Wednesday night was a good one on the ice. We successfully backed the Calgary Flames to pick up a multi-goal victory over the New Jersey Devils while splitting our +100 player props.

We'll look to turn 2-1 into 3-0 as we dive into our best bets for a jam-packed Thursday slate.

Hurricanes (-110) @ Maple Leafs (-110)

The Carolina Hurricanes enter this game playing some of their best hockey of the season. They're on a 7-2-1 run and have absolutely dominated opponents during that stretch, controlling 58.26% of the shot attempts (first) and 56.14% of the expected goals (fifth) at five-on-five.

Beating a team like the Hurricanes is difficult enough, but when you factor in their elite special teams - headlined by arguably the league's best penalty kill - and high-end goaltending from Frederik Andersen, they're a miserable opponent for any side. I don't think they're getting the respect they deserve.

Considering the Toronto Maple Leafs have home ice, I'd understand pricing this game at essentially a coin flip - if they were just dealing with goaltending issues. That's not the case. Not only are the Maple Leafs starting a third-string netminder, but they're playing without a legitimate Hart Trophy candidate in Auston Matthews.

I don't see Toronto getting the better of the five-on-five play without Matthews. Its special teams are no better than Carolina's, and it's at a big disadvantage in goal with Erik Kallgren going up against a potential Vezina Trophy finalist.

The Hurricanes have plenty of edges in this game. With an implied winning percentage of around 52%, there's real value backing them.

Bet: Hurricanes (-110)

Stars (-190) @ Canadiens (+155)

The Montreal Canadiens have quietly played solid defensive hockey of late. No, seriously.

Over the last 10 games, they rank 10th in attempts against and expected goals against per 60 minutes of five-on-five play. They really haven't given opponents much.

Now they're getting a big jolt in the arm with Jake Allen expected back Thursday night. His play has dipped this season, but Allen still has around 0.30 more goals saved above expected than Sam Montembeault per start - and he carries a higher floor and ceiling.

Put simply, the Canadiens are not giving up many chances. Upgrading in goal should really help them limit teams on the scoreboard.

On the flip side, the Dallas Stars are a competent defensive team with one of the league's hottest netminders. Jake Oettinger has started 17 of the last 20 games, posting a remarkable .927 save percentage in that span. Montreal's offense has been better under Martin St. Louis, but Oettinger still has a good chance of slowing it.

I think this total should be considerably juiced to the under. Since it's not, I'll happily take the value.

Bet: Under 6 (-110)

Capitals (-205) @ Blue Jackets (+170)

The Columbus Blue Jackets have been a team to target all season long - and nothing's happened to give any pause for change.

Columbus has dropped six of the last 10, posting miserable numbers in the process. Its share of the five-on-five shot attempts during that spell was just 43% and, somehow, it looks even worse by expected goals. Its expected goals for percentage is below 40%, which is mind-numbingly bad.

The Washington Capitals are starting to get healthy and desperate for points to get out of a wild-card spot. Winning would be a difficult proposition for Columbus at the best of times. Doing it with Joonas Korpisalo makes it nearly impossible.

OK, that might be a bit of an exaggeration - emphasis on "might." Korpisalo owns a putrid .883 save percentage this season. Of all netminders with at least 19 appearances (Korpisalo's number), only three allow more goals above expected per start.

The Blue Jackets play a style that's heavily reliant on their goaltender stealing games. That's a disastrous recipe with Korpisalo between the pipes.

Bet: Capitals in regulation (-129)

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

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Goalies aren't typically hot commodities approaching the trade deadline, but the 2021-22 campaign may be a different story. Teams sitting in playoff spots at this time of the year usually have their crease figured out, but there are a handful of postseason hopefuls this season that could surely use an upgrade in net.

The Toronto Maple Leafs previously indicated they planned on riding it out with Jack Campbell and Petr Mrazek, but the two have struggled mightily over the last couple of months. With Campbell now sidelined with an injury, it's possible the club opts to address its troubling crease in order to avoid another playoff disaster. We dove into the team's options earlier this week.

Finding an upgrade at this point is no easy task, but let's take a look at three other clubs that could do with one ahead of Monday's deadline.

Minnesota Wild

The Wild were one of the league's best teams in the first half of the season but have sputtered in recent weeks. Inconsistent goaltending is one of the main reasons for their downward spiral.

Cam Talbot and Kaapo Kahkonen are both capable options but have been wildly inconsistent. Since Feb. 1, the club has lost 11 of 19 games and allowed 75 goals in the process. On the season, the Wild have allowed four or more goals 23 times.

It appears right now that Minnesota will struggle to make a deep playoff run with one of Talbot or Kahkonen in net. Talbot is signed for another season with a $3.6-million cap hit, while Kahkonen is set for restricted free agency. Many have viewed Kahkonen as the goalie of the future, but this season may have derailed that idea.

The Wild have all of their draft picks at their disposal as well as an adequate amount of cap space. General manager Bill Guerin hasn't been afraid to shake things up, so it wouldn't be surprising if he attempts to right the ship before the deadline.

Edmonton Oilers

It's no secret that the Oilers need an upgrade in goal. Even reaching the postseason isn't guaranteed, but if they want to get there and make any noise, it's highly unlikely they can do it with one of Mike Smith, Mikko Koskinen, or Stuart Skinner leading the way. The Oilers have the NHL's 11th-worst save percentage (.899) and have allowed four or more goals in 24 contests.

Marc-Andre Fleury would be the obvious leading candidate if he gives the OK for the Chicago Blackhawks to trade him. So far, he's indicated he doesn't want to move, so that may not even be a possibility. Another viable option could be Semyon Varlamov, who's having a decent season but has been dominant the last few years. With Ilya Sorokin being the future of the New York Islanders' crease, they would be wise to move Varlamov, who has one more year on his contract with a $5-million cap hit. If available, he could be just what the Oilers need.

However, with limited cap space and not a ton of attractive options, the Oilers might decide to waste yet another season and address the issue during the summer.

Vegas Golden Knights

The Golden Knights are in the midst of a staggering free fall, and their chances of making the playoffs are dwindling every day. They've been decimated by injuries throughout the lineup, so it's hard to point out one particular area to blame for their struggles.

Robin Lehner has appeared in just four games since Feb. 10, and his health moving forward is a big question mark. If Vegas wants to have a shot at making the postseason, bringing in a goalie is as good a desperation move as any.

Since Lehner could return at any point, the club doesn't have to chase a high-end starter. Lehner's having a down year by his standards, but if he can get healthy down the stretch, the Golden Knights won't hesitate to hand the crease back to him. They simply need someone who can man the crease in the meantime, as Laurent Brossoit has struggled to fill in.

There are plenty of options out there, including Jaroslav Halak, Jake Allen, James Reimer, Alexandar Georgiev, and Joonas Korpisalo. These goalies are solid stopgap options and are good enough to be leaned on if Lehner misses an extended period. Bringing in one of these guys could keep the Golden Knights in the playoff picture, and if they can get back to full health in the next few weeks, they could be a nightmare to face come playoff time.

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The New York Rangers have shown interest in Dallas Stars winger Alexander Radulov, reports Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman.

Radulov is in the midst of his worst NHL season, as he's registered just three goals and 15 assists in 52 games while averaging 14:52 of ice time per contest. He is a proven playoff performer, though, as he's totaled 49 points in 64 career postseason tilts.

The 35-year-old is a pending unrestricted free agent with a cap hit of $6.25 million. The Rangers have $6.239 million in projected cap space, according to CapFriendly, so they're one of few contending teams that could afford his salary without performing major cap gymnastics.

Dallas currently holds the Western Conference's second wild-card spot via points percentage. It's unclear whether the club will buy, sell, or sit ahead of Monday's trade deadline.

The Rangers, meanwhile, sit second in the Metropolitan Division and are well on their way to clinching a playoff berth.

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The Seattle Kraken traded forward Calle Jarnkrok to the Calgary Flames in exchange for a 2022 second-round pick (originally the Florida Panthers'), a 2023 third-round selection, and a 2024 seventh-rounder, the team announced Wednesday.

Seattle will retain 50% of Jarnkrok's salary.

This marks the Flames' second big acquisition ahead of next week's trade deadline after the club landed Tyler Toffoli from the Montreal Canadiens in February.

The Kraken selected Jarnkrok from the Nashville Predators in the expansion draft. The 30-year-old forward has 12 goals and 14 assists in 49 games this season and can slot in anywhere in the Flames' lineup.

Calgary currently sits comfortably atop the Pacific Division with a 36-16-7 record.

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The San Jose Sharks signed forward Tomas Hertl to an eight-year extension, the team announced Wednesday.

The deal carries an average annual value of $8.1375 million, Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman reports. The first three years have a no-movement clause, and the final five years have a limited no-trade clause, Friedman adds.

Hertl was set to become an unrestricted free agent after the season ended.

The 28-year-old's name was floated around in trade rumors all season long, but San Jose's management was adamant that the club wanted to sign him to a long-term deal.

Hertl plays a dynamic two-way game and excels on both ends of the ice. He's having a great campaign with the Sharks, tied for first on the team with 25 goals and sitting second in points with 48.

San Jose currently has no forwards on its roster signed beyond the 2023-24 season. The club has defensemen Erik Karlsson, Brent Burns, and Marc-Edouard Vlasic signed long term, but Hertl now figures to be the Sharks' centerpiece on offense as they usher in a new era.

Hertl has 176 goals and 195 assists in 562 career games. He ranks third on the squad with 315 points and second with 148 goals since the beginning of the 2015-16 season.

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Seattle Kraken captain Mark Giordano won't play against the Tampa Bay Lightning on Wednesday night, head coach Dave Hakstol announced, according to NHL.com's Andy Eide.

The veteran defenseman is a premium trade chip for the Kraken. General manager Ron Francis reportedly met with Giordano in late February to discuss his future with the league's newest franchise, and the pending unrestricted free agent is expected to be moved ahead of the March 21 deadline.

Seattle will celebrate Giordano for playing in 1,000 NHL games before the puck drops on Wednesday's contest.

Giordano is tied for most points among all Kraken blue-liners with 23 in 55 games. The 38-year-old has logged 46 hits and 98 blocks while averaging over 21 minutes a contest.

He's playing out the final season of a six-year deal with a $6.75-million cap hit.

The Montreal Canadiens pulled off a similar move Tuesday when they sat coveted defenseman Ben Chiarot against the Arizona Coyotes.

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The Florida Panthers are trading forward Frank Vatrano to the New York Rangers for a fourth-round pick in 2022, the teams announced Wednesday.

Vatrano is a pending unrestricted free agent and has a $2.53-million cap hit.

The 28-year-old has been buried in a stacked Panthers attack this season. He's notched 19 points in 49 games while averaging just over 12 minutes per night.

Vatrano posted a career-high 24 goals for Florida in 2018-19.

The Rangers had their own fourth-rounder as well as the Winnipeg Jets' prior to the trade. The Panthers will receive whichever pick is lower.

New York and Florida are both expected to be buyers leading up to Monday's trade deadline as two of the top teams in the Eastern Conference.

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