A day removed from giving up 10 goals to Minnesota and losing back to back games, Dan and Sat discuss how the Canucks will handle this adverse test for the Canucks. And they will still face more intense adversity down the road and into the playoffs. Plus Don Taylor from Donnie and Dhali joins the show for his weekly hit. 

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.

Except for his star-laden core, Pittsburgh Penguins general manager Kyle Dubas is entertaining offers on his entire roster, according to TSN's Pierre LeBrun.

Reilly Smith is among the candidates to be moved, LeBrun adds. Dubas acquired Smith, who has a 10-team no-trade clause, from the Vegas Golden Knights over the summer.

Smith, 32, has managed 22 points in 46 games for Pittsburgh this season and is under contract through 2025 at a $5-million cap hit.

Dubas' desire to keep Pittsburgh's core intact could end trade speculation around star forward Jake Guentzel. The pending unrestricted free agent has been involved in rumors throughout his contract year but is a mainstay on the Penguins' top line alongside Sidney Crosby when healthy.

Pittsburgh is trending toward missing the playoffs for the second consecutive campaign. The team entered Tuesday's action nine points back of a wild-card seed and 10 points back of third place in the Metropolitan Division.

The March 8 deadline is Dubas' first with the Penguins after a nine-year stint with the Toronto Maple Leafs.

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Matt and Blake discuss the Canucks' first (?) bout of adversity this season following a 10-7 loss in Minnesota, all the crazy stats in that game, how they'll respond in Colorado, the challenge the Avs pose, the club's record against the best teams (and Elias Pettersson's performance in those games). They hear from Rick Tocchet on penalties and discipline being an issue, look forward to Arshdeep Bains' NHL debut and the great local story that he is. They talk about the Canucks lack of rookies and how poor Bains might be on the hook for an expensive dinner, the performance of Casey DeSmith and how much he can be trusted going forward, plus trade deadline chatter around Chris Tanev and Noah Hanifin.

Rink Wide: Vancouver host Jeff Paterson joins to discuss the 10-7 loss in Minnesota, the Canucks' lack of composure, Rick Tocchet's in-game management and comments thereafter., Jeff talks about the Arshdeep Bains story in advance of his NHL debut, the club's goaltending predicament with Casey DeSmith struggling, Nathan MacKinnon's MVP campaign, and whether the Canucks compete for the Hart (no) and Norris (yes) trophies.

John Shannon stops by and talks about the Canucks facing adversity after the 10-7 loss in Minnesota. He discusses the Canucks vs the best teams in the league, whether needs have been exposed, points forward to the playoffs and hostile environments, the loss of Dakota Joshua, and what the Vegas Golden Knights might have planned for the trade deadline. Presented by Applewood Auto Group.

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The Vegas Golden Knights will have defenseman Shea Theodore back within their ranks when they take on the Nashville Predators on Tuesday.

Theodore hasn't played since Nov. 22 because of an upper-body injury. He underwent surgery to address the issue and was sidelined for the last 35 games.

Vegas went 18-13-4 in his absence and occupies the second spot in the Pacific Division heading into Tuesday's action.

"Great to be back, it's been a long time," Theodore said. "The freshness is there and I feel good."

"At no part did they want to rush me back," he continued. "It's a long season. Obviously it's tough taking a break right in the middle, but the most important part of the season is now."

Theodore tallied four goals and 18 points in 20 games before suffering the ailment while averaging just over 23 minutes of ice time.

The 28-year-old will provide a boost to Vegas' power play. Ten of his points this season came on the man advantage, and the Golden Knights' power play ranks 23rd in the league with a 17.4% success rate since Theodore was ruled out.

"We'll probably be cleaner on the exits, maybe some easier entries in the neutral zone," coach Bruce Cassidy said when asked what he expects from Theodore's return. "His ability to move the puck, find people at the right time, is just exceptional. ... I would assume we'll see more offensive growth in our game just because that's his strength."

Theodore has consistently been one of the Golden Knights' top blue-liners. He was Sin City's second-most utilized player during last year's playoffs and led all Vegas defensemen with 13 points in 21 games.

The Anaheim Ducks traded Theodore to the Golden Knights during the expansion draft in 2017. He is now Vegas' all-time leader in goals (65) and points (265) by a rearguard in 417 games.

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Find year-round coverage of betting news and insights for all sports by visiting our Betting section and subscribing to push notifications.

Juuse Saros isn't good anymore.

OK, that's an attention-grabbing statement made to accentuate a point: Bettors shouldn't rely on him for anything special. If you think we're picking on a frequent Vezina Trophy contender, the same could also be said about 2022 Vezina winner Igor Shesterkin. Looking at the stats, advanced and otherwise - both goaltenders have had disappointing seasons.

OK, so it's not that Saros and Shesterkin aren't good anymore. However, coming into the season, the expectation was that each goaltender mattered to the moneyline. When they didn't play, there would need to be an adjustment to the Predators' and Rangers' rating in the betting market.

However, with goals saved above expected (GSAx) numbers of a replacement-level NHL goaltender, neither has warranted that type of regard.

The Rangers' presumptive backup goaltender, Jonathan Quick, has found a second act for his career (0.65 GSAx/60). Not only is a Shesterkin start no longer an advantage, but New York has been better off with Quick.

The picture in Nashville's crease is less complicated, but that's a bad thing. Predators backup goalie Kevin Lankinen (and his -0.31 GSAx) is replacement-level at best. Unlike Quick, Lankinen hasn't skated through the opening Saros has provided for him to take over the No. 1 job.

With better-than-average goaltending for most of Quick's 20 games, the Rangers are in first place in the Atlantic Division and hold a rating in the betting market of 10% above an average team. Meanwhile, the Predators (with their average goaltending) rate as league average and sit just outside a wild-card spot.

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 at some point between the market opening and puck drop.

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 commissioner Gary Bettman upheld Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Morgan Rielly's five-game suspension for cross-checking Ottawa Senators forward Ridly Greig, the league announced Tuesday.

Rielly appealed his ban during a hearing on Feb. 16. He sat out his team's last four games and is eligible to return Thursday against the Vegas Golden Knights. The Maple Leafs are undefeated during his absence.

The 29-year-old earned the suspension in the dying seconds of Toronto's heated 5-3 loss to the Senators on Feb. 10. He cross-checked Greig up high after the rookie took a slap shot into the empty net to cap off the contest.

This is the first suspension of Rielly's 11-year NHL career.

The Leafs will take on the Arizona Coyotes on Wednesday as they look to go a perfect 5-0-0 without the blue-liner within their ranks.

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Find year-round coverage of betting news and insights for all sports by visiting our Betting section and subscribing to push notifications.

We have a busy eight-game slate ahead of us Tuesday night and no shortage of props to choose from.

Let's take a closer look at a few that pop off the page.

Aleksander Barkov: Over 2.5 shots

Barkov's shot volume has decreased of late, but he finds himself in a good spot to get back on track.

Despite facing the stiffest matchups at home, Barkov has been a more efficient shot-generator in Florida than on the road. He's averaged nearly one more attempt per game at home, which is not an inconsequential difference for someone who generates many of his shots close to the net and hits the target at an above-average rate.

Barkov will take on the Senators, who've made their top line weaker defensively through some recent alterations. Ottawa's No. 1 unit has allowed shots at a noticeably higher rate with Shane Pinto centering Brady Tkachuk rather than Josh Norris or Tim Stutzle.

Jacques Martin has also put Vladimir Tarasenko on the opposite wing of Tkachuk. He's a talented player, but his defensive impact is weak.

With those two players on Tkachuk's line and the Senators in a back-to-back situation, they'll likely spend plenty of time in the defensive zone. Look for Barkov to take advantage.

Odds: -106 (playable to -125)

Filip Forsberg: Over 3.5 shots

The Golden Knights have a reputation as a stingy defensive team, but that hasn't been the case of late. They've limited goals because of fantastic goaltending rather than excellent shot suppression.

Las Vegas is struggling defensively in all situations, ranking in the bottom 10 in shots against at five-on-five and in the bottom five while killing penalties over the past 10 games.

It's also worth noting no NHL team has allowed more shots per game to opposing wingers during that span.

Even Vegas' best defensive personnel is laboring. Mark Stone is one of the league's best two-way players, yet he, William Karlsson, and Chandler Stephenson are allowing shots at a very high rate. They'll see a steady dose of Filip Forsberg.

Simply put, the Golden Knights are giving up a lot of volume right now. Forsberg - the Predators' leader in shots by 45 - is the most likely candidate to capitalize.

Odds: -134 (playable to -145)

Viktor Arvidsson: Over 3.5 shots

Arvidsson has hit the ground running since making his season debut. The veteran sniper has generated 12 shots on 21 attempts in three games since returning to the lineup, going over in two of the three.

The Kings initially put Arvidsson on the other side of Trevor Moore on the second line. They've quickly pulled the plug on that, moving Moore to the top unit and putting Kevin Fiala on the other wing with Arvidsson. History tells us that's a big plus.

Arvidsson has averaged more than 23 attempts and 14 shots on goal at five-on-five with Fiala on the other wing. That compares very favorably to the 18 attempts and nine shots on goal he generates with Moore.

Arvidsson also has a fantastic matchup to look forward to against the Blue Jackets. They bleed shots at five-on-five and on the penalty kill. Arvidsson is primed to make some noise with top-six minutes at even strength and the role of a go-to shooter on the top power play.

Odds: -102 (playable to -125)

Todd Cordell is a sports betting writer at theScore. You can follow him on X at @ToddCordell.

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William Nylander believes the Toronto Maple Leafs' four straight victories can be attributed to the club's desire to win without suspended defenseman Morgan Rielly.

"We've answered the bell, and I think Mo kind of lit the fire under the team, so I think, yeah, we're battling for Mo," Nylander said after his team defeated the St. Louis Blues 4-2 on Monday.

Toronto has outscored opponents 21-7 during its streak, which matches a season high for consecutive wins set two other times (November and January) this season.

The NHL suspended Rielly for five games after he cross-checked Ottawa Senators forward Ridly Greig, who took a slap shot into an empty net in his team's 5-3 win over the Leafs on Feb. 10.

Matthew Knies echoed Nylander's comments about the experienced defenseman and added that they're playing for Rielly because he stood up for his teammates.

"It's been (a) huge (rallying point)," the rookie said. "He kind of defended the respect of our team, and I think we're playing really hard now. He's a valuable piece to us, and we're excited that he's going to come back here soon. But I think we're playing really good hockey, and I think (his absence has) given us a jump."

Maple Leafs superstar Auston Matthews, who is this season's NHL goals leader, thinks it's more about adjustments than the suspension inspiring the team.

"I'm not sure (it's been) as much of a rallying point as much as just knowing that (we're) missing a very key piece of our team and our defensive core, and knowing you've got to step up collectively and do a job, and guys that are coming in and playing more minutes ... are going to be required to do more," Matthews said.

"So when you have that ... obviously it's great to have these guys come in ... and it just gives them more confidence and gives us confidence as a team."

Following the loss to the Senators in which the Rielly-Greig incident occurred, the Maple Leafs defeated the Blues, the Philadelphia Flyers, and the Anaheim Ducks before prevailing over St. Louis again Monday.

Rielly, the longest-tenured member of the squad, will sit out Wednesday's road meeting with the Arizona Coyotes but can return Thursday against the Vegas Golden Knights. Monday's win was the start of a four-game road swing for Toronto that concludes Saturday against the Colorado Avalanche.

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Several NHL general managers have decisions to make regarding the direction they want to take their respective clubs with the trade deadline on the horizon. There are obvious buyers at the top of the standings and clear sellers near the bottom, but what about the cluster of teams in between? Below, we dive into how seven fringe playoff teams in particular should approach the deadline.

Playoff chances and standings as of Feb. 20. Teams were ordered alphabetically.

Detroit Red Wings

Playoffs chances: 55%
Standings: 5th in Atlantic (2nd wild-card spot)

Will the Red Wings finally do it? Their seven-year postseason drought is the second-longest active skid in the league. They're close enough to the playoffs that it would be extremely disappointing to see them sell, especially in a wide-open Eastern Conference where anything could happen with a postseason ticket.

Their farm system is strong enough to negate the need for selling off pending unrestricted free agents David Perron, Patrick Kane, Daniel Sprong, and Shayne Gostisbehere for mid-round draft picks.

GM Steve Yzerman shouldn't necessarily push all of his chips into the middle, but shopping for players with term, or those who could be realistically extended and part of the long-term future, would make the most sense; think of players like Noah Hanifin, Jake Guentzel, and Pavel Buchnevich. Detroit has both the prospect capital to pull off such deals and the long-term cap space to keep them around. The Red Wings have enough depth - they need game-changers atop the lineup.

Verdict: Buy (with term)

Nashville Predators

Playoffs chances: 22.3%
Standings: 5th in Central (2 points out of playoffs)

The Predators are beginning a new era. It's the first season under GM Barry Trotz and head coach Andrew Brunette. There's also a combined $8.25 million in dead money on the books between retained salaries and buyouts. All of this signals that it's not the time to go for it.

The club also has a handful of pending UFAs who could generate notable interest on the trade market, including Yakov Trenin, Thomas Novak, Tyson Barrie, and Alexandre Carrier. Nashville should also be willing to sell high on Gustav Nyquist, who's in the midst of a resurgent year but signed through next season. Listening to offers for star goaltender Juuse Saros, who's also signed through 2024-25, would be a wise move, too.

This new regime in Nashville clearly has a long-term vision, so it's best to sell off expiring assets now, especially considering that even if the Predators did make the playoffs, their first-round matchup would be a daunting one.

Verdict: Sell

New Jersey Devils

Playoffs chances: 46.7%
Standings: 4th in Metropolitan (4 points out of playoffs)

The Devils have been plagued by injuries and poor goaltending this season, but they've been getting healthy, playing better as of late, and could be a dangerous team if they get into the playoffs. As a young team on the rise that just snapped a four-year playoff drought last season, selling should be out of the question. The club is too close to the postseason.

Trading unprotected first-round picks for rentals would be unwise, though. Getting players who can stick around for the long haul would be ideal - especially in net. Saros and Jacob Markstrom should be GM Tom Fitzgerald's top targets.

The Devils could also use a hard-nosed, veteran defenseman and a bottom-six center. Both could probably be obtained without sacrificing a first-round pick.

Verdict: Buy

New York Islanders

Playoffs chances: 10.2%
Standings: 5th in Metropolitan (6 points out of playoffs)

The Islanders are in no man's land, and much of the blame can be placed on GM Lou Lamoriello. Buying in the rental market isn't very sensible considering their place in the standings. But buying for players with term doesn't really work, either, because the team's future cap space is severely limited after Lamoriello handed out some egregious extensions in the summer.

On the other hand, there isn't much to sell. Pending UFAs Cal Clutterbuck, Matt Martin, Mike Reilly, and Sebastian Aho won't fetch a whole lot on the trade market. And some of the team's expendable players with higher cap hits like Anders Lee, Jean-Gabriel Pageau, and Kyle Palmieri all have negative trade value (meaning the Islanders would likely have to attach a sweetener just to move the contract).

In other words, the Islanders should ride out the rest of the season with the current group, hope they make the playoffs, and then try to free up some cap space in the offseason.

Verdict: Sit

Philadelphia Flyers

Playoffs chances: 73%
Standings: 3rd in Metropolitan

The Flyers are enjoying an impressive campaign. They weren't supposed to contend this year, but they're the best team on this list. The surprising success has put first-time GM Daniel Briere in quite a predicament.

On one hand, Philadelphia's season hasn't been a fluke. The underlying numbers are pretty strong, specifically on the defensive side - a staple of John Tortorella-coached teams. The Flyers are on track for the playoffs and have some veteran players, like newly minted captain Sean Couturier, healthy and thriving.

On the other hand, Briere's plan all along has been to stockpile draft picks and prospects with the goal of building a long-term, sustained winner. Will he deviate from that? He has decisions to make regarding two key pending UFA defensemen in Sean Walker and Nick Seeler, who are playing the best hockey of their careers. Walker, in particular, is thriving and in a weak defense market could reportedly net the Flyers a first-round pick.

Selling probably wouldn't sit well with the veterans. But if Briere keeps the team together and the Flyers either miss the playoffs or get ousted in Round 1, he'll be kicking himself for not cashing in on his rentals at the deadline. That's why we lean toward sticking to the process and selling - as tough as it may be. In an ideal world, Briere can acquire some controllable, young players who can help now and in the future in exchange for his rentals.

Verdict: Sell

Pittsburgh Penguins

Playoffs chances: 32.5%
Standings: 7th in Metropolitan (9 points out of playoffs)

The Penguins are in jeopardy of missing the postseason for a second straight year, which would be a real shame considering Sidney Crosby is still playing at an extremely high level. The other members of Pittsburgh's veteran core - Evgeni Malkin, Erik Karlsson, and Kris Letang - are still highly effective, too.

An abysmal power play has been Pittsburgh's undoing this season. If it were league average, the Pens would probably be in a playoff spot. They're great at five-on-five, ranking eighth in goals share and expected goals share, per Natural Stat Trick.

GM Kyle Dubas, who was just hired this past offseason, has a big decision to make about pending UFA Jake Guentzel: Trade him and start looking toward the future without Crosby and Co., or keep him and give it one last shot? We lean toward the latter.

Considering Dubas went all-in for Karlsson in the offseason, it wouldn't make much sense to backtrack now. It's worth trying to sign Guentzel to an extension, even if it means more pain down the road. The organization owes it to Crosby to take one last crack at it.

Pittsburgh is already without its first-round pick this year as part of the Karlsson trade, so there's nothing to tank for. Dubas shouldn't be willing to trade any future firsts in case things go sideways, but dealing from the rest of his draft picks and prospects should be on the table.

It's been a trying season, but the Penguins aren't far off, and with this grizzled group, anything could happen if it can get into the playoffs.

Verdict: Extend Guentzel and buy

St. Louis Blues

Playoffs chances: 19%
Standings: 4th in Central (2nd wild-card spot)

The Blues are in a tricky spot. They have a leg up on the competition for the last wild-card spot in the Western Conference. However, their path to third in the Central, or to the first wild-card spot, is a bit of a long shot. So even if they make the playoffs, a first-round matchup against the conference's top seed seems likely. That's why buying doesn't make a lot of sense.

But St. Louis' only notable pending UFAs - Kasperi Kapanen, Sammy Blais, and Marco Scandella - wouldn't garner much of a return. Buchnevich could fetch a ton, but he still has an additional year left on his contract, and an extension in the summer would make sense. There's no rush to deal him. The same goes for the team's core defensemen, but retaining money on long-term contracts isn't ideal - and that's what it might take for a team to give up a haul for someone like Colton Parayko.

So as boring as it may sound, riding it out with the current group for the rest of the season and hoping for the best come playoff time is the most sensible path.

Verdict: Sit

(Playoff chances source: MoneyPuck)

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