New Jersey Devils defenseman P.K. Subban spoke at length Monday about the late Kobe Bryant, sharing thoughts and stories about his relationship with the Los Angeles Lakers legend.
"This affects everybody in the sports world, anybody that has a heart," Subban said. "He touched a lot of lives, he's touching more now. ... All you want to do is pray for the family and you hope that Vanessa and the kids and everyone stays strong."
Bryant, his 13-year-old daughter, Gianna, and seven others were killed Sunday in a helicopter crash in Calabasas, California.
Subban said he wasn't overly close with Bryant, but the two were friends, and he leaned on the five-time NBA champion for advice and inspiration.
"I'm just very happy to have had that type of relationship with him," Subban said. "I wasn't best friends with Kobe or anything like that, but I'm sure you can understand the impact of just being able to feel like you can touch him and connect with him. He was that big."
Subban advanced to the Stanley Cup Final in 2017 as a member of the Nashville Predators. During the series, he says he regularly communicated with Bryant.
"When I was at his last game against the Celtics, I connected with him and told him that I wanted to look (at) him for some advice throughout my career," he said. "I ended up going to the Stanley Cup Finals and was in touch with him throughout the whole final."
He added, "When I dream about playing in big games and wanting to make a difference, all that comes from him."
Subban was traded to the Devils this past summer. He's posted six goals and five assists across 48 games in his first season in New Jersey.
Find line reports, best bets, and subscribe to push notifications in the Betting News section.
The NHL returns following a four-day break for All-Star Weekend that felt like an eternity.
But meaningful hockey is back, and with 10 weeks left in the regular season, every game starts to become a bit more meaningful.
Before we dive into Monday's games, here's an embarrassing recap of my degenerate weekend betting on the All-Star Game.
GOATs and scapegoats
The NHL may have taken a break over the weekend, but I refused to follow suit. Betting on the All-Star Game is as minus-expected value (-EV) as it gets, but I just couldn't help myself. In doing my research, I came across some info that I felt gave Team Central an edge heading into the three-on-three tournament, and I ran with it.
I always said the NHL All-Star Game was a complete joke and you'd have to hate money to bet on it.
Well, I'm doing research for an article and I've just convinced myself to place a needlessly large wager on the Central Division at +240. I need help.
Well, San Jose Sharks forward Tomas Hertl scored four goals, Edmonton Oilers star Leon Draisaitl potted a hat trick, and Team Central collapsed in front of its home fans in St. Louis, losing 10-5 in the tournament opener to Team Pacific, which scored the game's final five goals. I was livid, so naturally, I chased.
Rarely do these situations have happy endings, but I'm pleased to announce I live bet Team Pacific in the final at +275 after Team Atlantic opened up an early 2-0 lead. Team Pacific eventually battled back, and Hertl, who was an absolute assassin during All-Star Weekend, returned the favor after shafting me in the tournament opener, scoring the game-winner with a couple of minutes to go. My losses were recouped, but I'm still coming to grips with the fact that I bet unnecessary amounts of money on a game of pond hockey.
Monday's bets
Dallas Stars (+115)
No team in the Western Conference has a better record since Oct. 18 than the Dallas Stars (26-10-3), who are also 15-5-1 at home over that span. And, for as well as the Tampa Bay Lightning have been playing, they've been a mixed bag away from home. The Bolts have lost two of their last three on the road to a pair of much weaker teams in the Minnesota Wild and New Jersey Devils, and have just one road win over the past three months against clubs currently in the top three of their respective divisions.
Now they travel to take on a Stars team that's incredibly hard to beat on home ice, with goaltender Ben Bishop getting a shot against his former club. It's rare to get value with Dallas on home ice, but it's present here given the quality of the team's opposition, and it would be foolish not to take advantage.
Vancouver Canucks (+110)
We can apply the same logic we used for the Stars on the Canucks. Vancouver is one of the league's best teams on home ice, winning eight games in a row at Rogers Arena and 11 of 13 since Dec. 1. Meanwhile, the St. Louis Blues have lost four in a row on the road and six of their last nine. Their only wins over that stretch have come against a few of the weaker teams in the Western Conference - the Sharks, Los Angeles Kings, and Winnipeg Jets. Of those nine road games, five of them came against teams with 57 points or more, and they've posted an 0-5 record in those contests. Trust the Canucks on home ice.
Bonus play: Vancouver has a tendency to play a lot of close games when the league's best teams visit Rogers Arena. On home ice this season, the Canucks have gone to overtime against the Vegas Golden Knights, Colorado Avalanche, Washington Capitals, and the Blues. Betting on this game to be tied after 60 minutes at +300 is hardly the worst bet in the world.
Best bet
Toronto Maple Leafs (-105)
Despite underwhelming results, the Toronto Maple Leafs and Nashville Predators remain two of the most overvalued teams in the NHL by oddsmakers. This is a huge game to kick off the stretch run, with both clubs mired in a slump, but Toronto's struggles have largely come down to its play on home ice. On the road, the Leafs are 10-4 under Sheldon Keefe, including a very impressive 7-1 record against Western Conference teams. They're also on a 5-1 run away from Scotiabank Arena.
A road trip might be what Nashville needs right about now. The Predators are 5-11 straight up (SU) at home since the end of October and are on a 2-5 run in Nashville to Eastern Conference teams, beating only the Devils and Buffalo Sabres while losing to clubs that include the Lightning, Pittsburgh Penguins, Boston Bruins, and Florida Panthers. The Leafs may be overrated, but they're a lot closer to that second group than the first one, and the Predators are too much of a mess to trust right now.
The Habs have averaged just under two goals per game (1.93) over that span, while the Caps have averaged 3.67. Montreal is also 4-13 SU since mid-November, while Washington is 18-6-1 on the road this season. However, Alex Ovechkin is suspended for this matchup as a result of skipping the All-Star Game, and he's been a Canadiens killer in his career. Ovechkin's recorded 11 goals and five assists in 11 games at the Bell Centre over the past seven seasons. Avoid this contest with Ovechkin out and Montreal desperate.
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.
One of the Buffalo Sabres' key offensive weapons will return to the lineup Tuesday night.
Jeff Skinner "is a go" against the Ottawa Senators, Sabres head coach Ralph Krueger said Monday.
The 27-year-old winger has missed the last 10 games with what the club called an upper-body injury. He was hurt Dec. 27 and was expected to miss three-to-four weeks.
Skinner has collected 11 goals and 19 points in 39 games this season, but he's gone 11 games without scoring.
He signed an eight-year, $72-million extension with the Sabres in June 2019 after pouring in a career-high 40 goals and tying a career best with 63 points in 2018-19.
Shortly after announcing that the Florida Panthers will host the 2021 All-Star Game, NHL commissioner Gary Bettman added that the event could feature a "distinct international flavor."
What that could mean remains to be seen, but the players are intrigued.
The current All-Star Game format has been criticized for a perceived lack of effort from players. But there's a notion that putting international bragging rights on the line might light a fire under the participants.
"I think any time you get some country rivalries going, there'll be a little more aggressiveness," Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Jaccob Slavin said.
The NHL hasn't staged an international event since the World Cup of Hockey in 2016, and with the league's future at the Olympics unclear, a country-based All-Star event could be the next step.
The league has done something similar in the past. Each All-Star Game from 1998 through 2001 featured Team North America against Team World.
Several members of the hockey world took to Twitter to offer their condolences and mourn the sudden deaths of Kobe Bryant and his daughter, Gianna, on Sunday after both died in a helicopter crash in Calabasas, California, that claimed the lives of nine people.
The NHL issued a statement on the tragic news that shook the sporting world:
Sad to hear of the passing of Kobe Bryant. A champion on and off the court. My condolences to the Bryant Family and those effected by today’s events. #Kobepic.twitter.com/wr2PW768Mv
Shocked and in complete disbelief... A father, husband, legend, and idol gone way too soon. Thank you for the time, the lessons, and 20 years of greatness. #ripmamba🐍 pic.twitter.com/oqAtpaMlz8
Thank you Kobe for every lesson you never knew you taught me. Your work ethic and devotion to your craft will never be matched. May you and Gianna rest in eternal peace together. pic.twitter.com/lTiarEklgT
I don’t even know how to begin to process this and don’t feel I ever will. Kobe, you were one of my idols and someone I strived to be like. You changed the world and today the world hurts. My heart is broken. Thoughts and prayers to everyone involved in this tragedy. #rip #24 #8
We have lost a friend in Kobe Bryant and his daughter, Gianna. Our thoughts and prayers go to all those grieving as a result of this horrible tragedy. https://t.co/TJQNrUEPGS