an .894 save percentage and slots 34th among eligible netminders (10-plus games) in GSAE.With plenty of edges in this game, not to mention home ice, I expect the Bruins to take care of business inside 60 minutes.Bet: Bruins in regulation (-120)Oilers (-130) @ Predators (+110)The Edmonton Oilers are coming off a pair of disappointing losses to the St. Louis Blues and Anaheim Ducks.Luckily, they are now drawing a Nashville Predators team that seems to be spiraling out of control. The Predators have dropped six consecutive games in a dry spell that includes a three-goal defeat to the Oilers.Losing to Edmonton is nothing new for Nashville. For whatever reason, the Oilers have been their kryptonite for quite some time.The Oilers have won eight straight games against the Predators dating back to 2020. In that stretch, they've scored 40 goals - good for an average of five per game - and won by multiple tallies on six different occasions. Insane dominance.While I'm not going to predict another offensive explosion by the Oilers in this game, I do think they're going to prevail once again.They have quietly played well of late, controlling 56% of the expected goals share over the last six games. That's the fourth highest output in that time.The Predators, in comparison, have posted a 48% xG share over the same period.With a clear five-on-five edge, and arguably the league's most terrifying power play taking on a struggling penalty kill, I expect the Oilers to get back on track with a win.Bet: Oilers (-130)Todd Cordell is a sports betting writer at theScore. Be sure to follow him on Twitter @ToddCordell.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Toronto Maple Leafs traded forward Denis Malgin to the Colorado Avalanche on Monday in exchange for forward Dryden Hunt, the teams announced.Malgin, 25, recorded two goals and two assists in 23 games with the Leafs this season while averaging 11:37 of ice time per contest. He was recently given a chance to play on Toronto's second line with John Tavares and Mitch Marner but couldn't make the most of it.Hunt, 27, has tallied two goals in 28 games this campaign split between the Avalanche and New York Rangers while playing a fourth-line role.Malgin carries more offensively ability, but Hunt has proven to be a strong defensive player in his 193-game NHL career.

The Edmonton Oilers have their goaltending tandem locked up through at least 2025-26.The Oilers signed goaltender Stuart Skinner to a three-year contract extension with an average annual value of $2.6 million, the team announced Monday.Skinner has become the Oilers' No. 1 netminder this year due to his stellar play and the struggles of free-agent acquisition Jack Campbell. The 24-year-old has recorded a .915 save percentage and a 2.83 goals-against average in 19 appearances this season. He also ranks seventh among NHL netminders with 10.89 goals saved above expected, per Evolving-Hockey.Campbell, who signed a five-year, $25-million contract with the Oilers this past offseason, has struggled to the tune of a .875 save percentage and 4.04 goals-against average in 14 games. He ranks 69th among 73 NHL netminders this season with minus-11.31 goals saved above expected.Skinner is in the final year of a contract with a $750,000 cap hit before the extension kicks in next season. He'll be an unrestricted free agent when the extension ends.The Oilers drafted Skinner, an Edmonton native, in the third round in 2017.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

With the World Cup now behind us, player props will be a focal point of our coverage moving forward.We enjoyed a clean 3-0 sweep in the last props post. Let's see if we can pick up where we left off with three more plays for an abnormally busy Monday in the NHL.Jason Robertson over 3.5 shots (-132)Robertson has gone cold. Normally a consistent shot-generator, Robertson has failed to record four shots in four consecutive games and five straight away from home.A date with the Blue Jackets could be just what the doctor ordered to get Robertson back on track. They are playing without four regular defenders - Zach Werenski, Adam Boqvist, Jake Bean, and Nick Blankenburg - and it shows. Over the last 10 games, only the Ducks have conceded five-on-five shots at a higher rate.Perhaps more importantly, in Robertson's case, the Jackets can't stay out of the penalty box. Only six teams have spent more time shorthanded on a per-game basis over the last 10.Robertson is the primary shooter and focal point on Dallas' power play. That's where a lot of his volume comes from. He should be able to make some noise on the man advantage in this game, and if all else fails, the five-on-five matchup is still quite advantageous.Miro Heiskanen over 2.5 shots (-115)We are going to double dip with the Stars and back their top blue-liner.Heiskanen has generated at least three shots in seven of the last 10 games and ranks second on the Stars - only behind Robertson - in shots and attempts in that span. He's shooting the puck a lot.As mentioned, the Blue Jackets are having a miserable time suppressing shots - especially against defensemen.The Blue Jackets are allowing 11.17 shots per game to opposing defensemen, ranking dead last. Only three other teams even allow 10 per game.With Heiskanen routinely playing 25-plus minutes a night, he'll have every opportunity to get the job done in the best matchup a defenseman can ask for.Alex Tuch over 2.5 shots (-132)There are hot streaks, and then there's whatever Tuch is riding right now. The gifted offensive winger has shot the lights out of late, registering at least three shots on goal in 10 consecutive games.Tuch has averaged just under four shots in that time, so he's not just sneaking his way over the line; he often gets the job done with room to spare.On the surface, the Golden Knights don't seem like the most appealing of targets, but they are more vulnerable than you'd think. They rank 25th in attempts against per 60 at five-on-five over the last 10 games, sandwiching between the slumping Predators and Coyotes. It just so happens Tuch has been Buffalo's best shot-generator at five-on-five in that time.There's also the revenge factor, as Tuch is going up against the team that traded him. In three prior meetings with Vegas, Tuch has scored twice and generated 10 shots on goal (3.3 per) while hitting the over on two occasions.Perhaps he'll have a little extra pep in his step going against his former team.Todd Cordell is a sports betting writer at theScore. Be sure to follow him on Twitter @ToddCordell.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Winnipeg Jets will be without forward Blake Wheeler and defenseman Nate Schmidt for an extended period of time.Wheeler is expected to miss at least one month after undergoing groin surgery Friday, while Schmidt will be sidelined for four-to-six weeks with an upper-body injury, head coach Rick Bowness announced Saturday, according to the Winnipeg Free Press' Mike McIntyre.Wheeler sustained the injury after teammate Josh Morrissey's shot hit him in the second period of Thursday's victory over the Nashville Predators. Wheeler went down the tunnel but returned to the bench for the final frame."He's one tough cookie," Bowness said of his veteran leader.Schmidt, meanwhile, exited late in the first period of the same contest after taking a heavy hit from Predators forward Tanner Jeannot.Wheeler, 36, has nine goals and 17 assists in 29 games so far this season.Schmidt, 31, has six points in 29 games.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.