The Toronto Maple Leafs moved Jake Muzzin to long-term injured reserve Wednesday, according to CapFriendly.

The defenseman must miss 10 games and 24 days, during which time the club can acquire players up to a maximum of his $5.625-million cap hit.

Muzzin exited during the second period of the Maple Leafs' loss to the Montreal Canadiens on Monday after inadvertently colliding with opposing blue-liner Chris Wideman.

The Leafs held Muzzin out for the remainder of that contest as a precaution, and he stayed in Montreal overnight for observation and testing.

He then missed Tuesday's defeat against the Columbus Blue Jackets. Before that matchup, Toronto head coach Sheldon Keefe said Muzzin was back home in concussion protocol and that the 33-year-old had a "positive day."

Muzzin missed seven games earlier this season after sustaining a concussion in January, and he returned on Feb. 10.

The veteran is in his third full campaign with the Maple Leafs, who acquired him in a trade with the Los Angeles Kings in 2018-19. Muzzin has collected 12 points while averaging 21 minutes of ice time over 41 contests in 2021-22.

Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Calgary Flames assistant general manager Craig Conroy isn't concerned about signing pending unrestricted free agent Johnny Gaudreau to an extension.

"That's a done deal; we're going to get that done," Conroy told "Boomer in the Morning" on Sportsnet 960.

Gaudreau is enjoying his best season. He leads the Flames in assists (44) and points (64) through 49 appearances. Gaudreau's 1.31 points per game is a career high, while he also leads the NHL with a plus-41 rating.

The Flames project to have $27 million in cap space for next season, according to CapFriendly. However, Calgary has several players on expiring contracts, including key restricted free agents Matthew Tkachuk, Andrew Mangiapane, and Oliver Kylington.

Gaudreau's current contract - a six-year pact signed in 2016 - contains a $6.75-million cap hit.

Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Colorado Avalanche superstar Nathan MacKinnon won't play Wednesday against the Detroit Red Wings out of precaution due to a lingering lower-body injury, head coach Jared Bednar announced.

MacKinnon's lower-body issue hasn't been getting better, Bednar added, per The Athletic's Peter Baugh.

Bednar is hopeful his star center will return on Friday against the Winnipeg Jets.

MacKinnon has recorded 48 points in 36 games this season.

Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Calgary Flames are hiring former Anaheim Ducks general manager Bob Murray as a scout, sources told The Athletic's Eric Stephens.

Murray resigned from his post with the Ducks in November after the club placed him on leave amid an investigation into his professional conduct. He allegedly created a toxic work culture through repeated verbal abuse of Ducks players, staff, and personnel, along with temper tantrums and intimidation tactics.

The 67-year-old announced he would enter an alcohol abuse program upon his resignation.

Murray and current Flames head coach Darryl Sutter were teammates on the Chicago Blackhawks in the 1980s. The two have formed a close bond over the years, per Stephens.

Murray was Anaheim's GM for parts of 14 seasons. The Ducks recently hired Pat Verbeek as his replacement.

Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

It appears Sean Avery is making a comeback.

The 41-year-old signed a standard player contract with the ECHL's Orlando Solar Bears on Wednesday, the team announced. The Solar Bears are an affiliate of the Tampa Bay Lightning.

"I've got seven months to be physically ready to walk onto an NHL training camp," Avery said on the "Blackballed with James Di Fiore" podcast. "That is a lot of time based on how I feel right now physically and how I feel on the ice after skating six times after not skating for 10 years. My timing is coming back and it's getting sharper every single time. I can feel it happening."

Avery retired a decade ago. He last played professional hockey during the 2011-12 campaign where he split his time between the New York Rangers and the AHL's Connecticut Whale.

He played 10 seasons in the NHL with the Detroit Red Wings, Los Angeles Kings, Rangers, and Dallas Stars. He racked up 247 points and 1,533 penalty minutes in 580 career games.

Avery was better known for controversies than for his playing ability. While with the Rangers in the 2008 playoffs, Avery turned his back on the play in order to screen New Jersey Devils goaltender Martin Brodeur by waving his stick and hands in the air. The following day, the NHL announced such actions would result in an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty, which is now known as "The Avery Rule."

The next season, while he was playing for the Stars, the NHL suspended Avery for six games for "conduct detrimental to the league or the game of hockey" after he said other NHL players who were dating his ex-girlfriends were falling in love with his "sloppy seconds." After the suspension, the Stars announced he wouldn't return to the team.

While with the Kings, Avery mocked Dustin Brown about Brown's lisp and his then-girlfriend (now wife). In 2016, a restraining order was issued against Avery for harassing his mother-in-law.

Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Tuesday night was a mixed bag for shot props. Aaron Ekblad came through for us with relative ease, but Jordan Eberle was blanked by the New York Islanders.

We'll set our sights higher as we look to turn a profit with shot totals Wednesday night.

Alex Tuch over 3.5 shots (-118)

Alex Tuch might be the hottest shooter in the NHL. He's registered at least four shots in eight of the last 10 games, averaging an absurd 4.6 per contest over that span.

He should have no problem continuing his success in this one. While the Montreal Canadiens have been more competent under new head coach Martin St. Louis, they're still a poor team that can be exposed defensively. The Canadiens are in the bottom 10 in five-on-five shot suppression over the last 10 games, and, just over a week ago, Tuch dinged them for five shots.

He should find success again Wednesday.

Nikita Kucherov over 3.5 shots (-112)

If Tuch isn't the most consistent shot generator in the league right now, that crown goes to Nikita Kucherov.

Kucherov has recorded at least four shots on goal in nine of his last 10 games while finding success against elite teams such as the Boston Bruins (five shots) and Colorado Avalanche (eight).

Like Montreal, the Edmonton Oilers have benefited from a coaching change. They're far from bulletproof, though, and I think Kucherov will benefit from an advantageous matchup on home soil.

Drew Doughty over 2.5 shots (-125)

Drew Doughty's shot volume is up and down. He's a guy you have to pick your spots with. It just so happens, once again, that he has a dream matchup against the Arizona Coyotes.

Doughty piled up five shots on goal against the Coyotes just a few days ago. I don't know that he'll reach that number again, but I love his chances of getting at least three.

Arizona gives up plenty of shot volume, particularly to opposing defensemen. No team has conceded more shots - overall or on a per-game basis - to the position than the Coyotes. Any big-minute defender is in play for them, especially one who quarterbacks the top power play and likes to get involved at five-on-five.

Todd Cordell is a sports betting writer at theScore. Be sure to follow him on Twitter @ToddCordell.

Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Our 7-1 run came to an abrupt halt Tuesday night as we lost both of our best bets.

We'll look to get back on track Wednesday as we comb through a couple of plays that stand out the most.

Sabres (-110) @ Canadiens (-110)

The Buffalo Sabres and Montreal Canadiens are both bad hockey teams. Terrible, even. They're consistently outshot and outchanced, and neither side has a reliable goaltender it can fall back on.

For me, this play falls down to talent. I believe the Sabres have more firepower than the Canadiens.

It starts with the big line up front. Tage Thompson, Alex Tuch, and Jeff Skinner have been fantastic since they were put on a line together. They've controlled better than 50% of the chances and expected goals - no small feat on the Sabres - and have outscored opponents by four goals through 136 minutes of five-on-five play.

Montreal's top line had a big game last time out, but the group's underlying offensive metrics aren't as strong as its counterpart's.

I also like that Buffalo has more depth up the middle. Dylan Cozens is a promising sophomore, while Casey Mittelstadt has produced half a point per game since the beginning of last season. Those are solid outputs from your third center. The Canadiens, meanwhile, have next to nothing after Nick Suzuki.

Buffalo has a little more pop in its attack, and I expect that to be the difference.

Bet: Sabres (-110)

Avalanche (-310) @ Red Wings (+245)

This Detroit Red Wings team isn't the pushover it's been in recent years. Even so, I expect the Colorado Avalanche to have their way against the Wings on Wednesday.

Coming off a blowout loss to the Boston Bruins, the Avalanche will no doubt look to respond with a strong showing in Detroit.

They have plenty of paths to do just that. For one, they're the much better five-on-five side. Colorado is 11 spots ahead of Detroit in expected goal share over the last 10 games. The Avalanche should be able to generate chances in bulk, which is problematic given the Red Wings' level of goaltending.

Projected starter Thomas Greiss owns a subpar .902 save percentage and is a negative in terms of Goals Saved Above Expected.

That spells trouble against this Colorado team, especially considering it appears poised for a huge breakout. The Avs sit 22nd in five-on-five goals over the last 10 games despite ranking inside the top five in high-danger chance generation.

Put another way, they've created dangerous opportunities in bulk; they just haven't gone in (Colorado sits 28th in shooting percentage during this spell).

The Avalanche have far too much talent to stay bottled up forever. If the chances continue to be there, the goals will follow. I expect that to be the case in this one against Greiss.

As an added bonus, Detroit has lost by at least two in five straight defeats and eight of 11 in 2022. When the Wings lose, it's generally by multiple goals.

I expect that to be the case in this one, and even more so if captain Dylan Larkin - who's questionable - is unable to play.

Bet: Avalanche -1.5 (-120)

Todd Cordell is a sports betting writer at theScore. Be sure to follow him on Twitter @ToddCordell.

Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Toronto Maple Leafs prospect Rodion Amirov has been diagnosed with a brain tumor, general manager Kyle Dubas announced in a statement Wednesday.

"Rodion commenced the 2021-22 season with Salavat Ufa of the KHL but suffered an injury to open the season. During the course of his recovery from this injury, he developed some new, unrelated symptoms that required ongoing extensive investigations over the last few months," Dubas said.

Amirov is currently at a medical facility in Germany undergoing treatment. The forward, who's with his family, won't return to play for the remainder of the campaign.

"He is skating three times per week and working out every day," Amirov's agent, Dan Milstein, said in a statement. "Rodion is in good spirits and is determined to return back to professional hockey."

Amirov said he's focused on keeping a positive outlook.

"Never give up," he told Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman, as translated by Milstein. "The challenges you are given in life are for you to overcome.

"Always stay positive."

The 20-year-old winger produced a goal and two helpers in 10 KHL games this season. A year earlier, he led Russia with six points in seven contests at the world juniors.

The Maple Leafs drafted Amirov 15th overall in 2020.

Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.