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We gave back Tuesday's profit with a 1-2 night on Thursday, so we'll look to stay in the black ahead of a busy weekend in the NHL.

Here are my favorite bets on the board.

Blue Jackets (-135) @ Blackhawks (+115)
Jan. 29, 8 p.m. ET

We have just one game slated for Friday night, but luckily, it's one I'm keen on betting. I wrote Thursday about the Blue Jackets' tendency to play a lot better their second time seeing a team. Well, this will be Game 1 against the Blackhawks, and it's also a bad spot for Columbus situationally.

The Blue Jackets played at home last night - beating the Panthers in a shootout - and had to fly out late to Chicago after an exhausting game to now take on a much-improved Blackhawks club. Both of these teams are dead-even at five-on-five, controlling 46% of their respective expected goal shares, and are each sitting at 45% when you incorporate special teams.

However, the perception here is the Blackhawks are much worse, which is the main reason for this line. They've been very competitive after a rough opening two-game set against the Lightning and seem to have found some stability in goal with Kevin Lankinen. Chicago is a good value bet at +110 or better.

Pick: Blackhawks (+115)

Islanders (+100) @ Flyers (-120)
Jan. 30, 7 p.m.

Regression looms for a Flyers team that's been among the worst at five-on-five this season. They sit 28th in the NHL with just a 44.4% expected goal share and dead last with a 43.03 Corsi for percentage. They've somehow managed to get out to a 5-2-1 start, but unless they experience a drastic uptick in performance at five-on-five, this team is going to struggle going forward.

The Islanders have been average in that regard, which is right on par with past seasons. You know what you're going to get from this team, and though it's struggled to get points early on, it's too well-coached for these results to continue.

Coming off three consecutive losses, this is an important spot for the Islanders. Expect a strong response from New York, which offers excellent value here at plus money.

Pick: Islanders (+100)

Avalanche (-140) @ Wild (+120)

The Wild have been dominant to start the season, leading the league with a 58.45 xGF% at five-on-five. They've been excellent at generating offense and strong at suppressing it, as well, coming into this game level on points with the Avalanche.

Not to discredit the Wild too much, but we have to take into account that those numbers are exaggerated thanks to the team playing its opening eight games against the Ducks, Kings, and Sharks. This is a massive step up in class, and there's still a big gulf between the two that's not being reflected in this line.

Colorado has a strong 54.48 xGF% and is second in the NHL with a 55.31 CF%. There's no reason to be concerned about the Avalanche despite their mediocre 5-3 start, and we get them at a bargain here thanks to Minnesota's hot start against weaker competition.

Pick: Avalanche (-140)

(Odds source: theScore Bet)

Alex Moretto is theScore's supervising editor of sports betting. 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, loves a juicy puck line, and will never trust a kicker. Find him on Twitter @alexjmoretto.

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The Boston Bruins are off to a strong start this season and will likely get star winger David Pastrnak back in the lineup for Saturday's tilt with the Washington Capitals.

Bruins head coach Bruce Cassidy said he intends to play Pastrnak as long as he gets final clearance from the club's medical staff following Saturday's morning skate, according to WEEI's Scott McLaughlin.

Pastrnak, 24, underwent a right hip arthroscopy and labral repair in September. He said he's 100% ready to go, McLaughlin adds.

Cassidy confirmed that Pastrnak will rejoin Brad Marchand and Patrice Bergeron in his typical spot on the top line.

The sniper co-led the NHL with 48 goals in 2019-20 to capture his first career Maurice "Rocket" Richard Trophy. He also tallied a team-leading and career-best 95 points through 70 games.

Pastrnak ranks fourth in goals (155) since the start of the 2016-17 season and second in power-play markers with 60.

The Bruins are 5-1-1 this season and sit second in the East division entering Friday's action.

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Welcome to the second edition of "Looking North," our weekly Friday dive into the all-Canadian division. This installment dates back to Jan. 22.

The rundown

There seems to be a clear divide in competition among the Canadian teams through just over two weeks of the season. The Winnipeg Jets are scoring goals at ease but remain shaky defensively, and the Vancouver Canucks look solid once again after a rough start. Meanwhile, the Montreal Canadiens and Toronto Maple Leafs are still the teams to beat in the division.

The stars

The Jets have turned up the heat, and it's hard to single out a forward when the team is firing on all cylinders. Five players posted five or more points in the past week; Andrew Copp and Nikolaj Ehlers each had seven, and Paul Stastny had six, while Adam Lowry and Mark Scheifele each had five. Winnipeg clearly owns one of the most potent offenses in the league, and Pierre-Luc Dubois still hasn't debuted yet.

As for defensemen, Darnell Nurse is starting to look like the stud the Edmonton Oilers were hoping to see for the past few years. The blue-liner racked up five assists in four games, all while averaging a hefty 24:40 of ice time per game. Nurse also managed a Corsi For of 59.12% at even strength alongside a solid 63.68 xGF%.

In the crease, Thatcher Demko was phenomenal in the two games he appeared in recently. After three straight poor outings to start the season, the young netminder swatted aside 77 of the 79 shots he faced and helped the Canucks get two much-needed wins. Demko's .975 save percentage over the past two contests has been a big reason for Vancouver's sudden resurgence.

Canadian of the week

Connor McDavid is off to a stellar start, but the Oilers haven't taken advantage as they dropped three of their last four games. Despite that, the team's star shone bright and dominated his opponents in nearly every facet of the game.

The 24-year-old racked up two goals and six assists over his past four matchups, including this highlight-reel tally. Over the same span, he had a 72.78 xGF% at five-on-five and led all forwards with 24 high-danger scoring chances. McDavid continues to amaze night in and night out, but Edmonton just can't seem to get it going around him.

The moments

Oilers star Leon Draisaitl stepped up big time in a contest with the Jets earlier in the week. With things tied up and the game looking destined for overtime, he had other plans and stunned Winnipeg by delivering a dagger with just 0.7 seconds left on the clock.

There was already some bad blood brewing between Matthew Tkachuk and the Leafs after the Calgary Flames forward fell on goaltender Jack Campbell in the teams' first matchup and was accused by some of doing it intentionally. In the second game between the two sides, Toronto came out with a win - but not without stirring up some last-minute drama. As the buzzer sounded, Leafs rearguard Jake Muzzin harmlessly flicked the puck at Tkachuk. The temper tantrum that ensued was something to be seen.

With the clock winding down amid a blowout against the Ottawa Senators, Canucks forward Brandon Sutter had his mind on one thing: getting his first career hat trick. With under a minute to go in the contest, Sutter found himself streaking with one last chance to accomplish the feat and didn't waste the opportunity.

The question

After a promising win against the Maple Leafs in game No. 1 of the season, Ottawa has been downright awful since. The team lost four straight over the past week and were outscored 22-6. Head coach D.J. Smith expressed his frustration with the lineup after a 7-1 blowout loss to Vancouver on Monday. But even after making some changes, the team was met with a similar result in a 5-1 drudging just two nights later.

Many predicted the Senators to finish near the bottom of the standings, so this isn't all that surprising. Still, the expectation was they'd be more competitive than in recent years. Will Ottawa be able to piece together any sort of meaningful play this season and get some crucial growth for its young stars?

Stat of the week

The Canadiens just can't stop scoring shorthanded goals. They picked up their fifth shorthanded marker Thursday against the Flames to tie the NHL record for the most in a team's first seven games of a season, according to Sportsnet Stats.

Games to watch

The slumping Senators will be tasked with slowing down McDavid and Draisaitl for the first time this season on Sunday night. Winnipeg kicks off a three-game series against Calgary on Monday, the first time the teams will meet. Meanwhile, the Canucks will try to take down the Canadiens on Tuesday after dropping their last two contests against them by a combined 12-5 score.

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Minnesota Wild forward Kevin Fiala will have a hearing Friday for boarding Los Angeles Kings defenseman Matt Roy during Thursday's contest, the NHL's Department of Player Safety announced.

The play occurred in the second period. Fiala was handed a five-minute major and game misconduct.

More to come.

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It's early in the NHL season, but several players have already begun to separate themselves from the pack in the hunt for the Hart Trophy.

Given the small sample size, there's no shortage of names for which one could make a case. But there are a handful of players who have demonstrated immense value relative to their teammates.

It should also be noted that while a team's position in the standings is generally taken into account when determining the Hart winner, it's not as much of a concern at this juncture.

Here are our top five MVP candidates through the first two-plus weeks of the 2020-21 campaign:

5. Mitch Marner

Yes, Marner has a deep supporting cast, but the Toronto Maple Leafs forward is one of the biggest reasons his team occupies first place in the North Division.

The 23-year-old ranks near the top of the early goal-scoring race and is tied for second in points among all players. But it's not just his production that's put him in the Hart conversation. It's the way he's produced.

Marner leads all NHL forwards in average ice time, logging a whopping 23:34 per game so far. He's also tied for the NHL lead in even-strength goals, and his 13 points in all situations are four more than the next-closest Toronto skater. Marner isn't doing it all by himself, but the Maple Leafs wouldn't be off to such a promising start without the winger's significant contributions.

4. John Gibson

Gibson is the early front-runner for the Vezina Trophy, and he deserves some Hart consideration, too. The Anaheim Ducks would clearly be in the NHL's basement without the ever-dependable goaltender.

Gibson is used to a heavy workload by now, but his efforts still warrant recognition, especially with the Ducks in contention amid the parity of the West Division. Anaheim ices the league's worst offense, and the 27-year-old netminder has faced the second-most shots among NHL goalies.

Gibson has kept the Ducks afloat with barely any assistance from his teammates, cementing his status as one of the game's most valuable players.

3. Patrick Kane

Kane doesn't have the eye-popping numbers of the other forwards on this list, but don't let that fool you. The dynamic winger has carried the Chicago Blackhawks amid the long-term absences of top centers Jonathan Toews and Kirby Dach. Kane's skilled linemate, Alex DeBrincat, and an important young defenseman, Adam Boqvist, are also in COVID-19 protocol for at least two weeks.

Despite the Blackhawks' depleted roster, Kane has kept the self-professed rebuilding club within two points of first place in the Central Division, albeit among a couple of clubs with games in hand due to postponements.

Rookie pivot Pius Suter racked up a hat trick for his first three NHL goals Sunday, but Kane has been the one providing the most consistent production for Chicago. The 32-year-old superstar notched points in five straight games after being held off the scoresheet in the opener.

Much like Gibson, the 2016 Hart winner has willed his team into the early hunt when no one expected it to be there.

2. Mark Stone

Stone contributes in so many ways for the Vegas Golden Knights. He excels at both ends of the ice and on special teams, and he provides both physicality and offense. The star forward is also proving he can more than handle the added responsibility of being the first captain in franchise history.

The 28-year-old sits among the league scoring leaders despite getting far less ice time than his closest competitors. Stone has also been one of the NHL's most productive players at even strength so far, and his offensive exploits are all the more remarkable considering his dogged dedication to the 200-foot game.

Max Pacioretty's six goals shouldn't be discounted, but Stone has assisted on five of them, with primary helpers on three. The captain has also posted four more points than his next-closest teammate. That doesn't sound like much, but it's illuminating with only seven games played, and it shows how critical Stone is to his squad's success.

1. Connor McDavid

McDavid is back, folks. He never truly left, of course, but the 2017 Hart Trophy winner has rocketed out of the gate this season after watching teammate Leon Draisaitl claim the honor in 2020.

The Canadian superstar leads the NHL in points in all situations and is tied for first in points at even strength (nine), which means he's not inflating his production on the man advantage. Draisaitl has been great, too, but he's posted only one of his six goals and just six of his 13 points at evens. Meanwhile, McDavid has notched four of his five goals and nine of his 14 points in non-special teams situations.

McDavid is also getting more ice time than his German teammate, averaging over half a minute more than Draisaitl while ranking among the league's top forwards in that regard. McDavid is also tied for second in shots among all players, further illustrating the Edmonton Oilers captain is on a mission to capture his second Hart Trophy in five years.

The Oilers haven't played consistently as a team in the early going, but they're still in contention in the North Division, and McDavid is the biggest reason they haven't completely bottomed out.

Honorable mention: Draisaitl, Nathan MacKinnon, Anze Kopitar, Tyler Toffoli, Bo Horvat

(Analytics source: Natural Stat Trick)

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Minnesota Wild forward Kevin Fiala was tossed from Thursday's game for a questionable hit on Los Angeles Kings defenseman Matt Roy.

The officials handed Fiala a five-minute major for boarding and a game misconduct after he leveled Roy from behind in the second period.

The Kings' training staff attended to Roy on the ice before his teammates helped him to the dressing room.

Fiala scored his third goal of the season in the opening frame.

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The Pittsburgh Penguins' search for a new general manager has begun with no shortage of names eyeing the job.

Twenty candidates contacted the club to express interest in the position as of Thursday afternoon, TSN's Pierre LeBrun reported on the latest edition of "Insider Trading."

Jason Botterill, Chris Drury, Ron Hextall, Mark Hunter, Tom Fitzgerald, Peter Chiarelli, Scott Mellanby, Mike Gillis, Laurence Gilman, John Ferguson Jr., and Mike Futa are all on the Penguins' radar, according to LeBrun.

Patrik Allvin, the Penguins' interim general manager, will reportedly get the first interview. Pittsburgh promoted him to the role when longtime GM Jim Rutherford resigned Wednesday for personal reasons.

Pittsburgh is aiming to have a new GM in place within two-to-three weeks, LeBrun added.

Fitzgerald is the current general manager of the New Jersey Devils. Chiarelli formerly held the same role with the Boston Bruins and Edmonton Oilers, while Hextall served as GM of the Philadelphia Flyers from 2014-18. Hextall is currently a hockey operations advisor for the Los Angeles Kings and served as their assistant GM from 2006-13.

Chiarelli and Hextall reportedly interviewed for the Minnesota Wild's GM vacancy in 2019 before the team hired Bill Guerin.

Rutherford began his tenure as Penguins GM in 2014, helping the team win the Stanley Cup in 2016 and 2017. He previously spent 20 years with the Carolina Hurricanes/Hartford Whalers franchise, overseeing the Hurricanes' title run in 2006.

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