In the third edition of theScore's Calder Trophy Power Rankings, we feature one rookie making his debut on the list, and four others who have been jockeying for position throughout the 2019-20 season.
5. Ilya Mikheyev, Toronto Maple Leafs
Mark Blinch / National Hockey League / Getty
GP
P
ATOI
xGF%
39
23
15:35
53.02
Unfortunately, this will be Mikheyev's final appearance in these rankings, as he's been sidelined indefinitely following a scary incident when a skate sliced his wrist.
Although he's bound to fall out of the race, Mikheyev's freshman showing deserves some recognition. The 25-year-old Russian is fourth in rookie scoring, and he developed into a fixture in the Maple Leafs' top six under head coach Sheldon Keefe before the injury.
4. John Marino, Pittsburgh Penguins
Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / Getty
GP
P
ATOI
xGF%
37
18
20:07
57.58
A pair of defensemen have been dominating these rankings, but it's time to shed some light on Marino, the rearguard who's been shining in anonymity for the Penguins.
Injuries have thrust the 22-year-old into an elevated role, and Marino now ranks fourth among rookies in average ice time, is tied for seventh in points, and he owns the top expected goals rate among Pittsburgh blue-liners.
3. Quinn Hughes, Vancouver Canucks
Jeff Vinnick / National Hockey League / Getty
GP
P
ATOI
xGF%
39
28
21:15
55.89
Hughes is enjoying a fantastic season, but although he's likely to be a finalist by the end of the campaign, the Canucks defenseman has fallen out of the No. 2 spot on our list for the first time.
The 20-year-old ranks first in rookie ice time and third in points, but a quiet December production-wise bumps him down a spot. After finding the scoresheet 12 times over 14 games in November, Hughes registered just six points in 13 contests this month despite an uptick in minutes.
2. Victor Olofsson, Buffalo Sabres
Jared Silber / National Hockey League / Getty
GP
P
ATOI
xGF%
40
34
18:48
48.52
Olofsson returns to our ranks after missing the cut in November. The Sabres rookie posted his best month yet in December, recording six goals and eight assists in 13 games.
The 24-year-old sniper should remain in the Calder conversation throughout the year while playing alongside Jack Eichel on Buffalo's top line.
1. Cale Makar, Colorado Avalanche
Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / Getty
GP
P
ATOI
xGF%
31
29
20:27
52.98
He's only appeared in five games this month, but Makar is still the front-runner for rookie-of-the-year honors.
Despite missing eight outings, the Avalanche defenseman still ranks second among his peers in points, and first in points per game. While he was out, Colorado's usually dangerous power play ranked 20th while converting just 18.5 percent of its opportunities, and the team struggled to find consistency, posting a 4-4 record.
"I can't speak for them (teammates), I can only talk for myself, and obviously I know I've been pretty shit lately," Draisaitl said to reporters on Monday, per TSN. "It happens, those stretches, they happen. Maybe it's a little too long for myself, but you know tomorrow's a new day."
Despite still being second in the league in scoring, trailing only teammate Connor McDavid, Draisaitl has been on a bit of a skid as of late. He's a -18 over his team's last 10 games, of which they've lost eight. During that span, he's recorded three goals and five assists.
"I've always been very good at assessing my own game and I have no problem saying that I haven't been playing to my capabilities," Draisaitl added. "Like I said, those stretches happen and I've always come out of them as a better player and I'm positive that it'll happen this time too."
The 24-year-old had an electric first half of the year, recording 22 goals and 61 points in 41 games. Once atop the Pacific Division, the Oilers now sit in fifth place.
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Nothing says outdoor hockey quite like Dallas, am I right? And when you think of Cotton Bowl Stadium, your mind obviously goes straight to the National Hockey League, not the Red River Rivalry.
On New Year's Day 2020, the Dallas Stars and Nashville Predators will meet in the NHL's annual outdoor special. Here's everything you need to know about the game from a betting perspective:
Line movement
The Stars opened as slight favorites at -120, with the Predators sitting at -105. Nashville is 6-2 straight up (SU) as underdogs this season, while Dallas is 2-5 SU as favorites between -110 and -125. A total of 5.5 is expected.
Betting breakdown
First and foremost, this will be the southernmost outdoor game in North American hockey history. Of the over 100 outdoor contests previously held in North America, only five have taken place south of the 39th degree of latitude - yes, we're getting technical.
DATE
LOCATION
LEAGUE
RESULT
January 2017
Bakersfield (Calif.)
AHL
Condors 3-2 Reign
January 2017
St. Louis
NHL
Blues 4-1 Blackhawks
December 2015
Sacramento
AHL
Heat 3-2 Condors
February 2015
Santa Clara (Calif.)
NHL
Sharks 1-2 Kings
January 2014
Los Angeles
NHL
Kings 0-3 Ducks
Dallas has an average daily high temperature of 55 degrees Fahrenheit in January, similar to that of Bakersfield, Sacramento, and Santa Clara. Warmer climates result in softer ice surfaces, which drastically impact game totals. All five matchups listed above finished under 5.5 goals.
Those conditions happen to be right in line with the type of hockey the Stars prefer to play. Dallas is 25-12-2 (67.6%) to the under this season, the highest percentage of any NHL team. The Stars are also the most profitable club to the under on home ice, posting a 16-5 record.
However, the Predators are the most profitable team to the over on the road, with a 13-4 mark in that regard, and the last six regular-season meetings between these clubs in Dallas have gone over the total. It'll be a true clash of styles when these two meet at Cotton Bowl Stadium.
Nashville has won three of its last four regular-season games in Dallas, though the Predators lost two of their three trips to Texas in the playoffs last season.
X-factor
Ice quality will be a significant determining factor in how this game plays out. The warmer the weather, the softer the ice will be, leading to slower play and less offense. That plays right into the Stars' strengths.
Pick
Under 5.5 goals
It's hard to imagine the conditions in Dallas being conducive to a fast-paced hockey game. The soft ice will mitigate the high tempo the Predators typically like to employ and result in a low-scoring affair. Roll with the under, and parlay it with a Dallas win, if you're looking to start 2020 out with a bang.
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.
The rosters for the 2020 NHL All-Star Game were announced Monday. The league's annual weekend festivities will take place Jan. 24-25 in St. Louis.
Each club will consist of 11 total players, including nine skaters and two goalies. The NHL will allow fans to vote for the last player to make each team, with voting set to open Jan. 1.
Korpisalo suffered a non-contact injury while facing the first shooter of a shootout on Sunday against the Chicago Blackhawks.
A tough scene in Columbus as @BlueJacketsNHL goalie Joonas Korpisalo appears to get injured in the shootout. Backup Elvis Merzlikins came in cold to finish the game. pic.twitter.com/jK3DpJkJ4G
Backup goaltender Elvis Merzlikins was forced to enter the shootout cold and allowed a goal on the Blackhawks' second attempt. The Blue Jackets went on to lose.
Korpisalo, 25, has been one of the league's better goaltenders this year. In his first season as a starter, he holds a 17-10-4 record alongside a .913 save percentage and 2.49 goals-against average.
We'll be revealing our cumulative all-decade team power rankings Wednesday, but in the meantime, here are the five best NHL team campaigns of the 2010s, as voted on by theScore's hockey staff:
5. Boston Bruins, 2010-11
Harry How / Getty Images Sport / Getty
Regular-season record: 46-25-11 Playoff losses: 9
Tim Thomas, who produced one of the best individual seasons of the decade, led the deep and versatile Bruins, a team that secured a championship with an impressive mix of experience and youth.
Thomas, who turned 37 in April 2011, posted a ridiculous .938 regular-season save percentage, and he somehow improved on it with a .940 mark across 25 postseason games that spring. The eccentric netminder was a no-brainer for the Conn Smythe Trophy.
Zdeno Chara, who celebrated his 34th birthday in March 2011, was also instrumental to this squad's success while helping to establish the team as a defensive juggernaut. Throw in blossoming two-way stalwarts Patrice Bergeron and David Krejci, plus Milan Lucic at his gritty, goal-scoring peak, and it's easy to see why this club was so successful.
4. Kings, 2013-14
Dave Sandford / National Hockey League / Getty
Regular-season record: 46-28-8 Playoff losses: 10
If there was any doubt about Los Angeles being a true powerhouse after winning the Stanley Cup as the No. 8 seed two years beforehand, this championship club put those thoughts to rest.
Like the aforementioned Bruins, defensive domination defined these Kings, with the squad ranking first in goals against. While this Los Angeles team was much worse offensively than the rest of the clubs on this list, it possessed just enough scoring to put away more dynamic opponents, and its defensive prowess was unmatched in 2013-14.
Alec Martinez's title-clinching double-overtime winner was a dramatic moment, but the Kings prevailing in that Stanley Cup Final felt inevitable. They dispatched the New York Rangers in five contests after winning three seven-game series during the previous rounds, including overcoming a 3-0 series deficit to eliminate the San Jose Sharks in the first round.
3. Penguins, 2015-16
Bruce Bennett / Getty Images Sport / Getty
Regular-season record: 48-26-8 Playoff losses: 8
After leading Pittsburgh to a title seven years prior, Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin did it again for the first of consecutive championships. Despite posting two fewer wins than the 2016-17 team, these Penguins were better defensively.
This squad was more balanced, ranking third in regular-season goals for per game and sixth in goals against (compared to one year later when it ranked first and 17th, respectively). The team was also healthier with Kris Letang in tow, unlike 2016-17 when the star blue-liner missed half the regular season and the entire postseason.
Rookie goaltender Matt Murray burst onto the scene with a .930 save percentage in 13 regular-season games in 2015-16. He then supplanted Marc-Andre Fleury as the club's starter with a .923 save percentage across 21 playoff contests that spring, helping Pittsburgh restore its status as the league's most complete squad.
2. Blackhawks, 2012-13
Bruce Bennett / Getty Images Sport / Getty
Regular-season record: 36-7-5 Playoff losses: 7
Chicago won its second title of the decade, doing it in a lockout year. Even in an abbreviated regular season, the team still posted one of the most dominant campaigns of the 2010s, winning an astounding 75% of its regular-season contests, and 70% of its playoff games.
The team went 21-0-3 to begin the year, putting together the longest point streak to start a season, and the second-longest streak without a regulation loss in NHL history. The run actually amounted to 30 games dating back to the 2011-12 regular season. Chicago continued to be a force the rest of the way in 2012-13, ranking second in goals per game and first in goals against.
This edition of the Blackhawks is also the most recent Presidents' Trophy winner to hoist the Cup, an accomplishment that remains impressive despite the shortened schedule.
1. Blackhawks, 2009-10
Bruce Bennett / Getty Images Sport / Getty
Regular-season record: 52-22-8 Playoff losses: 6
This Blackhawks squad was absolutely loaded with talent, with all the team's stars in their primes. It delivered in spades, posting the most victories in a campaign among Cup winners in the decade.
With 21-year-old superstars Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews anchoring the team, along with a Norris Trophy season from Duncan Keith, and key contributions from Patrick Sharp, Marian Hossa, and Dustin Byfuglien, this was the Blackhawks in all their glory before salary-cap casualties piled up. The team's average age was 26.6, tying the 2008-09 Penguins as the youngest champs since '98-99.
Kane's awkward game-winner to clinch the Cup didn't diminish what this club achieved during the season, as the first NHL title of the decade and Chicago's first of three in a six-year span capped off the best team season in the 2010s.
Just missed the cut
Penguins, 2016-17: Pittsburgh became the first club to repeat as champions since the Detroit Red Wings in 1997 and '98.
Kings, 2011-12: Los Angeles' first Stanley Cup-winning squad wasn't as good as the one that won it two years later, but only three championship-winning teams since 1927 boast a better save percentage than this Kings club.
Tampa Bay Lightning, 2018-19: The Bolts' historically dominant regular season is still worth recognizing despite their first-round face-plant.
Vancouver Canucks, 2010-11: The stacked Cup finalists came within a game of winning it all after posting the league's best record in the regular season.
Capitals 2017-18: Only the 2009-10 Blackhawks and 2016-17 Penguins won more games than this Washington team among Cup champs in the decade.
