Alexis Lafreniere - the presumptive No. 1 overall pick of the 2020 NHL Draft - headlines Canada's preliminary roster for the upcoming IIHF World Junior Championship in the Czech Republic.

Hockey Canada released its list of 31 invitees on Monday ahead of its selection camp for the tournament:

Forwards

Defensemen

Goaltenders

Lafreniere is one of three returnees, along with McIsaac and Smith.

The selection camp will take place Dec. 9-12 in Oakville, Ontario.

Led by head coach Dale Hunter - the longtime owner, president, and bench boss of the OHL's London Knights - the Canadians will be looking to improve on their sixth-place finish at the 2019 tournament.

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The first two months of the NHL season have absolutely flown by and December is upon us. That means it's time to ditch those pumpkin-spice lattes for candy-cane hot chocolates, stay inside unless it's absolutely necessary to leave the house, watch a ton of hockey, and hopefully win enough money to cover our holiday expenses.

There's no time like the present to start, so here's your guide to betting the week ahead in the NHL.

Game betting

New York Islanders at Montreal Canadiens (Tuesday)

Mired in an eight-game losing streak, the Canadiens put in one of their best defensive efforts over the last two weeks in a losing effort against Boston on Sunday. They're low on confidence, but there was a lot to build on as they get set to host an Islanders team that has really cooled off over the last 10 days. It's also the second leg of a back-to-back for the Isles, who play Monday. Look at the under here, as well as the Habs snapping their skid.

Washington Capitals at San Jose Sharks (Tuesday)

The Capitals have been playing great hockey since the start of the season and the Sharks have excelled over the last month. San Jose's on an 11-2 run and playing with urgency, so it seems like the side to back here, but the total appears to be a more appealing play. Both these teams can score in bunches and this could turn into a blow-for-blow affair. The over looks like a strong bet.

Colorado Avalanche at Toronto Maple Leafs (Wednesday)

This is something of a revenge spot for the Avalanche after the Maple Leafs came to Colorado and won just under two weeks ago. The Avs are getting healthy - they welcomed Mikko Rantanen back Saturday - and are hoping to make up for lost time. Meanwhile, the Leafs' issues weren't all magically solved by firing Mike Babcock. Defensively, they can still be picked on, and this game happens to be the second leg of a back-to-back with travel for Toronto. Take Colorado at plus-money.

St. Louis Blues at Pittsburgh Penguins (Wednesday)

The Blues really make this whole hockey thing look easy, don't they? The Penguins have one of the best home records in the NHL, so a trip to Pittsburgh poses a real test. The Blues on the road against strong competition has typically been a good spot to back the under. After these teams combined for seven goals in St. Louis on Saturday, expect a much tighter contest. I'd play the under as low as 5.5, though hopefully, we get it at six.

Vegas Golden Knights at New York Islanders (Thursday)

While the Islanders' point streak ended last week, they've won 10 of their last 11 home games, picking up at least a point in each of them. A visit from the Golden Knights will mark the third game in four nights for both teams. Back the Isles to maintain their dominant home form.

Winnipeg Jets at Dallas Stars (Thursday)

This will be the week's second meeting between these teams, which also face off in Winnipeg on Tuesday. Regardless of what happens in that first game, the Stars should take the home leg. They've won three in a row over the Jets in Dallas and 10 of their last 12 overall at American Airlines Center.

Game props

Los Angeles Kings at Anaheim Ducks (Monday)

The Ducks are riding back-to-back shutouts on home ice, while the Kings have scored two goals or fewer in each of their last eight road games. The last time they managed three away from home was in a 3-2 win in Winnipeg on Oct. 22. They've also been held to two or fewer goals in three of their last four games in Anaheim and six of their last eight overall against the Ducks. Play Los Angeles' team total under 2.5.

Dallas Stars at Winnipeg Jets (Tuesday)

Goals over the opening 20 minutes have been rare at Bell MTS Place this season. In seven of the Jets' last nine home games, there's been a maximum of one goal in the first period, while six of the Stars' last seven away games have gone under the total in the first period. Take under 1.5 in the opening frame; that also would have hit the last four times these teams met in Manitoba.

Player props

Winnipeg Jets at Dallas Stars (Thursday)

I'm all about these Jets versus Stars games, apparently. Dallas has been playing some terrific defensive hockey since the start of November, but Patrik Laine has 17 goals in 15 career games against the Stars, including one in Winnipeg's 5-3 loss in Dallas a couple of weeks ago. Those numbers are too good to ignore. It's worth betting on Laine to find the back of the net again Thursday.

Alex Moretto is a sports betting writer for theScore. A journalism graduate from Guelph-Humber University, he has worked in sports media for over a decade. He will bet on anything from the Super Bowl to amateur soccer, is too impatient for futures, and will never trust a kicker. Find him on Twitter @alexjmoretto.

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The Montreal Canadiens have placed backup goaltender Keith Kinkaid on waivers, the team announced Monday.

Kinkaid signed a one-year, $1.75-million contract with the Habs over the summer to back up Carey Price, but he hasn't had much success in the early stages of the 2019-20 season.

The 30-year-old owns a 1-1-3 record along with a .875 save percentage, allowing at least four goals in five of his six appearances so far.

"Listen, I think it gives him the opportunity, if he passes through waivers, to have a chance to play more often in (AHL) Laval and hopefully to get his game back in sync," head coach Claude Julien said, according to Sportsnet's Eric Engels. "What we've seen from him is good, but maybe not good enough for this instant.

"We need a goaltender who - especially when we call on them infrequently - is making sure he's on top of his game."

Montreal lost its eighth consecutive contest Sunday in Boston and returns to action Tuesday against the New York Islanders.

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With the decade drawing to a close, theScore looked back and voted on 100 moments that defined the sports world in the 2010s. Below are moments 100-81, and we're counting down by 20 every Monday in December.

100-81 | 80-61 (Dec. 9) | 60-41 (Dec. 16) | 40-21 (Dec. 23) | 20-1 (Dec. 30)

100. Butt Fumble! 🍑🏈

Nov. 12, 2012

This decade treated us to perhaps the greatest blooper in NFL history. On Thanksgiving Day 2012, Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez missed the handoff to his running back, turned to run up field - and ran facemask first into his right guard's rear. The impact forced a fumble, which the Patriots returned for a touchdown. The "butt fumble" was born that night, and Sanchez's career was never the same. - Michael McClymont

99. Iceland stuns England at Euros 😱

June 27, 2016

During its maiden participation in a major tournament, Iceland scored a stoppage-time winner against Austria to secure second place in its group, setting the scene for a dream date with England in the last 16. Not even Wayne Rooney's fourth-minute penalty could dampen Iceland's spirits. Ragnar Sigurdsson and Kolbeinn Sigthorsson spearheaded a remarkably quick turnaround, aided by Joe Hart's gaffe, and Iceland promptly slammed the door shut to become the smallest nation to ever win a knockout stage match at the tournament. - Alex Moretto

98. UConn goes 40-0 🏆

April 8, 2014

UConn had four undefeated seasons prior to 2013-14, but its 40-0 campaign that year was perhaps the most significant. The Huskies destroyed a 37-0 Notre Dame squad by 21 points in the national championship to give the school and head coach Geno Auriemma a record ninth Division I crown. UConn's victory also completed a sweep of the men's and women's title games, a decade after the Huskies became the only school to accomplish the feat. - Chicco Nacion

97. Mahomes vs. Mayfield 🎆

Oct. 22, 2016

A scene out of a video game is the only proper way to describe the spectacle in Lubbock when Patrick Mahomes and Texas Tech hosted Oklahoma and Baker Mayfield during the 2016 season. A shootout was expected, but by the time the dust cleared, few could believe the 66-59 tally the scoreboard showed. Mahomes set new FBS records with 819 yards of total offense and 734 yards passing ... and somehow lost the contest! Mayfield was up for the task against his former school, tossing seven touchdowns as the two teams combined for 1,279 passing yards, the most ever in a college football game. - Dane Belbeck

96. MLB's Biogenesis scandal 💉

2013

Biogenesis proved that despite implementing drug testing, baseball was far from clean. This steroid scandal and investigation involving Miami trainer Anthony Bosch led to 13 players, including superstars Nelson Cruz, Ryan Braun, and Alex Rodriguez, receiving suspensions in the middle of the 2013 season. Most of the bans were for 50 games, but A-Rod - who was at the center of it all - received 211 games and missed all of 2014 after his appeal. Many stars involved had their reputations damaged almost beyond repair - and in a lot of ways, baseball still hasn't recovered. - Simon Sharkey-Gotlieb

95. Linsanity! 💥

Feb. 2012

The sports world ground to a halt in February 2012 as a relatively unimposing Ivy Leaguer of Taiwanese descent set the NBA on fire. After a groin injury sidelined Carmelo Anthony, Jeremy Lin took center stage for the New York Knicks, averaging 24.6 points, 9.2 assists, and 2.4 steals from Feb. 4-20. Lin's spectacular run included a 38-point deluge against Kobe Bryant's Lakers and a game-winner to sink the Raptors. In its most distilled form, Linsanity lasted all of 10 games, but it served as a crucial reminder that talent and opportunity can trump preconceptions any day. - Andrew Potter

94. England wins insane Cricket World Cup final 😲

July 14, 2019

For a sport often derided as boring, the 2019 Cricket World Cup final served as a powerful rebuttal. With England and New Zealand tied with 241 runs at the end of the match, a Super Over was required. Not everyone at Lord’s in London that day knew exactly what a Super Over entailed, but what it produced was one of the most dramatic moments in sporting history. Ben Stokes will not have to pay for a meal for the rest of his life. - Devang Desai

93. Cavs-Warriors, Game 1, 2018 Finals 😵

May 31, 2018

Though they entered the 2018 NBA Finals as underdogs to the Warriors, the Cavaliers found themselves on the verge of a Game 1 road win thanks to a Herculean effort from LeBron James. The momentum was undone, however, when JR Smith wasted a potential game-winning possession with a career-defining blunder. The Warriors emerged victorious in overtime en route to a four-game sweep, and LeBron left for the Lakers that summer, bringing his second stint in Cleveland to its underwhelming conclusion. - Potter

92. Angels throw no-hitter after Skaggs' death

July 12, 2019

On a night that saw the entire Angels roster don No. 45 to honor Tyler Skaggs, pitchers Taylor Cole and Felix Pena combined to throw a no-hitter against the Seattle Mariners. After completing the 11th no-no in franchise history, Angels players removed their No. 45 jerseys, laid them on the mound, and shared a moment of silence for their teammate, who died suddenly two weeks earlier. Skaggs was 27. - Bryan Mcwilliam

91. Klay goes off 🔥🔥🔥

Jan. 23, 2015

Nothing could have prepared us for Klay Thompson's historic third-quarter performance on a mid-January night. The sharpshooter converted all 13 of his field-goal attempts, including nine 3-pointers, during the jaw-dropping 12-minute stretch. The moment perfectly encapsulated the dynastic Warriors' ability to string together a ton of points at a moment's notice. - Josh Weinstein

90. GOAT USA basketball squad? 🇺🇸

August 2012

USA Basketball boasted one of its greatest squads ever for the 2012 Olympic Games, assembling a roster that featured not only a prime LeBron James but also the Thunder's then-dynastic trio of James Harden, Russell Westbrook, and Kevin Durant, who were all still in their early 20s. Unsurprisingly, they claimed gold while steamrolling the competition, including a record-breaking 156-73 rout of Nigeria in the opening round. The tournament also marked James' last appearance with Team USA. - Jonathan Soveta

89. Bribery scandal rocks college basketball

Sept. 26, 2017

"The dark underbelly of college basketball" was exposed in September 2017, when numerous Division I coaches at Power 5 conferences and a marketing executive at Adidas were arrested for bribery and other offenses, further bringing to light compensation issues that have dogged the NCAA as its amateurism rules have been challenged. - Navin Vaswani

88. Ruiz stuns Joshua 🥊

June 2, 2019

Andy Ruiz didn't have a chance. Not against Anthony Joshua, the undefeated world heavyweight champion. But to everyone's surprise, one of the most monumental upsets in boxing history took place at Madison Square Garden in early June. The fight was called in the seventh round after Joshua hit the canvas multiple times, making Ruiz the first Mexican heavyweight world champion. - Vaswani

87. Matthews' dazzling debut 🏒

Oct. 12, 2016

The first one was off a scramble, nine minutes into his career. Not bad. But following the second one, after Auston Matthews dangled a couple of Senators at the blue line and in the neutral zone, and then abused Erik Karlsson in a way Karlsson simply doesn't get abused, you knew: This kid, from Arizona, was something special. Matthews finished with four goals in his dream NHL and Maple Leafs debut. He's been scoring ever since. - Vaswani

86. Federer wins Down Under 🎾

Jan. 29, 2017

In a career full of historic achievements, this was perhaps the most significant. After an injury layoff led pundits and fans alike to question if he'd ever return to the top of the sport, Roger Federer was not supposed to be in the Australian Open final. He was not supposed to beat Rafael Nadal, his frequent tormentor and greatest rival. Defying the odds, Federer captured his 18th slam, proving once again that class is permanent. - Desai

85. Minneapolis Miracle 🙌

Jan. 14, 2018

When Saints kicker Wil Lutz connected on a 43-yard field goal to put New Orleans up 24-23 with 25 seconds left in their 2017 NFC divisional-round game, the Vikings and their fans knew they needed a miracle. With 10 seconds remaning, "Buffalo Right, Seven Heaven" was called from the sideline, and Case Keenum found Stefon Diggs. After Saints free safety Marcus Williams missed on his tackle attempt, Diggs broke free to the endzone, and the "Minneapolis Miracle" was born. - Jose Taboada

84. Mr. Triple-Double 🏀🏀🏀

April 12, 2017

No one ushered in our infatuation with triple-doubles over the past decade more than Russell Westbrook. The enigmatic floor general became the first player since Oscar Robertson in the 1961-62 campaign to average a triple-double over the course of a full season. - Weinstein

83. Canada-USA Olympic semifinal ⚽

Aug. 6, 2012

Historic Old Trafford was the stage for one of the greatest women's soccer matches ever played. Canadian legend Christine Sinclair scored three times, giving her side a lead each time. U.S. star Megan Rapinoe, who became a cultural icon at the 2019 World Cup, scored twice. Abby Wambach evened the score at 3-3 on a penalty kick after a series of controversial calls against Canada. After a half hour of extra time, Alex Morgan sealed the win in the third minute of added time to send the U.S. to the final. - Guy Spurrier

82. Fail Mary 🤦

Sept. 24, 2012

Criticism of the replacement officials had been mounting for weeks, but it reached new levels at the end of Monday Night Football in Seattle. When the confused temps erroneously awarded the Seahawks a game-winning touchdown, Roger Goodell knew the referee lockout had to end. Two days later, the commissioner struck a deal with the NFL Referees Association. The regular zebras returned the following Sunday, and fans across the country welcomed them back with raucous ovations. - Alex Chippin

81. Tebow-mania

2011-2012

The quintessential Schrodinger's quarterback, Tim Tebow appeared either unfit for pro football or the sport's savior depending on when you tuned in during his 2011 run as the Broncos' starter. The famously devout lefty hit historic statistical lows early in games, yet managed to lead Denver to six straight wins - four via late comeback - in a stretch that culminated in Demaryius Thomas's 80-yard overtime touchdown in the playoffs. Were it not for the signing of universally beloved Peyton Manning as his replacement, fans in Denver would still argue over what might have been with Tebow. - David P. Woods

100-81 | 80-61 (Dec. 9) | 60-41 (Dec. 16) | 40-21 (Dec. 23) | 20-1 (Dec. 30)

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Every Monday, theScore offers a weekly fantasy hockey column detailing a handful of moves you should make. This week's edition focuses on Week 9. Ownership percentages and position eligibility are courtesy of Yahoo.

Trade for Taylor Hall

Team: Devils
Position: LW
Ownership: 98%

The Taylor Hall sweepstakes are reportedly underway, and a move out of New Jersey could drastically raise the former Hart Trophy winner's fantasy stock.

The Devils have earned the second-fewest points in the league, and it seems like a foregone conclusion that the pending UFA will be moved prior to the trade deadline. He only has four goals on the season, so his fantasy owner may be open to trading him. Hall's 4.5 shooting percentage is due for some positive regression, and it's easy to envision him succeeding on a Cup contender.

Add Chris Driedger

Team: Panthers
Position: G
Ownership: 2%

Driedger made his first NHL start on Saturday, recording a 27-save shutout against the Nashville Predators. The 25-year-old journeyman is worth adding on the off chance he becomes this year's Jordan Binnington, who was surely responsible for winning people some fantasy titles last season.

Florida has been among the NHL's best teams this season despite getting horrendous goaltending from both Sergei Bobrovsky and Sam Montembeault. Even though Bobrovsky signed a $70-million contract in the summer, there's a real opportunity for Driedger to at least work himself into a time-share with the two-time Vezina Trophy winner.

The chance of Driedger becoming the Panthers' No. 1 for the remainder of the season is slim, but his league-winning upside far outweighs the risk of just dropping him later this week if he gets shelled.

Trade for Nikolaj Ehlers

Team: Jets
Position: LW/RW
Ownership: 77%

Ehlers finally has a center to help maximize his goal-scoring potential. Blake Wheeler, normally a winger, has been centering Winnipeg's second line for the last few weeks. Ehlers is benefiting greatly, potting five goals in his last eight games. The Jets have won six of those eight contests, so it doesn't appear Wheeler will be moving back to the wing anytime soon.

Ehlers shouldn't be too pricey on the trade market considering his overall numbers - 20 points in 27 games - aren't overly impressive. The Dane, who is shooting more often this year, looks to be on track to exceed 30 goals and could even approach 40 if he can get hot.

Add Adam Fox

Team: Rangers
Position: D
Ownership: 27%

Fox started slowly in his rookie campaign, but he's really beginning to come into his own for the Rangers:

Fox has gained head coach David Quinn's trust, as evidenced by an ice-time increase highlighted by a 24:29 outing Friday against the Boston Bruins. He's also gaining confidence in himself, shooting the puck more as the season has gone on.

The blue-liner put up huge numbers in college at Harvard and needs to be owned in all fantasy leagues.

Add Brendan Lemieux in banger leagues

Team: Rangers
Position: LW
Ownership: 9%

Lemieux is a must-own in leagues that reward physicality. Son of four-time Stanley Cup winner Claude Lemieux, Brendan has 48 hits and 52 penalty minutes on the season. His 10 points in 24 games won't jump off the page, but he's currently skating on the Rangers' top line with Mika Zibanejad and Pavel Buchnevich, which will help maximize his offensive ceiling.

Josh Wegman has been theScore's resident fantasy hockey expert since 2015. Find him on Twitter @JoshWegman_.

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Montreal Canadiens head coach Claude Julien wore his emotions on his sleeve after his club dropped its eighth straight game on Sunday against the Boston Bruins.

Julien was specifically upset with the officials for handing Nick Cousins a two-minute minor for holding midway through the third period which led to David Backes' game-winning power-play goal.

"I thought we played really, really well and then that penalty behind the net is what changed the outcome of the game," Julien told reporters postgame, via Sportsnet. "It's unfortunate. It was a bad call.

"Krug's stick is stuck under his own player and as a referee in a 1-1 hockey game you gotta make sure when you make those calls and I'm pissed off at the way that was handled. Not in a good position to see it and he makes that call, ends up giving them the go-ahead goal and takes away an opportunity for us to win a hockey game."

The Habs opened the scoring less than two minutes into the contest and held a 1-0 lead over the Bruins until David Pastrnak's third-period equalizer. Three minutes after Backes' go-ahead goal, Jake DeBrusk notched an insurance marker and the Bruins won 3-1.

Montreal has blown leads in six games during the club's eight-game skid.

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Edmonton Oilers forward Jesse Puljujarvi and Dallas Stars defenseman Julius Honka won't be suiting up in the NHL this season.

The pair of restricted free agents needed to sign contracts before Sunday's 5 p.m. ET deadline to be deemed eligible to play any games this campaign.

Both players were seeking trades from the teams that drafted them, but Oilers general manager Ken Holland and Stars GM Jim Nill weren't able to find deals to their liking.

The pair of Finns have been playing overseas in Finland's top pro league and will likely stay there for the remainder of the season. Puljujarvi recently said he intended on staying on home soil, regardless of whether a trade came to fruition. Here's how each player has performed in the Finnish Elite League this year:

Both players signed one-year deals with opt-out clauses in Finland in case either of them was traded to a new NHL club and signed before Dec. 1. Either player could still have his rights traded before the deadline but wouldn't be able to play this season.

The Carolina Hurricanes were reportedly among a list of teams that showed interest in Puljujarvi. The Montreal Canadiens apparently kicked tires on Honka.

Puljujarvi was selected fourth overall by the Oilers at the 2016 draft, while Honka was nabbed 14th overall by the Stars in 2014.

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