The following five players disappointed in 2021-22, but we're projecting them to bounce back in a big way this season.Note: Goalies were omitted from this post because we covered them here.Jack Eichel, C, Golden Knights Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / GettyEichel's stock is down after posting his lowest points-per-game mark (0.74) since his rookie year. However, several factors affected his performance. Not only was he working his way back from artificial disc replacement surgery, but he also played the final six weeks of the season with a broken thumb. Meanwhile, he had to adjust to his new surroundings in Vegas, where plenty of his teammates also missed time with injuries.With a full training camp under his belt, look for Eichel to not only return to his 2019-20 form - when he finished eighth in Hart Trophy voting with 78 points in 68 games - but to explode for a career year.It's easy to forget how immensely talented Eichel is after back-to-back injury-marred seasons. If he plays all 82 games, he'll contend for 100 points, especially if Mark Stone - the best linemate Eichel has ever had - stays healthy.Dougie Hamilton, D, Devils Jim McIsaac / Getty Images Sport / GettyHamilton's first year with the Devils didn't go as planned. New Jersey's prized free-agent signing missed 20 games due to injury and recorded only 30 points, his fewest since 2013-14.It's not uncommon for players to take time - sometimes a full year - to adjust to their new surroundings, and it appears Hamilton is no exception. In his last two stops with the Flames and the Hurricanes, Hamilton was unspectacular in his first season before taking off in his second one.That apparent trend could be a fluke, but regardless, the Devils are an ascending team with lots of young talent. A breakout year from Jack Hughes gives this offense plenty of upside. And Hamilton, a high-volume shooter who will quarterback the top power play, will be heavily involved. Hamilton, who's still just 29, could reach 60-70 points in a career year.Mathew Barzal, C, Islanders Brad Penner / Getty Images Sport / GettyBarzal is simply too talented to stay quiet. He's coming off the worst season of his career after registering 15 goals and 44 assists in 73 contests, and he hasn't posted better than a point per game since his 85-point Calder Trophy campaign in 2017-18.Unfortunately, the situation around Barzal doesn't appear to have improved: He's still stuck on the Islanders, who failed to add any talent around him.It is possible, though, that the departure of head coach Barry Trotz could help unleash Barzal. It's true that Lane Lambert is a Trotz disciple, but he may be willing to open up the offense a bit - or, at the very least, play Barzal more than 18 minutes per game.Barzal is one of the most gifted playmakers in the NHL. At 25 years old, he should just be coming into his own. Overlook his situation and bet on the talent in the later rounds of your draft.Brent Burns, D, Hurricanes Kavin Mistry / National Hockey League / GettyBurns is coming off a very respectable 54-point campaign, but the two seasons prior were letdowns considering how elite he'd been. An offseason trade to the Hurricanes gives Burns an excellent chance to turn back the clock for one more spectacular season.Yes, Burns is 37, but Carolina is the perfect fit for him. The Hurricanes love taking point shots and crashing the net, and that's well-suited to Burns' strengths.Additionally, Burns gets to pair with one of the most underrated defensemen in the league in Jaccob Slavin. Not only will Slavin help push play up the ice, but his exceptional defensive awareness will allow Burns to run wild offensively. Considering how often Burns shoots the puck, the 60-70 point range is within reach.Anze Kopitar, C, Kings Codie McLachlan / Getty Images Sport / GettyKopitar tallied a respectable 67 points in 81 games last season, but it was still his fewest on a per-game basis since 2018-19. Kopitar is 35 years old now, so a large portion of the fantasy community is likely writing him off, but he could be in for one of his best offensive seasons in recent memory.Offseason addition Kevin Fiala could make a massive difference for the Kings captain. Kopitar has had some stellar linemates, but none were as dynamic as Fiala is (and yes, that includes Marian Gaborik's successful but past-his-prime run in Los Angeles).If Fiala can elevate Kopitar, the Slovenian could return to his point-per-game form - or better.(Analytics source: Evolving-Hockey)Josh Wegman has been theScore's resident fantasy hockey expert since 2015. Find him on Twitter @JoshWegman_.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Pierre-Olivier Joseph is on the trade block.Pittsburgh Penguins general manager Ron Hextall sent a note to all 31 other GMs last week that the 23-year-old defenseman is available via trade, according to Daily Faceoff's Frank Seravalli.The Penguins have nine NHL-caliber blue-liners, including Joseph. Here's their depth chart:LDRDBrian DumoulinKris LetangMarcus PetterssonJeff PetryTy SmithJan RuttaP.O. JosephChad RuhwedelMark FriedmanBarring a trade, the Pens could be at risk of losing one of their defensemen for nothing on waivers.Joseph was selected 23rd overall by the Arizona Coyotes in the 2017 draft. He was traded to Pittsburgh in 2019 as part of the deal that sent Phil Kessel to the desert.The 6-foot-2 rearguard has skated in 20 NHL games, recording a goal and four assists. He also added 33 points in 61 AHL contests last season.The Laval, Quebec, product is the brother of Ottawa Senators winger Mathieu Joseph.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Ottawa Senators goaltender Cam Talbot will miss five-to-seven weeks with an upper-body injury, the team announced Monday.The Senators claimed netminder Magnus Hellberg off waivers from the Seattle Kraken to help fill the impending void.Ottawa acquired Talbot in an offseason trade with the Minnesota Wild in exchange for Filip Gustavsson. The 35-year-old veteran posted a .911 save percentage and a 2.76 goals-against average in 49 games with the Wild last season.Anton Forsberg will assume No. 1 goalie duties with Talbot out. The duo was expected to share the crease this season. Forsberg, a 29-year-old journeyman, was a revelation for the Sens last season, registering a .917 save percentage in 46 games.Hellberg, 31, owns a .869 save percentage in five career NHL games. He recorded a .917 save percentage in 37 appearances with Sochi HC of the KHL last season.If Hellberg falters, it's possible 21-year-old prospect Mads Sogaard could be promoted. The 6-foot-7 Dane made his NHL debut last season, allowing six goals on 54 shots across two appearances. He recorded a .908 save percentage in 35 AHL games.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Calgary Flames head coach Darryl Sutter has high praise for his new star winger."Jonathan Huberdeau is probably the best passer that this team has had, maybe ever," he told Sportsnet's Derek Willis.He may have a valid case, as Huberdeau led the league with 85 assists last season with the Florida Panthers.The Flames acquired Huberdeau in a blockbuster trade this summer, along with defenseman MacKenzie Weegar, prospect Cole Schwindt, and a first-round pick, in exchange for Matthew Tkachuk and a fourth-rounder.But Huberdeau is more in line to replace Johnny Gaudreau, who left for the Columbus Blue Jackets as a free agent, rather than Tkachuk. Gaudreau, a crafty playmaker in his own right, was the engine of Calgary's offense, leading the team with 75 assists and 115 points last season.Gaudreau's 75 assists last year tied him with Al MacInnis for second most in a single season in Flames history. Kent Nilsson holds the record of 82, set back in 1980-81.MacInnis holds the most career assists in franchise history (609), while Doug Gilmour owns the team record for helpers per game (0.80). During his NHL career, Huberdeau has recorded 415 assists over 671 contests.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Every offseason brings changes that completely dismantle or fundamentally alter some of the previous campaign's dominant forward lines.Luckily for us, many top lines stayed intact or were enhanced over the summer.From old faces to new, here are the top 10 lines entering the 2022-23 season.Statistics guide:

Boston Bruins forward Taylor Hall is week-to-week with an upper-body injury, head coach Jim Montgomery told reporters Sunday.Montgomery added that Hall's injury is a bit more "significant" than the team initially expected.Hall left Saturday's preseason clash against the Philadelphia Flyers late in the second period and didn't return.The winger was expected to play on a line with David Krejci and David Pastrnak, but Montgomery said he will now be looking at Pavel Zacha to take his place.The team initially tapped Zacha to fill in for the injured Brad Marchand alongside Patrice Bergeron and Jake DeBrusk to start the new campaign, but the Bruins will now audition A. J. Greer, Nick Foligno, and Trent Frederic in that spot, according to The Athletic's Fluto Shinzawa.

To prepare for the 2022-23 NHL season, theScore has all the fantasy hockey advice you need to dominate your draft and win your league.2022-23 Rankings Michael Martin / National Hockey League / Getty

The Anaheim Ducks rewarded defenseman Nathan Beaulieu with a one-year, one-way contract Saturday after inviting him to training camp on a professional tryout.The deal is worth $850,000. It's the same term and salary the Carolina Hurricanes gave blue-liner and fellow PTO recipient Calvin de Haan earlier in the day.Beaulieu was limited to 24 games last season due to injury. He played those contests with the Winnipeg Jets before they placed him on long-term injured reserve on March 9. Less than two weeks later, the Jets traded him to the Pittsburgh Penguins for a conditional seventh-round selection. However, Beaulieu didn't play a game for the Metropolitan Division club.The Ontario-born rearguard spent parts of four seasons with Winnipeg. Before that, he played parts of two campaigns with the Buffalo Sabres after suiting up for five with the Montreal Canadiens.Beaulieu's most productive campaign came with the Habs in 2016-17 when he collected 28 points and 102 blocked shots over 74 games. The 17th overall pick in 2011 will turn 30 in December.The Ducks may be addressing their defensive depth due to Urho Vaakanainen's condition. The 23-year-old was stretchered off during a preseason game and hospitalized Friday night after crashing hard into the boards. The team later said Vaakanainen was conscious and alert with movement in his extremities.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Calvin de Haan is officially back for a second stint in Raleigh.The Carolina Hurricanes have signed the veteran defenseman to a one-year, $850,000 contract, the team announced Saturday.De Haan has been on a professional tryout with the club throughout training camp.The 31-year-old spent last season with the Chicago Blackhawks, recording four goals and four assists in 69 games. He's better known for his defensive abilities: Evolving-Hockey.comDe Haan spent the 2018-19 campaign with Carolina, tallying a goal and 13 assists in 74 games. He's registered 119 points in 520 contests over 10 NHL seasons between the Hurricanes, Blackhawks, and New York Islanders.The 2009 12th overall pick could enter the season as Carolina's third-pairing left-side defenseman behind Jaccob Slavin and Brady Skjei. Alternatively, a right-handed blue-liner such as Ethan Bear or Dylan Coghlan could move to the left side, relegating de Haan to a No. 7 role.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Montreal Canadiens and goaltender Jake Allen have agreed to a two-year extension with an average annual value of $3.85 million, the team announced Saturday.Allen's new deal begins next season. He was scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent after the 2022-23 campaign.The 32-year-old is set to enter the year as the Canadiens' No. 1 goalie, as Carey Price is unlikely to play this season due to knee problems.Allen posted a .905 save percentage and a 3.30 goals-against average in 35 games with Montreal last year. The native of Fredericton, New Brunswick, owns a .911 career save percentage across nine NHL seasons split between the Canadiens and St. Louis Blues.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Toronto Maple Leafs head coach Sheldon Keefe raised eyebrows when he said he's considering experimenting with Mitch Marner as a defenseman, but the star winger seems up for the challenge."I'm open to all kinds of opportunities. Whatever (Keefe) is thinking, I'm not against anything," Marner said, according to NHL.com's Dave McCarthy. "So as soon as he gave me the heads-up, I was all-in with it and thought the idea was kind of a cool-thinking one."Keefe said Thursday that Marner's been taking reps on the back end during training camp and could be used as a blue-liner situationally - if the Leafs are trailing late in a game, for example. Keefe credited the winger's two-way ability as a reason he's considering the unorthodox move."The more and more I watch the clips, that's what stands out," Keefe said. "So for me, it's knowing Mitch's skill set, and I've got a pretty good library of clips where he is actually playing defense. Even though he is a forward on that shift, he is in the defense spot, quarterbacking things and, at times, even defending, so that's sort of why we came to that conclusion."Marner generally occupies the right wing on Toronto's top line and has duties on the power play and penalty kill. He, along with MVP Auston Matthews and Calder Trophy finalist Michael Bunting, made up one of the league's most dominant five-on-five trios last season.Marner said chemistry with his potential defensive partner and odd-man rushes against are areas he'd need to address before giving the position a try in a game."I guess just trying to adapt with it, making sure I'm good enough to take on two-on-ones if it happens, three-on-twos, try to just communicate with whoever is out there with me as a D partner and talk about how we are going to try to attack and approach if odd-man rushes are coming against us," Marner said.Marner is one of the league's top offensive playmakers. He racked up a career-high 97 points last season and has 455 points in 427 contests since being drafted fourth overall in 2015.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

With more and more NHL teams embracing a true tandem approach when it comes to goaltending, a handful of clubs possess netminding duos that stand out above the rest.As usual, our list prioritizes the individual performance of both goalies on a given club, rather than focusing solely on a prolific starter or their squad's overall success. For example, Vezina Trophy winner Igor Shesterkin is clearly the league's best netminder. But his new backup with the New York Rangers is subpar 37-year-old Jaroslav Halak, who doesn't inspire much confidence.Speaking of the Big Apple, the New York Islanders - a previous lock to land on this list - don't qualify this time around. Despite Ilya Sorokin's exceptional play, Semyon Varlamov's underlying numbers were among the NHL's worst last season, and his counting stats were barely average. The Isles' struggles didn't help that tandem's cause, either.We've also ruled out tandems in which the backup has only played a handful of NHL games, because that's not enough to accurately gauge how effective they'll be with a much larger role.With that in mind, here are our top five puck-stopping pairs in the league:Stats in charts are from 2021-22

Montreal Canadiens general manager Kent Hughes wants to see more out of 2022 first overall pick Juraj Slafkovsky."I thought his two exhibition games were a little underwhelming for him, but the two rookie games in Buffalo, he was great," Hughes said on Thursday's "Ray and Dregs Podcast.""The two scrimmages here with our team, I think he led all our players in scoring chances by a pretty decent margin. So he's been very good in parts, there's obviously some inconsistency on how that translates into exhibition games."Slafkovsky has failed to record a point in two preseason games. In 26:31 of ice time at five-on-five with the towering Slovak on the ice, the Canadiens have been outscored 1-0 and own a 37.1% expected goals share, per Natural Stat Trick.Hughes said it's no guarantee Slafkovsky will make the Habs out of camp."We've got to do what's right for him," Hughes said. "If we do what we said when we drafted him - we weren't looking for the best 18-year-old, we were looking for the best NHL player down the road - and I don't think we do that without making the best decision for him. Whether it's the popular decision or not, we're going to do what we believe is right."Slafkovsky will likely end up in the AHL rather than head back overseas if he fails to crack the opening night lineup. The 6-foot-3, 238-pound winger spent last season in Finland's top professional league, producing five goals and five assists in 31 contests.Montreal has five preseason games remaining before opening the 2022-23 campaign on Oct. 12 against the Toronto Maple Leafs.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Arizona Coyotes defenseman Jakob Chychrun is the subject of "intensifying" trade interest, TSN's Darren Dreger reports.Teams with reported interest include the Ottawa Senators, Toronto Maple Leafs, Edmonton Oilers, Los Angeles Kings, St. Louis Blues, and Columbus Blue Jackets, among others.Chychrun tallied seven goals and 21 points in 47 games with Arizona last year. He's signed for three more seasons at a $4.6-million cap hit. He has a 10-team no-trade clause that begins next summer, according to CapFriendly.The 24-year-old has been one of the top players available over the past year. A season-ending ankle injury before the trade deadline halted discussions during the 2021-22 campaign.Chychrun admitted on the opening day of training camp that he's interested in moving to a contending team.

Calgary Flames blue-liner MacKenzie Weegar is looking to sign an extension before the regular season starts.Weegar's agent, Matthew Ebbs, said his client doesn't want in-season negotiations to become a disturbance for the club."Mack is the ultimate team guy, and once the season starts, he does not want to be a distraction and doesn’t want to be dealing with this in the media room," Ebbs told Sportsnet's Eric Francis.He continued: "That's why our preference is if we can get something done before the season, that's definitely where our head is at. If we can't, we're not saying we won't have any discussions, but we'd prefer to just leave it so there are no team distractions after Oct. 13."Calgary landed Weegar - along with star winger Jonathan Huberdeau - in an offseason trade with the Florida Panthers. Both players were scheduled to hit unrestricted free agent after the upcoming campaign, but Huberdeau signed an eight-year extension shortly after the blockbuster."I want a long-term deal here," Weegar said. "Being here, the guys have been great and the city is very warm and welcoming.""My best buddy Huby, I'd love to spend another five, six, seven, eight years here with him. ... I think all the pieces are here to be a successful team for years to come," Weegar added.Weegar's current contract pays him $3.25 million per season. Ebbs said negotiations have begun between the player's camp and general manager Brad Treliving, but the two sides have yet to agree on a price."It just comes down to Brad and the organization and our side coming down to terms on a deal that's good for both sides," Ebbs said.The Flames currently have approximately $9.3 million in cap space for 2023-24, according to CapFriendly. Weegar is Calgary's biggest name on an expiring contract.The 28-year-old Weegar was a seventh-round pick of the Panthers in 2013. He's notched 121 points in 306 career games after finally becoming an NHL regular in the 2017-18 campaign. Weegar set career highs in points (44), average ice time (23:22), shots (203), hits (179), and blocks (156) last season.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Toronto Maple Leafs ended their contract stalemate with restricted free-agent defenseman Rasmus Sandin, signing him Thursday to a two-year pact with an average annual value of $1.4 million.Sandin suited up for a career-high 51 contests in 2021-22. He potted five goals - good for second among all Maple Leafs defenders - and 11 assists while averaging almost 17 minutes of ice time per contest.The Swede posted favorable underlying numbers in Toronto last season. The Maple Leafs controlled 55% of the goals, 58% of the expected goals, and 58% of the scoring chances with Sandin on the ice at five-on-five, according to Natural Stat Trick.The signing comes at the perfect time for the Maple Leafs, who have run into injury trouble on their blue line before the start of the regular season. Timothy Liljegren is on the sidelines after undergoing hernia surgery, while Jake Muzzin is working through back discomfort.Depth pieces Jordie Benn and Carl Dahlstrom suffered injuries during Wednesday's preseason clash against the Montreal Canadiens, forcing forwards Calle Jarnkrok and Alexander Kerfoot to fill in on defense.The ailment issues apparently urged Sandin's camp to get a deal done."This morning, Rasmus Sandin and (agent) Lewis Gross reached out to us and informed us that after watching our game last night and seeing more injuries accrued by our defense, that they wanted to get this locked in today," general manager Kyle Dubas said, according to ESPN's Kristen Shilton.Sandin signed the same deal as teammate and fellow RFA rearguard Liljegren, who put pen to paper in late June. They'll both remain RFAs once their pacts expire. When that time comes, Sandin will be due a qualifying offer of $1.6 million, per TSN's Chris Johnston.Selected by the Leafs in the first round of the 2018 draft, Sandin has 28 points in 88 career contests.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

It's always satisfying to see someone's hard work pay off.The guys on this list are approaching significant markers that are seasons upon seasons in the making. Most players act nonchalant and indifferent when asked about individual achievements, but we still think their accomplishments are pretty dang cool.Here are seven major milestones to keep an eye on once the 2022-23 campaign gets underway.Kessel: Coming for the ironman streak Norm Hall / National Hockey League / GettyLet's get the slam dunk one out of the way first: Phil Kessel is just eight games away from surpassing Keith Yandle to set the NHL's new ironman record. Barring any setbacks, he will suit up for his 990th consecutive game when the Vegas Golden Knights take on the San Jose Sharks on Oct. 25. Kessel will tie Yandle the night before against the Toronto Maple Leafs, his former team.For almost 1,000 straight games, nothing - not even injuries, illnesses, or the birth of his first child - has stopped Kessel from lacing up his skates. His longevity in the league is a marvel, and it'll be interesting to see how far he can go. Will Kessel play in all 82 games in 2022-23 to extend his streak to 1,064, or will the veteran, who'll be 35 by the time the season starts, end up watching some Golden Knights games from the press box?Crosby and Ovechkin: Nearing 1,500 points The Washington Post / The Washington Post / GettyYep, Sidney Crosby and Alex Ovechkin are vying for the same milestone this season. Now we can all argue about who will hit 1,500 points first. Feasibly, both players can pull it off this season: Crosby is currently sitting at 1,409 career points, meaning he's 91 away from becoming the 15th player in NHL history to accomplish the feat, while Ovechkin is one ahead of him at 1,410.Let's start with the Pittsburgh Penguins star first, and for the purpose of this exercise, let's assume Crosby can stay healthy enough to play a full 82-game season. If Crosby wants to hit 91 points in 82 contests, he'll need to produce at around a 1.11 point-per-game rate. The good news for him is he's only failed to hit that mark three times in his career. The only thing holding him back here is time - Crosby hasn't played in a complete 82-game campaign since 2017-18. If he misses a couple games here and there, the feat is obviously still accomplishable, but the window gets tighter and tighter.As for the Washington Capitals captain, he hit 90 points on the nose over 77 contests in 2021-22, so he'll be just fine if he pulls that off again. However, Ovechkin didn't produce at a point-per-game rate in 2019-20 or 2020-21, which will be a must to get to 1,500 points this campaign.Fortunately, the pair of stars are signed for multiple years beyond this season, so if they don't hit it this time, there's always the next go-around.Ovechkin (again): Top 2 on all-time goals list John McCreary / National Hockey League / GettyTo be fair, Ovechkin is always on milestone watch when it comes to goal-scoring, and this season is no different.In 2021-22, he potted 50 goals to cement his place within the top three of the NHL's all-time goals list, surpassing Marcel Dionne, Brett Hull, and Jaromir Jagr.The next name on his hit list is Gordie Howe, who sits in the No. 2 spot with 801 goals. Ovechkin currently has 780 career tallies and only needs 22 more to take over, which is essentially a lock, barring disaster: The Russian scored a career-low 24 goals in 45 games during the pandemic-altered 2020-21 campaign, but even that would have put him on pace for 44 tallies over 82 contests.Unfortunately, this won't be the year Ovechkin takes down Wayne Gretzky for No. 1 on the list (unless he goes full Super Saiyan or something). He still needs 115 goals to pass the Great One, but depending on how Ovi fares this season, maybe he can contend for that milestone next campaign.Bergeron, Stamkos, and Kessel: 1,000-point club Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / GettyWe've got a gaggle of guys who can all but walk into the 1,000-point club this season.Thank goodness Boston Bruins captain Patrice Bergeron decided to come back for another season because he's only 18 points away from being just the seventh active player to hit the milestone! He won't have his talented running mate Brad Marchand to start the 2022-23 campaign, but Bergeron is perfectly capable of doing it himself and will have probably reached the marker by the time Marchand returns in late November.Tampa Bay Lightning stud Steven Stamkos also isn't far off, only needing 28 more points. Stammer is already the Bolts' franchise leader with 972 points, but it'll also be significant once he becomes the first player in Lightning history to eclipse 1,000 in that category.Rounding out the top three candidates is Kessel, who will need 44 points to join the party. That shouldn't be a problem, though. As we've already established, Kessel plays a lot of games, and he got 52 points last season with the struggling Arizona Coyotes. He'll have even more offensive weapons to work with in Vegas.Honorable mention: Joe Pavelski. The Dallas Stars maverick is coming off a career year where he hit 81 points. He needs 76 to reach 1,000, so it's possible, but it's tight. Repeating last year's success will be tough, and he only surpassed 76 points in a season on two other occasions.Stamkos: Staring down 500 goals Mark LoMoglio / National Hockey League / GettyHey, it's Stamkos again! The Lightning captain is currently sitting at 481 goals, meaning he just needs 19 more to reach 500. This club is even more exclusive than the 1,000-point gang: Ovechkin and Crosby are the only two other active players who have lit the lamp 500 times.Stamkos launched into this conversation by scoring 42 goals this past season for his first 40-goal campaign since 2018-19, so he certainly made this feat a lot easier on himself to accomplish.What's more, Stamkos has played in 922 career NHL games, so he'll in all likelihood hit 500 career goals before suiting up for his 1,000th contest.Fleury: No. 2 on all-time wins list David Berding / Getty Images Sport / GettyEveryone loves rooting for Marc-Andre Fleury, so fans around the league can cheer him on as the beloved goaltender vaults his way up the podium of the NHL's all-time wins list.Fleury is already in third place with 520 victories, but he needs 32 to bump Patrick Roy out of the No. 2 spot. However, that is probably as far as he'll get: Martin Brodeur is in the gold medal position with 691 wins, and Fleury only remains signed for two more seasons. There simply isn't enough time.However, the 37-year-old should get more than his fair share of action with the Minnesota Wild this season. His backup Filip Gustavsson is only 24 and has just 27 games of NHL experience to his name.Carlson, Doughty, and Josi: Approaching 600 points Harry How / Getty Images Sport / GettyWe've got three defensemen who are zeroing in on the 600-point milestone in John Carlson, Drew Doughty, and Roman Josi.Carlson is just seven points away, so the savvy offensive-minded Capitals defenseman should have no problem becoming the seventh active blue-liner to accomplish the feat.Also in the mix is Doughty, who needs 33 points to get it done. The Los Angeles Kings veteran had his 2021-22 campaign cut short due to injury, but he did amass 31 points in just 39 games. Doughty can certainly pull it off if he can stay healthy this season.Josi is the furthest away at 58 points out, and he's only reached that number three times in his career. However, it'd be silly to doubt the Nashville Predators star's ability to reach the milestone. Josi is coming off a career campaign that garnered him a Norris Trophy nomination after he paced all defensemen with 96 points in 80 games.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Forwards Calle Jarnkrok and Alexander Kerfoot took versatility to a new level Wednesday night.The Toronto Maple Leafs were forced to play the duo on defense in their preseason game against the Montreal Canadiens when Jordie Benn and Carl Dahlstrom went down with a groin and a shoulder injury, respectively. Head coach Sheldon Keefe confirmed postgame that both are expected to miss "some time."Keefe opted for the move with Toronto having just four healthy defensemen. In addition to Benn and Dahlstrom, Timothy Liljegren is out until at least early November following hernia surgery, while Rasmus Sandin remains unsigned.Jarnkrok played alongside Morgan Rielly, while Kerfoot was paired with T.J. Brodie.Toronto begins its regular season Oct. 12 against the Canadiens.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The defending Stanley Cup champion Colorado Avalanche will enter the 2022-23 campaign with the league's highest point total at 111.5.Are they more likely to go over or under their season total? Where else does the value lie league-wide?Let's dive in with the three best bets for the upcoming season.TEAM TOTAL O/U ODDSAnaheim Ducks79.5-120/-105Arizona Coyotes66.5-105/-125Boston Bruins95.5-105/-120Buffalo Sabres77.5-115/-115Calgary Flames102.5-120/-105Carolina Hurricanes102.5-120/-105Chicago Blackhawks66.5-115/-115Colorado Avalanche111.5-115/-115Columbus Blue Jackets79.5-115/-115Dallas Stars94.5-105/-125Detroit Red Wings85.5-105/-125Edmonton Oilers104.5-105/-125Florida Panthers105.5-115/-115Los Angeles Kings95.5-115/-115Minnesota Wild101.5-105/-125Montreal Canadiens72.5-115/-115Nashville Predators96.5-115/-115New Jersey Devils88.5-125/-105New York Islanders94.5-105/-120New York Rangers99.5-120/-105Ottawa Senators85.5-115/-115Philadelphia Flyers74.5-115/-115Pittsburgh Penguins101.5-115/-115San Jose Sharks75.5-115/-115Seattle Kraken82.5-115/-115St. Louis Blues96.5+100/-135Tampa Bay Lightning103.5-115/-115Toronto Maple Leafs107.5-120/-105Vancouver Canucks93.5-105/-120Vegas Golden Knights97.5-115/-115Washington Capitals95.5-105/-125Winnipeg Jets87.5-125/-105Colorado Avalanche under 111.5 (-115)I love the way the Avalanche have built their team over the years and truly believe they're going to be a perennial contender. This line feels a little extreme, though. A year ago they cleared this total by 7.5 points, and that was with Nazem Kadri, Andre Burakovsky, and Darcy Kuemper in the fold. Kadri put up 87 points in just 71 games, Burakovsky exceeded 60 points, and Kuemper posted one of the league's highest five-on-five save percentages during the regular season. Losing each of those players will sting.The Avalanche did a nice job of adding some affordable support pieces around the edges - Evan Rodrigues is a great scheme fit and Alexandar Georgiev should benefit from playing behind a better defense core - but they remain clear downgrades.Don't get me wrong: The Avalanche can and will pile up the wins again. But they could be one of the NHL's best teams and still fail to clear such a high point total.New Jersey Devils over 88.5 (-125)The Devils figure to be one of the NHL's most improved teams this season. Their five-on-five profile was actually quite good last season, relatively speaking. They were sunk by the league's worst goaltending, an egregiously bad power play under Mark Recchi, and injuries to key players like Jack Hughes and Dougie Hamilton.Vitek Vanecek finished top 10 in five-on-five save percentage a year ago and will be a big improvement in goal. A healthy Mackenzie Blackwood will help, too, and there's still a possibility that Jonathan Bernier can get right and join the mix. New Jersey doesn't have a star netminder by any stretch but could have three competent NHL goalies sooner than later.The Devils do have a fantastic core of young forwards led by Hughes, Jesper Bratt, Nico Hischier, Dawson Mercer, and Yegor Sharangovich. Top prospect Alexander Holtz is expected to make the jump and will add scoring pop up front, as will the offseason signing of Ondrej Palat.The power play should be more potent as well now that it's run by Andrew Brunette, a Jack Adams finalist last season.Lastly, John Marino and, to a lesser extent, Brendan Smith will add some stability and depth to the back end.Tom Fitzgerald may not have added any marquee names, but he improved the roster up front, on defense, in goal, and behind the bench. If the Devils' top players stay healthy, the team will seriously contend for a playoff spot.New York Islanders under 94.5 (-120)The New York Islanders were an 84-point team a season ago. Despite getting all-world goaltending from Ilya Sorokin, they finished 11 points below what they'd need to clear this total.While the Islanders did deal with injury troubles, that can come with the territory for older teams, and they certainly are that.Outside of Sorokin's play, nothing really stood out in a positive way for the Isles. They ranked 22nd in expected goals share, 25th in scoring chances share, and 28th in shot share at five-on-five.Their only notable addition this summer was Alexander Romanov, a defense-only rearguard who doesn't really move the needle even in the areas perceived to be his strengths.New York could have better luck with injuries this year and might get a boost from new head coach Lane Lambert, but regardless, I don't see the Islanders as a 95-plus-point team in a competitive Metropolitan Division.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 Columbus Blue Jackets signed defenseman Andrew Peeke to a three-year extension with an average annual value of $2.75 million beginning in 2023-24, the team announced Wednesday.Peeke, 24, played all 82 games for the Blue Jackets last season, posting two goals and 13 assists while averaging just over 21 minutes of ice time per contest.The Florida native will play out the final season of a two-year pact with a cap hit of $787,500 this campaign. He could have become a restricted free agent next summer."Andrew is a smart, versatile defenseman who moves the puck well, added an element of physicality to his game last season, and showed that he can play effectively in all situations," general manager Jarmo Kekalainen said in a statement. "He arguably was our most improved player a year ago, and we are excited to see what the future holds for him as he continues to develop and progress as a player."Peeke led the Blue Jackets with 169 blocks in 2021-22 and ranked second on the team with 191 hits.Selected by Columbus in the second round of the 2016 draft, Peeke has 21 points in 115 career contests, all with the Blue Jackets.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Scoring was up across the NHL last season, as eight players broke the 100-point barrier for the first time since 1995-96. From an entertainment standpoint, let's hope the offensive surge wasn't an outlier and that we get more of the same from the league's biggest stars starting in October.There's no guarantee on who may or may not light the lamps next season - health is the biggest factor in production - but we're taking a stab at guessing this campaign's top-five point-getters. Our list is full of usual suspects, but alas, here's how we think the scoring race will shake out.5. Kirill Kaprizov Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / Getty2021-22 stats: 81 GP, 47 G, 61 A, 31 PPP, 19:06 ATOIKaprizov was sensational in his first full NHL season, finishing fifth in the NHL with 108 points after winning the Calder Trophy a year prior. He scored 23 more points than the next most productive Minnesota Wild skater. Kaprizov achieved his monstrous numbers despite ranking 47th among all forwards in average ice time.His production in limited minutes - Kaprizov slotted fifth league-wide in points per 60 (3.24) last season - is one of a few reasons the Russian should be counted on to push for an Art Ross. If he sees an increase in minutes, it's only natural to assume a player of his caliber will take advantage of a bigger role. Minnesota also lost a key contributor in Kevin Fiala this summer, meaning more of the offensive load will fall on Kaprizov's plate.Kaprizov doesn't have the luxury of a deep cast of offensive catalysts on his team like the players ranked ahead of him on this list. He's projected to share the Wild's top line and first power-play unit with Ryan Hartman and Mats Zuccarello. Kaprizov is unquestionably the guy in Minnesota, and making him an even bigger centerpiece of the attack should lead to fireworks.4. Nathan MacKinnon Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / Getty2021-22 stats: 65 GP, 32 G, 56 A, 27 PPP, 21:04 ATOIStanley Cup? Check. Richest contract in the league coming his way? Check. MacKinnon has virtually nothing left to accomplish in the hockey world after a gigantic summer, but we all know he's not the type to rest on his laurels. In our minds, his recent accomplishments should leave him unencumbered to achieve one thing that's surprisingly eluded him throughout his career: a 100-point season. MacKinnon has been on pace to reach the century mark in each of the past three campaigns but came up short due to the pandemic and injury. The closest he's come is recording 99 and 97 points.There are no hot takes required to justify this selection. MacKinnon is on the shortlist for best-player-in-the-world status. He owns a 1.35 points-per-game rate over the past three seasons combined. He's the focal point of the league's most dangerous offense. He's fresh off lighting the playoffs on fire. And he'll be motivated as anyone to get back to hockey's summit. There's no need to overthink this.3. Auston Matthews Andrew Lahodynskyj / National Hockey League / Getty2021-22 stats: 73 GP, 60 G, 46 A, 29 PPP, 20:37 ATOIMatthews provided the NHL's first 60-goal campaign in a decade and topped the 100-point mark for the first time last season. We think he's in store for even bigger things in 2022-23. The reigning MVP finished sixth in scoring (and third in points per game) last campaign despite recovering from an early-season wrist injury that limited him to only two points in six games in October. If Matthews is full speed for 82 contests, the sky is the limit.Although the Toronto Maple Leafs iced the league's top power-play unit a season ago, Matthews managed a modest 29 points on the man advantage - good for 16th in the NHL and second among Toronto skaters. If Matthews catches a few more breaks while the Leafs are up a man, he's almost a lock to establish new career highs due to his even-strength dominance. He ranked third with 77 even-strength points in 2021-22, and his five-on-five expected goals mark of 64.16% was the best in the league among players to log over 1,000 minutes.Matthews is the odds-on favorite to capture a third consecutive goal-scoring crown, but we estimate this is the year he'll throw his hat in the ring for the Art Ross as well.2. Leon Draisaitl Codie McLachlan / Getty Images Sport / Getty2021-22 stats: 80 GP, 55 G, 55 A, 41 PPP, 22:21 ATOIGiven that only one of the last six Art Ross winners has played on a team outside of Edmonton, you probably could have guessed who our top two candidates are before even opening this list.Draisaitl's racked up 409 points in 289 games since 2018-19. Sure, he shares a lot of ice time with the best player in the world, but the Oilers' dynamic sidekick deserves his fair share of credit as one of the most gifted talents in the game. If he keeps going at the rate he's established, it's safe to say he's on the fast track to the Hockey Hall of Fame.The German is one of the league's top marksmen but also has the intelligence to set up teammates with ease - as evidenced by his 32 playoff points this past spring while visibly fighting through a high ankle sprain. Draisaitl hasn't finished outside the top five in scoring since the 2017-18 campaign. Barring something completely unforeseen, there's no reason to believe he won't be there again this coming season.1. Connor McDavid Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / Getty2021-22 stats: 80 GP, 44 G, 79 A, 44 PPP, 22:04 ATOIShocker, we know.McDavid is fresh off his fourth scoring title in seven years and set new career highs across the board. No. 97 has become so dominant offensively that nothing he can do from here on out will surprise the hockey world. But it's important that fans and pundits alike relish in his excellence while he's still in his prime. For context, McDavid is approaching the 500-game mark, and his career 1.43 points-per-game clip is good for fourth in league history. He trails only Wayne Gretzky (1.92), Mario Lemieux (1.88), and Mike Bossy (1.49) in that department.McDavid's 123 points last season were the third most of the salary cap era. Shortened seasons aside, the 25-year-old has set a new career high every campaign, so the 130-point barrier is certainly in play in 2022-23 if he suits up for 82 games.While McDavid has been viewed as an elite setup man throughout his career, we may see a slight changing of the guard this season. He said at the NHL's media tour that he devoted plenty of time this summer studying different ways to score goals and has flirted with the idea of being "a little more selfish" on the ice.Good luck, opposition.Just missed the cut:

The NHL is preparing for a significant salary cap increase over the next three seasons, sources told Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman and Rory Boylen.Teams reportedly received projections of the approximate salary cap through 2025-26. These values aren't guarantees but reflect the league's estimations. The 2022-23 salary cap is $82.5 million, an increase of $1 million from last season.YearPossible salary cap2023-24$83.5 million2024-25$87.5 million-$88 million2025-26Approximately $92 millionAccording to this projection, the salary cap would begin to increase by more than $1 million per season beginning in 2024-25. This would be the first multimillion jump in the salary cap since 2019. Notable free agents for the 2024 offseason include Auston Matthews, Steven Stamkos, and Sebastian Aho.By 2025, a projected salary cap of $92 million would represent a nearly $10-million raise over three seasons. The summer of 2025 is set up to be massive, with major stars including Victor Hedman, Leon Draisaitl, Mitch Marner, and Sidney Crosby up for new contracts.This season represents the first increase to the salary cap since the 2019-20 campaign. Players were paid full salaries in the shortened 2019-20 and 2020-21 seasons, resulting in an imbalance in the revenue split between the players and owners. The league introduced a flat salary cap until hockey-related revenue surpassed $3.3 billion in the preceding season as well as a series of escrow clawbacks to even things out.The salary cap previously rose every season from 2013-14 until 2019-20.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Toronto Maple Leafs center John Tavares will miss a minimum of three weeks due to an oblique strain, head coach Sheldon Keefe said Tuesday, according to Sportsnet's Luke Fox.With the Leafs' campaign beginning Oct. 12 against the Montreal Canadiens, the captain is in danger of missing at least the first week of the 2022-23 season.In his absence, Keefe said the team plans to try Alexander Kerfoot and newcomer Calle Jarnkrok at second-line center.Tavares, 32, finished fourth on the team with 76 points (27 goals, 49 assists) in 79 games last season while averaging just over 18 minutes per contest. He added three goals and three assists in the Maple Leafs' first-round loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning.The Mississauga, Ontario, native signed with the Maple Leafs as an unrestricted free agent in 2018. He is about to enter the fifth season of a seven-year, $77-million pact.Since his first season in Toronto, his 274 points in 280 games are the third most on the team, behind just Mitch Marner and Auston Matthews.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Igor Shesterkin was the runaway Vezina Trophy winner last season. Unsurprisingly, he's heavily favored to repeat.Is there still value in backing the New York Rangers' superstar netminder, or does it lie elsewhere? Let's take a closer look.PLAYERODDSIgor Shesterkin+250Andrei Vasilevskiy+500Ilya Sorokin+900Juuse Saros+1000Jake Oettinger+1600Thatcher Demko+1800Connor Hellebuyck+2000Frederik Andersen+2000Jacob Markstrom+2000Tristan Jarry+2200Alexandar Georgiev+2500Darcy Kuemper+2800Jack Campbell+3000John Gibson+3000Jordan Binnington+3000Marc-Andre Fleury+3000Matt Murray+3000Sergei Bobrovsky+3000Cal Petersen+5000Carter Hart+5000Jeremy Swayman+5000*Only goaltenders with odds of 50-1 or shorter are listed.Ilya Sorokin (+900)Ilya Sorokin didn't get enough credit for his performance last season. The New York Islanders might have disappointed, but it certainly didn't have anything to do with Sorokin's play in his first year as a starting goaltender. The 27-year-old led NHL in save percentage and high-danger save percentage at five-on-five, besting even Shesterkin in those categories.Sorokin's performance would have been impressive under any circumstances, let alone behind an Islanders team that was surprisingly weak defensively. New York ranked 21st in expected goals against and 30th in chances against on a per-60-minute basis.Given the Islanders' personnel, it seems safe to assume they'll lean heavily on their defense this season, and there's no reason they can't tighten up a little bit.If they do, Sorokin should enjoy another strong campaign - and perhaps earn a few more wins along the way.Juuse Saros (+1000)Juuse Saros was an absolute monster for the Nashville Predators last season, especially in the second half. He appeared in a league-leading 42 games from Jan. 1 onward, and his numbers did not dip; he maintained his top-tier play despite being worked into the ground.He was a worthy Vezina finalist and has a great chance to earn consideration again in 2022-23. At 27 years old, Saros should be at the peak of his powers.He'll have more help this season, too. Realizing a top-heavy offense wasn't enough to contend - even with great goaltending - the Predators added some much-needed reinforcements this offseason.They signed Nino Niederreiter, a very strong defensive winger who can also chip in offensively, and pried Ryan McDonagh from the cap-strapped Tampa Bay Lightning. Those additions should make Nashville a much better defensive team and make Saros' life easier at five-on-five.If Saros continues to do his part - and the Predators move up the standings a little bit - he's a legitimate Vezina threat.Jacob Markstrom (+2000)Jacob Markstrom was a dud in the second round of the playoffs, but this price feels extreme - especially for one of last year's Vezina finalists.While the Calgary Flames lost plenty of firepower this offseason, they replaced a lot of it with the additions of Jonathan Huberdeau, Nazem Kadri, and potentially Sonny Milano.Perhaps more importantly, Calgary improved defensively. MacKenzie Weegar played a huge role for the Presidents' Trophy-winning Florida Panthers last season. Adding him to a defense corps that already features Rasmus Andersson, Chris Tanev, and Noah Hanifin should give Calgary one of the best blue-line groups in the league.The Flames should once again win a lot of games this season, and they're going to do it primarily on the back of great defense and strong goaltending.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 Florida Panthers signed goaltender Spencer Knight to a three-year contract extension beginning in 2023-24, the team announced Tuesday.The deal carries an average annual value of $4.5 million, reports TSN's Pierre LeBrun."Spencer is a phenomenal goaltender, as well as an exceptional athlete and person," Panthers general manager Bill Zito said. "He has thrived in his professional career, dedicating himself to his training through his first two seasons with our organization. With this extension, we are excited about the present and future of Panthers goaltending."Knight, 21, is entering the last season of his entry-level deal. His extension coincides with the final three years of Sergei Bobrovsky's contract, meaning Florida will pay $14.5 million per season for its goaltending duo from 2023-26.Knight will remain a restricted free agent at the end of the extension, but he can become an unrestricted free agent in 2028.Selected 13th overall by the Panthers in the 2019 NHL Draft, Knight owns a .909 save percentage in 36 career games across two seasons. He's recorded a .933 save percentage in two postseason contests.Before turning pro, Knight put together a standout NCAA career at Boston College and helped lead the United States to a gold medal at the 2021 World Junior Championship.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Fantasy managers shouldn't necessarily avoid the following players at all costs, but we're projecting these forwards to vastly underperform their average draft position.Note: Goalies were omitted from this post because we covered them here.Chris Kreider, LW/RW, Rangers Gregg Forwerck / National Hockey League / GettyKreider is coming off a career campaign in which he tallied 52 goals and 77 points, leading him to be ranked 24th by Yahoo and 32nd by NHL.com. However, it's extremely difficult to imagine Kreider repeating his 2021-22 season considering his previous career bests were 28 goals and 52 points.The 31-year-old's excellent campaign was aided by a 20.2 shooting percentage - over 6% higher than his career mark of 13.9 entering the season. Kreider scores a lot of his goals on deflections and rebounds, so an above-average shooting percentage can be expected. But a mark as high as last season is unlikely.While Kreider helps managers in leagues that count hits (he had 141 in 2021-22), he's never been regarded as a good playmaker. If his goal-scoring dries up and regresses to his career norms, Kreider has no chance of returning value on the second-to-fourth round draft capital necessary to select him.Nazem Kadri, C, Flames Justin Edmonds / Getty Images Sport / GettySpeaking of veterans coming off career years, we're not convinced Kadri can repeat. He tallied 87 points with the Avalanche in 2021-22, but his previous career best was 61 points. Set to enter his age-32 season, Father Time is not on his side.There's also no guarantee how Kadri will fit in his new surroundings. With Colorado last campaign, he spent significant time sharing the ice with the likes of Cale Makar, Mikko Rantanen, Gabriel Landeskog, and - when on the power play - Nathan MacKinnon.The Flames are a very good team, but they don't possess the same kind of firepower as the Avalanche. They also play more of a defensive-minded game under hard-nosed head coach Darryl Sutter. Kadri will likely be an excellent fit in Calgary, but it's difficult to imagine him returning value on his No. 56 rank on Yahoo and No. 62 rank on NHL.com. Center is the deepest position in fantasy, too, so his lack of positional flexibility hurts.Troy Terry, RW, Ducks Debora Robinson / National Hockey League / GettyTerry enjoyed a breakout season in 2021-22 that all Ducks fans had been waiting for, as the talented American winger tallied 37 goals and 30 assists in 75 games. Despite being just 25 years old and on an upward trajectory, a repeat seems unlikely.For starters, Terry converted 19.3% of his shots - the 15th-highest mark in the league among players who skated in at least 50 contests. Prior to last season, Terry's career shooting percentage was 8.8%. It's possible he worked hard on his shot and was due for a bit of puck luck, but an increase greater than 10% is highly unsustainable.Terry also produced only 24.2 individual expected goals, meaning he was very opportunistic and converted 13 goals above expected, based on the scoring chances he generated.Terry isn't going in the early rounds of fantasy drafts (ranked 126 by Yahoo, 151 by NHL.com), but managers expecting him to build on his breakout year will be disappointed.(Analytics source: Natural Stat Trick)Josh Wegman has been theScore's resident fantasy hockey expert since 2015. Find him on Twitter @JoshWegman_.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Minnesota Wild defenseman Mathew Dumba isn't dwelling on an uncertain future as he enters the final season of his current contract.Due to salary cap restraints, the 28-year-old hasn't engaged in serious extension talks with the club. Dumba said he knows he could be a valuable trade chip before the deadline if the Wild aren't among the contenders in the Western Conference."If I worried about that, I'd probably be in a shell hiding somewhere," Dumba told The Athletic's Michael Russo. "I've heard about the numbers. I've heard about the cap space. Every year of my career, I've been on the (trading) block."As a mobile right-side blue-liner with offensive upside, Dumba has been considered a hot commodity in the trade market for years. Minnesota reportedly actively shopped him during the 2020 offseason.Wild general manager Bill Guerin said his hands are tied when it comes to negotiating a new deal with Dumba. Minnesota has over $14 million in dead money on its books in 2023-24 and 2024-25 due to Ryan Suter's and Zach Parise's buyouts."We haven't really talked," Guerin said. "It's not something I think we really need to be distracted with right now. Matt's a big boy. I am, too. We both know our situation, but I think the most important thing is Matt has a clear head going into this year and just plays with no stress. I can't say that we're going to start talking or get a deal done."We, as an organization, are in a unique spot with our cap space situation, so it's hard to do certain things. But you never know."The Wild drafted Dumba seventh overall in 2012. He's racked up 222 points in 519 games with the franchise.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Every year, a number of players fly under the radar in fantasy hockey drafts despite being set up to excel.Sometimes, a previously irrelevant player lands a golden opportunity by default. Other times, someone who's played well enough in a small sample size blossoms when given a larger role.It's important to note the distinction between a sleeper and a breakout candidate. Heading into last season, the latter would've been someone like Chris Kreider, who'd already been a consistent offensive contributor before he erupted for 52 goals. Conversely, Tage Thompson wasn't even on most fantasy managers' radars before he racked up 68 points.Here are five players going very late in drafts who are primed to make an impact in fantasy this season:Boone Jenner, C, Blue Jackets Kirk Irwin / Getty Images Sport / GettyWhen it comes to opportunities for non-star players, it's hard to think of a better situation than the one Jenner could have this season. The Columbus Blue Jackets captain will likely get the first chance to center what should be a prolific new top line featuring the club's prized offseason signing, Johnny Gaudreau, and the resurgent Patrik Laine.Jenner was on pace for a career-high 61 points in 2021-22 before a back injury forced him to miss the final two months of the campaign. If Blue Jackets head coach Brad Larsen keeps him in the driver's seat with Gaudreau and Laine, Jenner can certainly achieve and even surpass that total.The 29-year-old posted personal bests of 30 goals and 49 points in 2015-16 - but those were outliers. Because Jenner's not a star and missed so much time last season, fantasy managers are sleeping on him: He's currently the 57th center going off the board in Yahoo drafts with an average draft position of 166th overall.While managers may also worry that Jack Roslovic or Cole Sillinger ultimately gets the top-line gig, Jenner is the logical choice for the role.Andrei Kuzmenko, LW, Canucks SOPA Images / LightRocket / GettyThe Vancouver Canucks seem to be stockpiling KHL imports, boasting three of them among their forward group alone. Kuzmenko has no NHL experience, unlike his compatriots and new teammates, Ilya Mikheyev and Vasily Podkolzin. But there are several reasons why Kuzmenko is worth taking a chance on late in fantasy drafts.The 26-year-old ranked second in the KHL in points last season with 53 in 45 games. Kuzmenko's point totals have increased in each of the last six years, and while the NHL is a different beast, he'll likely be set up to succeed. The Russian is projected to line up beside talented center Bo Horvat on Vancouver's second line. While Kuzmenko probably won't play on the club's top power-play unit, the second group should feature plenty of upside with the likes of Podkolzin and Nils Hoglander.Despite that promising development, Kuzmenko isn't being drafted within the top 100 players at his position in Yahoo leagues. This further cements his sleeper status, and he's a viable target toward the end of drafts.Alex Newhook, C/LW, Avalanche Michael Martin / National Hockey League / GettyEveryone playing in the Colorado Avalanche's top-six forward group is automatically worth a look in fantasy. Nazem Kadri signing with the Calgary Flames opens up a big hole for the Avalanche at second-line center, and Newhook has a good chance of earning the spot.The 21-year-old collected 13 goals and 20 assists while averaging only 13:34 of ice time across 71 games in 2021-22, his first full NHL season. Newhook doesn't exactly have a great track record on faceoffs with Colorado (34.7% last season and 43.2% over 77 contests), but that's a small sample size, and he was also a rookie during that span.Newhook appears to have the inside track over J.T. Compher for the "2C" job. While the Boston College product won't get time on Colorado's top power-play unit barring an injury, he figures to play on the team's second unit with the man advantage. That group could be as good as some teams' PP1, as it'll likely also feature Devon Toews, Valeri Nichushkin, and Bowen Byram.Drafting Newhook would be a gamble given his status as Kadri's replacement is by no means written in stone. However, he's essentially being ignored in fantasy drafts and would certainly be worth picking toward the end - particularly in deeper leagues - considering the potential payoff.Dawson Mercer, C/RW, Devils Norm Hall / National Hockey League / GettyWhen it comes to fantasy value for New Jersey Devils players, most managers will rightfully be focusing on Jack Hughes, Nico Hischier, and Dougie Hamilton. The vast majority of Yahoo managers are sleeping on Mercer in drafts. Don't be one of those people.Mercer is used to being overlooked, having tied for 11th in Calder Trophy voting after collecting 17 goals and 25 assists while averaging 16:32 of ice time and playing all 82 games last season. The Newfoundland-born forward, who'll turn 21 on Oct. 27, is expected to line up alongside Hughes on New Jersey's second line, and that alone warrants taking a late gamble on Mercer.In addition, Mercer produced impressive underlying numbers in his rookie year. His 0.75 individual expected goals per 60 minutes at five-on-five matched the figures of Alex DeBrincat, Elias Pettersson, and Kadri while besting those of Mikko Rantanen, Steven Stamkos, and Trevor Zegras. Mercer also posted favorable five-on-five expected goals for and scoring chances for percentages - a commendable feat considering the Devils allowed the fourth-most goals per game in 2021-22.Mercer is bound to get an increase in ice time and an uptick in production along with it. Yet only 16% of Yahoo managers are drafting him, and only 26% are rostering him. Mercer isn't being chosen until the 17th round on average, at pick No. 183. His value should significantly exceed that given his situation in the lineup and his underappreciated rookie output.Vitali Kravtsov, RW, Rangers Elsa / Getty Images Sport / GettyKravtsov is a deep sleeper, but if current trends hold and he takes advantage of his opportunities, the former holdout could be a fantasy steal. The New York Rangers forward is skating on the club's second line to start training camp alongside Artemi Panarin and Vincent Trocheck.There's clearly a chance he won't stick in the Rangers' top six, but if he can develop some chemistry with his countryman on the opposite wing and a very good two-way center in Trocheck, Kravstov could put up numbers that justify a late-round fantasy draft selection.Kravtsov and the Rangers were once at odds, but his trade request appears to be water under the bridge after he agreed to a one-year contract in June. New York's ninth overall pick in 2018 seems to have earned the trust of head coach Gerard Gallant, which bodes well for his fantasy value.Gallant wants to keep the "kid line" of Alexis Lafreniere, Filip Chytil, and Kaapo Kakko together for the time being, which should benefit Kravtsov as well. He doesn't have much NHL experience and is barely rostered at all in Yahoo leagues. While that will change if he sticks in his current spot in the lineup, he should still be available toward the end of drafts and is a worthwhile target at that stage.(Analytics sources: Natural Stat Trick, Evolving Hockey)Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Vancouver Canucks forward Brock Boeser will be sidelined for the next three-to-four weeks after undergoing hand surgery, the team announced Monday.With Vancouver's regular season beginning Oct. 12 against the Edmonton Oilers, Boeser could miss the first two weeks of the 2022-23 campaign. He injured his hand during training camp on Saturday.Boeser, 25, put up 23 goals and 23 assists in 71 games in 2021-22. Like many Canucks, he saw a boost in production after Bruce Boudreau took over for Travis Green behind the bench on Dec. 5.TenureGPGPP/GPBoeser under Green224100.45Boeser under Boudreau4919360.73As a restricted free agent, Boeser re-signed on a three-year pact with a $6.65-million cap hit in July. Last week, Boeser vowed to hit the 30-goal mark for the first time in his career this season, according to The Athletic's Harman Dayal.Selected by the Canucks in the first round of the 2015 draft, the oft-injured Boeser has 256 points in 324 career games.Boeser isn't the only Canucks forward dealing with an injury. Ilya Mikheyev was unable to return to Vancouver's preseason clash against the Calgary Flames on Sunday after taking a hit from defenseman Nic Meloche. Mikheyev is undergoing further evaluation, sources told The Athletic's Thomas Drance.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Defending against the Connor McDavids, Auston Matthews, and Nathan MacKinnons of the world isn't easy, but hey, someone has to do it.It probably gets a little easier if you have one of these six pairs on your blue line, though.From already established duos to new partners on the scene, here are the top defensive pairs heading into the 2022-23 campaign.All stats are from the 2021-22 season at five-on-five:

After leading the New York Rangers and ranking 12th in the league with 96 points last season, Artemi Panarin is asking more of himself."Recently I've been focusing more on the wing, and it's easier for everyone else to play with me in that sense," Panarin said through an interpreter Saturday, according to The Athletic's Arthur Staple."But I really need to start being everywhere and doing everything. It will help me progress as a player, and it will definitely make it more difficult for the opponent to figure out our game. And it will help my teammates because it was more of a game of throwing the puck down the boards. A really simple game, easy to figure out. And my teammates weren't developing as much as they should."Panarin is set to play with a new center this season after usual pivot Ryan Strome signed with the Anaheim Ducks this summer. Vincent Trocheck has filled the role in the early stages of New York's training camp.Although Panarin's the biggest star on the Rangers, he said the desire to refine his game comes after what he considered a disappointing playoff performance. He had 16 points in 20 postseason games as New York reached the Eastern Conference Final."There were a few unfortunate mistakes I made," he said. "That probably shouldn't have happened."Panarin is entering his fourth season with the Rangers. He signed a seven-year, $81.5-million contract as an unrestricted free agent to become the second-highest paid player in the NHL. The 30-year-old has managed 249 points in 186 contests since arriving in the Big Apple.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Goaltending can be very unpredictable, so landing one of hockey's elite netminders - such as Igor Shesterkin, Andrei Vasilevskiy, or Jacob Markstrom - is always a wise strategy in fantasy. For this exercise, though, we'll explore goaltenders outside of the top tier who could turn out to be very valuable relative to their average draft position.Conversely, we'll also analyze some goaltenders who are being valued too highly that should be avoided. Let's dive in.TargetConnor Hellebuyck, Jets Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / GettyHellebuyck is coming off one of the worst seasons of his career as he posted a .910 save percentage and a 2.97 goals-against average. This has led to the fantasy hockey community severely undervaluing him, as Yahoo ranks him as its 15th goalie while NHL.com has him at 14.However, Hellebuyck is an absolute workhorse who led the league in saves four years in a row and games played three out of the last five. Without a quality backup once again, expect Hellebuyck's workload to remain similar.His rate stats could see improvement, though. The Jets hired Rick Bowness, a detailed defensive-minded coach. His presence should lead to more low-event games than Winnipeg played previously under Paul Maurice and Dave Lowry.The Jets have a solid blue line in place, so if Bowness can get his players to buy into his disciplined structure, Hellebuyck could enjoy one of his best campaigns in recent years.Pavel Francouz, Avalanche Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / GettyThe defending Stanley Cup champs opted not to replace Darcy Kuemper with a bonafide No. 1 goalie. Instead, they'll rely on the tandem of Francouz and the newly acquired Alexandar Georgiev.Georgiev is being drafted as the higher goalie, as he's been ranked 19th by Yahoo and 17th by NHL.com. Francouz, though, is going much later - 31st by Yahoo, 25th by NHL.comWhile the two netminders will likely split starts to begin the year, Francouz may have a better chance of running with the starting reins. Since 2019-20, he's saved 2.69 goals above expected compared to Georgiev's minus-6.49 mark.Georgiev is just 26, so he carries more upside, but the 32-year-old Francouz has the familiarity with the team and coaching staff that could give him the upper hand.Matt Murray, Maple Leafs Steve Russell / Toronto Star / GettyToronto's acquisition of Murray was met with lots of criticism, and some of it's very warranted. His two-year stint with the Ottawa Senators was marred by injuries and inconsistent play. His final year with the Pittsburgh Penguins was also subpar. But Murray will get a tremendous opportunity to bounce back.The 28-year-old will receive ample goal support from Toronto's star-studded offense, but he'll also get to play behind one of the league's most underrated defensive teams. The Leafs allowed 2.31 expected goals against per 60 minutes at five-on-five last season, good for fifth best in the NHL. Comparatively, the Senators were one of the worst defensive teams in the league, ranking 25th with 2.66 xGA/60.Murray will also get to play under Leafs bench boss Sheldon Keefe, who coached him in junior with the OHL's Soo Greyhounds. That familiarity can't hurt.The injuries are a fair concern, but if Murray's healthy, expect him to play well. For a goalie you can get near the end of your draft (30th by NHL.com, outside top 32 by Yahoo), he brings substantial upside.AvoidSergei Bobrovsky, Panthers Joel Auerbach / Getty Images Sport / GettyBobrovsky's first two seasons in Florida were a disaster, but he bounced back with a stellar campaign in 2021-22 as he led the NHL with 39 wins. His .913 save percentage and 2.67 goals-against average were also stellar.Don't be surprised if Bobrovsky regresses in 2022-23, though. Not only is he entering his age-34 season, but the team in front of him just got worse - especially on defense. Here's the club's projected blue line:LDRDGustav ForslingAaron EkbladLucas CarlssonRadko GudasMarc StaalBrandon MontourThe loss of MacKenzie Weegar - and, to a lesser extent, Ben Chiarot - will be felt greatly. There are a lot of question marks in that top six.The Panthers also replaced Jack Adams finalist Andrew Brunette with Paul Maurice as head coach. Maurice is well-liked, but his teams have historically been poor defensively. Don't expect that to change here.It's also possible that 21-year-old Spencer Knight overtakes Bobrovsky for the No. 1 job. Considering Bobrovsky is ranked 10th by Yahoo and 12th by NHL.com, there are just way too many red flags to even consider drafting him that early.Cam Talbot, Senators Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / GettyThe Senators have received a lot of hype this offseason with the additions of Alex DeBrincat, Claude Giroux, and Talbot, but it might be time to pump the brakes a bit - especially when it comes to their new netminder.Talbot's surface numbers with the Minnesota Wild were solid the past two years as he posted save percentages of .915 and .911. However, Minnesota hid a lot of his deficiencies as one of the league's best defensive teams, ranking second in xGA/60 last season. Talbot actually allowed 22.9 goals saved below expected over the past two seasons.He now joins the Senators, who, despite having an exciting young core with plenty of promise, still have major question marks on their blue line. Talbot is also 35 years old, so a steep decline could happen any year now. For a goalie who's ranked 17th by Yahoo and 18th by NHL.com, there are way too many concerns.Furthermore, Anton Forsberg (ranked 21 by Yahoo, 31 by NHL.com) could ultimately run away with the starting gig. He's just 29 years old, and he recorded a stellar .917 save percentage last year with the Sens. We're not necessarily recommending drafting Forsberg, either, given his lack of a track record, but he seems like a much safer bet than Talbot.(Analytics source: Natural Stat Trick, Evolving-Hockey)Josh Wegman has been theScore's resident fantasy hockey expert since 2015. Find him on Twitter @JoshWegman_.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The NHL produced no shortage of action this past offseason. While there are many angles to break down and events to analyze, we're going to focus on the moves that left us asking one simple question: "Why?"Flyers confuse everybody Bruce Bennett / Getty Images Sport / GettyIf there's one team that puzzled everybody this summer, it's the Flyers. While Philly sought changes after missing out on the playoffs, none of its moves made sense. The team bought out popular winger Oskar Lindblom, who had one year remaining on his contract at little cost, to create some additional cap space. General manager Chuck Fletcher then handed a four-year contract to 31-year-old enforcer Nicolas Deslauriers, whose career high in points is 15. He also traded for oft-criticized blue-liner Tony DeAngelo when the club's back end appeared set, signing him to a two-year, $10-million contract.Fletcher's salary cap allocation is particularly confounding given the club was labeled a destination for Johnny Gaudreau, this summer's prized free agent. The GM attributed his failure to offload salary and bring in a franchise player from the area to the high price needed to convince teams to take on some of the Flyers' cumbersome contracts.Philadelphia doesn't want to commit to a full rebuild, yet it won't surrender assets to make a pitch at the best player available. To make matters worse, Gaudreau signed for a division rival at a cheaper cost than anyone expected.Predators take on McDonagh Mark LoMoglio / National Hockey League / GettyThe Predators' acquisition of blue-liner Ryan McDonagh for Philippe Myers and Grant Mismash was one of the more notable trades this past summer. The writing was on the wall for McDonagh's tenure in Tampa Bay immediately after the Lightning fell short of a three-peat.When the Bolts made it known the veteran blue-liner was available as a salary-cap casualty, Nashville pounced, reinforcing an already strong blue line without giving up much. But the acquisition was perplexing for a couple of reasons.First, why didn't they make Tampa include a sweetener? Nashville got the best player in the deal, but if the Lightning were so desperate to offload McDonagh, why not squeeze a draft pick or two out of them as well? Preds GM David Poile was seemingly in prime position to maximize the return but only came away with one uncertain asset.Secondly, taking on McDonagh's four-year, $6.75-million contract with a full no-trade clause could easily backfire. Even though the 33-year-old has a strong reputation and should help Nashville in the early stages of his tenure with the club, stay-at-home blue-liners at his age tend to decline quickly. He's sacrificed his body his entire career as one of the league's premier shot-blockers and has a ton of extra mileage thanks to a whopping 185 career playoff games. Signing McDonagh with the expectation he'll be the same player up to four years from now was an unnecessary risk.Bruins can Bruce Cassidy MediaNews Group/Boston Herald via Getty Images / MediaNews Group / GettyThe NHL's coaching carousel was in full swing this summer. Perhaps the most surprising move was the Bruins moving on from Cassidy after six successful seasons. Cassidy took over in Boston during the 2016-17 campaign and made the playoffs each year. He led the B's to a .672 points percentage, won a Jack Adams Award, and reached a Stanley Cup Final in his impressive tenure with an aging roster nearing the end of its contending window.The Bruins racked up 107 points this past season but fell to a seven-game loss to the Carolina Hurricanes in Round 1. Shortly after the loss, president Cam Neely said his club needs to make some changes in the way it plays. A couple weeks later, the Bruins fired Cassidy - a decision the former head coach apparently didn't take well.Cassidy wound up in Vegas, and the Bruins chose Jim Montgomery as their new bench boss. Montgomery's last head coaching role was with the Dallas Stars during the 2019-20 season, and he's only worked as an assistant since. He's proved deserving of another shot in charge, but if he can't immediately get the most out of a Bruins group that's running out of chances to win, the decision to axe Cassidy will go from head-scratching to something much worse for a fan base with consistently high expectations.Gudbranson signed for how much? Derek Leung / Getty Images Sport / GettyThe Blue Jackets were unanimously considered among the big winners of July's free-agent frenzy after their stunning acquisition of prized winger Gaudreau. The deal not only changed the outlook of the team but also overshadowed the shock of one of the most peculiar transactions of the offseason: Erik Gudbranson's four-year, $16-million contract - signed hours prior to Columbus' big splash.Gudbranson averaged over 18 minutes per night for a sturdy Calgary Flames squad last season, earning $1.95 million on a one-year deal. Defensive depth is always a hot commodity in the open market, but it's difficult to surmise how Columbus GM Jarmo Kekalainen determined the 30-year-old rearguard deserved to become the club's second-highest-paid defenseman. Gudbranson is already slotted behind Andrew Peeke and Adam Boqvist on the right side of the Blue Jackets' back end, meaning his ice time will take a hit.In a vacuum, Gudbranson's numbers last season weren't all that bad - he was on the plus side of many key defensive metrics under the notoriously defensive-minded Darryl Sutter. But if you zoom out to Gudbranson's impact over the past three seasons - in which he's suited up for five teams - his numbers worsen significantly and dip well below the 50% threshold. It's worth noting the Blue Jackets ranked 27th in expected goals against per 60 last season, while the Flames topped the league. Without a strong team to insulate him, Gudbranson will likely struggle in his own end.(Advanced stats source: Evolving-Hockey)Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The following players may not be fantasy relevant during the 2022-23 season, but they could eventually become incredibly valuable in keeper leagues.Most of these phenoms will need to be designated as not active, so be sure to check your league's settings before drafting any of them.Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, G, Sabres Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / GettyLuukkonen is officially a veteran on this list, making his third straight appearance. But we gave Jake Oettinger similar treatment, and he eventually rewarded patient managers with a breakout season in 2021-22.The reality is that the Sabres don't have any long-term solutions in net blocking Luukkonen's path. The club is projected to enter the season with the duo of 41-year-old Craig Anderson and career backup Eric Comrie.Luukkonen got a cup of coffee in the NHL last season, posting a stellar .917 save percentage in nine games. His AHL numbers weren't as promising (.900 save percentage in 35 games), but there's still plenty of reason to believe in the 23-year-old Finn. He's 6-foot-5, highly athletic, and comes with a second-round draft pedigree.If Luukkonen can grab the starting job and run with it, there's plenty of upside. The Sabres won't be competitive this year, but they're on an upward trajectory and will have cornerstone defensemen Rasmus Dahlin and Owen Power anchoring them.Devon Levi could eventually pass Luukkonen on the Sabres' depth chart, but he's only 20 years old and still hasn't signed his entry-level deal. He'd be worth stashing if he turns pro at the end of his NCAA season when he'll be made available on most fantasy sites.Nick Robertson, LW, Maple Leafs Claus Andersen / Getty Images Sport / GettyRobertson is another returnee on this list. If he starts the season with the Maple Leafs, there's a coveted opening in the top six alongside John Tavares and William Nylander that he could make his own.The 21-year-old got into 10 games with the Leafs last season, producing just one goal. He was mostly relegated to fourth-line minutes, averaging just 10:16 per contest. When he did get a chance to play with Tavares and Nylander, the trio thrived to the tune of a 59.3% expected goals share.Injuries have hampered Robertson's development, but he was highly productive when healthy in the AHL last season, tallying 16 goals and 28 points in 28 games.The 2019 second-round pick will be a valuable fantasy commodity if he eventually earns meaningful minutes with the Leafs.Matthew Knies, Toronto's 2021 second-rounder, is also knocking on the door and could eventually carve out a top-six job. However, he won't make his NHL debut until the end of this season, at the earliest, after heading back to college for another year. That also makes him ineligible to be drafted on most fantasy sites.Jack Quinn, RW, Sabres Ben Green / National Hockey League / GettyQuinn appears NHL-ready. If he doesn't break camp with the Sabres, he'll surely come up at some point during the campaign.The eighth overall pick in the 2020 draft, Quinn lit up the AHL last season with 26 goals and 61 points in 45 games. He also looked the part in his two-game NHL audition, tallying a goal and an assist. He's a highly skilled winger with sky-high offensive upside.While Quinn won't be joining an immediate offensive powerhouse in Buffalo, the Sabres are on the rise and have a decent crop of forwards he could play alongside.Alexander Holtz, RW, Devils Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / GettyHoltz, who was selected one pick before Quinn in 2020, also appears close to NHL-ready. He wasn't entirely successful in his nine-game NHL stint, recording only two assists, but he tore up the AHL with 26 goals and 51 points in 52 games.The Devils are very deep up front, so it may be tough for Holtz to crack the opening-night lineup. However, four of New Jersey's forwards are pending unrestricted free agents, so there'll certainly be an opening for him in 2023-24, if not earlier.The Swede possesses a lethal shot, so he could find himself on Jack Hughes' wing one day. Playing with an elite playmaker like Hughes would bring the most out of Holtz.Lukas Cormier, D, Golden Knights Andy Devlin / Getty Images Sport / GettyCormier is the biggest long shot on this list. If managers decide to invest in him in deep keeper or dynasty leagues, we recommend patience. It can be tough for defensemen who weren't high draft picks to make fantasy contributions early in their pro careers.A third-round selection in 2020, Cormier's just 5-foot-10 and 176 pounds, but he's a gifted skater with a great offensive mind. He recorded 33 goals and 81 points in 62 games in the QMJHL last season and added five more points in seven contests at the world juniors, playing a pivotal role in Canada's gold-medal triumph.The Golden Knights have a pretty strong defensive core, but the left side (Cormier shoots left) is getting older - Alec Martinez is 35 and Brayden McNabb is 31. Vegas also carries plenty of high salaries, so eventually having a defenseman who can contribute on an entry-level contract will be highly valuable.Cormier will have to prove himself in the AHL first, but he could find himself playing a key role on a talented Vegas squad come 2023-24.(Analytics source: Natural Stat Trick)Josh Wegman has been theScore's resident fantasy hockey expert since 2015. Find him on Twitter @JoshWegman_.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Nathan MacKinnon had just settled into his chair on the concourse at Lifeguard Arena in Henderson, Nevada, when someone asked if he, as per tradition, spent the offseason training alongside Sidney Crosby."Yeah, he worked out with me a little bit," MacKinnon said, fresh off celebrating his first Stanley Cup and a few days before signing a massive extension with the Colorado Avalanche.MacKinnon adores Crosby, his childhood hero and a fellow native of Cole Harbour, Nova Scotia. So he quickly made sure the reporters interviewing him last week at the NHL/NHLPA Player Media Tour didn't misinterpret his cheeky response as a jab at the 35-year-old Crosby."I'm joking, I'm joking," MacKinnon said with a smile. "Nah, nah, nothing's changed. He's still the best."Nathan MacKinnon at the 2022 NHL/NHLPA Player Media Tour. John Matisz / theScoreBenign as it was, MacKinnon's joke was a reminder of the changing of the guard that's taken place in the NHL over the past few years. Crosby, hailed as the best player in the world for more than a decade, has, in the eyes of the vast majority of observers, ceded that title to Connor McDavid.McDavid, a transcendent talent who at 25 already has four Art Ross and two Hart trophies, is this generation's gold standard. McDavid may not be the unanimous best player in the world - talk to enough people, and you'll hear dissenting opinions - but there's no doubt he's the consensus pick.The real debate heading into the 2022-23 season revolves around the slot behind McDavid. Is Crosby the world No. 2? Or is it MacKinnon? Auston Matthews? Cale Makar? Leon Draisaitl? Nikita Kucherov? Somebody else?We asked 11 players at the Player Media Tour for their thoughts to get a sense of how NHLers see the debate. Here's who they voted for and why:Auston Matthews Claus Andersen / Getty ImagesFull votes: Zach Werenski, Roman Josi, Morgan Rielly, Clayton Keller

It's almost hockey time again, so guess what that means? Drama! Rivalries! Goals! Trades! Tanking! Chaos! Extremely heated playoff races! Playoff races that are decided 20 games in!We've got a whole new 82 contests to work with, but before puck drops on Game 1, let's see how the NHL's divisions stack up in 2022-23 from weakest to strongest.4. Central Christian Petersen / Getty Images Sport / GettyTeam2021-22 RecordGoal Diff.PlayoffsAvalanche56-19-7+78Won Stanley CupWild53-22-7+57Lost in 1st roundBlues49-22-11+69Lost in 2nd roundStars46-30-6-8Lost in 1st roundPredators45-30-7+14Lost in 1st roundJets39-32-11-5Did not qualifyBlackhawks28-42-12-72Did not qualifyCoyotes25-50-7-106Did not qualifyYes, the Central Division does boast some heavyweights (a big hello to the Stanley-Cup-winning Avalanche), but what drags it down to last place on these rankings is the mere presence of the Coyotes and Blackhawks, who will be far more interested in the race for projected 2023 first overall pick Connor Bedard than they will be in Stanley Cup aspirations this season.Both teams were among the league's bottom five in goal differential last year, and it's probably only going to get worse: Chicago is rocking with an unsteady tandem of Petr Mrazek and Alex Stalock, while Arizona will likely move on from star defenseman Jakob Chychrun this campaign.There are even some caveats for the division's talented hard-hitters. Colorado is still a safe bet to take the No. 1 spot in the Central, but it lost some of its key offensive depth this summer and will be relying on an unproven one-two punch of Alexandar Georgiev and Pavel Francouz in the crease. Meanwhile, due to last summer's costly contract buyouts, the Wild could only afford to add one full-time NHLer to their ranks in Sam Steel, who can't possibly replace the loss of Kevin Fiala. And the Blues lost David Perron, who was the MVP of their productive power play.The Predators and Stars, who outperformed expectations in 2021-22, will be waiting for signs of weakness from teams at the top and clambering to prove they can make substantial noise in the postseason. Nashville is probably closer to that level than Dallas - especially after adding Ryan McDonagh to the blue line - but Filip Forsberg, Matt Duchene, and Roman Josi all had career seasons last year, which will be difficult to replicate.On the opposite end of the spectrum, the Jets might be the biggest question mark, given that they entirely failed to meet expectations during a drama-filled campaign. It was an oddly quiet offseason in Winnipeg, but there is a chance that new head coach Rick Bowness can give the club the reset it very much needs.3. Pacific Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / GettyTeam2021-22 RecordGoal Diff.PlayoffsFlames50-21-11+85Lost in 2nd roundOilers49-27-6+38Lost in semifinalsKings44-27-11+3Lost in 1st roundGolden Knights43-31-8+18Did not qualifyCanucks40-30-12+13Did not qualifySharks32-37-13-50Did not qualifyDucks31-37-14-39Did not qualifyKraken27-49-6-69Did not qualifyIf we could have a tie for the second-best division in the league, we would, but someone had to take the No. 3 spot. Here's why it ended up being the Pacific.Working in the Pacific's favor: Have you seen the Oilers and Flames?! Edmonton finally got its goalie in Jack Campbell after three seasons of Mike Smith and Mikko Koskinen. Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl are still freaks. Evander Kane has given the club another weapon up top. And just south of Edmonton, Calgary recovered beautifully after losing Johnny Gaudreau and Matthew Tkachuk by bringing in Jonathan Huberdeau, MacKenzie Weegar, and Nazem Kadri. Look for these provincial rivals to pull no punches as they grapple for first place in the division.Working against it: The Golden Knights conundrum. Vegas could have been the reason the Pacific vaulted to second place, but there are too many question marks here. Mark Stone and Jack Eichel finally look healthy, but the Golden Knights lost Max Pacioretty, and even that would be easier to swallow if their goaltending situation isn't what it is. With Robin Lehner out for the season, Sin City will be relying on Adin Hill, Logan Thompson, and Laurent Brossoit - that doesn't inspire confidence for a team with hopes of pushing its way back to the postseason.As for the California teams, the Kings are clearly the best off and will probably be in the throes of the playoff race once again. The Fiala acquisition makes them even more dangerous than they were last year, and they'll likely get a healthy Drew Doughty back, who was fantastic when he was healthy in 2021-22. The young Ducks added defenseman John Klingberg, but it'll still be an uphill battle for them to jockey for a postseason spot in the Western Conference. The Sharks are just stagnating.Rounding out the Pacific are the Canucks and Kraken, two squads that have done the right things to improve this season. In Vancouver, virtually every player saw increased production once head coach Bruce Boudreau took over, so what can the Canucks accomplish during a full 82-game campaign with him at the helm? The playoffs aren't entirely out of the question. Meanwhile, the Kraken addressed their scoring issues in the summer, and Shane Wright and Matty Beniers will be fun to watch, but it's all for nothing if Seattle doesn't get decent goaltending from Philipp Grubauer.2. Metropolitan Jared Silber / National Hockey League / GettyTeam2021-22 RecordGoal Diff.PlayoffsHurricanes54-20-8+76Lost in 2nd roundRangers52-24-6+47Lost in semifinalsPenguins46-25-11+43Lost in 1st roundCapitals44-26-12+30Lost in 1st roundIslanders37-35-10-6Did not qualifyBlue Jackets37-38-7-38Did not qualifyDevils27-46-9-59Did not qualifyFlyers25-46-11-87Did not qualifyThe Metropolitan Division has a lot going for it, but we still think the Atlantic Division (spoiler alert) holds the edge, so here the former is in second place.The Hurricanes or Rangers could conceivably be the Eastern Conference representative at the Stanley Cup Final. Few teams are deeper than Carolina, and thanks to additions like Brent Burns and Pacioretty (even with the injury), the Hurricanes seem destined for a lengthy playoff run. Standing in the way of their dreams are the Rangers, who just eliminated Carolina from the postseason in the second round. New York will be a contender as long as Igor Shesterkin keeps doing his thing.It's impossible to imagine a postseason field that doesn't include the Penguins and Capitals, and it looks like they'll both be playing hockey come springtime once again. Washington addressed one of its biggest weaknesses, snapping up goalie Darcy Kuemper fresh off a Stanley Cup victory, while Pittsburgh will remain Pittsburgh after re-signing Evgeni Malkin and Kris Letang.There's a real chance that the playoff picture in the Metro will look the same as it did last year. Some of the bottom teams got better, but they will likely reappear in the bottom half of the division because of how tight the top is. The Blue Jackets shocked the hockey world when they landed Johnny Gaudreau, but he can't possibly fill every single hole on the roster. The Devils made some solid moves this summer, such as scooping up postseason wunderkind Ondrej Palat, but a lot is going to have to go right for them to get over the hump. The wayward Flyers will likely improve on last year's results thanks to the outspoken veteran presence of head coach John Tortorella, but making the playoffs is a bit of a longshot by this point with Ryan Ellis and Sean Couturier once again on the sidelines.The Islanders are the dark horse here. The Isles are largely riding with the same roster this campaign, but that isn't necessarily a bad call: They started their surprisingly disappointing 2021-22 season on an ungodly 13-game road trip and were decimated by COVID-19. New York will almost certainly be chomping at the bit to redeem itself and carve out its path to relevancy, but the club will have to do so without bench boss Barry Trotz.1. Atlantic Mark Blinch / National Hockey League / GettyTeam2021-22 RecordGoal Diff.PlayoffsPanthers58-18-6+94Lost in 2nd roundMaple Leafs54-21-7+62Lost in 1st roundLightning51-23-8+54Lost in finalBruins51-26-5+35Lost in 1st roundSabres32-39-11-58Did not qualifyRed Wings32-40-10-82Did not qualifySenators33-42-7-39Did not qualifyCanadiens22-49-11-98Did not qualifyGet ready for the Atlantic Division to be a competitive bucket of fun.The Panthers might not repeat as the division leaders after they traded Huberdeau and Weegar to the Flames, but they're still one of the best teams in the Atlantic because of Tkachuk, who is frequently referred to as a "unicorn" because of his unique coveted skillset. Of course, their state rivals are also in contention for the division's top spot. The Lightning had to part ways with McDonagh because of cap issues, and they lost Palat in free agency, but their core remains in place. We've seen the Bolts lose key players before, but it's never stopped them. A fourth consecutive run to the Stanley Cup Final wouldn't be a stretch.The status of the Maple Leafs and Bruins is where things start to get interesting. The Leafs are taking a risk, running with a tandem of the oft-injured Matt Murray and youngster Ilya Samsonov. It'll be absolute pandemonium in Toronto if neither goalie pans out, but Auston Matthews could at least help his club outscore its potential problems in the crease. Boston, meanwhile, has already run into some injury trouble: The B's will be without Brad Marchand, Charlie McAvoy, and Matt Grzelcyk to start and will have to kick off the year strong to aid their playoff hopes.Because of these shaky factors, there could be some wiggle room for Atlantic teams that struggled last season to climb the standings - namely the Senators and Red Wings. Ottawa scored the seventh-least goals in 2021-22, which the front office partially remedied when it added Alex Debrincat and Claude Giroux to its top-six forward group, but the team's defense is still spotty. Detroit added the likes of Perron, Ville Husso, Andrew Copp, and Ben Chiarot to complement Year 2 of Moritz Seider and Lucas Raymond.The Sabres are also sniffing around but aren't on quite the same level as the Senators and Red Wings, who already have their work cut out for them in trying to dethrone the Panthers, Lightning, Maple Leafs, and Bruins. The Canadiens will certainly be one of the bottom teams in the division, but youngsters like Nick Suzuki, Cole Caufield, and 2022 first overall pick Juraj Slafkovsky should still make them exciting to watch during Martin St. Louis' first full season as an NHL head coach.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Divisions: Central | Metropolitan | PacificWith the NHL offseason all but wrapped up, we're handing out comprehensive grades for all 32 teams. The four-part series concludes with an in-depth look at each Atlantic Division club.Some contract figures are reported. Most players on two-way deals have been omitted.Boston Bruins Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / GettyKey arrivalsPlayerPositionContract lengthAAVPavel ZachaF1 year$3.5MDavid KrejciF1 year$1MKey departuresPlayerPositionTransactionErik HaulaFTraded to NJCurtis LazarFSigned with VANRe-signedPlayerPositionNew contract lengthAAVPatrice BergeronF1 year$2.5MRookies who could crack the lineupPlayerPositionDraftedFabian LysellF2021 (1st round)John BeecherF2019 (1st round)The Bruins did not have an active summer relative to some of their Atlantic Division counterparts. Boston inked Bergeron to one of the most team-friendly contracts in the league, then brought back Krejci from Czechia after a year away from the NHL. It was a puzzling plan of attack from a side nearing the end of its competitive window that will be missing key players Brad Marchand, Charlie McAvoy, and Matt Grzelcyk to start the season.Perhaps the lack of action was overshadowed by Boston's decision to fire head coach Bruce Cassidy, who led the Bruins to a .672 points percentage across six seasons at the helm and won a Jack Adams Award in 2019-20. The Bruins' core possibly needed a new voice, and a first-round loss was surely a disappointing end to a solid 2021-22 season, but how quickly the Vegas Golden Knights scooped Cassidy up speaks to his pedigree behind the bench and reputation around the league.It's difficult to get a full read on Boston's summer until we see how the club responds under Jim Montgomery, but he faces an uphill battle off the hop based on who's missing from the lineup. One thing the Bruins did well this offseason was leaving their books wide open for a potential David Pastrnak extension. Some fans surely would have liked to see a deal get done the second it became a possibility, but the club only has $58 million committed to the 2023-24 season, leaving plenty of room to give its most dynamic offensive weapon a considerable raise should he opt against testing the open market.Grade: CBuffalo Sabres Ben Green / National Hockey League / GettyKey arrivalsPlayerPositionContract lengthAAVIlya LyubushkinD2 years$2.75MEric ComrieG2 years$1.8MKey departuresPlayerPositionTransactionColin MillerDSigned with DALMark PysykDSigned with DETRe-signedPlayerPositionNew contract lengthAAVTage ThompsonF7 years$7.142M (starts in 2023-24)Victor OlofssonF2 years$4.75MVinnie HinostrozaF1 year$1.7MJacob BrysonD2 years$1.85MCraig AndersonG1 year$1.5MMalcolm SubbanG1 year$800KRookies who could crack the lineupPlayerPositionDraftedOwen PowerD2021 (1st round)Jack QuinnF2020 (1st round)John-Jason PeterkaF2020 (2nd round)The Sabres had plenty of bright spots last season despite missing the playoffs again, and the front office shrewdly kept most of its business in-house this summer rather than spending lavishly to accelerate a rebuild that still needs some time. Buffalo still has plenty of youth to infuse into its lineup before the team can truly start ascending the ranks. Based on the loaded prospect pipeline, it may happen sooner than projected, but staying the course this summer was the right move.Buffalo's two free-agent adds weren't headliner signings, but both are essentially risk-free contracts that help provide depth. Lyubushkin is a quality right-side defender, while Comrie sneakily put up great numbers for a porous Winnipeg Jets team last season. The 27-year-old posted a .920 save percentage with 7.2 goals saved above average in 19 appearances, and if he can handle a bigger workload, he should form a reliable tandem in the crease with veteran Craig Anderson.The Thompson extension was the Sabres' most notable offseason move, which is a serious gamble any way you slice it. The soon-to-be 25-year-old broke out in major fashion last year, tallying 38 goals and looking like a franchise player. If that's the new and improved Thompson, Buffalo makes out great. If his terrific campaign was an outlier and the Sabres have another Jeff Skinner situation on their hands, Kevyn Adams should prepare for heavy criticism.Grade: BDetroit Red Wings Gregory Shamus / Getty Images Sport / GettyKey arrivalsPlayerPositionContract lengthAAVDavid PerronF2 years$4.75MAndrew CoppF5 years$5.625MDominik KubalikF2 years$2.5MBen ChiarotD4 years$4.75MRobert HaggD1 year$800KOlli MaattaD1 year$2.25MVille HussoG3 years$4.75MKey departuresPlayerPositionTransactionMarc StaalDSigned with FLAThomas GreissGSigned with STLRe-signedPlayerPositionNew contract lengthAAVFilip ZadinaF3 years$1.825MJake WalmanD1 year$1.05MRookies who could crack the lineupPlayerPositionDraftedSimon EdvinssonD2021 (1st round)Steve Yzerman added like a madman in free agency, completely transforming the outlook of Detroit's roster with a slew of moves that should instantly help the Red Wings become more competitive. Bringing in Copp, Perron, and Kubalik creates a much deeper top nine, and the veteran presence should help insulate the club's young stars on and off the ice.Not only did Yzerman revamp Detroit's forward corps, but he pounced on Husso to create a formidable goaltending tandem alongside Alex Nedeljkovic. Husso was in high demand in a red-hot goalie market this offseason after a strong year with the St. Louis Blues, and the Red Wings surrendered only a third-round pick to acquire the netminder and subsequently sign him to a three-year extension at a modest price.The Wings needed more experience on their blue line, and Yzerman found that, too, but the four-year deal for Chiarot might be the savvy GM's only swing-and-miss of the offseason. Chiarot has routinely posted some of the worst defensive metrics in the NHL, and paying such a high price for intangibles tends to backfire in a league so reliant on cap space. Luckily for Detroit, it has a projected $41 million in cap space next season, so the rugged blue-liner's questionable deal shouldn't hold the Wings back too much as they look to climb the ranks in the league's deepest division.Grade: AFlorida Panthers Eliot J. Schechter / National Hockey League / GettyKey arrivalsPlayerPositionContract lengthAAVMatthew TkachukF8 years$9.5M (after trade with CGY)Nick CousinsF2 years$1.1MColin WhiteF1 year$1.2MRudolfs BalcersF1 year$750KMarc StaalD1 year$750KKey departuresPlayerPositionTransactionJonathan HuberdeauFTraded to CGYMacKenzie WeegarFTraded to CGYClaude GirouxFSigned with OTTMason MarchmentFSigned with DALBen ChiarotDSigned with DETRe-signedPlayerPositionNew contract lengthAAVEetu LuostarinenF2 years$1.5MRookies who could crack the lineupPlayerPositionDraftedGrigori DenisenkoF2018 (1st round)Fresh off winning the Presidents' Trophy, the Panthers chose chaos this offseason. They swung one of the biggest trades in NHL history but also lost more talent than arguably any other team in the league. If that wasn't enough, Florida opted not to retain Andrew Brunette, who was a finalist for coach of the year. Maybe the sting of having their biggest rival sweep them in the second round led to some knee-jerk reactions, but regardless of the root cause of the Panthers' decisions this summer, it's difficult to say they've improved.Tkachuk is a fantastic player, and if he flanks Aleksander Barkov, that's easily one of the best two-way top lines in the NHL. Giving up Huberdeau in the deal was fair value, but throwing in MacKenzie Weegar was a head-scratcher. He's one of the league's premier puck-moving defensemen, and now Florida's left side is comprised of Gustav Forsling, Lucas Carlsson, and Marc Staal - not the most inspiring group for a contender.Due to Barkov's $10 million AAV extension kicking in and Tkachuk's new $9.5-million cap hit, Florida didn't have the space to make any splashy signings this summer. The Panthers also saw three key players walk out the door in Marchment, Giroux, and Chiarot - two they paid a huge price for to help their playoff push. Florida is now without a first-round pick in the next three drafts and is set to ice a less talented team led by a new voice this coming season. The Panthers' window to win a Stanley Cup isn't closed, but it's much smaller than it was a mere four months ago.Grade: DMontreal Canadiens Bruce Bennett / Getty Images Sport / GettyKey arrivalsPlayerPositionContract lengthAAVKirby DachF4 years$3.36M (after trade with CHI)Sean MonahanF1 year$6.375M (after trade with CGY)Evgenii DadonovF1 year$5M (after trade with VGK)Mike MathesonD4 years$4.875M (after trade with PIT)Key departuresPlayerPositionTransactionRyan PoehlingFTraded to PITJeff PetryDTraded to PITShea WeberDTraded to VGKAlexander RomanovDTraded to NYIRe-signedPlayerPositionNew contract lengthAAVRem PitlickF2 years$1.1MMichael PezzettaF1 year$750KChris WidemanD2 years$762KSam MontembeaultG2 years$1MRookies who could crack the lineupPlayerPositionDraftedJuraj SlafkovskyF1st round (2022)Justin BarronD1st round (2020 by COL)In his first offseason as GM, Kent Hughes did what was necessary. There was no quick-fix option for the Canadiens, but there was still plenty of business to handle. The first task was trading Petry, who had been rumored to be on the move for months before the club finally dealt him to the Pittsburgh Penguins. The trade gave Montreal some much-needed financial flexibility, as did the Shea Weber cap dump. Without those moves, stashing Carey Price's cap hit on LTIR would have been a significant headache.The draft is where Hughes made most of the Habs' headlines this summer. He surprised many by taking Slafkovsky over Shane Wright, and only time will tell if that was the right decision. The initial shock factor was significant, but based on Slafkovsky's physical gifts and how he's carried himself through limited media interactions thus far, it's easy to see why Montreal was enamored with the powerful Slovakian winger.Montreal also orchestrated a three-way trade to acquire Dach - a sort of low-risk, high-reward reclamation project for a young player looking to find his way in the NHL. Based on early returns from the club's youth under Martin St. Louis, it's reasonable to assume the head coach will be able to find a way to get the most out of Dach like he did with Nick Suzuki and Cole Caufield shortly after taking over behind the bench last winter.The Canadiens may still be a few years away, but Hughes did nothing this summer to steer the early stages of his rebuild off track.Grade: B-Ottawa Senators Andre Ringuette / National Hockey League / GettyKey arrivalsPlayerPositionContract lengthAAVAlex DeBrincatF1 year$6.4M (after trade with CHI)Claude GirouxF3 years$6.5MTyler MotteF1 year$1.35MCam TalbotG1 year$3.66M (after trade with MIN)Key departuresPlayerPositionTransactionConnor BrownFTraded to WSHColin WhiteFBought outMichael Del ZottoDBought outMatt MurrayGTraded to TORFilip GustavssonGTraded to MINRe-signedPlayerPositionNew contract lengthAAVTim StutzleF8 years$8.35M (starting in 2023-24)Josh NorrisF8 years$7.95MMathieu JosephF4 years$2.95MDylan GambrellF1 year$950KErik BrannstromD1 year$900KRookies who could crack the lineupPlayerPositionDraftedShane PintoF2nd round (2019)Ridly GreigF1st round (2020)Jake SandersonD1st round (2021)The Senators stole the show during the Summer of Pierre. Thanks to an impressive collection of trades, signings, and extensions from GM Pierre Dorion, Ottawa has manufactured some major playoff-or-bust expectations heading into the 2022-23 season.It began with the blockbuster acquisition of DeBrincat at the draft. The 40-goal marksman adds a new element to Ottawa's attack, and he should make a major impact in the top six and on the power play. The Senators then added some veteran flair in Giroux and upgraded in goal, grabbing a disgruntled Talbot from the Minnesota Wild. Overall, Ottawa's lineup now exists beyond its young core and, on paper, appears deep enough to challenge for the postseason.In addition to bringing in some new blood, the Senators dished out long-term extensions to Norris and Stutzle. They each carry hefty price tags, but if both players continue their current trajectories, the cost of locking them up early will be well worth it.Grade: A+Tampa Bay Lightning Mark LoMoglio / National Hockey League / GettyKey arrivalsPlayerPositionContract lengthAAVVladislav NamestnikovF1 year$2.5MIan ColeD1 year$3MPhilippe MyersD2 years$2.25M (2022-23)/$1.4M (2023-24)Haydn FleuryD2 years$762KKey departuresPlayerPositionTransactionOndrej PalatFSigned with NJRyan McDonaghDTraded to NSHJan RuttaDSigned with PITRe-signedPlayerPositionNew contract lengthAAVNick PaulF7 years$3.125MAnthony CirelliF8 years*$6.25MMikhail SergachevD8 years*$8.5MErik CernakD8 years*$5.2M* - Extensions begin in 2023-24You don't go to three consecutive Stanley Cup Finals without having a ton of key contributors. The Lightning lost two and retained four in a quiet summer after falling short of a three-peat against the Colorado Avalanche.Losing veterans like Palat and McDonagh hurts, but there simply wasn't enough money to keep them in Tampa Bay. Offloading the remaining four years of McDonagh's $6.75 million cap hit could be a blessing in disguise for the Bolts, especially if Cernak and Sergachev continue to grow the way the franchise expects. The max-term extensions each blue-liner holds will be a major factor in how long Tampa can remain a powerhouse, eating up a combined $13.7 million until 2031. The same goes for Paul's and Cirelli's new contracts - they're the future of the club down the middle of the ice.The Lightning couldn't spend on any notable free agents, and it's too early to tell how their in-house bets will pan out. This wasn't a critical offseason in Tampa Bay by any means, and given Julien BriseBois' track record since taking over the Bolts' front office, we'll dish out a fair but non-spectacular verdict.Grade: BToronto Maple Leafs Steve Russell / Toronto Star / GettyKey arrivalsPlayerPositionContract lengthAAVCalle JarnkrokF4 years$2.1MNicolas Aube-KubelF1 year$1MAdam GaudetteF1 year$750KVictor MeteD1 year$750KJordie BennD1 year$750KMatt MurrayG2 years$4.687M (after trade with OTT)Ilya SamsonovG1 year$1.8MKey departuresPlayerPositionTransactionIlya MikheyevFSigned with VANJason SpezzaFRetiredColin BlackwellFSigned with CHIOndrej KaseFSigned with CARIlya LyubushkinDSigned with BUFJack CampbellGSigned with EDMPetr MrazekGTraded to CHIRe-signedPlayerPositionNew contract lengthAAVPierre EngvallF1 year$2.25MTimothy LiljegrenD2 years$1.4MMark GiordanoD2 years$800KUnsignedPlayerPositionStatusRasmus SandinDRFARookies who could crack the lineupPlayerPositionDraftedNick RobertsonF2nd round (2019)Matthew Knies*F2nd round (2021)* - Knies will play the upcoming season at the University of Minnesota but is eligible to join the Leafs when the NCAA campaign is over.It was a sour case of deja vu for the Maple Leafs and their fans again this offseason. After squandering another opportunity in the first round of the playoffs, passionate supporters screamed for major changes - but instead, they received a brand new goaltending duo with much to prove and an array of fringe singings.Toronto remains immensely talented and should be a shoo-in for the playoffs, but many are questioning the strength of the Leafs' new Murray-Samsonov tandem. The moves defined Kyle Dubas' offseason after letting Campbell walk, and the GM is hopeful one - or preferably both - of his new netminders can shake off some difficult recent years and deliver reliable goaltending for a team that ranked 29th in save percentage last campaign and still managed 115 points. Dubas' experiment with Mrazek last season blew up in his face, and if his latest roll of the dice doesn't work, his tenure in Toronto is probably over.The Leafs added some strong bottom-six players and took a flier on a pair of veteran blue-liners. As of now, Sandin remains unsigned, and another contract negotiation lingering into the season won't relieve any pressure on Dubas as he embarks on his most critical year yet.The narrative around the underachieving Maple Leafs for much of the Auston Matthews era has been simple: This has to be the year the club breaks through, or else the core and/or the front office will face significant repercussions. Six consecutive first-round eliminations later, and all the key pieces remain intact. Truly, though, with only two years remaining on Matthews' deal, this has to be the year the club breaks through.Grade: B-Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Former Nashville Predators goaltender Pekka Rinne is having a great time watching Juuse Saros seamlessly fill his shoes in the Music City."I knew one day he was going to be the No. 1 goalie, and not only (Nashville's) No. 1 goalie, but one of the best goalies in the league, and he proved that last year," the franchise legend said, according to NHL.com's Zach Gilchriest. "He's the backbone of this team, and obviously, just as a friend, I'm very proud of him."It's fun to watch him, and obviously, like everybody else, I'm expecting big things from him this year, and he looks great. I'm just always impressed when I see him skate."Rinne served as the face of the organization himself for 15 seasons. The Finn retired last July, ending his playing career with 369 wins and 60 shutouts across 683 games. He captured the Vezina Trophy in 2018 and was a finalist on three other occasions.Now, Nashville seems to have another perennial Vezina Trophy threat on its hands in Saros, who was nominated for the coveted award this past season after logging a .918 save percentage and 2.64 goals against average in 67 appearances - the most in the league.The 27-year-old's underlying numbers were also stellar: He ranked fourth amongst all goaltenders in goals saved above average (16.9) at five-on-five, according to Evolving-Hockey.Saros wasn't able to help the Predators fend off the Colorado Avalanche in the postseason thanks to a late-season injury, but the way he handled the frustrating situation impressed Rinne."It was a big disappointment for him, for sure, missing out on the playoffs. He had such a strong season and played a ton of games, and right at a key moment, he got hurt," Rinne said. "So, I'm sure mentally it was a disappointing time. But he is a pretty level-headed guy, and he knew that it was just a hurdle, and I knew he was going to bounce back."Saros told reporters earlier this month that he was "all good" for the 2022-23 campaign.The puck-stopper's emergence has certainly helped ease the Predators into life without Rinne, who is still serving the franchise as a special alumni advisor.Saros will be key to Nashville's success this season, as will defenseman Roman Josi and forwards Matt Duchene and Filip Forsberg, who both eclipsed the 40-goal mark for the first time in 2021-22.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The first season of Seth Jones' eight-year, $76-million megadeal is about to begin, but the Chicago Blackhawks aren't quite where the defenseman thought they would be when he signed last July."It was a little frustrating to see (the trades this summer) at first. It's not really what I or anybody had in mind, looking back a couple years," Jones said, according to the Chicago Sun-Times' Ben Pope. "But it is what it is. It's going to make a lot of us better in here. We'll be patient with each other and help each other through this."He added, "I don't have any regrets."The Blackhawks' last two offseasons have been radically different. In 2021, Chicago made a series of splashy moves and seemed poised to make a push up the Central Division standings. The organization traded for Jones then signed him to a hefty extension, and they picked up veteran goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury from the Vegas Golden Knights.The wheels swiftly fell off, though. The Blackhawks went 1-9-2 to begin 2021-22 and fired head coach Jeremy Colliton in early November. Far out of the playoff picture at the trade deadline in March, Chicago dealt Fleury to the Minnesota Wild and sent talented young forward Brandon Hagel to the Tampa Bay Lightning.The Blackhawks ended last season in seventh place in the Central Division with a 28-42-12 record, and the losses continued this summer. Chicago moved on from Alex DeBrincat, Kirby Dach, Dominik Kubalik, and Dylan Strome, while the futures of franchise mainstays Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane are hazy at best.In the midst of all the turnover that comes with a rebuild, Jones said he's focusing on the "bigger picture.""Patience is going to be important this year. At the same time, we're going into every game trying to win," he said. "We're going to have to be a disciplined, structured team this year (and) make sure teams earn their wins and goals against us."Jones, 27, posted five goals and 46 assists in 78 games during his first season in Chicago. He averaged a career-high 26:13 of ice time per contest, the most on the team.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

St. Louis Blues captain Ryan O'Reilly can become an unrestricted free agent once the 2022-23 season concludes, but the veteran center isn't rushing to put pen to paper before the new campaign begins."I feel like because we have such a good team and some new faces, the focus is getting ready for the season," he said, according to NHL.com's Lou Korac. "But, obviously, we've kind of started some dialogue. There's just no real rush. We've got a long time to figure that out and I'm not worried. I don't think (general manager) Doug (Armstrong) is worried either."It'll work itself out as it goes. The focus here is on training camp and getting in shape and getting ready to go."The Blues already handed out hefty extensions to Jordan Kyrou and Robert Thomas in the summer. The identical eight-year, $65-million pacts won't kick in until the 2023-24 season but will take a sizeable chunk out of St. Louis' available cap space. The Blues also have winger Vladimir Tarasenko, whose current contract expires at the end of this campaign, to think about.However, O'Reilly isn't spending much time worrying about the Blues' salary cap situation."I think if I was younger, I think it would be more of an issue and such, but I feel like I've been established," he said. "I kind of know where I stand. There's no real urgency. Hopefully, we find a way to make it work. I feel I'm happy with just waiting and just focusing on the season."O'Reilly, 31, has donned the "C" for St. Louis since 2020. His 250 points in 287 games since arriving via trade ahead of the 2018-19 campaign are the most on the team.The two-way talent put up 21 goals and 37 assists in 78 contests last season. He will carry a cap hit of $7.5 million in 2022-23.The Blues finished third in the Central Division after posting a 49-22-11 record. The Colorado Avalanche eliminated them in the second round of the playoffs.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

New York Islanders star Mathew Barzal hopes to secure a contract extension prior to the start of the upcoming season."There's still (three) weeks before the season, and we can (hopefully) hammer something out," Barzal said at Islanders camp, according to The Athletic's Kevin Kurz. "If not, I'm not really worried about it just because my heart's here, and I know that we'll get something fair and something both sides will be happy about."Barzal is entering the final season of a three-year, $21-million bridge deal he signed at the conclusion of his entry-level contract. The 25-year-old would become a restricted free agent at season's end.Barzal said contract talks won't be a distraction or affect his performance."When it comes, it comes. I'm not really worried about it," he said. "I won’t go home and pace around thinking about it all day. Just work my hardest and try to prove to them that, obviously, I want them to want me to be here for a while. I think (general manager Lou Lamoriello) does. … I would like to do it."Barzal is tied with captain Anders Lee as New York's highest-paid player. The Islanders drafted Barzal 16th overall in 2015. He recorded 311 points in 362 career games and won the Calder Trophy in 2018.The Islanders are looking to bounce back this year after a disappointing 2021-22 campaign. After making two consecutive Eastern Conference Finals, the Isles missed the playoffs last season and decided to move on from highly regarded head coach Barry Trotz.Barzal registered a career-low 15 goals in 73 games but still finished tied for the Islanders' scoring lead with 59 points.New York begins its season Oct. 13 against the Florida Panthers.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Anaheim Ducks general manager Pat Verbeek won't negotiate extensions with pending restricted free agents Trevor Zegras, Troy Terry, and Jamie Drysdale until after the 2022-23 season."That way, the players don't have a distraction," Verbeek said, according to The Athletic's Eric Stephens. "It gives the players the full year to kind of just concentrate on playing hockey and then at the appropriate time we'll talk with the agents and do what we got to do."Zegras and Drysdale are each playing out the final year of their entry-level pacts, while Terry is entering the last season of a three-year contract with a cap hit of $1.45 million.Anaheim currently has just under $16.6 million in projected cap space, with the regular season just weeks away. They also have some pricy contracts coming off the books soon: John Klingberg, Kevin Shattenkirk, and Dmitry Kulikov are all scheduled to become unrestricted free agents next summer."We're going to have to see how their years go this year, and then obviously, we're going to have to get some new contracts out," Verbeek said. "Having flexibility with the cap is vital moving ahead. At the end of the day, there's only so much money to go around. We have to make sure we can all fit it in."Zegras, one of the NHL 23 cover athletes and a frequent viral sensation, will likely command the most money of the three. The 21-year-old Calder Trophy finalist potted 23 goals and 38 assists in 75 contests during his first full NHL season.Terry enjoyed a breakout campaign in 2021-22 and paced the team with 37 goals and 67 points - 52 of which came at even strength. His previous career high in points was 20.The 25-year-old also led the Ducks in goals above replacement (16.3) and wins above replacement (2.9), according to Evolving Hockey. Whether he can carry that momentum into the new season will dictate the kind of contract he can command.Drysdale is a key piece in the future of Anaheim's blue line. The 20-year-old ranked fourth on the team in average ice time per game (19:53) last year and was second among rookie defensemen with 32 points in 81 games.The Ducks will look to take a step forward in 2022-23 after finishing seventh in the Pacific Division with a 31-37-14 record last season. Anaheim opens its preseason slate on Sept. 25 against the Arizona Coyotes.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Columbus Blue Jackets head coach Brad Larsen plans to put his top two weapons on the same line to start the preseason, and both Patrik Laine and Johnny Gaudreau are looking forward to seeing what they can do together."I think (Gaudreau's) probably the best offensive guy I've ever had a chance to play with, no offense to anybody that I've played with," Laine said, according to NHL.com's Nick Cotsonika.He added: "It should hopefully bring out the best in me, and I'm obviously (going to) try to make the best I can to make it work and do what I can on the ice. Obviously, I think we can benefit each other out there."Boone Jenner centered the pair of talented wingers on Thursday during the Blue Jackets' first day of training camp, with Laine on the right and Gaudreau on the left."Obviously, (Laine is) a really, really smart player," Gaudreau said. "He can see the ice really, really well, and his shot's just off the charts. I kind of see myself as a pass-first guy, so hopefully, I can find him somewhere in the slot or in the zone, and it'll probably go in if he has a second or two to get the shot off."The potentially dangerous duo seems like a fantastic fit. Laine, 24, has an all-world shot and has eclipsed the 30-goal mark three times in his career. Gaudreau, 29, is a talented playmaker who ranked third in the league with 75 assists last season.Laine has never scored 50 goals in a campaign - the closest he came was in 2017-18 when he lit the lamp 44 times with the Winnipeg Jets - but his odds of reaching that mark should increase substantially with Gaudreau in the fold. Still, the Finnish sniper knows building chemistry takes time."On paper, you would think it should work, and obviously, I'm hoping for that as well," Laine said. "But like I've always said, good players always find a way to make it work, and I still consider myself as an alright player, so I'm sure we can find a way to make it work."Laine's production has decreased since the Jets traded him in 2021. He's potted just 36 tallies in 101 games with the Blue Jackets, while his goals-per-game rate has dipped from 0.46 with Winnipeg to 0.36 with Columbus.While Laine will look to improve alongside Gaudreau, the Blue Jackets will be hoping for a team resurgence. They finished sixth in the Metropolitan Division last season, amassing a 37-38-7 record and missing the playoffs for a second straight campaign.Columbus opens preseason play against the Pittsburgh Penguins on Sept. 25.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Divisions: Central | Metropolitan | AtlanticWith the NHL offseason all but wrapped up, we're handing out comprehensive grades for all 32 teams. The four-part series continues with an in-depth look at each Pacific Division club.Some contract figures are reported. Most players on two-way deals have been omitted.Anaheim Ducks Sean M. Haffey / Getty Images Sport / GettyKey arrivalsPlayerPositionContract LengthAAVRyan StromeF5 years$5MFrank VatranoF3 years$3.65MJohn KlingbergD1 year$7MDmitry KulikovD1 year$2.25MKey departuresPlayerPositionTransactionRyan GetzlafFRetiredSonny MilanoFSigned PTO with CGYSam SteelFSigned with MINRe-signedPlayerPositionNew Contract LengthAAVIsac LundestromF2 years$1.8MUrho VaakanainenD2 years$850KUnsignedPlayerPositionStatusDominik SimonFUFARookies who could crack the lineupPlayerPositionDraftedMason McTavishF1st Round (2021)Getzlaf's presence off the ice will be irreplaceable, but on the ice, the Ducks will look to Strome to fill his spot at center. How that deal ages over time remains to be seen, but in the short term, Strome should provide some offense and help ease the burden on youngsters McTavish and Trevor Zegras.Vatrano has proven to be a streaky goal-scorer, but with a potentially expanded role, he could take off for a career year.Klingberg may not be exactly the type of defenseman the Ducks could use on the right side, as Jamie Drysdale and Kevin Shattenkirk are also offensively gifted blue-liners who struggle defensively at times. But Klingberg's one-year commitment is a no-brainer move for the rebuilding squad. He'll be motivated after not getting the long-term contract he was seeking this past offseason. At worst, Anaheim can flip him for assets at the deadline.The Ducks are still a long shot to reach the playoffs despite a strong start in 2021-22, but they're undoubtedly on the right track.Grade: BCalgary Flames Eliot J. Schechter / National Hockey League / GettyKey arrivalsPlayerPositionContract LengthAAVJonathan HuberdeauF1 year$5.9MNazem KadriF7 years$7MKevin RooneyF2 years$1.3MMacKenzie WeegarD1 year$3.25MKey departuresPlayerPositionTransactionJohnny GaudreauFSigned with CBJMatthew TkachukFTraded to FLASean MonahanFTraded to MTLRe-signedPlayerPositionNew Contract LengthAAVJonathan HuberdeauF8 years$10.5M (starting in 2023-24)Andrew MangiapaneF3 years$5.8MTrevor LewisF1 year$800KNikita ZadorovD2 years$3.75MOliver KylingtonD2 years$2.5MUnsignedPlayerPositionStatusAdam RuzickaFRestricted free agentRookies who could crack the lineupPlayerPositionDraftedJakob PelletierF1st Round (2019)How can you not be impressed by the job Brad Treliving did this offseason? The Flames general manager was dealt an incredibly tough hand after Gaudreau bolted for Columbus in free agency and Tkachuk requested a trade.Not only did Treliving get a great return for Tkachuk (Huberdeau, Weegar, prospect Cole Schwindt, and a 2025 first-rounder) but he was also able to lock up the centerpiece of the trade in Huberdeau. There may not be room for Weegar long term, but he could be an excellent one-year addition for a team in win-now mode.Treliving wasn't done there, though, as he then landed Kadri. He had to swap out Monahan in the process, which cost him a first-round pick, but that's a worthy price to pay for the sizable upgrade at center.Calgary got older and added some long-term deals that could age poorly, but Treliving is clearly going for it. He's built one of the NHL's deepest rosters and one that's capable of winning a Stanley Cup over the next couple of years. Considering how ugly it could've gotten, you have to respect the work he's done.Grade: AEdmonton Oilers Andy Devlin / National Hockey League / GettyKey arrivalsPlayerPositionContract LengthAAVMattias JanmarkF1 year$1.25MRyan MurrayD1 year$750KJack CampbellG5 years$5MKey departuresPlayerPositionTransactionZack KassianFTraded to ARIColton SceviourFSigned overseasKyle TurrisFRetiredDuncan KeithDRetiredWilliam LagessonDSigned with CARMikko KoskinenGSigned overseasRe-signedPlayerPositionNew Contract LengthAAVEvander KaneF4 years$5.125MKailer YamamotoF2 years$3.1MJesse PuljujarviF1 year$3MBrett KulakD4 years$2.75MUnsignedPlayerPositionStatusRyan McLeodFRFABrendan PerliniFUFARookies who could crack the lineupPlayerPositionDraftedPhilip BrobergD1st Round (2019)After getting outclassed by the eventual Cup champion Colorado Avalanche in the Western Conference Final, Oilers general manager Ken Holland entered the offseason with a clear goal in mind: Upgrade the goaltending.In steps Campbell to serve as the undisputed No. 1, replacing the tandem of Mike Smith - who's expected to land on LTIR for the final year of his contract - and Koskinen. Youngster Stuart Skinner will serve as the backup.Durability is a question mark for Campbell. The 30-year-old played a career-high 49 games last season (his previous high was 31). He started off red-hot last year, getting early Vezina Trophy recognition with a .939 save percentage in his first 25 games. His save percentage in the final 24 games was a paltry .888, but that's at least in part due to playing through injuries.Whether Campbell can hold up for a full season - or the duration of a risky five-year deal - remains to be seen, but he's an instant upgrade on a fair cap hit. And as his moments of brilliance have shown, the 2010 11th overall pick brings ample upside.Most of Edmonton's roster remains the same. An upgrade on defense would've been ideal, and moving out Tyson Barrie's contract would've helped the cap crunch, but bringing back Kulak was an under-the-radar, savvy move.Grade: B-Los Angeles Kings Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / GettyKey arrivalsPlayerPositionContract LengthAAVKevin FialaF7 years$7.875MKey departuresPlayerPositionTransactionDustin BrownFRetiredAndreas AthanasiouFSigned with CHIOlli MaattaDSigned with DETRe-signedPlayerPositionNew Contract LengthAAVAdrian KempeF4 years$5.5MCarl GrundstromF2 years$1.3MBrendan LemieuxF1 year$1.35MGabe VilardiF1 year$825KLias AnderssonF1 year$750KSean DurziD2 years$1.7MMikey AndersonD1 year$1MAlex EdlerD1 year$750KRookies who could crack the lineupPlayerPositionDraftedAlex TurcotteF1st Round (2019)The Kings had two primary needs entering the offseason: a game-breaking talent up front and a proven top-four defenseman. They accomplished one of the two, which isn't bad.Fiala is exactly what the doctor ordered. He's an electrifying talent who can beat defenders one-on-one with his speed and skill, but he can also finish and distribute. At just 26 years old and coming off a career-high 85-point season, he'll represent the best winger Anze Kopitar has ever played with. Yes, even better than a past-his-prime Marian Gaborik.And while Fiala should bring out the best in Kopitar, the Kings captain should do the same for the Swiss winger. Fiala has never played with a center even remotely close to Kopitar's caliber and was often tasked with driving a line of lesser players in Minnesota while Kirill Kaprizov gobbled up top-line minutes. In L.A., Fiala should excel in a featured role.While the Kings have a stable of quality blue-liners behind Drew Doughty, landing another bona fide top-four defenseman to take part of the workload from the 2016 Norris winner would've been ideal. They have the prospect capital to do so, and Jakob Chychrun is still out there on the trade market, so maybe such a move could still happen.Regardless, if the Kings can add another proven blue-liner for the left side, receive quality goaltending, and get a breakout from one of their youngsters - such as Quinton Byfield - they could be a sneaky Cup contender.Grade: A-San Jose Sharks Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / GettyKey arrivalsPlayerPositionContract LengthAAVLuke KuninF2 years$2.75MOskar LindblomF2 years$2.5MNico SturmF3 years$2MSteven LorentzF2 years$1.05MEvgeny SvechnikovF1 year$750KMatt BenningD4 years$1.25MMarkus NutivaaraD1 year$1.5MKey departuresPlayerPositionTransactionLane PedersonFTraded to CARRudolfs BalcersFSigned with FLAJohn LeonardFTraded to NSHBrent BurnsDTraded to CARAdin HillGTraded to VGKRe-signedPlayerPositionNew Contract LengthAAVAlexander BarabanovF2 years$2.5MNoah GregorF1 year$950KJonah GadjovichF1 year$750KMario FerraroD4 years$3.25MKaapo KahkonenG2 years$2.75MUnsignedPlayerPositionStatusJonathan DahlenFUFARookies who could crack the lineupPlayerPositionDraftedWilliam EklundF1st Round (2021)It was a somber summer in the Bay Area, as the Sharks said goodbye to a franchise icon in Burns and received very little in return.New GM Mike Grier made plenty of moves, but outside of offloading Burns, none of them were significant enough to help the Sharks escape mediocrity. Nor will these moves help them bottom out and contend for the first overall pick. They seem to be stuck in no man's land right now.This isn't to say we're condemning Grier after one offseason. None of the contracts he handed out have the potential to age poorly, which is a big plus for a team in transition. All of his moves were of the low-risk variety.Grade: CSeattle Kraken Jonathan Kozub / National Hockey League / GettyKey arrivalsPlayerPositionContract LengthAAVAndre BurakovskyF5 years$5.5MOliver BjorkstrandF4 years$5.4MJustin SchultzD2 years$3MMichal KempnyD1 year$750KMartin JonesG1 year$2MKey departuresPlayerPositionTransactionRiley SheahanFSigned with BUFHaydn FleuryDSigned with TBRe-signedPlayerPositionNew Contract LengthAAVMorgan GeekieF1 year$1.4MRyan DonatoF1 year$1.2MKarson KuhlmanF1 year$825KRookies who could crack the lineupPlayerPositionDraftedMatty BeniersF1st Round (2021)Shane WrightF1st Round (2022)The Kraken flexed their cap-space muscles once again this summer, but GM Ron Francis spent far less recklessly than he did in his first offseason. Bringing in Bjorkstrand, an underrated offensive talent and analytics darling, was his best move. At 27 years old, Bjorkstrand is signed through his prime years on a team-friendly deal. Pouncing on the Blue Jackets' cap crunch and surrendering just a third- and fourth-rounder for him was a robbery.Burakovsky, who's also just 27, was an astute free-agent signing. He was excellent in a secondary role in Colorado and could thrive with more ice time in Seattle.If Philipp Grubauer can rebound between the pipes after a horrendous year, the Kraken should be much improved in their second season.Grade: B+Vancouver Canucks Jeff Vinnick / National Hockey League / GettyKey arrivalsPlayerPositionContract LengthAAVIlya MikheyevF4 years$4.75MCurtis LazarF3 years$1MAndrei KuzmenkoF1 year$950KCollin DeliaG1 year$750KKey departuresPlayerPositionTransactionJuho LammikkoFSigned overseasMatthew HighmoreFSigned with STLAlex ChiassonFSigned PTO with ARIBrad HuntDSigned with COLJaroslav HalakGSigned with NYRRe-signedPlayerPositionNew Contract LengthAAVJ.T. MillerF7 years$8M (starting in 2023-24)Brock BoeserF3 years$6.65MJack RathboneD2 years$850KUnsignedPlayerPositionStatusBrad RichardsonFUFARookies who could crack the lineupPlayerPositionDraftedAndrei KuzmenkoFUndraftedThe Canucks were rather quiet in the first offseason under president of hockey operations Jim Rutherford and GM Patrik Allvin. Mikheyev, a hard-working, middle-six winger, flashed some goal-scoring upside in his contract year with the Maple Leafs. Lazar is a stellar role player for the fourth line. And Kuzmenko, the prized signing out of the KHL, brings tantalizing potential.However, Allvin failed to address his club's key weakness: the blue line. Trading one of his top forwards such as Miller or Boeser to get a defenseman would've made sense, but it's possible such a deal never presented itself. Still, it's hard to imagine the Canucks posing a serious threat in the Pacific next season with its current blue line despite the promise the club showed once Bruce Boudreau was hired as head coach 25 games into last season.Grade: C-Vegas Golden Knights Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / GettyKey arrivalsPlayerPositionContract LengthAAVPhil KesselF1 year$1.5MAdin HillG1 year$2.175MKey departuresPlayerPositionTransactionMax PaciorettyFTraded to CAREvgenii DadonovFTraded to MTLMattias JanmarkFSigned with EDMDylan CoghlanDTraded to CARRe-signedPlayerPositionNew Contract LengthAAVReilly SmithF3 years$5MNic RoyF5 years$3MKeegan KolesarF3 years$1.4MBrett HowdenF1 year$1.5MUnsignedPlayerPositionStatusNic HagueDRFARookies who could crack the lineupPlayerPositionDraftedLogan ThompsonGUndraftedThe Golden Knights' frivolous spending may be catching up to them. The club, quite frankly, received nothing in return for Pacioretty, Coghlan, and Dadonov - except cap space.Vegas' goaltending will also be a question mark with Robin Lehner out for the year. Between the trio of Hill, Thompson, and Laurent Brossoit, will anybody be able to grab the reins?Kessel is a solid addition if used correctly in a sheltered scoring line, but he's on the decline and has always been a defensive liability.The Golden Knights' biggest addition, though, was head coach Bruce Cassidy. Coming off a stellar six-year run with the Boston Bruins, he could be an excellent fit for Vegas' win-now aspirations.Health will play a key role in a turnaround for the Knights, but they undoubtedly lost more key pieces than they added.Grade: D+Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Divisions: Central | Pacific | AtlanticWith the NHL offseason all but wrapped up, we're handing out comprehensive grades for all 32 teams. The four-part series continues with an in-depth look at the Metropolitan Division.Some contract figures are reported. Most players on two-way deals have been omitted.Carolina Hurricanes Jeff Bottari / National Hockey League / GettyKey arrivalsPlayerPositionContract LengthAAVOndrej KaseF1 year$1.5MMax PaciorettyF1 year$7M (trade with VGK)Paul StastnyF1 year$1.5MBrent BurnsD3 years$5.28M (trade with SJS)Dylan CoghlanD1 year$762K (trade with VGK)Key departuresPlayerPositionTransactionMax DomiFSigned with CHINino NiederreiterFSigned with NSHVincent TrocheckFSigned with NYRIan ColeDSigned with TBLTony DeAngeloDTraded to PHIBrendan SmithDSigned with NJDRe-signedPlayerPositionNew Contract LengthAAVEthan BearD1 year$2.2MMartin NecasF2 years$3MUnsignedPlayerPositionStatusDerek StepanFUFARookies who could crack the lineupPlayerPositionDraftedJack DruryF2nd round (2018)Ryan SuzukiF1st round (2019)Pyotr KochetkovG2nd round (2019)The Hurricanes had one of the most eventful offseasons in the NHL this summer, and they came away in fine shape. Carolina offset the predictable free-agent departures of Trocheck and Niederreiter by landing Pacioretty and Stastny. On the back end, the club got rid of DeAngelo and acquired Burns to play top-pairing minutes with Jaccob Slavin.Of course, Burns will be 38 in March. Pacioretty, his old Pacific Division rival, is likely out until February following surgery to repair a torn Achilles tendon and turns 34 in November. Stastny will be 37 in December. In other words, Carolina's experiment is risky. But the Hurricanes only gave up "future considerations" for Pacioretty, and they didn't part with any major assets for Burns while getting the San Jose Sharks to retain a third of his salary. Stastny's contract, meanwhile, is short and cheap.Re-upping Necas on a team-friendly pact was some tidy work, and Kase could be a savvy pick-up at a low rate if he can stay healthy for a full season.Grade: B+Columbus Blue Jackets Glenn James / National Hockey League / GettyKey arrivalsPlayerPositionContract LengthAAVJohnny GaudreauF7 years$9.75MErik GudbransonD4 years$4MDavid JiricekD3 yearsEntry-level dealDenton MateychukD3 yearsEntry-level dealKey departuresPlayerPositionTransactionOliver BjorkstrandFTraded to SEARe-signedPlayerPositionNew Contract LengthAAVPatrik LaineF4 years$8.7MJack RoslovicF2 years$4MNick BlankenburgD2 years$1.65MAdam BoqvistD3 years$2.6MJoonas KorpisaloG1 year$1.3MUnsignedPlayerPositionStatusJean-Francois BerubeGUFARookies who could crack the lineupPlayerPositionDraftedKirill MarchenkoF2nd round (2018)Nobody expected the Blue Jackets to land Gaudreau, and Columbus certainly deserves credit for coming out of nowhere to sign the biggest name on the market - especially when most thought the star winger would join one of the Blue Jackets' divisional foes.Giving Gudbranson so much term at that cost would be embarrassing in a vacuum, but Gaudreau may have never chosen Columbus if his former Calgary Flames teammate hadn't done the same earlier in the day. So it's hard to be exceedingly critical of the Gudbranson move knowing what it might have helped facilitate.The Gaudreau signing was a major coup, but the fact he wanted to play in Columbus surprised even the team itself; while the Blue Jackets successfully negotiated with his camp, he essentially fell into their lap, and they didn't mess it up.That keeps them from receiving a perfect grade, as does the fact that they recouped only a third-round pick and a fourth-rounder when they traded the talented Bjorkstrand nine days later.Grade: ANew Jersey Devils Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / GettyKey arrivalsPlayerPositionContract LengthAAVErik HaulaF1 year$2.375M (trade with BOS)Ondrej PalatF5 years$6MJohn MarinoD5 years$4.4M (trade with PIT)Simon NemecD3 yearsEntry-level dealBrendan SmithD2 years$1.1MVitek VanecekG3 years$3.4MKey departuresPlayerPositionTransactionPavel ZachaFTraded to BOSTy SmithDTraded to PITP.K. SubbanDRetiredRe-signedPlayerPositionNew Contract LengthAAVJesper BrattF1 year$5.45MMiles WoodF1 year$3.2MJonas SIegenthalerD5 years$3.4M (starting in 2023-24)Rookies who could crack the lineupPlayerPositionDraftedAlexander HoltzF1st round (2020)Tyce ThompsonF4th round (2019)Fabian ZetterlundF3rd round (2017)The Devils failed to land Gaudreau, who was born and raised in New Jersey. That had to sting, but the rest of their offseason went a little better.The team brought in a pair of Czechs - Vanecek and Palat - to bolster its goaltending and forward group. Vanecek has experience as a starter, but his save percentage last season was barely above league average, and his underlying numbers were subpar. He's an upgrade over Jonathan Bernier and Mackenzie Blackwood, though not exactly a spectacular one.Palat is a solid addition, but giving a 31-year-old a five-year deal at that price could haunt the Devils in the future. New Jersey's most underrated move was the acquisition of Marino, a capable 25-year-old defensive defenseman on a digestible contract. The Devils gave up the player with more upside in the Zacha-for-Haula swap and didn't get Bratt inked long term, but at least they got the latter under contract. Drafting Nemec second overall was commendable, as well.Grade: B-New York Islanders Minas Panagiotakis / Getty Images Sport / GettyKey arrivalsPlayerPositionContract LengthAAVAlexander RomanovD3 years$2.5M (after trade with MTL)Key departuresPlayerPositionTransactionZdeno CharaDRetired (after signing 1-day deal with BOS)Re-signedPlayerPositionNew Contract LengthAAVKieffer BellowsF1 year$1.2MSebastian AhoD2 years$825KNoah DobsonD3 years$4MUnsignedPlayerPositionStatusAndy GreeneDUFARookies who could crack the lineupPlayerPositionDraftedRobin SaloD2nd round (2017)The Islanders did well to snag Romanov and re-up the promising Dobson at a team-friendly rate. But to say the club's offseason has been otherwise disappointing would be an understatement.New York failed to sign multiple players - including Gaudreau and Nazem Kadri - who could have significantly upgraded a squad that endured a lackluster 2021-22 season. Chara opted to call it a career Tuesday, and no one will be overly shocked if Greene - who turns 40 on Oct. 30 - does the same.Throw in the surprising firing of head coach Barry Trotz in May, and it's been a forgettable offseason for Lou Lamoriello's team.Grade: C-New York Rangers Bruce Bennett / Getty Images Sport / GettyKey arrivalsPlayerPositionContract LengthAAVVincent TrocheckF7 years$5.63MRyan CarpenterF1 year$750KJaroslav HalakG1 year$1.5MKey departuresPlayerPositionTransactionAndrew CoppFSigned with DETRyan StromeFSigned with ANAFrank VatranoFSigned with ANANils LundkvistDTraded to DALJustin BraunDSigned with PHIPatrik NemethDTraded to ARIAlexandar GeorgievGTraded to COLRe-signedPlayerPositionNew Contract LengthAAVJulien GauthierF1 year$800KKaapo KakkoF2 years$2.1MVitali KravtsovF1 year$875KRookies who could crack the lineupPlayerPositionDraftedKravtsovF1st round (2018)The Rangers still look like contenders, but they're worse now than they were during their improbable run to the Eastern Conference Final this past spring. New York's offseason wasn't an abject failure, but it set the club back regardless of whether it overachieved last season.Trocheck is a nice addition in principle, but a seven-year contract for a 29-year-old second-line center is bound to become regrettable. His arrival also doesn't offset the losses of Copp, Strome, and Vatrano.The Rangers are still set up for success with superstars in goal, on defense, and up front. But if the team's offseason objective was to solidify its depth, it fell short.Grade: CPhiladelphia Flyers Bruce Bennett / Getty Images Sport / GettyKey arrivalsPlayerPositionContract LengthAAVNicolas DeslauriersF4 years$1.75MZack MacEwenF1 year$925KJustin BraunD1 year$1.75MTony DeAngeloD2 years$5M (after trade with CAR)Key departuresPlayerPositionTransactionOskar LindblomFBought outKeith YandleDRetiredMartin JonesGSigned with SEARe-signedPlayerPositionNew Contract LengthAAVMorgan FrostF1 year$800KOwen TippettF2 years$1.5MUnsignedPlayerPositionStatusCutter GauthierF5th overall pick (2022)Keith YandleDUFARookies who could crack the lineupPlayerPositionDraftedWade AllisonF2nd round (2016)Bobby BrinkF2nd round (2019)No team in the Metropolitan Division had a worse offseason than the Flyers. Philadelphia should have signed Gaudreau - who grew up rooting for the club - and would have been able to afford him if not for general manager Chuck Fletcher's ineptitude.Several of Fletcher's previous moves - which were questionable when they happened - left the Flyers without the cap space to accommodate Gaudreau. But the fact that the GM was unable or unwilling to correct his past mistakes is what makes this blunder inexcusable.To make matters worse, the Gaudreau debacle happened after the Flyers decided to buy out Lindblom, a cancer survivor and fan favorite both in Philadelphia and throughout the league. Trading for DeAngelo should help on the ice, but adding someone with a history of character issues after jettisoning a beloved player and failing to make room for a locally developed superstar equates to a shameful summer.Grade: D-Pittsburgh Penguins Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / GettyKey arrivalsPlayerPositionContract LengthAAVJosh ArchibaldF1 year$900KRyan PoehlingF1 year$750K (trade with MTL)Jeff PetryD3 years$6.25M (trade with MTL)Owen PickeringD3 yearsEntry-level dealJan RuttaD3 years$2.75MTy SmithD1 year$863K (trade with NJD)Key departuresPlayerPositionTransactionJohn MarinoDTraded to NJDMike MathesonDTraded to MTLRe-signedPlayerPositionNew Contract LengthAAVDanton HeinenF1 year$1MKasperi KapanenF2 years$3.2MEvgeni MalkinF4 years$6.1MRickard RakellF6 years$5MBryan RustF6 years$5.125MKris LetangD6 years$6.1MCasey DeSmithG2 years$1.8MUnsignedPlayerPositionStatusBrian BoyleFUFARookies who could crack the lineupPlayerPositionDraftedPierre-Olivier JosephD1st round (2017)The Penguins had two obvious primary goals this offseason: Re-sign Letang and Malkin. They accomplished both tasks, though the latter negotiation was far more contentious than the former.Letang is worth his new cap hit, but a six-year deal for a player turning 36 before season's end carries obvious risk. So too does a four-year deal for the injury-prone 36-year-old Malkin. But that's the cost of letting stars become unrestricted free agents, and the Penguins clearly wanted to keep the band together whether or not it handcuffs them down the road.Pittsburgh also overhauled its defense corps beyond Letang, but change for the sake of change doesn't necessarily equal improvement; the Penguins don't look significantly better or worse on the back end than they did in 2021-22.Grade: B+Washington Capitals Michael Martin / National Hockey League / GettyKey arrivalsPlayerPositionContract LengthAAVConnor BrownF1 year$3.6M (trade with OTT)Dylan StromeF1 year$3.5MErik GustafssonD1 year$800KDarcy KuemperG5 years$5.25MCharlie LindgrenG3 years$1.1MKey departuresPlayerPositionTransactionMichal KempnyDSigned with SEAJustin SchultzDSigned with SEAIlya SamsonovGSigned with TORVitek VanecekGTraded to NJDRe-signedPlayerPositionNew Contract LengthAAVMarcus JohanssonF1 year$1.1MUnsignedPlayerPositionStatusIvan MiroshnichenkoF20th overall pick (2022)Rookies who could crack the lineupPlayerPositionDraftedHendrix LapierreF1st round (2020)Losing both a starting netminder and a backup in the same offseason would normally be alarming, but the Capitals managed to upgrade their goaltending while doing so. Washington did well to replace an uninspiring Vanecek-Samsonov tandem with Kuemper and Lindgren, though the latter has only 29 NHL games under his belt.Kuemper, who's fresh off a Stanley Cup win with the Colorado Avalanche, turns 33 in May and will be 38 by the end of his new pact. But the Capitals needed to improve in the crease and keep their competitive window open while the core remains intact.Washington signed Strome to a very team-friendly contract and traded for Brown, who was already on one. Those two newcomers will help offset the absences of Nicklas Backstrom and Tom Wilson to start the season, and they should provide reliable depth once the mainstays return.Grade: A-(Salary source: CapFriendly)Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Forward Nolan Patrick is out for the 2022-23 season due to an upper-body issue, the Vegas Golden Knights announced Thursday.Patrick, 24, only played 25 games last year because of the same injury.Vegas will be able to place Patrick's $1.2-million contract on long-term injured reserve.The 2017 second overall pick has struggled with a migraine disorder since 2019. The disorder forced him to miss the 2019-20 season and significantly affected his play in 2020-21.Vegas acquired Patrick in a three-way trade last summer, sending Cody Glass to the Nashville Predators and Ryan Ellis and Philippe Myers to the Philadelphia Flyers.The Golden Knights begin their preseason schedule Sunday against the Colorado Avalanche.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Despite being a trending topic for most of the dog days of the offseason, Chicago Blackhawks superstar Patrick Kane says he hasn't paid much attention to swirling trade rumors.Kane is entering the final year of his contract while Chicago is set to embark on a potentially lengthy rebuild, leading to plenty of speculation about his availability."Like I said before, it's not really something I've thought of or anything I'm thinking about right now," Kane said Thursday, per The Athletic's Scott Powers. "Maybe it's getting attention because of the situation that people might think we're in as a team or because of our contracts. It's just a lot of noise right now."Kane continued: "It was just all rumors. I don't think there was really any legitimate discussions between any team or the Blackhawks, as far as I know."The Blackhawks made several moves this offseason that suggest they aren't gunning for a playoff spot in 2022-23. They traded 40-goal man Alex DeBrincat to the Ottawa Senators and dealt 2019 third overall pick Kirby Dach to the Montreal Canadiens. Chicago also decided not to extend qualifying offers to forwards Dylan Strome and Dominik Kubalik, walking both players straight to unrestricted free agency.Kane admitted the loss of DeBrincat was particularly tough."It's kind of crushing at first when you hear the news," he said. "Not only did I feel like we had some great chemistry on the ice, but he was one of my best friends and closest teammates off the ice as well."The eight-year, $84-million contract Kane signed in 2014, which has a full no-movement clause, is set to expire after this season. If Chicago is outside the playoff picture as expected at the trade deadline, rumors are sure to heat up again.Kane, 33, is still one of the league's top producers. The 2016 MVP registered 92 points in 78 games last season and has a playoff resume that includes three Stanley Cups, a Conn Smythe Trophy, and 132 points in 136 contests.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Edmonton Oilers re-signed forward Ryan McLeod to a one-year contract worth $798,000 on Thursday.McLeod totaled nine goals and 21 points in 71 games during his rookie season in 2021-22, adding three goals and four points in the postseason. His average ice time increased from 12:46 in the regular season to 14:33 in the playoffs.The 23-year-old was a restricted free agent coming off his entry-level contract. His deal is worth less than the $813,750 qualifying offer he received.McLeod's contract helps Edmonton with its long-term injured reserve entering the season. The Oilers can now get within $165 of the salary cap ceiling prior to placing Oscar Klefbom and Mike Smith on LTIR in order to maximize their relief pool, according to PuckPedia.Edmonton begins its preseason schedule Sunday against the Winnipeg Jets.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Philadelphia Flyers general manager Chuck Fletcher doesn't anticipate that star defenseman Ryan Ellis will play this coming season."No timetable for his return to play," Fletcher said Thursday, according to Philly Hockey Now's Sam Carchidi. "I'll just say, my assumption is he won't play this season. If he does, it'll be a bonus."Ellis is dealing with a multi-layered injury in the middle of his body and was limited to four games in his 2021-22 debut season with the Flyers. Fletcher acknowledged the 31-year-old's ailment could be career-ending, according to The Athletic's Charlie O'Connor.Philadelphia acquired Ellis last offseason in a three-way trade that sent Nolan Patrick and Philippe Myers out of town. Ellis spent the first 10 years of his career with the Nashville Predators, where he notched 270 points in 562 games and established himself as one of the league's top right-side rearguards.He was brought in to help stabilize the Flyers' blue line after the team missed the playoffs in 2020-21, and he was sorely missed last season as Philly finished last in the Metropolitan Division.With Ellis out of the picture, the Flyers' right side projects to feature Tony DeAngelo, Rasmus Ristolainen, and Justin Braun.Philadelphia begins its regular season Oct. 13 against the New Jersey Devils. It will be the club's first season under new head coach John Tortorella.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The New York Islanders signed forward Nikita Soshnikov, goaltender Cory Schneider, and defenseman Parker Wotherspoon to one-year contracts Wednesday.Soshnikov last played in the NHL in 2018-19 with the St. Louis Blues. Prior to that stint, he spent three years in the Toronto Maple Leafs organization. He totaled eight goals and 16 points in 87 NHL games across parts of four seasons.The 28-year-old winger returned to the KHL in 2019, tallying 39 goals and 90 points in 137 games. Soshnikov's contract is a one-way agreement for the league minimum.Schneider was the starting goaltender for the Islanders' AHL affiliate in 2021-22, playing 30 games and recording a .921 save percentage. The 36-year-old appeared in one game for New York, a win against the New Jersey Devils, his former team.Wotherspoon was a restricted free agent. Drafted in 2015 by the Islanders, he has yet to make his NHL debut.The Islanders open their preseason schedule Monday against the New York Rangers.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.