We have a busy eight-game slate to look forward to on Thursday night. Let's waste no time diving into the best way to attack it.

Devils (+260) @ Penguins (-325)

The Devils are on the best 2-8-0 run you'll ever see. At five-on-five, they've controlled 52% of the expected goals and 53% of the high-danger chances. They've routinely gotten better chances but haven't had the firepower to finish them. Meanwhile, seemingly every chance New Jersey has conceded has ended up in the back of the net.

While there isn't much reason to expect the latter to change - not with Mackenzie Blackwood and Jonathan Bernier both sidelined - the Devils are getting some significant reinforcements to help their offense.

The team's extended pause has given plenty of time for their players to recover from injuries and get healthy again. Dougie Hamilton, Jesper Bratt, and Andreas Johnsson are all expected to return to the lineup Thursday night. That's a No. 1 defenseman, a near point-per-game winger, and a middle-sixer producing at a 46-point clip over 82 games.

If the Devils can keep things relatively even in the chance department, which they've done of late, they now have the firepower to keep this game within striking distance.

At plus money, I'm happy to roll the dice with this Devils team getting a goal cushion.

Bet: Devils +1.5 (+105)

Stars (+130) @ Predators (-155)

The Stars and Predators are known more for their defense than offense, but I think this game has sneaky scoring potential.

With Jake Oettinger getting the nod in goal Wednesday night, it's reasonable to assume the Stars will turn to Braden Holtby. That hasn't been a recipe for success, as his play has fallen off following a strong start to the campaign.

Holtby owns a woeful .898 save percentage over his last 12 appearances and has conceded just under three goals per game in that time. The Predators, fresh off an impressive six-goal showing against the Panthers, should be able to net a few in this game.

I think the Stars will be able to hold up their end of the bargain as well. They have been awfully good at generating high-danger chances of late, sitting seventh - just below the Avalanche - in five-on-five chances per 60 over the last 10 games.

Projected starter Juuse Saros will see his fair share of difficult shots. Based on the level of play we've seen from him of late, that could be more problematic than we've come to expect. He has conceded 15 goals over his last four starts and posted an .880 save percentage in that time.

Expect both sides to do their share of damage while pushing this game over the number.

Bet: Over 5.5 (-110)

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

Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Wednesday was a solid 2-1 night for our player props. Nikita Kucherov and Alex Tuch came through for us, while Drew Doughty was a couple of shots shy in a smash spot against the Coyotes.

We'll look to put together another profitable night as we comb through the best values for Thursday's slate.

Dougie Hamilton over 2.5 shots (-134)

Hamilton has played but one game in 2022 due to injury. It would seem his extended absence caused everyone to forget just how effective he is as a shot generator because this line is far too low.

If you exclude the game Hamilton left after playing just two minutes, he registered at least three shots on goal in seven straight games prior to his absence. Hamilton put up four shots or more five times in that span. He wasn't just scraping by; he was hitting overs with room to spare.

While the Penguins are an above-average shot suppression team, that hasn't stopped Hamilton from enjoying success against them. He has eight shots in two games versus Pittsburgh this season, hitting the over (2.5 shots) in each meeting.

Expect him to pick up where he left off in this game.

Mathew Barzal over 2.5 shots (+100)

You don't generally want to target Islanders with shot props. However, Barzal has been a pretty consistent shot generator - especially on the road.

Barzal has averaged a full three shots per game on the road this season. He has a hit rate of 62% away from home soil and has registered three shots or more in six of the last eight games (75%).

He seems likely to continue his hot streak against the Sharks. Why? They're playing truly putrid defense right now.

Over the last 10 games, they rank dead last in shot attempts against per 60 minutes of five-on-five play. No other team has come close to allowing the volume San Jose has. For perspective, the gap between the 32nd-placed Sharks and 31st-placed Coyotes (7.33 attempts per 60) is larger than the one between the Coyotes and Lightning (6.0).

Suffice to say, the Sharks are a team we want to target on a nightly basis right now - and Barzal stands out as the best way to do that.

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

Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Toronto Maple Leafs moved Jake Muzzin to long-term injured reserve Wednesday, according to CapFriendly.

The defenseman must miss 10 games and 24 days, during which time the club can acquire players up to a maximum of his $5.625-million cap hit.

Muzzin exited during the second period of the Maple Leafs' loss to the Montreal Canadiens on Monday after inadvertently colliding with opposing blue-liner Chris Wideman.

The Leafs held Muzzin out for the remainder of that contest as a precaution, and he stayed in Montreal overnight for observation and testing.

He then missed Tuesday's defeat against the Columbus Blue Jackets. Before that matchup, Toronto head coach Sheldon Keefe said Muzzin was back home in concussion protocol and that the 33-year-old had a "positive day."

Muzzin missed seven games earlier this season after sustaining a concussion in January, and he returned on Feb. 10.

The veteran is in his third full campaign with the Maple Leafs, who acquired him in a trade with the Los Angeles Kings in 2018-19. Muzzin has collected 12 points while averaging 21 minutes of ice time over 41 contests in 2021-22.

Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Calgary Flames assistant general manager Craig Conroy isn't concerned about signing pending unrestricted free agent Johnny Gaudreau to an extension.

"That's a done deal; we're going to get that done," Conroy told "Boomer in the Morning" on Sportsnet 960.

Gaudreau is enjoying his best season. He leads the Flames in assists (44) and points (64) through 49 appearances. Gaudreau's 1.31 points per game is a career high, while he also leads the NHL with a plus-41 rating.

The Flames project to have $27 million in cap space for next season, according to CapFriendly. However, Calgary has several players on expiring contracts, including key restricted free agents Matthew Tkachuk, Andrew Mangiapane, and Oliver Kylington.

Gaudreau's current contract - a six-year pact signed in 2016 - contains a $6.75-million cap hit.

Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Colorado Avalanche superstar Nathan MacKinnon won't play Wednesday against the Detroit Red Wings out of precaution due to a lingering lower-body injury, head coach Jared Bednar announced.

MacKinnon's lower-body issue hasn't been getting better, Bednar added, per The Athletic's Peter Baugh.

Bednar is hopeful his star center will return on Friday against the Winnipeg Jets.

MacKinnon has recorded 48 points in 36 games this season.

Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Calgary Flames are hiring former Anaheim Ducks general manager Bob Murray as a scout, sources told The Athletic's Eric Stephens.

Murray resigned from his post with the Ducks in November after the club placed him on leave amid an investigation into his professional conduct. He allegedly created a toxic work culture through repeated verbal abuse of Ducks players, staff, and personnel, along with temper tantrums and intimidation tactics.

The 67-year-old announced he would enter an alcohol abuse program upon his resignation.

Murray and current Flames head coach Darryl Sutter were teammates on the Chicago Blackhawks in the 1980s. The two have formed a close bond over the years, per Stephens.

Murray was Anaheim's GM for parts of 14 seasons. The Ducks recently hired Pat Verbeek as his replacement.

Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

It appears Sean Avery is making a comeback.

The 41-year-old signed a standard player contract with the ECHL's Orlando Solar Bears on Wednesday, the team announced. The Solar Bears are an affiliate of the Tampa Bay Lightning.

"I've got seven months to be physically ready to walk onto an NHL training camp," Avery said on the "Blackballed with James Di Fiore" podcast. "That is a lot of time based on how I feel right now physically and how I feel on the ice after skating six times after not skating for 10 years. My timing is coming back and it's getting sharper every single time. I can feel it happening."

Avery retired a decade ago. He last played professional hockey during the 2011-12 campaign where he split his time between the New York Rangers and the AHL's Connecticut Whale.

He played 10 seasons in the NHL with the Detroit Red Wings, Los Angeles Kings, Rangers, and Dallas Stars. He racked up 247 points and 1,533 penalty minutes in 580 career games.

Avery was better known for controversies than for his playing ability. While with the Rangers in the 2008 playoffs, Avery turned his back on the play in order to screen New Jersey Devils goaltender Martin Brodeur by waving his stick and hands in the air. The following day, the NHL announced such actions would result in an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty, which is now known as "The Avery Rule."

The next season, while he was playing for the Stars, the NHL suspended Avery for six games for "conduct detrimental to the league or the game of hockey" after he said other NHL players who were dating his ex-girlfriends were falling in love with his "sloppy seconds." After the suspension, the Stars announced he wouldn't return to the team.

While with the Kings, Avery mocked Dustin Brown about Brown's lisp and his then-girlfriend (now wife). In 2016, a restraining order was issued against Avery for harassing his mother-in-law.

Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Tuesday night was a mixed bag for shot props. Aaron Ekblad came through for us with relative ease, but Jordan Eberle was blanked by the New York Islanders.

We'll set our sights higher as we look to turn a profit with shot totals Wednesday night.

Alex Tuch over 3.5 shots (-118)

Alex Tuch might be the hottest shooter in the NHL. He's registered at least four shots in eight of the last 10 games, averaging an absurd 4.6 per contest over that span.

He should have no problem continuing his success in this one. While the Montreal Canadiens have been more competent under new head coach Martin St. Louis, they're still a poor team that can be exposed defensively. The Canadiens are in the bottom 10 in five-on-five shot suppression over the last 10 games, and, just over a week ago, Tuch dinged them for five shots.

He should find success again Wednesday.

Nikita Kucherov over 3.5 shots (-112)

If Tuch isn't the most consistent shot generator in the league right now, that crown goes to Nikita Kucherov.

Kucherov has recorded at least four shots on goal in nine of his last 10 games while finding success against elite teams such as the Boston Bruins (five shots) and Colorado Avalanche (eight).

Like Montreal, the Edmonton Oilers have benefited from a coaching change. They're far from bulletproof, though, and I think Kucherov will benefit from an advantageous matchup on home soil.

Drew Doughty over 2.5 shots (-125)

Drew Doughty's shot volume is up and down. He's a guy you have to pick your spots with. It just so happens, once again, that he has a dream matchup against the Arizona Coyotes.

Doughty piled up five shots on goal against the Coyotes just a few days ago. I don't know that he'll reach that number again, but I love his chances of getting at least three.

Arizona gives up plenty of shot volume, particularly to opposing defensemen. No team has conceded more shots - overall or on a per-game basis - to the position than the Coyotes. Any big-minute defender is in play for them, especially one who quarterbacks the top power play and likes to get involved at five-on-five.

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

Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.