With the Washington Capitals in a slump, general manager Brian MacLellan is thinking about switching up his approach to the March 21 trade deadline.
"I don't know that we're going to be as aggressive as we've been in the past," MacLellan told the media Wednesday. "Sometimes, just to add depth pieces, we might overpay a little bit because we felt, 'We have a good team, we're gonna go a long way, and we just need players.'
"I don't know that we're in that mode, but we'd still like to try and improve the team."
The Capitals were tied with the Tampa Bay Lightning for first in the league Dec. 31 with a points percentage of .712. Washington has since gone 8-12-2.
"In the beginning of the year, I would say (we were) a legit contender. There's probably three, four teams that are at the next level, but we're not next level. (We were) at the high end of that next level of teams," MacLellan said. "Now, I'd say we're at the low level of that next level of teams. We need to improve. We need to get back to where we were."
MacLellan pointed to the Capitals' "inexperienced" goaltending duo of Ilya Samsonov and Vitek Vanecek as a potential area of improvement.
"The concerning thing for me is sometimes the goals, the timing of the goals, game-situation goals that some veteran guys would tighten it up and make that save," he said. "It's not the overall save percentage, it's when and how the goals happen."
Samsonov owns a .901 save percentage across 32 appearances this season while Vanecek has authored a .915 save percentage in 25 showings.
MacLellan said he's tested the goaltending market with less than one month to go before the deadline.
"We called around earlier. The difficult situation, I think, is it's gotta be an obvious upgrade for us for it to make sense, or otherwise, we go with our guys," he said. "Is this going to get us over a hump on the goaltending side? I don't know that there's that many guys out there that are that quality. There might be one or two."
The Capitals are fourth in the Metropolitan Division with a 28-18-9 record.
Ottawa Senators owner Eugene Melnyk pledged his support to Ukraine amid Russia's ongoing invasion in an open letter published Wednesday.
"I am a proud and patriotic Canadian, born and raised in this special country. I am also a proud Ukrainian, the son of parents who were both born in Ukraine," he wrote. "The steadfast will and determination that is my heritage has attracted the admiration and respect of people around the world. Today, we are all Ukrainian."
The 62-year-old outlined ways the Senators will show their support over the remainder of the season. The team will play the Ukrainian national anthem before every home game and find ways to use the Canadian Tire Centre as a drop-off point to collect donations of clothing and medical supplies.
"As an organization and a community, I am confident that our collective actions and contributions will make a significant difference in the lives of Ukrainians who are currently under siege," he said.
Melnyk took out a full-page ad in two Ottawa newspapers to promote his message.
The 2020 and 2021 editions were scrapped due to COVID-19.
A roster of Russian players and All-Star teams representing the Ontario Hockey League, Western Hockey League, and Quebec Major Junior Hockey League typically compete in the event. The Russian team plays two games against each league's squad. In 2019, the CHL won the tournament.
The IIHF barred Russia and Belarus from international hockey Monday until further notice. Belarus was included in the ban because it's allowed Russia to station troops and launch military attacks in its territory.
Additionally, Hockey Canada banned Russia and Belarus from participating in events held in Canada that don't fall under the IIHF's jurisdiction.
The CHL added that the format and date for the 2022 import draft are still to be determined. Although no announcement has been made, player agent Dan Milstein tweeted earlier Wednesday that the CHL would ban Russian and Belarusian skaters from the draft.
The Hart Trophy has been handed out 16 times in the salary-cap era. Eleven of those winners also won the Art Ross in the same year.
It may seem elementary, but it's true: The player who collects the most points is often crowned the most valuable player in the NHL. Connor McDavid putting up an absurd 105 points in 56 games last season is a prime example.
All of that said, the 2021-22 Hart race feels … different. The list of legitimate contenders is long and diverse enough that the current leader in points - McDavid, who else - is certainly in the conversation but, if ballots were cast this week, he wouldn't be a shoo-in to win his third MVP award.
On Friday, theScore will publish its monthly Hart power rankings.
Here, we're focusing on one player from each position who's enjoying a Hart-caliber season and laying out the cases for and against them winning MVP.
Auston Matthews
Kevin Sousa / Getty Images
Case for: Where to start? Matthews, the sport's best pure goal-scorer, is tied for the NHL lead in goals with 37 in 50 games for the Toronto Maple Leafs. No one has bagged more than 53 in a single season since 2011-12, and Matthews is on pace for 58, which would smash his career high of 47.
Goal-scoring is undeniably the most important and difficult offensive skill in hockey. Super sniper Alex Ovechkin has claimed the Hart three times for this reason, and right now it's the foundation of Matthews' MVP case.
Thanks to 31 assists - 18 primary, 13 secondary - Matthews also ranks in the top five in points; his 68 trail only McDavid (77), Leon Draisaitl (76), and Jonathan Huberdeau (75). Those primary helpers are key, as nobody collects primary points at a rate higher than Matthews' 1.10 per game. (Johnny Gaudreau and Draisaitl, at 1.08 and 1.07 per game, aren't far behind.)
Remarkably, Matthews' oversized value in the offensive zone is being paired with prowess in less glamorous areas of the ice. His two-way dominance - a relatively new development for the 24-year-old center - has vaulted him to the top of Evolving Hockey's Goals Above Replacement leaderboard.
GAR is a catch-all metric "that attempts to assign a total value to each player" by factoring a variety of offensive and defensive inputs. This year, Matthews (21.3), Mikko Rantanen (21.0), Nazem Kadri (18.8), Gaudreau (18.7), McDavid (18.6), and Michael Bunting (18.0), Matthews' linemate, are top of the class.
Vaughn Ridley / Getty Images
Additionally, the case for Matthews features six game-winning goals, 59 takeaways, a faceoff win percentage of 58.2, and a five-on-five on-ice expected goals for percentage of 62.0. He currently ranks in the top 10 in all four categories. Also of note, Toronto has rung up a 92-48 advantage in goals when Matthews is on the ice, which translates to a 65% share.
Matthews, to lay it out in simpler fashion, is a game-breaking talent enjoying both a viscerally and intellectually impressive season. And the fact that he logs 20 minutes a night for a Maple Leafs team that boasts the best points percentage in franchise history only strengthens his case for MVP.
Case against: There are a couple of important points to relay here. The first is admittedly a glass-half-empty look ahead, while the second is relevant today.
If Matthews doesn't win the Maurice "Rocket" Richard Trophy (Draisaitl, Chris Kreider, Kyle Connor, and Ovechkin are also already 30-goal men), his candidacy takes a hit - even if he manages to finish in the neighborhood of 50 goals. Because - fair or not - leading the league in something is important to voters.
Matthews' candidacy also takes a hit if his assist rate sags and he ends up sliding down the points leaderboard. (Currently, he's tied with Kadri, one up on Gaudreau, and three up on Rantanen.) Excluding goalie Carey Price, Taylor Hall's 2017-18 Hart is the only instance in the salary-cap era of a player claiming the award despite finishing outside the top five in points.
Of course, it's possible Matthews' elite two-way game makes the above points moot. After all, Hall won the Hart largely due to an otherworldly performance down the stretch, where he willed the New Jersey Devils to a playoff berth. A sensational personal narrative can seduce voters, too.
As for the second important point … well, as detailed below, Igor Shesterkin has arguably been more valuable to the Rangers than Matthews to the Leafs.
Igor Shesterkin
Jared Silber / Getty Images
Case for: Generally speaking, the New York Rangers are trending in the right direction on the ice. However, as a middling defensive team that doesn't generate a ton of goals, New York isn't quite ready to contend for a Stanley Cup.
That's a quick summary of the Rangers - if Shesterkin were excluded from the conversation. The reality is, Shesterkin's supreme goaltending has steered New York into a Metropolitan Division playoff spot. The Rangers aren't holding on for dear life, either - their .670 points percentage ranks ninth in the NHL.
Shesterkin, a world-class goalie at just 26, has a fairly comfortable lead in all-situations save percentage (.941), even-strength save percentage (.942), and quality starts percentage (.818). Some context: A goalie has finished with an all-situations save percentage of .940 or higher only three times since the league began tracking the stat in 1955 - Jacques Plante in 1968-69 and 1970-71 and Brian Elliott in 2011-12.
Amazingly, Shesterkin has consistently papered over the Rangers' suspect defense. Evolving Hockey lists Shesterkin as having already saved 34.6 goals above average and 31.0 goals above expected - which is a numerical way of expressing how regularly he's been able to turn should-be goals into saves.
Bruce Bennett / Getty Images
Shesterkin's traditional stats are also noteworthy. He has an outstanding 25-6-3 record and a laughably low 1.95 goals-against average.
While Ville Husso has been a nice story out of St. Louis, the Vezina Trophy is Shesterkin's to lose, and his eye-popping numbers are fueling a compelling Hart case. The trophy's supposed to reward the season's "most valuable" player, and Shesterkin's been immensely valuable to the Rangers.
Case against: 2014-15 Hart winner Price is the lone goalie to win the award in the cap era, and Jose Theodore's 2001-02 run - also in a Montreal Canadiens uniform - is the only other time it happened this century.
The Vezina is considered by many in the hockey world to be the position's MVP award, so goalies rarely garner legitimate Hart buzz, let alone finalist nods. It's ironic, given how integral solid goaltending is to winning hockey games at any level of the sport.
Shesterkin's getting plenty of buzz this time around. If it's a coin-flip scenario between him and a skater, though, most voters would probably be biased toward the skater.
Crease time could also affect Shesterkin's case. He's appeared in 34 of 53 Rangers games thus far, starting 33. That isn't a light workload, but labeling Shesterkin a workhorse would be a stretch when 10 of his peers have played between 250 and 670 minutes more in 2021-22.
To be clear, this isn't a Shesterkin issue - the starter workload has been in decline across the league for several years - but it's a variable in the "most valuable" discussion. He provides no value sitting on the bench for full games.
Cale Makar
Michael Martin / Getty Images
Case for: Stacked up against stunning seasons from Matthews and Shesterkin, Makar may seem out of place. The force-of-nature defenseman is a long shot for the Hart, not a frontrunner. Heck, even his candidacy for the Norris Trophy - while strong - isn't bulletproof (see: Hedman, Victor).
Yet there are two unique angles to consider with Makar and the Hart.
First, the Colorado Avalanche blue-liner leads all defensemen in goals (18, on pace for 28). If he keeps this rate, he would have a chance to join an exclusive club - only 17 times in history has a defenseman scored 30 (Mike Green in 2008-09 was the last). He also leads all defensemen in points (58, on pace for 90). At that pace, he could join another exclusive club - only 26 times has a D-man put up 90 (Ray Bourque in 1993-94 was the last).
Voters love rewarding players who hit rare milestones, and what an accomplishment 30 goals or 90 points - or both - would be for the 23-year-old. (As an aside, the Avs have outscored their opposition 109-47 with Makar on the ice. The shot attempt share is almost as lopsided: 1,530-960.)
The second angle is tied to the Avs being Stanley Cup favorites. Do voters gravitate to the best player on the NHL's best team? The Avs, owners of a .778 points percentage, aren't showing any sign of slowing down. If Colorado wins the Presidents' Trophy in convincing fashion, surely its best regular-season performer will get a bump in Hart votes. Makar could be that guy.
Case against: While Makar currently has the strongest Hart case among NHL defensemen, he's climbing an uphill battle versus a handful of forwards (Matthews, McDavid, and Huberdeau to start) and Shesterkin.
Similar to the Vezina and goalies, the Norris is seen as the de facto MVP for defensemen. The most recent Hart winner was Chris Pronger in 1999-00.
The biggest challenge for Makar might be internal competition - Rantanen and Kadri have been equally as impressive in 2021-22. All three could conceivably receive votes for the Hart, splitting the vote.
John Matisz is theScore's senior NHL writer. Follow John on Twitter (@MatiszJohn) or contact him via email (john.matisz@thescore.com).
The Kraken enter Wednesday night's game against the Predators in the midst of a seven-game losing streak. I think that will extend to eight.
Seattle is an absolute disaster right now, routinely getting outplayed by significant margins. The Kraken have controlled just 44.77% of the expected goals at five-on-five over the last 10 games, ranking 30th in the NHL.
They're not generating any chances, and the ones they do create rarely end up in the back of the net - especially without leading scorer Jared McCann.
Meanwhile, Philipp Grubauer still can't make saves with any consistency. He ranks dead last in the league - by a lot - in Goals Saved Above Expectation (-30.2).
In short, the Kraken aren't creating much, are allowing plenty, and can't rely on a save to bail them out.
Although Nashville's five-on-five numbers aren't overly impressive of late, they should spend a lot of this game on the attack. The Preds also figure to have a big edge in goal with Juuse Saros, who slots behind only Igor Shesterkin, Frederik Andersen, and Andrei Vasilevskiy in GSAE this season.
The Maple Leafs are likely going to dismantle the Sabres in tonight's game. Unfortunately, that is reflected in the odds. There isn't much value in backing Toronto, even on the puck line. That's why I'm getting creative.
I think the Maple Leafs will come out hot and win the first period. They are one of the league's best sides in terms of starting on time. Only the Panthers (68) have scored more first-period goals than the Maple Leafs (65).
By comparison, the Sabres have only netted 40 first-period goals. That slots them 23rd, and they're actually a little lower in terms of first-period goals per game.
They struggle to generate offense until they're already playing from behind. It generally doesn't take long for them to fall behind, either, as only the Canadiens (63) have conceded more opening-period goals than the Sabres (61).
Toronto is firmly in the mix for a division title. If they're going to beat out Florida and the Lightning, they can't afford to drop points in advantageous spots. They know that, and I expect that to show in their play early on.
Bet: Maple Leafs -0.5 1st period (-125)
Mark Giordano over 2.5 shots (+110)
I love Giordano in this spot because the Predators have given up a lot of shots of late. They've conceded 350 over the last 10 games, which is more than all but the Coyotes and Blue Jackets.
They're a team we can target with shooters right now, and Giordano is the best choice here. He has attempted 61 shots over the last 10, which is 15 clear of his next closest teammate.
Making Giordano even more appealing is his prowess on home soil. He's piled up at least three shots in 59% of Seattle's home games, including seven of the last 10.
The odds imply Giordano has a 47.5% chance of going over. Considering the sneaky good matchup and his encouraging home numbers, I see real value in backing him.
Todd Cordell is a sports betting writer at theScore. Be sure to follow him on Twitter @ToddCordell.
Columbus Blue Jackets general manager Jarmo Kekalainen has seen trade rumors revolving around his star player Patrik Laine, but he confirmed there's no substance to them.
"Yeah, it bothers me because people make up shit, that's what bothers me," Kekalainen said, according to The Athletic's Pierre LeBrun. "I understand that sometimes from conversations you have (with teams), some of it may leak out, and a name gets in there, but this is not a case like that. This is just somebody making shit up from their own speculation of what we might do. They make it up and hope for the headlines and hope for the clicks. I think that's unethical. And I don't have any time for it."
Laine is set to become a restricted free agent again this offseason after signing a one-year, $7.5-million deal with the Blue Jackets last summer. The media has raised questions about Laine's future in Columbus ever since the Blue Jackets acquired him from the Winnipeg Jets in January 2021.
The 23-year-old didn't perform to expectations last season, scoring 10 goals and adding 11 assists over 45 games in Columbus. This campaign has been a different story, with Laine recording 20 goals and 18 assists in 35 games and looking like a legitimate franchise star.
Kekalainen added that he isn't in a rush to extend Laine at this point since the team has two more years of control due to his pending RFA status.
"When the time is right, we're going to sit down and look at all the options together and see if we can come to a solution that he will stay for us for a term that fits the need of both sides and for the dollars that meet the needs of both sides," Kekalainen said.
"Let's see if there's a marriage that we can get into. And if not, you know, that's hockey. I always say, every player that gets into the time frame when they can become (unrestricted) free agents, they can do that if they want to. And there's not much we can do about it."
Since entering the NHL in 2016, Laine ranks eighth in the league with 170 goals in 386 games.
The fifth edition of theScore's 2021-22 Vezina Trophy Power Rankings features one first-time entrant and the return of a previous member of the list.
5. Andrei Vasilevskiy, Tampa Bay Lightning
Patrick McDermott / National Hockey League / Getty
Previous ranking: N/A
RECORD
GAA
XGA/60
SV%
HDSV%
GSAA
29-8-4
2.27
2.41
.921
.825
14.77
It was inevitable that Vasilevskiy would end up on this list at some point, though it's a bit shocking that this is the Lightning netminder's first appearance this season. While many goalies endure hot and cold streaks, Vasilevskiy has remained as consistent as they come. He's garnered less fanfare than usual because his numbers haven't been as dominant as in years past, but he's quietly having an excellent year. He's only allowed four goals or more in six appearances this year while playing the sixth-most minutes (2,479) among all NHL goaltenders.
4. Juuse Saros, Nashville Predators
Frederick Breedon / Getty Images Sport / Getty
Previous ranking: 3
RECORD
GAA
XGA/60
SV%
HDSV%
GSAA
25-16-3
2.46
2.77
.923
.854
20.18
Few pegged the Predators as a playoff team entering the season, but Saros' superb play in net is a big reason the club is currently in the race. He's in the midst of a modest cold streak after dropping five of his last six contests, but his overall stats haven't taken much of a hit. He ranks fourth among all goalies with 20.18 goals saved above average.
3. Jacob Markstrom, Calgary Flames
Derek Leung / Getty Images Sport / Getty
Previous ranking: N/A
RECORD
GAA
XGA/60
SV%
HDSV%
GSAA
25-11-5
2.10
2.42
.927
.851
21.14
Markstrom stumbled in December and January after a great start to the season. It looks like he's back on track, while the Flames have been one of the NHL's hottest teams of late. He's won nine of his last 10 starts and allowed two goals or fewer in eight of those victories. He also has an incredible eight shutouts on the season. With Calgary playing at an elite level, he should challenge for the trophy at the end of the season.
2. Frederik Andersen, Carolina Hurricanes
Len Redkoles / National Hockey League / Getty
Previous ranking: 2
RECORD
GAA
XGA/60
SV%
HDSV%
GSAA
29-7-2
2.03
2.74
.930
.836
22.30
Andersen is having the best statistical season of his career and has the pleasure of backstopping one of the NHL's most well-rounded teams. The Hurricanes took a big gamble by completely shaking up their crease during the offseason, but the addition of Andersen - who struggled with the Maple Leafs last season - is paying dividends so far. Carolina sits atop the Metropolitan Division, and Andersen's play is a major reason for the team's success.
1. Igor Shesterkin, New York Rangers
Emilee Chinn / Getty Images Sport / Getty
Previous ranking: 1
RECORD
GAA
XGA/60
SV%
HDSV%
GSAA
25-6-3
1.95
2.90
.941
.884
34.57
Shesterkin is showing no signs of slowing. He leads all goaltenders in virtually every statistical category and he's doing it while backstopping a less-than-stellar Rangers squad. At five-on-five, New York is second to last in the NHL with a 44.77 Corsi For rating and gives up the tenth-most high-danger scoring chances (664), so the team almost certainly wouldn't be sitting comfortably in a playoff spot if not for Shesterkin. Not only is he the front-runner for the Vezina, but he's also certainly in the mix for the Hart Trophy after Carey Price won the award in 2015 with a .933 save percentage and 1.96 goals against average.
Jake DeBrusk's agent, Rick Valette, has informed teams they're willing to work on an extension in order to facilitate a trade from the Boston Bruins, TSN's Pierre LeBrun reported during Tuesday's "Insider Trading" segment.
The 25-year-old forward is playing out the final season of a two-year deal, which carries a $3.675-million cap hit. He's a pending restricted free agent this offseason and could sign a $4.41-million qualifying offer.
"A lot of teams are concerned about the $4.4-million qualifying offer to retain his rights this summer," LeBrun said. "Maybe (if there's) an extension at a cheaper price, everyone goes home happy."
DeBrusk thrived in the second half of February. He's logged seven goals and two assists in his last five contests, including his first career hat trick against the Los Angeles Kings on Monday. He managed just seven goals in the first 43 games of the campaign.
The winger's trade request became public in late November, but there's been no movement yet.
"Bottom line is, if he keeps scoring and playing a bigger role, it might help the Bruins and general manager Don Sweeney get better offers than they've had to date," LeBrun said.
