The St. Louis Blues re-signed forward Zach Sanford to a one-year contract worth $2 million, the team announced Wednesday.Sanford, who was a restricted free agent and avoided arbitration by striking the deal, will be an unrestricted free agent when it expires.The 26-year-old recorded 10 goals and six assists in 52 games last season. Over the past three campaigns with the Blues, Sanford's totaled 36 goals and 35 assists in 183 games.St. Louis has now signed all of its restricted free agents except for forward Robert Thomas.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Winnipeg Jets forward Pierre-Luc Dubois is changing his jersey number to pay tribute to his late former teammate Matiss Kivlenieks, according to Winnipeg Sun's Scott Billeck.Dubois is switching from No. 13 to 80 for the upcoming season.

One of the most vocal figures in hockey will soon be back in front of the camera.ESPN hired John Tortorella as a studio analyst for next season.Tortorella and the Columbus Blue Jackets parted ways in May. He served as the club's head coach for six seasons, helping the team make the playoffs in four of those campaigns. Columbus shockingly knocked out the Tampa Bay Lightning in the first round of the 2018-19 postseason.The two-time Jack Adams Award winner guided the Lightning to their first Stanley Cup championship in 2004. He also helmed the New York Rangers and Vancouver Canucks over a coaching career spanning nearly two decades.ESPN already added Mark Messier, Chris Chelios, Rick DiPietro, Ray Ferraro, and Brian Boucher as analysts for 2021-22, when it'll regain U.S. broadcast rights along with TNT.The network's NHL broadcasts will feature several female voices as well. A.J. Mleczko, Cassie Campbell-Pascall, and Hilary Knight will provide color, and Leah Hextall will do play-by-play. Hextall will also fulfill other roles.Tortorella was well known for being incredibly outspoken during his coaching career, but he was also tight-lipped at times. The NHL fined him $25,000 last August after he abruptly walked out of a press conference following the Blue Jackets' postseason elimination. He was reportedly fined more than $160,000 throughout his coaching career, usually for comments criticizing officiating.The 63-year-old previously worked as an in-studio broadcaster for TSN when he was between jobs in 2008.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Winnipeg Jets inked Logan Stanley to a two-year contract carrying an average annual value of $900,000.Stanley was a restricted free agent.The 23-year-old remains a key member of Winnipeg's defensive corps, even after the Jets acquired Brenden Dillon and Nate Schmidt in recent trades.Stanley collected only four points while averaging 13:13 of ice time over 37 games as a rookie, but the 6-foot-7 rearguard's underlying numbers were more favorable. Winnipeg controlled 51.19% of the scoring chances with Stanley on the ice at five-on-five in 2021, according to Natural Stat Trick.The Ontario-born blue-liner made his debut with the club after spending two campaigns with its AHL affiliate, the Manitoba Moose. The Jets drafted Stanley 18th overall in 2016.Defenseman Neal Pionk and forward Andrew Copp are Winnipeg's lone remaining NHL RFAs. Both players filed for salary arbitration Sunday.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Like Montreal Canadiens fans, Carey Price’s wife Angela is certainly relieved all the expansion draft drama is over.Angela detailed the experience on her lifestyle blog, "By Angela.""With your world dependent on what seemed like a game of chicken was bizarre and something I hope to never experience again," she wrote.Carey waived his no-movement clause ahead of the expansion draft, and the Habs created quite a stir when they left their franchise icon unprotected and free for the Seattle Kraken's picking - a decision the organization made so it could protect backup netminder Jake Allen instead."Really, there was no other option," Angela wrote. "I was not stressed about it at all - because of Carey’s contract, his age, and his injury, Seattle wouldn’t even give him a second glance ... or so we thought."Then, the rumor mill started churning, and Angela "spent the next couple of days living on Twitter.""It definitely got to a point where I thought we were for sure headed to Seattle, so I let myself start mentally preparing for it and even talking about it. Just in case it did happen," she wrote.Of course, seeing as the Kraken opted to select defenseman Cale Fleury from Montreal instead, Carey will be suiting up for Montreal once again next campaign."Our heart, my heart is with the Canadiens organization," Angela wrote, adding that she "hated" the way the news of Carey's choice to waive his no-movement clause broke before the news of his injury."His injury was the entire reason we had lifted his no-trade and he was left unprotected," she said. "It hurt my heart to read that people thought we wanted out of Montreal. I was so thankful when it came out the next day that Carey was going to need surgery, but at the same time Carey’s agent was calling to say that Seattle didn’t seem too concerned about his injury and him being picked up could really happen."Carey received knee surgery on July 23, and he's expected to be ready for the start of the regular season in October.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Several of Evander Kane's San Jose Sharks teammates would prefer he didn't play for the club in 2021-22, reports The Athletic's Kevin Kurz.The Sharks reportedly tried to trade Kane earlier this offseason, and his uneasy relationship with a number of his teammates was a major reason why, Kurz adds.The NHL is investigating Kane after his wife, Anna, said Saturday on Instagram that he threw games to support his gambling addiction. Kane denied the allegations Sunday. The league's probe is reportedly expected to be completed by training camp in September.Meanwhile, the Hockey Diversity Alliance - which Kane helped create in June 2020 - placed him on voluntary leave Tuesday. Last summer, seven NHLers of color launched the organization - which seeks to eradicate racism and intolerance in hockey - with Kane serving as a co-head alongside Akim Aliu.Kane is under contract with the Sharks through 2024-25. The seven-year pact he inked with San Jose in 2018 carries a $7-million cap hit, according to CapFriendly. Kane is owed another $26 million in total salary over the life of the deal.The 12-year veteran has a modified no-trade clause as part of that pact. It allows him to submit a list of just three teams to which he can be dealt.Kane filed for bankruptcy in January. While the Sharks had the option to void his contract in the proceedings, they chose not to do so in March. Kane said in May that the bankruptcy filing was a "weight off" his back.The winger, who turned 30 on Monday, collected a career-high 0.88 points per game in 2021. He notched 22 goals and 27 assists while playing all 56 contests.Kane has been a Shark for three full seasons and the final 17 games of 2017-18, the latter of which he played after the Buffalo Sabres traded him to San Jose.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The St. Louis Blues inked Jordan Kyrou to a two-year deal carrying an average annual value of $2.8 million.Kyrou was a restricted free agent.The 23-year-old forward produced 14 goals and 21 assists across 55 contests last season. His 35 points put him on pace to notch about 52 points in a full 82-game campaign.Kyrou suited up for only 44 NHL games over the previous two seasons. St. Louis drafted him 35th overall in 2016.The Blues have two remaining RFAs - forwards Zach Sanford and Robert Thomas - with about $3.5 million in cap space, according to CapFriendly. St. Louis already retained Pavel Buchnevich, Ivan Barbashev, and Dakota Joshua earlier this offseason.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The NHL's investigation into gambling allegations made against Evander Kane is expected to wrap up before the start of training camp in mid-September, league deputy commissioner Bill Daly said in an email to The Mercury News' Curtis Pashelka.Daly also added that the San Jose Sharks forward has not been suspended.Evander's wife, Anna, said he threw his own games for gambling reasons in a series of Instagram stories posted Saturday. The NHL released a statement of its own, saying the league would be taking her allegations "very seriously."The following day, Evander denied Anna's claims, tweeting, "I have NEVER gambled/bet on hockey, NEVER gambled/bet on a Sharks game, NEVER gambled/bet on any of my games, and NEVER thrown a hockey game."Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Minnesota Wild's Kevin Fiala and Philadelphia Flyers' Travis Sanheim are headed to salary arbitration, according to Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman.Neither Fiala nor Sanheim were among the restricted free agents who filed for player-elected arbitration by Sunday's deadline, but their respective teams decided to move forward with the process.The deadline for team-elected salary arbitration notification was at 5 p.m. ET Monday. Hearings are set to be held from Aug. 11-26.Both Fiala and Sanheim can continue to work toward a deal in the meantime.Fiala, 25, registered 40 points across 50 games this past campaign. He just wrapped up a two-year deal that carried an average annual value of $3 million.Sanheim put up 15 points in 55 contests during the 2020-21 season. The 25-year-old defenseman finished a two-year pact with a cap hit of $3.25 million.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Colorado Avalanche signed defenseman Ryan Murray to a one-year deal, the team announced Monday.The contract carries a cap hit of $2 million, reports Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman.Murray accrued 14 points in 48 games while averaging 18:36 of ice time per contest with the New Jersey Devils during the 2020-21 campaign. The 27-year-old has eclipsed the 20-point mark three times over his career.The 6-foot-1 left-handed shot is projected to slot into the Avalanche's middle pairing. He's joining a strong, defensively minded team in Colorado; the President Trophy-winning Avs led the league in shot attempts for (58%) and expected goals for (60%) while giving up the fewest high-danger goals (55) at all strengths last season.Murray was drafted second overall by the Columbus Blue Jackets in 2012 and has 124 points in 395 career games.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

While the dust hasn't completely settled following a chaotic offseason, the majority of free agents and trade candidates have found their homes for the 2021-22 season.It's been just three weeks since the 2022 Stanley Cup odds were released, but we've already noticed some significant changes to the oddsboard:TEAMODDS (8/2)ODDS (7/12)Colorado Avalanche+600+500Tampa Bay Lightning+700+700Vegas Golden Knights+850+600Boston Bruins+1200+1500Toronto Maple Leafs+1400+1200Carolina Hurricanes+1600+1500Florida Panthers+1800+2400New York Islanders+2000+2500Pittsburgh Penguins+2200+2300Minnesota Wild+2200+2400Washington Capitals+2500+3000New York Rangers+2500+2500Montreal Canadiens+2500+2700Edmonton Oilers+2800+2600Philadelphia Flyers+3000+3000St. Louis Blues+3500+3500Calgary Flames+4000+3200Dallas Stars+4000+3500Winnipeg Jets+4000+4000Nashville Predators+4000+5000Seattle Kraken+5000+5000Chicago Blackhawks+5000+6500New Jersey Devils+5000+10000Vancouver Canucks+5000+6000Los Angeles Kings+6000+5500Anaheim Ducks+10000+6500San Jose Sharks+10000+6500Columbus Blue Jackets+10000+10000Arizona Coyotes+10000+12500Ottawa Senators+10000+12500Detroit Red Wings+20000+20000Buffalo Sabres+20000+25000Buy: Tampa Bay Lightning (+700)There are a lot of general managers in this league that make the job look difficult. Julien BriseBois isn't one of them. Saddled with a seemingly impossible cap situation, he navigated the murky waters and came out the other side hardly worse for wear.The entirety of the third line is gone, as well as Tyler Johnson, but Mathieu Joseph and Ross Colton appear ready to step up and fill the void. Anthony Cirelli is only getting better, and Alex Barre-Boulet could very well be the next Yanni Gourde. Plus, Corey Perry and Pierre-Edouard Bellemare will prove to be terrific bargain-bin signings, while Zach Bogosian should seamlessly replace David Savard on the back end for a fraction of the cost. The Lightning need to be Cup favorites until proven otherwise.Sell: Carolina Hurricanes (+1600)It's hard to imagine why a team as close to Cup contention as the Hurricanes would choose to go the route they did this offseason. Letting Dougie Hamilton go was understandable - as good as he is, they couldn't come close to matching what he got from New Jersey - but the 180-degree pivot Carolina took in net remains one of the most puzzling offseason storylines.Why the Hurricanes are paying virtually the same annual salary for Frederik Andersen and Antti Raanta over Alex Nedeljkovic and Petr Mrazek - who were superb for them last season - remains a mystery. Andersen, who'll be 32 when the season starts, is coming off the two worst campaigns of his career and was limited to just 24 games last season due to injury. The 32-year-old Raanta, meanwhile, has only played 57 games over the last three years.Buy: Calgary Flames (+4000)There's a lot to like about what the Flames have done this offseason, so it makes little sense they're at a longer price now than a few weeks ago. Blake Coleman's contract might not be great long term, but he's a huge add for this year, while Tyler Pitlick rounds out a really strong top nine with good scoring depth. Nikita Zadorov's arrival softens the blow of losing Mark Giordano, the only notable departure from last season.The 2020 season started poorly for the Flames, and the circumstances were hardly ideal for Darryl Sutter to turn things around. With a full training camp for the experienced coach, an improved roster, and a return to a weak Pacific Division, I'm buying a Calgary bounce-back campaign in 2021-22.Sell: Edmonton Oilers (+2800)I love what the Oilers have done up front to surround Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl with a much more well-rounded group. The top nine is a lot deeper and more dynamic with Zach Hyman and Warren Foegele, while Derek Ryan is a perfect fit for the fourth line.To win in this league, though, you need to build from the net out, and that's the opposite of what GM Ken Holland has done. The goaltending dominoes have fallen and the Oilers are still sitting there with 39-year-old Mike Smith as the starter. They may still be able to improve between the pipes if they can move Mikko Koskinen's contract, but at this point, who's really available?It's especially concerning given the quality of their blue line. Darnell Nurse is a legitimate stud, but there's a lot to be desired behind him. Paying over $13 million this season for Tyson Barrie, Duncan Keith, and Cody Ceci should be a fireable offense.Buy: Chicago Blackhawks (+5000)Teams that "win" the offseason tend to be overpriced and underdeliver during the season, but it's hard to see the Blackhawks falling into that category. GM Stan Bowman has given Patrick Kane and captain Jonathan Toews another legitimate run at the Cup with an impressive crop of young talent.Up front, the Blackhawks will be significantly improved thanks to the return of Toews, a full season of Kirby Dach, and the arrivals of Tyler Johnson and Jujhar Khaira. On the back end, they finally have some real depth to speak of after bringing in an entirely new first pairing in Seth Jones and Jake McCabe. But most importantly, Chicago solved its goaltending woes in spectacular fashion by dealing for reigning Vezina winner Marc-Andre Fleury. The New York Rangers are receiving a lot of Cup buzz this season, but the Blackhawks are just as enticing for the same reasons and can be had at double the price.Sell: Florida Panthers (+1800)This one could blow up in my face because the Panthers have put together what could be a Cup-winning roster for Joel Quenneville, but there are still a lot of variables.Will Sam Bennett be the player we saw in 15 games with Florida, or the one from the last two years in Calgary? Can Anthony Duclair build off a career year? Were MacKenzie Weeger's and Radko Gudas' breakout seasons outliers? Can Spencer Knight live up to the hype and fill the void left by Chris Driedger? In a loaded Atlantic Division, there are too many questions for me to buy in at this price.Buy: Los Angeles Kings (+6000)It hasn't been the busiest offseason for the Kings, but they've done some really nice business to put themselves in a spot to contend. Viktor Arvidsson was a legit add to the top six, and the new one-two punch of Anze Kopitar and Phillip Danault - two of the game's best defensive centers - will make this team a nightmare to play against. Los Angeles did well to bring back Andreas Athanasiou, while the likes of highly touted prospects Gabe Vilardi, Arthur Kaliyev, and Quinton Byfield could make the club truly dynamic up front.The Kings shored up an underrated blue line with the experienced Alex Edler, who, along with Drew Doughty, will provide important guidance and support for impressive youngsters Mikey Anderson and Tobias Bjornfot. They're also really strong in net, with Cal Petersen ripe for a breakout campaign.Sell: Seattle Kraken (+5000)Seattle's expansion draft selections make less sense by the day. The Kraken left a lot of quality on the table - and didn't even get compensated to do so - as they opted for cap space and roster flexibility as opposed to talented players on less desirable deals.It put them under the microscope heading into free agency: What exactly would they do with that space? The answer was underwhelming. They overpaid for Alexander Wennberg and Jaden Schwartz while opting to sign Philipp Grubauer to fortify what was already the deepest part of their roster.I'm not going to sit here and say Ron Francis' job was easy, but the red carpet was rolled out for Seattle and he made a mess of things. With every move this franchise makes, it looks less and less like Seattle has any sort of plan.Alex Moretto is theScore's supervising editor of sports betting. Find him on Twitter @alexjmoretto.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Chicago Blackhawks are pledging to reveal the findings of an independent review into the sexual assault allegations against former video coach Brad Aldrich."(The Blackhawks will) share results with you, our partners, and our fans and will promptly implement changes to address the findings and shortcomings of our organization," the club's CEO Danny Wirtz wrote in an internal memo that The Athletic's Mark Lazerus obtained."I can assure you that we are using this process to engage in the self-reflection necessary to better our organization and ensure that our workplace is safe and inclusive," Wirtz added. "And while we await the results, we will continue a process of self-evaluation."In May, an unnamed former Blackhawks player sued the organization, claiming Aldrich sexually abused him and a teammate in 2010.About a month later, Wirtz reportedly said the club had hired a former federal prosecutor to lead an independent review into the allegations against Aldrich and the team's reported unwillingness to inform law enforcement.Susan Loggans, the lawyer for the player who filed the lawsuit, said in early July that her client wouldn't take part in the independent investigation. She questioned a process that "has been paid for by the Blackhawks" while wondering why she and her client should participate if the results weren't going to be publicized. However, she later said the player would be open to being involved under certain conditions.John Torchetti, who was Chicago's associate coach at the time of the alleged abuse, said in late June that the team met during the 2009-10 Stanley Cup Playoffs to discuss the allegations, and ultimately chose not to notify the police.Last month, former Blackhawks defenseman Brent Sopel said he believed nearly all of the team's then-players knew about the allegations against Aldrich. Sopel also said Joel Quenneville, Chicago's bench boss at the time, worked in the same office as Aldrich. Quenneville denied knowing of the alleged abuse and claimed he found out through the media this summer.Quenneville, who now coaches the Florida Panthers, has offered to take part in the independent review.The NHL isn't investigating the matter.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Penny Oleksiak better look out: There's a new swimmer in the family.The Olympian's brother, Seattle Kraken defenseman Jamie Oleksiak, says he's started to incorporate swimming into his training regimen to help get himself out of his comfort zone."I might have to race Penny," Jamie joked in an interview with TSN's Mark Masters. "I'm gonna need a long, long head start before she gets going."Swimming is a "late development" for the 28-year-old, but he's giving it a go."Things can get kind of monotonous when you do the same training over and over again. So I think doing swimming is something a little bit different, kind of use different muscles that you're not used to and developing them," Jamie said.Jamie has a lot of work to do before he can reach the same heights as his sister, who just became the all-time most decorated Canadian Olympian while competing at the Tokyo Games."I wouldn't say I'm the best swimmer ever," he said, adding, "I'm definitely more of a sinker."Jamie's favorite stroke at the moment is freestyle."I can't do anything else, basically," he said. "I'm not much of a swimmer, so I'm sticking to the basics right now, we'll see what happens down the road, though."Between Penny's historic success and Jamie's new five-year deal with the Kraken, the Oleksiaks will have plenty to celebrate when Penny returns to Canada. Jamie says the family plans to head to the cottage and catch up. Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Seventeen NHL players filed for salary arbitration before Sunday's 5 p.m. ET deadline, the NHLPA announced.Here's the complete list:PlayerTeamNikita ZadorovCGYDennis GilbertCOLAdam ErneDETJakub VranaDETMichael McNivenMTLDante FabbroNSHJuuse SarosNSHAdam PelechNYIVictor MeteOTTZach Aston-ReesePITVince DunnSEAAdin HillSJSZach SanfordSTLRoss ColtonTBLJason DickinsonVANAndrew CoppWPGNeal PionkWPGThe deadline for club-elected salary arbitration notification is Aug. 2 at 5 p.m. ET. Hearings will be held from Aug. 11-26.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Evander Kane denied several allegations his wife, Anna, made Saturday, including that he threw games for gambling reasons."Unfortunately, I would like to address the completely FALSE accusations that my estranged wife and soon-to-be ex-wife has made against me," the San Jose Sharks forward wrote Sunday on Twitter."Even against the advice of my legal team, I feel strongly that the public and fans hear this directly from me. I have NEVER gambled/bet on hockey, NEVER gambled/bet on a Sharks game, NEVER gambled/bet on any of my games, and NEVER thrown a hockey game."Kane pointed to the fact he posted his best and most consistent season in 2021."I'm proud of that," he wrote. "I love the game of hockey and would never do any of what was alleged. I look forward to cooperating fully with the league's investigation, having my name cleared, and looking forward to this upcoming season."The veteran winger also described Anna as "mentally unwell."She responded shortly thereafter Sunday, referring to a New York Post story about Kane's comments. Anna said her husband said his gambling associates would kill her and their daughter Kensington if she revealed his alleged activities. She also said the media is allowing Kane to control the narrative due to his status. The player's wife posted a series of slides to her Instagram story Saturday, including one accusing her husband of being "a compulsive gambling addict who's obviously throwing games." That slide has since been deleted.However, another one from Saturday - which remains - is directed at the NHL. In it, Anna wonders if "someone" could ask commissioner Gary Bettman "how they can let a player gamble on his own games?"The league responded shortly after Saturday's posts circulated, saying it takes the allegations "very seriously" and would investigate.Kane, who'll turn 30 on Monday, reportedly filed for bankruptcy in January.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Marc-Andre Fleury has informed the Chicago Blackhawks he will indeed play for them, reports Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman.Initially, the reigning Vezina Trophy winner was reportedly uninterested in suiting up for the Blackhawks after the Vegas Golden Knights traded him to Chicago on Tuesday.At the time, Fleury reportedly didn't want to move his family to an unfamiliar city, and the veteran's concern wasn't about the Blackhawks organization. Fleury's agent Allan Walsh said Tuesday the netminder would be taking some time to determine his future.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

A member of Jack Eichel's medical team says replacing the herniated disc in the Buffalo Sabres star's neck would set him up for a better future.Dr. Chad Prusmack outlined two pathways available for Eichel on Jeff Marek and Elliotte Friedman's "31 Thoughts" podcast. The first, which is what the Sabres prefer, is an anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF) surgery. The procedure Prusmack recommends for the Sabres captain is an artificial disc replacement surgery.In both procedures, the injured disc is removed through the front of the throat. However, in a fusion surgery, a surgeon will insert a graft, and the bones will fuse over time. In a replacement surgery, meanwhile, the disc is swapped out for an artificial one. Prusmack likens the replacement procedure to getting an artificial knee or hip.The handling of Eichel's injury has been a major point of contention between the 24-year-old and the Sabres this offseason, with his agents saying in a statement that Buffalo "was in agreement with the artificial disc replacement surgery until that was no longer the case."Prusmack assures both surgeries are "phenomenal procedures," but getting an artificial disc would suit Eichel's needs moving forward as it allows "better flexibility.""That guy's slap shot and the way he's got to use his position sense, he's going to lose that if he gets a fusion. When you fuse the spine, it's hard to know where your head is on top of your shoulders," he explained."You want to make Jack Eichel as close of an identical twin to what Jack Eichel is after the surgery," Prusmack said, adding, "I think that he would perform better ... let's restore the motion so that he can perform at the elite level he does."A concern for the Sabres is that no NHL player has ever undergone artificial disc replacement surgery, and it only became available to use in 2000, but Prusmack notes that athletes in other sports such as rugby and MMA have found the procedure to be successful. Hockey players have received the surgery, just not at the pro level.Prusmack also said the recovery timetable for a replacement surgery is shorter. If Eichel were to receive the fusion surgery, he would be re-evaluated in three months and if that went well, he could be on track to return in six-to-nine months. With a replacement surgery, he could return to the ice within six weeks and engage in contact after eight weeks.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The NHL will investigate San Jose Sharks forward Evander Kane after his wife, Anna, made a series of allegations about his gambling on social media.In three Instagram Stories posted Saturday, Anna accused Evander of throwing games to support his gambling addiction.

Have you had a chance to catch your breath? July was a doozy of a month in the NHL.First came the Seattle expansion draft, next was the annual entry draft, then an epic opening day of free agency that generated more than 150 new contracts cumulatively worth more than $500 million. Oh, and throughout the month there was a steady stream of impact trades.The offseason isn't done. There's lots to come from the league's 32 general managers ahead of opening night on Oct. 12. But right now, it's as good a time as any to reassess the landscape. So, with a strong emphasis on the 2021-22 season, here's a look at the state of each division following the madness:Atlantic Division Scott Audette / Getty ImagesEven after a crazy run of player movement, the Atlantic still features well-defined tiers. Let's start at the division's bottom and work our way to the top.Buffalo's perpetual rebuild continues. They traded Sam Reinhart and Rasmus Ristolainen and watched Jake McCabe and Linus Ullmark sign elsewhere, and the incoming crop of players is nothing special. The offseason won't be complete until the Jack Eichel situation comes to a resolution, though the Sabres will struggle to compete on a nightly basis regardless of the return.As for Detroit, the goalie tandem of Alex Nedeljkovic and Thomas Greiss should bail them out of a handful of games. But GM Steve Yzerman clearly isn't actively trying to win, as Pius Suter was the lone notable skater acquired in July. However, despite trade rumors surrounding Tyler Bertuzzi, the club locked him up for two more years.Ottawa's slightly above the Buffalo-Detroit tier. With so much promise up front, from Brady Tkachuk and Josh Norris to Tim Stutzle, they should take a step forward. Yet contending for a playoff spot remains a dream. Scott Audette / Getty ImagesThen there are the Canadiens, who experienced plenty of turnover while losing Phillip Danault, Tomas Tatar, and a few depth guys. Mike Hoffman, David Savard, Cedric Paquette, Mathieu Perreault, and Chris Wideman are all new to the team. Captain Shea Weber may be dealing with a career-ending injury, which is significant. The Habs are built for the playoffs, but they'll be fighting tooth and nail just to make the postseason.The Panthers are a sleeping giant. Adding Reinhart is massive, as is locking up Carter Verhaeghe. Aaron Ekblad is healthy again, and Spencer Knight will provide stability in the crease. For the first time in a long time, Florida shouldn't be taken lightly, as the club looks primed to go head to head with the Maple Leafs for the third playoff position. Toronto, meanwhile, has made some good upside bets after letting Zach Hyman walk, bringing in Petr Mrazek, and acquiring Nick Ritchie, Ondrej Kase, David Kampf, and Michael Bunting.That leaves a top tier of Boston and Tampa Bay, the back-to-back champs.The cap-strapped Lightning are down Tyler Johnson, Yanni Gourde, Blake Coleman, Barclay Goodrow, and Savard. Yet they scooped up inexpensive veterans Zach Bogosian, Corey Perry, and Pierre-Edouard Bellemare. Is the current roster worse on paper than last year's juggernaut? Absolutely. Should they be downgraded to Cup pretenders from contenders? Nope, not with that star-studded core. Going on a deep run is still doable, it'll just be more difficult to pull off with key support players gone.The Bruins aren't easy to get a handle on right now because David Krejci just left for Europe and Tuukka Rask, who's set to miss a chunk of this coming season, is unsigned. At the end of the day, Boston's elite No. 1 forward line is intact, Taylor Hall's back for his first full season in Boston, the recently signed Ullmark is a smart bet between the pipes, the ever-improving Charlie McAvoy is leading a defense corps that'll continue to include Mike Reilly, and the rest of the lineup is filled with enough depth to push Tampa.Metropolitan Division Gregg Forwerck / Getty ImagesThe Metropolitan has long been a tricky division to project because it's typically home to a bunch of good-but-not-great squads. And what's transpired of late has done little to clear up the convolution.Let's begin with Carolina, since the Hurricanes have arguably the highest ceiling among the eight Metro teams. "Ceiling" is the operative word here, as the new goalie duo of Frederik Andersen and Antti Raanta carries a wide range of outcomes. On the blue line, Dougie Hamilton's departure is a serious stinger, though freshly signed Ian Cole, Ethan Bear, and Tony DeAngelo (we're talking strictly on-ice performance) should help mitigate the loss. Keep in mind that both Andrei Svechnikov and Martin Necas will no doubt level up in 2021-22, and Vincent Trocheck is back to full health.Pittsburgh's netminding situation is also a giant question mark. Overall, GM Ron Hextall's offseason series of moves - for instance, losing Brandon Tavev through the expansion draft before acquiring Danton Heinen in free agency - are essentially a wash. As currently constructed, the Penguins will once again rely on the trio of Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, and Kris Letang to dictate their trajectory.Speaking of aging cores, Washington has experienced even less turnover. Sure, it's fantastic that Alex Ovechkin is back for another five years. But otherwise, the Capitals have added nobody of significance after trading away Brenden Dillon for cap reasons. But it feels premature to judge Washington's offseason with a possible Evgeny Kuznetsov trade still to come.The Islanders, who saw Jordan Eberle get snatched up in the expansion draft, have been pretty quiet and, according to reports, they will return basically the same roster for 2021-22. It's safe to say the well-structured, disciplined squad will find a way into the playoffs, whether it's a top-three spot or wild card. Jamie Sabau / Getty ImagesFrom there, the division gets dicey. Philadelphia went nuts in July in an effort to rejig its blue line. Incoming: Ryan Ellis, Keith Yandle, Ristolainen. Outgoing: Shayne Gostisbehere, Philippe Myers, Robert Hagg. Meanwhile, up front, Cam Atkinson is in while Nolan Patrick and Jakub Voracek are out. Between the pipes, Martin Jones is Carter Hart's new backup. If the Flyers improved after all of this wheeling and dealing, which is debatable, the improvement isn't humongous. The Jones signing is curious given his awful recent results and the fact Hart himself had a rough 2020-21 season.Philadelphia is a wild card. They're on approximately the same level as the middle-of-the-road Rangers with respect to competing this coming season. New York, for what it's worth, has decided to go all-in on toughness, clearly responding to last year's Tom Wilson incident. The Barclay Goodrow signing is the only impactful transaction from a winning games point of view, suggesting the Rangers won't take a huge step in what will be the fourth full season of their rebuild.Rounding out the Metro are New Jersey and Columbus. Both made sizeable splashes in July, namely the Devils reeling in Hamilton on a long-term deal and the Blue Jackets trading Seth Jones. In the short term, New Jersey's still marinating, with at least one more year to go before a legit playoff push, whereas Columbus is on track to fully bottom out this coming season.Central Division RJ Sangosti / Getty ImagesThe Central's offseason has more or less mirrored what's unfolded across the entire league. A serious contender has been forced to part with key pieces through expansion, free agency, and/or trade; some middle-of-the-pack teams have gained ground on contenders by being aggressive; others have stayed stagnant by being conservative; a lottery team has gotten even worse by selling assets.Let's first touch on the contender, Colorado. The Avalanche entered July with arguably a top-three roster on paper. The depth chart is now missing defensemen Ryan Graves and Conor Timmins, as well as forwards Joonas Donskoi, Brandon Saad, and Bellemare. In net, the Avs couldn't afford Philipp Grubauer, so Darcy Kuemper is the club's new starter, which is fine. These changes were required in order to re-sign Cale Makar and Gabriel Landeskog, and yet through it all, Colorado remains the toast of the division. Remember, Alex Newhook and Bowen Byram are ready for larger NHL roles.Chicago is one of the aforementioned aggressors. GM Stan Bowman has practically transformed his roster, adding Seth Jones, Marc-Andre Fleury, Jake McCabe, Tyler Johnson, and Caleb Jones, while subtracting Duncan Keith, Adam Boqvist, Pius Suter, and Nikita Zadorov, among others. Bowman is gambling from a long-term perspective, but the Hawks are undeniably better in the short term. Focusing strictly on 2021-22, Chicago should contend for a playoff spot if Fleury reports. If he doesn't, backups Kevin Lankinen and Collin Delia will be under immense pressure to perform. Darcy Finley / Getty ImagesMeanwhile, Winnipeg pounced on vulnerable teams to acquire Dillon and Nate Schmidt and upgrade its thin defense corps. Those two trades offset losing forward Mason Appleton in the expansion draft. The Jets are far from a perfectly built team. However, heading into August they have a solid blue line to go along with a vaunted top-six forward crew and an all-world goalie. There's absolutely no reason why Winnipeg shouldn't be playoff bound.St. Louis, Dallas, and Minnesota are three other teams that will be jockeying for positioning in the crowded Central. None of them struck out or struck gold during the July madness. Take St. Louis: they added Saad and Pavel Buchnevich while subtracting Hoffman, Vince Dunn, Jaden Schwartz, Sammy Blais, and Tyler Bozak. Of course, the Blues could still receive a hefty return for the disgruntled Vladimir Tarasenko.Nashville, on the other hand, finds itself in a predicament. A retool is underway, and it’s obvious GM David Poile has big-money players the rest of the NHL isn’t particularly interested in. For example, instead of expansion bait Ryan Johansen and Matt Duchene leaving town, it's Calle Jarnkork, Viktor Arvidsson, and Ellis. On the ice, things could go south quick for the Predators. The roster is in no man’s land.Finally, the Coyotes. We're witnessing a masterful tank job here, with the likes of Conor Garland, Bunting, Oliver Ekman-Larsson, Alex Goligoski, Jordan Oesterle, Aiden Hill, Kuemper, and Raanta all leaving Arizona recently. In return, the club acquired a few bad contracts and a boatload of draft picks.Pacific Division Icon Sportswire / Getty ImagesThere's an uneasiness about the Pacific, which is why it's the last division listed. There are two teams, Vegas and Anaheim, who could conceivably land Eichel, and Seattle, who by nature will remain dangerous until opening night.Interestingly, the Golden Knights announced Friday afternoon that forward Alex Tuch is expected to miss six months to recover from shoulder surgery. This development opens up cap space and no contender needs a superstar center like Eichel quite like the notoriously aggressive Golden Knights. So far, aside from trading Fleury, they've been uncharacteristically tame.As for Anaheim, the Ducks have been linked to Eichel for a while now, and since the team is a rebuilding squad with plenty of cap space, it can wait out any other suitors. The fit doesn't seem to be there for the Kraken, but it would be foolish to completely dismiss the expansion team without a true No. 1 center on its roster. Christopher Mast / Getty ImagesIf the season were to start today, Seattle's roster is good enough to secure a playoff berth in the Pacific - the NHL's most top-heavy division. There's a gulf between Vegas and Edmonton and teams like Calgary, Vancouver, and Seattle. Heck, if you account for growth within Los Angeles' excellent prospect pool and if its offseason pickups pay dividends, the club probably deserves to be thrown into the middle class too. It's not a crazy thought.The Kings acquired one of the best defensive centers in the game with Danault and a winger in dire need of a change of scenery in Arvidsson. Up north in Edmonton, the Oilers added versatility and depth to its forward group by bringing in Hyman, Derek Ryan, and Warren Foegele to help out Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl. Then again, Edmonton made some curious moves on the back, namely the Keith trade, which may undo some progress.The Canucks will be in the mix. GM Jim Benning took on Ekman-Larsson's onerous contract but, hey, he's getting a second-pairing defenseman in that trade, as well as Garland, who had been hidden in Arizona for too long. Other moves, like picking up Jason Dickinson and Jaroslav Halak, are applaudable. Again, in the short term, Vancouver is better. The future will be awkward.Past the vast middle class are the Ducks and Sharks. Anaheim re-signed captain Ryan Getzlaf and San Jose signed a few veterans to fair contracts. Realistically, both teams are in a race for the basement. Anaheim has the lead.John Matisz is theScore's senior NHL writer.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Carolina Hurricanes have signed free-agent center Derek Stepan to a one-year deal worth $1.35 million.The 31-year-old recorded six points in 20 games with the Ottawa Senators this past season. His campaign was cut short after he underwent surgery to repair a dislocated shoulder in March. Stepan last saw game action Feb. 23.The veteran two-way forward was drafted by the New York Rangers in the second round in 2008. He spent three seasons with the Arizona Coyotes before being traded to Ottawa in December.Stepan has 485 points in 759 career games and has recorded six 50-plus-point seasons.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Montreal Canadiens have signed restricted free-agent forward Artturi Lehkonen to a one-year deal worth $2.3 million, the team announced Saturday.Lehkonen put up 13 points in 47 games during the 2020-21 regular season and scored three goals during the Habs' Stanley Cup Final run. The 26-year-old booked Montreal's ticket to its first finals appearance since 1993 after scoring in overtime to dispatch the Vegas Golden Knights in six games.A solid part of the Canadiens' bottom-six forward group, Lehkonen also logged 37 minutes of shorthanded ice time in the postseason, which was the fifth-most among all NHL forwards.Montreal selected Lehkonen in the second round of the 2013 NHL Draft, and he's put up 120 career points in 338 games.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Edmonton Oilers signed restricted free agent forward Warren Foegele to a three-year contract with an average annual value of $2.75 million, the team announced Saturday.The Oilers acquired Foegele from the Carolina Hurricanes in exchange for defenseman Ethan Bear earlier this week.

The Vegas Golden Knights traded enforcer Ryan Reaves to the New York Rangers in exchange for a 2022 third-round pick, the team announced Thursday.New York quickly signed Reaves to a one-year extension, the club added Saturday.The deal is worth $1.75 million, according to ESPN's Kevin Weekes. The 34-year-old has one season left on his previous contract with an identical $1.75-million cap hit.Reaves has a reputation as the league's toughest customer. The 6-foot-1, 225-pound heavyweight appeared in 37 games with the Golden Knights last season, tallying one goal, four assists, and 27 penalty minutes. The latter was low by his standards, but he's typically so feared it can be tough for him to get a fight.Newly minted Rangers general manager Chris Drury has made a clear effort to add sandpaper to his club in his first offseason at the helm. The team has already brought in checking wingers Barclay Goodrow and Sammy Blais, as well as towering defensemen Patrik Nemeth and Jarred Tinordi.The Rangers notably got into a line brawl with the Washington Capitals last season after Tom Wilson sucker-punched Pavel Buchnevich and rag-dolled Artemi Panarin.Wilson and Reaves have fought each other twice before, according to HockeyFights.com. Reaves manhandled Wilson in their last bout in 2014. Wilson wrestled Reaves to the ice in their first tilt in 2013.The Caps and Rangers are set to meet in the 2021-22 season opener.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Detroit Red Wings re-signed forward Tyler Bertuzzi to a two-year contract, the team announced Saturday.The deal is expected to carry an average annual value of $4.75 million, according to The Athletic's Max Bultman.Bertuzzi has been one of Detroit's most productive forwards over the last few seasons. He was limited to nine games this past year due to injury, but the 26-year-old posted 48 points during the 2019-20 campaign and 47 the previous season.The Red Wings selected Bertuzzi with the 58th pick in 2013. He's appeared in 208 career games while scoring 54 goals and adding 72 assists.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Toronto Maple Leafs signed forward Nick Ritchie to a two-year contract with an average annual value of $2.5 million, the team announced Saturday.Ritchie spent last season with the Boston Bruins after the club acquired him from the Anaheim Ducks prior to the 2020 trade deadline. The 25-year-old scored 15 goals and added 11 assists over 56 games this year.Both Ritchie and recent Leafs addition winger Ondrej Kase became unrestricted free agents after the Bruins failed to extend qualifying offers to them earlier this week.The Leafs' 23-man roster is now full after the club's recent additions, and they're $1.4 million above the cap limit, according to CapFriendly.The Ducks selected Ritchie with the 10th pick in 2014. He's played 350 career games, amassing 59 goals and 78 assists.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Jack Eichel's camp has had enough of the Buffalo Sabres.Eichel's agents Peter Fish and Peter Donatelli released a statement Friday night in response to general manager Kevyn Adams' comments, in which the executive said he "doesn't feel any pressure" to trade the superstar center.Eichel's representatives explained their displeasure with the organization for not moving their client nor allowing him to have his preferred method of surgery to treat a herniated disc in his neck."The process is not working. As previously stated, we fully anticipated a trade by the start of the NHL free-agency period," the statement reads. "After the agreed-upon and prescribed period for conservative rehabilitation lapsed in early June 2021, it was determined by the Sabres medical staff that a surgical procedure was required."The recommendation by Jack's independent neurosurgeon, other spine specialists consulted, and the surgery Jack feels most comfortable having in order to correct a herniated disc in his neck is to proceed with artificial disc replacement surgery. A further point of concern is that our camp was initially under the impression that the Sabres specialist was in agreement with the artificial disc replacement surgery until that was no longer the case."What is being left out of the discussion is that Jack would be able to play in the NHL for the start of the season pending medical clearance if he were allowed to have the surgery he desires even as of this date. Repeated requests have been made to the Sabres since early June to no avail. This process is stopping Jack from playing in the NHL and it is not working."Eichel missed the final 33 games of the 2020-21 campaign due to the herniated disc. He discussed his position with the front office in his end-of-season press conference, saying "I’ve been a bit upset about the ways things have been handled" and "there's been a bit of a disconnect (between) the organization and myself."As stated by his agents, Eichel wants to have the surgery, but the Sabres appear cautious of the idea, possibly since it's a relatively new procedure and hasn't been performed on an NHL player before.Eichel also added during that presser he wants to get healthy and play next season "wherever that may be."Adams responded two days later, saying the team will move forward "with the people who want to be here."Trade rumors have circulated since the exchange, but nothing has come to fruition as of yet.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Toronto Maple Leafs have signed winger Ondrej Kase to a one-year deal worth $1.25 million.The 25-year-old will be a restricted free agent after the 2021-22 campaign.Concussions limited Kase to just three games last season before the Boston Bruins non-tendered him ahead of free agency.In his last full campaign in 2019-20, Kase tallied 24 points in 55 games. However, he displayed plenty of promise in the two seasons prior with the Anaheim Ducks, averaging 27 goals and 23 assists per 82 contests.Kase posted strong underlying numbers across his last three healthy seasons, particularly at even strength. Evolving-Hockey.comThe Czech Republic native, who's primarily played right wing, is looking to revive his career in Toronto. Given the Maple Leafs' lack of forward depth, Kase could conceivably play on one of the team's top two lines with either Auston Matthews or John Tavares.However, the biggest key surrounding Kase will be his health. He played in two games in January, missed nearly four months, returned for less than seven minutes in May, and hasn't played since.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

When it comes to modern-day expansion teams, former Vegas Golden Knights goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury set the standard in the crease.In 192 games played with the Golden Knights, Fleury put up 117 wins and a .917 save percentage. He guided the team to a Stanley Cup Final appearance in its inaugural season and to the playoffs in each of his four campaigns.Philipp Grubauer, the Seattle Kraken's first No. 1 netminder, aims to follow in Fleury's footsteps."The way he came in and what they did in the last few years has been incredible," Grubauer said Friday, according to Tom Gulitti of NHL.com. "So that's the goal, right? To be that guy, to go to the playoffs and win the Cup."In 40 games with the Colorado Avalanche this past season, Grubauer authored a .922 save percentage and 1.95 goals-against average. The 29-year-old was rewarded for his strong performance with his first Vezina Trophy nomination; the goaltender who took home the prestigious award was none other than Fleury himself.Grubauer, who's coming off the best season of his nine-year NHL career, said signing with the Kraken as an unrestricted free agent was a "no-brainer.""I think it's incredible to be part of something new and make history in terms of playing the first-ever game and being part of that group and doing the same thing Vegas did," Grubauer said. "That's the goal."Replicating the Golden Knights' success will be no simple feat, and the No. 1 priority for Grubauer and Co. is to establish a winning culture."We're not in this to ease our way into this," he said. "Although we're a new team, a new organization, we want to win, we want to make the playoffs, we win the Stanley Cup. And it starts Game 1."The Kraken inked Grubauer to a six-year deal with an average annual value of $5.9 million on July 28.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Vegas Golden Knights forward Alex Tuch is expected to miss six months after undergoing shoulder surgery, the team announced Friday.With the 2021-22 NHL season slated to start in October, Tuch is unlikely to play until January or February.General manager Kelly McCrimmon said Tuch's shoulder bothered him throughout the season, but the team initially believed that surgery wouldn't be necessary, Ben Gotz of the Las Vegas Review-Journal reports.Tuch had 33 points in 55 games during the 2020-21 campaign before registering nine points in 19 playoff contests. He scored a career-best 1.17 goals per 60 minutes, according to Natural Stat Trick.The 25-year-old carries a $4.75-million cap hit. The Golden Knights will be cap compliant once placing him on long-term injured reserve, The Athletic's Jesse Granger notes. Vegas could then sign restricted free agents Nolan Patrick and Dylan Coghlan.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The St. Louis Blues have re-signed restricted free-agent forward Ivan Barbashev to a two-year contract with an annual cap hit of $2.25 million.Barbashev, 25, recorded five goals and seven assists in 38 games this past season in a bottom-six role. The Blues protected him in the expansion draft.St. Louis selected Barbashev 33rd overall at the 2014 NHL Draft.The Blues now project to have approximately $6 million in remaining cap space. They still need to sign fellow RFAs Robert Thomas, Jordan Kyrou, and Zach Sanford.The club could also create additional cap space by accommodating Vladimir Tarasenko's trade request.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Colorado Avalanche re-signed Tyson Jost to a two-year contract, the team announced Friday.The deal carries an average annual value of $2 million, reports Sportsnet's Chris Johnston.Jost, 23, appeared in 54 games with the Avalanche last season. He recorded seven goals and 10 assists."Tyson took a big step last year and was a key contributor to our team. He has worked hard to improve his game and earn a spot in our lineup," general manager Joe Sakic said. "Tyson is a guy with a lot of character who competes at a high level day in and day out. We are excited to have him under contract for another two seasons."Colorado drafted Jost with the 10th pick in the 2016 NHL Draft. He's appeared in 262 career games, totaling 39 goals and 50 assists.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

David Krejci's time with the Boston Bruins has come to an end.The 35-year-old announced on Friday that he's heading overseas to play in his home country of the Czech Republic. He's spent the last 14 seasons with the Bruins.

Buffalo Sabres general manager Kevyn Adams isn't in a rush to trade his franchise star Jack Eichel."What’s critically important to make sure is clear is that we’re in control of this process,” Adams said Thursday, according to The Athletic's John Vogl. “We have a player under contract. We don’t feel any pressure. If there’s a deal out there that we feel is the right thing for the Buffalo Sabres that’s going to help us improve - whether that’s improve right away or improve down the road, those are all the things weigh - we’d be open to it.“But we’re not in a position where we feel we’re just going to do something to do it. That doesn’t make any sense.”Eichel has been the subject of trade rumors for months. After how his neck injury was treated, the 24-year-old expressed there's a disconnect between him and the club. His status for the upcoming season is still uncertain.Earlier this week, Eichel's agents said they expect the forward will be traded in the "near future." They were responding to Adams saying he would have "no problem" with Eichel still being with the club to begin training camp.Adams confirmed he's still often discussing a potential trade with teams, and there's still a market for Eichel. But with the majority of this year's top free agents now signed, the number of potential suitors appears to be dwindling.Eichel has recorded 139 goals and 216 assists over 375 career games. There are five years remaining on his contract with a $10-million cap hit per season, and a no-movement clause that kicks in after the upcoming campaign.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

NHL commissioner Gary Bettman didn't mince words when talking about the Montreal Canadiens' controversial selection of Logan Mailloux during last week's draft."I was stunned. Surprised wouldn't begin to explain my reaction," Bettman said on "The Power Play with Steve Kouleas" on Thursday. "I'm a dad of two daughters, I have four granddaughters. What was done was horrific."Mailloux was charged and fined in Sweden last fall for invasion of privacy and defamation after taking a photo of a woman without consent during a sexual encounter and distributing it.He put out a statement last Tuesday asking teams not to draft him, writing that he hadn't "demonstrated strong enough maturity or character to earn that privilege."Three days later, the Habs selected him 31st overall."Everybody's focusing on the player - he said he didn't want to be drafted, the Canadiens drafted him anyway," Bettman said. "There's no mechanism not to be drafted, it's not within the player's control in any circumstance to decide when he wants to be drafted."Bettman acknowledged Canadiens owner Geoff Molson's statement on the selection, adding that the situation is going to "require evaluation going forward.""I don't think anybody should lose sight of the impact of what happened on the victim and the victim's family," Bettman said. "While (Molson) said the Canadiens and Logan are going to try and make good, we're gonna have to see what that means moving forward in all contexts."Bettman added: "They’re going to continue to see how this evolves, how he progresses ... and at the appropriate time, we may be called on if and when they want him to play and he wants to play."Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Columbus Blue Jackets have signed defenseman Zach Werenski to a six-year contract extension with an average annual value of $9.583 million, the team announced Thursday.Werenski has made a huge impact in the five seasons he's been in Columbus. The 24-year-old is the Jackets' all-time leader in goals (65) by a blue-liner. Since his debut in 2016, he's tied for third among NHL defensemen in goals and 19th in points (189)."The city of Columbus has been so good to me, it's close to home and my family, and as I thought about it, it was really a no-brainer," Werenski said. "I'm a Blue Jacket. I want to continue to be a Blue Jacket and do everything I can to bring a Stanley Cup here."The Michigan native has one season left on a three-year contract that carries a cap hit of $5 million, meaning his new deal will kick in for the 2022-23 campaign.The extension includes a full no-movement clause in the second through fifth seasons, and in the sixth year, it modifies to a 10-team trade list, according to Sportsnet's Chris Johnston.Werenski's 2020-21 season ended early due to a sports hernia, but he registered 20 points in 35 contests while playing an average of 24:22 per game.The 6-foot-2 left-handed shot will be without his main defensive partner moving forward, as Seth Jones was traded to the Chicago Blackhawks on July 23.Werenski was drafted eighth overall by the Blue Jackets in 2015.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Montreal Canadiens have signed free-agent forward Mathieu Perreault to a one-year deal worth $950,000, the team announced Thursday.The 33-year-old Quebec native spent the last seven seasons with the Winnipeg Jets. He recorded 19 points in 56 games while averaging 11:43 of ice time this past campaign.Perreault is a versatile, two-way player who can slot in at both center and winger, providing a boost to the Canadiens' depth.Perreault, who played three minor-league seasons in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League, was drafted by the Washington Capitals in 2006. He's also suited up for the Anaheim Ducks. Perreault has 343 points in 683 career NHL games.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Carolina Hurricanes signed veteran blue-liner Brendan Smith to a one-year, $800,000 contract.Smith, 32, spent parts of the last five seasons with the New York Rangers. He registered five goals and five assists in 48 games last campaign."Brendan is a veteran defenseman who will add physicality and toughness to our lineup," Hurricanes general manager Don Waddell said.Smith has shown versatility throughout his career, spending most of the 2019-20 season playing forward.The Detroit Red Wings drafted Smith in the first round in 2007. He spent parts of six campaigns in the Motor City before being dealt to the Big Apple in 2016-17.The Hurricanes have undergone multiple changes on their blue line this offseason. They lost Dougie Hamilton in free agency and traded away Jake Bean but acquired Ethan Bear, Ian Cole, Tony DeAngelo, and now Smith - who projects to serve as the club's seventh or eighth defenseman.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

With a brand-new five-year contract in hand, Washington Capitals icon Alex Ovechkin now has his sights set on breaking Wayne Gretzky's all-time goal record."That's why I wanna play five more years," Ovechkin said, according to Andrew Gillis of NBC Sports Washington. "To have a chance to catch the Great One, why not?"Having scored 730 goals, Ovechkin is 165 tallies away from breaking Gretzky's mark of 894. He'll need to average at least 33 goals per season during the duration of his new deal to accomplish the feat.The 16-year NHL veteran has only missed that mark three times, including during the shortened 2012-13 and 2020-21 campaigns. He's scored 50 goals or more in eight seasons, most recently in 2018-19 when he lit the lamp 51 times.Despite the fact Ovechkin will be in his 40s when his contract expires, the Capitals are behind the Great Eight's quest to beat the Great One."You want to be able to have a great team in a big market with a once-in-a-generation player who has a chance to break a record that, to be honest, I thought was unbreakable," owner Ted Leonsis said. "As you break that down, 33 goals a year and (if) he'll stay healthy, it is a doable achievement."But if Ovechkin can't break the all-time record, he at least looks primed to take the No. 2 spot from Gordie Howe, who scored 801 career goals. Ovechkin must average just over 14 tallies per season during his deal to claim second place."If I'm gonna be second, you know, it's a pretty good number as well," Ovechkin said.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Columbus Blue Jackets signed defenseman Jake Bean to a three-year contract with an annual cap hit of $2.3 million.The Blue Jackets acquired Bean from the Carolina Hurricanes on Saturday in exchange for a 2021 second-round pick.The 23-year-old recorded one goal and 11 assists in 42 games during his rookie campaign in 2020-21 and averaged 14:32 of ice time per contest. He tore up the AHL the year prior, racking up 48 points in 59 games.Bean will be asked to help fill the void left by Seth Jones and David Savard on Columbus' back end. Here's the team's projected depth chart:LDRDZach WerenskiAdam BoqvistVladislav GavrikovDean Kukan (L)Jake BeanScott Harrington (L)Gabriel CarlssonAndrew PeekeThere's plenty of youth on the Blue Jackets blue line, but it lacks right-handed shots with Jones and Savard departing.The Hurricanes selected Bean 13th overall in the 2016 NHL Draft.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Ryan Suter may be 36 years old, but he believes he's entering his prime."I think I can play until I'm 45 if I want," the newest Dallas Stars defenseman said Thursday, according to NHL.com's Tracey Myers. "I just think the way I play. My play hasn't gone down over the last 10 years. I think it's actually gotten better."Suter signed a four-year deal with the Stars on Wednesday at $3.65-million per season. The contract takes him through his age-40 campaign. The Minnesota Wild bought out the final four seasons ($7.54-million AAV) of Suter's deal on July 13.The former Nashville Predator is coming off arguably his worst campaign in over a decade. His 0.34 points per game were his worst since 2006-07, and his average ice time of 22:11 was his lowest since 2007-08.The analytics suggest Suter is declining:

The Tampa Bay Lightning signed unrestricted free-agent forward Corey Perry to a two-year contract with an average annual value of $1 million, the team announced Thursday.Perry signed one-year contracts in each of the previous two offseasons, joining the Dallas Stars in 2019 and Montreal Canadiens in 2020. Both moves resulted in losses in the Stanley Cup Final at the hands of the Lightning.The 36-year-old proved he's still an effective player this past campaign, registering 21 points in 49 regular-season games before chipping in four goals and six assists during Montreal's improbable run to the Final.Perry is one of the most accomplished players of his generation. The 2003 first-round pick has 818 points in 1094 career games. He's won a Stanley Cup, Hart Trophy, Maurice "Rocket" Richard Trophy, and two Olympic gold medals.The Lightning had a combined cap hit of over $85 million against the NHL's $81.5-million limit before bringing Perry aboard, according to Cap Friendly. Tampa Bay already offloaded the contracts of Yanni Gourde and Tyler Johnson this offseason and has more work to do to become cap compliant before the start of the 2021-22 campaign in October.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Pittsburgh Penguins have signed forward Danton Heinen to a one-year contract worth $1.1 million, the team announced Thursday.Heinen became an unrestricted free agent after the Anaheim Ducks didn't extend him a qualifying offer earlier this week. Anaheim acquired him from the Boston Bruins last February.The 26-year-old managed seven goals and seven assists in 43 games last season. He spent three campaigns with the Bruins before joining the Ducks, posting a career-high 47 points as a rookie in 2017-18.He's notched 44 goals and 77 assists in 272 career games.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Los Angeles Kings have signed restricted free-agent forward Andreas Athanasiou to a one-year contract extension worth $2.7 million, the team announced Thursday.Athanasiou signed a one-year, $1.2-million deal with the Kings ahead of the 2020-21 campaign. He had a quality first season with Los Angeles, registering 23 points in 47 games while averaging just under 15 minutes of ice time per night.The 26-year-old has also had stints with the Edmonton Oilers and Detroit Red Wings during his six-year NHL career.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The St. Louis Blues signed forward Brandon Saad to a five-year contract with an average annual value of $4.5 million, the team announced Thursday.Saad, 28, spent last season with the Colorado Avalanche, with whom he recorded 15 goals and added nine assists in 44 games. He's scored 20-plus goals in five seasons and hit the 50-point mark three times during his career.He previously had stints with the Chicago Blackhawks and Columbus Blue Jackets. In 632 career games, he's amassed 184 goals and 187 assists. Saad also won the Stanley Cup twice with the Blackhawks.Saad had multiple offers, including from the New Jersey Devils and Carolina Hurricanes, according to TSN's Pierre LeBrun.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The New York Rangers signed forward Filip Chytil to a two-year contract extension, the team announced Thursday.Chytil, 21, was a restricted free agent. He appeared in 42 games last season, scoring eight goals and adding 14 assists.The Rangers selected Chytil with the 21st overall pick in the 2017 NHL Draft. He posted 23 points in 75 contests during his rookie campaign in 2018-19. In 186 career games, he has 34 goals and 37 assists.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Dallas Stars signed defenseman Jani Hakanpaa to a three-year contract with an average annual value of $1.5 million, the team announced Thursday.The club also signed forward Michael Raffl to a one-year contract worth $1.1 million.Hakanpaa split time between the Anaheim Ducks and Carolina Hurricanes last season. Overall, he mustered up two goals and two assists in 57 games."Jani is a big, physical defenseman that sees the ice well and skates at a high level for a man of his size," general manager Jim Nill said. "He is a reliable penalty killer and will help balance out our backend."The St. Louis Blues drafted the right-shot blue-liner in the fourth round of the 2010 NHL Draft, but he never suited up for the team. The 29-year-old spent four campaigns playing with Karpat of the Finnish Elite League before returning to North America in 2019.Raffl spent his entire NHL career with the Philadelphia Flyers before being dealt to the Washington Capitals at last year's trade deadline. The 32-year-old had four goals and seven assists through 44 games."Michael is a solid two-way forward with good hockey sense, allowing him to play in a variety of situations," Nill said. "He has a strong, physical presence on the ice and will add veteran savvy and depth to our lineup."Hakanpaa has 62 games of NHL experience under his belt with three goals and two assists. Raffl is a veteran of 514 games and has totaled 82 goals with 81 assists.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Dallas Stars will retire Sergei Zubov's No. 56 this season, the club announced Thursday.The ceremony will occur during January 28's game versus the Washington Capitals. Zubov's number will be the sixth the Stars have retired - he joins Neal Broten (7), Bill Goldsworthy (8), Mike Modano (9), Bill Masterton (19), and Jere Lehtinen (26).Zubov spent 12 of his 16 NHL seasons with Dallas, racking up 549 points in 839 contests and winning a Stanley Cup in 1999.The 51-year-old was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2019.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Quick-hit analysis of important NHL signings and trades completed July 28.Signing: Ducks sign forward Ryan Getzlaf to one-year deal

Day 1 of the NHL's free-agent frenzy is in the books, and what a day it was. According to CapFriendly, more than $783 million was spent on over 160 signings Wednesday.Below, we dive into the winners and losers from Wednesday's festivities. Moves made in the days leading up to free agency were also considered for this exercise.WinnersNew Jersey Devils Gregg Forwerck / National Hockey League / GettyThe Devils made the biggest splash of the day, signing prized free-agent defenseman Dougie Hamilton to a seven-year contract with an average annual value of $9 million.Hamilton, a true No. 1 blue-liner, was the best free agent available. He's 6-foot-6, shoots right, skates well, and has tallied 82 points in his last 102 regular-season games. He also perennially posts excellent underlying numbers and projects to age well over the course of his deal.

The Buffalo Sabres are taking care of business in their own crease.Buffalo signed free-agent goalies Craig Anderson and Aaron Dell to one-year deals worth $750,000, the team announced Wednesday.Anderson started just two regular-season games with the Washington Capitals last season, but he authored a stellar .929 save percentage in two playoff appearances.The 40-year-old spent the bulk of his career with the Ottawa Senators, where he holds the franchise record in wins (202). He has also suited up for the Chicago Blackhawks, Florida Panthers, and Colorado Avalanche.Anderson ranks fifth among active goalies in career wins (291) and second in career saves (19,994). He owns a .913 save percentage across 652 games played.Dell, 32, has authored a .906 save percentage across 114 career NHL games, most of which he's played with the San Jose Sharks. The 32-year-old recorded a .857 save percentage in seven contests with the New Jersey Devils this past season.The Sabres were in need of goaltenders after Linus Ullmark and Carter Hutton departed in free agency. Buffalo's top goalie prospect, Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, and Dustin Tokarski are likely destined for the minors.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.