The NHL's return to international competition will feature only four countries, sources confirmed to ESPN's Greg Wyshynski.
The league's next global tourney will include Canada, Finland, Sweden, and the United States and is scheduled for February 2025, Wyshynski reports.
The proposed format would reportedly see Canada and the U.S. play two games in North America, while Finland and Sweden would face off in Europe. Based on either a points or aggregate goal total, the winner of the matchup would then take on the runner-up from the opposite continent, Wyshynski adds.
The NHL last hosted an international competition in 2016 with the World Cup of Hockey. The event featured six national teams, an under-23 North American squad, and a European side that featured players whose national teams weren't represented at the event.
NHLers haven't participated in a best-on-best tournament since the 2014 Sochi Olympics.
The NHL not having an agreement with the IIHF provides a challenge for the league to host a larger-scale tournament. Without IIHF involvement, an NHL-hosted event could only feature the league's players.
"That will be an all-NHL players playing in the tournament because we don't have an agreement with the IIHF right now," NHLPA executive director Marty Walsh said last week in Sweden, according to Daily Faceoff's Frank Seravalli. "The timeline that we want to do the World Cup is roughly the same that (the IIHF) do the Worlds. And they have obligations that they have to live up to as well."
Canada, Finland, Sweden, the U.S., Czechia, and Russia are the only countries with enough NHL-signed players to form a full national roster.
"Theoretically, that's important," commissioner Gary Bettman said of a more inclusive event, per Wyshynski. "As a practical matter, that may not be realistic. We might get there over time. We may have to evolve into a more inclusive World Cup. It's a work in progress."
Matt and Blake discuss the week ahead for the Canucks (how many points do they need out of 8 available), Saturday's loss vs. Seattle, improvements in even-strength scoring and the penalty kill, whether they should sign Ethan Bear or trade for a defenceman, Chris Tanev's comments last week about not re-signing in Vancouver, and whether there's a mini-window that will get Canucks management moving aggressively.
They guys also discuss the 110th Grey Cup, it's exciting finish, the local hero Tyson Philpot catching the game-winning touchdown, the Bombers blowing it again, Marc-Antoine Dequoy's rant, the Als' band of misfit toys and...uh...MVP Cody Fajardo, which brought a mea culpa from Matt.
Jeff Paterson, the host of the Rink Wide: Vancouver podcast, joins to discuss Andrei Kuzmenko and guys who have to pick it up, both on his line and with its pace, and other in the lineup (Sam Lafferty, Anthony Beauvillier), the loss to Seattle to Saturday, Sunday's practice, how many points they need this week and whether Bear makes more sense than a trade for the defence. Presented by Applewood Auto Group.
We have a fun seven-game slate on the docket to begin the week. I see value in backing a pair of elite teams on the road against sides missing key contributors.
The Lightning are getting a bit too much respect in this spot. They have only won eight of 18 games this season and have clear flaws in a lot of areas.
They don't possess much scoring depth, their team defense is underwhelming, and Jonas Johansson is in over his head as a starting goaltender.
He's performed better than anticipated given his track record, but he's still conceded more goals than expected this season.
It's no coincidence the Bolts are allowing 3.61 goals per game, one of the highest marks in the NHL.
The Lightning generally need to outscore their problems, which is going to be an extremely difficult task against the Bruins.
The Bruins are allowing only 2.35 expected goals per 60 at five-on-five this season. That is an elite rate.
They play a structured, air-tight style of hockey, don't give up a whole lot, and the goaltending is consistently good when called upon.
Projected starter Linus Ullmark ranks eighth among 41 qualified goaltenders (eight or more starts) in Goals Saved Above Expected per start. He shaves approximately half a goal per game off the opposing team's xG output, which is a big deal considering the Bruins don't allow much in the first place.
Nikita Kucherov, Brayden Point, and Co. may find a way to keep this game close, but I think that huge edges on defense, and in goal, will shine through for the Bruins.
The Kings own a 7-3 record over their past 10 games, during which time they lost in regulation only once.
They own the league's highest goal share (63.81%) in that span and have controlled nearly 57% of the expected goals. Suffice to say, they're a well-oiled machine.
I expect their success to continue Monday night against a struggling Coyotes team. The Coyotes have controlled only 44% of the expected goals share in November and have conceded more goals than all but five teams.
They're also playing without their first-line center Barrett Hayton. That has pushed Travis Boyd onto the top line, which is a clear downgrade.
The Kings have already faced the Coyotes twice this season and enjoyed success. They won both games in regulation, besting the Coyotes by three on one occasion while posting a 61% xG share in the other.
Since the two sides last met, the Coyotes sit 26th in shot generation at five-on-five while only two teams have done a better job of limiting shots than the Kings.
With this being the only Kings game scheduled until Friday, I expect they will continue to ride Cam Talbot - who has been drastically better than Pheonix Copley - and split starts on the weekend.
Bet: Kings in regulation (+100)
Todd Cordell is a sports betting writer at theScore. Follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, at @ToddCordell.
With seven games on the schedule for Monday night, we're in for an abnormally busy start to the week.
Let's take a closer look at a few of my favorite props on a loaded board.
Connor McDavid: Over 3.5 shots
McDavid's shot volume is slowly getting to the level to which we've all grown accustomed. He started the season slow, attempting more than five shots only once over his first six games and, unsurprisingly, failing to go over his shot total in all but one of those contests.
But McDavid has since attempted at least six shots in seven of eight games, averaging 7.1 over that time.
While the Panthers are not generally a team I want to target for shots, there are plenty of reasons to like McDavid tonight.
At the top of the list is the fact Selke candidate Aleksander Barkov is out of the lineup with an injury. McDavid would've seen a healthy dose of Barkov on the road. His absence is certainly a big plus.
McDavid is also seeing an insane workload on a nightly basis. Given how poorly the Oilers started the year, they have no margin for error moving forward, and McDavid will see as much ice as possible if the game is competitive.
That's already been the case under new head coach Kris Knoblauch.
McDavid played fewer than 20 minutes in the first two games with Knoblauch, both of which were 4-1 wins.
In close games against the Kraken and Lightning, McDavid played over 23 minutes.
I have a hard time believing the Oilers will walk all over the Panthers, meaning McDavid should see a massive workload in this spot.
Odds: -106 (playable to -125)
Mika Zibanejad: Over 2.5 shots
Zibanejad has been very consistent on the road this season. He is averaging 3.1 shots on goal per game and has gone over his shot total eight times in 10 tries.
He has found success against plenty of strong shot-suppression teams, registering three or more against the Devils, Jets, Canucks, and Oilers, to name a few.
Although the Stars don't seem like a great matchup on paper, there is plenty to like with Zibanejad in this spot.
The Stars rank in the bottom 10 in shots against per game over the past 10 contests.
They have given up a lot of volume to opposing centers this season, slotting in the bottom third in that category as well.
This should be a close game, allowing Zibanejad to get all the ice he can handle from start to finish. Expect him to take advantage.
Odds: -130 (playable to -150)
Quinn Hughes: Over 2.5 shots
Hughes has been automatic on home ice this season, going over his shot total in seven of eight games.
He is not fighting tooth and nail to get the job done. He is consistently going over with room to spare.
Hughes is averaging 4.1 shots on goal and eight attempts when playing in Vancouver. As I've often pointed out this season, those are the kind of numbers you'd expect to see from a 40-goal scorer on the wing.
What makes Hughes especially attractive is that he's going up against the league's worst team. The Sharks allow more shots - and shots against defensemen - than every team in the league.
With the Canucks coming off a somewhat ugly loss to the Kraken, they will no doubt be looking to take their frustrations out on the Sharks. Look for the captain to lead the charge and be heavily involved offensively.
Odds: -140 (playable to -170)
Todd Cordell is a sports betting writer at theScore. Follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, at @ToddCordell.
Edmonton Oilers superstars Leon Draisaitl and Connor McDavid find themselves in unfamiliar territory early in the 2023-24 campaign, out of a playoff spot and mired in concurrent scoring slumps.
Draisaitl leads the 5-10-1 Oilers with 21 points but sits at only six goals after bagging 50-plus each of the past two seasons, while McDavid is fifth on the team with 13 points in 14 games after setting the league ablaze with a career-best 153 last year.
"We were saying that the other day," Draisaitl said, per Sportsnet's Mark Spector. "This has never happened, that both of us have felt this way.
"It's a bad time."
Draisaitl and McDavid finished first and second in scoring in three of the past four seasons. The Oilers made significant progress on the backs of their dynamic duo, reaching the Western Conference Final in 2022 before racking up 109 points - their highest total since 1985-86 - in 2023.
Edmonton ranks 28th in goals this season, and its usually dominant power play is operating at a mediocre 22.8%.
"Certainly not to our standard," Draisaitl said. "Things are seemingly a little harder right now than they normally are, and that spirals a little bit. You know, we're human beings, and we care a lot. I'm working on finding my game as soon as possible."
Although it's been a difficult start, McDavid is optimistic he and Draisaitl will return to the form to which they're accustomed.
"Listen, we've done it for a long, long stretch of time. And we'll get back there again," he said. "We don't stop believing, even though everyone else might. We believe, not only in ourselves but in each other, in our group."
The Oilers' next game comes Monday against the Florida Panthers. They're 2-1 since replacing Jay Woodcroft with Chris Knoblauch behind the bench.
This is the third in-season edition of theScore's NHL Power Rankings for the 2023-24 campaign. Check back for updated rankings every other Monday.
In this edition, with Thanksgiving fast approaching in the United States, we look at one thing each team should be thankful for.
1. Boston Bruins (13-1-2)
Previous rank: 2nd
Jim Montgomery. Although the Bruins were written off in back-to-back offseasons, their head coach owns a sterling 78-13-7 record since taking over.
2. Vegas Golden Knights (13-4-2)
Previous rank: 1st
Electrolytes. The Golden Knights must've consumed many this offseason, because there have been no signs of a Stanley Cup hangover. The defending champs brought back mostly the same team and look plenty capable of repeating.
3. New York Rangers (12-2-1)
Previous rank: 4th
Artemi Panarin. The Rangers star expressed frustration after he registered just two points in seven playoff games last spring, but he's turned that disappointment into fuel. Panarin leads New York with 26 points in 15 games and he's yet to be held off the scoresheet this campaign.
4. Vancouver Canucks (12-5-1)
Previous rank: 6th
Quinn Hughes. Vancouver has no shortage of things to be thankful for early this season - three Canucks lead the league with 28 points, after all - but we'll focus on Hughes. The 24-year-old is putting together a strong case for the Hart and Norris Trophies in his first season as captain.
5. Los Angeles Kings (10-3-3)
Toronto Star / Toronto Star / Getty
Previous rank: 5th
Cam Talbot. The Kings have long sought an answer in goal, and their offseason addition is 9-3-1 with a .930 save percentage. Stability in the crease is a key reason Los Angeles has rocketed up the standings.
6. Florida Panthers (11-5-1)
Previous rank: 15th
Reinforcements. The Panthers weathered the storm without their top two defensemen for the first 16 games of the campaign. With Aaron Ekblad and Brandon Montour returning to the lineup earlier than expected on Friday, now they can really get down to business and perhaps give Boston a run for the Atlantic Division crown.
7. Colorado Avalanche (11-5-0)
Previous rank: 7th
The AJHL. Cale Makar broke yet another all-time mark among defensemen, this time becoming the fastest blue-liner to 200 career assists on Saturday. The Avalanche should be thankful Makar chose to bide his time in the AJHL on the NCAA path rather than play in the more traditional WHL. If he hadn't, there's a good chance he goes off the board before the Avalanche are on the clock to pick fourth overall in 2017.
8. Dallas Stars (11-4-1)
Previous rank: 3rd
The fountain of youth. The Stars are getting key contributions from their elder statesmen. Joe Pavelski (39) is tied for the team lead in points, while Matt Duchene (32), Tyler Seguin (31), and Jamie Benn (34) are all enjoying productive campaigns so far.
9. Toronto Maple Leafs (10-5-2)
Previous rank: 14th
William Nylander. The slick Swede is on a season-opening 17-game point streak and showing no signs of stopping. Though Maple Leafs fans ought to be thankful for his red-hot start, general manager Brad Treliving might not feel the same way: He's the one who has to negotiate Nylander's next deal.
10. Winnipeg Jets (10-5-2)
Jonathan Kozub / National Hockey League / Getty
Previous rank: 13th
Kyle Connor. After a modest 31-goal 2022-23 campaign, Connor exploded out of the gates with 14 tallies in 17 games, including 11 at even strength. Winnipeg's top sniper has at least eight more goals than any of his teammates.
11. Carolina Hurricanes (10-7-0)
Previous rank: 9th
Goalie depth. Frederik Andersen is out indefinitely with a blood-clotting issue, and while neither Pyotr Kochetkov or Antti Raanta has played particularly well to this point, the Hurricanes should have confidence in the duo. Kochetkov impressed as a rookie last year and Raanta has a long track record of reliable play.
12. Washington Capitals (9-4-2)
Previous rank: 28th
Spencer Carbery. Hey, remember when the Capitals started the season 1-3-1? Washington has since won eight of its last 10 games under the direction of its fresh-faced head coach. The Caps needed to turn things around after missing the playoffs last season, and Carbery has helped them do just that.
13. Tampa Bay Lightning (8-6-4)
Previous rank: 11th
Andrei Vasilevskiy's approaching return. The Lightning have treaded water without the 2019 Vezina winner between the pipes, but Tampa must be thankful he can play again soon after Jonas Johansson and Matt Tomkins have combined for an .895 save percentage this season.
14. Philadelphia Flyers (10-7-1)
Previous rank: 21st
Torey Krug's no-trade clause. This may sound strange, but hear us out. The Flyers were reportedly set to deal defenseman Travis Sanheim to the Blues, but the deal got nixed because Krug wouldn't waive his no-trade clause to come the other way. It's a good thing for Philadelphia, because Sanheim, 27, is having a breakout year, leading the Flyers with 16 points in 18 games.
15. Detroit Red Wings (8-6-3)
Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / Getty
Previous rank: 10th
Alex DeBrincat's home state. The arrival of DeBrincat has revamped the Red Wings' future. Even as Detroit's slowed since a torrid start, Steve Yzerman's move to bring a local star back home has paid dividends in no time.
16. New Jersey Devils (8-7-1)
Previous rank: 8th
Jack Hughes' contract. Hughes has 22 points in 11 games. He's also signed at an $8-million cap hit through 2030. There's no point in debates about the NHL's best value contract for another six-and-a-half years - it's Hughes until he inks his next deal.
17. Pittsburgh Penguins (9-8-0)
Previous rank: 18th
Sidney Crosby. This may be low-hanging fruit, but the Penguins captain is playing some of the best hockey of his career at age 36. He's on pace for a career high in goals and is the primary reason Pittsburgh is still in the mix.
18. St. Louis Blues (9-7-1)
Previous rank: 20th
Jordan Binnington's return to form. After two down seasons, the $24 million remaining on Binnington's contract looked like it would be an anchor on the Blues' cap. With his .922 save percentage in 12 games, St. Louis can worry about other areas as the team tries to return to the playoff picture.
19. Ottawa Senators (8-7-0)
Previous rank: 26th
Sweden. The Senators went 2-0-0 in the Global Series in Stockholm. If Ottawa begins to go on a run, that successful trip overseas - which was surely filled with plenty of team bonding - could be viewed as a turning point in their season.
20. Anaheim Ducks (9-9-0)
Sean M. Haffey / Getty Images Sport / Getty
Previous rank: 19th
Progress. The Ducks didn't get their ninth winuntil Christmastime last season. The plan to turn things around in Anaheim appears to have a foundation.
21. Arizona Coyotes (8-7-2)
Previous rank: 23rd
Power-play success. Arizona sneakily boasts the NHL's fifth-ranked man advantage at 29.5%, boosting a squad that struggles to produce goals at five-on-five.
22. Seattle Kraken (7-8-4)
Previous rank: 27th
Winter Classic jerseys. The Kraken's presumed sweaters for the 2024 Winter Classic feature a good mix of the team's colors and a nod to the 1917 Stanley Cup champion Seattle Metropolitans. The Vegas Golden Knights' look, on the other hand? Yikes.
23. Buffalo Sabres (8-9-1)
Previous rank: 16th
Those sweet threads. It's been a deflating month and a half for the Sabres with Devon Levi's struggles and a handful of injuries, capped by Tage Thompson's recent absence, after a summer full of hope. At least the team hits the ice night in and night out with some of the nicest jerseys in the league.
24. New York Islanders (6-6-5)
Previous rank: 12th
Saturday's win. The Islanders snapped a seven-game losing skid with a win against the Calgary Flames last time out. Securing the victory - even if it did come in the shootout - prevents things from snowballing out of control and keeps them in the mix in a crowded Metropolitan Division.
25. Calgary Flames (6-8-3)
Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / Getty
Previous rank: 29th
Rookie arrivals. There hasn't been much to cherish in Calgary so far this season, but freshmen Connor Zary and Martin Pospisil have provided a much-needed spark with eight and five points, respectively.
26. Montreal Canadiens (7-9-2)
Previous rank: 24th
Cole Caufield's surgeon. With a league-leading three overtime winners through his first 18 games of the campaign, the Canadiens star is clearly back to his sniping self after undergoing shoulder surgery in January. Build his doctor a statue.
27. Minnesota Wild (5-8-4)
Previous rank: 17th
An 82-game campaign. Although the usually consistent Wild are off to an ugly start, there's some good news: It's a long season. Minnesota's main issue has been goaltending, but Filip Gustavsson and Marc-Andre Fleury are bound to turn it around.
28. Nashville Predators (6-10-0)
Previous rank: 22nd
Ryan O'Reilly. It's always a bit scary when a team splurges in free agency, but the Predators appear to have landed O'Reilly at a more than favorable price. Every team in the league would love to have the former Conn Smythe winner at $4.5 million with the way he's started the year.
29. Edmonton Oilers (5-10-1)
Previous rank: 25th
A week of (relative) calm. The Oilers are 2-1 since changing head coaches, which has quelled the drama in Alberta's capital for the time being. We'll see how long that lasts.
30. Chicago Blackhawks (5-11-0)
Chase Agnello-Dean / National Hockey League / Getty
Previous rank: 30th
Connor Bedard. The 2023 first overall pick has come exactly as advertised, and he's giving Blackhawks fans something exciting to watch as the losses pile up. The 18-year-old leads all rookies with nine goals and 15 points.
31. Columbus Blue Jackets (4-11-4)
Previous rank: 31st
The penalty kill. The Blue Jackets have a litany of problems, but they can stifle power plays. Columbus owns the league's fourth-ranked penalty kill with an 87.3% success rate. Earlier in the season, the Jackets went an outlandish nine games without surrendering a power-play goal.
32. San Jose Sharks (3-13-1)
Previous rank: 32nd
Avoiding another double-digit losing streak. The Sharks were riding high after winning their first two games of the campaign to bust an 11-game slump in early November. Then came three consecutive losses. Uh oh. Luckily, San Jose stopped the bleeding with a 5-1 win over the Blues on Thursday. Phew.
Blue Jackets forward Patrik Laine is a healthy scratch versus the Philadelphia Flyers on Sunday, head coach Pascal Vincent announced.
"I know Patrik the person and I know (Laine) the player, if that makes sense. ... I know his potential," Vincent said, per NHL.com's Adam Kimelman. "He's not happy about the decision, don't get me wrong. But right now, I think Patty needs to take a deep breath, go back to the working lab, and get his touches back, get his shot back, get his confidence back, so he can be the No. 29 Patrik Laine we all know he can be.
"It was a hard conversation, but nobody, not myself, nobody's bigger than the Blue Jackets. ... We need the best Patrik Laine as possible for us."
Laine has mustered just two goals and one assist in nine games this campaign. He missed nine contests with an upper-body injury earlier this season.
Here are the Jackets' projected lines without Laine in the mix:
Tonight’s projected lines:
FORWARDS Dmitri Voronkov – Adam Fantilli – Kirill Marchenko Johnny Gaudreau – Boone Jenner – Yegor Chinakhov Alexandre Texier – Sean Kuraly – Justin Danforth Mathieu Olivier – Cole Sillinger
DEFENSEMEN Ivan Provorov – Damon Severson Zach Werenski –…
Laine logged just 12:21 of ice time during Saturday's defeat to the Washington Capitals, and he was benched late in Thursday's loss to the Arizona Coyotes.
The Blue Jackets are currently riding an eight-game losing streak. Six of those contests have been decided by one goal.
"It's every game, we're right there," a frustrated Vincent lamented Saturday. "We could be four, five games above .500 right now. It's getting ridiculous. ... We're going to focus on the positive here, but it's getting old. I'm repeating myself, but it's getting pretty f-----g old right now."
Laine, the second overall pick in 2016, eclipsed the 30-goal mark in each of the first three seasons of his NHL career, but he's struggled since then. He chipped in with 22 goals and 52 points in 55 outings with the Blue Jackets last season.
The 25-year-old is currently in the second season of a four-year pact with an average annual value of $8.7 million.
The defeat to Toronto was Minnesota's fifth in a row and eighth in 10 games. The Wild currently sit sixth in the Central Division and are four points out of a wild-card position in the Western Conference.
"My biggest thing is our compete level," Guerin said. "And look, guys work hard every night and they care. I know that. But it's a different type of compete and focus. I just don't think we've had it.
"It's everything from faceoffs and 50-50 puck battles to just pure execution, being in position, being in the right places to tape-to-tape passes. It all needs to be better."
Guerin orchestrated a team meeting before it flew to Sweden and voiced his displeasure in the wake of a 8-3 loss on home ice to the Dallas Stars on Nov. 12.
"It was kind of a kick-in-the-ass, figure-our-shit-out kind of meeting," forward Ryan Hartman said.
Guerin avoided placing blame on head coach Dean Evason and mentioned he wants to see more from the Wild's top players.
"It’s that old saying. You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make him drink," he said. "I think Dean’s doing a good job. And you know what? He can’t go out and play for the guys. He can’t have them execute. They have to do that. They have to do that."
The Wild have reached the postseason four years running and have put together back-to-back 100-plus point campaigns. Their next game comes Friday against the Colorado Avalanche.
