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Neither had much trouble getting through the first round. GOLDEN STANDARDHow Vegas became the most successful expansion team in sports history Winnipeg caught a break with a broken Wild team that couldn’t stand up to relentless pressure the Jets applied from all sides. All the big names — Mark Scheifele, Blake Wheeler, Dustin Byfuglien, Patrik Laine — provided the offense, and Connor Hellebuyck closed the city’s first playoff series win since 1987 with back-to-back shutouts....

That goal was the last of a scoring frenzy to come at the end of the third period by both teams in which four shots found the back of the net in just over five minutes. The Blues lead the series 2-1 and are 4-0 on the road in the 2019 Stanley Cup playoffs. The action started with a short-handed goal by Dallas’ Andrew Cogliano to tie the game with just under six minutes remaining....

The Lightning are heavy favorites to win the Stanley Cup next year after opening at 6-1 odds at the SuperBook at Westgate Las Vegas on Saturday. The Bruins, Maple Leafs and Golden Knights weren’t far behind at 10-1. The Sharks and Avalanche came in at 14-1, while the Blues, Capitals and Penguins were at 16-1. The Red Wings, Ducks and Kings were long shots at 80-1, but the Senators had it the worst at 300-1....

The combination of the Senators’ lousy season and uncertainty over captain Erik Karlsson’s future with the club has made the All-Star defenseman a lightning rod for trade speculation. With the NHL’s Feb. 26 trade deadline fast approaching, the 27-year-old Senators captain has once again surfaced in the rumor mill. On Wednesday, TSN’s Bob McKenzie reported Senators general manager Pierre Dorion was engaged in some level of trade dialogue with at least a half dozen clubs regarding Karlsson....

After more than 15 years with NBC, the league’s national rights are heading to a new home — homes — for the 2021-22 season and beyond. Actually, one is an old friend that’s come back into the picture and the other is the home of basketball, college and the pros. Here’s everything we know. What channels are the new home for hockey in the U.S.? In March, it was announced that the NHL would be returning to Disney’s ESPN for the start of next season, kicking off a seven-year deal between the two old buddies....

The league returns from its Christmas break Wednesday with a heavy helping of marquee matchups in two of its most hotly contested divisions. First in the Metro, when the Penguins and Blue Jackets (7 p.m. ET) meet again after last week’s entertaining shootout, which Pittsburgh won, and the Capitals visit Madison Square Garden to face the Rangers (8 p.m. ET). MORE: Watch NHL live and on-demand with fuboTV (7-day trial)...

We know that not all draft picks are created equal — obviously a first-round pick is worth far more than a seventh-round selection. But how much of a difference is there between a second and a third or a first and second? This explanation by Jonathan Willis from a few years ago, which examines different draft-pick studies, breaks it down nicely. One of the conclusions — that the very top of a draft is where you have the best shot at finding talent — is no surprise....

Check the trade deadline live blog throughout the day for deals, rumors, analysis and a list of moves. The curtain comes down at 3 p.m. ET MORE: Rangers trade for Keith Yandle | Lightning get Coburn 5:40 — The Blue Jackets made one big move to end the day, shipping James Wisniewski and a third-round pick to the Ducks for Rene Bourque, William Karlsson and a second-round pick. From the Blue Jackets perspective, this move comes down to how you felt about their team for next year....

The last time we saw Chubb in action, he tore his ACL in what was a career-threatening injury. Many wrote the junior running back off, and gave him little chance to win any awards this season. But he proved Saturday that he’s more than up to the task. Chubb carried the ball 32 times for 222 yards and two touchdowns, including a stunning 55-yard scamper late in the fourth quarter to ice the game....

The 27-year-old Ohio State product established himself as arguably the best player in the league at his position, forming a historically prolific tandem with future Hall of Fame quarterback Drew Brees that could carry the Saints to a Super Bowl title. This season, Thomas has only appeared in one game out of the Saints’ first six contests, sidelined by injuries and a suspension. Thomas’ continued absences – most importantly, the one-game suspension he earned for a locker-room altercation with a teammate – led to rumors that he could be traded by the Saints (4-2)....

Many COVID-19 protocols, including daily testing for the first two weeks of training camp, are in place as the league attempts to start its season amid the coronavirus pandemic. But as the NFL is now seeing from MLB, a COVID-19 outbreak within at least one of its 32 team bubbles feels all but inevitable. MORE: Why NFL preseason games are being canceled The NFL remains hopeful it can at least start the 2020 NFL season on time due in part to the modified training camp schedule the league and the NFL Players Association agreed upon....

All data presented is as of Thursday morning. You can track all NFL line movement on BetQL’s Line Movement Dashboard. Figures below calculated by wagering one unit on each touted bet with -110 spread odds. WEEK 12 NON-PPR RANKINGS:Quarterback | Running back | Wide receiver | Tight end | D/ST | Kicker NFL Week 12 Betting Picks: Spread pick of the week Falcons (-4) vs. Buccaneers Even though they’re 3-7, don’t count the Falcons out!...

We whiffed pretty badly on the Washington (-7) pick, as the dysfunctional Dead Skins lost to Tampa Bay at home by 20. Buoyed by a strong second half, Miami (-5) got the cover for us on Thursday night vs. Buffalo. But we were on the wrong side of some bad fortune with our Giants (+4) pick. Eli Manning had thrown four interceptions, but the Giants still had a chance to cover (and win outright) with five minutes remaining and a first down at the 49ers’ 4-yard line....

On the flip side, the Denver Broncos are 4-7, nearing the end of playoff contention, and coming off a week in which they started a practice squad wide receiver at quarterback who completed one pass for the entire game. While the Chiefs are riding high and the Broncos riding off throwing more interceptions than successful passes, the two AFC West rivals meet on even ground on “Sunday Night Football.” (This time both teams are set to have active QBs....

Every week, this column provides a detailed breakdown of our favorite bets, weaving in a preview of exclusive data from BetQL. This compilation serves as a mere sneak preview of all that BetQL offers, whether you prefer betting against the spread, moneylines, or over/unders. Check us out now to reveal our full betting predictions for every game of Week 17, including projections and best bet ratings from our NFL Best Bet Model....

Before we get into this week’s forecast, a reminder that if you have any questions about sports weather or how weather could impact play (and, potentially, your fantasy, DFS, and gambling decisions), don’t hesitate to reach out on Twitter @KevinRothWx or check our hourly NFL weather forecasts on RotoGrinders. To take your game to the next level, subscribe to RotoGrinders’ exclusive WeatherEdge tool and see how different weather conditions have impacted historical scoring....

The defending champion Lightning are expected to make a big run once again, with preseason odds billing them as the top team in the new Central Division. They also hold the second-best odds to win the Cup. The No. 1 team? The Colorado Avalanche. Led by captain Gabriel Landeskog, Nathan MacKinnon, Mikko Rantanen and head coach Jared Bednar, the Avalanche are poised for big things in 2021. Below are the odds from FanDuel....

RELATED: 10 Hilarious NBA 2K Memes Only True Sports Fans Will Understand NHL 21 is another opportunity for players to debate exactly how fair their favorite athletes have been treated. All professional hockey players have to be great to reach the level of the NHL. To be a superstar among these greats is an honor. Some deserve more recognition; no defensemen will be discussed here because they are all collectively ranked too low....

For a full explanation on what we’re doing here, check Part 1. The bottom line: This is a visual representation of how responsible each team’s forwards, divided into four groups based on five-on-five ice time, are for their team’s possession success. ANAHEIM DUCKS Last week news trickled out of Anaheim that the Ducks wouldn’t be offering new contracts to Saku Koivu and Daniel Winnik. It’s hard to blame him — those two, along with Andrew Cogliano, made up a tough-minutes second line that did all it could to keep the Ducks afloat from a possession perspective in 2013....

For the second consecutive season, the league will allow fans to select those final four players from a list of 31 determined by the league’s hockey operations department. The highest voted players in each division (each NHL team will have one candidate) will be added to their respective team’s roster. Dubbed ‘Last Men In,’ voting will open to the public on Jan. 1 at 12 p.m. ET via the NHL’s website and mobile app, and closes Jan....