Welcome back to NHL Predictions here on Last Word on Hockey! Each day, we provide in-depth analysis, insights, and predictions for all the NHL’s games.

The Philadelphia Flyers and Pittsburgh Penguins have returned from the midseason break to the tune of very different results. The Flyers will try to build off a strong performance when they host the scuffling Penguins on Tuesday in the first game of a home-and-home series.

The Philadelphia Flyers (25-26-7) square off against the Pittsburgh Penguins (23-27-9) during Tuesday’s NHL action, starting at 7:00 PM ET at Wells Fargo Center and broadcast on ESPN+. The Flyers sit in 14th place and the Penguins are 15th in the Eastern Conference.

Kevin Kurz of The Athletic: (mailbag) It does make some sense that the Philadelphia Flyers would be interested in a top-line center like Elias Pettersson but he does come with some big question marks. He’s also got an $11.6 million cap hit for seven more years. All things considered, that’s likely too much for the Flyers.

Kuzmenko is in the final season of a two-year, $11 million deal that also has a modified 12-team no-trade clause.

Pelletier, meanwhile, was with Poehling and Matvei Michkov. That leaves the regular Noah Cates-Tyson Foerster-Bobby Brink line intact, and a fourth line of Sean Couturier, Garnet Hathaway and Nic Deslauriers.

For those looking to place a bet on the upcoming matchup between the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Philadelphia Flyers on Tuesday at 7:00 PM ET, is Bryan Rust a player who is a good bet to light the lamp?