The gang's all here: Devils lead rush back to the ice

There's plenty to be excited about as we head into a new week. The Super Bowl is just six days away, NBA is nearing the All-Star break with plenty of teams in the mix and NHL has returned to action after four days off. It's the latter where our attention will be today. 

As the saying goes, absence makes the heart grow fonder, and we're ecstatic to see the return to the ice, especially with the matchups we have on hand.

Load up these two props in the NHL

Jack Hughes over 1.5 points (+130 FanDuel) 

Jack Hughes of the Devils is fresh off the All-Star weekend and feels like a great bet to continue the dominance he's displayed all year long. New Jersey is right in the postseason mix, and its young star will be the reason they secure themselves a spot in the playoffs for the first time since 2018.

Tonight they'll see Vancouver, a team that has sorely been lacking in the defensive department all season long. While they brought in Rick Tocchet on Jan. 22 to strengthen that weakness, it's too early to say whether or not the vulnerability has passed. Tocchet's Canucks have gotten three games in, winning two against the lowly Blue Jackets and Blackhawks and losing 6-1 to the Kraken.

In the past 10 on the road, Vancouver has allowed 4.2 goals per game, and its penalty kill over the last 10 games is the league's worst at just 55.2%. It's this last issue that has yet to be resolved, as the Canucks have allowed four power-play goals in their past two games.

We expect Hughes to get involved in some power-play scoring, which should aid his efforts in going over the 1.5 total points threshold. He has logged a point on the power play in three straight at home, has gone over 1.5 points in four straight overall and four straight at home and has two points in three straight vs. Vancouver.

If you're looking for a narrative, how about the fact that Jack's brother Quinn is on the other end? We expect that factor to only motivate Jack more to help the Devils find some goals.

Ryan Hartman over 2.5 SOG (+102 FD)

Hartman and the Wild will head to Arizona to begin their second half of the season in what is one of the more inviting matchups you can have to knock off the rust. The Coyotes have allowed 35.6 shots per game at home over their past 10, and they also have had their issues with penalties.

Hartman is fourth on Minnesota in power-play shots over the past 10 games, and he's been as steady as they come on road ice. As the visitor, Hartman has piled up 3+ shots on goal in eight straight, averaging 5.4 attempts per game during that span.

It's nice to see that the Minnesota winger has had some big games against the 'Yotes, finishing with four or more SOG in three of his last four meetings. Tonight we need just three, and we get it at plus-money to boot. Count us in.

In the news ...

Kyrie Irving traded to Mavericks — After requesting a trade from Brooklyn on Friday, Kyrie Irving was moved to Dallas Sunday afternoon in exchange for Spencer Dinwiddie, Dorian Finney-Smith and a few draft picks. It's a fine haul for Brooklyn, who will look to move on from their tumultuous relationship with Irving, and it's an intriguing fit for the Mavericks alongside superstar Luka Doncic. Dallas' odds to win the title moved from +3000 to +1500 following the move.

Steph Curry expected to miss multiple weeks — The Warriors were dealt a heavy blow over the weekend, with star guard Steph Curry expected to be sidelined for multiple weeks following a left leg injury he suffered Saturday night. As it stands, the Warriors are currently eighth in the Western Conference and just one game above Portland, who sits at No. 11. Without Curry, Golden State needs Jordan Poole to step up to keep them in the postseason mix for a chance to repeat as NBA champions.

Super Bowl week is here! — Sunday felt odd with no football, and no, the Pro Bowl did not help. Luckily for us, we've made it to Super Bowl week in Arizona. As it relates to your bets, boy oh boy do we have you covered. Looking for a prop play on the "other TE"? We've got a pick. Looking to load up a juicy +900 SGP? We have that too. How about perusing a few long-shot MVP choices that could be worth a look? Yep, we've got you covered there. 

Today's Bark Bets is written by Griffin Carroll