Search found 4 matches

NHL is providing in depth roster, prospect and fantasy analysis for each of its 32 teams from Aug. 1 Sept. 1. Today, three important questions facing the Toronto Maple Leafs.1. Can the Maple Leafs and William Nylander work out a new contract?With center Auston Matthews signing a four year contract Aug. 23, the focus now turns to Nylander. The 27 year old forward is heading into the final season of a six year contract he signed Dec. 1, 2018, and will be eligible to become an unrestricted free agent when it expires.Nylander has let it be known he'd like to stay in Toronto but said there is no urgency to come to an agreement."There's no other place I want to play, but I still have one more year left, " Nylander said during the NHL Players European Media Tour in Stockholm last week. "I don't understand why there's such a big rush to do something right now."I still have one more year left."2. Will the goaltending be good enough?The Maple Leafs feel they have depth in goal with Ilya Samsonov https://www.krakenproteam...ole-lind-jersey, Joseph Woll and Martin Jones. But there are questions revolving around each of them.Samsonov was 27 10 5 with a 2.33 goals against average, .919 save percentage and four shutouts in 42 games last season, his first with Toronto. But the 26 year old, who was awarded a one year contract through arbitration July 23, has struggled to stay healthy at times and missed the Maple Leafs' final two Stanley Cup Playoff games against the Florida Panthers in the Eastern Conference Second Round because of a neck injury.Woll replaced Samsonov against Florida and played well, making 64 saves on 68 shots in those two games. But the 25 year old has 15 career NHL games 11 regular season, four playoffs and must overcome his inexperience.Jones was brought in as insurance. The 33 year old was 27 13 3 with a 2.99 GAA Ales Stezka Jersey, .887 save percentage and three shutouts in 48 games with the Seattle Kraken last season. Toronto Maple Leafs 2023 24 Season Preview 3. Can John Klingberg regain his offensive form?The 31 year old admits he struggled last season, and the numbers back him up. He had 33 points 10 goals, 23 assists in 67 games with the Anaheim Ducks and Minnesota Wild last season and struggled defensively, finishing minus 25.The Maple Leafs plan to use him in situations to exploit his strengths and minimize his weaknesses. As such, expect him to replace Morgan Rielly on the top power play unit and play limited minutes 5 on 5.Klingberg has had at least 32 points in each of his nine NHL seasons the first eight with the Dallas Stars , so the offensive upside is there. It'll be up to Toronto to find ways to limit his defensive deficiencies.

EDMONTON NHL outdoor games bring out the kid in players, regardless of how long they have been in the League.The Edmonton Oilers and Calgary Flames will renew the iconic "Battle of Alberta" in an outdoor setting for the first time when they play the 2023 Tim Hortons NHL Heritage Classic at Commonwealth Stadium on Sunday 7 p.m. ET; TVAS, SN, TBS, MAX. For many, it will be a return to their childhood rituals."As a kid those are your best memories, " Oilers defenseman Darnell Nursesaid. "You get into minor hockey and it's fun but playing on the pond or someone's backyard rink and playing for hours with your friends from school, that was always awesome."Every player who grew up in a winter climate skated on an outdoor rink. Growing up it was the place to be and gather with friends and family, playing through frozen fingers and toes."I think it's definitely super Canadian and some of those northern U.S. states as well, I know it's big there too, " Oilers captain Connor McDavidsaid. "There is something about just playing outside. Us Canadians just having a pretty bitter winter and still be able to get outside and enjoy the outdoors like we do Mark Howe Jersey, whether that's the outdoor rink or skiing or cross country skiing, it's very Canadian of us and it's what we all love to do." © Jason Halstead Getty ImagesGrowing up in the greater Toronto area, McDavid had his favorite outdoor spot where he would spend hours working on his craft."We had a park in Aurora Ontario , it was actually a baseball diamond that they would flood, it was right across from the community center, " he said. "It was a huge thing, and there were times there would be no one out there and you get to skate on this big outdoor rink by yourself and there would be other times where it was pretty packed, and you had to stay in your own little section, so there were lots of good memories out there. I have great memories of going out there after school with my brother and family and friends. Lots of great memories on the outdoor rink, for sure."McDavid and his family had a backyard rink for a time as well, where he and his older brother Cameron would skate. He said it did not last long."It became time for a deck and a hot tub, or an outdoor rink, and my dad elected to put in a deck and a hot tub, " McDavid said. "I think my mom had some influence on that too. The backyard rink was finished after that."Though McDavid was projected to miss 1 2 weeks with an upper body injury sustained Oct. 21, Oilers coach Jay Woodcroft did not rule him out for the game Sunday.The 2023 Heritage Classic will commemorate the 20th anniversary of the first NHL regular season game held outdoors, when the Montreal Canadiens defeated the Oilers 4 3 at Commonwealth Stadium on Nov. 22, 2003. The game launched a trend, which has since seen 37 outdoor games and remains immensely popular among fans and players alike."It's really fun. It doesn't feel like a regular season game, it feels like its own event, " Oilers forward Zach Hyman said. "It counts toward the regular season, but it feels like it means more. There is so much that goes into it. You have family skates, you have the media, you have different equipment Carter Hart Jersey, different attire. The day is different, sometimes you're waiting on sunlight, sometimes you're waiting on other things. There are so many variables that sometimes you can't take your routine into it."Hyman will participate in his third NHL outdoor game. He helped the Toronto Maple Leafs to a 5 4 overtime win against the Detroit Red Wings in the 2017 Scotiabank NHL Centennial Classic at Exhibition Stadium in Toronto. Hyman and the Maple Leafs also played the 2018 NHL Stadium Series at Navy Marine Corps Memorial Stadium in Annapolis, Maryland, a 5 2 loss to the Washington Capitals."They are so much fun, you're putting on new gear, you're putting on clothes that will keep you warm, it's a new spectacle and they're awesome to be a part of, I love them, " Hyman said. "It reminds me of being a kid and playing outdoors. You get an atmosphere that you would never get in a closed arena. You get an opened atmosphere with tons of fans. Sometimes it's snowing, it's crazy, it's awesome." See stunning Northern lights display in Edmonton For Canadians, skating on outdoor rinks, ponds and flooded backyards is a rite of passage. NHL outdoor games pay homage to a simpler time in players' lives, and though the two points being contested are important, they almost become secondary in an entire spectacle occurring only a handful of times in a season.The Heritage Classic is one of four outdoor games scheduled this season. The Vegas Golden Knights and Seattle Kraken will play the 2024 Discover NHL Winter Classic at T Mobile Park in Seattle on Jan. 1. The Philadelphia Flyers face the New Jersey Devils and the New York Rangers play the New York Islanders at the 2024 Navy Federal Credit Union NHL Stadium Series at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey Denver Barkey Jersey, on Feb 17 and 18, respectively."It's only my third one and it's still special, " Hyman said. "You don't know when your next outdoor game is, and you don't know if you'll ever play in another outdoor game. When I played my second one in Toronto, I didn't know if I was going to play in another one. It also means a lot to your family. Your family gets to come out and experience the family skate and all the extra circulars beforehand. It really is an event in itself that is different than a regular season game."For the Oilers and Flames, the Heritage Classic will be the third time each team plays outdoors."I played the 2016 Heritage Classic in Winnipeg and that was an unbelievable experience, so I'm really looking forward to this one, " Nurse said. "It's an interprovincial rivalry, it'll bring out a big crowd and it will be a great atmosphere."

NHL identifies key gameday matchups and players to watch throughout the 2023 24 season.Note: Betting lines provided by Betway U.S., Ontario 1. Vegas Golden Knights at Edmonton Oilers 9 p.m. ET; TVAS, SNW, SCRIPPS VGK moneyline: +110EDM moneyline: 130The Golden Knights and Oilers meet for the first time since their 2023 Stanley Cup Playoff series, when Vegas defeated Edmonton in six games during the Western Conference Second Round on the way to its first championship. The Oilers have won consecutive games and five of their past eight including 4 3 0 under new coach Kris Knoblauch , and Vegas is 3 5 2 in its past 10.The Oilers are led by reigning Hart Trophy winner Connor McDavid, who has nine points one goal, eight assists in his past two games and had 10 points five goals Pyotr Kochetkov Jersey, five assists in six games against Vegas last postseason to lead that series. Forward Evander Kane leads Edmonton with seven goals in seven games under Knoblauch. Golden Knights center William Karlsson leads them in goals 10 and points 21 in 22 games this season.2. Florida Panthers at Toronto Maple Leafs 7 p.m. ET; TVAS, TSN4, BSFL FLA puckline +1.5 goals : 205TOR puckline1.5 goals : +170The Panthers will be on the second of back to back games after defeating the Ottawa Senators 5 0 on Monday, improving to 8 3 0 in their past 11 games. The Maple Leafs return home after dropping consecutive road games against the Chicago Blackhawks on Friday 4 3 in overtime and Pittsburgh Penguins 3 2 on Saturday. The Panthers defeated the Maple Leafs 3 1 at home on Oct. 19 and also won their Eastern Conference Second Round Series against them in five games during the 2023 postseason.Florida forward Sam Reinhart scored two goals against Ottawa on Monday, pulling him into a tie with Brock Boeser of the Vancouver Canucks and Nikita Kucherov of the Tampa Bay Lightning for the NHL lead in the category 15. Toronto is tied for ninth in the NHL in goals 3.42 , led by four players with at least 20 points William Nylander, Auston Matthews, Mitchell Marner Jordan Martinook Jersey, John Tavares , while Florida is tied for 19th 3.00. But the Panthers have a better team save percentage .905; tied for 10th than the Maple Leafs .892; tied for 21st.3. Tampa Bay Lightning at Arizona Coyotes 9 p.m. ET; SCRIPPS, BSSUN Over 6.5 total goals: 115Under 6.5 total goals: 105This matchup features two of the best power plays in the NHL this season; the Lightning are second in power play percentage 33.3 behind only the New Jersey Devils 37.5 , while the Coyotes rank seventh 25.4. The Coyotes had a 1 0 shootout win against the Lightning on Feb. 15 at Mullett Arena last season thanks to a 47 save shutout from Arizona goalie Connor Ingram.Tampa Bay will be on the second of back to back games after Andrei Vasilevskiy allowed three goals on 22 shots faced in their 4 1 loss to the Colorado Avalanche on Monday; he won his season debut against the Carolina Hurricanes on Friday, stopping 22 saves on 24 shots faced. Lightning forward Nikita Kucherov leads the NHL in points 36 in 21 games. The Coyotes are coming off a 2 0 road win against the Golden Knights on Saturday, when Ingram stopped all 34 shots faced for his first shutout of the season.Canadian ReadersOnly available in Ontario, 19+. Bet the responsible way. Visit our Responsible Gambling page or contact us for further details. ConnexOntario provides service information and resources for people experiencing problems with gambling, drugs, alcohol https://www.hurricanespro...e-murray-jersey, or mental health. The service is free, confidential, and available anytime. Call ConnexOntario 24 7 at 1 866 531 2600. Text us at 247247 or chat with us at ca.U.S ReadersOdds subject to change. Must be 21+ and present in AZ CO IN IA LA permitted parishes NJ OH PA VA. Gambling problem? Call text 1 800 GAMBLER or visit s.

NASHVILLE Leon Draisaitl and Zach Hyman each had four points, and Jack Campbell made 43 saves for the Edmonton Oilers in their first win of the season, 6 1 against the Nashville Predators at Bridgestone Arena on Tuesday. Ryan Nugent Hopkins had a goal and two assists, and Connor McDavidhad a goal and an assist for the Oilers 1 2 0 , who were outscored 12 4 in their first two games by the Vancouver Canucks. Draisaitl scored two power play goals, the 127th and 128th of his career, to pass Ryan Smyth and Glenn Anderson 126 for most in Oilers history. 'Obviously two incredible players that have done a lot for this organization,' Draisaitl said Connor Brown Jersey. 'To be a part of that list is very special. This is obviously as much of a tribute to my teammates as it is to me. I'm well aware of how smart of hockey players I have around me. I'm very fortunate to be, I guess, on the receiving end of it. ' EDM NSH: Draisaitl breaks the Oilers PPG record Tommy Novak scored for the Predators 1 3 0 , who have lost their past two games. Kevin Lankinen replaced Juuse Saros in goal after the first period and made 17 saves. Saros finished with seven saves on 11 shots. 'We actually came out pretty good,' Nashville captain Roman Josi said. 'I thought the first 10 minutes started well, played fast. We talk about not giving them power plays, I took a penalty there, which I shouldn't take. They're just so dangerous on the power play. They scored and I felt like we got a little bit away from our game after that. 'Draisaitl gave the Oilers a 1 0 lead at 8:11 of the first period on the power play from the slot. 'Obviously not the start we wanted to the season, but I thought tonight was another good step,' Draisaitl said. 'Clean up a couple things for sure, but all in all, we played a solid game. 'Hyman pushed the lead to 2 0 at 13:38 of the first period on a pass from Nugent Hopkins, who then scored for a 3 0 lead at 16:45 on a backhand pass across the crease from Warren Foegele. EDM NSH: McDavid recovers to score beautiful goal McDavid extended the lead to 4 0 at 17:46 of the first after chipping the puck off the boards around Predators defenseman Ryan McDonagh, losing his balance and spinning on one knee to avoid Alexandre Carrier, then beating Saros on the blocker side. Novak scored a power play goal to cut it to 4 1 at 2:08 of the second period. 'I really liked our will and our effort,' Predators coach Andrew Brunette said. 'It just has to be a little smarter and a little bit of understanding in parts of the game where you really have to make sure we take care of business in certain areas and we didn't https://www.edmontonoiler...n-sutter-jersey. They made us pay. 'Draisaitl gave the Oilers a 5 1 lead at 7:53 of the second period with a wrist shot on the power play. It was his second goal of the game and 24th in 24 games against Nashville. He has 34 points 22 goals, 12 assists in his past 12 games against the Predators. '[Draisaitl] scores against every team, it's not just Nashville,' Hyman said. 'We were joking around with him, but obviously he's had tremendous success against these guys for whatever reason. He's a pretty good player. 'Foegele scored at 15:27 of the second period for the 6 1 final. Defenseman Mattias Ekholm, who played 719 games during 12 seasons with the Predators, played here for the first time since he was traded Feb. 28. Ekholm finished with three shots on goal in 19:13 of ice time. 'It's always difficult getting traded or signing somewhere else, especially where you really enjoy the city,' Campbell said. 'I know it was a big day for [Ekholm], a lot of nerves I'm sure just from dealing with it with my past. So, seeing him come out and play the game that he always plays for us, which is just a steady, big time presence on the back end but also jumping up and making the offensive plays he makes, every single guy in the room was playing hard for him tonight. 'NOTES: Draisaitl had four points for the 23rd time in his career, tying Nicklas Backstrom for fifth most among active players behind Sidney Crosby 37 , McDavid 32 , Alex Ovechkin 32 and Evgeni Malkin 29. It was the Oilers' 73rd six goal game since 2015 16, tied with the Tampa Bay Lightning for most among all teams over that span. Edmonton is 10 0 2 in its past 12 games against Nashville, its longest active point streak against one opponent https://www.edmontonoiler...raisaitl-jersey. Predators defenseman Luke Schenn missed his third consecutive game because of a lower body injury.