Dan and Sat discuss the game vs Pittsburgh, and how JT Miller shined yet again. The guys talk about how JT needs a running mate, and that the other guys on the team need to step up at some point. The roundup features Rick Tocchet discussing Pettersson's play, practice habits and how he's dealing with all of the noise. Practice line updates and more.
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.
Matt and JPat discuss the overtime loss to the Pens, another magnificent game from J.T. Miller, whether they were wrong about Miller, the crowd chanting his name and J.T. playing dumb, Rick Tocchet saying he needs more guys going while singling out Miller as the exception, Nils Höglander reaching 200 NHL games and his continued development with some good (another goal) and some bad (culpability on tying goal), Elias Lindholm's struggles, Arshdeep Bains' first week in the NHL, that vaunted third line and how it is now split up and looking lost, the penalties and whether referees have a vendetta, a good night for the fourth line (when they needed it), and Tocchet saying power-play guys need a breather from each other (and whether Miller and Elias Pettersson were the two guys in question).
Frank Corrado joins to talk about Miller, his pulling guys into the fight and how you can see the confidence brimming. He breaks down the struggles of Quinn Hughes and Lindholm, and whether the latter is a positional fit with the rest of the top-6. He comments on the workload of his old defence partner, and gives us his trade-deadline wish-list player.
Harman Dayal stops by and tells us why the Canucks are taking so many penalties. He comments on Miller, Lindholm, Bains and gives us his trade-deadline wish-list player. Presented by Applewood Auto Group.
Auston Matthews took over as the Hart Trophy favorite following his recent scoring surge that helped the Maple Leafs rattle off seven straight wins.
Toronto's sniper is +185 (35.1% implied probability) at theScore Bet to be named the NHL's MVP thanks to his 52 goals in 57 games. He was held scoreless in his last two contests but potted 19 goals in his 15 games before that.
However, Matthews has some stiff competition to fend off if he's going to claim his second career Hart Trophy. Oddsmakers believe it's a four-horse race, with Nathan MacKinnon, Nikita Kucherov, and Connor McDavid also in contention.
On Feb. 1, MacKinnon was a -120 favorite to win the award and Matthews was +1300. Matthews' monstrous scoring month increased his implied win probability by 28%.
Kucherov's and McDavid's odds remain largely unchanged since the beginning of February.
Matthews has garnered 30% of all bets placed on the Hart Trophy market at theScore Bet, which is only available in Ontario. A large portion of those wagers on the Leafs superstar - 55% to be exact - came within the last two weeks.
Furthermore, 80% of bets placed on the Hart Trophy market within the past two weeks were backing Matthews.
The bet splits for the remainder of the Hart Trophy contenders are as follows: 14% for McDavid; 10% for MacKinnon; and 4.6% for Kucherov.
Matthews is also -10000 (99% implied probability) to win the Maurice "Rocket" Richard Trophy as the league's top goalscorer. He has a 13-goal advantage over second-place Sam Reinhart.
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We're off to a strong start this week. Thanks to a 3-0 sweep with our player props, we put together a winning night on Monday. The script flipped with a mini-sweep on Tuesday's team bets, leading to a profitable 3-2 night.
Let's take a look at a few plays that stand out on Wednesday's slate as we look to keep the ball rolling.
Zach Werenski: Over 2.5 shots
The Rangers are leaking on the back end. They've allowed 34.83 shots per game over the last 10 contests, which falls just 0.04 behind the last-placed Sharks in that span. They give up a ton of volume every night.
This isn't just a difficult patch in the schedule. New York simply isn't defending well. Non-playoff teams like the Islanders, Devils, and Blue Jackets generated 40+ shots against the Rangers over the past two weeks.
Werenski took advantage of the Rangers' struggles the last time he saw them, firing four pucks on net.
The blue-liner is piling up the shots of late: Werenski's recorded three or more in seven of his past 10 games and averaged 3.5 shots on nearly seven attempts in that span. Those are very healthy outputs.
With Werenski in fine form offensively and the Rangers bleeding shots, this is a favorable spot for another active shooting performance from the defenseman.
Odds: -125 (playable to -140)
Warren Foegele: Under 2.5 shots
Foegele recently had a cup of coffee riding shotgun with Connor McDavid, where he was very productive shooting the puck.
He's back on the third line but is still priced as if he's getting prime minutes at even strength. Including the games Foegele played on McDavid's line, he's averaging slightly less than 14 minutes of ice time over the last 10 outings. We generally expect him to fall in the 12-14 range.
Using that as a reference point, Foegele has cleared his shot total in only nine of 32 games when playing 14 minutes or less. That's a 28% hit rate.
He's averaged 3.6 shot attempts per game at such usage. That leaves little margin for error in terms of hitting the target. If Foegele misses the net or has one blocked, it's difficult for him to go over on any given night.
The matchup is scary - St. Louis isn't a good defensive team - but I'm happy to take my chances given Foegele's expected ice time.
Odds: -118 (playable to -130)
Robert Thomas: Over 0.5 points
I think the price on this line is rather egregious. Thomas has been one of the most consistent point producers in the NHL this season, finding the scoresheet in 70% of his games.
Using his success rate as a barometer, something in the ballpark of -230 would be a fair price for Thomas to get a point. Not all teams are equal - and the Oilers are quite good - but -140 is generous.
However, we've seen a dip in the Oilers' defensive play lately. They've given up shots at a higher clip than usual and Stuart Skinner's play has regressed. He's allowed at least three goals in six of his past seven starts.
There should be a couple of goals on the table for the Blues. Given how integral Thomas is to the offense - at five-on-five and on the power play - I like his chances of getting involved in one.
Odds: -140 (playable to -165)
Todd Cordell is a sports betting writer at theScore. You can follow him on X at @ToddCordell.
Every season at this time of year, those who follow the NHL can't help but fantasize about potential blockbuster trades involving big-name players and blue-chip prospects.
Many of those desired deals never come to fruition, but that shouldn't stop us from hoping to see some wild trades in the days leading up to the March 8 deadline.
Here are five scenarios that would be very appealing for one reason or another, regardless of how likely they may be.
Oilers grab Guentzel
Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / Getty
The Pittsburgh Penguins are reportedly listening to offers on all of their non-core players, but team president and general manager Kyle Dubas must not consider Jake Guentzel part of the core. The executive left the door open for Guentzel to be moved when asked about the productive winger earlier this month.
If Guentzel does become available, there'll be suitors lining up around the block. But the Edmonton Oilers would arguably be the most tantalizing destination for the Nebraska-born forward, simply because it would give fans a chance to see a two-time 40-goal-scorer on either Connor McDavid's or Leon Draisaitl's wing.
Guentzel is expected to return from injury about a week after the deadline, so that likely wouldn't be too concerning for Edmonton. He's also on long-term injured reserve at the moment, which will make it easier to balance the money.
A swap between these two clubs would be very tricky financially and perhaps further complicated by Guentzel's 12-team no-trade list. But if the Oilers could offer the Penguins a package featuring top prospect Dylan Holloway, a couple of high picks - including their first-rounder in the upcoming draft - and a roster player like forward Warren Foegele while satisfying cap and roster limit concerns, they might be able to make it happen.
Flower the Flyer
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Marc-Andre Fleury recently made it clear he doesn't want to abandon the Minnesota Wild as they fight for a playoff spot. But the Central Division club's postseason hopes are pretty slim, so the closer we get to March 8, the wiser Fleury would be to consider approving a move to a contender.
There are plenty of destinations for Fleury that could be fun. The Colorado Avalanche and Carolina Hurricanes could both benefit from his experience in goal. But what about pairing one of the NHL's most likable players with John Tortorella, one of the league's most quotable head coaches?
The Flyers are surprisingly competitive but could use some help in the crease. Samuel Ersson and Cal Petersen have been subpar for Philadelphia in goal this season despite the team exceeding expectations as a whole. Numerous Flyers are trade candidates before the deadline, but general manager Daniel Briere shouldn't be a seller. His team has a good chance of qualifying for the postseason, so while it isn't time for him to go all-in for a deep run, it wouldn't be smart to start subtracting, either.
Fleury's not worth a first-round pick at this stage of his career - in terms of his on-ice contributions, anyway - but the Flyers have two second-round picks in both this year's draft and the next one. They could send one of them to Minnesota along with a mid-level prospect or a roster player with some upside. The Flyers won't need to put together a hefty return for the 39-year-old's services, and they have the assets to make something happen.
Golden Knights get Tarasenko
Kevin Sousa / National Hockey League / Getty
The Vegas Golden Knights should be exploring deals for all types of forwards, be they wingers or centers. The Pacific Division squad has a lengthy injured reserve list at the moment, including numerous players up front like Mark Stone and Jack Eichel. The latter shouldn't be out for too much longer, but the former will be out for a while.
Enter Vladimir Tarasenko, a right winger who could help fill the void in Stone's absence and then provide some depth if and when the Vegas captain returns. Tarasenko isn't as reliable as Stone at both ends, and his best days are behind him at 32 years old. But the Russian has been producing offense at a reasonable clip on a lackluster Ottawa Senators squad.
The Golden Knights will have to jettison some salary when they activate Eichel and his $10-million cap hit. Moving Stone and his $9.5-million figure to LTIR would seemingly take care of that in the short term. After making that switch, Vegas is projected to have around $5.5 million in cap space at the deadline.
Tarasenko's price probably won't be a first-round pick at this stage of his career. Even if it is, the Golden Knights still possess nearly all of their draft picks for the next three years, missing only a 2024 fourth-rounder and a 2025 seventh-round selection. They could take on the veteran's $5-million cap hit without forcing Ottawa to retain, and they might only need to give up one or two high (but not first-round) draft selections to facilitate this deal.
Devils snag Markstrom
Rich Graessle / National Hockey League / Getty
This move reportedly almost happened, and there's still plenty of time to get it done. Jacob Markstrom isn't as much of a lock to be traded as teammates Chris Tanev and Noah Hanifin, but the Calgary Flames goaltender is now a candidate to be dealt, and the New Jersey Devils make perfect sense as his destination.
But it's not just that it's logical for both teams. The Devils have underachieved this season, thanks in large part to lackluster goaltending and injuries (especially to Dougie Hamilton). But they still boast a talented group of skaters, including Jack Hughes, Nico Hischier, Jesper Bratt, and Tyler Toffoli. This disappointing team was supposed to be fun to watch, so adding a proven netminder would make them more compelling.
The Devils may not be full-fledged buyers at this deadline because of their distance from the playoff picture. But with a talented core already in place and Markstrom under contract through 2025-26, adding him wouldn't just be about trying to make the playoffs this spring. Yes, the Swedish puck-stopper is 34 years old, but he's playing well again on a lackluster Flames squad.
Because of Markstrom's resume and the importance of his position, this would likely be a bit of a blockbuster involving numerous parts. The Devils have first-rounders in each of the next three drafts, plus prospects with upside like forward Alexander Holtz. New Jersey is also projected to have around $9.5 million in cap space at the deadline, so Markstrom's $6-million hit wouldn't be an issue.
Avalanche scoop up Henrique
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Now that Sean Monahan's off the board, Adam Henrique is the best center available. The Anaheim Ducks pivot, who turned 34 earlier this month, is having a solid season, especially considering his age and current team. The veteran has proven he can still contribute and could solidify a contender's top six.
The Colorado Avalanche will be getting the equivalent of a deadline add when Valeri Nichushkin returns to game action in short order. But he's only a winger, whereas Henrique can be even more versatile by playing multiple forward positions.
The already electric Avalanche adding a player who can provide stability and experience in several ways would only make them more exciting come playoff time. Henrique's cap hit is a bit hefty at $5.825 million, and Colorado is only going to have about $1.2 million in cap space at the deadline at this rate. But it wouldn't be impossible if the Ducks were willing to retain some salary and take on an NHL contract in addition to other assets in return.
The Avalanche still have picks they can offer, but they have one of the league's worst prospect pools by virtue of continuously dealing prospects away to stay competitive. However, they have enough depth and upside on the NHL roster to put a package together that would get this done.
Sat Shah and Bik Nizzar breakdown the Canucks 4-3 OT loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins. Hear from Head Coach Rick Tocchet (45:05) and Tyler Myers (1:17:12) post game. Plus Randip Janda and Iain McIntyre (1:21:20) provide their analysis.
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.
Dan and Sat are joined by Canucks Insider, Irfaan Gaffar, to discuss everything going on around the Elias Pettersson situation, what they could do ahead of the deadline, and more. Also, hear from Seth Rorabaugh of Tribune-Review Sports on the Penguins and their status on the trade market.
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.
It's The Open on Canucks Central as Dan and Sat get into the Elias Pettersson fallout as that story continues, the latest on the trade front involving the Canucks, and the state of the Pacific Division. Also, they get into the Roundup - the latest news and notes on the team - including Nils Höglander playing his 200th NHL game, the new PP units, and more.
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.
