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In what could prove to be the most lopsided series of the play-in round, the Montreal Canadiens will lean heavily into the hope that all-world goaltender Carey Price rediscovers his once dominant form against a Pittsburgh Penguins team with eyes on making another run at the Stanley Cup.

Can the Habs catch lightning in a bottle, or will the Pens take the first step in their bid to hoist another championship?

The case for Pittsburgh

For all the uncertainty surrounding the return to play, Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin feel like a safe bet. The pair have 326 games of playoff experience between them, and there isn't a situation that will have them fazed.

Their running mates aren't bad, either. The team traded for Jason Zucker when Jake Guentzel was presumably lost for the season, but Guentzel is back, and now this forward group is among the best and deepest heading into the playoffs. Bryan Rust was enjoying a breakout campaign, Conor Sheary has been reunited with Crosby, and Patric Hornqvist and Patrick Marleau provide invaluable veteran savvy.

Adding insult to injury for opposing teams, the Pens also boast two legitimate options in goal. Tristan Jarry was nothing short of spectacular during the regular season, and while Matt Murray endured somewhat of a down campaign, he's proved capable of elevating his play in the postseason. There are few holes in this team, which makes this series feel like little more than an appetizer ahead of the main course.

The case for Montreal

Just think of the chaos. The Canadiens were 10 points out of a playoff spot with 11 games remaining and already booking April tee times at Club Saint-Raphael when the season was suspended. They're playing with house money, and Price with a freeroll is a dangerous proposition.

Price's body of work this season wasn't quite up to the standards we've come to expect, but spells of dominance - including a .950 SV% and 1.6 GAA during a 10-game run from Jan. 11 to Feb. 8 - suggest there's still plenty of reason to fear the former Vezina winner. It wouldn't be the first time a Habs goalie got hot and bounced the Pens from the playoffs.

If there's any team that will face the Penguins head-on, it's the Canadiens. They're an excellent puck-possession squad that can skate circles around opponents, and with all those young legs, Montreal won't be lacking in energy when the series gets going. Jonathan Drouin and Jesperi Kotkaniemi are healthy and have plenty to prove, while the likes of Nick Suzuki and Max Domi will be champing at the bit for their first taste of postseason hockey. Speaking of Domi, his decision to rejoin the team has morale sky-high at Habs camp. The Canadiens are a young, hungry team with nothing to lose and will expect to make life difficult for their illustrious opponents.

The pick

Montreal Canadiens (+180)

The Penguins definitely should win this series, but following such a long layoff and with so much uncertainty heading into these unprecedented play-ins, I simply can't justify backing any team with a -220 price tag, regardless of the talent gap. At +180 I'm willing to find out just how wacky these playoffs are going to get.

(Odds source: theScore Bet)

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 newest installment in EA Sports' NHL video game series will be out later than usual this year.

It was announced Monday that NHL 21's release is being pushed back from September to October, citing "major adjustments in developing the game from home" due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The announcement also revealed NHL 21 will only launch on Xbox One and PS4, though it will be playable on the next generation of consoles.

EA Sports promised the new game - whose cover star has yet to be unveiled - will be "worth the wait" and that fans will get their first look in late August.

Toronto Maple Leafs star Auston Matthews graced the cover of NHL 20, with the Vancouver Canucks' Elias Pettersson and Winnipeg Jets' Patrik Laine appearing on the Sweden and Finland editions, respectively.

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Leon Draisaitl of the Edmonton Oilers, Nathan MacKinnon of the Colorado Avalanche, and Artemi Panarin of the New York Rangers are the 2019-20 finalists for the Hart Trophy as the league's most valuable player, the NHL announced Tuesday.

All three players were also recently nominated for the Ted Lindsay Award, which is given to the most outstanding player as voted by the NHL Players' Association.

Draisaitl is up for the award for the first time after leading the NHL with 110 points in 71 games and ranking fourth with 43 goals. The 24-year-old became the first German-born player to win the Art Ross Trophy. He also led all forwards in ice time, logging 22:37 per contest. He proved his value to the Oilers with exceptional play in the injury absences of Edmonton captain Connor McDavid, helping the club qualify for the playoffs for the first time since 2017.

MacKinnon is a Hart finalist for the second time after a runner-up finish in 2018. The Avs center was fifth in league scoring with 93 points across 69 contests and carried Colorado to the second-best record in the Western Conference. MacKinnon's dominant season saw him lead the Avalanche in scoring by a whopping 43-point margin as the club dealt with injuries to key players.

Panarin is a first-time Hart finalist following a brilliant debut campaign with the Rangers. The 28-year-old was fourth in league scoring after registering a career-high 95 points, 20 clear of the second-highest-scoring New York skater. He led the league with 71 even-strength points and was instrumental in the Rangers' success. In the 16 games that Panarin failed to record a point, New York went 3-12-1, compared to 34-16-4 when he found the scoresheet at least once.

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The No. 5 seed Edmonton Oilers are slated to take on the 12th-seeded Chicago Blackhawks in what has potential to be the most electric series of the qualifying round. Neither club has made the playoffs since 2017. Edmonton is looking to prove they're a true contender in the Western Conference; Chicago barely squeaked into the playoff picture and hopes to rekindle some of the magic that led the club to three Stanley Cups from 2010-15.

Schedule

*If necessary

Tale of the tape

Season series

The Oilers and Blackhawks met three times this past season, with Chicago winning twice and holding a 10-9 advantage in goals. The two clubs have previously met four times in the playoffs, but not since 1992, when Chicago swept Edmonton to advance to the Stanley Cup Final.

Key players to watch

Patrick Kane

It goes without saying Kane is the primary player the Oilers will have circled going into the series. Although he's approaching 32, Kane hasn't shown any signs of slowing down, ranking eighth in league scoring while leading the Blackhawks with 84 points in 70 games this past season.

Kane also has unparalleled playoff pedigree and has proved he's capable of taking over a series by himself on numerous occasions throughout his dominant postseason career. In 127 playoff games, Kane's notched 123 points, 11 game-winning goals, three championships, and a Conn Smythe.

Connor McDavid

If you thought Kane was an obvious choice, McDavid's status in this section is a layup. The entire hockey world will be watching him closely, eager to see what he's capable of in his return to the playoffs. If his regular season was any indicator - 97 points in 64 games - the Oilers' captain will be ready to deliver against a flawed blue line that will have their hands full.

We'd be remiss not to at least mention Leon Draisaitl in this section, as the second half of the Oilers' near-unstoppable duo led the league in scoring by a significant margin and is likely to be a Hart Trophy finalist for his efforts.

Blackhawks can win if...

They focus on discipline. The power play is where the Oilers do the majority of their damage, and giving McDavid and Draisaitl - who were No. 1 and 2 in scoring with the man advantage this season - extra opportunities is simply asking for trouble.

Oilers can win if...

They just play their game. Top to bottom, Edmonton is the better team, and have the firepower to make this a short series if they're able to quickly shake off the rust. The Oilers also have the advantage of playing at home, and even though there won't be any fans in attendance, the familiarity of playing in their usual surroundings should be a major boost.

X-factors

Corey Crawford/Malcolm Subban

With a lack of weapons up front and a subpar blue line, goaltending is the X-factor for the Blackhawks. Two-time Stanley Cup winner Corey Crawford proved he's still a capable No. 1 after posting a .917 save percentage in 40 appearances this season, but the 35-year-old hasn't been an active participant in training camp thus far.

If the starting role falls on the shoulders of Malcolm Subban, he'll have to be the Blackhawks' best player if they hope to advance. That's a tall order against one of the most potent offenses in the NHL, especially considering Subban authored a .890 save percentage in 21 appearances in 2019-20.

Kailer Yamamoto

When one offense features two of the most explosive forwards in the league, it's easy for other contributors to get lost in the shuffle. Improved depth is one of the main reasons Edmonton was able to get back to the playoffs this season, and Yamamoto put himself on the map by emerging as a key piece in the club's attack.

The 2017 first-round pick posted 26 points in 27 games after being recalled from the AHL, and developed chemistry on the second line alongside Draisaitl. With the majority of the Blackhawks' focus on Edmonton's All-Star centers, Yamamoto should be able to take advantage and find ways to produce in a depth position the Blackhawks simply can't match.

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Avangard Omsk won't take part in a preseason tournament in August after 20 people from the KHL team tested positive for the coronavirus.

The results included players and staff members tested in training camp, general manager Alexei Volkov told The Associated Press.

Volkov said those infected are isolating and most aren't showing clear symptoms.

The Sochi Hockey Open is scheduled for Aug. 4-9.

The KHL canceled the rest of its season during the playoffs in late March due to the pandemic.

In late May, the league said it plans to open the 2020-21 campaign on Sept. 2.

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The NHL's two winningest active coaches take center stage in this series as Barry Trotz's New York Islanders face off against Joel Quenneville's Florida Panthers.

Which future Hall of Fame bench boss will help his team navigate its way out of the play-in?

The case for New York

The Islanders would hold a significant coaching edge against just about any other Eastern Conference play-in opponent. The gap is reduced with Quenneville behind the Florida bench, but Trotz's impact on the Islanders has far exceeded what Quenneville's managed in his first year with the Panthers. The Islanders likely aren't a playoff team in either of the last two seasons without him.

Trotz has transformed the Isles into a defensive juggernaut, and that's a great blueprint for playing hockey deep into the summer. Scoring is an issue for this team, but there are few better remedies for a struggling offense than facing a porous defense - and the Panthers had just that this season, ranking 28th in goals against per 60 minutes.

The break came at a good time for New York, and you can bet Trotz will be on his team to make the most of the fresh start. The Islanders were bleeding before the season was suspended, losing 10 of 12 and trending toward missing the playoffs entirely. Having been granted a reset, they'll be looking to live up to their reputation as fast starters, posting a 16-3-1 record to start this season and a 29-15-4 mark to begin the last.

The case for Florida

A second chance for the Panthers could spell trouble for the rest of the Eastern Conference. Had the season not been suspended, Florida would have likely missed the postseason for a fourth successive campaign despite entering the year with lofty ambitions. A trendy underdog heading into the season, the Panthers started with just one win from their first five games and were forced to play catch-up.

But the restart will act as a blank canvas for this incredibly talented Florida team. Led by superstars Aleksander Barkov and Jonathan Huberdeau, the Panthers are loaded up front, ranking sixth in the NHL in goals per game this season. They have an All-Star-caliber goalie in Sergei Bobrovsky and one of the league's best coaches overseeing the entire operation. They've struggled defensively but have the luxury of easing back into things against an Islanders team that struggles to generate shots and high-danger scoring opportunities.

The question remains: Which Bobrovsky will show up for this series? His poor playoff record had followed him for some time, but he exorcised those demons last season, posting a terrific .925 postseason save percentage against the Tampa Bay Lightning and Boston Bruins. If he plays even close to his capabilities, the Islanders' often anemic offense will struggle to find answers.

The pick

New York Islanders (-120)

This is one of the toughest series to call, but it's impossible to overlook the impact that Trotz has made on the Islanders; the whole is greater than the sum of its parts and this entire roster has bought into his system. The team's ability to quickly get off the mark is a testament to his coaching, and Bobrovsky's typical early-season struggles should be a big boost for the Isles' offensive inefficiencies. The Panthers netminder has posted save percentages of .873 and .882 in October of the last two seasons, and Florida simply can't afford another slow start here if it's to have any chance in this series.

(Odds source: theScore Bet)

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.

Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Former Vancouver Canucks defenseman and coach Jack McIlhargey died at age 68 after battling cancer, the team announced Monday.

McIlhargey spent time with the Canucks as a player from the 1976-77 season until 1979-1980. He played in 167 games with the club, amassing 24 points and over 400 penalty minutes.

He also logged a five-year stint with the Philadelphia Flyers and two seasons with the Hartford Whalers. McIlhargey appeared in 393 career games, totaling 47 points and 1,102 penalty minutes.

The Flyers released the following statement:

After retiring from playing, McIlhargey rejoined the Canucks in 1985 as an assistant coach, and he went on to spend the next 20 years coaching and scouting at various levels within the organization. He finished his coaching career as a Flyers assistant from 2007 to 2010.

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