The Nashville Predators inked star defenseman Roman Josi to an eight-year contract extension with an average annual value of just over $9 million, reports TSN's Pierre LeBrun.

Josi will become the third-highest-paid blue-liner in the NHL behind Erik Karlsson ($11.5 million AAV) and Drew Doughty ($11 million AAV) when his new pact takes effect in 2020-21.

The 29-year-old captain is in the final campaign of a seven-year, $28-million deal he signed with the Predators in June 2013.

Josi is coming off a 56-point season and has already racked up 13 points in the first 11 games of 2019-20 while leading Nashville in ice time.

He averaged 52 points over the previous six campaigns.

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The Chicago Blackhawks have traded forward Brendan Perlini to the Detroit Red Wings for defense prospect Alec Regula, the team announced on Monday.

This marks the second time Perlini has been traded in as many years. Last season, the Arizona Coyotes traded him and Dylan Strome to the Blackhawks in exchange for Nick Schmaltz.

Perlini fell out of favor in Chicago. He's played just one game this season and logged under eight minutes.

Perlini, the 12th overall pick in 2014, has recorded 45 goals and 72 points in 200 career NHL games.

Regula was the Red Wings' third-round pick in 2018. The 6-foot-4 blue-liner is currently playing with the OHL's London Knights and has tallied 11 points in 10 games this season.

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October has just about come and gone.

Some teams will be aiming to stay hot over these final few days, while others will be desperate to generate some momentum heading into November. Here's your betting guide to the final week of October:

Game betting

Florida Panthers at Vancouver Canucks (Monday)

Travis Green is likely still wondering how his team blew a 5-1 lead to lose in a shootout against the Capitals on Friday night. The Canucks have had two days off to think about losing me my bet, but they get the chance to right the ship here against the Panthers. Florida is coming off an impressive win in Edmonton last night, but this is a tough spot for it on a back-to-back with travel and backup Samuel Montembeault in net.

San Jose Sharks at Boston Bruins (Tuesday)

No team has lost fewer games this season than the Bruins, who find themselves in a tricky situation Tuesday as they gear up for their third game in four nights. As high as they're flying right now, this feels like a letdown spot after a perfect weekend, which included a shutout win over the St. Louis Blues in a Stanley Cup Final rematch. The Sharks are reeling through this East Coast trip, but expect a much better effort than they put forward against the Ottawa Senators on Sunday. San Jose will likely be priced close to +200 and offer excellent value.

Washington Capitals at Toronto Maple Leafs (Tuesday)

The Maple Leafs have been playing .500 hockey through October, and while they've hardly lived up to lofty expectations, they've been relatively easy to predict from a betting perspective. Much has been made about their deficiencies in back-to-backs, but they've consistently followed them up with impressive performances, including wins over Boston and San Jose in their last two attempts. The Capitals are concluding a lengthy five-game road trip, including four stops in Canada, and might lack the intensity of a more desperate Toronto side. Take the Leafs here at what's likely to be a very short price.

Tampa Bay Lightning at New Jersey Devils (Wednesday)

The Devils have only played nine games this season, fewest among all teams. That's not a comment on their on-ice performances, though it really could be. This will be just the second game in 11 nights for New Jersey, for no good reason. With just two wins thus far, the Devils sit in the NHL's basement, and with so much time off to iron out their issues, there's no excuse for them not to come roaring out of the gate. They face a Lightning team that will have played the night before in New York. The Devils aren't nearly as good as the preseason hype suggested, but this is as good a spot as any to back them so far this season.

Edmonton Oilers at Columbus Blue Jackets (Wednesday)

Following a 7-1 start, the Oilers head into the week going 1-1-2 over the last eight days. They've lost their last three road games, scoring just one goal. They begin an East Coast swing in Detroit on Tuesday before flying to Columbus for the second half of a back-to-back. The Blue Jackets keep things close at home, as each of their last five contests at Nationwide Arena has been decided by just a goal. Expect another tight game, with the under looking a strong play.

Montreal Canadiens at Vegas Golden Knights (Thursday)

The Canadiens have lost 10 of their last 13 contests on the road when playing the second game of a back-to-back, as they are here in the infancy stages of their West Coast trip. Keith Kinkaid will also almost assuredly be in net for Montreal, with Carey Price likely to start Wednesday night in Arizona. The price on the Golden Knights will be steep, so you can also look toward the puck line if you aren't willing to lay the juice.

Game props

Chicago Blackhawks at Nashville Predators (Tuesday)

Until the Blackhawks prove they can score consistently, you should probably bet against them doing so. They had a five-goal outburst against the lowly Kings on Sunday but have otherwise been starved of goals. Prior to that game, they scored just three times in their previous three outings, and they were shut out in their only road contest this season. Ride their team total under 2.5, especially against a Predators team that's held Chicago to two goals or fewer in each of its last six trips to Bridgestone Arena.

Montreal Canadiens at Vegas Golden Knights (Thursday)

Doubling up on this game, hit the Canadiens' team total under 2.5 goals. In their last 14 games away to Western Conference teams in the second half of a back-to-back, they've scored two or fewer goals in 12 of them. And, of course, there's also the old adage about Quebec-born goalies elevating their game against the Canadiens. Could a shutout for Marc-Andre Fleury be in the cards?

Player props

Florida Panthers at Vancouver Canucks (Monday)

No team is averaging more goals per game this season than the Canucks. They should definitely improve on that against a Panthers club allowing 3.45 goals thus far. (Only six teams have allowed more.) Florida will play its backup and could be tired playing in its second game in as many nights. Elias Pettersson's three goals this season have come in Vancouver's four home contests. Look for him to add to his tally in this one.

Edmonton Oilers at Detroit Red Wings (Tuesday)

The Oilers boast the league's top power-play unit and will take on the Red Wings and their 29th-ranked penalty kill. Seven of James Neal's 10 goals this season have come with the man advantage. Back him to get on the scoresheet against Detroit.

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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Winnipeg Jets forward Adam Lowry has been suspended two contests for checking Calgary Flames defenseman Oliver Kylington into the boards during Saturday's contest, the NHL Department of Player Safety announced Monday.

Lowry hit Kylington into the glass from behind just before the end of the second period of the Heritage Classic in Regina, Saskatchewan. The 26-year-old received a two-minute minor on the play.

"Lowry (had) sufficient time to adjust his course to deliver a legal check, minimize the force of this check, or avoid the check completely," the league explained. "Instead, Lowry finishes this check with force, driving Kylington into the glass."

The Jets center is considered a repeat offender under the terms of the CBA; he was suspended two games for high-sticking Nashville Predators forward Filip Forsberg in March.

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The Pittsburgh Penguins could have blue-chip forward Evgeni Malkin back as early as Nov. 2 against the Edmonton Oilers.

Malkin, who suffered a leg injury during Pittsburgh's second game of the season against the Columbus Blue Jackets, skated in a non-contact jersey at practice Monday.

"I skated last week every day. I feel good," the 33-year-old said following Monday's skate.

"I miss the ice, so much. I missed the last three weeks. It's a little bit hard mentally. I try to stay positive and focus and do my best and work hard. I hope I'm back versus Edmonton."

The Penguins have managed to weather the storm so far, posting a 6-4-0 record in Malkin's absence.

Pittsburgh forwards Bryan Rust and Nick Bjugstad returned to the lineup Saturday against the Dallas Stars as the team continues to recover from its early-season injury woes.

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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 4. Ownership percentages and position eligibility are courtesy of Yahoo.

Sell high on Brayden Schenn

Team: Blues
Position: C/LW
Ownership: 92%

Schenn is off to a torrid start this season, scoring nine goals through his first 12 games. His hot start isn't likely to last, though.

Schenn has scored on a league-high 37.5% of his shots and has generated the fewest amount of high-danger scoring chances on a per-60-minute basis in his entire career. Kudos to him for capitalizing on his opportunities, but he's due to come down to earth. Trade him for the best return you can get.

Buy low on Jonathan Marchessault

Team: Golden Knights
Position: C/LW
Ownership: 95%

That best return could be Marchessault - Schenn's polar opposite. The Vegas star is on pace to shatter his career high in shots on goal and scoring chances, but he's been unable to cash in on his opportunities, potting just two goals to go along with five assists in 13 games.

With three straight seasons of at least 25 goals and 50 points, Marchessault is a proven offensive threat and is bound to start seeing the bounces go his way - especially on a talented Golden Knights squad.

Add Nick Schmaltz

Team: Coyotes
Position: C/LW/RW
Ownership: 47%

Schmaltz is one of a few players in fantasy hockey with triple position eligibility, making him a valuable commodity. More importantly, he has 11 points in 10 games as an offensive catalyst for the Coyotes this season.

Schmaltz gathered 14 points in his first 17 games with Arizona after last year's trade with the Chicago Blackhawks, but he suffered a lower-body injury and missed the rest of the season.

Combining Schmaltz's total numbers since the trade, he has 25 points in a decent sample size of 27 games. He's been productive despite averaging less than 15 minutes per contest this season, but expect that to increase as the Coyotes continue to starve for offense.

Buy low on Devan Dubnyk

Team: Wild
Position: G
Ownership: 61%

It would probably be pretty easy to pry Dubnyk from his owner. He got off to a brutal start this season, posting an .880 save percentage and a 3.92 goals-against average in seven games before suffering an upper-body injury Tuesday against. the Edmonton Oilers. He also plays for the Wild, one fof the worst and most boring teams in the NHL.

Dubnyk is expected to return this week. Alex Stalock, despite a nice start, doesn't pose much of a threat of taking Dubnyk's job. And while the Wild are dull, they allow the second-fewest expected goals and high-danger scoring chances against per 60 minutes. This makes them incredibly goalie-friendly.

Dubnyk may not rack up wins, but he should get closer to the .915 save percentage and 2.50 GAA that he's posted in years past, making him a valuable fantasy asset - especially if his owner is willing to trade him for almost nothing.

Add Ondrej Palat

Team: Lightning
Position: LW
Ownership: 16%

Nearly every player in the NHL should be jealous of Palat. The 28-year-old is playing on a line with Brayden Point and Nikita Kucherov at five-on-five and is on the team's top power-play unit alongside Point, Kucherov, Steven Stamkos, and Victor Hedman. It doesn't get much better than that.

Mind you, Palat hasn't taken advantage of opportunities like this in the past. But he seems to be healthy after battling injuries the last two seasons. The three-time 50-point producer is worth adding in case he can finally take advantage of a glorious opportunity.

Advanced stats courtesy: Natural Stat Trick

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