The New York Rangers dealt forward Vladislav Namestnikov to the Ottawa Senators, the clubs announced Monday night.

New York receives a 2021 fourth-round pick, plus defenseman Nick Ebert, with the Rangers retaining 18.75% of Namestnikov's $4-million cap hit.

Namestnikov is in the final season of a two-year, $8-million pact he inked with the Rangers on July 1, 2018.

The 26-year-old collected 11 goals and 31 points in 78 games with the Rangers last season. He spent parts of three campaigns with New York after being acquired from the Tampa Bay Lightning in the Ryan McDonagh deal in February 2018.

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It sure is nice to have hockey back. Of course, with so many games to watch, it can be hard to find the time to properly dig into each matchup to find the best spots.

Well, now you don't have to. Here, we'll delve through the midweek slate so you have time to stop at the store on your way home from work to restock the beverage fridge.

Game betting

St. Louis Blues at Toronto Maple Leafs (Monday)

This will mark the fourth game in six nights for the Maple Leafs, who are coming off an emotionally taxing shootout loss to the Canadiens on Saturday night. The Blues come into this one rested and on a six-game winning streak against Toronto. Goals could be at a premium in this one.

Winnipeg Jets at Pittsburgh Penguins (Tuesday)

The Jets are looking for their first win in Pittsburgh since moving back to Winnipeg. They've lost all nine of their games away to the Penguins - 18 straight dating back to the Atlanta Thrashers days, with their last win coming in December 2006. This will also be the fourth contest in six nights for the Jets.

Los Angeles Kings at Calgary Flames (Tuesday)

Goals might be hard to come by when the Kings and Flames square off at the Saddledome. They had a run of five unders snapped in their final meeting of last season, while eight of their last 11 encounters have finished with fewer than 5.5 goals.

Tampa Bay Lightning at Toronto Maple Leafs (Thursday)

The Leafs certainly have their hands full this week as their date with the defending champion Blues is followed by a visit from the Cup favorite Lightning. Tampa will be rested, having been off since Sunday and should be motivated following its loss to the Hurricanes if Steven Stamkos' recent comments are anything to go by.

Detroit Red Wings at Montreal Canadiens (Thursday)

The Canadiens have won nine straight over the Red Wings, including six by at least two goals. The Bell Centre should be loud with this being the Habs' home opener. The puck line warrants a long look here.

Vegas Golden Knights at Arizona Coyotes (Thursday)

The Coyotes are still looking for their first victory over the Golden Knights in Arizona, with Vegas winning all four of its visits to the desert.

Game props

Buffalo Sabres at Columbus Blue Jackets (Monday)

Goals have been plentiful in the early stages of this season, and Monday night in Columbus should be no different. Nine of the last 10 meetings between the Sabres and Blue Jackets in Ohio have gone over 1.5 first-period goals.

San Jose Sharks at Nashville Predators (Tuesday)

Nashville's forwards must light up when they see a visit from the Sharks on the calendar. The Predators have scored 23 goals in their last four home games against San Jose. They've also potted at least four goals in each of their last seven contests at SAP Center versus the Sharks. Fire up that team total over.

Montreal Canadiens at Buffalo Sabres (Wednesday)

If you bet the over in the first period each time these two teams met over the past few years, you'd have flushed a large amount of money down the toilet. Just twice in the last 11 meetings have there been more than one goal in the first frame.

Calgary Flames at Dallas Stars (Thursday)

The Flames haven't scored a first-period goal in any of their last five visits to Dallas. The Stars haven't managed many either. None of those games have seen a first-period over hit. Calgary's team total under is worth a look here as well.

Vegas Golden Knights at Arizona Coyotes (Thursday)

As mentioned above, Vegas is 4-0 in franchise history in Phoenix. What wasn't mentioned is that the Coyotes have scored a combined six goals in those games. I'll take the under on that team total, thanks.

Player props

Detroit Red Wings at Montreal Canadiens (Thursday)

Brendan Gallagher will be rolling out the red carpet for the Red Wings. He's scored 13 goals in 21 career games against Detroit for a higher goals-per-game mark than he's managed against any other franchise. You should be able to get him at close to +200 to score in this one, too.

San Jose Sharks at Chicago Blackhawks (Thursday)

Tomas Hertl scored a goal in each of his three games against the Blackhawks last season, adding three total assists for good measure. Back him to score again Thursday. Alex Debrincat is worth a flier as well after scoring a trio of goals in as many contests against the Sharks in 2018-19.

Alex Moretto is a sports betting writer for theScore. A journalism graduate from Guelph-Humber University, he has worked in sports media for over a decade. He will bet on anything from the Super Bowl to amateur soccer, is too impatient for futures, and will never trust a kicker. Find him on Twitter @alexjmoretto.

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San Jose Sharks forward Evander Kane isn't changing his stance on NHL referees after serving his three-game suspension for abuse of officials.

"I'm sure you guys have heard my comments about it after the game," Kane said, according to the Mercury News' Curtis Pashelka. "I stand by what I said."

Kane's suspension came after an altercation with a linesman during the team's preseason finale against the Vegas Golden Knights on Oct. 1.

The 28-year-old opted not to appeal the suspension due to the Sharks' busy schedule to start the season and the lengthy process that comes with a formal review.

"That's what's in the CBA, that's what is in the rulebook," Kane said. "No matter what I guess transpires, the player's accountable for it. Doesn't make a lot of sense, but it is what it is."

The Sharks have opened the season with three straight losses and take on the Nashville Predators on Tuesday.

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The nature of - and recovery timetable for - Evgeni Malkin's injury is becoming more clear.

Malkin suffered a soft-tissue injury to his leg and is expected to be out at least a month, TSN's Darren Dreger reports.

More to come.

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The Winnipeg Jets will have their top defenseman back in the lineup on Tuesday against the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Although Josh Morrissey missed Sunday's game against the New York Islanders after suffering a lower-body injury in warmup, he's now good to go, according to The Athletic's Ken Wiebe.

The Jets' depleted defense will yet again have a different look on Tuesday, though. Veteran Dmitry Kulikov is away for a personal matter and former AHL defenseman of the year Sami Niku has been recalled from the minors, Wiebe added.

Winnipeg's blue line underwent major reconstruction this summer. Jacob Trouba was traded to the New York Rangers, Tyler Myers and Ben Chiarot departed in free agency, and Dustin Byfuglien is contemplating retirement.

Morrissey has been thrust into No. 1 duties, while Neal Pionk and 2019 first-rounder Ville Heinola - both of whom were acquired in the Trouba trade - have logged big minutes. Journeymen Anthony Bitetto, Tucker Poolman, and Carl Dahlstrom round out the defense corps.

The Jets have allowed 14 goals in three contests, though poor goaltending has also played a part.

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Every Monday, theScore offers a weekly fantasy hockey column detailing a handful of moves you should make. This week's edition focuses on Week 1. Ownership percentages and position eligibility are courtesy of Yahoo.

Add Victor Olofsson

Team: Sabres
Position: LW/RW
Ownership: 42%

Olofsson is seizing the opportunity of a lifetime. Skating on Buffalo's first line with Jack Eichel and Sam Reinhart, the 24-year-old rookie has two goals and an assist through two games.

The NHL sample size (seven points in eight career games) is awfully small, but Olofsson recorded 63 points in 66 AHL games last season and was a highly productive player in the Swedish league prior to 2018-19. Still owned in less than half of all leagues, Olofsson needs to be picked up ASAP.

Trade Connor Hellebuyck

Team: Jets
Position: G
Ownership: 93%

Anyone foolish enough to draft Hellebuyck prior to the season should be looking to part ways with him immediately. Winnipeg's defense was decimated in the offseason: Jacob Trouba was traded, Tyler Myers and Ben Chiarot departed as free agents, and Dustin Byfuglien is contemplating retirement. What was once one of the league's best blue lines is now arguably the worst.

Even with a strong team in front of him last season, Hellebuyck was just average. But, he started 62 games, making him a valuable commodity in a league with plenty of platoons in goal.

Head coach Paul Maurice's confidence in Hellebuyck could be waning after the netminder was lit up in the opener; Laurent Brossoit has started the last two games for Winnipeg.

Hellebuyck is not worth dropping in 12-plus team leagues, but start looking at swapping him for another goalie, or if you have enough depth between the pipes, a skater who can help your team.

Add Jaroslav Halak

Team: Bruins
Position: G
Ownership: 31%

It's quite surprising Halak is owned in less than a third of all leagues. While he didn't appear in the playoffs, the veteran netminder played in 40 games for the Bruins during the regular season, sporting a .922 save percentage and 2.34 goals-against average.

It would be wise of Boston to limit Tuukka Rask's workload after a grueling postseason run, especially with a capable backup in Halak. Expect a near 50-50 split. Halak is already off to a hot start with a 35-save shutout in his first game.

Add Andreas Johnsson

Team: Maple Leafs
Position: LW/RW
Ownership: 38%

Johnsson hasn't recorded a point yet this season, but expect that to change soon. He's skating on a line with Auston Matthews and William Nylander, and serves as the net-front presence on Toronto's loaded No. 1 power-play unit.

The 24-year-old Swede is coming off an impressive rookie season in which he tallied 18 of his 20 goals and 40 of his 43 points in his final 55 games. He'll start filling the stat sheet in no time.

Don't overreact to early developments

If your team is taking a beating so far in your Week 1 matchup, or if your early-round picks aren't delivering, don't worry about it. It's a long season. There's no need to make irrational trades over one week. If you did your homework before your draft, trust the team you selected.

Dropping the players taken near the end of your draft in exchange for some of the aforementioned names is fine, but there's no need for a dramatic shake-up.

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Pittsburgh Penguins forwards Evgeni Malkin and Nick Bjugstad will be out long term with lower-body injuries, head coach Mike Sullivan said Monday, according to NHL.com's Wes Crosby.

Malkin projects to be out longer than Bjugstad, Sullivan added, though his injury is not expected to be season-ending.

The 33-year-old center tripped over his own teammate while skating with the puck Saturday night against the Columbus Blue Jackets. He was then hit awkwardly into the boards while on his knees.

Malkin was eager to bounce back this season after a down year in 2018-19. He's played more than just 70 games once in the last seven campaigns.

Pittsburgh's depth down the middle of the ice will be tested with its second- and third-line centers both shelved. Jared McCann, a natural pivot who's played primarily on the wing since joining the Penguins, will likely shift back to center. Teddy Blueger, who was centering the fourth line, could see an increased role.

The Penguins could also shift Alex Galchenyuk to center, but he's struggled with the defensive responsibilities of the position in the past.

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Tampa Bay Lightning captain Steven Stamkos is calling for some major improvements from his squad just three games into the 2019-20 campaign.

The Bolts, who are Stanley Cup favorites again this season, fell to 1-1-1 on Sunday after a humiliating overtime loss to the Carolina Hurricanes in which Tampa failed to record a single shot on goal in the second period. It was the Lightning's second defeat in as many nights, and Stamkos has seen enough.

"We just continue to be the freewheeling team that thinks we can just come into games and win because we're skilled," Stamkos told Diana C. Nearhos of the Tampa Bay Times. "We keep falling back into the same old habits that we've been doing, that cost us the season we had last year.

"Unless we change things, it's going to be a really, really, really long year."

Stamkos' comments refer to last year's playoffs, where the Lightning were swept by the Blue Jackets in the first round. Columbus ultimately derailed Tampa's Presidents' Trophy-winning campaign with a physically dominant showing.

The sweep was the most disappointing defeat in a long list of recent playoff shortcomings for the franchise, and the Lightning are under significant pressure this season to finally get over the playoff hump after returning virtually the same roster from a year ago.

"Everyone is sick of talking about it and not doing it," Stamkos said. "Let's go do it."

Stamkos has scored two goals in three games while averaging over 20 minutes per night to start the season.

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