Category: Ice Hockey

Los Angeles Kings GM Ken Holland has been a busy man in the second half of this regular season. He acquired Artemi Panarin and has handled multiple key roster injuries such as Joel Armia, Kevin Fiala and Andrei Kuzmenko.

But most recently, he and the rest of the Kings' brass decided it was time to let go of coach Jim Hiller, making the coaching change official on Sunday morning. D.J. Smith, who was the associate coach to Hiller, is now the interim head coach.

Holland held a press conference at Sunday's practice, explaining his thinking behind his decision, but also his plans for Friday's NHL trade deadline. By the sounds of it, he won't be extremely active with the phones.

"If on Thursday I added Panarin, it'd be a big deadline deal," Holland told reporters. "I happened to do it three weeks ago because we wanted him.

With that, Holland believes he doesn't need to make any grand roster changes following his trade for Panarin from the New York Rangers.

"We made a big deadline deal," he explained. "It's just not on the deadline, it's in advance of the deadline."

Further, the Kings' GM described the team's injury situation, with Fiala out for the year, as well as Armia and Kuzmenko out. He said when those players return, Armia is likely the soonest, and they would provide a boost like a deadline deal would.

Eventually, Holland addressed what may happen with the team's draft capital. Los Angeles has all its first-round picks for the next three drafts, and two second-rounders in 2026.

However, at least concerning this year's first-round pick, Holland doesn't want to take any chances.

"Given where we are in the standings, I don't anticipate our first-round pick being in play," Holland said.

'Jimmy Fell On The Sword': Kings' Kopitar, Kempe, Fans React To Jim Hiller's FiringLos Angeles Kings forwards Anze Kopitar and Adrian Kempe react to coach Jim Hiller being fired and D.J. Smith's promotion. Kings fans also share their relief over the coaching change they've dreaded for a long time.

Following Sunday's NHL fixtures, the Kings are seven spots off the bottom of the league's standings. Meaning, if the regular season ended today, not only would they miss the playoffs for the first time in four years, but they'd also have the seventh-best draft lottery odds.

Last year, the Buffalo Sabres had the seventh spot going into the draft lottery and dropped two places, earning the ninth overall pick. The Boston Bruins ended up with the seventh pick, taking center James Hagens.

Nonetheless, while Holland won't be looking to move his first-round pick of the 2026 draft, he said he'll "work the phones" to see what could be available going into Friday's deadline.

---

For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.

Want to get more Covers content? Add us as a preferred source on your Google account here.

The Toronto Maple Leafs have put the lines in a blender, and that’s left us with great value on Bobby McMann against the Philadelphia Flyers

As a result, the forward will be headline my free Maple Leafs vs. Flyers predictions and NHL picks on Monday, March 2.

Flyers vs Maple Leafs prediction

Flyers vs Maple Leafs best bet: Bobby McMann Over 0.5 points (+115)

The Toronto Maple Leafs have reshuffled the lines for tonight’s contest after losing three straight games out of the break. 

That can allow for some under-priced NHL player props, and I’m looking squarely at Bobby McMann, who’s being showcased by being elevated back up on the top line with Auston Matthews and William Nylander. 

The price of the two top Leafs point producers is priced well, but the value lies with McMann, who’s getting +115 to get a point. 

Toronto is averaging 4.3 goals per game against Philly, which should give McMann ample opportunity to find the scoresheet.

Flyers vs Maple Leafs same-game parlay

I’ll continue to bet on McMann’s shot market, too, as long as he’s saddled up on the top line next to Matthews. The Leafs winger has gone Over his SOG total in eight of his last nine, averaging 2.7 shots per game over that stretch. 

The Leafs rank dead last in shots allowed per game this season, allowing 30+ shots in 15 of their last 16 games. I’ll bet on that volume continuing tonight and take the Over on Anthony Stolarz’s saves market.

Flyers vs Maple Leafs SGP

• Bobby McMann Over 0.5 points
• Bobby McMann Over 2.5 shots on goal
• Anthony Stolarz Over 24.5 saves

Flyers vs Maple Leafs odds

• Moneyline: Flyers +115| Maple Leafs -135
• Puck Line: Flyers +1.5 (-220) | Maple Leafs -1.5 (+180)
• Over/Under: Over 6.5 (+105) | Under 6.5 (-125)

Flyers vs Maple Leafs trend

The Maple Leafs are 9-1 on the money line in the last 10 contests between the two teams. Find more NHL betting trends for Flyers vs. Maple Leafs.

How to watch Flyers vs Maple Leafs

Flyers vs Maple Leafs latest injuries

This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here and view our best betting sites or check out our top sportsbook promos.

As of March 1, 2026, NHL teams can start signing players currently in junior hockey to Entry-Level Contracts that start in 2026-27. The Seattle Kraken and Vegas Golden Knights have already jumped on this opportunity, as each signed a player currently playing in the WHL. While Vegas signed a drafted prospect in Alex Weiermair, Seattle brought in 20-year-old Ryden Evers, who was an undrafted free agent. 

The WHL free agent market is the perfect opportunity for the Vancouver Canucks to add young, Canadian talent from the WHL. Vancouver has signed undrafted free agents from the CHL before, with the most notable being Arshdeep Bains back in 2022. With the signing window now open, here are three 20-year-old Canadians currently playing in the WHL that the Canucks could sign. 

Defenceman Carter Sotheran, Edmonton Oil Kings

Carter Sotherans name may sound familiar as he was drafted by the Philadelphia Flyers in 2023. The Flyers elected to let his rights expiry, which is why he is avaliable for any team that wants to add a 6'4", right-shot defenceman to their organization. Sotheran has thrived this season with 63 points in 60 games and is currently on a loaded Edmonton Oil Kings' team that is one of the favourites to win the WHL this season. 

Forward Shane Smith, Kelowna Rockets

As for a player already scheduled to play in the Memorial Cup, that would be Shane Smith of the Kelowna Rockets. The 20-year-old has done nothing but score since arriving in Kelowna, as he has 15 goals and 38 points in 32 games. Listed at 6'2", 205 lbs, Smith is a versitile forward who can impact the game both physically and on the scoresheet. 

Forward Kooper Gizowski, Prince George Couagrs

Kooper Gizowski is having a strong final season in the WHL. The 20-year-old  is up to 67 points in 59 games and has already surpassed the 30 goal mark for the year. Listed at 5'10", 168 lbs, Gizowski is expected to play a signifcant role for the Prince George Cougars in the upcoming 2026 WHL Playoffs. 

Make sure you bookmark THN's Vancouver Canucks site and add us to your favourites on Google News for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more. Also, don't forget to leave a comment at the bottom of the page and engage with other passionate fans through our forum. This article originally appeared on The Hockey News.

Latest From THN’s Vancouver Canucks Site: 

Will The Canucks Trade Lukas Reichel Before The 2026 NHL Trade Deadline?

Canucks Place Defenceman Guillaume Brisebois On Waivers

'He's Got To Be Better': Canucks Head Coach Adam Foote Speaks On Pettersson's Benching In Loss To Seattle 

For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.

Want to get more Covers content? Add us as a preferred source on your Google account here.

Valeri Nichushkin is having a strong season for the powerhouse Colorado Avalanche, on pace to clear 50 points for the third time in his career.

He has done his best work on the road, and my Avalanche vs. Kings predictions expect that to continue in Los Angeles.

Let’s dive deeper into my NHL picks for Monday, March 2.

Avalanche vs Kings prediction

Avalanche vs Kings best bet: Valeri Nichushkin Over 0.5 points (-105)

Valeri Nichushkin has hit the scoresheet in 16 of 25 away games, good for a 64% clip.

The caliber of opponent hasn’t affected his production. He has recorded a point in the same percentage of road games against Top-16 defenses as Bottom-16 defenses.

Colorado Avalanche head coach Jared Bednar recently moved Artturi Lehkonen to the second line, alongside Nichushkin and Brock Nelson. That’s a positive, as he’s seen an uptick in points per game and shots per game (2.1 to 2.9) with Lehkonen by his side.

The Kings have allowed 22 goals over the last five games, making this a favorable spot for Nichushkin to produce.

Avalanche vs Kings same-game parlay

Cale Makar has generated just six shots on goal over his last four games against Los Angeles. The Kings are excellent at closing on the points and taking away shooting lanes, forcing Makar to rely on his playmaking. He has five assists spanning the past four meetings with the Kings.

Nathan MacKinnon leads the league in goals and has exited the Olympic break firing at will, generating 14 shots on 19 attempts. He should find the net sooner rather than later with that kind of volume.

Avalanche vs Kings SGP

• Valeri Nichushkin Over 0.5 points
• Cale Makar Over 0.5 assists
• Nathan MacKinnon anytime goal

Avalanche vs Kings odds

• Moneyline: Avalanche -170 | Kings +145
• Puck Line: Avalanche -1.5 (+140) | Kings +1.5 (-160)
• Over/Under: Over 5.5 (-135) | Under 5.5 (-115)

Avalanche vs Kings trend

Valeri Nichushkin has points in five consecutive road games. Find more NHL betting trends for Avalanche vs. Kings.

How to watch Avalanche vs Kings

Avalanche vs Kings latest injuries

This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here and view our best betting sites or check out our top sportsbook promos.

The Pittsburgh Penguins currently have a 31-15-13 record and are second in the Metropolitan Division with 75 points. With this, it would not be surprising if they continued to look to add to their roster ahead of the deadline.

Yet, with the Penguins retooling, the possibility of them trading more of their players should not be ruled out. Because of this, one of their goaltenders is continuing to create chatter as a trade candidate.

Penguins goalie Stuart Skinner was given the No. 42 spot on NHL insider Chris Johnston's latest trade board for The Athletic. 

"Skinner is a positionally sound goaltender who excels at remaining square to the shooter. He’s also got plenty of big-game experience from consecutive runs to the Stanley Cup Final with the Oilers," Johnston wrote. 

With Skinner being a pending unrestricted free agent (UFA), it would not be surprising if the Penguins at least listened to offers on the 27-year-old goalie. They also already showed that they are not afraid to move pending UFAs, as they recently dealt defenseman Brett Kulak to the Colorado Avalanche. 

With the Penguins having two young goalies in Sergei Murashov and Arturs Silovs, it is fair to wonder if Skinner could be made available. This is especially so if the Penguins do not have plans to re-sign him. 

Teams looking for more depth between the pipes could take a chance on Skinner. In 37 games this season split between the Edmonton Oilers and Penguins, he has a 19-12-6 record, a 2.76 goals-against average. a .891 save percentage, and two shutouts. 

Mike and Dan are relaxed and excited as the Islanders win three in a row and put themselves in good position for both the playoffs and the NHL Trade Deadline.

We were worried that going into two places they never win in – Montreal and Columbus – and coming back to face the rabid Panthers at home could be a significant hill for the Islanders to climb immediately after the Olympic break. But behind the Disney Dads, Anders Lee and J-G Pageau, and the literally unbelievable Matthew Schaefer, they won all three in uncharacteristically exciting fashion and have us thinking that something special is going on here. Going down 0-2 in each of them isn’t ideal, but coming back to get points and create separation between them and the teams chasing them means everything right now as teams enter their final 24 game stretch.

The wins also mean that the games this week in California against the Ducks, Kings and Sharks have just a little less weight on them. If they can keep the streak going, they have a real chance to lock things up long before the season’s final week, which is huge departure from the last few seasons.

Later, we look ahead to Friday’s NHL Trade Deadline and how the Islanders have positioned themselves to do something big. Adding around the edges might be okay in most seasons, but if they can find some bigger fish to relieve the pressure on their current leaders, they might really scare the rest of the field.

Finally, we pay our respects to two great NHL voices that we have lost recently.

REFERENCES

• The Islanders already made a huge trade (for Bridgeport). Goodbye, Julien Gauthier.
• RIP Jim Robson, who’s call of Bob Nystrom’s goal in 1980 will remain in Islanders and NHL lore forever.
• RIP Boomer Gordon, a great radio host, good person and a friend who will be missed.
• This picture really is incredible:
  

---

Subscribe to our Patreon! Members get ad-free episodes of all our shows, bonus podcasts, written posts, discounts and much more. Or follow us for free to get announcements and our weekly release calendar. Try a free 7-Day trial of our Country Club tier to sample what we offer.

---

PLUGS!

• Vintage Ice Hockey for t-shirts, hoodies and jerseys with hundreds of classic hockey logos, as well as the full line of Islanders Anxiety merch. As always our portion of those sales go directly to the Center for Dementia Research.
• The Pinot Project has a Rosé, a Pinot Grigio and a Wine Enthusiast Best Buy Pinot Noir, all under $15 a bottle. Available at local wine stores and UBS Arena.
• Visit Lighthousehockey.com for the most up-to-date Islanders news and discussion.
• Islanders Anxiety podcasts are part of the Fans First Sports Network (@FansFirstSN).

Theme song: “Morning Haze” by Family Dinner. Hear more of their music on Spotify.

---

Please subscribe, download, rate, review or spread the word about Islanders Anxiety, Weird Islanders: The Podcast! and all of our podcasts any way you can. All of it helps to raise the show’s profile and maybe could get us another fancy sponsor to sell out to in the near future. Leave us a five star review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.

All Islanders Anxiety podcasts are available on:

• Apple Podcasts
• Spotify
• Amazon Music
• Audible.com
• I Heart Radio
• YouTube and YouTube Music
• And everywhere podcasts are found

Former Senator Mark Stone was injured on Sunday in curious circumstances.

The Vegas Golden Knights captain was skating through the neutral zone against the Pittsburgh Penguins and took the lightest of cross-checks from defenseman Kris Letang. Stone immediately skated off in pain, left the game and did not return.

"I barely touched him," Letang told rinkside analyst Darren Pang right after the play.

Mark Stone left the game injured after this play with Kris Letang and he will NOT return 🤕 pic.twitter.com/si55E8Oi24

— Gino Hard (@GinoHard_) March 1, 2026

In fact, it was barely a standard cross check, almost more of cross check shove. Vegas head coach Bruce Cassidy, the former Ottawa 67s great, wasn't sure about Stone's status after the game.

"I assume he'll be on the plane with us to Buffalo and then probably have a better update (on Monday)," Cassidy told the media. "Upper body is all I was told and we'll see where it lands."

When asked about the impact of losing Stone in the game, Cassidy had a thoughtful reply. He said the club has been used to pushing through with players out of the lineup this season, but because of his past, an injury to Stone lands a little differently.

"I just think it's the timing of it, maybe. Mark's had some injuries before, so guys are concerned for him, rightfully so. So I think that would be the biggest effect (on the team today), you know, is he OK? Or did he re injure something he has in the past? I think everybody's kind of worried about that. So that probably plays in your mind a little bit. But we're certainly not going to use that as an excuse for how we played. We just weren't good enough."

It added injury to the insult of a 5-0 Sunday loss for the Knights. 

Meanwhile, seeing Stone injured while taking such light contact on the week of the NHL trade deadline is sure to raise eyebrows with some of the more suspicious fans around the league.

While Stone has had injuries in the past, it's also true that seeing him on the injury list before the deadline, which hasn't happened yet in this case, has happened more than once before.

The silver lining in Stone (or anyone else) going on LTIR was the creation of cap space so that the Knights could make trades at the deadline. Then, when the playoffs arrived and there is no cap, the Knights were often fortunate that Stone was ready to rejoin the bolstered roster.

That led to complaints of cap circumvention, and whether the Knights were truly doing that or not, it cannot be argued they were playing by the NHL's rules.

But no one can make that claim with Stone's latest injury. The loophole is now closed.

"Playoff Cap Counting" was announced back in September as an add-on to the new CBA which officially begins next season. The 2026 trade deadline is set for this Friday at 3 pm.

Steve Warne
The Hockey News 

  This article was first published by The Hockey News. More headlines here:  

Ex-Ottawa Senator D.J. Smith Returns To NHL Head Coaching Ranks
Auston Matthews Describes Sens' Beatdown Of Leafs As 'Fairly Embarrassing
After Clearing Waivers, Former Ottawa Senator Mathieu Joseph Sent To AHL

Want to get more Covers content? Add us as a preferred source on your Google account here.

There are six games on the ice on Monday, March 2, and I’ve got a trio of NHL player props headlined by Colorado Avalanche captain Gabriel Landeskog.

I dig into that and more with my NHL picks below.

Best NHL player prop bets today

img alt="Get a first bet encore up to $800 with the BET99 promo code COVERSNHL" width="100%" loading="lazy" src="https://img.covers.com/promo-articles/bet99nhlcreative2526.jpeg"Get a first bet encore up to $800 with BET99 bonus code COVERSNHL.
(not available in Ontario)

Our best NHL player props for Monday, March 2

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

Prop #1: Adam Fantilli Over 2.5 shots

-120 at BET99

Columbus Blue Jackets go-to center Adam Fantilli has only picked up 10 shots across his past 26 games despite recording a healthy 26 attempts. That 38.5% conversion rate is well below the 47.7% mark he posted through the first 52 games of the season, and there’s nothing scary about this matchup.

The New York Rangers rank below average in both shots allowed per game and Corsi For percentage at 5-on-5, and Fantilli is also one of the primary shooters on Columbus' No. 1 power-play unit.

• Time: 7:00 p.m. ET
• Where to watch: NHL Network, Sportsnet+

Prop #2: Gabriel Landeskog Over 0.5 assists

+140 at BET99

Colorado Avalanche captain Gabriel Landeskog is penciled in to skate with Nathan MacKinnon and Martin Necas in all situations on Monday, and it’s a cushy gig for the veteran winger.

Landeskog has been on the ice with MacKinnon for a healthy 265:15 of ice time this season, and the Avs have scored 6.79 goals per 60 minutes while also running wild at 5-on-5 with 58.0 Corsi For percentage and 56.6 expected goals percentage.

• Time: 10:30 p.m. ET
• Where to watch: ESPN+, Sportsnet+

Prop #3: Marco Kasper Over 0.5 points

+160 at BET99

Detroit Red Wings forward Marco Kasper is projected to skate on the No. 1 line with Dylan Larkin and Lucas Raymond. Raymond paces the team in points, with Larkin ranking third, so this is an excellent opportunity for the 2022 eighth-overall pick. 

Kasper is also finding his footing with seven points and 29 shots across his past 12 games. Plus, the Nashville Predators have surrendered the fifth-most goals per game.

• Time: 2:00 p.m. ET
• Where to watch: NHL Network, Sportsnet+

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

This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here and view our best betting sites or check out our top sportsbook promos.

The Buffalo Sabres are in a position to add to their roster. At the time of this writing, the Sabres have a 35-19-6 record and are second in the Atlantic Division standings. With this and the Sabres looking to avoid extending their playoff drought to 15 years, they should not be afraid to make some moves.

One trade need that the Sabres could look to address is bringing in another forward to their middle six. Due to this, they are now being connected to an interesting forward from the Toronto Maple Leafs.

In a recent article for The Athletic, Matthew Fairburn named Maple Leafs forward Bobby McMann as an "ideal target" for the Sabres. 

"McMann is the type of fast, forechecking winger who would fit on any of Buffalo’s lines. He’s also got some goal-scoring pop to his game and only makes $1.35 million per year," Fairburn wrote. 

There is no question that McMann would be a nice addition to the Sabres' roster. The 6-foot-2 forward is currently in the middle of a strong season for the Maple Leafs. In 59 games this campaign with the Original Six club, McMann has recorded 19 goals, 13 assists, 32 points, and 133 hits. This was after he set career highs with 20 goals, 14 assists, 34 points, and 136 hits in 74 games this past season with the Maple Leafs.

When looking at how McMann has performed over the last two seasons with the Maple Leafs, it is clear that he would give the Sabres a nice mixture of secondary scoring and grit if acquired. This would be beneficial for the Sabres, but especially when the games get tougher during the playoffs. 

Due to his ability to play both wings, the Sabres would be able to slot McMann in multiple spots in their lineup. Yet, the idea of a line with him, Josh Norris, and Josh Doan is an appealing one. Furthermore, he would give the Sabres another clear option for their power play because of his offensive skill.

Nevertheless, with the Sabres looking to get into the playoffs, it would make sense for them to bring in a forward like McMann. It will be interesting to see if they do just that. 

Overall you have to be happy with the way the Pittsburgh Penguins played their first week back out of the 2026 Winter Olympic break. Despite not having captain Sidney Crosby in the lineup, they still earned five out of a possible six points to help maintain their place in the second playoff spot in the Metropolitan Division. While Saturday’s game against the New York Rangers produced a frustrating result, letting a 2-0 lead slip away against a bad team and losing yet another shootout, the way they responded on Sunday made it all pretty easy to let go. The important thing at this point is to just keep collecting points. They are.

Now they enter an important week for their season: Trade deadline week.

Yes, there are games to be played as well, and they really start to get into the meat of their tough March schedule, but it is also going to be fascinating to see how Kyle Dubas handles this week from a roster move perspective.

He has already been busy this season, having traded Tristan Jarry to the Edmonton Oilers for Stuart Skinner, Brett Kulak and a 2029 second-round draft pick, acquiring Egor Chinakhov from the Columbus Blue Jackets for second-and third-round picks, and then most recently trading defenseman Kulak to the Colorado Avalanche for defenseman Samuel Girard and another 2028 second-round draft pick.

That is a lot.

There might still be more ahead.

The big questions to watch this week:

• Does he make a move for another depth defenseman?
• Does he try to acquire a center for the short-term with Crosby sidelined, or is he confident enough in the Penguins ability to win games and stay competitive until the captain returns?
• Does he risk trading Anthony Mantha for what could be a big return, even though he has turned out to be a big part of this roster?
• Does he trade Skinner to further add to the Jarry trade tree, while also creating an opportunity for Sergei Murashov to get a more permanent look and role in the NHL?
• Does he find another impact player with term-remaining on their contract that fits in with the current young core?

We know he has a ton of draft pick capital to trade from, he has opportunities to acquire more if he trades from that, and we know the Penguins have an enormous amount of salary cap space to work with both this season and in future seasons.

There are a lot of possibilities here. My guess is there is at least one more trade of some importance before Friday. It is just a matter of what that looks like.

In between all of that there are games to deal with.

The week begins on Tuesday with a road game at the Boston Bruins. The Bruins have been wildly inconsistent all season and remain a tough team to get a read on. Their record is fine. Their underlying numbers are terrible and suggest a team that has overachieved.

David Pastrnak is one of the best players in hockey and the main guy they have to be concerned with, while Morgan Geekie has turned into a top goal-scorer (nobody saw that happening) and gives them a strong 1-2 punch offensively. But they have limited depth beyond those two and a defense that gets really thin as soon you get beyond Charlie McAvoy.

The Penguins always seem to struggle in Boston, and already lost there once this season having lost a 1-0 game back on January 11. They have just one regulation defeat since then, going 10-1-4 in the 15 games since, earning 24 out of a 30 possible points. That is an .800 points percentage.

The Penguins then return home for a three-game homestand that begins on Thursday against the Buffalo Sabres. Buffalo has been the NHL’s best team record-wise since mid-December, and is coming off an impressive 6-2 win against the Tampa Bay Lightning on Saturday. They look for real and are going to be a very formidable opponent. The Penguins, however, have won the first two games of the season against Buffalo, outscoring them by a 9-4 margin. The first game was probably a little misleading with its 4-2 final score (the Sabres were arguably the better team in that game), but the Penguins response before the Olympic break was a thoroughly convincing win.

They then have another weekend back-to-back. The first of those games will be on Saturday against the Philadelphia Flyers. The Flyers kind of sunk out of the playoff race before the Olympic break and are now going into the NHL Trade Deadline as likely sellers. It remains to be seen what their roster will look like on Saturday, but I would not anticipate any major changes. This will be the fourth meeting of the season, with the Penguins have won two of the first three and collecting five out of a possible six points in those games. The past two games have been completely one-sided with the Penguins outscoring them by an 11-4 margin.

The Penguins then conclude the week on Sunday, book-ending it with another game against the Bruins, this time at home. Both teams will be playing the second half of a back-to-back, while the Penguins will have the advantage of not having to travel and already being at home.

On paper, this is a tough schedule. They have three games against likely playoff teams, but the Penguins have done extremely well in those matchups this season. Against teams currently in a playoff position, they are 12-5-7, good enough for a .645 points percentage. That would be a 105.7 points pace over an 82-game season. Against teams with a top-10 points percentage they are even better with a 9-3-3 record this season. They have been able to consistently raise their game and level of play against playoff teams and the top teams in the league.

Still, these are going to be some tough games. Given where the Penguins are in the standings, the cushion they have created for themselves and the fact they are still without Crosby for the time being, they pretty much need to just play .500 hockey to maintain things until Crosby returns. Anything that results in four or more points this week should be considered a win.

Want to get more Covers content? Add us as a preferred source on your Google account here.

Lucas Raymond is on pace to average more than a point per game for the first time in his career.

With most of his points coming by way of assist, my Red Wings vs. Predators predictions see him picking up a helper against a weak defensive side.

Let’s dive deeper into my NHL picks for Monday, March 2.

Red Wings vs Predators prediction

Red Wings vs Predators best bet: Lucas Raymond Over 0.5 assists (-105)

Lucas Raymond has recorded an assist in 19 of his last 30 games against bottom-half defenses, consistently taking advantage of favorable matchups.

He has a great one on Monday, as the Nashville Predators rank 28th in goals against, conceding 3.44 per game.

They continue to struggle defensively, sitting 27th in 5-on-5 goals allowed over the last 10 games, and have also conceded a power-play goal in five straight.

Raymond leads the Red Wings in points at full-strength and on the power play, making him a prime candidate to take advantage.

Red Wings vs Predators same-game parlay

Dylan Larkin goes as Raymond goes. He’s hit the scoresheet in eight of the past 10 games when Raymond has picked up a point, which makes sense given they correlate on the top line and power play.

Moritz Seider shoots more on the road when Detroit doesn’t control the matchups. He generates a lot of his volume from the right point, where the Predators rank 27th in shots allowed over the last 20 games.

Red Wings vs Predators SGP

• Lucas Raymond Over 0.5 assists
• Dylan Larkin Over 0.5 points
• Moritz Seider Over 1.5 shots on goal

Red Wings vs Predators odds

• Moneyline: Red Wings -105 | Predators -115
• Puck Line: Red Wings +1.5 (-275) | Predators -1.5 (+220)
• Over/Under: Over 6.5 (+105) | Under 6.5 (-125)

Red Wings vs Predators trend

Lucas Raymond has assists in four of his last six games against Nashville. Find more NHL betting trends for Red Wings vs. Predators.

How to watch Red Wings vs Predators

Red Wings vs Predators latest injuries

This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here and view our best betting sites or check out our top sportsbook promos.

The 2026 NHL trade deadline is less than a week away, and the Pittsburgh Penguins are certainly a team to keep an eye on leading up to it. The Penguins have already made multiple trades this season, but they should not be done yet. 

One area that the Penguins could look to improve is their center depth. Due to this, one player who could make a lot of sense for Pittsburgh to target is Boston Bruins center Matthew Poitras. 

Poitras is a name to watch leading up to the deadline, as The Fourth Period's David Pagnotta recently reported that the Bruins are open to trading the 21-year-old forward. With Poitras still being young and having plenty of skill, he is the kind of player that the Penguins should consider taking a chance on. 

If the Penguins brought in Poitras, he would give them another solid forward prospect to work with. He also has a decent amount of NHL experience, too, as he has recorded seven goals, 20 assists, and 27 points in 69 career NHL games over three seasons. However, with the Bruins having several centers, he has had trouble cementing himself as a full-time player in Boston. 

Yet, a change of scenery could be exactly what helps Poitras take that next step. The potential for him to blossom into an impactful middle-six forward is there, and it is fair to wonder if he could do just that with the Penguins. 

5 Centers Penguins Should Target In Trade MarketThe Pittsburgh Penguins, currently in playoff position and without Sidney Crosby, may look to add a viable center option at the NHL trade deadline.

Poitras has appeared in 49 games this season with the Providence Bruins, where he has 10 goals and 31 points. This is after the 2022 second-round pick had 17 goals and 41 points in 40 games with Providence this past season. Overall, the young forward has shown promise in the AHL and could be a good player for the Penguins to add to their system because of it.

The Vancouver Canucks (18-24-7) return to Rogers Arena on Monday when they take on the Dallas Stars (36-14-9). For the Canucks, they will have their eyes on snapping a five-game losing steak, which started back on January 31. As for the Stars, it is full steam ahead as they have eight-straight. 

As the trade deadline approaches, the rumour mill continues to swirl around Vancouver. Tyler Myers has sat out the last two games while players like Evander Kane and Teddy Blueger have continually been mentioned in trade rumours. With the way this season has gone, Monday could very well be the final game for some of the Canucks roster. 

Shifting to the game itself, Vancouver needs to have a stronger effort than they did on Saturday. While the Canucks were able to generate shots, most chances in the offensive zone were one-and-done. Vancouver also has to be more aware as they gave up far too many odd-man rushes in Saturday's loss. 

Players To Watch:

Center Elias Pettersson:

The big question heading into Monday is how will Elias Pettersson respond? Not only was he benched for the final half of the third period on Saturday, but he was called out by Adam Foote who made it clear he needs to play better. With no goals in his last 13 games, Pettersson needs to find a way to step up and show that he can be a valuable part of the future. 

Jamie Benn:

Could Monday be the final time Jamie Benn plays an NHL game in British Columbia? It is possible as the 37-year-old Victoria-born forward faces the Canucks for the final time this season. If this is the end for Benn, he will go down as one of the provinces best players as in 1,229 games, he has scored 400 goals while recording 979 points. 

Vancouver Canucks (18–34–7): 

Points: 

Elias Pettersson: 13–22–35

Filip Hronek: 5–27–32

Jake DeBrusk: 13–15–28

Brock Boeser: 12–14–26

Evander Kane: 10–16–26

Goaltenders: 

Thatcher Demko: 8–10–1

Kevin Lankinen: 7–20–4

Nikita Tolopilo: 3–3–2

Jiří Patera: 0–1–0

Dallas Stars (36-14-9):

Points: 

Mikko Rantanen: 20-49-69

Jason Robertson: 33-35-68

Wyatt Johnston: 32-31-63

Miro Heiskanen: 7-41-48

Roope Hintz: 15-29-44

Goaltenders: 

Jake Oettinger: 24-10-4

Casey DeSmith: 12-4-5

Game Information: 

Start time: 7:00 pm PT 

Venue: Rogers Arena

Television: Sportsnet

Radio: Sportsnet 650 

Make sure you bookmark THN's Vancouver Canucks site and add us to your favourites on Google News for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more. Also, don't forget to leave a comment at the bottom of the page and engage with other passionate fans through our forum. This article originally appeared on The Hockey News.

Latest From THN’s Vancouver Canucks Site: 

Will The Canucks Trade Lukas Reichel Before The 2026 NHL Trade Deadline?

Canucks Place Defenceman Guillaume Brisebois On Waivers

'He's Got To Be Better': Canucks Head Coach Adam Foote Speaks On Pettersson's Benching In Loss To Seattle 

For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.

Colorado Avalanche News

• Countdown to TradeCentre: Could the Avalanche and Nazem Kadri reunite? [TSN]

• Are the Colorado Avalanche trying to acquire Nashville Predators’ Ryan O’Reilly? [NHL Trade Rumors]
• Bednar laments discipline as penalties sink Avs in tough loss. [The Hockey Writers]

• New defenseman Brett Kulak looked comfortable in his Avalanche debut. [Colorado Hockey Now]

• Avalanche primed for another big move before the deadline. [Sports Illustrated]
• Keep track of predictable trade deadline buzz words with Bingo Card 4.0 [Mile High Hockey]

News Around the League

• Edmonton Oilers waive forward Andrew Mangiapane, defenceman Alec Regula. [Sportsnet]
• What we’re hearing going into the NHL’s trade deadline next Friday. [Ottawa Citizen]

• ‘It’s clearly fake’: Brady Tkachuk unhappy with White House video that insulted Canadians. [Global News]

• L.A. Kings fire coach Jim Hiller and name D.J. Smith as the interim replacement. [CBC]

• The Maple Leafs aren’t used to being on the trading block. But misguided playoff hopes have hurt the franchise before. [Toronto Star]

The Columbus Blue Jackets are on the road at Madison Square Garden to play the New York Rangers tonight at 7 P.M.  

New York Rangers - 23-29-7 - 53 Points - 2-7-1 in the last 10 - Won 1 - 8th in the Metro.

Columbus Blue Jackets - 29-21-8 - 66 Points - 7-2-1 in the last 10 - OT Loss 1 - 5th in the Metro.

Team Notes Per CBJ PR

• Columbus has earned points in 12 of its last 14 games since Jan. 11 (11-2-1) after picking up a point in a 4-3 OT loss to the NY Islanders on Saturday.

• Monday's contest at New York begins a stretch of eight games in 13 days through Mar. 14. It includes two back-to-back sets; Mar. 2 at New York/Mar. 3 vs. Nashville and Mar. 9 vs. Los Angeles/Mar. 10 at Tampa Bay. The club is 14-5-3 (.705 pts. pct.) in back-to-backs this season.

• Since Dec. 22, the Blue Jackets have gone 15-6-2 (32 pts, .696 points pct.) and are among NHL leaders in team save percentage (.908/4th), goals-against per game (2.65, 5th-T), penalty kill pct. (83.8 pct./5th), points pct. (5th-T), points (6th-T) and goals-for per game (3.39/12th).

• The club has scored the opening goal in 12 of the past 14 games and has scored first 36 times in 2025-26 (24-7-5).

Player Notes Per CBJ PR

• Charlie Coyle posted an assist on Saturday and has tallied 5-8-13 and four multi-point efforts in the last eight games.

• Adam Fantilli has registered goals in consecutive games (2-1-3), points in three-straight (2-2-4), and has totaled 3-6-9 in the past eight contests. He has set a single-season career high in assists with 15-24-39 in 58 games in 2025-26.

• Boone Jenner (207-203-410, 785 GP), who is the club's all-time leader in games played and ranks third in goals and points, is one assist from tying David Vyborny (204) for third-most in CBJ history.

• Mason Marchment scored his 10th goal as a Blue Jacket on Saturday and required the fewest games by any player to reach the mark with the franchise (10-6-16, 16 GP).

• Zach Werenski helped Team USA capture a Gold Medal at the 2026 Winter Olympics (1-5-6, 6 GP). He has set a franchise record for defensemen with points in nine-straight games (2-11-13) after posting two assists against the Islanders. He also has points in 22 of his past 24 games played since Dec. 11 (11-24-35, 11 multi-point efforts).

Blue Jackets Stats

• Power Play - 19.6% - 18th in the NHL
• Penalty Kill - 77.4% - 24th in the NHL
• Goals For - 179 - 17th in the NHL
• Goals Against - 184 - 19th in the NHL 

Rangers Stats

• Power Play - 22.6% - 10th in the NHL
• Penalty Kill - 79.7% - 15th in the NHL
• Goals For - 153 - 28th in the NHL
• Goals Against - 185 - 20th in the NHL

Series History vs. TheRangers     

• Columbus is 24-24-1-7 all-time, and 11-8-1-5 on the road vs. New York.

• CBJ scored their most goals at Madison Square Garden as well as tied the overall series record in a 7-3 win on Mar. 9, 2025, in the most recent meeting at New York.

• The winning team has recorded four or more goals (including SO goals) in nine of the past 11 games overall and 13 of the last 16 games of the series dating back to Oct. 29, 2021.

• The Blue Jackets have recorded the three most recent hat tricks (MR: Adam Fantilli in 7-3 win at NYR on Mar. 9, 2025) and penalty shot attempt (Brandon Saad, unsuccessful in 5-2 win at NYR on Feb. 26, 2017).

• CBJ has killed off 18-of-21 Ranger's power play attempts in the last 10 games (85.7 pct.).

Who To Watch For The Rangers

• Mika Zibanejad leads the Rangers with 24 goals, 29 assists, and 53 points.
• Igor Shesterkin is 18-12-5 with a SV% of .917
• Jonathan Quick is 4-14-2 with a SV% of .890. His last start was on February 5th.

CBJ Player Notes vs.Rangers

• Zach Werenski has 19 points in 27 career games vs. the Rangers.
• Boone Jenner has 16 points in 36 games.
• Mason Marchment has 6 points in 9 games against New York.

Injured Reserve

• Brendan Smith - Lower Body - Missed 20 Games IR - Out for the rest of the regular season.

TOTAL MAN GAMES LOST: 157

How to Watch & Listen: Tonight's game will be on FANDUEL SPORTS NETWORK. The radio broadcast will be on 97.1 The Fan, with Bob McElligott behind the mic doing the play-by-play.  

Stay updated with the most interesting Blue Jackets stories, analysis, breaking news, and more!

Tap the star to add us to your favorites on Google News and never miss a story.

Let us know what you think below.

For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.