We have a very light schedule tonight, as there are just four teams slated to play.

Let's take a look at the best way to attack this small slate.

Bruins (-140) at Flyers (+120)

These teams saw a lot of each other while playing in the East Division last season, and the action was rather one-sided.

The Boston Bruins won six of eight games, picked up a point in one of the other two, and dominated in every sense of the word. They outscored the Flyers by 11 and controlled more than 56% of the expected goals across all game states.

I expect the Bruins' success to continue Wednesday against the Philadelphia Flyers, who added some good pieces during the offseason - most notably Ryan Ellis - but also a couple of players who could cause more harm than good.

Martin Jones posted a sub-.900 save percentage in three straight years prior to hitting the open market. There's no reason to believe he's a competent NHL goaltender, and yet he was the Flyers' solution to their backup woes. Jones will get his first start against a very good Boston team that features arguably the best top line in the NHL.

Meanwhile, Rasmus Ristolainen - objectively one of the worst defenders in the league for years - is expected to make his Flyers debut. He's set for extended minutes, which is likely problematic for Philadelphia.

The Bruins have more high-end talent and are a better defensive side, and Jeremy Swayman is more likely to provide a quality start than Jones.

Even on the road, I'm comfortably backing the Bruins as clear favorites.

Bet: Bruins -140

Blues (+110) at Golden Knights (-130)

This game isn't in range for me to play on either side.

The St. Louis Blues aren't priced as well as I hoped considering Pavel Buchnevich is suspended. That's a big loss for them, especially on the road against the Vegas Golden Knights.

Vegas is also missing some heavy artillery with Max Pacioretty and Mark Stone. Even so, its forward group is competent, and it has plenty of high-end talent on the backend.

This is a line we'll have to watch throughout the day. If the Blues get into the +120 or +125 range, I'd be happy to pull the trigger.

On the flip side, the Golden Knights - or perhaps the over of six goals - would deserve serious consideration if Ville Husso gets his first start of the campaign.

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

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We shook off a slow start for our NHL best bets to finish last week in style, winning two recommended plays on both Thursday and Friday.

We'll look to pick up where we left off as we enter the second week of the 2021-22 NHL campaign.

Blues (-170) @ Coyotes (+150)

It's difficult to emphasize just how bad the Coyotes are. They conceded eight goals in the season opener against a Blue Jackets team expected to finish near the bottom of the league standings.

Arizona followed that up with another loss to a team with no expectations in the Sabres. Though that game was decided in a shootout, it didn't take long to identify the better squad. That squad was Buffalo, as the Sabres outchanced the Coyotes 23-11 at five-on-five and controlled nearly 65% of the expected goals.

So, Arizona lost by six goals and was then second-best against a team that will be in the thick of the Shane Wright sweepstakes. Yikes.

The Coyotes are back at home tonight, which will surely provide a bit of a jolt, but it's unlikely to matter much against the Blues.

St. Louis has far more talent than Arizona at every position. With the offseason additions of Brandon Saad and Pavel Buchnevich - as well as a healthy Vladimir Tarasenko back in the mix - the Blues are extremely deep up front.

Expect St. Louis to dominate possession and overwhelm the Coyotes on the shot clock. With big edges in finishing talent and in goal, we like the Blues to take two points in regulation.

Bet: Blues in regulation (-115)

Rangers (+160) @ Maple Leafs (-180)

There's not much value in picking winners on Monday's NHL slate. But there is value on Maple Leafs captain John Tavares to score his first goal of the season at +180 when Toronto battles the Rangers.

Tavares has been everywhere through three games. He's amassed 21 shot attempts and 14 scoring chances, nine of which were considered high-danger opportunities. All of that has amounted to a team-leading 2.11 expected goals - and zero actual goals.

He's a fantastic finisher, having scored on at least 10.8% of his shots every year since entering the NHL in 2009. Playing with William Nylander at even strength and net-front on a loaded power play, Tavares will certainly have no shortage of chances coming his way.

It's only a matter of time before he converts.

Bet: Tavares to score a goal (+180)

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

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We bounced back in a big way on Thursday night with two relatively easy wins. The Blue Jackets pummelled the Coyotes, 8-2, while the Stars and Rangers combined for just four goals in regulation, ensuring a clean win on the under of six goals.

We'll look to keep the good times rolling as we head into a busy weekend of sports.

Blackhawks (+115) @ Devils (-135)

I was hoping to be on the Devils in this game - we're going to be fading the Blackhawks a lot this year - but, sadly, there isn't enough value on the line because of their injury concerns.

The Devils will be without starting goaltender Mackenzie Blackwood due to a heel issue. They're also missing their second pairing of Ty Smith and Damon Severson, as well as depth winger Miles Wood. They'd probably still be my preferred side in this game but it's a long season - we don't need to force plays when the value isn't there.

Instead, we're going to attack this contest with player props. I like backing Jack Hughes to record a point (-112) and/or an assist (+170) in what should be a high-scoring game.

Chicago is a bad defensive side and they will remain one even with Seth Jones. They were out-chanced by 21 against a Colorado team missing Nathan MacKinnon, and a lot of those chances came with Jones on the ice.

I think Jones' reputation far outweighs his value - especially defensively. Hughes is a great bet to take advantage of that.

While his counting totals didn't pop off the page last season, Hughes did create chances at a high clip. With another summer of development and an improved supporting cast, I think Hughes is poised for a breakout campaign.

It starts Friday against an overrated Chicago team expected to rest its starting goaltender.

Wild (-170) @ Ducks (+150)

The Anaheim Ducks rained on our parade against the Winnipeg Jets last time out. However, we're going right back to the well Friday with the Minnesota Wild.

I do think the Wild take a bit of a step back this year - part of last season's success can be attributed to unsustainably high PDO - but they still shouldn't have much trouble against the Ducks.

The Wild finished 14 spots ahead of the Ducks in expected goals for percentage at five-on-five, and both sides are returning similar rosters.

Anaheim will have a difficult time creating offense at five-on-five, as no team gave up fewer high-danger chances than Minnesota a year ago. Despite the loss of Ryan Suter, I expect the Wild to continue to suffocate their opponents on a nightly basis this year.

So long as Cam Talbot doesn't allow a softy, the Wild should take care of business.

Bonus round: I have my eye on the Vancouver Canucks (+130) against the Philadelphia Flyers (-150). I'd recommend pulling the trigger if and when news comes out that Brock Boeser will be available.

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

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The Hart Trophy is dominated by forwards, with a center or winger claiming it 17 of the last 18 years.

Since the hardware consistently goes to high-scoring forwards on playoff teams, we can narrow down our player pool while looking for value. Let's get to our best bets.

Note: Listed only those 45:1 or less with the exception being Sidney Crosby (+5000), who's referenced in this article.

Nathan MacKinnon (+600)

To win the Hart, you have to pile up the points for a powerhouse team or an underdog that sneaks into the playoffs on the back of its brightest star. MacKinnon definitely fits the former.

The Colorado Avalanche won more games than any other team over the last two years, and it was MacKinnon leading the charge. He produced at an eye-popping 110-point pace in 2019-20 and a 111-point pace this past season.

Though those outputs didn't earn him an MVP, he was firmly in the mix. He finished second to Leon Draisaitl in 2019-20 and third in 2020-21, so it's not as if he's going unnoticed.

If MacKinnon can sustain this level of production and also lead his team to another Presidents' Trophy, he has a strong chance of claiming his first Hart.

Nikita Kucherov (+1500)

I strongly considered Auston Matthews (+850) here - he's averaged 59 goals per 82 games over the last two years - but we're betting numbers rather than players, and more value lies with Kucherov.

Kucherov is one of the most dynamic talents in the league; he recorded 100 points, 128 points, and produced at a 103-point pace in the last three seasons, respectively.

Then, after missing an entire regular season, Kucherov jumped into the playoffs for the Tampa Bay Lightning and didn't skip a beat. He accumulated 32 points in 23 games, which equates to 114 points over a full season. And, again, this was without any game reps to get up to speed. He was thrown into the fire and dominated.

Call me crazy, but I think a consistent 100-plus point producer on a team that's won consecutive Stanley Cups has better than a ~6% chance of winning the Hart.

Sidney Crosby (+5000)

Crosby is a long shot, obviously, but these odds are too extreme. Yes, I realize he's past his peak and banged up right now. But I still see plenty of value here.

He finished fourth in Hart voting last year, and that was while averaging 1.12 points per game, which equates to 92 over a full year. That's impressive, sure, but not extraordinary.

Crosby is expected to miss only a week to start the season. For safety purposes, we can assume he'll miss two weeks. That's only five or six games, which wouldn't hold him back from contending for the award.

I have little doubt Crosby can match last season's output on a per game basis. He's still very much elite.

And he'll get a lot of praise if he can do that because of injury issues in Pittsburgh. The season hasn't even started and the Penguins have already lost star center Evgeni Malkin for at least the first two months.

That means, once again, the weight of the world will rest on Crosby's shoulders. If he can continue to excel offensively, while also garnering praise for his defensive game (perhaps more than deserved), he's going to get attention from voters.

A strong showing - at age 34 - from the longtime face of the league gives him better than a 2% chance of adding to his trophy collection.

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

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Alex Ovechkin has won the Rocket Richard seven times over the last nine seasons, with the shortened 2021 campaign serving as one of the lone exceptions.

Is there value in backing Ovechkin to reclaim his throne, or has his time passed?

We'll examine that and more as we dive into our best bets.

Only displaying players with odds 40-1 or shorter

Auston Matthews (+350)

Matthews is the NHL's best goalscorer. He leads all players in tallies over the last three seasons and has netted 18 more than anybody at five-on-five since 2019.

Goals count the same regardless of game state, of course, but it's important not to be one-dimensional. Matthews doesn't rely on power-play opportunities as heavily as others. He can score consistently without them, or when things aren't clicking on the man advantage. That helps separate Matthews from everyone else. And if Toronto's power play, which ranked 15th in goals per minute last season, gets better, it'll only raise Matthews' already high ceiling.

His wrist shouldn't be a problem following offseason surgery, and we should expect a motivated Matthews after another excruciating playoff disappointment.

Alex Ovechkin (+1000)

I realize Ovechkin is getting up there in age and is no longer in his prime, but this line feels disrespectful to arguably the best goalscorer we've ever seen.

The guy is 36, and yet only Matthews has scored more goals per game over the last two seasons. That's right: just one player was more efficient on a per-game basis than Ovi, while nobody generated more shot attempts.

Despite his absurd track record of scoring goals, and his unrivaled shot volume, the odds imply Ovechkin has a 9% chance of leading the league in tallies. That feels very low, especially considering he's chasing Wayne Gretzky's scoring record. Ovechkin will be pushing for each and every tuck he can get.

Sebastian Aho (+2000)

If you want to go value hunting and back a bit of a wild card, Aho may be your guy.

He's not necessarily someone you think of as an elite sniper, but he has the numbers to back it up. Only seven players have scored more times over the last two seasons.

It's no coincidence that Aho has ranked so high. In fact, he was unlucky not to finish higher. Aho generated more expected goals than all but three players (Matthews, Leon Draisaitl, and Brady Tkachuk) during that time. Yes, he even finished ahead of Ovechkin.

Goals usually come to those who are best at generating chances, and very few have matched Aho in that regard. If you think the best is still to come for the 24-year-old, there's value in backing him here.

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

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The Vegas Golden Knights have won the Pacific Division two out of the three years they've played in it.

Might the newest expansion team, the Seattle Kraken, be the best bet to stop Vegas from doing it again?

We'll get into that and more as we look at the best way to attack the Pacific Division futures market.

The favorites

With implied odds of 73.7%, Vegas (-280) is a heavy favorite to win the Pacific. Rightfully so. They made the final four just a few months ago and by all accounts were a dominant team in the regular season. They won more games than anybody while only Colorado fared better in terms of five-on-five goal share. Outside of Marc-Andre Fleury, whose departure will sting, the Golden Knights' most notable "losses" were Tomas Nosek, Ryan Reaves, and Cody Glass, who was struggling to establish himself in the lineup. Almost the entire cast is returning, which means the Golden Knights are positioned nicely to win a poor division.

The rest

I have a hard time believing the Oilers (+550) can give the Golden Knights a run for their money. Their top six are as potent as anyone's and they have a lethal power play, but the list of positives ends there. Defensive play is almost certainly going to be a problem. It wasn't a great group last season and they replaced Ethan Bear, a promising up-and-comer, and Adam Larsson, a stout in-zone defender, with Duncan Keith and Cody Ceci. The former is long past his best-before date and Ceci, simply put, is not very good. Put that weak blue line in front of questionable goaltending and it's a recipe for disaster. Yes, Mike Smith was good last season. His track record in recent years isn't, though, and the 39-year-old is a likely candidate to regress. Mikko Koskinen isn't capable of carrying the load if and when that happens. This team is going to have a hard time outscoring its problems, which is saying something considering the Oilers have two of the best players in the league up front.

Seattle (+1000) is an attractive alternative to Vegas. People are down on them because they didn't have a flashy draft and left some talent on the table. I get it, but the pieces are still there to be solid. While the Kraken may be lacking high-end talent up front, Jordan Eberle, Jaden Schwartz, Jared McCann, and Yanni Gourde (who is ahead of schedule in his recovery), should help score enough to get by, especially considering the quality depth behind them. The Kraken also have the potential to be one of the best defensive sides in the NHL. Larsson, Mark Giordano, Jamie Oleksiak, and even Carson Soucy are all strong in-zone defenders. Vince Dunn is an underrated threat ready to explode with more opportunity. The pieces are all there to be a formidable group. The Kraken have a fantastic one-two punch in goal, too, with Philipp Grubauer and Chris Driedger. They might not play a sexy brand of hockey, but they have the potential to grind out a lot of wins in this division.

I don't want anything to do with the Canucks (+1400) this season. Their forwards are solid, and I love Thatcher Demko in goal, but I just can't look past their defense core. It is, in a word, horrible. Oliver Ekman-Larsson is a shell of his former self. Tyler Myers is overpaid and overused. Tucker Poolman, Travis Hamonic, and Luke Schenn are a third pairing at best. It's Quinn Hughes, who does have shortcomings defensively, and a bunch of "blah." This team is going to be in tough to make the playoffs, let alone contend for a division title.

Calgary (+1500) should be a more competitive side in its first full season under Darryl Sutter. They have a few stars on the roster to work with and a bunch of "Sutter guys" - none more so than Blake Coleman - who fit into the coach's play style. The Flames should also have strong goaltending with Jacob Markstrom and newcomer Daniel Vladar manning the crease. There's potential here.

Los Angeles (+1800) is on the up. The Kings have a ton of quality prospects and made some nice moves this offseason to improve right now. They do have surprise potential in this division, but they're likely a year or two away from making some noise.

The Sharks (+6000) are a disaster. Their roster is littered with declining, overpaid players who will be used in prominent roles. Given where they're at, they kind of have to accept defeat and suffer through a couple of poor seasons while they try and clear things out. This team will not be good.

I have no idea what the Ducks (+20000) are doing. There's no plan with the team. It's a bad club - and has been bad for years - yet it's making almost no changes. They're not moving big-ticket players. They're not using veterans on expiring contracts to stockpile pieces for a rebuild. They're just keeping the band together, which is puzzling considering the lack of floor and ceiling this team has.

Best value: Calgary Flames (+1500)

This Flames team is interesting. Their top-six forwards, overall, are good at both ends of the ice. Mikael Backlund is an elite 3C. The defense core - led by the Chris Tanev and Noah Hanifin pairing, which was dominant last season - is competent, and they're in excellent shape in goal. They could grind out a lot of 2-1 and 3-2 wins. Vegas would need to be hit with the injury bug for Calgary to have a real shot but at +1500 the Flames are certainly worth consideration.

Best bet: Seattle Kraken (+1000)

I backed the Kraken to make the playoffs so I might as well sprinkle in some division futures. They should be a strong defensive side with excellent goaltending. If, like Vegas a few years ago, they can benefit from a couple of players popping with more opportunity coming their way, this team could surprise.

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

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Just one team - the Nashville Predators in 2017-18 and 2018-19 - has won the Central Division in consecutive seasons over the last 12 years. The parity has been unrivaled.

While the Colorado Avalanche are likely to buck that trend, there isn't much value in backing them to do so.

Today, we'll be exploring the best way to attack the Central Division futures market.

The favorites

The Avalanche (-340) have the shortest odds of any team in the NHL to win their division. Understandably so.

There is no Achilles heel with this team. Offensively, they're as good as anyone. Nathan MacKinnon, Mikko Rantanen, and Gabriel Landeskog spearhead the attack - at even strength and on the power play - and there's no shortage of quality depth behind them.

Defensively, they're much more stout than they get credit for. Everyone knows about the production Cale Makar, Sam Girard, and Co. bring to the table. But their defense core can also defend with the best of them. The Avalanche actually allowed expected goals at a lesser rate than every team in the NHL at five-on-five. They really don't give up much.

When they do, they figure to be in good hands with Darcy Kuemper and a healthy Pavel Francouz. Each netminder owns a .925 save percentage at five-on-five over the last three years which, for perspective, puts them on par with annual Vezina candidate Connor Hellebuyck (.924 save percentage).

Unless this team suffers a multitude of injuries, they're winning the Central.

The rest

The Dallas Stars (+800) figure to be a strong team this season. They finished third in expected goals share a year ago despite an overwhelming amount of injuries. With better health and the addition of Ryan Suter to stabilize the top four on defense, they should win a lot of games. Enough to make the Avs sweat? Probably not.

The Minnesota Wild (+800) are likely to take at least a small step back. The Wild shot the lights out in 2021, leading the league in five-on-five shooting percentage and benefiting from the highest PDO (shooting percentage plus save percentage) in the NHL. They have talent on the roster, but probably not enough to sustain those kinds of numbers. Replacing Suter with Alex Goligoski is a step in the wrong direction, and the team's stable of high-end prospects probably needs at least another year before making an impact.

The St. Louis Blues (+1500) don't strike me as a team with a chance of knocking off the Avalanche. Only the Detroit Red Wings generated expected goals at a lesser rate than St. Louis last season. The Blues did their best to rectify that, bringing in the likes of Brandon Saad and Pavel Buchnevich to round out the top six. I don't know if Craig Berube is the coach to get the most out of those guys, though, and it's anyone's guess how much longer Vladimir Tarasenko sticks around. Their defense isn't as good as it gets credit for, either. On paper it looks fine, but they ranked 18th in expected goals against per 60 and 20th in high-danger chances against last season, and have no real upgrades. The only notable difference is they lost Vince Dunn to the Seattle Kraken.

The Winnipeg Jets (+1500) are an interesting side to consider. They have a potent offense and one of the league's best netminders. What's largely held them back in recent years is their blue line, which should be much better in 2021-22. Brenden Dillon is a rock-solid defensive defender and Nate Schmidt is only a year removed from playing at a borderline top-pairing level. They're not world-beaters, but they're quality pieces that significantly upgrade the top four.

The Chicago Blackhawks (+2500) are a better team than a year ago but the hill is much too large to climb. They're overrated on the betting market, as I recently explained. They just don't have much scoring depth and their overall team defense is not where it needs to be to compete in such a strong division.

Nashville (+6000) was only able to sneak into the playoffs last season despite all-world goaltending from Juuse Saros. There isn't much reason to believe they'll be better this year, especially with the departure of Ryan Ellis.

You don't need me to tell you the Arizona Coyotes (+10000) are a complete write-off. They lack high-end talent, depth, and their goaltending tandem might be the league's worst. Let's call a spade a spade. It's tank season for Arizona.

Best bet: Winnipeg Jets (+1500)

Let me preface this by saying, again, I fully expect the Avalanche to win the division. It would take an alarming string of injuries, suspensions, or unforeseen circumstances to prevent that from happening. But with the odds implying a 77.8% chance of winning the Central, there simply isn't much value.

That's why I'm going with the Jets. Led by Mark Scheifele, Kyle Connor, and Nik Ehlers, we know the offense is formidable. The Jets are also in great hands with Hellebuyck routinely stealing games in net. If the defense is better, as it should be, they have arguably the highest ceiling in the division outside of Colorado.

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

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As a byproduct of realignment, there was no Metro Division in the NHL last season.

The Washington Capitals look to pick up where they left off a year prior and extend their streak to six consecutive Metro titles.

Three teams have shorter odds than the Capitals to claim the division title ahead of the 2021-22 season. Is there value in backing a changing of the guard?

The favorites

Unlike the other three divisions, there's no clear-cut favorite atop the Metro. The implied odds suggest six different teams have at least a 15% chance of winning the division.

Most heavily favored are the Islanders (+350), who made it to the Final Four just last season. Their roster isn't littered with flashy stars, but they have more than enough offense to get by given the impeccable defensive structure implemented by coach Barry Trotz. They're positioned well in goal, too, with Semyon Varlamov and super sophomore Ilya Sorokin manning the crease on a nightly basis. They're a safe bet to flirt with a point total in the high 90s and a division title.

Next in line are the Hurricanes (+400). They look extremely potent up front, though there are some red flags. Dougie Hamilton, arguably the best play-driving defenseman in the NHL, is a huge loss on the back end. Ethan Bear and Tony DeAngelo, while useful players, are unlikely to make up for the value departing.

I also have some concerns about the Hurricanes in goal. They finished second in team save percentage at five-on-five last season, yet are returning zero of the three goaltenders they used. Instead, they're going with free-agent signings Frederik Andersen and Antti Raanta. The former ranks 71st in goals saved above expectation over the last two seasons and has dealt with some injury concerns; Raanta has played only 12 games in two of the last three years due to a laundry list of injuries. Not ideal.

The Rangers (+400) are overvalued in the betting market, as we addressed last week. They had fairly good health a year ago yet couldn't make the playoffs. Now with first-line winger Pavel Buchnevich gone, and nothing but grit and intangibles added to the roster, they're implied to have only a 37% chance of missing the playoffs in a tough division? I'm not buying that for a second.

Washington (+450) is a solid but flawed team. They have star power up front and a consistently strong power play, but goaltending is a concern. Ilya Samsonov and Vitek Vanecek both allowed at least six more goals than expected last season. If they take a step forward, which is possible given their youth, the Capitals could win the division. They'll fall short otherwise.

Backing Pittsburgh (+500) to win the division seems difficult to stomach. They've routinely been in the mix despite waves of injuries. With better health, it's easy to see value in the Penguins. But better health simply doesn't appear to be in the cards. The season hasn't even started yet and both Evgeni Malkin and Sidney Crosby are on the shelf.

Philadelphia (+550) should be more competitive. They have a deep group up front, Carter Hart couldn't play worse than a season ago, and the addition of Ryan Ellis makes the top pairing a whole lot better. But there could be some self-inflicted damage holding the team back. Rasmus Ristolainen is destined to be significantly overused in a top-four role. Meanwhile, Martin Jones, who has posted a sub-.900 save percentage three years in a row, hardly seems like an ideal safety net behind Hart. Those two players, in particular, could offset a lot of the good the rest of the roster does.

Best value: New Jersey Devils (+1800)

This will be no surprise to those who saw my best bets to make the playoffs, but the Devils fit the bill here. Are they likely to win the division? Of course not, but their chances are better than their implied odds of 5.3% suggest.

Their forward core figures to be quite potent. Jack Hughes, Nico Hischier, Yegor Sharangovich, and Jesper Bratt are all very good young players poised to take the next step, while the addition of Tomas Tatar gives them some quality veteran support in the top six.

New Jersey's defense is in much better shape as well. Hamilton is a true No. 1 capable of playing big minutes and producing against anybody. Ryan Graves also provides some much-needed stability in the top four and penalty kill. Those additions help the likes of Damon Severson, Ty Smith, and P.K. Subban slot into more appropriate roles.

In goal, Mackenzie Blackwood is a solid bounce-back candidate, especially with the improvements defensively, and Jonathan Bernier is a strong platoon partner.

Top to bottom, this team is much improved. If the kids are ready for prime time, the Devils will be much better than most expect.

Best bet: Washington Capitals (+450)

I'd like to back the Islanders, who appear to be the least flawed team in the division, but we bet numbers, not teams - and there's more value on Washington.

Led by Alexander Ovechkin, the offense is always potent. We can bank on that and what should once again be a strong power play.

The team's defense was also surprisingly stingy in Peter Laviolette's debut season as Washington's coach. The Capitals ranked seventh in expected goals against at five-on-five, slotting them just behind the powerhouse Tampa Bay Lightning. That's why the Capitals were just a point shy from an East Division title last year despite subpar goaltending.

If either Samsonov or Vanecek can take a step forward, the Capitals have a real chance at winning the Metro. I'm happy to take a stab at +450.

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

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The Montreal Canadiens are a truly historic franchise that has succeeded in pretty much every way imaginable.

However, believe it or not, the Canadiens haven't rostered a Calder Trophy winner since Ken Dryden in the 1971-72 season.

This looks to be the year that changes.

Only listing players with odds 30-1 or shorter.

Cole Caufield (+300)

There are a lot of unknowns with rookies. You generally can't predict how quickly they'll pick up the NHL game, what kind of role they'll play, or which players they'll skate on a line with prior to getting money down. That's not the case here, which is why we start things out with some chalk.

A lot of these rookies might be good NHL players - we already know Caufield is. He has eight goals and 17 points through 30 games (playoffs included) and is one of the biggest offensive threats on the roster. He actually led all Canadiens in points per minute at five-on-five during their run to the Stanley Cup Final. That was no fluke as he generated scoring chances at a more efficient clip than all but Brendan Gallagher.

Caufield is a dynamic and productive player who will get all the opportunity in the world playing alongside Tyler Toffoli and Nick Suzuki on the top line. As long as he stays healthy, it's hard to see another rookie putting together a better season.

Spencer Knight (+1000)

This is both a pro-Knight play and an anti-Sergei Bobrovsky play. Knight is one of the best prospects in hockey. He was a high pick, dominated the NCAA ranks, and showed well during his cup of coffee with the Florida Panthers late last season.

Simply put, he appears ready for a prominent role at the NHL level. That's good news because the Panthers likely need him to take one.

Bobrovsky, despite his enormous salary, is a subpar goaltender at this stage of his career. While the Panthers aren't going to throw him by the wayside entirely, it's within the realm of possibility he loses his job as the starter.

Should that be the case, you're looking at a top-tier goaltending prospect playing regularly for a team that - if the netminding holds up - could challenge for a division title.

It's a good environment for Knight to pile up wins and enjoy success in his rookie campaign.

Lucas Raymond (+2500)

The Detroit Red Wings are heading for yet another long season. They're a bad hockey team and play in an unforgiving division, featuring the Tampa Bay Lightning, Toronto Maple Leafs, Boston Bruins, and Panthers, among others.

Add in the fact one of their best players, Jakub Vrana, is already out long term with an injury, and the outlook for the Red Wings is even bleaker.

There's always a bright spot, though, and Raymond is destined to be that for Detroit. Last season he averaged more than .50 points per game in the SHL, which is very impressive for an 18-year-old playing in a professional league.

The ultra-talented winger should step into Detroit's lineup immediately and see plenty of ice. Developing youngsters like Raymond is priority No. 1 for the Red Wings. There's even more opportunity to go around with Vrana out of the picture. If you want to take a stab on a wild card, so to speak, Raymond is the guy.

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

Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The last six Norris Trophy recipients have all been first-time winners, and today we're looking at three other defensemen who are good value to extend that run.

Only listing players with odds 40-1 or shorter.

Dougie Hamilton (+1200)

Hamilton doesn't get enough credit for how good he is. Over the last three years at five-on-five, he's led all defensemen in Corsi For rating and expected goals for percentage. He also posted a strong plus-38 goal differential in that span. He's as good as there is in terms of driving play and tilting the ice in his team's favor.

Hamilton is also a remarkably consistent offensive producer. He has scored at least 10 goals in seven consecutive seasons. His overall production has quietly reached new heights, as he's averaged 66 points per 82 games over the last two years.

He is walking into a pretty nice situation in New Jersey, where he'll be the undisputed No. 1 defenseman and play a ton of minutes in all situations. There's plenty of talent to move the puck up to, headlined by former first overall picks Nico Hischier and Jack Hughes. And the system is tailor-made for a player like Hamilton; Lindy Ruff is all about playing with pace and will give the green light to Hamilton when it comes to jumping into the play.

If Hamilton has a big offensive season and can help the Devils sneak into the playoffs, he'll garner real consideration for some hardware.

Aaron Ekblad (+2000)

Ekblad was the talk of the town in the first half of the COVID-19-shortened 2021 season. He was logging more than 25 minutes per night for the surprisingly good Panthers and scoring goals at a torrid pace, finding the back of the net 11 times in just 35 games.

His season ended prematurely due to injury, but the level at which Ekblad was playing was extremely high, and people were taking notice. He received a lot of the credit for Florida's eye-opening season.

The Panthers are now firmly on everyone's radar and, on paper, could be even better than a year ago. A full season of Sam Bennett - who was fantastic following a change of scenery - and newly acquired Sam Reinhart will make Florida more potent up front. Ekblad's return makes them that much better on defense.

If the 2021-22 version of Ekblad is anything like the guy we saw prior to his injury, he could become the first Panthers player to win the Norris.

Darnell Nurse (+4000)

Personally, I think Nurse is a little overrated. That doesn't matter, though because I'm not the one voting on the awards.

On the surface, it's easy to see why so many voters love him. Nurse is a big, strong defender who isn't afraid to throw his weight around, which endears him to a lot of people; so does his ability to handle extreme workloads. Nurse played upward of 26 minutes per game a season ago. Logging big minutes, playing physical, and producing points are all things that get you noticed. Nurse meets the criteria.

While Dave Tippett would probably like to lessen the burden on Nurse - 25-plus minutes is a lot to play over an 82-game season - I'm not sure the Oilers have the horses on defense to make that happen.

Nurse is likely heading for extreme usage once again. Whether he's efficient or not, he's going to put up a bunch of points. Doing so, while playing the physical style many traditionalists gravitate toward, makes him a great value to win the Norris.

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

Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.