It's The Open as Dan and Bik discuss how the Canucks stacked up against the LA Kings and the lack of execution by the Canucks lately. Also, in The Roundup, they talk about Arshdeep Bains getting sent to Abbotsford and other headlines around the NHL.

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.

Matt and Jeff discuss the 5-1 loss to the Kings and whether their play over the last fortnight is a blip or something deeper, as the Canucks fall out of first place in the overall league standings. They talk about Rick Tocchet's harsh comments on his team, 6-7 guys not going, "egregious" details, having "lost" their staples of playing without the puck, that Elias Pettersson needs to get going, the criticism of Quinn Hughes and Filip Hronek. They analyze the events of this week on the Pettersson contract front: the Carolina offer, the Canucks drawing a line in the sand to eliminate the distraction for club and player alike, and speculate on the length and value of the contract. They also discuss the latest trade deadline reports, evaluate the market, size up Patrik Allvin's comments to in-house media about targets and prospect Jonathan Lekkerimäki, plus shout out the 2024 inductees to the B.C. Hockey Hall of Fame.

Patrick Johnston joins to discuss the loss to L.A., the recent run of play, Tocchet's mood, Hughes' struggles, sagging goaltending, plus the saga of Pettersson this week, and his trade deadline wish list.

Axel Schuster, Whitecaps CEO, joins to talk about Saturday's home/season opener vs Charlotte. He talks about an improved team, new players, where he wants to get better, goals for the season, new captain Ryan Gauld, Mike D'Agostino filling in for a suspended Vanni Sartini, and the great enthusiasm in the market with a crowd of roughly 30,000 expected at B.C. Place. Presented by Applewood Auto Group.

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Jacob Markstrom doesn't seem thrilled with how the Calgary Flames' front office has dealt with his future ahead of the trade deadline.

The goaltender, who's been a prime candidate to be dealt despite being under contract through 2025-26, lauded his teammates' response but doesn't view the efforts of management the same way.

"Every player in here, I really respect them (considering) everything that's been going on and not going on," he told the media, including TSN, on Friday. "How everyone in this room has handled everything I think has been really good. And then the whole situation and everything, am I happy about that? No, I'm not, and I think it could've been handled a lot different from up top."

In early February, Markstrom said a potential trade was "up to Calgary." About a week later, it was reported the Flames and New Jersey Devils had discussed a possible deal involving the netminder.

The Devils got back in touch with the Flames this week to reiterate their interest in him, The Athletic's Pierre LeBrun reported Friday.

The 34-year-old has a full no-movement clause on his contract, which carries a $6-million cap hit, per CapFriendly. The talks with the Devils reportedly didn't progress enough for the Flames to ask Markstrom to waive the clause.

Calgary traded defenseman Chris Tanev to the Dallas Stars on Wednesday and also sent Elias Lindholm and Nikita Zadorov to the Vancouver Canucks in separate deals ahead of the March 8 deadline.

The Flames promoted former captain Craig Conroy to general manager last May after Brad Treliving vacated the role to join the Toronto Maple Leafs in the same capacity.

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The weekend NHL betting guide returns with a question: "What's going on with the Canucks?"

Vancouver has been the biggest surprise this season from a betting perspective, as its market rating got cranked up within a few weeks.

Before the season, the market assigned the Canucks an expectation of 89 regular-season points - a number that would have them on the outside looking into the playoffs and rated them marginally below average. By the All-Star break, they were considered 15% better than an average team.

As March begins, Vancouver is headed toward comfortably cashing tickets on the over for regular-season point totals. However, the Canucks' first 50-plus games have altered the hope threshold in the Lower Mainland. With a 10-point lead in the division, no one should be freaking out in the dressing room like Will Ferrell's character did in the movie "Old School." However, when projecting forward into the playoffs, we should look at how they've played recently compared to those first 55 games.

Let's evaluate their expected goals share (xG%), high-danger chance share (HDC%), high-danger conversion rate at even strength (HDCV%), and power play:

The Canucks' xG% hasn't changed significantly, and they've been even better than their opponents at generating high-danger chances. However, the scorers have gone from being able to convert those high-danger looks at a rate well above league-average (12.5%) to well below. When people talk about regression due to sample size, this is what they mean.

The Canucks are a talented enough group that they should convert more than 12.5% of their even-strength HDC, and even with this recent downturn, they're still clicking at 15.9% for the season.

With 42 power-play goals in the first 55 games, they were averaging a goal with the man advantage in 76.4% of their games. More recently, they've added a goal in 57.1% of those seven contests. Meanwhile, their opponents have nine power-play goals in that stretch.

Using their early metrics, which we saw as a shade above 50%, the Canucks weren't the best team in the NHL despite the standings points rolling in. High conversion rates on one end, combined with great goaltending, always mask any deficiencies. Thatcher Demko provided 25.83 goals saved above expectation (GSAx), and even backup Casey DeSmith was above average at 3.27 in limited work.

However, in the last seven games, Demko has a GSAx of -3.63, and DeSmith's lone start in Minnesota was a borderline disaster (-4.25 GSAx).

While it might seem complicated for those who aren't as comfortable with the numbers, it's rather simple. For the Canucks to be successful come playoff time, their high-end talent has to score at an above-average rate, and - surprise - you need good-to-great goaltending. Neither of those has happened in this seven-game stretch, but the sample size isn't big enough for anyone in B.C. to lose their composure.

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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Toronto Maple Leafs general manager Brad Treliving knows he has his work cut out for him before the March 8 trade deadline, but he's ready to put on his thinking cap.

After reacquiring defenseman Ilya Lyubushkin from the Anaheim Ducks in a three-way trade Thursday night, the GM said Friday that his club will be "as creative as possible" in addressing other needs, according to The Athletic's Jonas Siegel.

Treliving acknowledged that could include trading his most valuable draft commodities.

"I think (you've got to) be careful with first-round picks for short-term help," he said. "But if it makes sense at the end of the day when you do the final analysis ... you have to look at every option."

The Maple Leafs gave the Ducks a 2025 third-rounder and sent the Carolina Hurricanes a sixth-round selection in this year's draft in the Lyubushkin swap. Toronto also acquired the rights to KHL forward Kirill Slepets from the Canes in the deal.

Toronto reportedly tried to trade for Chris Tanev before the Calgary Flames sent him to the Dallas Stars on Wednesday.

The Maple Leafs are projected to have around $1.45 million in deadline cap space, according to CapFriendly. That figure would increase slightly if and when Toronto puts Mark Giordano and his $800,000 cap hit on long-term injured reserve. Treliving said Friday the defenseman sustained a concussion Thursday night and will be placed on IR.

It was reported Thursday night that Toronto also expressed interest in veteran blue-liner Matt Dumba. Both Lyubushkin and Dumba are right-shot rearguards, and the Leafs have been icing a fully left-handed defense corps of late.

The Leafs have a first-round pick in June's draft, but no second-rounders for the next three years. They traded away their 2025 first-round pick in the deal that netted them defenseman Jake McCabe from the Chicago Blackhawks last February. Toronto doesn't own a pick until the fifth round next year.

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The Toronto Maple Leafs will place defenseman Mark Giordano on injured reserve due to a head injury sustained in Thursday's win over the Arizona Coyotes, general manager Brad Treliving announced, according to TSN's Mark Masters.

A recovery timeline is unclear. Giordano was helped off the ice after crashing hard into the boards and didn't return to Thursday's contest.

Giordano has appeared in 38 games this season, primarily in a bottom-pairing role. He's managed one goal and six assists while averaging 16 minutes per night.

The 40-year-old is an unrestricted free agent this summer upon the expiry of a two-year, $1.6-million deal signed in 2022.

Toronto acted swiftly to shore up its defensive depth, acquiring Ilya Lyubushkin from the Anaheim Ducks following the contest. The Maple Leafs are expected to continue shopping for blue-liners before the March 8 trade deadline.

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The trade deadline is one giant puzzle for the NHL's 32 general managers.

Each of them must contemplate what's right for their team in the moment and for seasons to come, decide on a plan, and be prepared to pivot to Plan B, C, or Z. Those pivots tend to come on the heels of another executive's actions.

Consider what's happened since late January. Vancouver acquired center Elias Lindholm. Winnipeg responded a week later by picking up Sean Monahan, who's basically Lindholm lite. Then Dallas jumped the line on defensemen with Wednesday's crafty Chris Tanev trade. A day later, Toronto completed a trade for another right-handed blue-liner, Ilya Lyubushkin.

Buyers have been forced to recalibrate. With the deadline a week away, three Western Conference teams in particular need to act before it's too late.

Edmonton: Leon Draisaitl's contract expires after next season. Connor McDavid is up in the summer of 2026. There are no guarantees that either re-signs. The Oilers must continue to acquire as much talent as possible to make the most of this era. Their priorities are adding a scoring winger and defensive defenseman.

CapFriendly estimates that general manager Ken Holland has around $2 million in cap space. That's enough to yank Jake Guentzel out of Pittsburgh if the deal involves heavy salary retention. Plan B could be Anaheim's Adam Henrique, who's slightly cheaper. Plan C could be Washington's Max Pacioretty, who's even cheaper. Perhaps defenseman Joel Edmundson could be packaged with Pacioretty to kill two birds with one stone. As for outgoing assets, the Oilers have their first- and second-round picks in 2024 and 2026, as well as their first in 2025. However, the prospect pool isn't deep.

Colorado: The 2022 Stanley Cup champions have been riding the Nathan MacKinnon MVP wave. Realistically, though, they're too top-heavy at forward. Even with Valeri Nichushkin returning from the NHL/NHLPA player assistance program and Gabriel Landeskog potentially joining the squad for the postseason, Colorado needs outside help - preferably the versatile Henrique.

The Avalanche could also use a more experienced goalie than Justus Annunen to back up Alexandar Georgiev. Montreal's Jake Allen fits the profile. In any impact trade, the Avs will almost certainly need salary retained by the other team or a third party, or move the underperforming Ryan Johansen and his $4-million cap hit, as CapFriendly estimates around $1.2 million in space is available for GM Chris MacFarland. Like Edmonton, Colorado owns plenty of high picks in 2024 and beyond but doesn't boast many enticing prospects.

Vegas: The defending champs are, quite famously, obsessively aggressive. They've redefined what going "all-in" means for multiple years. Right now, thanks to star forwards Mark Stone and Jack Eichel landing on injured reserve, CapFriendly estimates GM Kelly McCrimmon has around $6.8 million in cap space. For the typically cap-strapped Golden Knights, that's oodles of cash.

Vegas should be in on Guentzel and the other point-producing forwards believed to be available for a steep price - guys like St. Louis' Pavel Buchnevich, Seattle's Jordan Eberle, and Pittsburgh's Reilly Smith, who's an original Golden Knight. None of those deals would be simple to pull off, so maybe McCrimmon settles for two experienced and useful forwards. Think Nic Dowd and Pacioretty in Washington, or Alex Wennberg and Pierre-Edouard Bellemare (another original) in Seattle. Vegas is motivated to beef up and owns the draft capital and prospects to pull off something meaningful.

Sorokin's super underrated year

Ilya Sorokin won't win the Vezina Trophy, and I'm not here to argue that the Islanders starter should be named goalie of the year over Connor Hellebuyck.

But Sorokin deserves some recognition for what he's accomplished this season.

The traditional statistics used to evaluate goalies don't paint a compelling picture of him. Among the 48 goalies with 20 or more starts, Sorokin is tied for 12th in wins (19), tied for 16th in save percentage (.909), and 32nd in goals-against average (3.11).

However, dig into a few layers of context, and it's obvious Sorokin's constantly swimming upstream. Islanders goalies play behind the league's second-worst defensive environment, according to Sportlogiq's expected goals model. The analytics company's model factors in the quantity and quality of scoring chances generated throughout the season.

Sorokin, who finished second in Vezina voting last season, has faced the most shots in the league this campaign, as well as the most shots from the inner-slot area. In other words, Sorokin's being peppered every night and shooters are often getting to the most dangerous pockets of the offensive zone.

All of these Grade-A scoring chances would normally break a goalie down (see: John Gibson in Anaheim). Sorokin's instead fought back in a huge way. Despite the volume, his .848 inner-slot save percentage is tops in the NHL.

Sorokin, 28, is second in the NHL with 23.8 goals saved above expected in 43 appearances, and he's third in goals saved above expected per 60 minutes (which accounts for varying workloads). Another illuminating data point: Sorokin is third in a metric called steal percentage. He's recorded a "steal" (which is awarded when a goalie's goals saved above expected value in a game is the difference in the final score) in a league-leading nine of his 19 victories.

Based on Sportlogiq's data, Sorokin has been a top-five goalie in 2023-24.

It's amazing how a little nuance can add so much to goaltending evaluation.

Walman feasting on opportunity

The longer I cover this sport, the stronger I believe that dozens of NHL-caliber players are stuck competing in lower leagues. What's typically blocking these players from securing full-time NHL work is opportunity. An opening. A GM or head coach who believes in their potential.

Jake Walman is a prime example.

He was drafted by the Blues in the third round of the 2014 draft, developed well at Providence College and in the AHL, then hit a wall. Win-now St. Louis had an abundance of older blue-liners, which meant ice time was scarce. And, in those limited minutes, Walman wasn't entirely himself. He'd play to impress.

Red Wings GM Steve Yzerman acquired Walman in a March 2022 trade that sent Nick Leddy (another veteran D-man) to St. Louis. Walman flourished almost immediately in his new home and is now a first-pairing defenseman.

"It really means a lot when you're in a place that wants you, and I'm wanted here in Detroit," Walman, who's in the first season of a three-year contract extension, told theScore this past December. "It's a totally different feeling than St. Louis. I feel like I fit in here, and I just love playing for this team."

Walman's role is plainly defined under head coach Derek Lalonde. While his "Griddy" goal celebrations command attention (rightfully so, they're fun), Walman makes his biggest contribution on rush defense. He also blocks a bunch of shots, moves the puck well, and unleashes 100-mph howitzers.

This season, Walman and partner Moritz Seider have been tasked nightly with facing the stiffest competition. The pair takes a beating in shot-attempt and expected-goal shares, but the two hold their own in actual goals: 35 goals for and 38 against in the 724 five-on-five minutes they've logged together.

"There's a time and a place for everything. You have to pick your spots. If we need a goal or we need offense, I don't have a problem playing more offensively," Walman said. "But there's also times when you've got to manage the game and know what the team needs from you. Playing against the top guys every night is not easy, and you can't lose focus of that responsibility."

Call Walman a late bloomer. Or a case study in player development. He may be both. Most of all, though, he's someone who feasted on his first legitimate NHL opportunity and hasn't slowed down. The 33-21-6 Wings benefited from that hunger last season and - crucially for their trajectory - this campaign, too.

Parting shots

Total Ek-ache: Aleksander Barkov seems to be the front-runner to win the first Selke Trophy of the post-Patrice Bergeron era. There are a ton of other worthy candidates, including Sidney Crosby, Anze Kopitar, and Sean Couturier. That means, as of now, I'm completely undecided on which five forwards will fill out my ballot in April. That said, Joel Eriksson Ek of the Wild certainly has my attention. While the Swedish center's underlying numbers aren't spectacular, he passes the eye test with flying colors. His ability to minimize the other team's top offensive threat is real: he's always in the star's face, always giving maximum effort in puck battles, always issuing minor bumps all over the ice. Always being annoying. "He's a pain in the ass to play against," is how former Wild coach Bruce Boudreau put it in 2021. Eriksson Ek, 27, isn't a flashy player or marquee name. But he's damn effective in all three zones.

Poor Jeff: The Sabres are barreling toward an NHL record 13th consecutive season of missing the playoffs. The most depressing thing about that reality: Jeff Skinner's personal playoff drought is longer. The smiley Buffalo winger is on track to miss a 14th straight postseason. Skinner is 16 regular-season games from 1,000, yet he hasn't had a taste of playoff hockey in Carolina or Buffalo. How rare is this kind of personal drought? Extremely. Every one of the 1,000-game club's 382 members has some level of playoff experience. Retired Finn Olli Jokinen is Skinner's closest comparable: 1,231 regular-season games for 10 teams but only six playoff games. Oilers forward Sam Gagner is close, too, at 11 playoff games in 1,041 games for seven clubs.

PWHL: One word sticks in my mind when I think of the new women's hockey league's debut season: enormous. Enormously successful and enormously innovative. The attendance record has been broken multiple times. The 3-2-1 scoring system just - hmm, how do I frame this? - makes so much sense. The "jailbreak" rule, where a shorthanded goal frees the penalized player from the box, is awesome. The league announced earlier this week that four teams make the playoffs, and semifinal matchups will be determined by the No. 1 seed, which will choose to face either the third- or fourth-place squad. The draft order will follow the Gold Plan (full rundown of the concept here), which is neat. Aside from teams not having distinct nicknames or logos, no major complaints on the launch. Thumbs-up to the PWHL, its teams, and its players.

Takes, Thoughts, and Trends is theScore's biweekly hockey grab bag.

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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Edmonton Oilers general manager Ken Holland is keeping his options open with a week remaining before the trade deadline.

"I can't tell you what's going to happen," Holland told Sportsnet's Mark Spector. "What I can tell you is, I have lots of irons in the fire. I have done lots of talking internally with my coaching staff. I've talked to Connor (McDavid) a couple of times in the last couple of weeks. I talk to (president) Jeff Jackson every day. Every day, I'm talking to other (general) managers."

The Oilers are expected to be buyers after reviving their season under head coach Kris Knoblauch. Holland has a history of making numerous moves per campaign since taking over in Edmonton. He's already brought in veteran Corey Perry this year to supplement the club's forward depth.

"Since I've been a manager here, at the trade deadline - except for the pandemic - I got two players twice, and I got three players once," Holland said. "Whether you like the players or you don't like the players ... the reality is we make moves at every deadline."

Holland made a big splash at last year's deadline, adding veteran defenseman Mattias Ekholm from the Nashville Predators and depth center Nick Bjugstad as a rental.

Holland has approximately $2.3 million in deadline cap space, according to Cap Friendly.

The Oilers are third in the Pacific Division, sitting one point behind the Vegas Golden Knights with three games in hand. The two clubs met in the second round of last year's playoffs, with Vegas prevailing in six games.

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