Edmonton Oilers' captain Connor McDavid was asked about the response to his comments on NHL player safety and how suspensions are handled. A few days ago, he was fairly vocal about not liking the process and about players being frustrated. He believed it was time to revisit the way things work. 

Head of the NHL Department of Player Safety, George Parros, stood his ground in the face of criticism.

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Following a controversial decision to only suspend Radko Gudas for five games after a knee-on-knee hit, Parros said:

“We sweat over these decisions and pore over these decisions every night, all season long. We have a process in place that’s consistent, and we have a team that works for me, and together with me, that evaluates all these plays. A very experienced team, a veteran team. Guys who have been there since the beginning of the department. Not to mention all the former players who have a large set of experiences playing NHL games and accolades. Some of the best guys who have played the game work for this department, helping make decisions. So, our process, I feel very confident in. We’ve got great guys who make these decisions, and I think the players should be confident in this team to do so.”

-

NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman backed Parros and added that if the players wanted something different, it should have been mentioned in the recent CBA renegotiation. It wasn't. Bettman seemed to hint that it was on the players.

McDavid was asked if he was OK with Parros' comments.

"Yeah, I mean, obviously, you know, I said what I said a couple days ago. Obviously, the league disagrees, and that’s fine. But, you know, as I said, there’s obviously frustration from the players. Every single time one of these things comes up, I think everyone kind of voices that."

-

He added, "So the status quo doesn’t matter—nothing has to change—but, you know, I think things like this leave an opportunity to have those discussions. And obviously, if there’s a better way, there’s a better way. If there’s not, there’s not. But we’ll never know if we don’t have that conversation."

"It takes all of us to be a bit more dangerous, shoot the puck a little bit more."

Connor McDavid shares his thoughts on playing without Leon Draisaitl & the #Oilers matchup with the Panthers. @Enterprise | #LetsGoOilerspic.twitter.com/Y5ijj63wvW

— Edmonton Oilers (@EdmontonOilers) March 19, 2026

McDavid was also asked about Leon Draisaitl's injury and losing the team's star for the rest of the regular season. He said it was unfortunate but called it another opportunity for players to step up. Understanding what Draisaitl brings, he'll never be replaced. But, when it comes to goal scoring, maybe the Oilers can do it by committee. 

"It takes all of us to be a bit more dangerous, shoot the puck a little bit more."

The Oilers will take on the Florida Panthers Thursday night, looking for some retribution after two consecutive Stanley Cup Final losses. The Oilers have played better hockey of late and are looking to win three in a row for the second time this season. 

The Panthers are not the team they were last season, but the Oilers will need to be cautious not to take them too lightly. 

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After their tough 4-1 loss to the Washington Capitals, the Ottawa Senators weren't knocked out on Wednesday night, but it was a body blow that landed hard. The loss keeps the Senators five points out of a playoff spot, and now they face the New York Islanders on Thursday.

Boston (WC 1, 82 pts), Detroit (WC 2, 82 pts), and Columbus (81 pts), the teams the Senators (77 pts) are trying to catch, were all off on Wednesday. So, as all four teams play on Thursday night, the Senators are the only team in a back-to-back situation.

Sens fans probably don't bother to notice the Islanders' standing because it seems like they've been out of the wildcard jam for a while. But they're anything but home free. They're only one point up on the wild card teams and two points up on the Blue Jackets, who could force an early spring on Long Island.

So, as many games are this time of the year in this parity-laced league, this game in Ottawa on Thursday has heavy playoff implications for both teams. 

It will be interesting to see if Travis Green will, for the second time in a week, go to Linus Ullmark in a back-to-back. He allowed just two goals in the loss to Washington, and while the Sens' inability to score was the sole reason they lost, Tom Wilson's game-winner was a shot Ullmark had to stop. If he's not in, James Reimer is ready to take his ballcap off.

The Senators and Islanders haven't played since last October when Anders Lee broke a tie with 1:03 remaining in the third period to give the Islanders a 5-4 win. It wasn't a great early first impression for newcomer Jordan Spence, who, as last man back, coughed up the puck to Lee, just as the game appeared headed to overtime.

Spence has been one of the bright spots for the Senators in Jake Sanderson's absence. Whether it's causation or correlation, the Sens have scuffled offensively in four of the five games since Sanderson went down, scoring two goals or less in four of those games. 

As the NHL regular season nears its conclusion, the scoring trouble might also be a case of squeezing the sticks too hard. The Senators know what they might be capable of if they can manage to sneak into the playoffs, and the worry about missing out on that chance may be starting to create some pressure.

The Islanders are led, in part, by rookie Matthew Schaefer, who's a good bet to win the Calder Trophy as NHL rookie of the year. He's been right at home in the NHL, scoring 20 goals and 49 points, good for second on the team in both categories. But he might not be at his best for this one. Schaefer is under the weather and didn't take part in the game day skate on Thursday, but Patrick Roy said he expects him to be ready for game time.

The Isles will look a little different than the last time they were here five months ago. They acquired Brayden Schenn at the NHL trade deadline, along with fellow Stanley Cup winner Ondrej Palat.

But there are some familiar faces, too. It's a return home for former Senator J.G. Pageau, and it's hard to believe he's already been gone for six years. Pageau recently signed a three-year extension with the Isles with a cap hit of $4,850,000 per season.

Here are the lineups, as per NHL.com.

Senators projected lineup

Drake Batherson -- Tim Stutzle -- Claude Giroux

Brady Tkachuk -- Dylan Cozens -- Ridly Greig

Nick Cousins -- Shane Pinto -- Michael Amadio

Warren Foegele -- Lars Eller -- Fabian Zetterlund

Thomas Chabot -- Artem Zub

Tyler Kleven -- Jordan Spence

Dennis Gilbert -- Nikolas Matinpalo

James Reimer

Linus Ullmark

Scratched: Stephen Halliday, Kurtis MacDermid

Injured: Jake Sanderson (upper body), Nick Jensen (lower body)

Islanders projected lineup

Emil Heineman -- Bo Horvat -- Mathew Barzal

Anthony Duclair -- Brayden Schenn -- Simon Holmstrom

Anders Lee -- Jean-Gabriel Pageau -- Calum Ritchie

Ondrej Palat -- Casey Cizikas -- Kyle MacLean

Matthew Schaefer -- Ryan Pulock

Adam Pelech -- Tony DeAngelo

Carson Soucy -- Scott Mayfield

Ilya Sorokin

David Rittich

Scratched: Max Shabanov, Marc Gatcomb, Adam Boqvist

Injured: Kyle Palmieri (ACL), Alexander Romanov (upper body), Semyon Varlamov (knee)

Face off is 7 pm (TV: TSN5, RDS2)

Steve Warne
The Hockey News

This article was originally published at The Hockey News. For more Senators news, analysis, and features, visit the Ottawa Senators site at The Hockey News.

More from The Hockey News:
The Buying and Selling Of Jakob Chychrun Never Quite Worked Out In Ottawa
One Year Later, The Fabian Zetterlund Trade Is Still Taking Shape
With Injuries To Sanderson And Jensen, Sens Top Up Depth At AHL Trade Deadline

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It’s a busy night on the ice on Thursday, March 19, and I’ve got a trio of NHL player props to cover you for all the action.

My top NHL picks feature three Russian standouts and are headlined by New York Islanders star netminder Ilya Sorokin.

Best NHL player prop bets today

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(not available in Ontario)

Our best NHL player props for Thursday, March 19

Take a look at our best bets and expert analysis below.

Prop #1: Ilya Sorokin Over 25.5 saves

-115 at BET99

New York Islanders star Ilya Sorokin is building a Vezina Trophy case with a rock-solid .914 save percentage and league-high 51.5 goals saved above expected, and he’s set to see plenty of rubber against the Ottawa Senators.

The Sens have averaged 30.1 shots per game while ranking fourth in Corsi For percentage during their active 11-3-2 run.

• Time: 7:00 p.m. ET
• Where to watch: MSGSN, TSN5

Prop #2: Pavel Dorofeyev Over 2.5 shots

-130 at BET99

Vegas Golden Knights winger Pavel Dorofeyev has picked up three or more shots in nine of 11 games out of the Olympic break. His 11.45 shots per 60 minutes during the run also rank 11th in the league.

Although the matchup is tough against the Utah Mammoth, it’s more than built into this price, and I also value Vegas having the last-change advantage on home ice to find favorable opportunities for Dorofeyev and linemates Tomas Hertl and Mitch Marner.

• Time: 10:00 p.m. ET
• Where to watch: ESPN+, Sportsnet+

Prop #3: Nikita Kucherov Over 1.5 points

-120 at BET99

The Vancouver Canucks have allowed the second-most goals per game (3.8) out of the Olympic break, and Tampa Bay Lightning superstar Nikita Kucherov is on an all-time heater with 30 multi-point showings across his past 44 games.

Kucherov is up to 6.25 points per 60 minutes during the run, and to further put the dominance in perspective, only Edmonton Oilers Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl have a higher points per 60 mark than Kucherov’s 4.35 assists per 60 minutes.

• Time: 10:00 p.m. ET
• Where to watch: ESPN+, Sportsnet Pacific

These props are available now at BET99, one of our best betting sites.

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We are now two weeks removed from the NHL's Trade Deadline, which has given us plenty of time to evaluate how players have fit in with their new clubs. 

During the trade season, the Los Angeles Kings made some notable splashes by acquiring Artemi Panarin and Scott Laughton, but they also shipped out two pieces that have gone under the radar since.

The Kings traded veteran Corey Perry to the Tampa Bay Lightning and also dealt Warren Foegele to the Ottawa Senators, assisting each team with their respective playoff pushes while also accumulating assets. 

Corey Perry (Tampa Bay Lightning)

Prior to the deadline, it seemed as if the Kings were going to get a contract extension done with the pending UFA but on the afternoon of deadline day, Perry was suddenly traded to the Lighting in exchange for a 2nd round pick in the 2028 NHL draft. Incredible value for a 40-year-old bottom six forward on an expiring contract.

So far the move has seemed to be a win-win for all parties. Although the Lightning have cooled off a bit lately, Perry has made a positive impact in his second stint with the franchise. 

Perry played in Tampa Bay for the 2021-22 and 2022-23 seasons where he played his role perfectly and became a fan favourite. In his second stint, the former MVP has scored two goals and one assist for three points in six games. He also continues to be a pest for other teams with his physical presence. 

Fit For The Throne? How The Newest Kings Have Performed So FarThe Los Angeles Kings were busy during the NHL's trade season, but have their moves payed off so far?

Warren Foegele (Ottawa Senators)

As the season went on, it became clear that Warren Foegele was the most likely King to be traded, and that became true on the night before deadline day. 

The Kings and Senators agreed on a deal that sent Foegele to Ottawa along with a 2026 3rd round pick in exchange for a 2026 2nd round pick, as well as 2026 3rd round pick.

Although the 3rd round picks seemingly cancel each other out, this was another solid move by Ken Holland who managed to acquire a 2nd round pick for a guy who had just nine points prior to the trade.

In 47 games with L.A. this season, the 29-year-old scored just seven goals with two assists. In six games in Ottawa, he has already produced a third of his point total in Los Angeles with two goals and one assist.

Foegele has provided Ottawa with some very crucial secondary scoring as they try to claw their way into a playoff spot as the regular season dwindles down.

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The Montreal Canadiens will meet the Detroit Red Wings in a monumental Atlantic Division matchup on Thursday, March 19. This marks the third meeting between these teams this season after they split the first two.

My Canadiens vs. Red Wings predictions and NHL picks suggest that Habs fans will go home happy, with Nick Suzuki finding the stat sheet yet again.

Canadiens vs Red Wings prediction

Canadiens vs Red Wings best bet: Nick Suzuki 1+ assists (-155)

Montreal Canadiens captain Nick Suzuki paces the team in points (80) and has been riding an extra-generous streak as of late. He's posted back-to-back multi-point outings and has nine assists in his last nine games.

He's averaging 0.89 assists per game in 2026, and has two in two games against the Detroit Red Wings this season.

Furthermore, he has 22 assists in his last 22 games overall, and 10 in his last eight against Atlantic Division opponents.

Canadiens vs Red Wings same-game parlay

The winger Suzki's grown accustomed to feeding is Cole Caufield, who is on an absolute tear. He has scored in three straight games and has more goals than any other player in 2026.

He just became the first Canadien to score 40 goals in a season in over three decades, and will now make a push for the half-century mark. Both he and Suzuki have benefited from Juraj Slafkovsky's return to the top line in place of Kirby Dach, who will rehab yet another injury.

Montreal has won four of the last six against Detroit and sport an impressive 18-7-8 record on the road. They're fresh off a massive divisional win in overtime against the Boston Bruins, where all three of these legs hit in one play in the final minute of overtime.

Canadiens vs Red Wings SGP

• Nick Suzuki 1+ assists
• Cole Caufield anytime goal
• Canadiens moneyline

Canadiens vs Red Wings odds

• Moneyline: Canadiens -110 | Red Wings -110
• Puck Line: Canadiens -1.5 (+215) | Red Wings +1.5 (-270)
• Over/Under: Over 6.5 (+110) | Under 6.5 (-130)

Canadiens vs Red Wings trend

Montreal has won four of the last six against Detroit. Find more NHL betting trends for Canadiens vs. Red Wings.

How to watch Canadiens vs Red Wings

Canadiens vs Red Wings latest injuries

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We’ve got 11 games on tonight’s NHL betting slate, including a rematch of last year’s Stanley Cup Final as the Florida Panthers head north to face the Edmonton Oilers.

Evan Bouchard has increased his shot volume lately, and my Oilers vs. Panthers predictions expect that trend to continue against a leaky Florida defense. 

Find out more in my free NHL picks for Thursday, March 19.

Panthers vs Oilers prediction

Panthers vs Oilers best bet: Evan Bouchard Over 2.5 shots (-130)

Evan Bouchard has been a shooting machine over his last five games.

The Edmonton Oilers defensemanleads the team with 18 shots on goal in that span, averaging 3.6 per game. Bouchard's total tonight is set at 2.5, a mark he’s surpassed in four of his last five games.

Meanwhile, the Florida Panthers' defense has been porous since the “tank” began, allowing an average of 29.1 shots per game. That should give Bouchard plenty of opportunities to hit the Over.

Panthers vs Oilers same-game parlay

Bouchard leads all NHL blueliners with 78 points, 59 of which are assists. He’s also recorded 1+ assists in 10 of his last 12 games.

The Over is 8-2 in the last 10 meetings between these two teams and stands at 40-26-3 overall for Edmonton this season. It has also hit in both games for Florida during its current road trip.

Panthers vs Oilers SGP

• Evan Bouchard Over 2.5 shots
• Evan Bouchard Over 0.5 assists
• Over 6.5

Panthers vs Oilers odds

• Moneyline: Panthers +130 | Oilers -150
• Puck Line: Panthers +1.5 (-180) | Oilers -1.5 (+155)
• Over/Under: Over 6.5 (-120) | Under 6.5 (+100)

Panthers vs Oilers trend

Edmonton is 3-7 SU in its last 10 matchups against Florida. Find more NHL betting trends for Panthers vs. Oilers.

How to watch Panthers vs Oilers

Panthers vs Oilers latest injuries

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The Winnipeg Jets have to string together wins to make a playoff push, and they’ll look to do just that against the Boston Bruins at TD Garden on Thursday, March 19.

My top Jets vs. Bruins predictions and NHL picks call for a low-scoring game, with Winnipeg starter Connor Hellebuyck standing tall tonight. 

Jets vs Bruins prediction

Jets vs Bruins best bet: Connor Hellebuyck Over 24.5 saves (-115)

Winnipeg Jets netminder Connor Hellebuyck has built off the Olympics with a respectable .902 save percentage and 5.43 goals saved above average across nine games, and he should see enough volume to clear his saves total tonight.

The Boston Bruins have averaged 27.9 shots per game out of the break, with the Jets allowing 27.3 while treading water at five-on-five with a 49.5 Corsi For percentage.

Winnipeg is also without multiple veterans and dealt multiple blueliners at the trade deadline, while Boston has a healthy lineup pushing for a postseason berth.

Jets vs Bruins same-game parlay

Winnipeg continues to mount its own playoff push, sporting an active 5-2-1 run while allowing just 2.63 goals per game. With Boston scoring just 2.56 per during the same stretch, I like the Under to cash. 

The final leg of this SGP turns to Winnipeg winger Gabriel Vilardi, and he’s recorded two or more shots in eight of his past 14 games, including piling up six last time out. Vilardi's also receiving consistent top-six minutes and jumps the boards with the No. 1 power-play unit.

Jets vs Bruins SGP

• Under 5.5
• Connor Hellebuyck Over 24.5 saves
• Gabriel Vilardi Over 1.5 shots

Jets vs Bruins odds

• Moneyline: Jets +115 | Bruins -135
• Puck Line: Jets +1.5 (-215) | Bruins -1.5 (+175)
• Over/Under: Over 5.5 (-130) | Under 5.5 (+110)

Jets vs Bruins trend

Winnipeg has hit the Under in 14 of its last 20 contests (+8.55 Units / 38% ROI), while Boston has played to the Under in each of its past five home games (+5.00 Units / 90% ROI). Find more NHL betting trends for Jets vs. Bruins.

How to watch Jets vs Bruins

Jets vs Bruins latest injuries

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During the 2024 NHL off-season, the Chicago Blackhawks signed forward Tyler Bertuzzi to a four-year, $22 million contract in free agency. In 82 games with the Blackhawks during the 2024-25 season, he had 23 goals, 23 assists, and 46 points. Overall, the 2013 second-round pick had a decent first season with the Blackhawks.

However, Bertuzzi has undoubtedly made a more significant impact during his second season with the Blackhawks. In fact, the 31-year-old winger is having one of the best seasons of his career and is inches away from hitting an impressive single-season milestone because of it.

In 64 games this season with the Blackhawks, Bertuzzi has 28 goals, 21 assists, and 49 points. With this, he needs only two more goals to hit the 30-goal mark for the second time in his career. He also needs only three more goals this season to set a new career high with 31. 

 With numbers like these, there is no question that Bertuzzi has been impressing with the Blackhawks this season. He has a decent amount of time to score his 30th goal of the season, too, as the Blackhawks have 15 games remaining. It will be interesting to see how many goals Bertuzzi has once the season is over from here. 

The St. Louis Blues’ push to the playoffs might be coming a little too late in the season, as they sit six points out of a playoff spot with 14 games remaining, but there are plenty of positive things occurring during this run. 

To start, Robert Thomas has found his game again and has also discovered which linemates he’s best suited with. The balance on the top line, consisting of Thomas, Dylan Holloway, and Jimmy Snuggerud, has carried the offense during this stretch.

Additionally, the Blues have recalled several young players throughout the season, and during this run, they’ve witnessed Dalibor Dvorsky, Otto Stenberg, and Theo Lindstein play meaningful minutes as rookies.

While all those players have contributed to the success of the Blues during this stretch, the most positive sign and the main reason they have garnered this success is due to the play of goaltender Joel Hofer. 

Hofer now ranks tied for 10th place among goaltenders in save percentage with a .909 SP. He also ranks second in the NHL with five shutouts. According to moneypuck.com, Hofer ranks 16th in the NHL in goals saved above expected with 8.9.

If Hofer’s beginning of the season wasn’t so inconsistent, there’s a real reason to believe that his numbers could have been even better.

As his season totals are impressive on their own, his play over the last seven games has been nothing short of remarkable. He’s posted a 5-0-2 record, and his lowest save percentage was .939 in a game in which he allowed four goals on 49 shots, losing in overtime to the New York Islanders. 

In total, he’s posted a .955 SP in his last seven games. 

Although Jordan Binnington has seen some improved performances since returning from the Olympics, he’s started just four of the 11 games, and his most recent outing against the Winnipeg Jets proved to be more of the same of what we’ve seen from the 32-year-old.

Hofer’s play, age, and contract situation may help the Blues feel more assured if they do elect to trade Binnington in the off-season. 

Blues Goaltending Prospect Named Goaltender And Rookie Of The Year St. Louis Blues goaltending prospect Love Harenstam has been named <a href="http://thn.com/international">HockeyAllsvenskan</a> goaltender of the year and rookie of the year.&nbsp;

At 25, Hofer is still quite young for a goaltender, leaving plenty of room for growth, especially as the Blues attempt to become a team driven by youth. 

Unfortunately, Hofer’s excellent form may result in the Blues narrowly missing the playoffs and earning a worse draft pick. Still, this stretch of games could have a lasting effect on Hofer’s confidence and the franchise’s goaltending trajectory. 

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The Pittsburgh Penguins have announced that they have assigned forward Avery Hayes to their American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. 

Hayes has played in his first 11 career NHL games this season with Pittsburgh, where he has two goals, 12 penalty minutes, and 13 hits. His two goals came in his NHL debut against the Buffalo Sabres on Feb. 5. 

Now, after being re-assigned to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, Hayes will be looking to make a big impact. The 23-year-old forward has played in 36 games this season with the AHL club, where he has 19 goals, 11 assists, 30 points, and 46 penalty minutes. He also has 10 goals and 13 points in his last 11 AHL games. 

It will now be interesting to see how Hayes performs after being sent back to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton's roster from here. 

The Florida Panthers have arrived in Alberta and are set to continue their final western road trip of the season with a quick back-to-back set.

Before heading to Calgary, the Panthers will make a stop in a familiar barn on Thursday night when they face the Edmonton Oilers at Rogers Place.

Those good memories will likely be welcomed by the Cats.

It’s been a tough season for the Panthers, both overall and recently, with Florida having lost each of the first two games on their four-game trip by a combined score of 11-4.

Standings-wise, the focus has shifted from looking up at the playoff race to looking down toward the lottery battle.

Entering play Thursday, there are six teams with fewer points than Florida’s 69, and one (Nashville) with the same amount. There are also four teams just ahead of the Panthers who are within two points of Florida.

This is all significant because the Panthers 2026 first-round pick, which they initially traded last March to Chicago in the Seth Jones deal, is top-10 protected and will stay with Florida if they finish in among the league’s 10 worst teams.

That may be what we’re keeping tabs on in South Florida, but up in Edmonton they’re still very much alive in their quest to finally get over the hump and win a Stanley Cup after coming up just short in each of the past two years.

The Oilers are currently in second place in the Pacific Division, sandwiched between the first-place Anaheim Ducks, who hold a one-point edge over Edmonton, and the always-dangerous Vegas Golden Knights, sitting one point back in third.

Here are the Panthers projected lines and pairings for Thursday’s tangle with the Oilers:

Carter Verhaeghe – Sam Bennett – Matthew Tkachuk

Eetu Luostarinen – Anton Lundell – Mackie Samoskevich

A.J. Greer – Tomas Nosek – Cole Reinhardt

Nolan Foote – Luke Kunin – Vinnie Hinostroza

Gus Forsling – Aaron Ekblad

Niko Mikkola – Seth Jones

Dmitry Kulikov – Mike Benning

Extras: Jesper Boqvist, Uvis Balinskis, Evan Rodrigues, Donovan Sebrango Sam Reinhart (not on trip)

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Photo caption: Jun 14, 2025; Edmonton, Alberta, CAN; Opening face-off between the Edmonton Oilers and the Florida Panthers during the first period in game five of the 2025 Stanley Cup Final at Rogers Place. (Sergei Belski-Imagn Images)

The Chicago Blackhawks put Artyom Levshunov on a development plan in the handful of games leading up to the Olympic Break.

That included sitting him out of NHL games without sending him down to the AHL. This allowed him to work with the coaching staff and practice with his NHL teammates without subjecting him to discouraging performances. 

They also didn’t bruise his confidence, which can happen to a highly touted prospect if they are back and forth between the NHL and AHL. It was a somewhat risky move, but the early returns have been good for the player and the team.

Since coming back from break, Levshunov has been much better. Between his being scratched and the Olympics, he had close to a month without game action.

Although +/- is an extremely flawed metric in today’s world, being -5 in his last game played was not a good sign. He is still a minus in almost every game since returning, but his overall play has improved. 

There is still work to be done with his game, both offensively and defensively. He has three assists in the 10 games since returning, and one waved-off goal.

One of the assists was a sensational pass to spring Connor Bedard into the offensive zone on Monday night against the Minnesota Wild. After receiving the puck from Levshunov, Bedard made a play to hit Frank Nazar for a game-tying goal that forced overtime. 

Levshunov is becoming one of the most relied-upon players. Against the Wild, he led the Blackhawks with 26:29 of ice time. Only Quinn Hughes played more in the game for either side.

Levshunov plays big minutes at even strength, on the power play, and on the penalty kill. His ability to be a factor in every facet of the game makes him worth being patient with when it isn’t going as well. 

After the OTL to the Wild, Jeff Blashill said that the young defenseman still needs some decision-making growth, but overall, there was a lot of good. 

"Obviously a great play on the game-tying goal to get it up to [Bedard]," Blashill said. "He is making progress on things like deception with the puck. He defended hard, out there a lot against Kaprizov and Boldy. He defended really hard and did a good job with it."  

Young defensemen very rarely make it to the NHL and dominate right away. It is the position that takes the most time to develop. For Levshunov, there have been significant flashes of brilliance to go with his warts.

The issues have all been coachable, and he is willing to get better every day instead of complaining about tough coaching. The organization clearly has a lot of faith in his potential, and his winning attitude makes it easier. 

The nice thing for the Blackhawks is that they have other great young defensemen developing alongside Levshunov. Every player who dressed on defense against the Wild was 24 or younger. 

Jeff Blashill attributed that decision to getting Ethan Del Mastro some consecutive games, as he believes it was earned by his play in Rockford. 

"It's something that we talked about at the trade deadline," Blashill said on that decision to dress a younger blue line. "We decided to go that route. I thought Kaiser was excellent; the group had moments of good and moments of not good enough. We just have to continue to throw them in the fire and watch them grow."

The Blackhawks have Connor Bedard, Frank Nazar, and Anton Frondell, amongst other really good forwards who can make plays, but building from the net out has been important to Kyle Davidson and his staff.

As these young defenseman start to get even better in the coming years, the team will be extremely difficult to play against. A guy like Artyom Levshunov is expected to be one of the leaders in that area. 

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The Buffalo Sabres have been the NHL's biggest surprise this season. After a shaky start to the campaign, the Sabres now have a 42-20-6 record and are at the top of the Atlantic Division standings. With this, they should make the playoffs for the first time since 2011 this year. 

A former Philadelphia Flyers goaltender has been one of the reasons for the Sabres' dramatic turnaround, as Alex Lyon is having a great season for Buffalo. 

In 32 games this season with the Sabres, Lyon has a 19-8-3 record, a .913 save percentage, a 2.62 goals-against average, and two shutouts. With numbers like these, Lyon has been thriving with the Sabres and has undoubtedly made a positive impact with the Atlantic Division club. 

Lyon is also having this kind of season with a bargain $1.5 million cap hit. With this, he is providing the Sabres with fantastic value. The former Flyers goalie is also signed until the end of next season, which is great news for Buffalo. 

Lyon spent the first four seasons of his NHL career with the Flyers. In 22 games with Philadelphia over that span, he had a 6-7-2 record, a .893 save percentage, and a 3.21 goals-against average.

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The Ottawa Senators have been one of the league’s best goal suppression teams over the past two months, while the New York Islanders sit third in goals against this season.

Add in high stakes between two teams fighting for a playoff spot, and my Islanders vs. Senators predictions expect a low-scoring matchup.

Let’s dive into my NHL picks for Thursday, March 19.

Islanders vs Senators prediction

Islanders vs Senators best bet: Under 5.5 (+115)

The Ottawa Senators are an exceptional defensive team, ranking Top 3 in limiting shots, scoring chances, and expected goals at 5-on-5.

Their stout play has led to great results of late, with only the powerhouse Dallas Stars having conceded fewer goals over the last two months.

Ottawa is pairing improved goaltending with strong defensive play, setting them up to slow down the league’s 22nd-ranked offense.

Scoring will also be a challenge against the New York Islanders, who rank third in goals against and will trot out Vezina candidate Ilya Sorokin.

Islanders vs Senators same-game parlay

Thomas Chabot has blocked 11 shots over the past four games, clearing his 1.5 line in three of them. This is par for the course without Jake Sanderson in the lineup.

Dating back to last season, Chabot recorded multiple blocks in eight of the last 11 games Sanderson missed — and all three Unders were against non-playoff teams.

Shane Pinto always ups his volume against the Islanders. He's averaging 3.1 shots through six head-to-head meetings and has gone Over 2.5 shots in all four on home soil.

Islanders vs Senators SGP

• Under 5.5
• Thomas Chabot Over 1.5 blocked shots
• Shane Pinto Over 2.5 shots

Islanders vs Senators odds

• Moneyline: Islanders +115 | Senators -135
• Puck Line: Islanders +1.5 (-215) | Senators -1.5 (+175)
• Over/Under: Over 5.5 (-135) | Under 5.5 (+115)

Islanders vs Senators trend

The New York Islanders have hit the game total Under in 16 of their last 25 away games (+8.45 Units / 30% ROI). Find more NHL betting trends for Islanders vs. Senators.

How to watch Islanders vs Senators

Islanders vs Senators latest injuries

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Since getting drafted ninth overall in the 2024 NHL Entry Draft, Zayne Parekh has carried significant expectations as a cornerstone of the Calgary Flames’ rebuild. His offensive pedigree made him one of the most intriguing defense prospects in recent years, but his first professional season has exposed the gap between junior dominance and NHL readiness.

Junior Dominance Created High Expectations

Parekh’s numbers in the OHL made the hype understandable. He recorded back-to-back 33-goal seasons with the Saginaw Spirit, including a 107-point campaign in 2024–25. That level of production from a defenseman suggested elite offensive upside, and many believed he was prepared to make the jump to professional hockey immediately.

However, development circumstances complicated that transition. Due to age restrictions preventing him from playing in the AHL, Parekh was placed directly on the Flames’ roster for the 2025–26 season. While this decision generated excitement, it has not yielded great results.

Difficult Transition

Parekh has struggled to establish himself at the NHL level. Early in the season, he saw limited ice time and was frequently a healthy scratch. Despite his offensive strengths, he received minimal power-play usage—an area where he could have potentially made an impact. His defensive game, meanwhile, has proven to be a significant weakness, particularly against the speed and physicality of NHL competition.

At 6-foot, 179 pounds, Parekh has also had difficulty handling the league’s physical demands. A notable hit sidelined him for over two months, further disrupting his development. While he showed flashes of his potential during the World Junior Championship—recording 13 points in seven games—those performances have not translated to the NHL. Since returning, he has struggled to secure consistent playing time and has produced minimal offense.

Through 22 games this season, Parekh has recorded just two assists, underscoring the challenges he’s faced adjusting to the professional level. While his offensive instincts remain promising, his all-around game is not yet refined enough to succeed in the NHL.

Back to the AHL

If sent down to the Wranglers, Parekh will have the opportunity to play regular minutes in a structured environment better suited for growth. This should allow him to address defensive shortcomings while continuing to build confidence offensively.

It’s important to note that defensemen often require more time to develop, and Parekh is no exception. While his rookie season has been underwhelming, it is far from definitive. The Flames’ handling of his development moving forward will be critical, as both the organization and Parekh himself look to reset and refocus for the future.