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One of the best parts about the seasons rolling into the dead of winter is that it means the outdoor hockey game is upon us.

With three games already in the books for the 2016-17 season, the fourth and final installment of the National Hockey League's popular outdoor games will be Saturday, February 25: a Stadium Series event in Pittsburgh featuring the Penguins hosting the Philadelphia Flyers at Heinz Field.

SportsInteraction.com currently has Pittsburgh at +375 to win the Metropolitan Division, +440 to win the Eastern Conference, and +800 to win the Stanley Cup. Philadelphia is at +125,000 to win the Metropolitan, +4,500 to win the East, and +7,500 to win the Stanley Cup.

Players will notice a few significant differences between playing inside an arena and plying their trade in an outdoor stadium environment. Most notably, temperature fluctuations can play havoc with both the quality of the ice surface and the hardness of the puck. There is a chance of rain in the forecast for Pittsburgh early Saturday but it is expected to clear off by the 8 p.m. ET puck drop with temperatures in the mid-40's and strong winds blowing between 15-22 mph.

If past history is any indication, bettors can expect the visiting clubs to spoil the party as road teams have had an edge when the roof comes off. Here's a look at the previous outdoor games, along with the relevant betting numbers:

November 22, 2003: Montreal Canadiens 4 at Edmonton Oilers 3 (O/U: 5)

The first of two Heritage Classics went to the visiting team, while the bone-chilling temperatures at Edmonton's Commonwealth Stadium didn't deter the teams from easily eclipsing the total.

January 1, 2008: Pittsburgh Penguins 2 at Buffalo Sabres 1 (SO) (O/U: 5.5)

The Penguins edged the Sabres at Ralph Wilson Stadium, with the teams combining for 62 shots but still falling well below the total.

January 1, 2009: Detroit Red Wings 6 at Chicago Blackhawks 4 (O/U: 5.5)

The Red Wings made it three straight outdoor victories for the road team, prevailing in a Wrigley Field slugfest that remains the highest-scoring outdoor game in NHL history.

January 1, 2010: Philadelphia Flyers 1 at Boston Bruins 2 (OT) (O/U: 5.5)

The Bruins provided the Fenway Park faithful with the first home victory at an outdoor contest, shading the Flyers in a thrilling overtime contest that saw the teams combine for just 51 shots.

January 1, 2011: Washington Capitals 3 at Pittsburgh Penguins 1 (O/U: 6)

Despite a premium matchup featuring two of the league's most potent offenses, the Capitals and Penguins finished under the total in the Heinz Field showdown that will be best remembered for Sidney Crosby's career-altering concussion.

February 20, 2011: Montreal Canadiens 0 at Calgary Flames 4 (O/U: 5)

The Flames earned the first shutout in NHL outdoor history, cashing an Under while giving the home side just its second victory in six outdoor games.

January 2, 2012: New York Rangers 3 at Philadelphia Flyers 2 (O/U: 5)

Citizens Bank Park was the site of the Rangers' first taste of outdoor action, an entertaining victory over the Flyers. The teams narrowly missed surpassing the total despite combining for 69 shots.

January 1, 2014: Toronto Maple Leafs 3 at Detroit Red Wings 2 (SO) (O/U: 5)

The Maple Leafs and Red Wings did battle at the Big House in front of a record crowd of more than 105,000 people; Toronto made it six wins in eight tries for the road team, while the clubs provided the first push in outdoor history.

January 25, 2014: Anaheim Ducks 3 at Los Angeles Kings 0 (O/U: 5)

The Ducks and Kings skated at Dodger Stadium among the sunshine, palm trees and Kiss halftime show. The road team prevailed again as the Ducks dominated play in this low scoring affair.

January 26, 2014: New York Rangers 7 at New Jersey Devils 3 (O/U: 5)

This game got out of hand. Early. The teams combined for nine goals through the first two periods and the road team - the Rangers in this case - prevailed once again in Stadium games.

January 29, 2014: New York Rangers 2, New York Islanders 1 (O/U: 5.5)

The road team wins again. The Rangers prevailed in their second game at Yankee Stadium in a matter of days in this game, which pushed the road team to nine victories.

March 1, 2014: Pittsburgh Penguins 1 at Chicago Blackhawks 5 (O/U: 5.5)

The Blackhawks took control of this game early, outshooting the Penguins 14-5 in the first period. Chicago poured on the offense notching a win for the home teams and topping the total.

March 2, 2014: Ottawa Senators 4 at Vancouver Canucks 2 (O/U: 5)

Vancouver jumped out to a quick 2-0 lead in the first before surrendering four unanswered goals to the Senators. Home fans left sad again with the Sens claiming victory.

January 1, 2015: Chicago Blackhawks 2 at Washington Capitals 3 (O/U 5)

This game looked destined for overtime when in the final 13 seconds Capitals' forward Troy Brouwer scored to make sure the home-town fans left happy in the Nations capital.

February 21, 2015: Los Angeles Kings 2 at San Jose Sharks 1 (O/U 5.5)

Seventy thousand fans in North Cali packed Levi's Stadium to watch the visiting Kings keep the road teams and Under trends alive with a 2-1 win in the second - and final - outdoor game of the 2014-15 NHL season.

January 1, 2016: Montreal Canadiens 5 at Boston Bruins 1 (O/U 5.5)

The Canadiens, who had won seven straight games at TD Garden, took the streak outside and dominated the Bruins 5-1 at Gillette Stadium, home of the New England Patriots. Montreal took control early outshooting Boston 14-5 in the first period and scored the opening goal 1:14 into the game.

February 21, 2016: Chicago Blackhawks 1 at Minnesota Wild 6 (O/U 5)

A home team wins. Minnesota dominated Chicago, Jason Pominville and Erik Haula each had a goal and two assists. For Chicago, their record falls to 1-3 all time in outdoor games.

February 27, 2016: Detroit Red Wings 5 at Colorado Avalanche 3 (O/U 5)

Brad Richards was the hero for the road team in the first outdoor game in Colorado. The Red Wings winger tipped in a rebound with a minute left in the 3rd period. At 65 degrees this was the warmest outdoor game in the history of the NHL event.

October 23, 2016: Edmonton Oilers 3 at Winnipeg Jets 0 (O/U 5.5)

The first outdoor game held in Winnipeg was delayed for almost two hours because of too much sun, officials worried the glare would create safety issues for players. The road team dominated with three second period goals.

January 1, 2017: Detroit Red Wings 4 at Toronto Maple Leafs 5 (OT) (O/U 5.5)

Finally, outdoor hockey comes to Toronto. The road team Red Wings held a 1-0 lead after two periods but were outscored 4-3 in a wild third period and were beaten by an Auston Matthews overtime goal in an instant classic hockey game.

January 2, 2017: Chicago Blackhawks 1 at St. Louis Blues 4 (O/U 5)

The Blues became the second home team to win outdoors in as many days as Vladimir Tarasenko's pair of third period goals proved to be too much for the Blackhawks to overcome. Rain threatened the event throughout, but ended up not being a factor on the ice.

Total: Road team 14-7-0; O/U 9-8-4 (Over is 4-1-1 last six outdoor NHL games)

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Each week, theScore looks at the teams, players, and other hockey figures trending upward and taking a step back. This week, we're taking stock of four of the biggest names reportedly on the block ahead of the trade deadline.

▲ Matt Duchene

He's already arguably the most skilled asset being dangled in potential deals, and the Colorado Avalanche forward is helping to reinforce that assessment with solid play of late.

The club won only one of its four games over the last week, but Duchene picked up three points, including the tying goal in the final minute of regulation in an eventual overtime loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning on Monday night.

He has four points in his last five games, and seven in his last 10.

Every subsequent Avalanche loss further justifies his potential departure, and the combination of their continued futility and his steady production makes a Duchene deal even more of a logical conclusion.

▼ Gabriel Landeskog

Unlike his Colorado teammate, Landeskog didn't exactly boost his value this week.

He was held pointless and registered only nine shots on goal in the four aforementioned games played by the Avalanche, and has only a single assist in his last six.

The Colorado captain certainly remains a hot commodity given his youth, his rare status as a six-year NHL veteran at 24, and his obvious talent, but he didn't do himself any favors in the penultimate week before the deadline.

▲ Kevin Shattenkirk

The St. Louis Blues had a less than ideal week, losing to the Buffalo Sabres and the resurgent Florida Panthers, but Shattenkirk had a major hand in the win over the Vancouver Canucks that preceded those two defeats.

He assisted on three of four Blues goals in the 4-3 victory last Thursday night, including power-play helpers on third-period markers by Vladimir Tarasenko and Alexander Steen that gave St. Louis a lead it wouldn't relinquish.

While it came against a less than formidable opponent, Shattenkirk's stellar performance proved just how much of an impact he can have on the offensive end.

His game isn't as appreciated as that of the two Avalanche forwards by virtue of his position, but he's actually been more productive than both of them this season, and is more likely to move because of his status as a pending unrestricted free agent.

▲ Martin Hanzal

We usually look at two figures trending up and two trending down, but most of the biggest names expected to move before the deadline had very productive weeks.

Hanzal is one such deadline target who's been turning it on at the right time, scoring the Coyotes' lone goal in a loss to the San Jose Sharks on Saturday night.

That gave him five goals in five games, and while he didn't find the back of the net Monday night against the Anaheim Ducks, Hanzal is showing what he can do when he's healthy and motivated.

He's a streaky scorer, having notched only one goal in the nine games before his five-in-five stretch, but the veteran center is showcasing his skills for the visiting scouts nearly every night as the deadline approaches, and that's good news for his current club.

(Photos courtesy: USA Today Sports)

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Follow theScore's fantasy feed on Twitter (@theScoreFantasy) for the latest news, features and more. And download Squad Up, theScore's free-to-win-money sports game.

Here is a look at the Squad Up daily NHL fantasy picture for Thursday, Feb. 23 (all advanced statistics courtesy of Corsica.Hockey and Natural Stat Trick and apply to 5v5 situations):

Dynamic Duos

• LW Richard Panik (46K) & C Jonathan Toews (67K), Blackhawks (vs. Coyotes): Toews has compiled six goals and 14 points through eight games in February. He has tallied at least four shots on goal in all but three of those games, though his 21.4 shooting percentage is more than double his season rate. The Coyotes rank 29th in Corsi For percentage over each teams' past 10 road games at 42.91 percent.

• LW James van Riemsdyk (54K) & C Tyler Bozak (42K), Maple Leafs (vs. Rangers): The Rangers have posted a CF% of just 47.59 through their past 10 games, though they've outscored their opponents 22-16 at 5v5. They went 7-2-1 during the stretch, but they'll meet a Maple Leafs team operating at a 52.46 possession rate. The Bozak line owns a team-best 62.18 rating.

• C Calle Jarnkrok (32K) & RW James Neal (63K), Predators (vs. Avalanche): While Predators LW Filip Forsberg stole headlines with a hat trick in the team's most recent game, but it was actually the trio of Jarnkrok, Neal and RW Colin Wilson which led the team playing 25 percent of 5v5 minutes. The trio has highest Corsi rating of any active threesome on the team.

Goalie Breakdown

• TARGET - Pekka Rinne (120K), Predators (vs. Avalanche): The Avalanche have averaged a moderate 53.48 shot attempts per 60 minutes since Feb. 1, but they still rank 24th in the league with just 7.22 scoring chances per 60. Rinne has allowed at least three goals in each of his past four starts, but he'll come with very low ownership ahead of Thursday's matchup.

• BARGAIN - Thomas Greiss (76K), Islanders (at Canadiens): Montreal has averaged 55.90 shot attempts per 60 minutes over the past nine games, but is turning just 7.41 of those into scoring chances. The Islanders have held opponents to just 54.46 shot attempts per 60 over their last 11 outings.

• FADE - Corey Crawford (123K), Blackhawks (vs. Coyotes): While Crawford has an outstanding chance of picking up the win bonus, the Coyotes have averaged just 48.49 shot attempts per 60 minutes over their past nine games. Crawford won't be able to make enough saves to fulfill his position-leading salary.

• CONTRARIAN - Henrik Lundqvist (85K), Rangers (at Maple Leafs): The Maple Leafs' offense is highly dangerous, as noted above and by their league-best 13.03 scoring chances per 60 minutes since Feb. 1. Lundqvist has been remarkably better on the road this season, posting a .921 save percentage in 18 starts. He has made 30-plus saves in five of his past eight starts.

Bargain Plays

• D Alex Goligoski (25K), Coyotes (at Blackhawks): Goligoski has recently been freed from having to carry the weight of Michael Stone as a defense partner at 5v5. He is now paired with the significantly better Connor Murphy. He operates on the second power-play unit against a Chicago team ranked near the bottom of the league in penalty-kill efficiency.

• C Nick Schmaltz (25K), Blackhawks (vs. Coyotes): Owners not willing to pay the price of Toews' current hot streak can opt for his minimally-priced linemate. Schmaltz has two goals and five assists this month. While he doesn't shoot nearly as often as Toews, the two spend enough time together to rack up some secondary production.

• LW Matthew Tkachuk (25K), Flames (at Lightning): Tkachuk has inexplicably fallen to the minimum salary, making him a clear target for bargain hunters. He is faced with a difficult matchup, but he enters on a three-game point streak with six SOG and five points. His ice time has dipped slightly, but he has been a part of the most-common 5v5 trio.

Top Fades

• RW David Pastrnak (53K), Bruins (at Kings): There's no denying Pastrnak's goal-scoring prowess, but he doesn't provide reliable contributions in any other Squad Up scoring category. The Kings' defensive system is one of the best at shutting down opponents, capping Pastrnak's potential.

• LW Johnny Gaudreau (59K), Flames (at Lightning): Gaudreau notched four assists his last time out, but he remains without a goal this month and has just four SOG over his past two outings. He has a tough road matchup against a Lightning team with the second-best CF rating since Feb. 1.

• C Auston Matthews (67K), Maple Leafs (vs. Rangers): Matthews is tied with Toews as the highest-priced centers, despite having a much more difficult matchup. He has been a steady producer and his Corsi rating supports him, but owners should opt for Bozak's lower salary in a difficult matchup for both.

Contrarian Options

• C Tyler Toffoli (52K), Kings (vs. Bruins): Toffoli is less popular than linemate C Anze Kopitar and owners have to choose between the two when lined up together. The Bruins will start backup G Anton Khudobin, shifting the odds heavily in L.A.'s favor.

• LW Viktor Arvidsson (48K), Predators (vs. Avalanche): Like the case in Los Angeles, owners will need to choose between Arvidsson and LW Filip Forsberg, Thursday, as the two have been re-united with C Ryan Johansen. Opt for some salary savings and pair Arvidsson with the center.

• D Drew Doughty (41K), Kings (vs. Bruins): Doughty doesn't have the offensive ceiling of other defensemen on Thursday's slate, but his matchup against a backup goaltender provides a boost. Owners can always rely on hits and blocked shots in a worst-case scenario.

(Photos courtesy Action Images)

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Another defenseman down.

The Pittsburgh Penguins will be without Trevor Daley for six weeks after he underwent arthroscopic surgery on his left knee, the team announced.

The injury was suffered during Tuesday's game in Carolina.

The Penguins are already playing without Olli Maatta and Justin Schultz, both of whom are injured.

Help is on the way, however, as Pittsburgh acquired defenseman Ron Hainsey from the Hurricanes in exchange for a second-round pick in 2017 and farmhand Danny Kristo.

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The Carolina Hurricanes have traded defenseman Ron Hainsey to the Pittsburgh Penguins for a second-round pick in this year's draft and farmhand Danny Kristo, the Penguins announced Thursday.

More to come.

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Boston Bruins general manager Don Sweeney doesn't appear to have any interest in trading young defenseman Brandon Carlo.

Related: Bruins must resist temptation to trade top young D

While Sweeney conceded any player could conceivably be dealt at some point - citing that even Wayne Gretzky was traded - he's still intent on retooling from within, with Carlo emerging as a key piece, according to Kevin Paul DuPont of the Boston Globe.

"The commitment of our organization, to how we are trying to build, to the times we've done it correctly - you know, Bergy (Patrice Bergeron), (David) Krejci, (Brad) Marchand, (David) Pastrnak - that's where you want to be," Sweeney said. "We want to be a team that believes it has internal fixes, that you are growing those players."

Carlo, then, is "not worried about that he is going somewhere," Sweeney added.

In 50 games with the Bruins, Carlo has scored five goals (including one in a loss to Anaheim on Wednesday) and added nine assists while averaging 21:17 on the Bruins' blue line, the third-highest average ice time on the team and third among all rookie defensemen.

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The date was Dec. 23, and in their final game before the NHL's holiday break, the New York Islanders beat the Buffalo Sabres 5-1, bringing them level with the defeated at the bottom of the Eastern Conference standings at 32 points.

Exactly two months later, the Islanders awake to find themselves occupying the second wild-card spot, courtesy of regulation losses suffered Wednesday by the Florida Panthers and Boston Bruins.

Here's two reasons why the drastic turn of events may have occurred:

Coaching change

A lot has happened in Brooklyn over the past two months, not the least of which being the decision to fire head coach Jack Capuano and hand the reins to assistant Doug Weight on Jan. 17.

Including the Dec. 23 win over Buffalo, the Islanders have a 16-7-4 record, tying two teams (San Jose and Toronto) for the third-highest point total over that span (36).

Capuano was behind the bench for 10 of those games, guiding the club to a 5-3-2 record. Under Weight, however, the wins have been more regular; in 17 games, the Islanders have a 11-4-2 record, accumulating a league-high 24 points since he took over as head coach.

Players stepping up

On top of the coaching change, goaltender Jaroslav Halak was placed on waivers and sent down to the AHL on Dec. 31, giving Thomas Greiss the opportunity to secure the starting job once and for all. In 19 starts in 2017, Greiss' record stands at 10-6-3 with a .915 save percentage.

It also helps that certain veteran forwards have picked up their games of late. High-priced free-agent signing Andrew Ladd has eight goals in 14 games to lead the Islanders since Weight took over, the same amount he had in 41 games prior.

And Jason Chimera, also signed last summer, has scored seven goals in 17 games after managing eight in 42 games to start the season.

John Tavares, of course, remains the straw that stirs the Islanders offensive drink, and he's been averaging a point per game over the past two months after an uncharacteristically slow start to the season.

Weight's team will play the second game of an eight-date road trip Thursday in Montreal, and the Islanders will return home March 13 with a much better idea of where they stand after this tough stretch in the schedule.

There's still plenty of hockey to be played, but the Islanders' turnaround should not go unnoticed.

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Rickard Rakell is perhaps the only Anaheim Ducks forward who should feel good about his offensive game lately, and even he was mired in a five-goal goalless streak when the surging Boston Bruins visited.

Rakell came through with two scores in a game that reminded the Ducks they can still fill a net on occasion.

Rakell scored the tiebreaking goal with 2:34 to play, and the Ducks snapped Boston's four-game winning streak under new coach Bruce Cassidy with a 5-3 victory Wednesday night.

Rakell also scored in the second period for the Ducks, giving him 24 goals in his outstanding season. Ondrej Kase, Josh Manson and Andrew Cogliano also scored for Anaheim, and Jonathan Bernier made 26 saves in his first victory since Jan. 23.

The Ducks had scored just five goals in their previous four games during an up-and-down February, and they had just four goals in 258 minutes before Kase scored early in the second. They can't afford much of a slump in the Pacific Division race with San Jose and Edmonton, but the Ducks are keeping pace.

''It was nice to get the bounces tonight,'' said Rakell, who tapped home a loose puck for the game-winning goal. ''We've been having a tough time over the last couple of games to get something going. It was nice that we were able to help the team.''

The Ducks killed five Boston power plays, but Frank Vatrano slipped behind Manson and scored on a breakaway with 8:25 left.

Rakell then scored after the puck deflected off Corey Perry, who had two assists. Cogliano got credit for an empty-net goal with 48.7 seconds left when Torey Krug hooked him to the ice with a clear path to the net.

''Five is a nice number, but three is the better number,'' Anaheim assistant coach Paul MacLean said. ''Our defensive game was a real big reason why we ended up winning the game. We had a couple of goal posts that helped us as well.''

The Bruins hadn't lost since Cassidy replaced Claude Julien on Feb. 7. Defensemen Brandon Carlo and Zdeno Chara scored early goals, and Tuukka Rask stopped 20 shots as Boston lost to Anaheim for the seventh straight time.

''I thought we played hard to get back into the game against a good hockey team that defends well,'' Cassidy said. ''I think the guys are frustrated. The positive with that is we knew we could have won that hockey game if we just took care of a few things here or there. Nothing worse than going out of a game thinking you had no chance. We definitely had our chance.''

Bernier started his second straight game in place of John Gibson, a late scratch with a lower-body injury. He made a handful of jaw-dropping saves, including a diving stop of Patrice Bergeron with his stick.

''You don't want to make those saves, because it means you're out of position,'' Bernier said.

Forward Nic Kerdiles made his NHL debut for the Ducks, becoming the first player from Orange County to suit up for Anaheim.

Kerdiles lived in Irvine for most of his childhood and regularly attended games at Honda Center before the club drafted him in 2012. The 23-year-old scorer missed several months earlier this season with a concussion, but has played 10 outstanding games for the Ducks' AHL affiliate in San Diego.

Matt Beleskey returned to the Bruins' lineup after sitting as a healthy scratch in two of the previous three games. The longtime Ducks forward, who got a $19.8-million contract from Boston after scoring a career-best 22 goals for Anaheim in 2014-15, hasn't had a goal in 17 games since Nov. 19.

NOTES: The Ducks recalled Jhonas Enroth from San Diego to back up Bernier. Enroth, acquired from Toronto in December, has suited up for five NHL teams in just over two years. ... Boston F Tim Schaller was scratched for the second time in three games. ... Chara played his 798th game for the Bruins, the most by a European player in franchise history.

UP NEXT

Bruins: At Kings on Thursday.

Ducks: At Kings on Saturday.

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