Toronto Maple Leafs superstar Auston Matthews did not take part in Friday's practice and is considered day-to-day with a hand injury, the team announced.

Matthews' status for Saturday's game against the Edmonton Oilers currently remains unclear.

The 23-year-old appeared to be in discomfort after going hard into the boards on Wednesday against the Calgary Flames.

Maple Leafs head coach Sheldon Keefe said postgame that Matthews has battled a wrist ailment all year.

"We don't think it's anything more at this point than what he's been dealing with virtually all season," Keefe said.

Matthews, who leads the NHL with 18 goals, is likely considered a front-runner for the Hart Trophy as the league's most valuable player.

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Welcome to the sixth edition of "Looking North," our weekly Friday dive into the all-Canadian division. This installment dates back to Feb. 19.

The rundown

Are the Edmonton Oilers for real? Time will tell if this is just another short-lived hot streak, but Connor McDavid and Co. appear to have found their rhythm two months into the season. The Oilers have won eight of their last nine contests and sit second place in the North division.

The Montreal Canadiens' fall from grace culminated in the firing of former head coach Claude Julien on Wednesday as the club hopes to rediscover its dominant form from the season's opening 10 games. Meanwhile, the Vancouver Canucks' campaign continues to slip away. The club went winless last week, collecting just one point while falling further down the standings.

The Winnipeg Jets and Toronto Maple Leafs continue to find ways to win, while the Calgary Flames are still trying to discover their identity. The Ottawa Senators, who routed the Flames 6-1 on Thursday, have won three straight and are playing their best hockey of the season.

The stars

Forward: McDavid strengthened his bid for a second Hart Trophy, pacing all skaters in the division in both goals (five) and points (eight) last week. The Oilers captain stole the show in the latest installment of the Battle of Alberta, lighting up the Flames for five points, which included a natural hat trick.

Defenseman: Thomas Chabot has been the Senators' best player this season, and his elite abilities have catalyzed the club's first three-game winning streak this season. The 24-year-old rearguard played just under half the contest and set up the game-winner in the Sens' second of two victories over the Canadiens last week. Chabot added two more assists in the team's thrashing of the Flames as Ottawa owned 61.33% of scoring chances at five-on-five with him patrolling the ice.

Goalie: The Oilers have been a different team since Mike Smith returned to the crease earlier this month. The veteran puck-stopper is red-hot, allowing just four goals (.953 save percentage) over his last three starts - all wins. Smith's 32-save shutout against the Canucks on Thursday punctuated what's been an invaluable stretch of play to the Oilers.

Canadian of the week

Good for Matt Murray. McDavid may have stolen the show with his offensive bona fides, and Smith was easily the top puck-stopper last week, but Murray should be recognized for bouncing back from a dreadful start to his campaign. The Senators netminder, who hadn't won consecutive games this season, earned a victory in all three of his starts last week, authoring a .929 save percentage across those outings.

The moments

Nylander's heroics

William Nylander has been criticized for his lack of involvement at times this season, but the dynamic winger silenced his critics with a heroic performance against the Flames on Wednesday. With the Leafs in danger of being shut out for a second consecutive game, Nylander pounced on a loose puck late to force overtime.

Nylander put his incredible skill on display again in the extra frame to secure the Leafs' victory. The 24-year-old became the fourth player in franchise history - and first since 1995 - to score the tying goal with under two minutes to play in regulation and the overtime winner in the same game, according to NHL Public Relations.

Oilers storm back on Canucks

The Oilers and Canucks are heading in opposite directions, and the latter is running short on time to reverse course. Vancouver jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the opening frame Tuesday night before surrendering four straight goals - including three in the final period - to lose in regulation. Tyler Ennis delivered the dagger with just under seven minutes to play.

Unfortunately for the Canucks, this debacle wasn't an isolated incident. Vancouver has owned at least a 2-0 lead in three of its last five losses.

No-look, no problem

McDavid's aforementioned natural hat trick against the Flames was highlighted by another moment of magic. His second came at the start of the middle period as No. 97 put his hands, vision, and lightning-quick release on full display.

The question

Now that Claude Julien has been directed to the exit in Montreal, will the hammer continue to drop on North Division coaches? Flames bench boss Geoff Ward and Canucks head coach Travis Green are certainly far from safe.

It was reported in January that the Canucks intended to re-sign Green, whose contract is up after this season. A lot has changed over the last month, however, and as the losses continue to pile up, something may eventually give. The Flames turned their campaign around after Ward took over coaching duties last season, but the honeymoon period may be over. If Ward can't help Calgary carve out an identity in the coming weeks, a new voice might be needed in the Flames' locker room.

Quote of the week

Matthew Tkachuk didn't mince his words when assuring fans and pundits that the sibling rivalry between him and brother Brady won't play out on the ice the way they'd like it to.

"Anybody that thinks we're going to fight is an idiot," Tkachuk said prior to Thursday's outing between the Flames and Senators.

Unfortunately for fans, a 6-1 beatdown wasn't enough to push Matthew over the edge, and their father seems happy to keep it that way. "They're brothers, they're best friends," former NHLer Keith Tkachuk said earlier in the week. "(My wife) Chantal wouldn't like it and I wouldn't like it."

The Flames and Senators square off eight more times this season, including four games in the next nine days, but don't hold your breath for an old-fashioned showdown between the Tkachuk brothers.

Stat of the week

McDavid's five-point night against the Flames was his second such outing of the season. The franchise pivot clinched the natural hat trick with his fifth point in just 13:27 of ice time. He finished with only 17:33 thanks to the lopsided score.

Games to watch

The red-hot Oilers are just four points back of the Maple Leafs for first place entering a three-game set in Edmonton this week. The sides have split the season series at two wins apiece, with three of the four contests being decided by just one goal.

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Among the handful of major NHL awards handed out each year by a voting body, the Vezina Trophy tends to be the most predictable and straightforward.

Historically, Vezina voters - the league's general managers - have valued three main things: a heavy workload, winning, and a strong save percentage. Every Vezina winner in the past 10 non-lockout seasons has started at least 53 games, won at least 31 games, and owned a save percentage of at least .922.

That said, the uniqueness of this season calls for some mental gymnastics.

Teams are playing just 56 regular-season games, and coaches are giving extra starts to the backup in many instances to better tackle the condensed schedule. What's more, the league-average save percentage has dipped under .910 for the first time in 12 seasons while goalies exclusively face shooters from their division.

Do the GMs simply prorate their usual criteria? Or, do voters, on aggregate, adopt a more nuanced approach to the "best goalie of the year" debate?

Tampa Bay's Andrei Vasilevskiy, Vegas' Marc-Andre Fleury, Chicago's Kevin Lankinen, Florida's Chris Driedger, and the Islanders' Semyon Varlamov are all popping off the page this season.

Here's each netminder's baseline statistics and how they rank among the 29 goalies who have started at least 10 times through Thursday night's action:

Let's dig deeper to account for shot quality, seeing as no two team environments are exactly the same. (Case in point: The Blackhawks' loose defensive structure is in stark contrast to the Islanders' lock-it-down style.)

Here's a breakdown of the same five goalies in the key categories of goals saved above expected (GSAx) and goals saved above average (GSAA) from Evolving Hockey:

Vasilevskiy, the award's 2018-19 winner, appears to grade out the best based on what's presented above, though Fleury - who hasn't seen the crease quite as often as Vasilevskiy - carries great intrigue. He has gaudy stats and a tidy narrative. Fleury has never won a Vezina despite sitting fifth all time in goalie wins, so the affable 36-year-old is about as "due" as they come.

Meanwhile, Lankinen is building a convincing case for the Calder Trophy, Driedger is outduelling partner Sergei Bobrovsky in a big way, and Varlamov is playing arguably the best hockey of his career on a 10-6-3 Isles club.

Keep an eye on Colorado's Philipp Grubauer, Los Angeles' Cal Petersen, and New Jersey's Mackenzie Blackwood as the season chugs along. All have been fantastic so far, too, and could soon challenge the other five.

At any rate, good luck with this one, GMs. I don't envy you.

Fleury's resilient - again

Speaking of Fleury, he's managed to reclaim the Golden Knights' net following a bubbled postseason in which he appeared in only four of 20 games.

Remember, Fleury was also at the center of a firestorm set off by his own camp. (You may remember Fleury's agent tweeted an image depicting his client being impaled by a sword labeled "DeBoer," as in coach Pete DeBoer.) In the offseason, it felt like Fleury's name was constantly in the rumor mill.

The early-season bounce back is impressive, and it reminds me of a conversation with Pascal Vincent, Fleury's Quebec junior coach.

Back in early 2004, Vincent watched a young Fleury struggle with "more than a few weeks" of confidence issues. Fresh off an all-time gaffe at the world juniors, the Pittsburgh Penguins returned Fleury - the 2003 first overall pick - to Vincent's Cape Breton Screaming Eagles following 22 NHL games.

"He's wearing the Team Canada jersey and he wants to win the gold, and even though you win as a team and lose as a team, he felt responsible, and that crushed him," recalled Vincent, who's now the head coach of the Winnipeg Jets' AHL affiliate.

Fleury, then 19, was so down he told Vincent he didn't believe he was as talented as the lesser-known junior goalies. The coach countered with a pearl of wisdom: that one moment won't define your career - unless you allow it to.

"I just had to let him be and (let him) go through his feelings," Vincent said. "Let him know that, 'Hey, I'm here. We believe in you. We're just going to wait for you to believe in yourself again, the way you should, and things will be fine. Don't worry about it. It sucks, it's not great. You feel the way you feel because you care so much. But we're here. And we'll be here this year, next year, in 10 years.'"

That lost confidence and joy - which is so prevalent in Fleury's demeanor on and off the ice - was eventually rediscovered, and life reverted back to normal.

"Looking back today and (on) what he's accomplished, I think what happened at that time was probably a blessing in his life," Vincent said.

Fleury's a grown man now, and these are two different situations, but there's some symmetry between Fleury's current bounce back and his arc in 2004.

Cats, Huberdeau sneaky good

Years of mediocrity and a lackluster showing in the bubble made the Florida Panthers easy to dismiss in the lead up to the season. Yet, 19 games in, the Cats are atop the Central Division with 28 points and sit third overall in points percentage. It's true they've already played Detroit six times, winning four, but the Panthers are also a combined 4-2 in their six meetings with the Tampa Bay Lightning and Dallas Stars, who met in the Stanley Cup Final last year.

Captain Aleksander Barkov has been lauded over his career for his two-way wizardry and has been praised again during this hot streak - rightfully so. Conversely, Jonathan Huberdeau, Barkov's longtime running mate, hasn't been properly credited throughout his career. The 27-year-old has been overshadowed, not only by Barkov, but also by his peers in bigger markets.

Huberdeau currently ranks eighth in league scoring with seven goals and 16 assists. He's the main facilitator on a lethal power play and is producing at a point-per-game pace on the wing for a third consecutive season.

"The people who have played with him over the years definitely realize how good he is," former teammate Vincent Trocheck said ahead of 2020 All-Star Weekend. "It's crazy to think this is his first All-Star Game. He's been in the league for eight years, and he's an outstanding player. He's probably deserved it six out of those eight years."

Huberdeau's 0.83 points-per-game rate since his 2012-13 debut is tied with Brock Boeser, Jake Guentzel, and Joe Pavelski for 42nd (minimum 100 games). That group is one notch below Jonathan Toews and Vladimir Tarasenko and one notch ahead of Alexander Radulov, Patrik Laine, and Kyle Connor.

Pretty solid company for the oft-overlooked star.

Forward TOI rabbit hole

On Monday, Toronto Maple Leafs winger Mitch Marner logged a career-high 26:41 of ice time in a 3-0 loss to the Calgary Flames. On the winning squad, Elias Lindholm clocked in almost a minute higher at 27:32.

Even though forwards typically don't see more than 22 minutes a night, Marner and Lindholm's ice times didn't seem to register as a league-wide story. At first glance, it looks like two top players earning a few extra shifts. No big deal. On second thought, 26:41 and 27:32 is a ton of ice time during a game that ended in regulation, no matter the underlying circumstances.

Is this a new trend? An anomaly? Let's parse the data to find out.

In 2019-20, two forwards (Leon Draisaitl and Jack Eichel) averaged 22 or more minutes, while nine averaged between 21 and 22, and 13 more averaged between 20 and 21. So far in 2020-21, four forwards (Marner, Connor McDavid, Patrick Kane, and Draisaitl) are averaging 22 or more minutes a game, while six are averaging between 21 and 22, and 14 are averaging between 20 and 21. That's two additional forwards in the 22-plus tier.

Let's check in on individual-game ice time.

A forward eclipsed the 26-minute mark on 15 occasions this season, whereas the 26-minute mark was eclipsed 41 times in 2019-20. That's a 26-minute forward in 2.6% of all team games this campaign versus 1.9% last season.

Since there have been only 291 games in 2020-21, it's too early to label nights like Marner's and Lindholm's a legitimate trend. Still, there appears to be something about this weird year that's leading to high-TOI games for select forwards. Perhaps it's because every game carries more weight in a shortened campaign, or maybe coaches want to push stamina limits.

Karlsson's double whammy

Frans Nielsen passing through waivers and Jeff Skinner getting scratched three times refueled the classic cap-era debate about the NHL's worst contract.

There are plenty of exorbitant cap hits out there. There are plenty of overcommitments to term as well. But it's the pile of double whammies - drawn-out, expensive deals for players providing little value or hope of value to the organization - where you'll find the worst of the worst.

Skinner, at $9 million through 2026-27, is certainly in the running for the (dis)honor. Matt Duchene and Marc-Edouard Vlasic, who make $8 million and $7 million, respectively, through 2025-26, are both cringeworthy. Bobrovsky, at $10 million through 2025-26, is perhaps worse than all three.

Yet, the worst contract might belong to Erik Karlsson, at $11.5 million through 2026-27. Karlsson, a two-time Norris Trophy winner, was on the trajectory of a first-ballot Hall of Famer before inking a massive, $92-million ticket with the San Jose Sharks in June 2019. But his game has tanked, in large part due to major injuries. He's a shell of his former self.

To put Karlsson's albatross contract into perspective, it eats up more than 14% of San Jose's allotted room under the $81.5-million upper limit. Armed with a no-move clause, he's locked in for another six years.

At the opposite end of the spectrum lives Conor Garland, whose expiring two-year deal is arguably the best non-entry-level, non-star contract in the NHL.

Last year, the Arizona Coyotes winger - who makes $775,000 annually - finished first among forwards in Cap Friendly's cost-per-point analysis. This year, he paces all players (including those on ELCs), making an efficient $43,055 per point (18 points in 19 games) in a first-line role with Arizona.

3 parting thoughts

Kirill Kaprizov: The Minnesota Wild stud and rookie scoring leader has delivered on the hype. Kaprizov's a mesmerizing player whose intensity, smarts, puck skills, and edgework are all pluses on the scouting report.

Dress code: Between the informal looks in the bubble, the Canucks going casual, and the Bruins reliving the 1990s at Lake Tahoe, how long until it's game over for the game-day suit and tie? I understand the "look good, play good" sentiment, but I'm in favor of the sport continuing to let its hair down.

L.A. Kings: Surprise! The rebuilding 9-6-3 Kings are in a playoff position in the West Division. It's been a statement first 18 games for 31-year-old Drew Doughty, and you've gotta respect the Michael Jordan-level pettiness.

Takes, Thoughts, and Trends is theScore's monthly hockey grab bag.

John Matisz is theScore's national hockey writer. You can follow John on Twitter (@MatiszJohn) and contact him via email (john.matisz@thescore.com).

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We're still less than halfway through the 2021 NHL season and dozens of games have been rescheduled due to COVID-19. However, while the sample size remains relatively small, it's large enough to have a better idea of who's in the Hart Trophy running.

Two otherworldly players have put some distance between themselves and the field. While they each have a compelling case as the front-runner, one of them has been more valuable than the other so far.

Here are our top five MVP candidates at this juncture:

5. Nathan MacKinnon

MacKinnon hasn't lit the world on fire in terms of goal-scoring this season, but he remains elite at playmaking and driving possession. The perennial Hart Trophy candidate has produced exceptional analytic figures, recording a 61.52 Corsi For percentage and a high-danger Corsi For percentage of 55.

The Colorado Avalanche have played fewer games than many other teams due to COVID-19 postponements; perhaps those interruptions have made it tough for MacKinnon to establish his typical clockwork scoring. Nevertheless, he's still one of the league's best players, and he's been exceedingly valuable to a very strong Avalanche club.

MacKinnon has figured in on 39% of Colorado's goals this season, so even though he isn't lighting the lamp at his usual rate, he's still helped create more than one-third of his team's offensive output. He leads the Avalanche in points and has racked up four more than his next-closest teammate. These trends show how much even a deep team like Colorado heavily relies on MacKinnon's contributions.

4. Leon Draisaitl

Draisaitl isn't a top three Hart contender this time around, but the 2019-20 recipient has been excellent this season.

The German center has again proven he can excel without Connor McDavid at five-on-five, though he still benefits from playing alongside the 2017 MVP on the Edmonton Oilers' effective power play.

However, Draisaitl's underlying numbers at five-on-five are illuminating - his expected goals for percentage in those situations is under 50, and significantly lower than his goals for percentage of 75.

Still, he's piling up points at an impressive clip. While the 25-year-old has scored half of his goals with the man advantage, he deserves recognition for picking up where he left off offensively in 2019-20.

3. Patrick Kane

Kane has been a dark horse candidate for most of the season. The Chicago Blackhawks superstar is the biggest reason his team has exceeded expectations despite numerous injuries and long-term absences.

The 32-year-old has only one more goal than Alex DeBrincat, but Kane is creating more offense than his linemate. Kane's assist total is more than double the number of DeBrincat and Dominik Kubalik's helpers (10 apiece), and Kane has 13 more points than DeBrincat, his next-closest teammate.

Kane has been on an unreal tear lately, notching five goals and 15 assists in his last 10 games, including a four-point effort Tuesday night - his second such performance this season. He already has nine multi-point nights in 2021. This was supposed to be a rebuilding year for Chicago, but the game-breaking winger's exploits have the Blackhawks in a playoff spot.

2. Auston Matthews

Matthews has cemented his spot as a serious Hart Trophy contender with a remarkable scoring run. The Toronto Maple Leafs dynamo, who leads the NHL in goals by a wide margin, scored 10 tallies during an eight-game streak before notching seven goals over a four-game run.

Toronto's franchise cornerstone has amassed twice as many goals as his next-closest teammate, Mitch Marner. Marner is one point behind Matthews thanks to his team-leading 21 assists, but 11 of those helpers came on Matthews' markers. The American center has scored a whopping 24.3% of Toronto's goals in 2021.

Matthews has also improved defensively, ranking at or near the top of the NHL among forwards in puck battle wins, stick checks, blocked passes, and blocked shots, according to Sportlogiq's Mike Kelly.

His performance is even more impressive considering his wrist has bothered him for most of the campaign. Matthews would be a shoo-in for this honor if not for one man.

1. Connor McDavid

McDavid is the NHL's most talented player, and he's been the league's most valuable one in 2021.

The Oilers megastar has authored stellar underlying numbers across the board, in addition to his typically excellent conventional figures. His expected goals percentage is higher than his goals for percentage. It's the opposite for Matthews.

McDavid has played at a Hart Trophy level for most of the season. He's figured in on an astounding 51% of the Oilers' goals, though Draisaitl has helped create 43% of them. McDavid isn't scoring at Matthews' blistering pace, but that isn't the lone consideration when it comes to the MVP race.

In addition to the eye-popping analytics and McDavid's hefty share of Edmonton's offensive production, he's also leading the NHL in points and ranks second among forwards in average ice time behind Marner.

Honorable mentions: Marc-Andre Fleury, Anze Kopitar, Mark Scheifele, Marner.

(Analytics source: Natural Stat Trick)

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Montreal Canadiens goaltender Carey Price is as perplexed as anyone at his poor form to start the 2021 campaign.

Price entered Thursday's tilt against the Winnipeg Jets with a 5-3-3 record and .893 save percentage before allowing five goals in the loss - his fifth in his last six games. Afterward, he addressed his recent struggles.

"Maybe I'm overthinking things. That's all I've got for you," Price said, per The Athletic's Arpon Basu.

Montreal entered this campaign with high expectations after a busy offseason that brought in several new faces. Despite the roster overhaul, Price remained the Habs' biggest X-factor for success, and he looked poised for a big year after posting a .936 save percentage through 10 games in the bubble playoffs over the summer.

Price, 33, started the season undefeated in regulation through six starts but has earned just one victory since. Jake Allen, Montreal's backup goalie, is 4-2-1 this season with a .932 save percentage.

The Canadiens began their 2021 schedule with a 7-1-2 record but have since cooled off and now sit fourth in the North Division at 9-6-2. Thursday's game marked the club's first under head coach Dominique Ducharme, who took over the role on an interim basis after Claude Julien was fired Wednesday.

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Matthew Tkachuk squashed any speculation he would drop the gloves with brother Brady as the Calgary Flames and Ottawa Senators gear up to clash in five of their next six games.

"Anybody that thinks we're going to fight is an idiot," the Flames winger said, according to Postmedia's Bruce Garrioch.

Both Tkachuk brothers are known to mix it up physically, but going toe to toe with each other evidently crosses the line. Their father, Keith, who scored 538 NHL goals, hopes he doesn't have to discipline his sons for any extracurricular affairs.

"The brothers should never fight, that's the bottom line," Keith told "The Athletic Hockey Show" on Monday. "There's plenty of guys to fight out there on the opposing teams, so they don't need to fight each other. They're brothers, they're best friends. (My wife) Chantal wouldn't like it and I wouldn't like it."

Both Tkachuk brothers are off to strong starts this season. Matthew's notched 14 points in 20 games for the Flames, while Brady leads the Sens with 15 points and ranks first in the NHL in shots (89) and second in hits (90).

Calgary sits fifth in the North Division, seven points clear of last-place Ottawa.

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