What's going on hockey fans? We're officially past the COVID-19 pause and the NHL is back in full swing, for the most part.
We're drawing closer to the league's All-Star break, which is only a few weeks away. Unfortunately, we're not going to get to see some of the NHL's biggest stars at the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing after the league pulled out. The NHL has already seen so many games postponed as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and those games are going to need to be made up at some point. Some of those games likely will be played during the three-week period that would've been an Olympic break.
While I understand why the NHL made the call to back out of the Olympics, it doesn't make it any less deflating. Some of the league's biggest stars like Auston Matthews and Connor McDavid have yet to participate on the global stage. It would've been a ton of fun seeing Matthews lead the United States throughout the Olympic tournament. Everybody remembers when T.J. Oshie captivated the nation during the 2014 Olympics. It would've been awesome to see Matthews in a leading role like that.
Anyway, enough of my sorrows. Friday offers only two games, but I have a play in each one, so let's get to the picks!
All times Eastern, and all odds via Caesars Sportsbook
