Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Jake Gardiner has been physically cleared to play next season after missing the entire 2021-22 campaign, general manager Don Waddell said Thursday.Gardiner had surgery on his back and hips, and the team placed him on long-term injured reserve as a result. The 31-year-old was only able to play in 26 contests last season due to the lingering ailments.Carolina signed Gardiner to a four-year, $16.2-million contract in 2019. After spending the first eight seasons of his career with the Toronto Maple Leafs, he's registered 32 points in 94 games for the Hurricanes while averaging over 16 minutes per contest.The Hurricanes have four free-agent defensemen to address this offseason. Tony DeAngelo and Ethan Bear are restricted, while Brendan Smith and Ian Cole are set to hit the open market.Carolina's season ended Monday with a Game 7 loss on home ice to the New York Rangers in Round 2.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

We got what we wanted in Game 1: an offensive explosion that far exceeded expectations.Of course, I'm talking about the Eastern Conference Final, where, despite a move in the market towards the under, the 5.5-goal total saw the over cash midway through the second period. In the goaltending duel on Broadway, one of the top-billed stars stole the show.The total flew over in the second period in Colorado too, but the bar was set much higher. This has inspired the total to touch an almost unheard-of 7.5 goals for Game 2. More importantly for our purposes, with goalies under siege on both sides of the bracket, we'll investigate what happened before the puck crossed the goal line, over and over and over ... and over.Game 1: Oilers @ AvalancheFive-on-five playTEAMxGFHDCHDGOilers2.89153Avalanche3.5173Before the series, we discussed the Oilers' two variables that would swing the series one way or another. After Game 1, there's no reason to stop believing Connor McDavid will remain historically awesome in helping the Oilers' offensive output. Meanwhile, Mike Smith's binary play broke bad and saw him go sub-zero for the third straight series opener.With Smith struggling - he posted a minus-3.6 goals saved above expectation (GSAx) in just 26 minutes - it was no surprise the Avalanche exploded for six goals against him. However, McDavid's usual three points drew some of the attention away from his supporting cast - the main reason that Edmonton was able to keep up.If McDavid is reliably excellent and Smith's goaltending can only get better, there's reason to like the Oilers' chances to at least push this series to the limit given the two teams' fairly equal numbers from Game 1.If you've played the total games under 5.5 (+125), that we discussed before the series, you're still in pretty good shape with the Avs up 1-0. However, with this high-variance action, continuing to grab anything at plus-money is a good idea.Additionally, the Oilers' loss moved McDavid's odds to win the Conn Smythe from +600 to considerably longer. Edmonton has come back from 0-1 in both series already, however, so consider any significant change in his odds for playoff MVP an overreaction.Pick: Oilers series handicap +1.5 games (+160)Game 1: Lightning @ RangersFive-on-five playTEAMxGFHDCHDGLightning3.24161Rangers2.45122If you compare the metrics from Game 1 in New York to those from the first game of the Western Conference Final, you might wonder how the Oilers and Avalanche got away with playing an entire Stanley Cup Playoff game dressed up as the Rangers and Lightning.The only drastically different ingredient when comparing Game 1s was the performance of one goaltender. Igor Shesterkin was his predictably awesome self with a plus-4.24 GSAx. At the other end, Andrei Vasilevskiy didn't quite reach Smith's depths, but at least a minus-2.91 GSAx feels like an outlier.The Rangers should be given credit for picking corners on Tampa's star netminder, but how repeatable is that? The total goals market is unconvinced, as it sits at 5.5 again with the total already juiced to the under.Losing one game on the road shouldn't affect the Lightning's overall win probability for this series that drastically, but they go from -175 (63.6% likely) to advance to +100 (50% likely) to win the series, and that's an overreaction.Pick: Lightning to win series (+100 or better)Matt Russell is a betting writer for theScore. If there's a bad beat to be had, Matt will find it. Find him on Twitter @mrussauthentic.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Our best bets are off to a roaring start in the third round, as we've won five of six plays through the first game of each series.We'll look to keep the ball rolling with three more plays for Thursday night's game.Oilers (+150) @ Avalanche (-180)The Colorado Avalanche hit some ruts along the way - especially in the third period - but they picked up a multi-goal victory over the Edmonton Oilers last time out, and they were full value for it.At five-on-five especially, the Avalanche controlled the run of play. They outshot the Oilers by 15, had more chances and high-danger chances, and controlled just under 55% of the expected goals share. Those are very good numbers considering the Avs were playing from ahead for much of the night.While Darcy Kuemper's potential absence looms over Game 2, I don't think he is a big loss for the Avalanche at this point. He has not looked himself in the playoffs, ranking 12th among 16 eligible netminders (200-plus minutes) with a .908 save percentage at five-on-five. He looks even worse in terms of high-danger save percentage, sitting tied with Mike Smith for 13th.It feels like Pavel Francouz has been talked about as a liability for years, but the numbers don't back up that perception.He appeared in 20 games from Jan. 1 through the end of the regular season. Of the 44 goaltenders to do so, only four posted a better save percentage at five-on-five. He finished 12th of 44 in high-danger save percentage as well, so it's not as if he inflated his stats by stopping garbage. He also fared well against quality looks, and Edmonton will get plenty of those.I'd take a healthy Francouz over Kuemper in his current state, which is clearly below 100%.If Francouz can hold his own, Colorado's high-powered offense should be able to do enough to grab a 2-0 series lead.Bet: Avalanche in regulation (-115)Nazem Kadri over 3.5 shots (+110)Kadri absolutely torched the Oilers in the first game of the series, scoring a goal while piling up nine shots on target. I don't expect that level of volume again, but I do like him to go over the number.The Oilers have been bleeding shots to centers all throughout the playoffs. While they've faced some quality pivots (Anze Kopitar, Elias Lindholm, Phillip Danault, etc.), they haven't gone up against shoot-first players like Kadri or Nathan MacKinnon. Ranking 15th of 16 playoff teams in shots allowed per game to the position can't really be justified by the competition; it's just a team weakness.Colorado was on the front foot for much of Game 1 and its top two centers still combined for 21 shot attempts. So long as the volume is there, we're going to continue attacking the Oilers with centers.Evan Bouchard over 2.5 shots (+115)On the surface, Bouchard's path to over 2.5 shots in Game 1 wasn't easy. He registered exactly three shots and it took until the third period for him to cross the finish line. There wasn't a lot of wiggle room - but there should have been.Bouchard attempted a whopping eight shots in the game. Despite 10 Oilers logging more ice time, he finished tied for the team lead in attempts.Most of the damage was done at five-on-five, where Bouchard generated six attempts. That's a good sign.He didn't waste any time when he did get some work on the man advantage, as he recorded two attempts in just over 40 seconds. For comparison, Edmonton's top unit logged 3:13 on the power play and nobody was able to best Bouchard's volume.He is not shy about pulling the trigger and Colorado has conceded shots to defensemen at a high rate all season long. Look for Bouchard to get involved once again.Todd Cordell is a sports betting writer at theScore. Be sure to follow him on Twitter @ToddCordell.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Jon Cooper stuck up for his all-world goaltender after the New York Rangers walloped his Tampa Bay Lightning 6-2 in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Final on Wednesday night.The Lightning head coach dismissed the notion that Andrei Vasilevskiy was to blame for the defeat.

Los Angeles Kings captain Anze Kopitar has been named the winner of the 2021-22 Mark Messier NHL Leadership Award, the league announced Wednesday.The honor is given annually to "the player who exemplifies great leadership qualities to his team, on and off the ice, during the regular season and who plays a leading role in his community growing the game of hockey." The winner is chosen by Messier himself.In addition to helping grow the game in Southern California, Kopitar also hosts a youth hockey academy in his home nation of Slovenia."We've covered quite a few countries. The word is spreading," Kopitar said during an interview with Messier after being announced as the winner. "I think last year we covered, altogether, 13 countries, so the kids are coming and wanting to learn and wanting to start up with hockey, and I'm very thankful to be a part of the hockey community. It's given me so much."Kopitar led the Kings with 67 points in 81 regular-season games while helping his team clinch a spot in the playoffs.The 34-year-old has spent 16 seasons with Los Angeles, and he's sported the "C" since the 2016-17 campaign.Kopitar is the 16th winner of the award. Boston Bruins captain Patrice Bergeron took home the honor last season.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Jon Cooper doesn't appear to expect injured star Brayden Point back during this round of the playoffs."We're planning to play without him," the Tampa Bay Lightning head coach said Wednesday, according to team beat writer Chris Krenn. "If he gets to play in this series, that's a bonus for everybody."Cooper made it clear the Lightning aren't sure when the talented forward will be ready to return."Pointer's playing hockey again. We just don't know if it's this season, next season, this round," he said. "If we're fortunate enough to win this round, can he play the next one? We don't know that. Is he improving daily? He is."It's way too soon to tell now if he's going to be able to play or not," Cooper added. "I think the worst of it is over for him now … (but) I would temper any of the expectations of him coming back at all."The two-time defending champion Lightning face the New York Rangers in the Eastern Conference Final beginning Wednesday night. Point hasn't played since sustaining an apparent leg injury in Game 7 of Tampa Bay's first-round series against the Toronto Maple Leafs. He couldn't put any pressure on his right leg at the time.Point skated in equipment Wednesday for the first time since the incident and gave his team another scare when he fell during the session. However, Cooper said the 26-year-old is fine, and the residual effect from the fall was "more embarrassment than anything."The six-year veteran produced two goals and two assists across the seven games of the opening round - including the overtime winner in Game 6 - after racking up 28 markers and 30 helpers over 66 regular-season contests.Point ranked second on the Bolts in goal-scoring this campaign. He's suited up for all six seasons with Tampa Bay, playing a key role on the Lightning's Stanley Cup championship squads in 2020 and 2021.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Carolina Hurricanes starting goaltender Frederik Andersen didn't suit up for the 2022 Stanley Cup Playoffs due to an MCL tear, he told reporters Wednesday.Andersen added there was a chance he could have played in the Eastern Conference Final had the Hurricanes beat the New York Rangers in Game 7."Yeah, I was getting real close. Obviously adds to the bitterness and frustration about losing," he said. "Very disappointing not being able to play and being that close."He added: "It's an injury that's really tough on goalies, given the positions we're in."Andersen said he doesn't think the issue will require surgery. He sustained the injury on April 16 against the Colorado Avalanche when he awkwardly fell.The 32-year-old was sensational for the Hurricanes in the regular season, authoring a .922 save percentage and 2.17 goals-against average across 52 appearances. Andersen and tandem partner Antti Raanta took home the William M. Jennings Trophy after allowing the fewest goals against this campaign.Andersen also didn't play during the 2021 postseason as a member of the Toronto Maple Leafs. He owns a .916 save percentage and 2.55 goals-against average in 53 career playoff appearances.Raanta took over the postseason starting duties for the Hurricanes in Andersen's absence, and he held down the fort with a .922 save percentage in 13 games. Raanta suffered an injury during Carolina's season-ending Game 7 loss to the Rangers on Monday.Andersen has one year remaining on his deal and carries a $4.5-million cap hit.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Edmonton Oilers head coach Jay Woodcroft will wait until Thursday to name a starting goaltender for Game 2 of the Western Conference Final against the Colorado Avalanche.Mike Smith was pulled from Game 1 on Tuesday after allowing six goals on 25 shots. Mikko Koskinen made 20 saves in relief, but Colorado took home a wild 8-6 win in the series opener."We’ll determine Mike’s status and Mikko’s status tomorrow," Woodcroft said, per Sportsnet.Smith was also yanked in Game 1 of Round 2, a 9-6 win for the Calgary Flames. However, Woodcroft immediately committed to the veteran starting Game 2, and Smith responded with four consecutive wins and a .922 save percentage to close out the series.If Smith is back in the crease Thursday, Woodcroft believes he can bounce back again."I think with Mike Smith you know what you’re getting," Woodcroft said. "You talk about someone who’s consistent in his process. Mike Smith is a true professional. He’s able to have a short memory on some things. He’s going to work to be the best he can be."The Avalanche are dealing with uncertainty between the pipes as well. Colorado's No. 1 netminder Darcy Kuemper sustained an upper-body injury in Game 1 and it's unclear whether he'll be ready for Game 2.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Anybody following the NHL is aware of the facts, yet they bear repeating.Since the start of the 2020 postseason, the Tampa Bay Lightning own an 18-0 record in games following a playoff loss. Andrei Vasilevskiy, the starting goalie in all 18 victories, has also posted a shutout in six of the club's past seven series-clinching contests, allowing one measly goal on 200 shots.After reading that last paragraph, doesn't your brain hurt, even just a wee bit?"How is that even possible?" Curtis McElhinney asked rhetorically over the weekend. Yes, even Tampa Bay's backup goalie for the 2020 and 2021 Stanley Cup runs has trouble wrapping his head around the utter dominance. Scott Audette / Getty ImagesFormer NHLer Kevin Weekes, another member of the goaltending fraternity, is equally dumbfounded. This level of excellence and "clutchness" is rare."When Dominik Hasek was posting .930, .940 (save percentages) for Buffalo in the '90s, we thought somebody had landed on the moon," Weekes said. "We never thought that high of a save percentage was even possible. That's how crazy, how unprecedented it was. To think of what Vasilevskiy has done in these elimination games ... to me, it's very similar. It's that otherworldly."As the the New York Rangers get set to host the Lightning on Wednesday in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Final, let's unpack what makes Vasilevskiy brilliant and look at how he's stacking up to the all-time greats.Unlike most other NHL goalies, Vasilevskiy was never labeled as a project.After being selected 19th overall in the 2012 draft, "Big Cat" rode a steady wave toward an NHL job, starring in the top Russian junior league and KHL in consecutive years before moving to North America full time at the age of 20. Frederick Breedon / Getty ImagesVasilevskiy arrived at Lightning training camp with a "very advanced" skill set, according to goalie coach Frantz Jean. He was extremely athletic, technically sound, and well on his way to filling out a 6-foot-3, 225-pound frame. The biggest challenge was adjusting to net-front traffic on the smaller ice surface."Then there's the maturity part," said Jean, who's coached the junior and pro ranks for three decades. "He's a very fierce competitor, always has been. So for him, when things didn't go well, he tended to take it personally. We had to bring him into that middle ground of not being too high or too low."For some elite athletes, the middle ground is elusive. For others, it might take until the athlete is into their prime years mentally and physically. Vasilevskiy, Jean said, found it early and, for the most part, in an organic way.Over a short period, Vasilevskiy got married, became a father, and learned how to compartmentalize through conversations with confidants like Jean."He's made unreal growth in that area," Jean said. "I think that's part of the reason why his game has taken such a giant step in the last half-decade." Icon Sportswire / Getty ImagesStill only 27, Vasilevskiy has already crafted a Hall of Fame-worthy resume. He's earned one Vezina Trophy, another three Vezina finalist nods, one Conn Smythe Trophy, and two Cups. What's more, he received a league-high 37.4% of votes in a recent NHLPA poll that asked more than 500 NHL players, "If you need to win one game, who's the one goalie you would want on your team?"Weekes calls him a "unicorn" in one breath and a "five-tool guy" in the next."He's not so much doing things his own way, he's doing everything at such a higher level than anybody else," added Martin Biron, the former NHL goalie and longtime analyst for MSG Network. "His lateral movement is at a higher level. His post play is at a higher level. His traffic play, when there's somebody in front of the net, is at a higher level. Everything he does is at a higher level."The secret sauce to Vasilevskiy's game - particularly in the playoffs when his save percentage leaps to .925 from .919 in the regular season - is having the capacity to park a bad goal or frustrating loss. After all, there's little luck associated with going undefeated in 18 straight contests following a loss or posting a .995 save percentage over seven series-clinching games. Mark LoMoglio / Getty ImagesMcElhinney witnessed this firsthand a few times, including after the Game 6 overtime loss to the New York Islanders in the 2021 Eastern Conference Final."He came into the dressing room, and he was livid. Just livid," McElhinney, who played for eight NHL teams, recalled. "I don't know if he was mad at the guys, in particular, or if he was mad at himself at that moment. But he was pissed. He's slamming stuff around in the dressing room, and I'm just looking at him, thinking, 'Man, he's kind of melting down here. He's pretty upset.' And then we go home to Tampa, and we win that Game 7, 1-0, on a shorthanded goal."McElhinney chuckles for a second and then picks up his train of thought."I'm sitting there, going, 'How the heck did he bottle all of that up, turn it around mentally, and just lock it down the next night?'"Vasilevskiy never looked completely on track during a 63-game regular season in 2021-22. He finished with a .916 save percentage - well above the league average but not quite up to his own standards. The thought, then, that Vasilevskiy could hit a wall after so much hockey in such a condensed period didn't feel unexpected as he trudged through the first week of the playoffs."It's like you almost saw chinks in the armor in the Toronto series. Oh, he looks human here. Toronto seems to have solved the riddle," McElhinney said.The Lightning escaped the seven-game first-round series against the Maple Leafs despite getting three sub-.900 SV% performances from their superstar goalie. Still, when Game 7 arrived, Vasilevskiy held Toronto to one goal on 31 shots to advance."And then, sure enough, the Panthers come to town, and it's lights out." Mark Blinch / Getty Images"Lights out" is an appropriate phrase. In the second-round sweep of Florida, Tampa Bay limited the most prolific regular-season offense in 26 years to a mere three goals. As usual, it wasn't a solo effort by Vasilevskiy; no current marriage of goalie and team is in the same hemisphere as far as complementing each other.As McElhinney framed it, "Wherever the flaws are in Tampa's game, he seems to clean up the mess. If there's any breaks in Vasi's game, well, the high-end forwards and defensemen pick up where he may have missed a beat.""When people talk about Tampa, they could almost be talking about Vasilevskiy," added Paul Campbell of InGoal Magazine. "Although they have a lot of incredible players and just a deep, strong, skilled team, Vasilevskiy is their foundation. You can track their energy level by tracking his play."The third round presents a unique challenge. The Lightning are not only game-planning against offensive dynamos such as Artemi Panarin, Mika Zibanejad, Chris Kreider, and Adam Fox but also presumptive Vezina winner Igor Shesterkin.If, as Shesterkin remarked Monday night, Vasilevskiy is the "the best goalie in the world," the fellow Russian isn't far behind. Shesterkin, a Hart Trophy nominee at 26, has been spectacular in the early stages of his NHL career. This season alone, he's saved an absurd 53.1 goals above expected in 67 regular-season and playoff games, according to Evolving Hockey.This matchup is the '90s equivalent of Patrick Roy facing off against Martin Brodeur - two truly elite netminders from the same pocket of the world meeting in a late-round playoff series. "Basically goalie porn," InGoal and NHL.com's Kevin Woodley tweeted once the 2022 East finals became official. Mark LoMoglio / Getty ImagesThere are absolutely no guarantees the Lightning beat the Rangers, but if they do, Vasilevskiy would be playing in his fourth Cup final in only eight seasons."At this point, it's a question of mastery," Campbell said. "How far can he take this? How far can he bring the position and drag everyone else along?"Former NHL player and coach Rick Tocchet, who is a studio analyst for TNT, already has Vasilevskiy - who, again, is not even 28 - on his Mount Rushmore of goalies alongside Hasek, Roy, and Brodeur. (Glenn Hall, Ken Dryden, Terry Sawchuk, and Jacques Plante also deserve consideration for a spot in the top four. However, the sport and position have changed so much that it's exceedingly difficult to compare.)Looking strictly at the list of accolades through eight NHL seasons, Vasilevskiy is comfortably on a GOAT-tier trajectory. Over that period, Hasek, who debuted at 26, collected four Vezinas and two Harts; Brodeur picked up the Calder, three Vezina finalist nods, and two Cups; and Roy burst out of the gate with three Vezinas, a fourth Vezina nod, two Conn Smythes, and two Cups.What ultimately brought Vasilevskiy into the conversation is his single-mindedness. The mental edge. Sports are about winning, and, in Weekes' estimation, Vasilevskiy's clutch gene compares to a few non-hockey icons."It's Tiger-esque," he said. "It's Kobe-esque. It's Jordan-esque."John Matisz is theScore's senior NHL writer. Follow John on Twitter (@MatiszJohn) or contact him via email (john.matisz@thescore.com).Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Our best bets are off to a roaring start in the third round, winning all three on Tuesday night. The Colorado Avalanche came through in regulation while Nazem Kadri and Evan Bouchard - both at plus money - hit the overs on their shot totals.We'll look for similar results Wednesday night as the Eastern Conference Final begins.Lightning (-125) @ Rangers (+105)The total is a goal and a half less than it was in Tuesday night's game between the high-powered Colorado Avalanche and Edmonton Oilers - that still might not be enough.It's no secret this series features the league's two best netminders in Andrei Vasilevskiy and Igor Shesterkin. The former is consistently great and yet he still finds a way to reach new heights come playoff time. Meanwhile, Shesterkin was the best goalie in the regular season from start to finish; he hasn't missed a beat through two rounds.No matter how much firepower is lining up at the other side of the ice, scoring goals with any consistency is remarkably difficult against both of these goaltenders.Making matters worse is the way the Tampa Bay Lightning and New York Rangers play. The Lightning are a very good defensive team that concedes shots at a low rate. They are seemingly always in position to block the ones that are attempted, making life easier on their superstar netminder.The Rangers give up shots at a higher clip but they play a somewhat slow, bend-but-don't-break style at five-on-five and Shesterkin is almost always up to the task.Given as much, it shouldn't be surprising their head-to-head meetings this year were rather uneventful. Two of the three games featured four goals or fewer.Brian Elliott started the only game that went over the number and that, too, was a low-event contest; the two sides combined for just 51 shots. Nobody made saves, which shouldn't be a problem this time around.Bet: Under 5.5 (-110)Mika Zibanejad over 2.5 shots (-134)The Lightning have given up quite a bit of volume to centers this postseason, conceding an average of 13.45 shots per game. The talent they've faced - headlined by Auston Matthews and Aleksander Barkov - has no doubt played a part in that, but it is the one position consistently generating opportunities.That puts Zibanejad squarely on my radar. Not just because he is a high-end player at the position, but because of his shot profile. He's the go-to guy on the man advantage, leading the Rangers in shot attempts and scoring chances through two rounds. While the Lightning don't give up much at five-on-five, they take penalties at a pretty high rate and give up their share of shots down a man.Zibanejad is as likely as anyone to take advantage of that. He's enjoyed success in head-to-head meetings this season as well, generating 11 shots through three games while going over the number in two.Nikita Kucherov over 2.5 shots (-186)Kucherov played the Rangers just once in the regular season. He registered three shots on seven attempts while logging more than 20 minutes of ice. Pretty good.He should get plenty of looks at net against this Rangers team. They're conceding nearly 67 shot attempts per 60 at five-on-five, which would've ranked dead last in the regular season. Win or lose, they're likely to give up plenty of shots.Unlike many superstars, playing on the road doesn't hurt Kucherov's ability to generate shots. Believe it or not, it has helped.Kucherov has registered at least three shots in 21 of his last 30 road dates, good for a 70% success rate. In comparison, he has only gone over 56% of the time at home this season.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.

Ottawa Senators general manager Pierre Dorion said last week that he'd be open to trading the team's seventh overall pick for an "impact player that can help (them) right away." New Jersey Devils GM Tom Fitzgerald shared that sentiment in early May, albeit before his team moved up from No. 5 to No. 2 in the lottery.With teams evidently ready to get aggressive to improve, a few impact players might be available - and we're not talking about aging veterans or pending unrestricted free agents.Below, we explore five young(ish), controllable players who could get dealt this summer.Jakob Chychrun, Coyotes Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / GettyPosition: LD

The Montreal Canadiens named Martin St. Louis the 32nd head coach in franchise history on Wednesday, dropping the interim tag he was assigned this past winter.St. Louis signed a three-year deal through the 2024-25 season."Martin is a proven leader, a great communicator with a deep understanding of and passion for the game of hockey. His arrival brought a renewed energy to our group, and we look forward to him returning behind the bench to continue guiding our team for the foreseeable future," general manager Kent Hughes said.Montreal hired St. Louis for his first NHL coaching gig in February. He guided the Canadiens to a 14-19-4 finish after the club started the season 8-30-7 under Dominique Ducharme.St. Louis' arrival also sparked a major turnaround for rookie sniper Cole Caufield, who bagged 22 goals in 37 contests after the coaching change.The Habs finished last in the league standings despite improvement under St. Louis, and will pick first overall at the draft this offseason.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Colorado Avalanche goaltender Darcy Kuemper didn't re-enter Game 1 of the Western Conference Final against the Edmonton Oilers after departing due to injury.Not long after he left, the Avalanche said Kuemper was doubtful to return due to an upper-body ailment.Kuemper allowed three goals on 16 shots before exiting during the second period. The netminder spoke to head coach Jared Bednar during a commercial break prior to his departure, according to Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman. Bednar then called for backup goalie Pavel Francouz, who entered the contest in relief.The Oilers pulled goaltender Mike Smith moments earlier after allowing the Avalanche's sixth goal of the game.Kuemper was slow to hit the ice before the puck dropped for the second period with an apparent equipment issue.The Avalanche ultimately prevailed 8-6.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Colorado Avalanche held on to win an 8-6 barn burner against the Edmonton Oilers in Game 1 of the Western Conference Final on Tuesday night.Edmonton entered the third period down 7-4, but Derek Ryan and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins brought the team within one goal. Colorado captain Gabriel Landeskog ultimately potted an empty-netter to put the game out of reach.The contest is the highest-scoring Game 1 in Western Conference Final history, according to Hockey Night in Canada.Evander Kane opened the showdown with his NHL-leading 13th playoff goal, but J.T. Compher responded 36 seconds later. The teams looked set to enter the first intermission tied 2-2, but star blue-liner Cale Makar scored with 14 seconds remaining. The goal stood after an offside review.Nathan MacKinnon, Nazem Kadri, Mikko Rantanen, and Andrew Cogliano also scored for Colorado, while Zach Hyman, Ryan McLeod, and Connor McDavid found the back of the net for Edmonton.There was plenty of movement in the creases as well. The Oilers pulled netminder Mike Smith after Compher's second tally made it 6-3 in the second period, while Colorado's Darcy Kuemper exited shortly after with an upper-body injury.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

We're only one period into the Western Conference Final and there's already a goal-scoring controversy.The Edmonton Oilers and Colorado Avalanche exchanged blows throughout a high-powered opening frame but the edge ultimately went to the home team when defenseman Cale Makar struck with 14 seconds remaining in the period to make it 3-2.The Oilers then challenged the goal for offside. Colorado forward Valeri Nichushkin appeared to be in the offensive zone when Makar finished carrying the puck over the blue line.

Canadiens interim head coach Martin St. Louis' official return behind the bench in Montreal appears imminent."I'm not worried about our negotiations with Martin," Canadiens general manager Kent Hughes said at the NHL Draft Combine on Tuesday, according to NHL.com's Sean Farrell. "Our focus has been on the draft coming up. … I expect in the coming days to be able to settle the contract."Montreal hired St. Louis in February after firing Dominique Ducharme, and the team markedly improved under his guidance. After starting the season 8-30-7, the Canadiens went 14-19-4 with St. Louis.Few were as galvanized by the coaching change as young forward Cole Caufield. He mustered just eight points in 30 games under Ducharme but led the team with 22 goals and 35 points in 37 contests under St. Louis.Prior to taking the reins of the Original Six franchise, St. Louis' only head coaching experience was with his sons' minor hockey teams. However, the Hall of Fame forward said he planned to stick around shortly after taking on the interim tag."I'm not coming here to be a substitute teacher. ... I have every intention of being here a long time, but I'll have to prove myself again and earn it," he said during his introductory press conference in February.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

There seemingly always needs to be an underdog story during the run to the Cup, and the New York Rangers' trip to the Eastern Conference Final fits the bill this year. However, it's rare for the surprise team in the Stanley Cup semifinals to have home-ice advantage, let alone be hosting the two-time defending champions.That isn't the only factor throwing the series handicap for a loop. The Lightning are coming off an excessive amount of rest after sweeping the Panthers. Meanwhile, it's an under-48-hours turnaround for the Rangers after winning their do-or-die Game 7 in Carolina.For those of us who build and maintain ratings off of team performance, the biggest wrench in the valuation of this matchup is that New York got crushed in the predictive metrics for the last two series ... and won anyway.If the Rangers had a merely average goaltender, they'd be rated at 10% below average based on (among other things) getting drubbed 221-122 in high-danger chances by the Penguins and Hurricanes in 14 playoff games. Surviving that discrepancy is a wild outlier, though winning their second-round series was more understandable with Igor Shesterkin posting plus-11.23 goals saved above expectation (GSAx).That's the difference an awesome goaltender can make, especially when the opponent is running out netminders with limited resumes like Casey DeSmith, Louis Domingue, Tristan Jarry, Antti Raanta, and Pyotr Kochetkov.Barring an incredibly unfortunate scenario, the Rangers will now see a mirror image of Shesterkin in the Lightning's Andrei Vasilevskiy. The 2021 Conn Smythe Trophy winner boasted a plus-10.29 GSAx in four games against the Panthers.From a predictive standpoint, the Rangers don't have the advantage in net this time around. Finding a rating for the Rangers depends on how heavily you're willing to weight their recent even-strength play.Series oddsTEAMGAME 1SERIESSERIES HANDICAPRangers+105+150+1.5 (-125)Lightning-130-175-1.5 (+105)Projected pricesHopefully, you used our NHL betting guide to evaluate your bets during the regular season and what value truly means in hockey. For the playoffs, we're using even-strength metrics like expected goals and high-danger chance rates, as well as high-danger conversion rates (for and against), to try to predict who'll play better in the postseason.True moneylinesThe true moneyline takes the implied win probability for each team and converts it to an inverted price for each side before the sportsbook takes its vig on a bet.The following is the expected price for each side when the contests are played in Tampa Bay (Games 1, 2, 5, and 7) and New York (Games 3, 4, and 6).LIGHTNINGRANGERSTrue ML in Tampa Bay-220+220True ML in New York-126+126True series price-280+280Price to betWe'd need at least a 4% edge on an underdog and a 1% edge for the favorite in the regular season. Using that same threshold, here are the prices to bet for each scenario:GAME 1/2/5/7GAME 3/4/6SERIESRangers+148+266+348Lightning-121-210-266We're close to a bet on the Lightning in Game 1, and the series numbers suggest a play on the Lightning, but we'll look into a more valuable way to back Tampa.Derivative series marketThe following is the probability for each of the eight possible series results, along with a fair price for an exact result bet.Series resultProbability/Converted oddsLightning 4-014.7%/+582Lightning 4-120.4%/+389Lightning 4-224%/+317Lightning 4-314.6%/+585Rangers 4-01.9%/+5114Rangers 4-15.9%/+1605Rangers 4-27%/+1338Rangers 4-311.6%/+763Simply put, there's value on any series result that sees Tampa winning in six games or fewer. Cumulatively, that translates to a 59% chance that the Lightning win before a Game 7.Best betsThe market is offering the Lightning -1.5 games at plus money, and I'll take that. I don't think Tampa will need a seventh game to win this series, and I wouldn't want to rely on any team to win on the road at -175 regardless.From a game-to-game standpoint, although it may sound simplistic given the goaltenders, I'll be looking to bet the under whenever I can get under 5.5 goals at -120 or better.The Lightning don't have the firepower and depth they once did. They know that if they're going to make an almost-unheard-of three straight Cup Final appearances, they need to play close-to-the-vest, low-event games. During their last two championship runs, in the last two postseason series, the under is 15-8 in Lightning games.This won't be as entertaining as the Western Conference Final, but if Tampa can win low-scoring games, we'll enjoy it just as much.Pick: Lightning -1.5 games (+105 or better)Game 1: Under 5.5 (-110 or better)Matt Russell is a betting writer for theScore. If there's a bad beat to be had, Matt will find it. Find him on Twitter @mrussauthentic.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals begins on Tuesday night, and whether you choose sides or player props, there is plenty of value on the board.Let's comb through it.Oilers (+150) @ Avalanche (-180)All season long, I've believed the Colorado Avalanche are the best team in hockey. They dealt with an overwhelming number of injuries throughout the year and yet weren't ruled out for top seed in the NHL until the final whistle of Game 81.The Avalanche returned to full health - or close to it - in time for the playoffs and have looked every bit as good as expected.Through two rounds, the team owns an 8-2 record and has controlled larger shares of the shot attempts (60.50%), goals (61.70%), and scoring chances (62.83%) than anybody at five-on-five. Everyone drools over Colorado's star players - understandably so - but the club has speed and skill throughout its lineup.While the Edmonton Oilers' top line can keep up with anybody, their talent pool just isn't deep enough to match Colorado's.A projected second line of Evander Kane, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, and Kailer Yamamoto doesn't seem quite as potent as Artturi Lehkonen, Nazem Kadri, and Mikko Rantanen, and the Oilers don't have an Andre Burakovsky-caliber scorer on line three. Not to mention, depth wingers like Josh Archibald and Zack Kassian are borderline unusable.This game might come down to Mike Smith. Edmonton ranks 14th among playoff sides in chance suppression at five-on-five. If the team gave up opportunities in bulk to Los Angeles and Calgary, it seems fair to expect the same against Colorado - except the Avs have much more firepower and finish in their lineup.If Smith doesn't stand on his head, this will probably turn into a track meet the Oilers can't keep up in.Look for the Avalanche to make a statement and win an exciting contest inside 60.Bet: Avalanche in regulation (-120)Evan Bouchard over 2.5 shots (+110)The Avalanche gave up a lot of volume to defensemen in the regular season. Only 10 teams conceded more shots per game to the position, none of which are still playing.That makes trigger-happy rearguards like Bouchard very attractive. The Oilers are going to need offense from him - and their defenders in general - to have any chance of keeping up with the Avs.Bouchard has proven more than capable of providing in the offensive zone, ranking 11th among all defenders in points per minute at five-on-five and showing flashes against this Avalanche team during head-to-head meetings.The blue-liner piled up 12 shots over three matchups, attempting 22 total. He hit in two of the three games and fell just one shy in the exception after missing the net on three occasions that night.At plus money, Bouchard seems like a great value in Game 1.Nazem Kadri over 3.5 shots (+115)There is a lot to like with Kadri in this spot. For one, he has been very productive on home soil, going over the number 19 times through the last 30 games in Colorado for a 63% success rate. These odds imply a 46.5% chance of repeating that success.Kadri's regular-season work against Edmonton also leaves room for optimism. He attempted 15 shots, eight of which hit the target, over two meetings. The Oilers gave up a lot of volume to centers during the year, and their playoff numbers are actually far worse, so Kadri gets a juicy matchup that he has already taken advantage of in the past.There's also the linemate situation. Kadri has a higher shot-attempt rate with Rantanen as his top winger rather than Gabriel Landeskog, and he also became an ultra-efficient shooter with Lehkonen on his line - albeit over a small sample. As far as Kadri's shot volume is concerned, these are his ideal linemates.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.

"Why aren't you taking any of the favorites?!"Maybe we're all getting smarter about finding value, because I didn't get any tweets or DMs before the playoffs began asking why we didn't take our pick of the likes of the Panthers, Maple Leafs, Penguins, and Bruins. Each of those teams bowed out early, and out of the few long shots that we entertained, we landed a big fish: Conn Smythe candidate Connor McDavid (+3000), now in his first conference finals.Twelve of the 16 teams and their numerous would-be candidates have been sent home, which allows us to narrow our focus and continue to maximize a playoff MVP position in the marketplace.Conn Smythe Trophy oddsPLAYERODDSNathan MacKinnon+350Cale Makar+450Andrei Vasilevskiy+550Nikita Kucherov+650Connor McDavid+650Igor Shesterkin+1000*not listing players with odds 20-1 or longerThere are very clean paths to victory in this market right now, and I'm listing only six players to make a point. With two rounds and three series to go, these are the only players who can win the Conn Smythe Trophy.The top of the board features two Avalanche, the favorites to win the Stanley Cup at +105, which translates to an expected win probability of slightly less than 50% after the sportsbooks apply their hold. Makar and MacKinnon were each +400 before the second round. After getting one step closer to the Cup by beating the Blues, their odds have barely changed, proving there was no rush to bet either before Round 2.Only two players on Colorado can win the Conn Smythe, and they're equally likely at this point. As a result, their win probability for the award should be around 25% each - which means a fair price for a bet on either would be +300.We've already got a McDavid ticket in our pocket. I've long said that his MVP odds need to mirror the Oilers' odds for the Stanley Cup, and there's a reasonable case to be made that he could still win the award without the Cup finding its way back to Canada.I'm ready to argue that Shesterkin should be getting the same treatment relative to the Rangers' championship price. New York is now +625 to win the Cup, while Shesterkin is 10-1 to win the Conn Smythe. The Rangers need to knock off the two-time defending champs, then either the Avs or McDavid's Oilers, and the only way that happens is continued standout play from New York's goaltender.Finally, there's Tampa, with last year's winner, Andrei Vasilevskiy, and Nikita Kucherov, who is five points clear of the Lightning's next leading scorer. Victor Hedman (+2000) is, of course, no slouch, but it's unlikely that his play will eclipse his teammates' in the next two series.Cale Makar (+450)MacKinnon has the hat trick and the dramatic end-to-end goal against St. Louis that will be replayed repeatedly for the next four weeks. However, any voter worth his credential should remember that the Blues won that game.Makar has actually been the better, more impactful player throughout the Stanley Cup Playoffs so far. He's tied for the team lead in scoring (with MacKinnon), and he leads all defensemen in expected goals share (xG%). He's been on the ice for 25 of his team's goals, which is the third-most in the playoffs, behind just McDavid and Leon Draisaitl.That brings us to his immediate (albeit shared) task: slowing down the Oilers' stars. If the Avalanche advance, it likely means they've kept Edmonton's dynamic duo at a dull roar, and Makar will get a ton of credit at the forefront of Colorado's defense.MacKinnon's flashy play in Game 5 against St. Louis won't be forgotten, and his style in those electric moments is the reason he's become the favorite in this market. After another two series, however, there's value in the idea that Makar's multifaceted impact will attract enough attention to make this bet worth it.Matt Russell is a betting writer for theScore. If there's a bad beat to be had, Matt will find it. Find him on Twitter @mrussauthentic.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Now that we're into the conference finals of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, the race for the Conn Smythe Trophy is truly taking shape.The Edmonton Oilers' two-headed monster of Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl is wreaking an historic level of havoc upon its foes, while New York Rangers' Hart Trophy finalist Igor Shesterkin hasn't stopped beasting.Another Oiler - Evander Kane - leads all playoff skaters with 12 goals, but McDavid and/or Draisaitl set up half of them, and the dynamic duo has been more valuable.Here are our top five candidates for postseason MVP after two rounds.5. Cale Makar Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / GettyGPGAATOIxGF%1031026:4265.53Makar was the Conn Smythe favorite after the opening round thanks to an historic performance for a defenseman in which he piled up 10 points in four games. The Norris Trophy finalist's production has cooled off since then, but he remains in the discussion for several reasons.The Colorado Avalanche are dominating possession and the share of offensive opportunities with the 23-year-old on the ice at five-on-five. Colorado has mustered over two-thirds of the scoring chances in those situations in addition to its similarly excellent expected goals for percentage.While Makar failed to score and collected only three assists in Round 2, he continued to shoulder a heavy workload. The 2019-20 Calder Trophy winner and 2021 Norris runner-up logged over 27 minutes per game in six contests against the St. Louis Blues, including an average of 28:03 over the final four.4. Nathan MacKinnon Andy Cross/MediaNews Group/The Denver Post via Getty Images / Denver Post / GettyGPGAATOIxGF%108521:0966.26MacKinnon isn't putting up mind-boggling counting stats to match the skaters ahead of him on this list, but the Avalanche superstar has been nearly as important to his club despite Makar's exploits. MacKinnon leads all skaters in the playoffs with 55 shots on goal, and he's played fewer games than the seven players directly below him.The Nova Scotian dynamo is controlling possession like no one else. MacKinnon ranks first in expected goals for percentage among skaters who've played at least 150 minutes at five-on-five. He also sits second among that same group in scoring chances for percentage with a blistering mark of 69.09. Both figures illustrate how much the Avalanche have overwhelmed opponents with MacKinnon on the ice.3. Igor Shesterkin Bruce Bennett / Getty Images Sport / GettyGPRecordSV%GSAxGSAA148-5.92813.85.89Shesterkin deserves playoff MVP consideration for the same reason he's a Hart finalist. The Rangers goaltender is having a stellar postseason despite playing more than anyone else at his position, and he's the biggest reason for New York's success - just as he was during the regular season.The 26-year-old leads all netminders in goals saved above expected at five-on-five - no remaining goalie is even close to him in that category (the Tampa Bay Lightning's Andrei Vasilevskiy sits second with 6.36).Shesterkin was virtually impenetrable in the Rangers' seven-game victory over the Carolina Hurricanes in the second round, stopping all but 12 of 234 shots for an astounding .949 save percentage.2. Leon Draisaitl Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / GettyGPGAATOIxGF%1271920:4648.42It's a bit unconventional to have two players from the same team as the two most valuable, but it's impossible to overstate how instrumental Draisaitl has been to the Oilers' run while essentially playing on one leg.The German was incredible in the Oilers' second-round series win over the Calgary Flames. Draisaitl notched a pair of goals and amassed a whopping 15 assists, all while playing through an injury sustained in Game 6 of the first round against the Los Angeles Kings.His 17 points against the Flames tied Rick Middleton's NHL record for the most through five games in a single series. Draisaitl produced at least three points in five straight contests and will match the all-time mark held by Bobby Orr, Wayne Gretzky, and Jari Kurri if he does it again in Game 1 against the Avalanche.The 26-year-old is tied with McDavid for the playoff points lead, and while Draisaitl's underlying numbers are unfavorable as usual, there's no denying what he's accomplished under the circumstances.1. Connor McDavid Derek Leung / Getty Images Sport / GettyGPGAATOIxGF%1271922:1962.87Much like his talented teammate, McDavid is putting up video game numbers in these playoffs. But what separates him from both Draisaitl and the rest of the field is his all-around dominance.McDavid has played over a minute more than Draisaitl per game while posting exceptional underlying figures. The Oilers captain has also excelled defensively. He's tied for 11th among all forwards with 39 hits and sits fifth at the position with 13 takeaways while boasting one of the best expected goals against totals at five-on-five among qualified forwards.Both Oilers superstars are blowing away the field in point production, but the 2021-22 Hart Trophy finalist and reigning winner deserves to sit atop the pack because of his unmistakable impact in nearly every facet of the game.(Analytics source: Natural Stat Trick, Evolving Hockey)Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Connor McDavid was 15 months old when the Edmonton Oilers and Colorado Avalanche last met in the playoffs. Presuming that his bedtime was before puck drop, he missed one heck of a series.McDavid's Oilers are up against Nathan MacKinnon's Avalanche 24 years after Edmonton stunned an era-defining powerhouse. The Avalanche won the Stanley Cup on either side of the 1998 postseason. They traded Western Conference titles with the Detroit Red Wings and Dallas Stars. The Oilers' dynasty had lapsed and they lacked elite talent in '98 - except for their workhorse goalie.This year's matchup revives the memory of Curtis Joseph standing tall. He outdueled the legendary Patrick Roy to lift Edmonton to a big first-round upset. Colorado's cadre of Hall of Fame forwards - Peter Forsberg, Joe Sakic, aging former Oilers sniper Jari Kurri - failed to score on Joseph for eight straight periods; the team's collective cold streak lasted until the buzzer sounded on Game 7.The headliners of the 2022 series have sublime sidekicks: Cale Makar in Denver, Leon Draisaitl in the Alberta capital. Evander Kane's 12 goals lead the postseason; Gabriel Landeskog and Nazem Kadri have pumped in a point per game. Fine players surround McDavid and MacKinnon in their respective first trips to the conference final. Brian Babineau / NHL / Getty ImagesJoseph shone brightest in '98, and he imbued Edmonton's young and inexperienced lineup with confidence."It's like: When you're looking on the ice and they've got Patrick Roy - well, who cares? We've got Curtis Joseph," Dean McAmmond, the retired NHL forward who played for Edmonton from 1993-99, told theScore in 2021 for a podcast episode about Joseph's career."I would put those two against each other every night and I wouldn't be thinking we're outmanned in net," McAmmond said. "Those were the types of thoughts that you had. You felt like you had a chance."Edmonton and Colorado were Pacific Division rivals at the time and faced off in back-to-back postseasons, starting in 1997. The underdog Oilers stunned mighty Dallas in Round 1 by scoring three overtime goals, the last coming when Todd Marchant sped free for a breakaway in Game 7. Joseph dove to glove Joe Nieuwendyk's tap-in attempt on the previous shift, saving the season in style.The defending Cup champion Avalanche won the Presidents' Trophy in '97 and proceeded to bounce the Oilers in Round 2, shelling Joseph for 19 goals in five games. Between Roy, Sakic, Forsberg, and Claude Lemieux, Colorado's stars had claimed recent Vezina, Calder, and Conn Smythe Trophies. Sandis Ozolinsh was a Norris Trophy candidate. Edmonton was overmatched.Joseph was undeterred. His legacy is that he faced and stopped a ton of shots - he's sixth in NHL history in saves - and that he led pedestrian teams, including the St. Louis Blues and Toronto Maple Leafs, deeper in the playoffs than expected.Curtis Joseph. Brian Bahr / Getty ImagesHis steadiness galvanized teammates in tense moments, including when the Oilers sought redemption in '98."When players respect the goalie and like the goalie as much as we did with Curtis, you did everything possible to keep the puck out of the net," forward Kelly Buchberger, Edmonton's captain that season, said in an interview for the podcast episode about Joseph."We had a strong D corps at that time. They were willing to sacrifice themselves for Curtis and the team."The '98 Oilers had some impact forwards, from Doug Weight to Bill Guerin (a midseason trade acquisition) to 22-year-old Ryan Smyth, the budding face of the franchise. They were third-last in the conference at the 41-game mark, well out of the playoff picture just as this year's Oilers were. A strong finish elevated Edmonton to the No. 7 seed despite a final goal differential of minus-nine.The Avs owned the West's fourth-best record in '98 but were seeded second as Pacific Division champs, the title they'd monopolized since the club relocated from Quebec. True to form, Forsberg scored twice in the playoff opener and Roy blanked the Oilers for 51 minutes. Then Guerin, McAmmond, and defenseman Boris Mironov struck for Edmonton in the span of 3:49, swinging Game 1.That the Oilers drew first blood - literally, Guerin slashed Forsberg in a late scramble, cutting his cheek for nine stitches - seemed like a blip when Colorado racked up three straight wins. Game 2 degenerated into a slew of fights that Joseph, having been chased earlier, watched from the bench. Sakic uncorked a rush slapper to win Game 3 in OT, silencing the Edmonton crowd. Forsberg upped his point total to 11 through four contests."That's Peter. He's not going to complain," Sakic, alluding to Guerin's slash, told Sports Illustrated's Michael Farber during the series. "He's going to go out and run the guy the next time - or get five points, whichever comes first."Joe Sakic. Brian Bahr / Getty ImagesForsberg was upstaging Joseph, but the goalie found his form in Game 5, which was played the day after he turned 31. The Avs took the lead at home when center Stephane Yelle, charging ahead through Roman Hamrlik's hook, converted a breakaway at 16:20 of the first period. Yelle was a defensive specialist, and he raised his arms and hopped to celebrate.That was Colorado's last goal of the season. Joseph closed the door and Mike Grier's heroics spurred a late Game 5 comeback. Edmonton's hard-nosed winger scored from behind the net - his pass bounced off a skate and over Roy's shoulder - and won a puck battle in the corner to tuck in an empty netter and extend the series."Curtis made some huge saves when he had to," Oilers coach Ron Low told reporters after Game 5. He added, "Going out for the third period, everybody said, 'It's too damn early to golf.' It is - way too early. I can't say enough about the character in that room."Those sentiments defined Game 6 in Edmonton. Joseph stoned seven Ozolinsh shots, Weight's pinpoint passing earned him two primary assists, and defenseman Drake Berehowsky emerged to score his first goal in seven months, dating to the Oilers' regular-season opener.Drake Berehowsky (right) and Doug Weight. Brian Bahr / Getty ImagesColorado's Valeri Kamensky had a tap-in disallowed because, unlike Brett Hull in the '99 Cup Final, his foot was in the crease before the puck got there. Meanwhile, Avs coach Marc Crawford dispatched his enforcers, Jeff Odgers and Warren Rychel, to cause havoc on the final shift. Low threw his gum at Crawford and stood atop the bench to shout obscenities."Great move," Low quipped postgame, per the Edmonton Journal, taking a dig at Crawford, Odgers, and Rychel. "I guess he was (banking) on both of them scoring."The Avalanche collapsed in Game 7. They outshot Edmonton 31-17 but kept conceding odd-man rushes that let the Oilers pull away. Guerin potted a breakaway for his sixth goal of the series, as many as Forsberg scored, and Joseph's best save rivaled his denial of Nieuwendyk. Upended by Grier behind the net, he overshot the crease in his haste to get in position but reached back with his stick to rob Rene Corbet.Joseph's shutout streak reached 163:40; Roy managed 13 saves in the decider and, speaking to reporters afterward, lamented Colorado's lack of hunger. Boos rained down in Denver as the Oilers erased their 3-1 series deficit, becoming the 14th team ever to achieve the feat (31 have done it now)."It's a tribute to everybody in this dressing room," Joseph told reporters. "We never gave up."Joseph makes a save during the series. Brian Bahr / Getty ImagesEdmonton celebrates a Game 7 goal. Brian Bahr / Getty ImagesPatrick Roy raises the Stanley Cup in 2001. Darren Carroll / Sports Illustrated / Getty ImagesThe teams' fortunes diverged as expected after the series. Stumped by Ed Belfour's great goaltending, Edmonton fell to Dallas in five games in the second round. Colorado bounced back to reach the next four conference finals, winning the Stanley Cup with Ray Bourque in 2001 to soothe the sting of losing three Game 7s. The Oilers remained a playoff club but didn't win another round until 2006, when they surged to the Cup Final.Joseph signed with his hometown Leafs in the summer of '98. He led Toronto to series victories in each of the next four years, though he never reached the promised land - the final - that McDavid and MacKinnon can now glimpse.To Buchberger, Joseph accomplished plenty. He was the main reason Edmonton beat juggernauts."If we didn't have him, we wouldn't have won those two key series," Buchberger told theScore in his podcast interview."The key saves he made in such key situations late in games. He kept us in the game when we weren't in the game. There was no question he was our MVP."Nick Faris is a features writer at theScore.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Carolina Hurricanes goaltender Antti Raanta was forced to exit Game 7 of their second-round series against the New York Rangers after lunging to make a save late in the second period. He suffered a lower-body injury and didn't return to the game.

Nathan MacKinnon hopes the Western Conference Final between his Colorado Avalanche and the Edmonton Oilers is good for the NHL's balance sheets but says he's not fixating on the narrative of going head-to-head with Connor McDavid."I think he's been the best for a little bit now, and it's going to take a full team effort to stop him - and same with (Leon) Draisaitl," MacKinnon told reporters Monday."But they're deeper than teams give them credit for. … They wouldn't be where they're at without the full team effort, and for me, I'm not really thinking about (the storyline with McDavid) a whole lot. Obviously, I see that stuff. Hopefully, that gets more viewers and lowers escrow, but other than that, I don't care."Escrow is a fixed percentage of the players' paychecks that's withheld in a separate account and only distributed once certain league revenue conditions are met. It's used as a safety net in case the NHL's financial projections fall short of expectations. The more money the league makes, the lower the escrow amount.Draisaitl is tied with McDavid for the league lead in playoff assists (19) and points (26) this spring. Evander Kane is pacing all postseason goal-scorers with 12 in as many games.The Avalanche also have additional star power. Colorado boasts Norris Trophy finalist Cale Makar - who had an historic opening round for a defenseman, recording 10 points in four contests. Mikko Rantanen, Gabriel Landeskog, and Nazem Kadri are part of a skilled forward group that also includes Valeri Nichushkin, Artturi Lehkonen, and Andre Burakovsky.Game 1 of the series is scheduled for Tuesday night in Denver.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Daniel and Henrik Sedin are changing roles within the Vancouver Canucks organization.Originally brought on last year as special advisers to the general manager, the twins will now shift to new roles in player development. Henrik and Daniel will work on and off the ice daily with young players in Vancouver and the AHL's Abbotsford Canucks.Former NHLers Mike Komisarek and Mikael Samuelsson are also joining the development staff."(Assistant GM) Cammi Granato and (director of player development) Ryan Johnson led an extensive search to find the individuals with the right attributes, winning pedigrees, and who fit the overall strategy of the Vancouver Canucks moving forward," GM Patrik Allvin said.Samuelsson spent 13 years in the NHL, including three with the Canucks, and is a member of the Triple Gold Club. The Swede previously served as a Chicago Blackhawks European development coach (2017-18 to 2019-20) and as GM of Södertälje SK in the HockeyAllsvenskan league (2019-20 to 2021-22).Komisarek played 11 years in the NHL as a shutdown defender. He previously worked as a player development coach for the Buffalo Sabres from 2017-18 to 2019-20.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Although we have only one game on Monday night's NHL slate - sadly, it's time to get used to it - there is still plenty of value on the board.Let's dig deeper into a few of my favorite plays for Game 7.Sebastian Aho over 2.5 shots (-130)Aho let us down at home last time we backed him, but it wasn't for lack of opportunities as the Finnish star attempted five shots. Unfortunately, only two were on target. That kind of volume has generally led to success. Aho finished with three shots or more in 42 of the 50 games (84%) that he attempted at least five shots.It's encouraging that Aho generated a handful of attempts. So, too, is his track record at home. Aho has recorded at least three shots in five of seven playoff home games and seven of his last 10 in Carolina dating back to the regular season.He's consistently made the most of home ice. With the Carolina Hurricanes playing for their season, I wouldn't be surprised if Aho gets extra run this time around. It's worth noting he played more than 21 minutes in Game 7 against the Boston Bruins.Chris Kreider under 2.5 shots (-106)Kreider and the Hurricanes go together like oil and water. Normally a consistent shooter, the veteran scorer hasn't been able to create shots against Carolina.Playoffs included, Kreider has seen the Hurricanes 10 times this season. He's generated more than two shots in only three of those games, with the successful nights all coming in New York.If we isolate road contests, Kreider has recorded a combined five shots on target through five games, and he has just one shot on goal through three road dates in this series.The Hurricanes are a stingy defensive team in normal times. Considering they're playing an elimination game without their starting netminder, I have a hard time believing they're about to open things up.This will likely be a low-event, grind-it-out affair. Don't expect Kreider to flip the switch and put up volume in this spot.Artemi Panarin under 2.5 shots (-157)This line is a little juicy, but I think it's worth the squeeze for a few reasons. First and foremost, Panarin has struggled mightily to generate shots on the road all season long. In fact, he's only recorded three shots or more 12 times through 45 road games this campaign. That is a putrid 27% success rate.Somehow, Panarin has failed to hit at even that rate against Carolina. He's gone under his shot total in eight of 10 meetings versus the Hurricanes this season. In other words, his success rate is at 20%.Panarin has failed miserably, especially on the road, since generating five shots against Carolina in his first meeting. He has only three shots over his last four road contests against them, and the Hurricanes have blanked him twice in a row.That's nothing new for the New York Rangers' star winger. Opponents have held him to zero shots on the road more often than he's had three throughout the playoffs.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 Carolina Hurricanes and New York Rangers are set to battle in a winner-take-all Game 7 on Monday night in Raleigh, with a berth in the Eastern Conference Final on the line.Both teams have been here before, surviving nail-biting first-round series that went the distance. The Hurricanes eliminated the Boston Bruins, while the Rangers ousted the Pittsburgh Penguins. The victor on Monday will meet the back-to-back defending champion Tampa Bay Lightning, who've been resting for a week after sweeping the Florida Panthers.Anything can happen in a Game 7, but to tee up the final game of the second round, here are three factors to watch for as the top two teams in the Metropolitan Division fight to extend their seasons.Canes' Jekyll & Hyde act Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / GettyCarolina's postseason has been baffling. The Hurricanes are a perfect 7-0 at home but are the first team in NHL history to start the playoffs 0-6 on the road.The Hurricanes' splits between PNC Arena and opposing rinks this spring - which, to be fair, have been hostile environments in TD Garden and Madison Square Garden - are jarring through 13 games.HomeStat.Away3.57Goals per game1.671.14Goals against per game4.3319.2%Power play4.2%89.5%Penalty kill67.9%Carolina won 25 road games during the regular season, tied for the most in the league. It's hard to understand what's gone wrong during the playoffs, but it's safe to assume Rod Brind'Amour's crew is glad they earned home-ice advantage with their season at stake.Goaltending battle Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / GettyThe Rangers have to be content relying on Igor Shesterkin to come through in a must-win game. On paper, plotting the Vezina Trophy favorite up against Antti Raanta is a clear advantage for New York. Raanta enters the biggest game of the season on the heels of a horrific Game 6, where he was yanked after allowing three goals - two of which were easily stoppable.Shesterkin, meanwhile, dominated the contest. Beyond making 37 saves, the Rangers netminder also registered two assists and even logged a minor penalty for interference. It was clear from the get-go he was eager to make his mark on the game, and if that carries over to Game 7, the Hurricanes face a difficult task to advance.Raanta's start went so poorly that many fans and pundits questioned whether the injured Frederik Andersen would be available for an emergency start on Monday, but Brind'Amour already confirmed Raanta will get the nod.Rangers' resilience Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / GettyThe Rangers weren't expected to be on the cusp of a conference final this soon in their rebuild, but here we are.With Shesterkin leading the charge, New York has undeniably come up clutch when facing adversity this postseason. The Rangers have already played four elimination games combined against the Penguins and Hurricanes and are a perfect 4-0 while outscoring their opponents 19-11.Whether it's luck, voodoo, or resilience, the Rangers have some sort of mojo this postseason that's made them a difficult out. Can they make it last another game, though?Despite this series being tied 3-3, the Hurricanes have largely been in control of the underlying stats. In 313 even-strength minutes this series, Carolina owns 54.73% of shots, 57.81% of scoring chances, and 56.62% of expected goals, according to Natural Stat Trick.Those numbers would indicate the Hurricanes are in the driver's seat to move on, but the playoffs are won on the ice, not the stat sheet.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Toronto Maple Leafs forward Jason Spezza announced his retirement after 19 NHL seasons.Additionally, the 38-year-old Spezza will immediately join Toronto's front office as a special assistant to general manager Kyle Dubas."I love hockey. Since the age of three, I've been lucky enough to live out my dream and do what I love for so many years," said Spezza. "I eat, sleep, dream hockey, and it's always been there for me."There are too many people to thank individually, but I'm forever grateful and indebted to the Ottawa Senators, Dallas Stars, Toronto Maple Leafs, and Hockey Canada for their support and belief in me as a player and person."Spezza finishes his playing career with 995 points in 1,248 games split between the Senators, Stars, and Maple Leafs.Ottawa drafted Spezza second overall in 2001, and he went on to become one of the best players in the franchise's history. He ranks second to Daniel Alfredsson on the Senators' all-time list for goals (251), assists (436), and points (687) despite placing sixth with 686 games played.The best stretch of Spezza's career came in the first three seasons after the lockout. Centering a line with Alfredsson and Dany Heatley, Spezza averaged 105 points per 82 games from 2005-06 to 2007-08. He ranked third among NHL skaters with 1.27 points per contest during that span, trailing only Sidney Crosby and Joe Thornton.Spezza helped lead the Senators to their lone Stanley Cup Final appearance in 2007, though they fell to the Anaheim Ducks in five games. However, Spezza, Heatley, and Alfredsson all tied for the league lead with 22 points during that playoff run.With Spezza set to become an unrestricted free agent, Ottawa traded him to Dallas in 2014. He spent five years with the Stars, recording 228 points in 379 games.The Mississauga, Ontario native went home in 2019, signing a one-year deal for the league minimum with the Maple Leafs. He went on to play three years in Toronto, all for the league minimum, compiling 80 points in 183 games in a fourth-line role. He was also a valuable veteran leader for the Leafs."It is difficult to describe just how much of a lasting and positive impact that Jason Spezza made in his three seasons with the Maple Leafs," Dubas said. "Jason's passion for the game of hockey, his desire to continuously push himself and his teammates to improve, as well as his capacity to make strong connections with all members of the organization, have been invaluable."Spezza represented Canada on the international stage numerous times. He captured gold (2015) and two silver medals (2008, 2009) at the IIHF World Championship and won a silver (2002) and two bronze medals (2000, 2001) at the world juniors. He was also a reserve for Canada's 2006 Olympic team.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Given the Hurricanes' results during these Stanley Cup Playoffs, this article could be really short. The home team is 6-0 in this series and 13-0 in games involving Carolina in the postseason. So, the headline could simply read: "Take the Canes and be done with it."The longer version requires a philosophical debate, though.Coming into the playoffs, we focus on even-strength play from the regular season with more weight given to the post-All-Star break schedule. Once we get to the second round, first-round metrics are added to the equation.All of that information pointed to the Hurricanes driving play at five-on-five during this series to a significant enough degree to overcome outlier factors and be worth a hefty series price. The Canes were the better team during the regular season, and the Rangers were fortunate to survive the first round, as they saw the Penguins accumulate an outrageous 59 more high-danger chances at even-strength across seven games.Here's how the five-on-five metrics look through six games in Round 2:TEAMxG 5-ON-5HDC 5-ON-5Rangers11.3948Hurricanes15.9881Despite the disparity in scoring opportunities, the Hurricanes have nine goals to the Rangers' eight during five-on-five play. And despite the 29 more scoring chances in high-danger areas, Carolina has the same number of goals as New York in those circumstances: four.Game 7: Rangers (+120) @ Hurricanes (-145)The metrics have done what we asked of them; they predicted who would be the better team during this series. But it hasn't translated enough on the ice.There are two categories of play that can become a potential outlier - special teams and goaltending.The other Eastern Conference semifinal saw those favor the Lightning, and it resulted in the betting underdog pulling off an unlikely series sweep. The short-term variance of Andrei Vasilevskiy's performance, combined with a plus-3 goal differential in just four games worth of special-teams play, was too much for the Panthers to overcome.In this series, the special-teams play has only slightly favored the Rangers. This means the other aforementioned outlier has been the significant difference in keeping New York alive.Igor Shesterkin is allowing just 4.9% of the Hurricanes' even-strength high-danger chances to get past him. As is often the case with goaltenders, he's also been the prime reason the Rangers have killed all but one penalty they've taken in the six games.The Hurricanes haven't been able to make use of their inherent advantages in this series, and if there were seven more games to flush out that edge with a larger sample size, then I'd be comfortable laying a price with the better team. However, we're down to one contest to decide who advances, and the last we saw of Antti Raanta, he was getting pulled after giving up a pair of soft goals to start Game 6.Just as concerning was the body language from his teammates that suggested a loss of faith in their backup goaltender. The playoffs started well enough for Raanta, but it's possible a heavy workload is taking its toll.Whether it's a pressure-packed 60 minutes or the heightened nerves should Game 7 extend beyond regulation, I'd rather take the plus-money on a goaltender I can rely on in a low-event single game, even if I know the favorite is likely to generate the better scoring chances.Pick: Rangers moneyline (+120)Matt Russell is a betting writer for theScore. If there’s a bad beat to be had, Matt will find it. Find him on Twitter @mrussauthentic.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

David Pastrnak's hat trick helped propel Czechia to an 8-4 victory over the United States in Sunday's bronze-medal game at the IIHF World Championship.The Czechs trailed the Americans 2-0 and 3-1 in the first period. However, they scored six times in the third period and at one point tallied six unanswered goals.Pastrnak scored his three markers against Boston Bruins teammate Jeremy Swayman, who was in net for the United States. Pastrnak finished the tournament with seven goals and three assists in seven games.David Kampf scored twice for Czechia, with one being an empty-netter. Tomas Hertl chipped in with three assists. Captain Roman Cervenka notched a goal and an assist, finishing with a tournament-high 17 points in 10 contests.This is the first time Czechia has medaled at the Worlds since winning bronze in 2012, ending the nation's longest medal drought in the tournament's history.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

We did it, everybody! Casuals and die-hard hockey fans got what they only recently became aware they needed - a matchup between Connor McDavid and Nathan MacKinnon in the Western Conference Final. Those headliners - who may or may not be on the ice at the same time often - provide the storyline for viewers, but is this the best matchup for bettors?You're not getting any discounts with the Avalanche. We're still trying to figure out exactly how good they really are. Colorado played the 2021 playoffs and most of this regular season shy of full strength before it returned healthy for this postseason, only to face a pair of opponents with backup goaltenders.All we can do with the Avs is measure what they've done against the teams in front of them, and their metrics have been impressive so far.OPPONENT5-ON-5 xG%5-ON-5 HDCvs. Predators59.7%43-33vs. Blues59.8%61-36The Avalanche have dominated at even strength and are 10-for-29 on the power play. They've been victimized on the penalty kill seven times but potted a shorthanded goal, so they're plus-four in special-teams play over 10 games.Even though we haven't seen it at the apex of what its enthusiastic backers expect, my rating for Colorado has unsurprisingly increased from 8% above an average team to plus-12.5%.You're not getting any discounts with the Oilers either. We're always going to have trouble assigning an accurate rating to a team getting otherworldly play from their captain the way they are from McDavid. If we've rarely (if ever) seen this before, then how can we measure it?Edmonton's even-strength play and mediocre power-play efficiency against Calgary suggested it was fortunate to win the series. But that's before accounting for the fact that virtually all of their high-danger chances were a 10 out of 10 in quality.The Oilers scored just a 44.5% on my play-driving metrics against Calgary and 53.9% against the Kings in Round 1. As a result, their rating has dropped from where it was at the end of the regular season. Meanwhile, oddsmakers are giving them considerably more credit than the Blues got before their series with Colorado. However, on the whole, there isn't much separating the Blues and Oilers.Of course, except for McDavid.Series oddsTEAMGAME 1SERIESSERIES HANDICAPOilers+150+200+1.5 (-105)Avalanche-175-250-1.5 (-115)Projected pricesHopefully, you used our NHL betting guide to evaluate your bets during the regular season and what value truly means in hockey. For the playoffs, we're using even-strength metrics like expected goals and high-danger chance rates, as well as high-danger conversion rates - both for and against - to try to predict who'll play better in the postseason.True moneylinesThe true moneyline takes the implied win probability for each team and converts it to an inverted price for each side before the sportsbook takes its vig on a bet.The following is the expected price for each side when the contests are played in Colorado (Games 1, 2, 5, and 7) and Edmonton (Games 3, 4, and 6).AVALANCHEOILERSTrue ML in Colorado-180+180True ML in Edmonton-114+114True Series Price-237+237Price to betWe'd need at least a 4% edge on an underdog and a 1% edge for the favorite in the regular season. Using that same threshold, here are the prices to bet for each scenario:GAME 1/2/5/7GAME 3/4/6SERIESOilers+216+134+289Avalanche-173-109-226Sure enough, based on our numbers relative to the odds, the pricing is fair for Colorado - a relatively rare situation for a favorite that is widely considered the best team remaining in the playoffs. That's due to the market's interest in backing McDavid's Oilers.Derivative series marketThe following is the probability for each of the eight possible series results, along with a fair price for an exact result bet.Series resultProbability/Converted oddsAvalanche 4-011.7%/+753Avalanche 4-121.6%/+363Avalanche 4-218.5%/+440Avalanche 4-318.4%/+443Oilers 4-02.8%/+3490Oilers 4-15.8%/+1611Oilers 4-210.9%/+821Oilers 4-310.2%/+879Given that our overall numbers line up closely with series and game-to-game pricing, it should come as no surprise that it's tough to find strict value in any of the exact series scores.Best betsEdmonton has so many variables. Only now are we getting to the issue of Mike Smith, who can be standing on his head or sitting on it at any given moment. The best version of the Oilers can knock off anyone and do so quickly, but they can also burn out just as fast if McDavid isn't all-world and Smith gives up soft goals on repeat.The Avalanche are more consistent - the steady Y-factor to the Oilers' 'X.' We're more likely to get fair value with the Avs in Game 1 and the series, but the best bet on the board plays on the bipolar nature of Edmonton. At +125, under 5.5 total games for the series provides some value since so much could go right for the Oilers (as we thought it would against the Flames). But it could also go very wrong.Pick: Under 5.5 total games (+125)

Ken Holland knows everyone's well aware of Connor McDavid's exceptional offensive abilities, but the superstar captain's improvement on the defensive end has impressed the Edmonton Oilers general manager."Over the last three years, you know, and certainly in this playoff, he's worked harder at every aspect of his game," Holland told NHL.com's Mike Zeisberger. "He always could obviously put points on the board. He won scoring races. So, I would say to you, he's got an incredible commitment now to defensive play."Holland has seen ample evidence of that this postseason."(During his) first shift in Game 7 of the opening round against (the) Los Angeles (Kings), he runs over one of their players. He sets the tone. He's going to be really physical," the GM said. "I think there's been a few games he's led our team in hits. He's backchecking, he's playing physical. And I think when he's got the puck, he's very focused on driving to the net."Holland believes McDavid's maturation is partly the reason for his evolution."I just think that he's laser-focused on being the very best that he can be every night. I think he always was, but I think part of it too is that you're different at 25 than you were at 21," the GM said."He's grown up. He's got experiences to fall back on, both positive and negative, that you learn from," Holland continued. "Players evolve and grow into becoming better players, and that's what he's done. He was one of the game's greatest players when he was 19 or 20. But he's got experience now, emotionally, physically, and experience-wise."McDavid ranks 10th among NHL forwards in hits during this year's Stanley Cup Playoffs with 39 in 12 games. Only three forwards in the league have more takeaways than McDavid's 13 this postseason.The 2021-22 Hart Trophy finalist and reigning MVP also boasts a tremendous 62.87 expected goals for percentage at five-on-five in these playoffs, according to Natural Stat Trick, proving the Oilers have dominated puck possession when he's been on the ice in those situations, as usual.That mark also factors in his defensive impact, and it includes only 9.43 expected goals against in over 200 minutes at five-on-five, ranking third-best among forwards who've played at least 180 this postseason.The Oilers will face the Colorado Avalanche in the Western Conference Final, which begins Tuesday night in Denver.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Matthew Tkachuk says he's willing to commit to the Calgary Flames for the foreseeable future this offseason.The star forward, who enters the offseason as a restricted free agent, was asked about his desire to sign long term as the Flames cleared out their lockers on Saturday following their second-round elimination at the hands of the Edmonton Oilers earlier this week."I would be very open. I've loved it here. I've grown up here. I came here and didn't really know anything about Calgary. Just kind of love the people here ... how great they've made my life here," Tkachuk said, per Sportsnet's Eric Francis.Tkachuk is coming off a three-year bridge contract worth $7 million per season. Negotiations for his previous deal lingered into training camp in 2019.The 24-year-old power forward had a career year in 2021-22, registering 42 goals and 104 points in 82 games. Tkachuk then posted 10 points in 12 playoff contests.Calgary has over $26 million in available money this summer, according to CapFriendly, but it currently only has 12 players on its roster. Leading scorer Johnny Gaudreau is set to hit the open market as well, and new deals for both him and Tkachuk would likely eat a significant portion of the Flames' financial flexibility.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

For the third consecutive IIHF World Championship, it will be Canada and Finland in the gold-medal game.Canada scored six unanswered goals to defeat Czechia 6-1 in the semifinals Saturday.The Canadians got off to a rough start, taking eight minutes worth of penalties in the first period, but they limited Czechia's red-hot power play to just one goal. Dylan Cozens notched the equalizer in the final minute of the frame to give Canada momentum heading into the intermission.Then the onslaught started.Adam Lowry, 19-year-old Kent Johnson, and Mathew Barzal scored in the second period to extend Canada's lead to 4-1. Cole Sillinger found twine in the third before Cozens added his second to make it 6-1.Chris Driedger was stellar between the pipes, making 24 saves. He also stopped David Pastrnak on a penalty shot in the third period.Canada is seeking back-to-back gold medals having defeated Finland in the final a year ago. Canada took home silver in 2019 after losing to the Finns. There was no tournament in 2020 due to the pandemic.Czechia will take on the United States in the bronze-medal game.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

With a 3-1 victory on Thursday, the Carolina Hurricanes improved to 7-0 on home ice this postseason. Up 3-2 in the Eastern Conference semifinals, Carolina has the New York Rangers on the ropes heading into Game 6, which goes Saturday night under the bright lights of Madison Square Garden.The Canes aren't just looking to earn a date with the Tampa Bay Lightning; they're also trying to claim their first road win of these playoffs.So who's crucial to a series-clinching win? And on the Rangers' side, who might tilt Game 6 in the home team's direction and help force a Game 7?Goalies are inherently important, so let's skip them and focus on four skaters.Sebastian Aho Gregg Forwerck / Getty ImagesIn Carolina, the face of the franchise is coach Rod Brind'Amour. The club arguably doesn't employ a brand-name superstar player - though Aho is in the conversation for that distinction and would surely be held in greater regard in the hockey world if he happened to work in a higher-profile market. (Hey, remember Montreal's offer sheet?)Well, Game 6 is set up for a superstar performance from Aho.His four points this series are tied for first among Hurricanes players. He's hit the post or crossbar three times, and playing five-on-five, he has a series-best 70.4 expected goals percentage. Aho hasn't been dominant, but he's contributed to the series lead and is due for a good bounce or two.Game 6 offers Rangers coach Gerard Gallant another chance to flex his matchup muscles against Aho and linemates Seth Jarvis and Teuvo Teravainen. Interestingly, the Aho line saw a lot of defensemen K'Andre Miller and Jacob Trouba in Game 3, and then mostly Adam Fox and Ryan Lindgren in Game 4. In both games, Aho finished with better five-on-five shot metrics than the Rangers' chosen pairing, yet he lost the battle on the scoreboard 1-0.Of course, trophies aren't handed out for impressive underlying numbers or post/crossbar counts. You must execute in elimination games, and in Game 6, Aho - who on his best days is a brilliant two-way center - has a glorious opportunity to outduel the Rangers' defense and stud goalie Igor Shesterkin.Artemi Panarin Bruce Bennett / Getty ImagesTwo power-play assists. Zero five-on-five points. Eleven giveaways.Those stats are eating at Rangers fans right now. Panarin, the highest-paid player on either team, has been a non-factor for the vast majority of the series.In 12 playoff games, Panarin has registered just five even-strength points while being credited with a playoff-high 29 giveaways. In Round 1, the all-world playmaker didn't make a real impact until he scored in overtime of Game 7 to dispose of the Pittsburgh Penguins. Sloppy and conservative with the puck, he's failed to be the offensive engine New York needs him to be.Maybe Panarin's injured? Perhaps his memorable pre-Game 2 quote - "I would love to do some stupid shit on the blue line, but I can't" - has morphed into a full-on mental block? Perhaps Panarin is overthinking everything because his creative, shifty style doesn't always mesh with the tight-checking playoffs?We likely won't know the answers until his season is over.Not to be left off the hook, Chris Kreider has only one goal and nine shots in 92 minutes of action against the Hurricanes. That's unacceptable for a 52-goal scorer. It's absolutely imperative both Panarin and Kreider provide ample support to Mika Zibanejad and the other Rangers forwards in Game 6.Vincent Trocheck Jared Silber / Getty ImagesTrocheck and linemate Andrei Svechnikov were brilliant in Game 5.Trocheck, who led all Canes forwards in ice time, opened the scoring while killing a penalty in the first period. He finished 13-for-17 in the faceoff circle and got into the kitchen of opposing players throughout the night. Svechnikov was buzzing, too, finally coming alive with a late-game insurance goal. The breakaway tally broke his five-game scoring drought.Svechnikov's game-breaking ability puts him high on a list of potential Game 6 X-factors, but it's Trocheck and his ceiling that's extra crucial to Carolina.As somebody who embodies the Canes' all-for-one identity, Trocheck can be a tone-setter. When he's truly dialed in, his blend of fierce competitiveness and understated finesse can make a difference. If Game 5 is any indication, it appears he's found his A-game at the right time.Ryan Lindgren Bruce Bennett / Getty ImagesSimilar to Trocheck, there's a heart-and-soul vibe to Lindgren.As the understated defense partner of Norris Trophy winner Adam Fox, Lindgren doesn't wow with skill or pace. But Lindgren - who missed three games in the first round due to a lower-body injury and may still be dealing with it - will battle for every inch on the defensive side of the puck and chip in occasionally on offense.Two of his point shots in Game 4 led directly to Rangers goals. In nine total playoff games, the 24-year-old Minnesotan has been on the ice for five New York goals and three against in 171 five-on-five minutes. In all situations, he's blocked 24 of the opposition's shots, by far the highest per-game rate on the team.It's been a relatively low-scoring series. New York owns the last change at home, giving them favorable matchups. Lindgren will be front and center in Game 6.John Matisz is theScore's senior NHL writer. Follow John on Twitter (@MatiszJohn) or contact him via email (john.matisz@thescore.com).Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Boston Bruins star Brad Marchand underwent successful surgery on both hips and will miss approximately six months, the team announced Friday.Marchand only appeared in 70 games for the Bruins this season, but the majority of his absences weren't injury related. He was suspended nine games total for two separate incidents and also sat out the club's regular-season finale for rest.The 34-year-old was Boston's top producer in 2021-22, registering 80 points during the campaign before netting four goals and seven assists in a seven-game defeat against the Carolina Hurricanes in the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.Marchand's current timeline projects him to return to the ice in late November.The Bruins are facing an uncertain offseason as captain Patrice Bergeron is unsure whether he'll retire or sign a new contract. Earlier this month, team president Cam Neely was noncommittal on the future of head coach Bruce Cassidy, saying the club needs to "make some changes" to the way it plays.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

ESPN is releasing a two-hour E60 documentary titled "Unrivaled" that will chronicle the fierce rivalry between the Colorado Avalanche and Detroit Red Wings during the late 1990s and early 2000s.

Calgary Flames forward Blake Coleman doesn't understand why his go-ahead goal late in Thursday's Game 5 against the Edmonton Oilers was disallowed."I don't think I understand the rule," Coleman said postgame, according to Sportsnet's Eric Francis. "Getting pushed, trying to keep my foot on the ice. I haven't watched it enough, but in live speed, I felt like I was in a battle. My understanding is you can direct the puck, but you can't kick it. I didn't feel like I kicked it."Coleman and Oilers defenseman Cody Ceci jostled for position in front of the net when Coleman lost his balance and pushed the puck in with his skate.Section 37.4 of the NHL rulebook states: "A 'distinct kicking motion,' for purposes of video review, is one where the video makes clear that an attacking player has deliberately propelled the puck with a kick of his foot or skate and the puck subsequently enters the net."NHL executive vice president and director of hockey operations Colin Campbell explained the league's rationale."It's as difficult a call as we've had the last few years," Campbell said. "We felt there was a distinct kicking motion, and he propelled the puck deliberately in. There's no such thing as 'the blade has to be on the ice.' You can kick a puck without taking your foot off the ice."Flames head coach Darryl Sutter also disagreed with the goal getting overturned."Depends what you call a distinct kicking motion," he said. "If somebody is on the ground and you lift your foot up and kick them in the head, that's a distinct kicking motion. If you slide your foot on the ground, it's not a distinct kicking motion."The controversial call played a massive role in the series' outcome. If the goal stood, Calgary would've had under six minutes to hold onto a one-goal lead and force a Game 6. Instead, Connor McDavid buried the overtime winner to eliminate the Flames from the postseason.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

And then there were two.Surprisingly, given the excitement over the intrastate and intra-province rivalries, we're down to just two series still being played after five games. Round 1 saw five Game 7s, but we may not get any trips to seventh heaven in Round 2 with the remaining series favorites getting a chance to close out - albeit on the road.Avalanche (-165) @ Blues (+140)In true Stanley Cup Playoff fashion, the wild final five minutes of Game 5 of this series were immediately topped by Calgary's seven-goal fracas on Thursday night. However, if you're looking for potential turning points mid-series, the Blues' twice-tying goals and eventual overtime winner in Colorado made things all too real for the front-running Avalanche.Lost in the various headlines stemming from this series is some lackluster play from Avs goaltender Darcy Kuemper. For all of Ville Husso's struggles since taking over for the injured Jordan Binnington, it's St. Louis that has converted its even-strength high-danger chances at an above-average rate of 16%.The Blues' lethal power play is also clicking nicely at 36%, so the offense that we expected from St. Louis to compete with Colorado's firepower is coming through. Now the Blues return home where, if they planned on taking this series, they would have expected to win at least once.There's no question that Colorado has been the better team collectively throughout the series. Still, the emotional chasm created by Binnington's injury might have had something to do with the pair of losses by the home team in Games 3 and 4. The comeback in Game 5 may have given the Blues a second chance, and a refreshed outlook for a championship-caliber group is a dangerous thing.Bet: Blues moneyline (+140)Hurricanes (-105) @ Rangers (-115)In a rare twist, a Stanley Cup Playoff game played out how we thought it might in Raleigh on Thursday night. The Hurricanes' quality of play at even strength shone through with a 2.45-1.35 expected goals advantage. On top of that, they mixed in their first power-play goal of the series en route to a 3-1 win.The Canes have racked up 59 high-danger scoring chances during five-on-five play in the series. Carolina also had a 28-15 advantage over New York in that category over the previous two losses at Madison Square Garden. The Hurricanes have shown that they can drive the play on the road, even if they haven't won a game away from home this postseason.Danger always lies around the corner due to Igor Shesterkin's ability to steal a game, especially at home. And the house will be rocking if the Rangers get the first goal. Carolina got on the board first in Game 5, and it'll be up to Antti Raanta to play to the level of his 4.73 goals saved above expectation this series and 7.99 overall. If that continues to be the case, the Canes will make it a "sixth time's the charm" situation and close out the scrappy Blueshirts before we ever see a seventh game.Bet: Hurricanes moneyline (-105)Matt Russell is a betting writer for theScore. If there's a bad beat to be had, Matt will find it. Find him on Twitter @mrussauthentic.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

For Calgary Flames head coach Darryl Sutter, honesty was the best policy before his team's do-or-die Game 5 against the Edmonton Oilers on Thursday night."It's got nothing to do with effort or anything like that with any of our guys that haven't been as productive after Game 1 in this series," the hardnosed bench boss said, according to TSN. "But you have to give Edmonton credit in that too."Maybe our guys are doing all they can. Maybe Edmonton's just a little bit better right now. That's kind of been on the sideline. Nobody's talked about that. It's always been about the negatives. What about the good stuff that is going on?"Star agitator Matthew Tkachuk sparkled in the opening contest of Round 2 and notched a hat trick during the Flames' high-powered 9-6 victory. Johnny Gaudreau and Andrew Mangiapane also chipped in with three-point nights of their own, while Elias Lindholm logged a goal and an assist.The Flames' core forwards were relatively quiet in Games 2 through 4: Tkachuk had just one assist in their three straight losses, Gaudreau and Lindholm had two points each, and Mangiapane failed to register a point.The Oilers outscored the Flames 14-to-7 over the past three contests and used that production to put Calgary into a 3-1 hole in the postseason Battle of Alberta."Every guy is really motivated in there, we know where we're at in the series," Gaudreau said before Game 5. "Take it one game at a time, have fun playing tonight in front of our fans here."Edmonton phenom Connor McDavid expressed confidence in the Oilers' ability to equal the Flames' hunger to win."We're desperate to close the series out. That's how you match it," he said. "We want to come out and have a strong performance and play our best game of the series."Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Team Canada is off to the 2022 World Hockey Championship semifinals after pulling off a comeback for the ages.Canada trailed Sweden 3-0 in Thursday's quarterfinal matchup before scoring three goals in the third period - including two in the final two minutes of regulation - to force overtime. Drake Batherson played the role of hero 43 seconds into the extra frame to seal a 4-3 victory.Pierre-Luc Dubois propelled the comeback by cutting Sweden's lead to 3-2 with a power-play marker at 18:07 of the third period.

According to the betting market, there's roughly a 42% chance that Thursday is the last doubleheader night of the NHL season. That's implied probability of an Oilers win and an abrupt end to the Battle of Alberta. We'll enjoy the late nights while we have them, but they're even more fun with a few winning bets along the way.Rangers (+135) @ Hurricanes (-160)The Hurricanes moneyline could be had for as low as -145 in the hours after the Game 5 lines were opened. It was a tiny discount compared to their moneyline price for the previous two contests in Raleigh, likely due to back-to-back Rangers wins. The market quickly jumped on that "2%-off sale," likely remembering that the Canes are 6-0 at home this postseason.While their full-strength expected goal share (46.1%) suggests the Hurricanes have been more than a little lucky to win every home game, their expected goal share in this series overall (54%) suggests they should be driving the play with things are equal.Carolina missed some golden opportunities to beat Igor Shesterkin in each game at Madison Square Garden and is still waiting for its first power-play goal in a series where goals have been hard to come by. Look for the Canes to get on the board early and defend their way to victory, making the Rangers' team total under 2.5 (-130) appetizing as well.Bet: Hurricanes moneyline (-160)Oilers (+130) @ Flames (-155) The real shame of having no more late nights in these playoffs would be this wild series coming to an end earlier than many would have thought. I don't think that's going to be the case, though, as Calgary is rightfully favored at home with 40 high-danger chances to Edmonton's 30 at five-on-five.However, at -155, you're paying a price to fade the Oilers, whose five-on-five high-danger chances are largely top quality thanks to the playmaking of Connor McDavid and the attention he attracts. Betting against that isn't any fun or, more importantly, particularly valuable.Instead, let's bet on something even less fun - but perhaps more valuable - the under.After a 15-goal Game 1, it's hard to stomach the idea of hoping against goals in any contest. However, we'll hope that, unlike in Game 4, Jacob Markstrom doesn't pass the puck directly to an Oilers player in front of an open net and that Mike Smith stops any pucks shot from 130 feet away.After Game 1's series-high 4.74 expected goals (xG) at full strength, the two teams have averaged less than 4.0 xG in the last three games while five-on-five.For all the danger it's provided, the Oilers' power play is clicking at just 15%, and there's plenty of room for Markstrom's overall play to improve. The Flames' top line hasn't shown its teeth yet either.The longer any series goes, the tighter it's going to be played. But the reputation of this series is that of a high-flying goal bonanza, which is why we're getting plus-money on under 6.5 goals. There is a risk of a 3-3 tie going to overtime and making this bet a loser, so if you can bet the under 7.0 at -150 or better, that's a safer play.Bet: Under 6.5 (+110)Matt Russell is a betting writer for theScore. If there's a bad beat to be had, Matt will find it. Find him on Twitter @mrussauthentic.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Toronto Maple Leafs were ousted in the opening round of the postseason for the sixth straight year. A team with that history of playoff failure should undergo major changes, right?Well, not so fast.Despite the same outcome, this postseason felt different for the Leafs. Of course, moral victories mean nothing at this point, and eventually, the process must yield results. However, the Leafs actually outscored (24-23) and outshot (216-215) the Tampa Bay Lightning in an extremely even Round 1 series. If one bounce or one call goes their way, the Leafs beat the two-time defending champs and are among the Stanley Cup favorites.Dismantling the squad just for the sake of doing so would be foolish - as team president Brendan Shanahan alluded to - especially after a franchise-record 115-point regular season. Keeping the front office and coaches intact and running it back with the same group of core players is the most logical option.General manager Kyle Dubas and head coach Sheldon Keefe will return in 2022-23. That's the right call, particularly with Dubas, who's continued to improve during his four-year run as GM; his drafts are just beginning to bear fruit. Replacing Keefe with a proven veteran such as Barry Trotz, for example, is tempting, but he's made steady improvements himself and deserves one more crack at this.As for the core - Auston Matthews, John Tavares, Mitch Marner, William Nylander, and Morgan Rielly - trading one of them shouldn't be completely ruled out, but it comes down to a simple process of elimination.Matthews is untouchable, and Tavares and Rielly both have no-movement clauses.That leaves Marner - who some may argue should be untouchable - and Nylander - whose $6.96-million cap hit has become increasingly valuable. The Leafs should be open-minded and at least willing to listen to offers for the star wingers, but chances are any trade involving Marner or Nylander would make the Leafs worse.The idea Dubas needs to "pull a Masai Ujiri" and make a splash equivalent to what the Raptors did when they dealt DeMar DeRozan for Kawhi Leonard isn't realistic. For one, superstar-level players are rarely made available in the NHL, and two, the hard salary cap presents a tremendous obstacle. It's improbable the Leafs could trade Marner or Nylander for a better player and fit it under the cap.So, that puts the Maple Leafs back in virtually the same position they were a year ago: trying to improve the fringes of the roster on a tight budget. Here's how it can be done:Trade Mrazek, Kerfoot, Holl Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / GettyThere's no sugarcoating it: Petr Mrazek's contract (two years left at $3.8 million per season) is a problem. It was a questionable signing from the beginning given his career-long inconsistency. With the Leafs' salary structure, his cap hit is too expensive to be a backup and he can't be trusted as a starter.The bad news for the Leafs is Mrazek has negative trade value, meaning Toronto is going to have to give up an asset in order to offload his contract. The good news is there's an NHL team that loves taking unwanted contracts: the Arizona Coyotes. Dubas and Coyotes GM Bill Armstrong have a history with these types of deals after the Nick Ritchie-for-Ilya Lyubushkin swap this past season.However, Mrazek's contract also contains a 10-team no-trade list. If Arizona is on it, it could be awfully difficult for Dubas to find a willing partner. But he should be open to trading away any picks after the first round, and any of the team's secondary prospects in order to get rid of him. At worst, a buyout is tolerable, albeit less than ideal:SeasonInitial cap hitBuyout cap hit2022-23$3.8M$1.03M2023-24$3.8M$833K2024-25N/A$1.43M2025-26N/A$1.43MElsewhere, the Leafs have two players entering the final year of their contracts: versatile forward Alexander Kerfoot and defenseman Justin Holl. It's unlikely the Leafs would re-sign either one after 2022-23, so Dubas should look to recoup some assets while he can.Unlike Mrazek, both Kerfoot ($3.5 million) and Holl ($2 million) are worth their cap hits and have positive trade value. They should be able to fetch a second- or third-round pick for Kerfoot, and a third- or fourth-rounder for Holl. These picks could even be flipped to help unload Mrazek.By dealing Mrazek, Kerfoot, and Holl, the Leafs would create $9.3 million in cap space.Re-sign Campbell, RFAs Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / GettyThe Maple Leafs have six pending unrestricted free agents: Ilya Mikheyev, Jason Spezza, Colin Blackwell, Lyubushkin, and Jack Campbell.Campbell should be considered the priority. The UFA goalie class is thin. Not only has Campbell been solid ever since he arrived in Toronto, but he's also beloved by his teammates and fans. A contract of three-to-four years with a $5-million average annual value would be fair for both sides.The chatter of Toronto targeting Anaheim Ducks goalie John Gibson in a trade is enticing, but it's much more feasible to bring Campbell back without surrendering any assetsThe Leafs' remaining UFAs could all conceivably leave: Mikheyev has priced himself out of Toronto, Lyubushkin looked overmatched in the playoffs, Blackwell may want to chase a bigger role, and Spezza could retire. All are replaceable - internally or externally.The Leafs also have four restricted free agents they need to bring back: Pierre Engvall, Ondrej Kase, Rasmus Sandin, and Timothy Liljegren. All four players should receive modest raises on one-to-two-year contracts to keep the cap hits as low as possible.What to do on defense? Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / GettyAs it stands, the Leafs have six defensemen deserving of a full-time role. The problem is four of them play the left side: Rielly, Sandin, Jake Muzzin, and Mark Giordano.The Leafs have two options. Either one of those four lefties plays the right side permanently, or they trade one of them. Let's explore Option 1 first.Muzzin and Giordano have never played right for any extended periods, and asking them to do so now would be unwise. Sandin had a few auditions on the right side in 2021-22 that didn't go well. This leaves Rielly, who played right occasionally earlier in his career - including with Muzzin when the former Los Angeles Kings defender first arrived in Toronto.The Muzzin-Rielly pairing produced strong results - 60.3% expected goals share - albeit in a small 131-minute sample size in 2018-19. If Rielly is willing to go back to the right side full time, the Leafs could reunite that pair and roll out the following:LDRDMuzzinRiellyGiordanoBrodieSandinLiljegrenHowever, the Leafs may not want their highest-paid defenseman playing his non-preferred position. If that's the case, someone has to go.It won't be Rielly, who inked an eight-year extension in October. It won't be Giordano, either, who just re-signed for pennies on the dollar. It's possible Sandin could be used as a trade chip in a blockbuster deal. It's also possible the Leafs could move Muzzin and his $5.625-million cap hit for assets and then use some of the newfound cap space on a right-handed defenseman.The right defensemen UFA class falls off significantly after Kris Letang and John Klingberg, and the Leafs can't exactly afford either one. However, there is one buy-low target out there who would make sense for them: Colin Miller.Miller was stellar during his two-year run with the Vegas Golden Knights, but his play tailed off the past few campaigns with the Buffalo Sabres. It's possible he would be rejuvenated and willing to take a slight discount to come play in Toronto under Dubas and Keefe, who managed and coached him, respectively, in junior with the Soo Greyhounds. Miller is just 29, too.But while Miller would be a nice fit, he's not as good as Muzzin and he doesn't have as much upside as the 22-year-old Sandin. So forcing a trade to fit him in wouldn't be smart. If a sensible Muzzin or Sandin trade presented itself, it would be worth making. But without knowing such deal exists, it makes more sense for Toronto to keep its defense intact - as long as Rielly is open to playing the right side.Sign a bargain backup goalie Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / GettyEven with Campbell signed, a reliable backup is still a priority. Neither Erik Kallgren or Joseph Woll are ready to be NHL backups.The Leafs shouldn't be looking for anyone expensive here, but since Campbell has never played 50 games, they still need someone who could step in for at least 30 starts. Rather than targeting a seasoned veteran, signing someone under 30 with room to grow would be ideal. Scott Wedgewood, Kevin Lankinen, and Eric Comrie all make sense and could likely be had for under $2 million per season.Splurge on 1 forward, take fliers on the rest Joel Auerbach / Getty Images Sport / GettyThe Maple Leafs would now have about $7 million in cap space to spend on five forwards. There are multiple ways they could structure this, but it'd be logical to use about half of it on one player who could play in the top six, then use the rest on depth.Players like Max Domi and Andreas Athanasiou would make sense for the top-six role, but nobody checks as many boxes as Nick Paul, who scored two goals in Game 7 against the Leafs as a member of the Lightning. Paul brings size (6-foot-3, 225 pounds) and physicality, is strong defensively, can play center in a pinch, and is only 27. Plus, with career highs of 16 goals and 32 points, he shouldn't be too expensive.For the fourth line, there are several different types of players to consider. If the Leafs are looking for size, Zach Sanford, Dakota Joshua, A.J. Greer, Nick Bjugstad, and Mark Jankowski all make sense. If they're willing to sacrifice size for speed, Vinnie Hinostroza, Tyler Motte, Rocco Grimaldi, and even bringing back Blackwell would be practical.The final productSome of these contract projections may be slightly off, but it provides an idea of what the Leafs could do. It's also possible they have to buy out Mrazek, which would shave off $1 million in flexibility. Nonetheless, we made a 2022-23 roster projection, coming in $106,000 under the $82.5-million cap. Let's start up front. Paul takes over Kerfoot's role and cap hit. He's a similar player because he's versatile. However, his ability to wreak havoc on the forecheck, get to the middle of the ice with his size, and use his untapped offensive potential should make him a better fit.The fourth line is also improved. Blackwell was solid during his brief time in Toronto. He and Hinostroza play with lots of pace and could also move up in the lineup when injuries occur. Joshua and Jankowski are 26 and 27, respectively, and bring some size for the league minimum.You'll notice the absence of three veterans: Spezza, Wayne Simmonds, and Kyle Clifford. Spezza hasn't decided if he wants to continue playing, but if he does, he could simply take the place of Joshua or Jankowski. Simmonds and Clifford are still under contract, but since they're on the wrong side of 30 and declining, they shouldn't be handed roster spots. There's also room for Nick Robertson, but he should still have to earn a spot.A full season of Giordano and the continued growth of Sandin and Liljegren should make this defense better than it was a year ago, even though there are no new faces in the top six. Brown brings size and physicality as a seventh D-man.In net, Wedgewood - a Brampton, Ontario, native - is a 29-year-old journeyman, but he owns a respectable .906 save percentage in 77 career games, 37 of which came last season.This may not be the sexy offseason some fans are clamoring for, but again, the Leafs don't need an overhaul. This group is younger and better equipped to finally get over the playoff hump in 2023.(Cap source: CapFriendly)Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Battle of Alberta has not disappointed, with the rivals combining for a whopping 36 goals thus far. The pace of play has been shockingly wide-open at times, often resembling a game of shinny on Lake Louise rather than a Stanley Cup Playoffs matchup.For this riveting series to get to Game 6, the Calgary Flames will need their stars to match those of the Edmonton Oilers.In particular, the Flames will look to three players - Jacob Markstrom, Matthew Tkachuk, and Johnny Gaudreau - to keep their Stanley Cup hopes alive. You can back them to rise to the occasion in Game 5 with these exclusive specials available only on theScore Bet.EDM Oilers U1.5 & CGY Flames to win (+360)Just a couple of weeks ago, the Flames were rightfully considered one of the best defensive teams in the league, especially at home.In the regular season, they ranked first in shot attempts against, third in scoring chances against, third in expected goals against, and third in actual goals against on a per-minute basis. They were as stout as anybody, and they had a Vezina finalist between the pipes to clean up the few messes that happened in front of him.Fast-forward a handful of games and the Flames can't keep the puck out of their net. They have made some defensive blunders and struggled to keep Connor McDavid and Co. in check, but the real problem is the play of Markstrom, who's made the Flames look much worse than their play warrants.Fresh off a season in which he posted a .928 save percentage at five-on-five, Markstrom has picked up a devastating case of the yips, with his five-on-five save percentage dipping to .824 in the series. For comparison, Joonas Korpisalo was the league's worst goaltender to appear regularly this season and he finished with an .886 SV% at five-on-five. Markstrom's been that bad.While fatigue could be a factor, there's no reason to expect him to continue performing so poorly. He should bounce back - at least to some extent - sooner than later. The problem for Calgary is there is no later; it has to be now.The good news is the Flames have actually suppressed shots and chances at five-on-five effectively in the second round. If they can stay out of the penalty box and get a few key saves from their Vezina finalist, they could surprise and keep Edmonton's offense in check in Game 5.Tkachuk to record 2+ points & CGY Flames to win (+270)Tkachuk ripped the Oilers apart in Game 1, netting three goals while piling up eight shots in an absurdly entertaining 9-6 win. He has been very quiet since - at least on the scoresheet. The gritty, in-your-face winger picked up only one point over the last three games.There is reason to believe a breakout could be coming. He leads all players in the series in shot attempts and expected goals. That's impressive considering how many stars are in this series, and how many are playing well (especially for Edmonton).The Flames have also controlled the run of play with No. 19 on the ice, as he owns a 60.82 Corsi For rating over the last three games.No team has conceded shots or chances at a higher rate than the Oilers in the second round. The Flames should create more than their fair share of looks in this game, and Tkachuk will get every opportunity to make something happen.He found the scoresheet in six of their eight meetings with Edmonton this season, and Calgary is on a 19-1 run in games where Tkachuk finds the back of the net.Gaudreau & Tkachuk to score & CGY Flames to win (+550)Gaudreau has done everything but find the back of the net in this series. He leads all players with 19 shots on goal through four games, generating at least four on target in each. Creating scoring chances has not been the issue. As we mentioned above, that hasn't been a problem for Tkachuk either.Coaches tend to live and die with their best players when the season is on the line. Darryl Sutter certainly did in Game 7 against Dallas, spoonfeeding Gaudreau and Tkachuk ice time.They made the most of it: Gaudreau and Tkachuk both scored while combining for 13 shots on goal. If the Flames live to fight another day, their star wingers will be a big reason why.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.

Shot props were good to us Wednesday night as Nathan MacKinnon and Cale Makar both came through with room to spare.We'll hope for more of the same Thursday as we comb through the best values on the slate.Sebastian Aho over 2.5 shots (-139)Aho has been a consistent shooter on home ice for a while now. He's come through in 20 of the Hurricanes' last 30 games in Carolina, good for an impressive 66.7% success rate.What's most encouraging is that Aho is still trending upward. Of Carolina's six home playoff games thus far, he's generated three shots or more in five of them. He attempted enough shots to get there in the lone defeat; they just didn't hit the target.Considering the competition - four games against the Bruins and two against the Rangers - such success is promising.Thursday's Game 5 is crucial for both teams. If the Hurricanes win, they have two chances to close out the series, with Game 7 at PNC Arena - where they're undefeated this postseason.If the Rangers win, they return home for Game 6 with an opportunity to advance to the Eastern Conference Final. The Hurricanes are winless in five road playoff games thus far, so that would be less than ideal for them.Given the importance of this contest, expect Carolina to lean even more heavily on its No. 1 center.Johnny Gaudreau over 3.5 shots (-125)We've backed Gaudreau in every game of this series, and he has yet to let us down. Despite the Flames' struggles, the dynamic winger has feasted on the Oilers - at least on the shot clock - piling up 19 shots through four games while going over his total (3.5) in each meeting. Gaudreau has 27 shot attempts in this series, good for an average of just under seven per game. With that kind of volume, it's no coincidence he's hitting on a nightly basis.One thing to note about Gaudreau in this spot: It's an elimination game. He has played more than 18 minutes only once in this series, yet he's still consistently coming through on the shot clock. Gaudreau played more than 20 minutes four times in Calgary's opening-round series against the Stars. With the season on the line, expect that to be the case in this one - and for Gaudreau to make the most of it.Matthew Tkachuk over 2.5 shots (-143)Tkachuk leads all players in this series with 29 shot attempts through four games (7.25 per game). Most of those attempts have come from areas close to the net, which is why he also ranks first in expected goals.Shot attempts are what you want most when chasing shots on goal; you can't hit the net if you don't shoot. But it's also smart to target players who can get in tight. After all, shots from high-danger areas are more likely to hit the target. Tkachuk checks the boxes there.As mentioned above, expect Flames head coach Darryl Sutter to lean on his top dogs at home in an elimination game. And, even in victory, the Oilers haven't done a great job limiting shots, conceding them at a higher rate than any other team in the second round.Calgary shot from anywhere and everywhere the last time elimination was on the line, generating shots on target at an absurd rate. Win or lose, we'll likely see the same Thursday night.Expect Tkachuk to be in the middle of it all.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 Colorado Avalanche seemed destined to punch their ticket to the Western Conference Final after steamrolling their way to a 3-0 lead midway through Wednesday night's Game 5.The St. Louis Blues had other ideas. Forward Robert Thomas forced overtime with his second goal of the contest with one minute remaining in regulation, and veteran Tyler Bozak finished the job in the extra frame."We got on our heels a little bit. We wanted it so bad," Avalanche star Nathan Mackinnon told reporters following his team's stunning 5-4 defeat on home ice, according to The Athletic's Peter Baugh.Mackinnon did all he could to put the Avalanche on his back with a hat trick, capping it with a highlight-reel goal that won't soon be forgotten."It doesn't matter. We couldn't get a win. I was happier after Game 4," he said, per the Denver Post's Mike Chambers. "We've gotta move on, come back, and win Game 6 on the road. It's a fun opportunity for us."Hopefully everything happens for a reason. ... It should make our team a little harder, a little more grittier in these situations. Can't win every series in four and five. They have a great team."Captain Gabriel Landeskog emphasized the need to have a short memory heading into Game 6."It's the same if you win a game. You enjoy it for three minutes and you move on," he said. "Here, it's the same thing, you sulk for three minutes and you move on, it's as simple as that. It's playoff hockey, it's not supposed to be easy."Bozak, who won the Stanley Cup with the Blues in 2019, knows that lesson well."It's not over 'til it’s over," he said.He continued: "Feels great. Just a resilient group of guys, got down, didn't want the season to be over. Fought hard and got some big goals late."The Avalanche have been eliminated from the second round in each of the last three postseasons. They haven't made the Western Conference Final since 2002.Game 6 is scheduled for Friday at 8 p.m. ET. The Avalanche lead the series 3-2.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Florida Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov gave interim head coach Andrew Brunette a ringing endorsement Wednesday."He did an unbelievable job," Barkov told reporters, according to Colby Guy of Florida Hockey Now. Barkov added, "We all respect him, we all love to play for him, we love to work hard for him, and we had a lot of fun doing it."Brunette took over from Joel Quenneville eight games into the season and led the Panthers to a Presidents' Trophy with a league-best and franchise-record 122 points. Despite coaching with the interim tag, Brunette is a finalist for the Jack Adams Award."He got us going," Barkov continued, per David Dwork of WPLG. "He made us to have fun on the ice, to enjoy the game, and enjoy playing for each other."Panthers general manager Bill Zito will take a patient approach before deciding whether to commit to Brunette."Everything is still fresh and raw, and we're going to take a little bit of time here, we're going to let all the emotions just settle," he said, according to NHL.com's Alain Poupart. "We're going to make a thorough and rational call, go through a decision-making process and come to conclusions for the right reasons."Brunette led the Panthers to their first playoff series win since 1996, beating the Washington Capitals in six games in the opening round. However, state rivals the Tampa Bay Lightning swept the Panthers in Round 2.Barkov tallied 39 goals and 49 assists in 67 contests for a career-best 1.31 points per game in his first season under Brunette. The 26-year-old is also a finalist for the Selke Trophy, which he won a year ago.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Former NHL player Jaromir Jagr said he is unharmed after his vehicle collided with a tram in Czechia.

Washington Capitals forward Tom Wilson underwent successful knee surgery to repair a torn ACL and is expected to miss six-to-eight months, the team announced Wednesday.With the 2022-23 season slated to start in October, Wilson will likely target a return between November and January.The 28-year-old sustained the injury in Game 1 of the Capitals' first-round matchup against the Florida Panthers. He opened the scoring with a power-play tally but played just 1:31. He was forced to exit after appearing to take the brunt of the impact along the boards while attempting to hit Panthers defenseman MacKenzie Weegar.Wilson told reporters earlier in May that the ailment was "pretty significant" and that he tried to return to the series but couldn't.His absence was a major blow for the Capitals, who fell to the Panthers in six games. The talented agitator logged a career-high 24 goals and 28 assists in 78 regular-season games.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Prior to the 2021-22 campaign, Ottawa Senators general manager Pierre Dorion said "the rebuild is done" and "it's time to start winning." Now, after another year of missing the playoffs, it appears he's putting matters into his own hands.Dorion said Wednesday that he's willing to trade the seventh overall pick in the upcoming draft if it nets an "impact player.""I think we got to look at everything," Dorion told TSN 1200 when asked if the team's first-round pick is in play.He added: "Maybe this is the year that we move pick seven to get an impact player that can help us right away. We're not going to get a guy that's a pending (unrestricted free agent) in a year's time. I don't think that would be really smart for us to do. But if we can get a guy that we know we will have some control over for more than a few years, that's something we'd definitely look at."The Senators have made seven first-round picks in the last four years, including four in the top 10. The organization is ripe with prospects and young talent, but the club has yet to get over the hump. Ottawa hasn't finished better than sixth in its division since 2016-17."It's no secret that we have a lot of good young players," Dorion added. "But adding an impact player, someone that can help us get to that next level, that's something we would definitely look at."Dorion said the Sens' needs include a top-four defenseman and depth and scoring up front.Minnesota Wild winger Kevin Fiala is one player that fits the bill. The 25-year-old restricted free agent recorded 33 goals and 52 assists this past season. However, Wild GM Bill Guerin recently said he was unsure if Minnesota could re-sign Fiala due to the team's cap crunch.The Senators have several RFAs to re-sign, including Josh Norris, Alex Formenton, Mathieu Joseph, and Erik Brannstrom, but the club projects to have over $23 million in cap space available, per CapFriendly.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.