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It was a wild long weekend in the NHL. Trading has commenced as teams load up for the stretch run, and more games from here on out will be played with an intensity that closer resembles playoff hockey.

Let's profit off it.

GOATs and scapegoats

It was a frustrating weekend as we stumbled to a 2-2 finish, with the Ottawa Senators coming within a goal of surpassing their team total and the Columbus Blue Jackets losing in a shootout.

At least the referees appeared willing to help our cause.

Dean Morton's crew were atrocious Saturday night. A pair of botched calls in regulation resulted in Dallas Stars goals, while two missed penalty decisions in overtime denied the Montreal Canadiens power plays - the Habs didn't have one the entire game - and helped the Stars complete the 4-3 comeback, cashing our bets in the process.

The abysmal officiating prompted a tirade from both Brendan Gallagher and head coach Claude Julien postgame, with the latter receiving a fine from the league. And although it speaks to a much larger problem in the NHL, it did work in our favor Saturday. Morton's crew are both our GOATs and scapegoats for the weekend.

Tuesday bets

Toronto Maple Leafs/Pittsburgh Penguins under 6.5 (-105)

Betting an under in a Maple Leafs game is a good way to shorten your life span, but this total just feels too high. Tristan Jarry has been on an absolute tear for the Penguins, especially on home ice. The netminder is 11-3-1 at PPG Paints Arena this season with a 1.86 GAA and .938 SV%. Expect another strong effort from the goaltender and a bounce-back performance from the Leafs' defense after Sunday's debacle in Buffalo.

Buffalo Sabres (-115)

The Sabres are one of the more frustrating teams to back, but they've shown impressive heart over the past couple weeks to not fall completely out of the playoff race. The concern is that they've lost three games in a row against the Ottawa Senators in Canada's capital, but at such a short price, I'm buying into Buffalo's resurgence. The Sens have lost seven straight home contests against Eastern Conference teams, while the Sabres have won three of their last four on the road and four of five overall.

Best bet

Carolina Hurricanes (+100)

The Nashville Predators have won back-to-back games on home ice and are coming off a great weekend, during which they beat the St. Louis Blues twice. It seems everyone has suddenly forgotten that the Predators had previously lost five of six at Bridgestone Arena. They'd also scored two or fewer goals in seven of their last eight home contests.

It's hard to consider backing the Predators at this price based on a three-game resurgence. Instead, take the Hurricanes as short 'dogs. Carolina is playing some very good hockey, winning seven of its last 10, and is on an 8-2-1 run away to Western Conference teams.

Trend of the night

The over is 10-1-1 in the last 12 meetings between the Blue Jackets and Philadelphia Flyers in Philly.

With a total of 5.5 tonight, the over is worth a look. However, given the recent play of Elvis Merzlikins and Carter Hart, it's hard to feel fully confident. I'm passing on this one.

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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The right trade can go a long way in vaulting a contender closer to the Stanley Cup. With the Feb. 24 trade deadline around the corner, we've identified five teams vying for playoff berths that need to make a move to bolster their respective lineups.

Note: Deadline cap space indicates the amount by which a team's total cap hit can be increased while remaining below the cap ceiling at the end of the regular season. All figures courtesy of CapFriendly.

Edmonton Oilers

Projected deadline cap space: $1.1M
Area of need: Offensive depth

The Oilers have managed to stay afloat without captain Connor McDavid and are making a push for top spot in the Pacific Division. Leon Draisaitl has been superhuman with McDavid sidelined, and the club could be back at full strength before the deadline. Still, it would be wise for general manager Ken Holland to seek out some offensive reinforcements.

Holland is unlikely to deal any of Edmonton's coveted prospects or the club's 2020 first-round pick, so big-game hunting may be off the table. But a hockey deal targeting a forward with term or some bargain-bin shopping in the rental market remain viable deadline strategies to give the Oilers some help for the stretch run and the playoffs.

Potential targets: Jean-Gabriel Pageau (Senators), Chris Kreider (Rangers), Andreas Athanasiou (Red Wings), Kasperi Kapanen (Maple Leafs), Ilya Kovalchuk (Canadiens), Tyler Ennis (Senators).

New York Islanders

Projected deadline cap space: $18.6M
Area of need: Offense

The Islanders already made a splash by adding Andy Greene to shore up their blue line, but general manager Lou Lamoriello should still be looking to buy. New York plays a notoriously stingy style, and it's been crucial to the club's success since Barry Trotz took over as head coach. Still, it's hard to see the team keeping up with its Metropolitan Division adversaries come playoff time if it doesn't add some offensive punch.

New York ranks fifth in goals against this season but 22nd in goals for. The team has a ton of deadline cap space and could theoretically add some depth up front without sacrificing any key contributors. The top six is in good shape, but a boost to the bottom half of the Islanders' attack could better the club's chances in a playoff series against the likes of the Washington Capitals and Pittsburgh Penguins.

Potential targets: Kreider, Pageau, Kovalchuk, Mikael Granlund (Predators)

Colorado Avalanche

Projected deadline cap space: $29.7M
Area of need: Anything to bolster Cup chances

Colorado is already a championship contender as currently constructed, but general manager Joe Sakic is well-positioned to make the Avalanche even stronger as the deadline approaches.

The Avalanche have a top-tier prospect pool, a strong collection of draft picks, and more cap space than any other team with realistic Stanley Cup aspirations. But Colorado won't have this kind of financial flexibility forever. Whether that means going for gold and renting Kreider or merely tinkering to acquire depth players up front or on the blue line, Sakic should set out to add where he sees fit. As one of the top teams in the wide-open Western Conference, the Avalanche could make their playoff path a little easier depending on what they do at the deadline.

Potential targets: Kreider, Pageau, Jesper Fast (Rangers), Melker Karlsson/Brenden Dillon (Sharks), Wayne Simmonds (Devils), Trevor Lewis (Kings), Dylan DeMelo (Senators)

Toronto Maple Leafs

Projected deadline cap space: $8.8M
Area of need: Forward depth, defense

At full strength, the Maple Leafs operate dangerously close to the cap ceiling, but a bevy of recent injuries has presented general manager Kyle Dubas with an opportunity to add. Morgan Rielly, Cody Ceci, and Andreas Johnsson are all in the midst of lengthy stints on the shelf, affording Toronto a significant chunk of financial flexibility if it decides to leave the trio on long-term injured reserve until the playoffs - when the salary cap is no longer a factor.

It's well-known the Maple Leafs could use some defensive upgrades. With three blue-liners aged 23 or younger currently patrolling the back end, adding an experienced rearguard is something Dubas would be prudent to explore. That said, Toronto's depth forwards haven't been producing much of late, and shoring up the bottom six before the deadline could go a long way in a potential first-round battle with the Boston Bruins or Tampa Bay Lightning.

Potential targets: Dillon, DeMelo, Mathew Dumba/Jonas Brodin (Wild), Alec Martinez (Kings), Sami Vatanen (Devils), Josh Manson (Ducks)

Calgary Flames

Projected deadline cap space: $1.4M
Area of need: Top-nine winger

Injuries to Mark Giordano and Travis Hamonic may prompt general manager Brad Treliving to dip into the pool of available defensemen, but the Flames would be best served targeting a forward to aid their playoff push.

Treliving has been in the market for help up front since before last season's trade deadline, when a deal for Jason Zucker fell through at the last minute. One year later, Calgary is still struggling with a lack of offensive depth, ranking 23rd in goals for this season.

In an extremely tight Western Conference, it's far from certain that any trade the Flames orchestrate will sufficiently move the needle and help them secure a playoff spot. With Hamonic and fellow top-four defenseman TJ Brodie both playing on expiring contracts and Calgary clinging to a playoff berth, it remains to be seen if the Flames elect to buy rather than sell. Still, not trying at all could signal a wasted season for a core that isn't getting any younger.

Potential targets: Pageau, Fast, Kapanen, Kyle Palmieri (Devils)

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Colorado Avalanche star forward Mikko Rantanen suffered an upper-body injury in a loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning on Monday night and will be out of the lineup for weeks, the Avalanche confirmed postgame.

It's an apparent shoulder injury, reports Mike Chambers of the Denver Post.

Rantanen was hurt when Lightning defenseman Erik Cernak tripped him on a scoring chance, causing him to crash into the boards midway through the second period. Cernak was assessed a minor penalty for tripping on the play.

The 23-year-old Rantanen left the game favoring his left shoulder and didn't return.

He notched an assist earlier in the contest, giving him 41 points in 42 games this season.

The Avalanche were already dealing with an injury to starting goaltender Philipp Grubauer, while Colorado forwards Nazem Kadri, Matt Calvert, and Colin Wilson are all out with various ailments of their own.

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The Vancouver Canucks' trade for Tyler Toffoli is suddenly making a lot more sense.

Brock Boeser suffered a rib cartilage fracture and will be re-evaluated in three weeks, while forward Micheal Ferland is out for the season due to recurring concussion-like symptoms, Canucks general manager Jim Benning announced Monday night.

Boeser, who's missed the last three games, was hurt Feb. 8 against the Calgary Flames.

Ferland was diagnosed with concussion-like symptoms after leaving Friday's game with the AHL's Utica Comets.

Boeser has collected 16 goals and 45 points across 56 contests in 2019-20. Ferland managed only five points in 14 games during an injury-plagued campaign.

Vancouver landed Toffoli in a deal with the Los Angeles Kings earlier Monday night.

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The Los Angeles Kings have dealt forward Tyler Toffoli to the Vancouver Canucks, TSN's Darren Dreger reports.

More to come.

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