Dan and Sat discuss Filip Hronek's recent play, whether or not the coaching staff should be splitting up the top pair, and the ramifications on contract talks with Hronek's camp. Also, hear from Sportsnet's Jack Michaels on the Oilers' hot stretch and what's changed for them since the coaching change.
This podcast was produced by Josh Elliott-Wolfe.
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.
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.
It's the Central Roundtable as Dan, Sat, and Bik discuss the Andrei Kuzmenko storyline, the priorities for the team as they continue to build out the roster, and how the Canucks need to address their compounding issues on the ice.
This podcast was produced by Josh Elliott-Wolfe.
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.
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.
Ottawa Senators defenseman Thomas Chabot will miss at least four weeks due to an undisclosed injury, according to TSN's Darren Dreger.
Chabot has been undergoing testing since sustaining the injury Dec. 2 against the Seattle Kraken, but he won't require surgery, Dreger adds.
The 26-year-old rearguard has been limited to nine games this season after breaking his hand in October. Injuries have been an issue throughout his career, as he's only dressed for 70 games in a season twice over seven campaigns.
Chabot's managed four assists this season while logging over 24 minutes per contest, a total that leads all Senators skaters.
Ottawa drafted Chabot 18th overall in 2015. He's notched 233 points in 390 games with the club and is in the fourth season of an eight-year, $64-million contract signed in 2019.
Matt and Blake discuss Tyler Myers and his future with the Canucks, particularly given the looming availability of Ethan Bear and what both situations mean for the right-side of their defence. Other topics include Andrei Kuzmenko's slotting on the 4th line (but still on PP1), Nils Höglander's promotion, the Alberta teams coming, and the game against Minnesota.
Patrick Johnston discusses the Myers-Zadorov pairing, Myers' future and the right side on defence, including Filip Hronek having to anchor his own pair before being paid. PJ also talks Höglander, Kuzmenko.
Rob Williams explains why he doesn't think the black Skate logo/jersey will become the Canucks' primary uniform this season, gives us a preview of Roberto Luongo's Ring of Honour night at Rogers Arena, and chides the Leafs for letting Sam Lafferty go. Presented by Applewood Auto Group.
Wednesday was another solid night for player props, as we were one Aleksander Barkov shot shy of a sweep.
We'll look to keep the ball rolling with three more plays for Thursday night's card.
Cam Atkinson: Over 2.5 shots
Atkinson has registered three shots or more in 18 of 25 games this season, good for a 72% hit rate.
He's in a good spot to continue his success against the Coyotes. They've won a lot of games in recent weeks but are still getting outshot more often than not.
The Coyotes rank 27th in five-on-five shot share over the past three weeks. They spend a lot of time on their heels when the playing field is level.
They also take a lot of penalties. Only seven teams are averaging more minors per game than the Coyotes.
With an advantageous five-on-five matchup and a healthy dose of power-play time likely coming his way, Atkinson is primed for another active shooting performance.
Odds: -140 (playable to -150)
Quinn Hughes: Over 2.5 shots
Death, taxes, and backing Hughes at home. The superstar defenseman has been a model of consistency in Vancouver this season, going over his shot total in 10 of 12 games while averaging 3.7 shots on goal per game. Remarkable outputs.
The Wild have played better since making a change behind the bench but have given up a lot of volume to opposing defensemen in recent weeks. Only six teams have conceded more shots per game to the position over the past 10 contests.
The Canucks are also in a healthy rut, having dropped seven of their past 13 games. They're now as close to being in a wild-card spot as they are the top spot in the division. They must kick back into gear sooner rather than later, and they'll no doubt lean heavily on the captain to lead the way.
Odds: -122 (playable to -140)
Jack Hughes: Over 4.5 shots
Hughes is currently in a league of his own in terms of shot generation. He's piled up 95 attempts, 52 shots on target, and 49 scoring chances over eight games since returning to the Devils lineup. He leads the league in all of those categories during that span.
He isn't just picking on bottom-feeders, either. Hughes registered nine shots against the Rangers, nine against the Flyers, and six against the Canucks. Those are three opponents holding onto top-six spots in their respective conferences.
The Kraken are a strong shot-suppression team, but it doesn't seem to matter against Hughes. He's attempting so many shots and playing so many minutes that he's become matchup-proof.
With the Devils in need of every point they can get and consistently needing to outscore their goaltending woes, Hughes should be tasked with a massive workload once again. Expect him to take advantage.
Odds: +110 (playable to -125)
Todd Cordell is a sports betting writer at theScore. Follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, at @ToddCordell.
— Hockey Daily 365 l NHL Highlights & News (@HockeyDaily365) December 7, 2023
The Hurricanes rank last in the league with a team save percentage of .867. The goaltending struggled again Thursday, as Pyotr Kochetkov was pulled after allowing three goals on six shots. Antti Raanta didn't play great in relief, allowing three goals on 28 shots.
However, Brind'Amour defended Kotechtkov and instead took aim at the team's preparation.
"You don't blame him. We weren't ready. The faceoff play they ran, we showed it 15 times. Fifteen times before the game, and we fall asleep on it," Brind'Amour said, referring to Edmonton's second goal. "That's just preparation. Guys weren't dialed in."
Hurricanes captain Jordan Staal echoed his coach's comments.
"It was all-around crap. Just no fight back," Staal said. "Everyone was just hoping for a chance."
Staal added his team made it too easy on the Oilers, who scored four goals in the first period, including two in the opening 41 seconds, and never looked back.
"I don't even know if they broke a sweat," he said. "Just all-around embarrassing."
The Hurricanes won't have to wait long for a chance to right the ship, as they're back in action Thursday against the Calgary Flames.
Welcome to the third edition of theScore's 2023-24 Norris Trophy Rankings and the second in-season version. New rankings will be published once a month throughout the campaign.
These rankings focus on analytics and the all-around ability of defensemen rather than only points or reputation.
xGF% = five-on-five expected goals for percentage
5. Jonas Brodin, Wild
Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / Getty
GP
G
A
ATOI
xGF%
23
1
8
24:20
58.5
Brodin has never been dynamic offensively, and this season hasn't been any different. He's on pace for 32 points - which would be a career high. However, the Norris hasn't been handed out to someone with 32 points or less since Rod Langway in 1983.
So while Brodin may not be a serious competitor on this list, he'll be more than worthy of some down-ballot love if he keeps up his superb defensive play - the main reason for his appearance. Among defensemen with at least 300 five-on-five minutes, Brodin ranks first in expected goals against per 60 minutes, 10th in xGF%, and fourth in defensive goals above replacement.
Brodin isn't known for his physicality, and he's only racked up six hits. But his positioning is sound and he's among the best in the league at using his stick to break up plays. He ranks 14th with 60 blocked shots.
4. Erik Karlsson, Penguins
Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / Getty
GP
G
A
ATOI
xGF%
25
6
13
24:26
56.3
Karlsson isn't on pace to match his historic point production from last season, but he's arguably playing a better all-around game. It helps that he has an improved supporting cast with the Penguins, but Karlsson's xGF% is nearly six percentage points higher than it was a year ago.He's also been far stingier defensively, as he's been on the ice for 30 goals for compared to 16 goals against at five-on-five.
The three-time and reigning Norris Trophy winner hasn't just been a power-play savant, either. It's been the opposite, in fact: 15 of his 19 points have come at five-on-five. He's partly responsible for Pittsburgh's woeful 30th-ranked power play, which is operating at just 9.9%,but Karlsson could climb this list if that starts clicking.
3. Roman Josi, Predators
Steph Chambers / Getty Images Sport / Getty
GP
G
A
ATOI
xGF%
25
5
13
24:55
57.6
Josi is similar to Karlsson in that they're both former Norris winners, 33 years old and driving five-on-five play at a high rate - even if their point totals pale in comparison to those of the top two on this list.
The edge goes to Josi because he's doing more with less around him. While Karlsson is surrounded by future Hall of Famers, Josi, along with forwards Filip Forsberg and Ryan O'Reilly, is tasked with carrying the Predators. Josi is also the clear No. 1 defenseman in Nashville. In Pittsburgh, Kris Letang helps shoulder the burden.
Josi leads all defensemen with 94 shots this season, ranks 13th in xGF%, and 17th in xGA/60.
2. Quinn Hughes, Canucks
Minas Panagiotakis / Getty Images Sport / Getty
GP
G
A
ATOI
xGF%
26
9
27
24:51
49.0
Hughes is still a beast offensively, racking up 16 points in 14 games since these rankings' last edition on Nov. 9. But his underlying numbers are starting to take a downturn. His xGF% over the last month is 46.1% despite the Canucks' xGF% being 52.6% in the same span. That means that, of late, Vancouver has statistically been better when Hughes is off the ice.
Of course, Hughes leads the team in ice time and soaks up difficult matchups. Those numbers shouldn't be taken as gospel, but he clearly isn't driving play at five-on-five at the same rate he was earlier in the campaign.
So, while he falls out of the top spot, Hughes doesn't deserve to drop any further. Overall, he's been a catalyst to one of the most surprising teams in the 2023-24 season. He's still tied for first among all skaters in assists, tied for fourth in points, and leads all defensemen with 9.4 goals above replacement.
1. Cale Makar, Avalanche
Michael Martin / National Hockey League / Getty
GP
G
A
ATOI
xGF%
23
7
27
24:28
57.3
Makar has missed Colorado's last two games with a lower-body injury, but he was a man on a mission before he went down.
The 2022 Norris winner has produced 20 points in 12 games with a 59.9 xGF% since the last edition of these rankings. Makar has been on the ice for 15 goals for and only six against at five-on-five in that span.
Makar is also tied for his team's lead in points - an impressive accomplishment on a roster featuring Nathan MacKinnon and Mikko Rantanen. The blue-liner is seventh among NHL skaters in points per game, and first among defensemen.
While Makar and Hughes are similarly elite offensively, Makar gets the nod because of his improved play over the last month and his superior underlying results. There's a serious case to be made that Makar should be the frontrunner for the Hart Trophy, which hasn't been won by a defenseman since Chris Pronger achieved the feat in 2000.
The Pittsburgh Penguins were on the losing end of the special teams battle against the Tampa Bay Lightning in a 3-1 defeat on Wednesday, and Evgeni Malkin appears to be tired of his club's extended power-play drought.
The Bolts scored twice on the man advantage, while Pittsburgh went 0-for-4, despite briefly having a two-man advantage. The Penguins are now 0-for-33 on the power play dating back to Nov. 11.
"You see Tampa score, like, every game, and they feel confidence," Malkin said, per team reporter Michelle Crechiolo. "When you lead the game, when you control the game 2-0, 3-0, you feel so much better. Of course, if we score a couple power-play goals, everybody feels better."
He added: "You have three, four, five power plays every night, and you see we try on the power play, and we don't feel good. We lost the puck on the blue line, they had a two-on-one, breakaway, because we don’t have confidence and we're nervous. It's how it affects us."
The Penguins rank 31st in power-play proficiency this season at a paltry 9.9%. They finished the 2022-23 campaign ranked 14th at 21.7% and were expected to make a big improvement this season after adding Erik Karlsson to a loaded No. 1 unit that also features Malkin, Sidney Crosby, and Jake Guentzel.
"Obviously, when you don't have success, your confidence isn't at an all-time high, and these guys are human beings," head coach Mike Sullivan said. "But we've got to find a way to fight through it."
Pittsburgh's power-play issues are a key factor in the club winning only three of its past 10 games. The Penguins currently sit seventh in the Metropolitan Division with 25 points and are three points behind the second wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference with more games played than each team ahead of them.
