Tag Archives: Hockey

Leafs’ Robertson out 6 months after having season-ending shoulder surgery

Nick Robertson's 2022-23 campaign is over.

The Toronto Maple Leafs winger underwent season-ending shoulder surgery and will be out for six months, the team announced Monday.

Robertson suffered the ailment on Dec. 8 against the Los Angeles Kings. The team initially said he wouldn't need surgery and would miss six-to-eight weeks.

Robertson, 21, finishes his season with two goals and three assists in 15 games with the Maple Leafs. He added another two points in two contests with the AHL's Toronto Marlies.

The 2019 second-round pick has endured bad luck with injuries. He was limited to just 38 games last season (28 with the Marlies, 10 with the Leafs) after breaking his leg in October 2021. Robertson also missed about a month during the 2020-21 campaign with a knee injury.

The Maple Leafs also announced that defenseman Mac Hollowell underwent surgery to repair a fractured kneecap and will miss at least 12 weeks. The 24-year-old has spent most of the season with the Marlies, but he got into six games with Toronto when injuries ravaged its blue line earlier in the season.

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Rutherford candid on state of Canucks: ‘We have to do major surgery’

Vancouver Canucks president of hockey operations Jim Rutherford said he's "disappointed" in the job he's done assembling a team in the throes of a dramatic and frustrating 2022-23 campaign.

"When I came here, I knew it was going to be a big challenge," Rutherford said Monday during a wide-ranging press conference, according to Sportsnet. "And I thought, 'We're going to have to do minor surgery.' ... Have I changed my position? Yeah, we have to do major surgery."

The 73-year-old executive joined the Canucks' front office in December 2021 after the team parted with ex-head coach Travis Green - replacing him immediately with Bruce Boudreau - and former general manager Jim Benning.

Vancouver performed admirably after the midseason shift, finishing the campaign with a 40-30-12 record to sit five points out of a playoff spot.

Instead of building on that hopeful stretch, the Canucks opened this season with a seven-game losing streak. Vancouver is currently sixth in the Pacific Division and sits 12 points out of the Western Conference's second wild-card spot - four months after Boudreau said missing this year's playoffs "would be a disaster" for the team.

Those developments have forced Rutherford to consider drastic measures.

"When I first came here, I talked about getting control of the cap ... getting rid of some contracts, and we haven't been able to do that," he said. "Now, the opportunity hasn't been there, but it's still my job to get it done. Until we do that, we're not gonna be able to make the kind of changes that we need to make. ... It could end up being core players."

He added: "Between now and the start of next season, we're gonna have to make some changes. Some won't be very popular, some will be popular. But we're gonna have to really do some things that I didn't think we would normally have to do when I first got here."

Rutherford said he will explore buying out some contracts this offseason if he can't move them.

One player who may soon depart Vancouver is captain Bo Horvat. The 27-year-old is enjoying a career year as a pending unrestricted free agent, notching 30 goals and 48 points in 43 contests.

"I believe we've taken our best shot, and the contract we have on the table for Bo right now, I think, is a fair contract for what he's done up until this year," Rutherford said. "But it's certainly under market value for what he's done this year. So, we're in a pickle here. ... He's looking for his money; he deserves it. I don't blame him."

Rumors are also swirling about Boudreau's future as head coach. Rutherford admitted he has spoken with external candidates but said the job belongs to the veteran bench boss for now.

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Blackhawks’ Toews: Maybe change for team, myself isn’t ‘such a bad thing’

Chicago Blackhawks captain Jonathan Toews is aware that he might not be in the Windy City for much longer, but he acknowledges that a change might not be the worst thing for all parties involved.

"It's still a difficult question to answer 'cause there's a part of myself that still doesn't really want to admit the situation and also wants to continue being a Blackhawk and finish my career here," Toews said in an interview with NBC Sports Chicago's Charlie Roumeliotis.

"But at the same time, there's a part of me that sees the writing on the wall and sees that this team, this organization, is trying to hit the reset button and that maybe a change for everybody is not such a bad thing, and that goes for myself as well."

Toews and teammate Patrick Kane are playing out the final season of identical eight-year, $84-million contracts.

Kane is seen as the hotter trade target between the two longtime Blackhawks. He chipped in with 26 goals and 66 points in 78 games last season, but he hasn't been as productive in 2022-23 with just eight tallies through 38 contests.

Toews, meanwhile, has 12 goals and 12 assists in 40 games this campaign. He missed the entire 2020-21 season while dealing with chronic immune response syndrome and put up 37 points in 71 contests during his return in 2021-22.

"For myself, it's just kind of a tricky situation," Toews said. "(It's) the last year of my contract, and I haven't played my best hockey in some time. So, I'm not sure what the opportunities (are) or what's going to come knocking.

"But there's no doubt in my mind, again, I'm focusing on my game, trying to improve that every single day and trying to enjoy just playing the game, being a Blackhawk as long as I can, for however long that is and while it still lasts."

Kane recently said that he expects to meet with general manager Kyle Davidson soon and that he's been in touch with his agent, Pat Brisson, on a frequent basis.

Chicago currently sits in the league's basement with an 11-26-4 record following Saturday's 8-5 defeat to the Seattle Kraken.

The trade deadline is March 3 at 3 p.m. ET.

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NHL Monday best bets: Lightning to snap Kraken’s streak

We have a full day of hockey ahead of us Monday. The action begins at 1 p.m. ET and runs almost the entire night.

Let's waste no time getting to our best bets.

Senators (-115) @ Blues (-105)

On the surface, the Blues seem to be handling themselves just fine without Ryan O'Reilly and Vladimir Tarasenko. Since the pair of top-six forwards went down with injuries on Dec. 31, St. Louis has managed a respectable 4-3 record.

Don't let the results fool you. The Blues haven't played well. They've controlled just 42% of the expected goal share at five-on-five, putting them behind all but the Coyotes, Blackhawks, and Ducks. Those are three teams heavily in the Connor Bedard sweepstakes.

St. Louis has struggled at both ends of the ice in that time. It ranks 30th in expected goal generation and is in the bottom 10 in xG prevention at five-on-five.

If not for unsustainably high shooting percentages, things would look bleaker for the Blues.

Despite not getting a lot of saves and losing some games lately, the Senators have played pretty well. Their expected goal share ranks just outside the top 10, sandwiching them between the Maple Leafs and Golden Knights.

Save for the last time out against a desperate Avalanche team, Ottawa has primarily controlled the run of play since the calendar flipped.

I expect the Senators to do that against this undermanned Blues squad. Given the goaltending they're getting from Jordan Binnington right now, Ottawa's struggles between the pipes will likely prove less costly.

Look for the Sens to get back in the win column Monday night.

Bet: Senators (-115)

Lightning (-130) @ Kraken (+110)

The Kraken enter play riding an eight-game winning streak, having won the last seven on a historically good road trip.

It's been Seattle's offense leading the charge. The club found the back of the net 41 times in its last eight contests, scoring at least four goals in seven games.

Although they don't possess a true superstar, the Kraken have a deep and balanced forward group that gives you scoring on all four lines.

With all that said, this is a very unsustainable run. Seattle has scored on nearly 18% of their shots and netted 17 more goals than expected based on the shots and chances generated.

You may believe the Kraken have the talent to outproduce that of a normal team, as the Capitals have for years. But it's a stretch to think the gap should be anywhere close to this drastic.

Perhaps a date with the Lightning is the perfect spot for Seattle to start coming back down to earth.

The Bolts are playing some of their best hockey right now. No team has controlled a larger percentage of the high-danger chances at five-on-five over the past eight games.

Tampa Bay doesn't concede a whole lot of quality opportunities. When it does, the team has Andrei Vasilevskiy to bail them out. I don't think the Kraken can expect to have anywhere close to the same level of shooting success against one of the league's best netminders.

On the flip side, Seattle's goaltending is worrisome going up against the Lightning. No side has been more efficient than Tampa at generating high-danger opportunities over the last eight games, and we all know the team's firepower.

I don't see Martin Jones (.895 save percentage) or Philipp Grubauer (.885 save percentage) holding up against the chunk of top-tier chances they'll see.

Look for the Lightning to end the Kraken's winning streak.

Bet: Lightning (-130)

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

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Wild sign Boldy to 7-year, $49M deal

The Minnesota Wild signed winger Matt Boldy to a seven-year pact with an average annual value of $7 million, the team announced Monday.

Boldy, 21, was slated to become a restricted free agent this summer.

The Massachusetts native sits fourth on the Wild with 12 goals and 29 points in 42 games this season while averaging just under 18 minutes of ice time per contest.

The Wild drafted Boldy with the 12th overall pick in 2019.

Boldy made a strong impression in Minnesota after joining the big club's ranks in early January 2022. He scored a goal in his NHL debut against the Boston Bruins and impressed with his first career hat trick about a month later. Boldy ended the 2021-22 season with 15 goals and 24 assists in 47 contests and finished eighth in Calder Trophy voting.

The Wild have a unique salary-cap situation due to the pricy contract buyouts of Zach Parise and Ryan Suter in July 2021. The duo accounts for nearly $13 million against the cap this season, but that number will jump to $14.7 million during the 2023-24 and 2024-25 campaigns.

Minnesota also has decisions to make on Sam Steel, Brandon Duhaime, Mason Shaw, Calen Addison, and Filip Gustavsson, who are all pending restricted free agents. Meanwhile, Matt Dumba, Ryan Reaves, and Frederick Gaudreau can all become unrestricted free agents in a few months.

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NHL Power Rankings: Picking each team’s midseason MVP

This is the seventh edition of theScore's NHL Power Rankings for the 2022-23 campaign. Check back for updated rankings every other Monday during the regular season.

In this edition, we select each team's most valuable player at the midway point of the season.

1. Boston Bruins (33-5-4)

Previous rank: 1st

David Pastrnak. The 26-year-old is well on his way to finally claiming his first 50-goal campaign as he leads the Bruins in goals (33), assists (26), and points (59). Not bad for a player in a contract year.

2. Carolina Hurricanes (27-9-8)

Previous rank: 2nd

Martin Necas. Rookie goaltender Pyotr Kochetkov filled in admirably during Frederik Andersen's absence but has only played 19 games and may soon be sent down. While the Hurricanes are incredibly balanced, Necas has shone brightest for Carolina. The Czech forward leads the club with 39 points and is averaging a career-high 19:17 in ice time while playing all 44 contests.

3. Winnipeg Jets (28-14-1)

Previous rank: 8th

Connor Hellebuyck. He had a disappointing 2021-22 campaign - just as the Jets did as a whole - but Winnipeg is exceeding expectations this season, and it's no coincidence that the American netminder has rediscovered his dependable form. He's one of the top Vezina Trophy contenders and the biggest reason the Jets are flying high.

4. Toronto Maple Leafs (26-11-7)

Previous rank: 3rd

Mitch Marner. Since Auston Matthews is having a down year by his standards as he plays through a nagging injury, Marner is the choice here. Not only does Marner pace the club with 52 points, but he's also been excellent defensively. He leads the Leafs with 49 takeaways and is arguably their best penalty killer.

5. Tampa Bay Lightning (27-13-1)

Mike Ehrmann / Getty Images Sport / Getty

Previous rank: 5th

Nikita Kucherov. His offensive dominance has flown under the radar this season, but the Lightning star is second in assists and third in points league-wide, putting him on pace to exceed the 120-point mark for the second time in his career.

6. Seattle Kraken (26-12-4)

Previous rank: 19th

Vince Dunn. The 26-year-old's emergence as a legitimate top-pairing defenseman has been a significant factor in pushing the Kraken up the standings. He's logging over 23 minutes per game and ranks just outside the top 10 in scoring among blue-liners. Matty Beniers has been great, but Dunn has been more valuable.

7. New Jersey Devils (28-12-3)

Previous rank: 10th

Jack Hughes. The 2019 No. 1 pick isn't just the Devils' midseason MVP - he's also mounting a strong bid for the Hart Trophy by ranking among the NHL's most potent point producers while boasting outstanding underlying numbers. Hughes leads the league in goals above replacement by a wide margin and also sits first in WAR.

8. New York Rangers (24-13-7)

Previous rank: 12th

Igor Shesterkin. He isn't playing at his Vezina-winning level of last season, plus the Rangers have been better defensively in this campaign and have plenty of firepower. But the Blueshirts wouldn't be where they are without Shesterkin, and the fact that they never have to worry about goaltending when he's in the crease illustrates how valuable he is to the club.

9. Dallas Stars (25-12-7)

Previous rank: 4th

Jason Robertson. The Hart Trophy hype for Robo has quieted a touch since his near goal-per-game pace through the opening 20 contests of the season, but the Stars forward remains in the top five in league scoring. The 23-year-old is on pace to set Dallas-era franchise highs in goals and points.

10. Vegas Golden Knights (28-14-2)

Jeff Bottari / NHL / Getty Images

Previous rank: 6th

Mark Stone. The Golden Knights captain is the heart and soul of the team through and through. Chandler Stephenson would've been a noble choice, but Stone's energy and passion really drive Vegas. He ranks second on the team in goals (17) and points (38), and he leads the club with 47 takeaways.

11. Minnesota Wild (24-14-4)

Previous rank: 9th

Kirill Kaprizov. The dynamic winger is the straw that stirs the drink for the Wild. While Filip Gustavsson has given the team great goaltending, he's played only 17 of its 42 games this season. Kaprizov has suited up for all of the Wild's contests in 2022-23, leading Minnesota in the three main offensive categories while averaging nearly 21 minutes of ice time.

12. Los Angeles Kings (25-15-6)

Previous rank: 15th

Kevin Fiala. The Kings had the lowest leading scorer of any 2022 playoff team - Anze Kopitar with 67 points - and looked to address their lack of scoring by acquiring Fiala in the offseason. That trade and subsequent long-term extension have paid off so far, with the 26-year-old looking to be the first Los Angeles player to score above a point-per-game rate since 2018.

13. Calgary Flames (21-14-9)

Previous rank: 16th

Elias Lindholm. Many Flames players have disappointed this season - namely Jonathan Huberdeau and Jacob Markstrom - but Lindholm has been as consistent as ever. Despite losing his two linemates from a year ago, he remains on a near-identical point pace. The 2022 Selke Trophy finalist is still one of the league's best defensive forwards, too.

14. Edmonton Oilers (24-18-3)

Previous rank: 18th

Connor McDavid. Anointing McDavid as the Oilers' MVP isn't exactly a hot take. The otherworldly Edmonton captain is the leading Hart Trophy candidate who sits atop the NHL in goals, assists, and points - the latter by a mile. Leon Draisaitl has been stellar as well, but McDavid provides far more value, so this one's a no-brainer.

15. Pittsburgh Penguins (21-15-6)

Jamie Sabau / Getty Images Sport / Getty

Previous rank: 11th

Sidney Crosby. Who said Crosby is no longer one of the game's most dominant players? The Penguins captain is having a vintage campaign at age 35. Sid leads the club in all three offensive categories, ranks among the league leaders in even-strength points, and is averaging over 20 minutes of ice time.

16. Colorado Avalanche (21-17-3)

Previous rank: 16th

Mikko Rantanen. Without him, the Avalanche would be in a much more dire situation in the standings. The 26-year-old not only leads Colorado in goals by 18, but his 22:59 average time on ice also leads the entire NHL among forwards. It's hard to be upset that Cale Makar got the initial All-Star nod, but few players were a bigger snub than Rantanen.

17. Washington Capitals (23-16-6)

Previous rank: 7th

Alex Ovechkin. Much like Crosby, Ovi hasn't slowed down despite the mileage on his odometer. The 37-year-old Capitals sniper is continuing his pursuit of the NHL's all-time goals mark, and his 30 tallies this season already put him in the record books. Ovi has kept Washington afloat amid injuries to key players and is significantly outproducing his teammates.

18. New York Islanders (23-18-3)

Previous rank: 13th

Ilya Sorokin. The Islanders goaltender is the obvious pick here, as he'd be the Vezina favorite if not for the Bruins' Linus Ullmark. Sorokin is the biggest reason the Isles currently occupy a wild-card spot. New York is a subpar possession team and weaker defensively than it once was, but Sorokin's outstanding play has helped it overcome those deficiencies.

19. Buffalo Sabres (21-18-2)

Previous rank: 17th

Tage Thompson. No one's more responsible for the Sabres' expedited rise than the late-blooming Thompson. Buffalo leads the NHL in goals per game, and Thompson has 11 more markers and 10 more points than his closest teammates. The hulking 25-year-old would be a serious Hart candidate if the Sabres were closer to a playoff spot, but he's the main reason they're not further away from one.

20. St. Louis Blues (21-20-3)

Scott Rovak / National Hockey League / Getty

Previous rank: 22nd

Robert Thomas. Though Jordan Kyrou leads the team in points, Thomas has been the most complete player on the team this season. The dynamic 23-year-old center paces the club with 29 assists and has improved greatly in the faceoff circle, winning 52.9% of his draws this year.

21. Florida Panthers (20-20-4)

Previous rank: 24th

Matthew Tkachuk. He paces Florida in goals (22), assists (31), points (53), and penalty minutes (65). Tkachuk has been everything the Panthers hoped he'd be, even as they've tumbled down the standings.

22. Nashville Predators (19-17-6)

Previous rank: 23rd

Juuse Saros. The Predators netminder's recent 64-save victory against the Hurricanes was the piece de resistance of another spectacular campaign. Only Karel Vejmelka has made more saves than Saros this season.

23. Detroit Red Wings (18-16-7)

Previous rank: 20th

Filip Hronek. Captain Dylan Larkin is enjoying another stellar campaign, but Hronek has stepped up greatly amid Moritz Seider's sophomore slump. Hronek is on pace for 60 points and should get some down-ballot Norris Trophy votes.

24. Philadelphia Flyers (18-18-7)

Previous rank: 26th

Travis Konecny. In what's been a predictably difficult season for the Flyers, Konecny's return to form has been one of the few bright spots. The 25-year-old has already matched his career-high in goals through just 37 games.

25. Ottawa Senators (19-20-3)

Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / Getty

Previous rank: 21st

Brady Tkachuk. Tim Stutzle is a far more dynamic player and could become the team MVP by the end of the season, but Tkachuk is the Senators' heart and soul. He sets the physical tone, is always willing to step up for his teammates, and even takes a lot of faceoffs despite being a winger. Oh, and he leads the team with 41 points.

26. Vancouver Canucks (18-22-3)

Previous rank: 25th

Elias Pettersson. The Canucks have grabbed headlines for seemingly every reason in 2022-23, but Pettersson's superb campaign has gone under the radar. The 23-year-old is tied for third in five-on-five scoring league-wide with 31 points.

27. Montreal Canadiens (18-23-3)

Previous rank: 29th

Nick Suzuki. It's really between him and Cole Caufield. But while Caufield is the better goal-scorer, Suzuki is the better playmaker and a far more responsible defensive player.

28. San Jose Sharks (13-23-8)

Previous rank: 28th

Erik Karlsson. The 32-year-old's dominance has been one of the best stories of this season, and he's clearly the Sharks' MVP. Karlsson leads all NHL skaters in even-strength points, with 18 more assists and 13 more total points than his closest teammates. He also boasts strong underlying numbers, and he's doing it while playing for one of the league's worst teams.

29. Columbus Blue Jackets (13-27-2)

Previous rank: 30th

Johnny Gaudreau. It isn't close, either. His 41 points are nearly double the next most (Patrik Laine with 22) on the team.

30. Anaheim Ducks (12-27-4)

Debora Robinson / National Hockey League / Getty

Previous rank: 31st

Troy Terry. It's a toss-up between him and Trevor Zegras, but Terry leads the team with 34 points and is also among the best in the entire league at drawing penalties with 23.

31. Arizona Coyotes (13-25-5)

Previous rank: 27th

Clayton Keller. Jakob Chychrun would be the answer here had he been healthy all year, but as the saying goes: the best ability is availability. Keller, Arizona's lone dynamic threat up front, has 37 points - nine more than the next most on the team.

32. Chicago Blackhawks (11-26-4)

Previous rank: 32nd

Petr Mrazek. Pickings are slim on the clearly tanking Blackhawks, so we're going with Mrazek, whose woeful .875 save percentage and 4.26 goals against average is giving Chicago its best chance of accomplishing its goal of finishing last in the NHL to secure the top draft lottery odds.

(Analytics sources: Evolving Hockey, Natural Stat Trick)

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