Hockey is back following a one-day layoff, and you know what that means: shot props!

Despite an off night Wednesday, my record on shot totals this season sits at 35-22 for +13.33 units.

We'll look to keep the ball rolling during Thursday's 13-game slate.

Jordan Kyrou over 2.5 shots (+120)

Kyrou has been a highly efficient shot generator of late. At five-on-five, he ranks second among Blues forwards - behind only Vladimir Tarasenko - in shots on goal over the last 10 games, and he's recorded at least three shots on goal eight times in that span.

Now he draws one of the best matchups possible in the Blackhawks. They're allowing more than 60 attempts per 60 at five-on-five over their last 10 games and rank 28th in that category. Suppressing shots is not exactly Chicago's strong suit.

Kyrou is playing in the top six and on the second power play, which should give him plenty of ice to capitalize on this advantageous matchup.

Rickard Rakell over 2.5 shots (-120)

Rakell has missed half of the Ducks' games due to injury; however, he's piled up the shots when healthy.

He's averaging 6.2 shot attempts and 3.6 shots on goal through 10 games. That's very encouraging volume. He also finds himself in a dream matchup against the Senators, who can't defend a lick: No team has allowed shots at a higher rate over the last 10 games.

Rakell has generated at least two shots on goal every game this season and he's gone over the number more often than not. I like his chances of doing so once again versus this struggling Ottawa squad.

Bonus round: Andrew Copp over 2.5 shots (+135). The Jets forward has averaged a whopping 3.77 shots per game on the road this season and the Wild's defense isn't as stingy with Jared Spurgeon out of the lineup. There is real value here.

Todd Cordell is a sports betting writer at theScore. Be sure to follow him on Twitter @ToddCordell.

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The NHL is back from its short Thanksgiving break, and boy, is the league returning in style.

Nearly every team will be in action between 1 p.m. and 1 a.m. EST.

Let's get into our best bets for today's jam-packed schedule.

Kraken (+150) @ Lightning (-170)

There's slow, and then there's the Seattle Kraken. Seattle is moving at a snail's pace these days, with an emphasis on limiting chances at the expense of the club's own shot creation.

The Kraken rank dead last in attempts per 60 over the last 10 games and first in suppressing them. The story is similar in terms of expected goals: They sit 27th in xG per 60 and, again, first in xG against per 60. Seattle is playing lower event hockey than every other NHL team, which isn't all that surprising given how poor the squad's goaltending has been this season.

Philipp Grubauer is starting to trend upwards, but he has struggled mightily. Limiting the danger in front of him to help get on track is probably optimal, especially considering the Kraken don't have a roster littered with high-end scorers. Getting into a track meet is a losing battle.

While the Tampa Bay Lightning do play faster - everyone does! - they're not exactly burning up the ice. Tampa Bay ranks 26th in combined Corsi events (attempts for + against) at five-on-five over the last 10 contests. That's not surprising either - the Lightning are stout defensively on any given night, and with Nikita Kucherov and Brayden Point out, they have to lean in that direction even further.

This matchup is set up to be a snoozer. If the goaltending is remotely competent - looking at you, Grubauer - this game should stay under the number.

Bet: under 5.5 goals (+100)

Panthers (-105) @ Capitals (-115)

The Washington Capitals are severely undermanned these days. With injuries to Nicklas Backstrom, Anthony Mantha, T.J. Oshie, Lars Eller, and Conor Sheary, their top-nine is almost unrecognizable.

Somehow, the Capitals have still managed to pile up the wins, going 7-2-1 over the last 10 contests, but it's hard to argue the success is sustainable - at least while missing so many key players. During that span, Washington's share of high-danger chances at five-on-five (45.40%) placed the team 27th in the league.

The Panthers are not the best opponent for the Caps to run into right now. Florida leads the NHL in CF% and xGF% over the last 10 games. Oh, and no side has generated high-danger chances at a more efficient clip. The Panthers are firing on all cylinders - even without Aleksander Barkov.

I see the edge being in Florida's favor at full-strength, and projected starter Sergei Bobrovsky leads the league in Goals Saved Above Expected (+19.7). Simply put, I think the market is favoring the wrong team in this spot.

Bet: Panthers (-105)

Todd Cordell is a sports betting writer at theScore. Be sure to follow him on Twitter @ToddCordell.

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Ottawa Senators coach D.J. Smith lamented his club's lack of reliable goaltending following Wednesday's 6-3 loss to the San Jose Sharks.

The bench boss viewed the game as a winnable contest and said the team needs one of their goalies to step up and take the starting job.

"We deserved better, a point or two," Smith said, according to Sportsnet's Wayne Scanlan. "The difference tonight was probably their goaltending."

He added: "I didn't mind our details. I just think we've got to send someone to take the net and start to win us some games when we give that effort. We need someone to get in there and hold us right now.

"We're a young team that needs someone to steal one for us, probably."

Matt Murray started in Wednesday's defeat. Shots were an even 29-29, but San Jose erased a 3-2 deficit with four consecutive goals, though two were empty-netters.

Murray hasn't won any of his six starts this season, but he's not the only Sens netminder struggling.

Ottawa ranks last in the NHL in goals against per game (3.82) and 30th in all-situations save percentage (.888). The team currently owns a 4-12-1 record.

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Vancouver Canucks star winger Brock Boeser is tired of being the subject of seemingly endless trade speculation.

While his club is spiraling through a 2-7-1 stretch and fans call for changes throughout the organization, Boeser said the rumors are getting old.

"Yeah, it does," Boeser told The Athletic's Thomas Drance prior to the Canucks' 4-1 loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins on Wednesday. "I had some people bring it to my attention yesterday a bit.

"I was confused. I think it's just people looking for an answer out in the social media world with the team struggling, especially now. That's part of it."

Boeser is in the final year of a three-year, $17.625-million bridge deal signed in 2019, and he'll be a restricted free agent this offseason. Vancouver drafted him in the first round in 2015, and the 24-year-old has recorded 218 points over 270 games.

If anything, Boeser believes he's part of the solution going forward.

"I personally don't think I'm going to get traded," Boeser said. "I feel like I'm part of the core here and a big piece. That's just how I feel.

"At the end of the day, I can't worry about that stuff. I just have to go out and perform. It's been a tough stretch for me personally, and obviously for the team. And I set high expectations for myself to go out there and produce and help the team win. Lately, it's been tough.

Boeser is off to a slow start this season, with eight points through 17 contests.

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Leon Draisaitl is on a historic pace nearly a quarter of the way into the NHL season, but the Edmonton Oilers superstar doesn't think he'll keep it up.

Through 19 games, Draisaitl has collected 20 goals and 20 assists. That projects to 86 goals and 86 assists in 82 games.

"I guess it's a little crazy to think that I'm going to score 50 goals in 50 games," Draisaitl said when asked what it would mean to him if he could accomplish the feat after the Oilers defeated the Arizona Coyotes on Wednesday. Draisaitl scored two goals and added two assists.

"Obviously, right now, pucks are going in for me, but this is a tough league to score in so I don't expect to hit that stat at all. Obviously going to keep shooting - if they go in, great. I know there's going to come times where they're probably not going to go in."

He's the first Oilers player besides Wayne Gretzky to record 40 points prior to the 20-game mark in a season, according to Sportsnet Stats. Draisaitl is also the first NHL player to record 40 points through 19 games since Mario Lemieux scored 44 and Jaromir Jagr scored 41 during the 1995-96 campaign.

Since the beginning of the 2018-19 season, Draisaitl ranks second in the league with 339 points in 228 games. He trails only teammate Connor McDavid, who has 354 points in 217 contests. Brad Marchand and Patrick Kane each have 277 points, though Marchand did it in 218 games to Kane's 222.

Asked to discuss the idea of an 82-goal season, Draisaitl said it's a nearly impossible task.

"You expect me to score 82 goals this year? That's not gonna happen," Draisaitl laughed. "Obviously playing with 97 (McDavid) makes it a lot easier - a lot more free ice out there with him. But I don't expect that of myself. That's not anything that's realistic, I think."

Draisaitl leads the NHL in points (40) and goals (20) and ranks second in assists (20).

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Buffalo Sabres forward Zemgus Girgensons received a five-minute major and game misconduct for boarding Boston Bruins defenseman Charlie McAvoy on Wednesday.

McAvoy, Boston's top blue-liner, was forced to exit the game, but Bruins head coach Bruce Cassidy said postgame the 23-year-old "is good" after getting stitches.

"Let's hope he wakes up feeling good tomorrow and is ready to go Friday," Cassidy said.

Girgensons, 27, has never been suspended in his eight-year NHL career.

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