Horvat set for Vancouver return: ‘It’ll always hold a special place in my heart’

The New York Islanders take on the Vancouver Canucks on Wednesday, marking the first time forward Bo Horvat will play at Rogers Arena as a member of the away team.

"It's going to be an emotional night," Horvat told NHL.com's Tom Gulitti. "I had a lot of great memories in Vancouver, so to revisit the city, it's going to be a little weird going into the visitors dressing room. But I had so many great memories there, it's going to be a fun night."

Horvat played the first nine seasons of his career in Vancouver, serving as the Canucks' captain for the final four. He was traded to the Islanders on Jan. 31 in exchange for Anthony Beauvillier, Aatu Raty, and a first-round pick, which was later flipped to the Detroit Red Wings in the Filip Hronek trade.

The Canucks' best run during Horvat's time with the team came during the 2020 playoff bubble. He tallied a team-high 10 goals in 17 games from the play-in against the Minnesota Wild through Game 7 of the second round versus the Vegas Golden Knights.

"We had some good years, but also had some dog days there with the rebuild and everything," Horvat said of his tenure in Vancouver. "There were a lot of great memories there, have some great friends, and I started my family there. It'll always hold a special place in my heart."

The trade to the Islanders was the first move of Horvat's career. He spent his entire OHL career with the London Knights and his NHL stint to that point exclusively with Vancouver, having been drafted by the Canucks ninth overall in 2013.

"You hear stories and different situations of guys getting traded, but until you actually go through it, it's a lot different," Horvat said. "You try not to let it (affect you), but when you're worrying about different other things such as your family and living and all that, it takes a toll on you."

Horvat signed an eight-year, $68-million contract extension with the Islanders less than a week after being traded.

"That was a big thing that I wanted was to be in one spot for a long time and not have to worry about what's going to happen next year or where the kids are going to school and all that kind of stuff," Horvat said. "And Long Island is just such a great family spot for us, and we love it so far and can't wait to spend another eight years here."

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NHL weekly betting guide: What’s a head coach worth?

An NHL head coach getting fired is barely news.

It's not that coaching isn't important. In the short term, whether a hockey team is willing to do the correct things on the ice might be decided by how the players feel about their head coach. Usually, that comes out of fear or respect. Either way, it stems from the belief that if the team plays the right way, they can win the Stanley Cup.

The Oilers have been a hot topic of conversation in this space because of Connor McDavid's injury, Edmonton's shoddy goaltending, and now because they fired Jay Woodcroft this past weekend, replacing him with Kris Knoblauch. By my count, he's the 142nd different full-time NHL head coach since 2001, per Hockey Reference.

That number doesn't include retreads, with some of the best going behind the bench for a handful of teams:

COACH NO. OF TEAMS
Peter Laviolette 6
Ken Hitchcock 5
Peter DeBoer 5
John Tortorella 5
Joel Quenneville 4
Paul Maurice 4
Alain Vigneault 4
Darryl Sutter 4
Bruce Boudreau 4
Gerard Gallant 4
Barry Trotz 3
Lindy Ruff 3
Dave Tippett 3
Claude Julien 3
Bruce Cassidy 3
Todd McLellan 3
Mike Babcock 3
Ron Wilson 3

When a coach gets fired, is it a panic move, and should the betting market react?

There have been over 200 head coaching changes in just over 20 years. Ken Hitchcock was just inducted into the Hall of Fame, and a handful of the above will eventually join him. Yet, in many cases, their teams were content to move on.

It took 12 years for a team to recognize that Bruce Cassidy was worth a second chance. He was then fired for a lack of playoff success with the Bruins before winning the Stanley Cup the following season while leading the Golden Knights. Cassidy's replacement won the Jack Adams Award as the NHL Coach of the Year, but the Bruins lost in the first round of the playoffs.

While important, NHL head coaches are largely replaceable. By comparison, the NFL has had 124 head coaching changes since 2001. Bill Belichick, Andy Reid, Mike Tomlin, Pete Carroll, and John Harbaugh have all been in their respective positions longer than any current NHL head coach.

The issue might be that there are too many capable hockey coaches. Cassidy spent eight years with the Bruins' AHL affiliate, and no one saw enough to hire him away. The NHL's long-term, one-team coaches - Jon Cooper and Jared Bednar - came from the AHL as well.

Will Knoblauch be the next Cooper or Bednar - put into a position to thrive with top-tier talent - or will he flame out? Time will tell, but with so many qualified candidates for the 32 jobs, it's not a big deal to give another coach a chance to see if their voice will resonate, and the betting market reflects that with little change to a team's rating.

The cheat sheet

The dirty little secret in the betting world is that, while there are no bad bets at the right price, the discovery process of what a good price looks like is hidden.

Each week, we balance market information from regular-season point totals and in-season advanced metrics - with an even-strength focus - to determine the win probability for each team and the moneyline needed to bet on either side. The idea is to remove the cognitive bias of win-loss records, which can be skewed by outliers like special-team results, poor goaltending performances, and other unreliable events.

You can use whatever parameters you like to decide how much of an edge you need to trigger a bet, but here are mine:

  • True line favorite of -111 or longer: 1%
  • True line between -110 and +110: 2.5%
  • True line underdog of +111 or longer: 4%

I also have a 5% win probability consideration for a team playing in the second game of a back-to-back with travel and a 3% consideration for the second leg of a home back-to-back. When it comes to injured players, an estimation is made on the player's impact on their team's win probability.

When the betting markets open up the night before, you can compare those prices with our "price to bet" column to see if you're getting any value with either side's moneyline. There's a possibility that a moneyline moves into a bet-friendly range between the market opening and puck drop.

DATE GAME WIN PROB. (%) PRICE TO BET
Nov. 14 PIT@CBJ 57.6/42.4 PIT -131/CBJ +161
BOS@BUF 49.8/50.2 BOS +111/BUF +110
CGY@MTL 56.5/43.5 CGY -124/MTL +153
VGS@WSH 54.0/46.0 VGS -113/WSH +138
ANA@NSH 36.4/63.6 ANA +208/NSH -167
ARI@DAL 32.4/67.6 ARI +252/DAL -199
NJD@WPG 42.8/57.2 NJD +158/WPG -128
TBL@STL 51.2/48.8 TBL +105/STL +116
FLA@SJS 61.8/38.2 FLA -155/SJS +192
Nov. 15 PHI@CAR 31.4/68.6 PHI +265/CAR -208
SEA@EDM 39.6/60.4 SEA +181/EDM -146
ANA@COL 22.5/77.5 ANA +440/COL -325
NYI@VAN 47.6/52.4 NYI +122/VAN +100
Nov. 16 DET@OTT 43.7/56.3 DET +152/OTT -124
NJD@PIT 40.1/59.9 NJD +177/PIT -143
VGS@MTL 59.9/40.1 VGS -143/MTL +177
ARI@CBJ 47.8/52.2 ARI +121/CBJ +101
TBL@CHI 57.6/42.4 TBL -130/CHI +160
VAN@CGY 43.4/56.6 VAN +154/CGY -125
NYI@SEA 45.9/54.1 NYI +138/SEA -113
STL@SJS 54.7/45.3 STL -116/SJS +142
FLA@LAK 44.7/55.3 FLA +146/LAK -119
Nov. 17 TOR@DET 60.2/39.8 TOR -145/DET +180
BUF@WPG 45.8/54.2 BUF +139/WPG -114
FLA@ANA 57.7/42.3 FLA -131/ANA +161
Nov. 18 MIN@OTT 48.6/51.4 MIN +117/OTT +105
VGS@PHI 57.8/42.2 VGS -131/PHI +162
CHI@NSH 37.7/62.3 CHI +197/NSH -159
EDM@TBL 51.4/48.6 EDM +105/TBL +117
PIT@CAR 41.4/58.6 PIT +167/CAR -136
NYR@NJD 53.3/46.7 NYR -110/NJD +134
MTL@BOS 32.9/67.1 MTL +245/BOS -195
NYI@CGY 44.9/55.1 NYI +144/CGY -118
ARI@WPG 41.8/58.2 ARI +164/WPG -133
CBJ@WSH 40.6/59.4 CBJ +173/WSH -140
COL@DAL 46.4/53.6 COL +136/DAL -111
SEA@VAN 47.6/52.4 SEA +122/VAN +101
STL@LAK 37.6/62.4 STL +197/LAK -159
Nov. 19 TOR@MIN 59.3/40.7 TOR -140/MIN +173
CBJ@PHI 42.4/57.6 CBJ +161/PHI -131
VGS@PIT 42.8/57.6 VGS +158/PIT -128
BUF@CHI 61.3/38.7 BUF -152/CHI +188
STL@ANA 50.6/49.4 STL +108/ANA +113
Nov. 20 EDM@FLA 49.5/50.5 EDM +113/FLA +108
BOS@TBL 48.6/51.4 BOS +117/TBL +104
NYR@DAL 38.7/61.3 NYR +188/DAL -152
COL@NSH 54.9/45.1 COL -117/NSH +144
LAK@ARI 57.4/42.6 LAK -129/ARI +159
CGY@SEA 47.0/53.0 CGY +133/SEA -108
SJS@VAN 34.8/65.2 SJS +225/VAN -179

Matt Russell is the lead betting analyst for theScore. If there's a bad beat to be had, Matt will find it. Find him on social media @mrussauthentic.

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NHL exploring tweaking 3-on-3 overtime rules

NHL general managers have discussed changing the current three-on-three overtime rules to prevent teams from continuously exiting the offensive zone in order to retain possession, league executive Colin Campbell told TSN.

Potential solutions include a shot clock or not allowing teams to cross back over the blue or red line after entering the attacking zone.

"We haven't got to whether (overtime) should be longer or whether we should get rid of the shootout," Campbell said. "We don't mind the format. The one thing we don't like, the one thing that teams have done on their own, players have done on their own, is decided that possession is key. You get those boot-back, kick-backs all the time. Sometimes overtimes get going, but until then, sometimes they don't want to give the puck up from opening faceoff."

He added: "What is the answer? We don't want more whistles. We don't want more faceoffs."

Changes aren't imminent and will be tabled until GMs convene for their annual meetings in March.

The NHL introduced five minutes of three-on-three overtime prior to the 2015-16 season in an effort to cut down on shootouts.

Players and coaches have voiced support for longer three-on-three sessions in the past. The ECHL implemented seven-minute overtime periods in 2019-20.

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NHL Tuesday best bets: A Panthers blowout on deck in San Jose

We started the week in disappointing fashion Monday night, going 1-2 with our best bets. Valeri Nichushkin hit the scoresheet for Colorado, but both shot props failed to come through.

We'll look to rebound with a pair of plays for Tuesday's card.

Devils (+110) @ Jets (-130)

The Devils are one of the highest-powered offensive teams in the league when healthy. Unfortunately for them, they're far from healthy right now.

Jack Hughes and Nico Hischier remain sidelined with injuries, which has taken a monumental bite out of the team's offense. Hughes hasn't played for two weeks, yet he still has sole possession of the league lead in primary assists, while Hischier is a Selke finalist coming off an 80-point campaign.

They formed a historically good power play over the first few weeks of the season, and the Devils are shallow down the middle at even strength without them.

Of the four games played without both top pivots in the lineup, three have gone under the number. As expected, the Devils are having a much tougher time scoring goals, but they remain a competent shot-suppression team.

On the flip side, the Jets have defended very well to start the year. In fact, only the Kings and Avalanche have done a better job of limiting expected goals at five-on-five.

Connor Hellebuyck hasn't performed all that well - which is a big reason why the Jets have still played in plenty of high-scoring games - but it's safe to assume he'll right the ship sooner rather than later.

A date with a Devils team featuring Michael McLeod (normally skating on the fourth line) and Dawson Mercer (just two points this season) as its top centers would be a good spot for Hellebuyck to do just that.

I see a 4-2 type of game here, and thus value on the under of 6.5.

Bet: Under 6.5 (-105)

Panthers (-280) @ Sharks (+230)

The Panthers are firing on all cylinders right now. They've gone 7-2-1 over the last 10 games, won four in a row, and are now getting a healthy Sam Bennett back in their lineup. Look out.

Nothing we've seen thus far gives us any reason to believe the Sharks will be able to handle themselves against Florida. San Jose is allowing nearly 40 shots per game and getting crushed at five-on-five every single night.

That's unlikely to change against a Panthers team that has controlled over 54% of the expected goals at five-on-five this season.

Mackenzie Blackwood will need to stand on his head for the Sharks to be competitive in this game. Even that might not be enough.

Blackwood stopped 40 shots against the Ducks last time out. The Sharks lost by three.

In recent weeks, he made 39 saves against the Capitals (.951 save percentage) and 33 saves against the Panthers (.943). Not only did the Sharks lose those games - they dropped them by multiple goals.

San Jose simply loses the shot and chance battles by such large margins each night that it often fails to keep games close, even when getting great goaltending.

That's a big reason why 12 of 13 losses this season have come by multiple goals.

I expect the Panthers to control this game from start to finish and cruise to a multi-goal victory.

Bet: Panthers -1.5 (-115)

Todd Cordell is a sports betting writer at theScore. Follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, at @ToddCordell.

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Want to be a good NHL teammate? Follow these unwritten rules

The ice conditions were poor at the end of a rehab skate last season when Washington Capitals forward Tom Wilson unleashed a shot from the hash marks. The puck climbed and climbed before meeting the worst possible target: a goalie's mask.

"Hit him right between the eyes," Wilson, an 11-year NHL veteran, recalled.

Wilson immediately knew he'd unintentionally broken one of hockey's unwritten rules: Never hit your own goalie in the head with a puck.

Scott Taetsch / Getty Images

Luckily, the victim, Capitals third-stringer Hunter Shepard, wasn't injured. The minor-league goalie accepted Wilson's apology and peace offering - a bottle of wine. "He's a beauty," Wilson said of Shepard, a hint of relief in his voice.

Calgary Flames forward Dillon Dube has been in Wilson's skates. The puck comes off your stick in a funky way every once in a while. Stuff happens; you apologize and move on.

But do not, under any circumstances, make a habit of it.

"Unwritten rule: Don't hit the goalie in the head," Dube said.

                     
Jeff Vinnick / Getty Images

NHL teammates aren't typical co-workers. They spend an inordinate amount of time together in groups big and small. They inhabit the same ice surfaces, dressing rooms, buses, and planes. Together, they get dressed and undressed, work out, study film, tell stories, and obsess over fantasy football.

These interactions are governed by a set of rules, but they're not emailed to every player ahead of training camp or posted in a hallway at the team facility. They're unwritten and unofficial, and team culture defines how strictly they're enforced, but they're vital to fostering a respectful team environment. Often, they boil down to older players teaching younger players how to be good teammates.

"Don't be late," Columbus Blue Jackets forward Johnny Gaudreau said of the most basic unwritten rule. Another no-brainer shared by many players interviewed for this story: Never, ever sleep with a teammate's partner. "No cliques in the dressing room," retired defenseman Shane O'Brien said of a third obvious rule.

John Russell / Getty Images

Other rules are very specific to the NHL's subculture and life on the road, as Jack Hughes can attest.

Early in his rookie season, Hughes would hustle off the New Jersey Devils' team bus and be relaxing in his hotel room within minutes. Hughes said he didn't think twice about his pace - after all, rookies sit at the front of the bus - until a wiser teammate noticed and "gave it to me."

"It's an unwritten rule to - if it's late on a road trip - let the vets go up the elevator first," San Jose Sharks defenseman Mario Ferraro confirmed. Late, in this context, might mean 2 or 3 a.m., and 40 people might be waiting by the elevator bank, all of them bleary-eyed after a long day and a cross-country flight.

"The big dogs go first," former goalie Devan Dubnyk said matter of factly.

Dubnyk, who retired in 2022 after 12 NHL seasons split between six teams, was one of the oldest players on the 2020-21 Colorado Avalanche, but he wasn't the starter, which created an interesting dynamic. Teammates were naturally deferential to Dubnyk. However, he would always insist that the top vets - Nathan MacKinnon, Mikko Rantanen, Gabriel Landeskog - skip the elevator line instead. "There's a pecking order. They're the stars. They need their sleep," Dubnyk said.

Ben Jackson / Getty Images

Troy Terry recalls being told to act like a veteran on the ice and a rookie off it as he made the jump from the University of Denver to the Anaheim Ducks in 2018. What that meant practically: Unless you're injured, stay off the trainer's table. "If you're a young player, you can't be in there every day going, 'Can I get some work done?'" Terry said. "It's almost reserved for the older guys."

"It's nothing crazy," Seattle Kraken forward Matty Beniers said. "It's just knowing, OK, I'm 20 and this guy's 32. He probably needs the table a bit more than I do."

This respect-your-elders vibe can extend to the team meal room on the road. "Same type of deal," Dubnyk, 37, said. "Sit your ass down if you're young. You wait until everyone's got their food, then go get your own food. Simple."

The courtesy is reciprocated on nights out. Rookies sometimes eat for free as veterans split the bill, or, in O'Brien's experience, "Whoever makes the most money pays the tab." The "Missin' Curfew" podcast co-host distinctly remembers Teemu Selanne, Vincent Lecavalier, Brad Richards, and Martin St. Louis whipping out their credit cards to cover steak dinners for entire groups.

"It's the circle of the league," said Hughes, who's in the second year of an eight-year, $64-million deal. "Older guys pay for younger guys' meals. Then, when those guys become the older guys, they pay for the younger guys."

Scott Audette / Getty Images

The same logic applies to jersey numbers. It's common for a player to change his number to accommodate a more established teammate. Florida Panthers forward Frank Vatrano gave up No. 72 in 2019 so splashy free-agent signee Sergei Bobrovsky could sport his favorite digits. For his troubles, Vatrano received a Rolex watch, a bottle of wine, and (seemingly in jest) a McDonald's hamburger.

"If a young guy gives you his jersey number, you buy him a gift," former forward Ryan Callahan said. "Maybe you send him and his girl on vacation. I've seen a watch gifted. Golf clubs. There's a bunch of ways to do it."

As Dubnyk points out, the hierarchy of young and old teammates has relaxed over the past decade or two. The average age of an NHL roster has never been lower, and first- and second-year players are filling major on-ice roles. "You can't alienate them and treat them like pigeons," Dubnyk said. "These guys are on your top power play. You want to integrate them quickly."

Many unwritten rules have absolutely nothing to do with age or seniority.

"You, as the players, take care of the trainers," former goalie Jamie McLennan said. In the hockey world, the term "trainer" covers both athletic trainers and equipment managers. "They're the ones who are really grinding. Late nights, early mornings," McLennan added. "So there's trainer tips at Christmas, at the end of the season. They rely on the perks of the position to make a living."

Jeff Vinnick / Getty Images

Quinn Hughes believes a key rule is to "always protect your teammates."

If a teammate's having a bad week, the Vancouver Canucks captain explains, don't pile on. Be there for him. Because the only people who can truly relate are the 20 or so guys in the same jersey. "It's hard," he said. "You're playing really good teams and players every night. The media's on you. All you have is the people in the locker room. So, you have to protect your teammates."

Connor Clifton, the Buffalo Sabres' hard-hitting defenseman, knows he must be careful during practices and morning skates. He doesn't want to "blow guys up" with a body check, nor does he want to avoid physicality altogether. "You're just trying to get everyone ready, and yourself ready," Clifton said. "But you don't want to be injuring your teammates. There's definitely a line."

Messing with a teammate's pregame mojo is also a big no-no.

All NHLers are regimented to an extent, McLennan notes, but those who follow a strict, minute-by-minute schedule every gameday are a different breed. The last thing you want to do is interrupt the rhythm of a superstitious teammate while he's deep in focus amid a half-hour routine.

"That also relates to what happens on the ice," said McLennan, who played for six teams from 1993-2007. "Certain guys like to be the last guy in line, the third guy in line, or maybe the first guy off the ice, the last guy off the ice."

Dave Sandford / Getty Images

Another round of rituals starts during on-ice warmup. Some goalies want to be challenged with legitimate shots. Others sneer at teammates looking to score warmup goals. Sabres forward Jordan Greenway mentioned former Minnesota Wild teammate Marc-Andre Fleury as a netminder who loved to compete in warmup.

Greenway declined to name anyone from the other group. "No, I don't have a guy to tell you," he laughed, being a loyal teammate.

From afar, an NHL warmup might look unstructured - a leisurely way for 20 players to get their juices flowing. In reality, 20 personalized routines are being performed simultaneously. "If you take a certain route after a certain drill, stick to that," Tampa Bay Lightning forward Anthony Cirelli said. "Like, don't all of a sudden be on the left side of the faceoff dot when you're usually on the right side."

Cirelli added, "If we do our warmup 82 times in a season, everyone should be in the same spot at every moment of the warmup 82 times. It helps guys avoid running into each other." Breaking a rule can result in a monetary fine.

Picture Alliance / Getty Images

The team plane features even tighter quarters, with coaches and other staff members sharing the cabin. Seats are assigned, and the most closely guarded spots tend to be at the card-playing tables. "You're not sitting at Ovi's card table," Wilson said of Alex Ovechkin and the Capitals' long-standing card crew. Outsiders are summoned if, and only if, a card player is sick or injured.

"You don't necessarily want to be that guy," Wilson said. "Then it's like, shark on blood. It's like fresh meat coming in." Through a wide grin, he added, "They always look at me, and I'm like, 'I'm good … '"

Terry says Ducks rookies are tasked with lugging around a Settlers of Catan board game set from city to city. "There's been times when it's been forgotten," the forward said, "and that's not good."

The No. 1 rule in the air applies to all passengers: For the sanity of everybody on board, no No. 2 on the team plane.

"Going to the bathroom - No. 2 is ... not allowed," Ferraro said with a laugh. "You can't do it on the plane. You don't want it to smell up the plane."

"You don't poop in the bathroom," New York Rangers captain Jacob Trouba confirmed.

"I had a conversation with somebody about that the other day," Callahan said. "This person was talking about doing that on a commercial flight. I'm like, 'Yeah, you can't do that on the team plane, either!' Yep, that's a fine."

John Matisz is theScore's senior NHL writer. Follow John on Twitter (@MatiszJohn) or contact him via email (john.matisz@thescore.com).

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NHL Tuesday player props: Reinhart to feast on Sharks

We have a meaty nine-game slate ahead of us on Tuesday night. Let's waste no time getting to a few of my favorite props.

Elias Lindholm: Over 2.5 shots

Lindholm is a road warrior. He recorded three shots or more in eight of nine games on the road this season, testing opposing goaltenders 3.4 times on average. I expect his success to continue Tuesday night in Montreal.

The Canadiens have bled shots all season, particularly against the center position. They rank 31st in shots allowed per game versus opposing centers, which puts them ahead of only the Blackhawks.

The Habs also struggle mightily with team discipline, taking more penalties per game than all but the Ducks.

Lindholm is the Flames' first-line center - and has played more minutes on the power play than anybody else on the roster this season - so he figures to be the primary beneficiary of this juicy matchup.

Odds: -125 (playable to -135)

Filip Forsberg: Over 3.5 shots

Forsberg has been a constant target for us all season long - particularly when playing at home - and there's no reason to get away from that.

He went over his shot total in five of six home games, falling just one shot shy in the lone exception.

His volume in Nashville is through the roof. Forsberg is averaging nearly five shots on goal while attempting well over eight shots per contest.

Although the Ducks are much improved this season, that stems more from the dynamic ability of their young weapons rather than stout defensive play. The Ducks rank bottom-10 in shots against per game, and no team has taken more penalties.

Forsberg should be able to generate plenty of offense against a weak defense at five-on-five. If all else fails, he can likely expect a few power-play opportunities to get over the line.

Odds: -130 (playable to -145)

Sam Reinhart: Over 2.5 shots

Reinhart has reverse splits. Unlike most offensive players, his volume is much higher on the road than at home. He's attempting 5.7 shots per game in Florida and more than seven on the road.

This isn't a case where one or two monster games are bringing the numbers up; Reinhart's outputs have been consistent. He's attempted at least six shots in all but one road game. That means he's giving himself a strong shot of hitting on any given night.

Dating back to last season, Reinhart has gone over his total 71% of the time when attempting six shots or more.

Reinhart should have no problem generating that kind of volume against the Sharks. They're a horrific defensive team with little offense to sustain pressure at the other end of the ice. They spend a ton of time chasing play in the defensive zone as a result, which is why they rank dead last in attempts and shots on goal allowed on a per-minute basis.

Look for Reinhart to take advantage.

Odds: -130 (playable to -150)

Todd Cordell is a sports betting writer at theScore. Follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, at @ToddCordell.

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Hockey Hall of Fame inducts accomplished class of 2023

The Hockey Hall of Fame inducted its star-studded 2023 class Monday night, featuring seven celebrated members who boast lengthy resumes on and off the ice.

Here's a closer look at the newest names to grace the esteemed Hall, as well as each member's induction speech.

Henrik Lundqvist

It's no surprise Lundqvist got his call to the Hall in his first year of eligibility.

The longtime netminder ended his illustrious career near the top of the NHL's record books. He sits sixth among all goaltenders in wins (459), ninth in games played (887), and 17th in shutouts (64). Lundqvist spent his entire 15-year playing career (2005-2020) with the New York Rangers, owning an all-time record of 459-310-96 to go along with a sparkling .918 save percentage and 2.43 goals-against average.

A model of consistency, Lundqvist never finished a season with a save percentage below .900, and he won the Vezina Trophy as the league's top goaltender in 2012.

The crowd erupted into a "Henrik" chant at the end of his speech.

Lundqvist never won the Stanley Cup, but he backstopped the Rangers to three deep playoff runs in four years, including two voyages to the Eastern Conference Final (2012, 2015) and one trip to the Stanley Cup Final (2014). The 41-year-old owns a career .921 save percentage and 2.30 goals-against average in the postseason, as well as 61 wins in 130 appearances.

The Rangers posted a heartwarming video celebrating Lundqvist's induction earlier Monday.

The first Swedish goalie to be enshrined in the Hall of Fame, Lundqvist also made a name for himself on the international stage, winning an Olympic gold medal in 2006, an Olympic silver medal in 2014, and World Championship gold in 2017.

Pierre Turgeon

Turgeon has been anticipating his induction into the Hall of Fame since his first year of eligibility in 2010, but it was well worth the wait for the former NHL center.

Over a career spanning 19 years and 1,294 games from 1987-2007, Turgeon suited up for the Buffalo Sabres, New York Islanders, Montreal Canadiens, St. Louis Blues, Dallas Stars, and Colorado Avalanche. He never won the Stanley Cup and his list of individual accolades begins and ends with the 1993 Lady Byng Memorial Trophy, but Turgeon allowed his point production to do the talking when it came to building his Hall-of-Fame case.

The Canadian currently ranks in the top 50 all time in all main offensive categories with 1,327 points (34th), 515 goals (41st), and 812 assists (32nd). He ended his career with eight 80-point campaigns and eclipsed the 100-point mark twice. His most productive campaign came in 1992-93 as a member of the Islanders when he logged 58 goals and 132 points in 83 outings.

Turgeon, a Quebec native, also served as the Canadiens' captain during their final season at the iconic Montreal Forum in 1995-96. He was drafted first overall by the Sabres in 1987.

Mike Vernon

Vernon has endured the longest wait out of all members of this year's crop, as the former goaltender has been eligible to have his name called since 2005.

The 60-year-old played in the NHL for 19 years (1982-2002), and his 385 wins are the 16th most all time. A Calgary native, Vernon spent 13 seasons with his hometown Flames, who selected him in the third round in 1981.

Vernon's 262 victories with the Flames are the second most in franchise history, and he also backstopped Calgary to its first and only Stanley Cup championship in 1989. During that run, he went 16-5 while posting a .905 save percentage, 2.26 goals-against average, and three shutouts. The Flames made the postseason eight times during Vernon's tenure - including a trip to the Stanley Cup Final in 1985-86 - and he's the organization's leader in playoff starts (79) and wins (43).

He went on to capture another championship with the Detroit Red Wings in 1997 - their first in 42 years - when he was even more dominant. He owned a dazzling .927 save percentage and 1.76 goals-against average that spring and won the Conn Smythe Trophy as the most valuable player in the postseason. Vernon also suited up for the San Jose Sharks and Florida Panthers in the latter stages of his career, but he returned to the Flames for his final two campaigns.

Tom Barrasso

The third and final goalie to be inducted into the 2023 class, Barrasso has been eligible to enter the Hall since 2006.

Barrasso racked up 369 regular-season victories over the course of his 19-year career (1983-2003), good for the fourth most among all American-born goaltenders. In 1997, he became the first U.S. goalie to win 300 games.

He impressed as a rookie fresh out of high school for the Sabres in 1983-84. After posting a 26-12-3 record, he took home the Calder Trophy as the league's most outstanding first-year player, as well as the Vezina Trophy as the NHL's best netminder. Barrasso won back-to-back Stanley Cup championships with the Pittsburgh Penguins in 1991 and 1992. During those runs, Barrasso amassed a .913 save percentage and 2.72 goals-against average across 41 appearances. In all, Barrasso won 61 playoff games during his NHL tenure, which leads all U.S.-born goaltenders.

The 58-year-old also spent time with the Ottawa Senators, Carolina Hurricanes, Toronto Maple Leafs, and Blues.

Caroline Ouellette

Given how decorated Ouellette is on the international stage, it doesn't come as a shock that she's been inducted into the Hall during her second year of eligibility.

The Montreal native has a whopping four Olympic gold medals to her name (2002, 2006, 2010, 2014) and never tasted defeat at an Olympic final. The former forward's dominance didn't end at the Olympics, either: She racked up 12 medals total - six gold, six silver - at the World Championship.

Ouellette ranks seventh all time in World Championship scoring with 70 points (23 goals, 47 assists) in 59 outings, as well as eighth in production at the Olympics with 26 points (nine goals, 17 assists) in 20 matchups.

Team Canada sent a special message to Ouellette prior to her induction.

The 44-year-old also tore up the NCAA, accumulating 229 points in 97 games across three campaigns with the Minnesota-Duluth Bulldogs from 2002-2005. As a result, she was tabbed a top-3 finalist for the Patty Kazmaier Award in 2005 honoring the NCAA's best female player. Ouellette won the NCAA championship with Minnesota-Duluth in 2003 and was named the tournament's most valuable player.

Ken Hitchcock

Moving onto this class' builder category, Hitchcock enters the Hall as an accomplished head coach.

Over a career that spanned 22 seasons and 1,598 games, the 71-year-old spent time behind the benches of the Dallas Stars, Philadelphia Flyers, Columbus Blue Jackets, Blues, and Edmonton Oilers. Hitchcock amassed 849 career wins during his time, fourth most in NHL history, trailing only Barry Trotz, Joel Quenneville, and Scotty Bowman.

Known for his strong defensive systems, Hitchcock captured a Stanley Cup with the Stars in 1999. Dallas also made the Stanley Cup Final the following year under Hitchcock but fell to the New Jersey Devils. He has 86 playoff victories to his name, good for the 10th most in league history.

Hitchcock won the Jack Adams Award as the league's best head coach after inspiring the Blues' major turnaround in 2011-12. Then-head coach Davis Payne had been fired just 13 games into the season after St. Louis got off to a 6-7-0 start, but the Blues went 43-15-11 the rest of the way under Hitchcock to finish first in their division.

Pierre Lacroix

Lacroix was posthumously inducted into the Hall of Fame's builders category and was represented by his grandson, Max, and his widowed wife, Coco.

The former NHL executive became president and general manager of the Quebec Nordiques in 1994 and won two Stanley Cups (1996, 2001) with the franchise after it relocated to Colorado. Lacroix made the necessary moves to help the Avalanche lift Lord Stanley's Mug on both occasions.

During the team's first season in Colorado in 1995-96, Lacroix traded for goaltender Patrick Roy, who posted a .921 save percentage and 2.10 goals-against average in 22 playoff games en route to the Avalanche's first Stanley Cup championship in franchise history. Lacroix later acquired Hall of Fame defensemen Rob Blake and Ray Bourque in a pair of moves that helped the Avs win the Stanley Cup in 2001.

Lacroix died in 2020 due to complications from COVID-19 at the age of 72.

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Dan and Bik are joined by Don Taylor of Donnie and Dhali to talk about the Canucks' recent play, Bo Horvat's upcoming return, and more. Sportsnet 650's Randip Janda (26:30) also stops by to talk about Andrei Kuzmenko's start, plus the guys get into the Monday Menu.

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The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Media Inc. or any affiliate.