Calgary Flames rookie Jakob Pelletier was in a humorous mood when he explained why he switched from No. 49 to No. 22 this offseason.

"I think it's easier for the coaches to kind of know the No. 22 (than) the No. 49," he said with a laugh.

Pelletier's comment appears to be a lighthearted reference to former Flames head coach Darryl Sutter's remarks about the youngster's NHL debut in January. When asked about Pelletier's performance, Sutter asked, "What number is he?" before reading out his stats in a flat tone.

Forward Jonathan Huberdeau said in May that he and his teammates "were all disappointed" with the way Sutter reacted to Pelletier's debut.

Pelletier, a Quebec native, joked Monday that his playful jab was just "bad English" before explaining the real reason for his number change.

The 22-year-old winger revealed that his grandma "loves" No. 22. He also said he wore it when he was younger. In addition, the digits are a nod to Alexander Radulov, who had his No. 22 jersey retired by the QMJHL's Quebec Remparts after he played for the team from 2004-06.

"When I was young, he was my first idol when he played for Quebec," Pelletier said. "He was unbelievable."

Trevor Lewis wore No. 22 with the Flames last season but signed with the Los Angeles Kings in July. Calgary general manager Craig Conroy also rocked those digits while with the Flames from 2001-04.

"I called him in the summer and I said, 'What number do you want?'" Conroy said, per the Calgary Sun's Wes Gilbertson. "And he said, 'Well, if I could pick any number, I'd take 22.' I said, 'Ooh, you might be kissing a little butt here.' He's like, 'What?' I told him, 'That was my number!' He didn't know that."

Pelletier amassed three goals and seven points over 24 games last season.

The Flames' 2023-24 campaign kicks off Oct. 11 against the Winnipeg Jets.

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Game on! Fresh off the first game of the Canucks preseason, the guys take a look back at a 10-0 drubbing at the hands of Calgary. Rink Wide: Vancouver podcast co-host Jeff Paterson stops by with his takeaways from the night that was, including some spotlights on young players like Höglander, Podkolzin, Räty and McWard. Also, Matt and Blake are joined in studio by Daily Faceoff’s NHL Insider Frank Seravalli. He gives the latest from around the league, his projection for the Canucks’ season and on whether a Tyler Myers trade still may be on the table. Presented by Applewood Auto Group.

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Jason Robertson believes the Dallas Stars are fully equipped to play for the Stanley Cup, and that's his primary goal heading into the 2023-24 season.

"It's winning it all," Robertson told ESPN's Kristen Shilton. "That's what you want to do. We have those expectations. We have the players, the coach that it takes to win. Everyone has a recipe to win. We've got a big forward group, great defensemen, and elite goalie. You have all those criteria that were checked off."

Dallas finished eighth in the NHL standings last season with 108 points and then advanced to the Western Conference Final, where they lost in six games to eventual champions the Vegas Golden Knights.

Even though the Stars boasted one of the deepest forward corps in the NHL a season ago, general manager Jim Nill made a significant splash over the summer by signing veteran Matt Duchene.

"So, we have high expectations this year, and we're fortunate enough to where our GM has built this group well," Robertson said. "And the young guys are going to step up and take control, like me and the younger guys. So, we're excited."

Robertson, 23, was the Stars' driving force offensively, racking up a career-high 109 regular-season points on his way to a first-team All-Star selection and a fourth-place finish in Hart Trophy voting. He also contributed 18 points in 19 postseason contests.

The Stars are set to begin their season Oct. 12 against the St. Louis Blues.

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Buffalo Sabres superstar Rasmus Dahlin no longer has to keep his head on a swivel for Connor Clifton.

Clifton garnered a reputation as a fear-inducing open-ice hitter during his five seasons with the Boston Bruins, but he's now a member of the Sabres after inking a three-year, $10-million contract as a free agent in the offseason.

"On the ice, you see his toughness," Dahlin said, per Buffalo Hockey Beat's Bill Hoppe. "I remember playing him in Boston. I was scared of him. I hated to play against him."

Despite being just 5-foot-11, 190 pounds, Clifton led the Bruins and finished 10th among NHL defensemen with 208 hits last season.

Dahlin and Clifton have been defensive partners through the beginning of training camp. The former is looking to reach new heights off the heels of a breakout, 73-point season in 2022-23 and has impressed Clifton thus far.

"He's a fun player to watch," Clifton said. "It's even more fun playing next to him."

Head coach Don Granato, who coached Clifton with the U.S. National Team Development Program, likes what he sees from the pairing.

"They both read and play the same together," Granato said. "One's moving off the other and they're showing experience."

Clifton projects to play a larger role in Buffalo after averaging just 17:51 minutes per game in Boston last season.

The Sabres are hoping Clifton can be a steadying presence on the back end for a team that finished 26th in goals against in 2022-23 and missed the playoffs by a single point despite owning the league's third-best offense.

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Connor McDavid dethroned Auston Matthews and won the award with a remarkable 64-goal campaign a season ago.

Can McDavid defend his title after the most prolific scoring season we've seen since 2007-08, or will there be a new sheriff in town? Let's take a closer look at where the value lies.

Note: listed players 60:1 or shorter. Odds via theScore Bet.

Leon Draisaitl (+750)

The market suggests there is a pretty clear gap between Draisaitl and the two front runners, Connor McDavid and Auston Matthews. I don't see it that way.

Draisaitl has scored 107 goals over the past two seasons. That puts him just one goal behind McDavid for the league lead in that span - and Draisaitl made a couple fewer appearances. On a per-game basis, nobody has scored more than Draisaitl over the last couple years.

Draisaitl is the go-to guy on a historically good power play - he is 21 power play goals clear of the NHL's second most prolific scorer in that time - and he is extremely durable, having missed only two games over the past three seasons.

While Draisaitl is not as dynamic as McDavid, he is more of a traditional shooter and finishes at a noticeably higher rate. I think +750 is a very generous price for arguably the sport's best sniper.

Kirill Kaprizov (+3000)

Kaprizov has quietly been one of the league's best scorers over the past couple of seasons. He scored 47 goals in his sophomore year with the Wild and followed it up with 40 in 67 games last season, a 49-goal pace.

While the winner snuck into the 60s in back-to-back years, the Rocket Richard winner needed no more than 53 goals for a decade before that. Kaprizov was sniffing around that territory last season - and there's reason to believe he could amp things up further.

Kaprizov's shot volume has increased each year in the league, and he's gotten to the point where - unlike many stars up front - he is playing more than 21 minutes per game. That's top-tier usage.

Had Kaprizov finished at, say, a 17% clip - as opposed to 15% - he'd have scored 45 goals in 67 games last year, which is a 55-goal pace.

I think Kaprizov will have the shot volume, usage, and finishing rate necessary to score more than 50 goals. If the bar is in the mid-50s, rather than the 60s (like the last two seasons), Kaprizov will have a fighting chance. At +3000, he's worth a dart throw.

Jack Hughes (+3000)

When Hughes entered the NHL, he was a very slim playmaking forward who didn't have the shot power, or release, to test goaltenders. He almost looked like a kid playing years above his age group, which, technically speaking, he was.

He has come a long way in a short period of time, having averaged 45 goals per 82 games over the last two seasons.

Hughes is a puck-dominant player who now threatens as a passer and a shooter. Last season, he finished fifth in shots on goal and scored more five-on-five goals than the likes of Matthews and Nathan MacKinnon. Yeah, he was that good - and at just 21 years of age.

The Devils improved the personnel around Hughes and are hoping new assistant coach Travis Green can help get more out of the team on the power play.

Hughes doesn't need to ramp things up a notch at five-on-five to get in contention for hardware. If he can make marginal improvements finishing - while maintaining the same kind of shot volume - and boost his power play outputs, the sky really is the limit.

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

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Finding a player hitting his stride at the right time in fantasy hockey can be just as satisfying as landing a bona fide star at the top of your draft. Quality depth is crucial to competing for a championship, and below, we identify options who may fit the bill this coming season.

Here are 10 candidates - ranging from star sophomores to veterans who'll play alongside scoring machines - poised to break out in 2023-24.

Forwards

Matias Maccelli, Coyotes

Maccelli could be one of the best-kept secrets in fantasy hockey this year, and it'd be wise to target him late in your drafts as a breakout option. Though he finished fourth in Rookie of the Year voting this offseason, he led all freshmen in points per game (0.77) and five-on-five points per 60 (2.21) while ranking second in even-strength points (36) despite appearing in only 64 contests.

Coyotes players typically don't get a ton of action in fantasy, but Arizona did bring in a lot of offensive talent over the summer - and Maccelli is in prime position to benefit. Early projections have him on a line with top prospect Logan Cooley and veteran Jason Zucker, along with deployment on the top power-play unit. Maccelli is a gifted playmaker; a modest uptick in production with the man advantage could make him a worthwhile gamble.

Connor Brown, Oilers

Brown's inclusion on this list is simple: he projects to play alongside Connor McDavid. That should mean career highs across the board for Brown, who's cracked the 20-goal mark twice in his career. Power-play time on Edmonton's stacked top unit will be difficult to come by for the veteran grinder, and a knee injury that limited him to only four games last season is a legitimate concern, but there's no need to overthink this one. Top-line exposure with the best player in the world makes Brown a worthy draft pick this fall.

Owen Tippett, Flyers

It's common knowledge the Flyers are embarking on a full-scale rebuild, but someone needs to score while they're in the doldrums, and Tippett is the best bet. The 24-year-old, who was the main piece of the return in the Claude Giroux trade in 2022, erupted for 27 goals last season after a previous career high of 10. Another uptick could be on the horizon as he projects to be the Flyers' main triggerman at five-on-five and on the power play.

Tippett's high-end shot was a major reason he was the 10th overall pick in 2017. He fired more pucks than ever last season, with an average of three per game. That would add strong peripheral value to his goals and assists should you roster him. While Philadelphia doesn't have enough talent to push for the playoffs, Tippett will be one of its most heavily involved players. That's often a better situation in fantasy than drafting a player buried on the depth chart of a good team.

Kent Johnson, Blue Jackets

Johnson produced a solid 40 points in his first full NHL campaign last year and showed flashes of the offensive brilliance that made him the fifth overall pick in 2021. His 16 goals and 24 assists came despite averaging only 14:31 per game. An increase in ice time under new coach Pascal Vincent could go a long way toward making Johnson a must-have player.

Players tend to hit sophomore slumps as defenses start to figure them out, but Johnson can be insulated by a ton of talent in Columbus' top six. He could suit up on the left side with captain Boone Jenner or this year's No. 3 pick and former University of Michigan teammate Adam Fantilli - both attractive options. Johnson is likely to slot behind both Johnny Gaudreau and Patrik Laine on the top unit's depth chart. That may prevent him from challenging for the team's scoring title just yet, but it's safe to expect him to elevate his totals in Year 2.

Anthony Beauvillier, Canucks

Beauvillier's never topped 40 points through seven seasons in the NHL, but he now has a prime opportunity to set new personal benchmarks as the top left winger on Vancouver's depth chart - and riding shotgun to Elias Pettersson. The pair posted positive metrics and outscored the opposition in just under 300 five-on-five minutes together after Beauvillier arrived from the Islanders last season. It's fair to assume coach Rick Tocchet will allow them to re-establish their chemistry.

Clinging to Pettersson is an easy way for any player to up their point totals. But Beauvillier is worth an extra look come draft season if he snags a piece of Vancouver's loaded top power-play unit, which could also feature J.T. Miller, Andrei Kuzmenko, and Quinn Hughes. Beauvillier won't be the driving force of the Canucks' offense at five-on-five or with the man advantage, but points are points, and he's well-positioned to rack them up as it stands.

Defensemen

Evan Bouchard, Oilers

Listing Bouchard here kind of feels like cheating considering he had 17 points in 12 playoff games just a few months ago, but we expect the young blue-liner to evolve from a household name into a bona fide superstar this coming fantasy season. After all, the young rearguard runs point on one of the best power plays in NHL history. While it's easy to dish it off to McDavid or Leon Draisaitl, Bouchard's capable of creating goals himself thanks to a bomb of a shot, bringing an entirely new element to the Oilers' man advantage.

He notched 19 of his 40 points last season in just 21 contests after taking over top-unit responsibilities. The sky's the limit over a full 82-game slate.

Jake Sanderson, Senators

It's time for the Senators' $64.4-million defenseman to show the hockey world what he's capable of. Many scoffed when Ottawa awarded the 21-year-old an eight-year extension after just 77 NHL games played, but Sanderson quietly produced 32 points, including 17 on the power play, in his freshman campaign. Wrangling the top-unit spot from Thomas Chabot is a long shot, but Sanderson has shown he's more than capable of filling in for the oft-injured veteran.

Sanderson averaged nearly 22 minutes per game as a rookie, most of which came behind one of Ottawa's stacked top two lines. If he doesn't get adequate power-play time, five-on-five production shouldn't be much of an issue given who he projects to share the ice with. His 147 blocks also offer enticing value elsewhere if you're in a banger league.

Luke Hughes, Devils

Hughes' status as a breakout candidate might be best served in keeper or dynasty leagues, but the 20-year-old turned heads this past spring with four points in five games between the regular season and playoffs after the Devils pried him from the University of Michigan. His inclusion on this list is largely based on reputation - his older brothers Quinn and Jack sure are doing alright for themselves - rather than an elite lineup situation. Still, the youngest Hughes should get power-play time with New Jersey's second unit and generate plenty of looks at even strength with a strong supporting cast of forwards.

Goalies

Devon Levi, Sabres

Investing in a rookie goaltender - in fantasy and real life - can be a frightening proposition, but Levi is too tantalizing of a talent to ignore. The 21-year-old will backstop the up-and-coming Sabres in his first full campaign after going 5-2 with a .905 save percentage in his first taste of the NHL late in 2022-23.

Those numbers don't exactly jump off the page, but Levi's amateur track record speaks for itself. He was a Hobey Baker finalist twice at Northeastern, where he also was named collegiate goaltender of the year in both of his NCAA seasons. Levi also won world championship gold with Canada, albeit in a limited role, to further strengthen his pedigree. We're not suggesting you bet on Levi to win the Vezina in his rookie year. But Buffalo would've made the playoffs with stronger goaltending last year, and its new netminder looks like the answer.

Pyotr Kochetkov, Hurricanes

Kochetkov is buried behind Frederik Andersen and Antti Raanta on Carolina's depth chart, but the veteran duo is highly injury-prone, which could open the door for the 24-year-old. The Hurricanes clearly believe in Kochetkov as a viable NHL goaltender, as they signed him a four-year extension in November with only a handful of games under his belt.

Should Kochetkov find his way into Carolina's crease, he can be trusted to rack up wins behind Rod Brind'Amour's defensive structure. He went 12-7-5 in his chances last season while posting a respectable .909 save percentage.

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