Columbus Blue Jackets forward Max Domi is excited to get things going with his new club and aims to return to being one of the league's top players."Great chapter in my life for sure (playing in Montreal), but this next one up here is super exciting for me too," Domi said during "Tim and Sid" on Friday. "You're going to a team that is ready to win, it's a heck of a hockey team. I know first hand how hard it is to play against them - well-coached, a lot of depth. And obviously going into a place where you're wanted and you got a big role, so I'm looking forward to the challenge and I can't wait to get down to Columbus and be a part of the Blue Jackets."The Blue Jackets acquired the 25-year-old and a third-round draft pick earlier in October from the Montreal Canadiens for Josh Anderson.After a career-best season in his first year with the Canadiens, during which he posted 28 goals and 72 points, Domi endured the worst statistical campaign of his career during 2019-20. He managed 17 goals and 27 assists in 71 games and was often relegated to a bottom-six role.However, Domi is looking ahead and betting on himself to have a big comeback season with the Blue Jackets."Even Michael Jordan and Wayne Gretzky, those guys had tough games, tough years," Domi said. "So it's how it goes and you just gotta bounce back. So I'm looking forward to the challenge of bouncing back now and having a huge year this year with Columbus and helping them try to win a Stanley Cup."Domi, who was a restricted free agent at the time of the trade, inked a two-year, $10.6-million contract with Columbus in the days following the trade.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly said that planning next season is proving to be a highly difficult task."It's a totally different challenge and requires a whole bunch of different considerations that I think probably, in some respects, are more challenging than the return to play plans," Daly told The Athletic's Michael Russo. "You need to gather as much information as you can, you need to take as much time as you can, and you need to make the best decisions you can."One of the league's major obstacles continues to be the Canadian government's 14-day quarantine period for international travelers.However, the federal government will test international travelers as a means to provide added flexibility to the existing quarantine rules, The Toronto Sun's Bryan Passifiume reports. Those who test negative for COVID-19 upon entering the country can forgo quarantine if they agree to a second test within a week.Daly said that if the pilot program is successful and ultimately becomes permanent, his job will be significantly easier."The pilot program, at least on its face, if it goes well and it becomes more widespread, and that is the mechanism (for) health and safety ... that could be very, very helpful to a return to play strategy next season for us," Daly said.If the 14-day quarantine remains in place, the league may be forced to get creative in terms of a realignment. With seven teams based north of the border, the league could conceivably form an all-Canadian division.Daly, however, isn't committed to any specific format."I'm being honest when I say that there is no likely scenario. In other words, I couldn't pick one. I could identify 10-12 scenarios for you right now and I wouldn't be able to pick a likely scenario," he said. "While we have to make these decisions in a matter of weeks, I couldn't tell you that we're leaning any one over any other. It really is going to be a product of a whole bunch of considerations that have yet to materialize."The NHL is targeting Jan. 1 as the potential start date for next season and reportedly hopes to do so at an aesthetically pleasing site.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Calgary Flames signed defenseman Nikita Nesterov to a one-year, $700,000 contract, the team announced Friday.Nesterov spent the last three seasons with CSKA Moscow of the KHL. As the club's captain in 2019-20, he finished first among its blue-liners with 23 points in 53 games.The Tampa Bay Lightning selected Nesterov in the fifth round of the 2011 draft. He suited up in 119 regular-season games with the Bolts from 2014 to 2017 and had a brief 13-game stint with the Montreal Canadiens in 2017.He's totaled 33 points in 132 career NHL games, primarily in a third-pairing role.Nesterov has represented Russia on the international stage numerous times, winning a gold medal at the 2018 Olympics.The 5-foot-11, 191-pound rearguard will likely serve a depth role on the Flames' blue line. Here's how Calgary's top six projects to shake out:LDRDMark GiordanoRasmus AnderssonNoah HanifinChris TanevJuuso ValimakiOliver KylingtonThe Flames lost several defensemen in free agency: TJ Brodie, Erik Gustafsson, and Derek Forbort all signed elsewhere, and Travis Hamonic and Michael Stone remain unsigned.Nesterov and Alex Petrovic are the team's most experienced depth options.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Toronto Maple Leafs agreed to terms with defenseman Travis Dermott on a one-year contract worth $874,125, the club announced Friday.Dermott was the Maple Leafs' final restricted free agent who's expected to crack the NHL roster. Joey Anderson is on the team's reserve list.His signing puts Toronto more than $1 million over the salary cap, according to CapFriendly.The 23-year-old collected 11 points across 56 games while averaging 17:19 in ice time during the 2019-20 campaign.Dermott has spent all three of his NHL seasons with the Maple Leafs, who drafted him 34th overall in 2015.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The NHL is looking to hold opening day of the 2020-21 season at an aesthetically pleasing location to make it even more memorable, according to The Athletic's Michael Russo.Beginning the campaign at Lake Louise in Alberta was one possibility, but that idea has since been squashed due to issues that surfaced after visiting the site, Russo adds.Two of the league's marquee events in 2021 - All-Star Weekend and the Winter Classic - were postponed Thursday until 2022 at the earliest.The league is still targeting Jan. 1 as the potential start date for next season.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Professional Women's Hockey Players Association announced Thursday that it's received a $1 million commitment from Secret deodorant to fund the Dream Gap Tour in 2021."Thanks to brands like Secret, players are given access to the necessary training facilities and resources and opportunities to compete, that professional sport demands," said PWHPA operations consultant Jayna Hefford.The PWHPA was established in May 2019 after the shutdown of the Canadian Women's Hockey League. The association created the Dream Gap Tour in 2020, which Secret supported, to showcase women's hockey across North America. The tour features over 100 of the sport’s top talents.The COVID-19 pandemic is heavily impacting professional sports leagues worldwide, and it has kept women's hockey on the sidelines for several months."COVID-19 affected our positive momentum and threatened our upcoming season," Hefford said. "We’re so thankful for Secret’s ongoing support of the PWHPA."The PWHPA is made up of the best hockey players in the world, the fans deserve a chance to watch these women play and our players deserve to be treated equitably. This is a pivotal moment to create real change in women’s professional sports."The PWHPA also announced its plan for the second Dream Gap Tour. Teams will be based in five markets (Toronto, Calgary, Montreal, Minnesota, and New Hampshire), and will compete in six showcase events across the continent. For the first time ever, cash prizes and the Secret Cup will be up for grabs.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The NHL is teaming up with the American Gaming Association to encourage responsible betting, the league announced Friday.Through their "Have A Game Plan, Bet Responsibly" public service campaign, the NHL and AGA will display messages in arenas and on digital platforms. The campaign's recommendations include setting and adhering to a gambling budget, maintaining betting as a social activity, understanding odds, and using trusted, regulated operators.This is the second partnership between the AGA and a professional sports league after NASCAR joined the gaming entity's efforts in September.Regulated sports betting is legal in 18 states and the District of Columbia. Eleven of the 23 U.S. jurisdictions currently allowing legal sports betting are home to NHL clubs, according to the league's release.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The NHL offseason's initial thrill has come and gone, but that doesn't mean the excitement is entirely over. While most of the top-end free agents have signed, there's still a handful of blockbuster trades that could transpire. The flat salary cap makes trading difficult, but we'll identify six intriguing players who could still get dealt this offseason:Shayne Gostisbehere Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / GettyGostisbehere has fallen out of favor with the Philadelphia Flyers. He was seemingly placed in Alain Vigneault's doghouse early into the 2019-20 season and couldn't get out. The 27-year-old was a healthy scratch at times and tallied a career-low 12 points in 42 games.The Flyers reportedly made Gostisbehere available for a trade earlier this offseason, but fellow blue-liner Matt Niskanen shockingly retired a week later. It's unclear if Niskanen's retirement means Gostisbehere may stay put. However, Philadelphia's lone addition on the back end in free agency, Erik Gustafsson, plays a similar offensive game to Gostisbehere.Gostisbehere was a Calder Trophy finalist in 2015-16 and is just two years removed from a 65-point season, so there should be some interest. His contract - three years left at $4.5 million per season - is reasonable, too. He needs to go to a team where he can use his biggest strength: quarterbacking a top power-play unit.Potential landing spots: Boston Bruins, Winnipeg Jets, Los Angeles KingsPatrik Laine Darcy Finley / National Hockey League / GettyThe Jets were seriously considering moving Laine before the draft and free agency, and a more recent report suggested Laine's camp believes a trade would "probably" be mutually beneficial for the team and player. Laine has expressed displeasure with his second-line role in the past.Pursuing teams would need to offer more than just prospects and draft picks. Jets general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff can't give Laine away for unknown parts. He has to get at least one proven player in return - ideally a top-six center or a top-four defenseman.Laine is in the final year of his bridge deal, which carries a $6.75-million cap hit. Any interested teams would need to afford him this year and be prepared to hand him a massive extension next offseason. The 22-year-old is one of the most gifted shooters and already has annual 50-goal potential.Potential landing spots: Buffalo Sabres, Carolina Hurricanes, Minnesota WildJake Gardiner Gregg Forwerck / National Hockey League / GettyGardiner's transition to the Hurricanes didn't go as smoothly as expected last season. Despite signing a four-year, $16.2-million contract, the former Toronto Maple Leafs blue-liner was relegated to third-pairing duties for most of the campaign. A $4.05-million cap hit is quite expensive for a D-man who averaged just 16:40 of ice time per game in 2019-20.Carolina has cheaper defensemen who can fill Gardiner's role, so the 30-year-old was reportedly placed on the trade block last week. He has defensive deficiencies, but he's an effortless skater who makes a good first pass. He would provide an upgrade as a top-four defenseman for many teams.Potential landing spots: Florida Panthers, New York Rangers, JetsRasmus Ristolainen Len Redkoles / National Hockey League / GettyIt feels like Ristolainen has been on the trade block for an eternity, but the Sabres haven't found a taker for the 6-foot-4 defenseman. Perhaps new GM Kevyn Adams can do what his predecessor Jason Botterill couldn't.The Sabres have a logjam on the right side of their blue line. In addition to Ristolainen, Buffalo also has Colin Miller, Henri Jokiharju, and Brandon Montour vying for minutes. Having one of them play on the left isn't ideal.It might be tough to find a partner for Ristolainen, who, despite being a consistent 40-point producer and having enviable physical traits, is, frankly, not very good. His possession numbers have been horrendous throughout the years, and his $5.4 million for two more seasons is a lot to take on in a flat-cap world for a player with question marks.Potential landing spots: Flyers, Chicago Blackhawks, JetsAlex Killorn & Tyler Johnson Mark Blinch / National Hockey League / GettyWe've grouped these two for obvious reasons. The Tampa Bay Lightning have just under $3 million in cap space and need to sign three key restricted free agents: Anthony Cirelli, Mikhail Sergachev, and Erik Cernak. GM Julien BriseBois must create cap space, and moving Killorn and Johnson are his best chance at doing it.Killorn should have some value in the trade market. His $4.45-million cap hit for three more seasons isn't a bargain, but it's a tolerable contract for the two-way winger. He seems to be the odd man out since he has a 16-team no-trade list, whereas teammates Ondrej Palat and Yanni Gourde - expendable players making similar money - have full no-trade clauses.While it's possible a sweetener needs to be added to move Killorn, it's a guarantee one is necessary to trade Johnson, who's already cleared waivers with no takers. Johnson, who has four years left on his deal with a $5-million cap hit, has a full no-trade clause, but he's already told the team he'd be willing to work out a move. One year removed from a 29-goal season, a cap rich team will surely step up and take Johnson if it means getting a good draft pick or prospect.Potential landing spots: Detroit Red Wings, Ottawa Senators, Panthers(Cap source: CapFriendly)Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Vegas Golden Knights defenseman Alex Pietrangelo is prepared for the emotions he'll experience when he faces the St. Louis Blues in future years."It'll be emotional for sure, it always is when you get into those situations, it definitely won't be easy," Pietrangelo told NHL Network on Thursday. "Look, I met my wife here, she's from here, we got family here, there's so many things that attach us to this city. At the end of the day, I still have a job to do when I do come and play. It's gonna be emotional for a long time, not just the first time I play. It's gonna be emotional every time I come here."The 30-year-old has spent his entire NHL career with the Blues since they drafted him fourth overall in 2008. He became team captain in 2016 and helped guide the club to a Stanley Cup victory in 2019.He signed a seven-year, $61.6-million contract with the Golden Knights as a free agent this offseason.Pietrangelo knows, however, that once the puck drops, it'll be all business against his former team."I grew up here, I grew up as a player, I grew up as a person. I still got family and friends here, I'm sure they're going to be at the games, too," Pietrangelo said. "So all that comes into play but I'm sure once the game gets going, these guys don't let me get off easy and it'll be a wakeup call for me."He appeared in 758 games with the Blues, racking up 109 goals and 341 assists. Since his rookie season in 2010, Pietrangelo ranks seventh among all defensemen in points.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The New Jersey Devils signed defenseman Dmitry Kulikov to a one-year contract with a value of $1.15 million, the team announced Thursday.The veteran blue-liner spent the last three seasons with the Winnipeg Jets. He appeared in 51 games during the 2019-20 campaign, recording two goals and eight assists while averaging 20:01 of ice time per contest."Kulikov is an experienced, physical left-shot defenseman who skates well," general manager Tom Fitzgerald said. "His ability to play both the right and left side brings value to our defense corps."The 29-year-old was selected 14th overall in the 2009 NHL Draft by the Florida Panthers. He's skated in 677 career games, tallying 35 goals and 135 assists.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Dallas Stars have re-signed forward Denis Gurianov to a two-year contract with an average annual value of $2.55 million, the team announced Thursday.Gurianov was a restricted free agent and played a crucial role in the Stars' run to the Stanley Cup Final this summer. He finished second on the team with nine postseason goals, totaling 17 points through 27 games.The 23-year-old also paced the Stars in regular-season tallies, netting 20 -including seven on the power play - across 64 contests.Gurianov posted gaudy possession numbers in 2019-20. The 6-foot-3 winger had a Corsi For of 55.99%, and the Stars owned an expected goals for percentage of 59.23 with him on the ice at five-on-five, according to Natural Stat Trick.Dallas selected Gurianov with the 12th overall pick in the 2015 NHL Draft.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The NHL has postponed the 2021 All-Star Weekend and the Winter Classic, the league announced Thursday.The Minnesota Wild were scheduled to take on the St. Louis Blues at Target Field in Minneapolis on New Year's Day, and the Florida Panthers were slated to host All-Star Weekend on Jan. 29-30. The league adds that it intends to return to each city for these signature events in the near future."Fan participation, both in arenas and stadiums as well as in the ancillary venues and events that we stage around the Winter Classic and All-Star Weekend, is integral to the success of our signature events," said NHL senior executive vice president Steve Mayer.

The Calgary Flames signed forward Dominik Simon to a one-year deal worth $700,000, the team announced Thursday.Simon, who underwent shoulder surgery in April, didn't receive a qualifying offer from the Pittsburgh Penguins, and he became an unrestricted free agent on Oct. 9.The 26-year-old recorded seven goals and 22 points over 64 games with the Penguins in 2019-20. He's amassed 19 goals and 64 points while averaging 13:14 of ice time across 173 NHL contests.Calgary holds $2.58 million in projected cap space with a roster of 19 and only one outstanding restricted free agent in defenseman Oliver Kylington.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Vancouver Canucks re-signed forward Jake Virtanen to a two-year, $5.1-million contract, the team announced Thursday.Virtanen was a restricted free agent with an arbitration hearing set for Oct. 28.The 24-year-old is coming off his best season after recording career highs in goals (18) and points (36) over 69 games in 2019-20. He added two goals and three points in 16 playoff contests.Virtanen also led the Canucks with six regular-season game-winning goals, and he ranked fourth on the club with 102 hits.The gritty winger ranked third on the Canucks with 37 takeaways. He also drove offense at an impressive rate, according to HockeyViz's isolated impact at five-on-five. HockeyVizVirtanen was the Canucks' final restricted free agent. The club is currently $1.5 million above the salary cap with a full roster of 23, according to CapFriendly.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Ottawa Senators signed forward Connor Brown to a three-year deal with an average annual value of $3.6 million, the team announced Thursday.The sides were scheduled to have an arbitration hearing Thursday. Brown filed for a one-year contract with a value of $4.8 million and the team filed for one year at $2.25 million, according to the Ottawa Sun's Bruce Garrioch. Brown made $2.1 million annually on his previous deal.The 26-year-old enjoyed a career season in his first year with the Senators, amassing 16 goals and ranking second on the club with 43 points through 71 games.He also logged a career-high 20:07 of average ice time per game last season and was a key player on Ottawa's penalty kill while also contributing on the power play.The Senators acquired Brown from the Toronto Maple Leafs in July 2019.Ottawa has $17.8 million in projected cap space with only one outstanding restricted free agent in forward Chris Tierney.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Montreal Canadiens head coach Claude Julien maintains the club's emerging depth at forward played a part in Max Domi's trade to the Columbus Blue Jackets earlier this month."You talk about (Nick) Suzuki, (Jesperi) Kotkaniemi, two young centers that the organization really wants them to succeed," Julien told reporters Thursday. "When we started training camp, obviously Max wasn't there for the first week, so we put our group together, we started, and all of a sudden we see both those guys, especially Kotkaniemi, really doing well."Domi, who has Type 1 diabetes and celiac disease, took an extra week to decide whether or not it would be safe for him to join the club at training camp in July. Once play restarted in August, he saw a dramatic decrease in ice time and played primarily on the fourth line.The 25-year-old said after the trade that he had become unsure of his role with the club and didn't know where he stood with Julien."It's not so much that it didn't work out (with Domi in Montreal)," Julien said. "Sometimes this is what hockey's all about - you end up with a situation where now Max became I guess a little bit expendable, because we had those guys do so well, and at the same time, we're able to get a big player that we really needed on the wing in Josh Anderson in exchange for him."Domi saw a drop in production last season with 17 goals and 44 points through 71 games before the season hit pause. He posted a career-best campaign in 2018-19.The 5-foot-10 pivot signed a two-year, $10.6-million contract with the Blue Jackets one day after being traded.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Seattle Kraken announced seven new hirings Wednesday, most prominently adding longtime NHL forward Gary Roberts as their sports science and performance consultant."Roberts will work to provide the Kraken training center and team infrastructure with the proper equipment and systems in place to enable Kraken players to perform at their highest potential," the club said in a statement.Roberts, 54, became a personal trainer after retiring from the NHL in 2009. His success in the field led him to create the Gary Roberts High Performance Centre in Toronto, where he currently works with several NHL players including Connor McDavid and Steven Stamkos.The hiring marks Roberts' second post-playing role with an NHL club; he served as the Dallas Stars' player development consultant in 2010-11.Roberts and Kraken general manager Ron Francis were teammates during their playing careers with both the Carolina Hurricanes (1998-2000) and the Toronto Maple Leafs (2003-04).Roberts amassed 438 goals and 910 points over 1,224 career contests and captured the Stanley Cup with the Calgary Flames in 1989.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Washington Capitals re-signed restricted free-agent defenseman Jonas Siegenthaler to a one-year, $800,000 contract, the team announced Wednesday.Siegenthaler recorded nine points in 64 games and averaged 15:44 per contest during the 2019-20 campaign. The Swiss native was one of Washington's most reliable defensive defensemen last season, as his 2.13 expected goals against per 60 minutes was the lowest among Caps blue-liners to log at least 100 minutes at five-on-five, according to Natural Stat Trick.The 23-year-old projects to be a key cog on Washington's third pairing with Michal Kempny out six-to-eight months due to an Achilles injury, despite some offseason additions to the back end.LDRDBrenden DillonJohn CarlsonDmitry OrlovJustin SchultzJonas SiegenthalerNick JensenTrevor van RiemsdykSiegenthaler, who stands at 6-foot-3 and 206 pounds, was the Capitals' second-round pick in 2015.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Edmonton Oilers inked defenseman Kris Russell to a one-year, $1.25M contract extension through the 2021-22 season, the club announced Wednesday.The 33-year-old appeared in 55 games with the Oilers last season, recording nine assists and averaging 16:47 of ice time per game.Russell joined the Oilers ahead of the 2016-17 season. He's skated in 846 career games, tallying 46 goals and 190 assists.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Edmonton Oilers head coach Dave Tippett believes his club will get an improved version of Jesse Puljujarvi when the Swedish-born Finnish forward rejoins the club next season."You watch him play now and he's a different player," Tippett said, according to NHL.com's Ryan Frankson. "He's a dominant player in the Finnish league right now.

Find line reports, best bets, and subscribe to push notifications in the Betting News section.Free agency in October. Weird. Such is life in 2020, and it's only fitting that an offseason taking place during what is usually the start of the regular season brings some wild and unexpected activity.With the dust settling following a flurry of signings and trades, theScoreBet released our Stanley Cup odds for the 2020-21 season, and we dive into the teams you need to be buying and selling at their current price.TeamOddsColorado Avalanche+450Tampa Bay Lightning+800Vegas Golden Knights+900Boston Bruins+1100Dallas Stars+1600Philadelphia Flyers+1600Carolina Hurricanes+1800New York Islanders+1800St. Louis Blues+1800Washington Capitals+1800Pittsburgh Penguins+2200Toronto Maple Leafs+2200Vancouver Canucks+2200Edmonton Oilers+2800Calgary Flames+3000Nashville Predators+3000Florida Panthers+3500New York Rangers+3500Columbus Blue Jackets+3800San Jose Sharks+4000Winnipeg Jets+4000Montreal Canadiens+4500Buffalo Sabres+5000Anaheim Ducks+6000Chicago Blackhawks+6000Minnesota Wild+6000Arizona Coyotes+6500Los Angeles Kings+7000New Jersey Devils+8500Ottawa Senators+12500Detroit Red Wings+15000BuyToronto Maple Leafs (+2200)While the Leafs didn’t necessarily get better in the offseason, they drastically changed the culture of the team. Wayne Simmonds, Zach Bogosian, and Joe Thornton's best days are well behind them, but they each add an element of tenacity and experience desperately needed in Toronto. The bottom six is a cause for concern - it's a slow group that will be exposed against good teams - with the trades of Andreas Johnsson and Kasperi Kapanen hurting the Leafs' depth, but Kyle Dubas did well to improve the back end.T.J. Brodie and Bogosian are clear stylistic upgrades over Tyson Barrie and Cody Ceci, fitting well into the top six. If the Leafs can get enough production up front from their complementary pieces - admittedly a big if - the rest is in place for this team to be a difficult one to play against. Oddsmakers have finally softened a bit on Toronto, so don't wait much longer to get in.Montreal Canadiens (+4500)There was a lot of pressure on general manager Marc Bergevin heading into the offseason to build on a strong playoff performance and the emergence of young stars Nick Suzuki and Jesperi Kotkaniemi. He delivered. Josh Anderson and Tyler Toffoli add much-needed scoring to the top six, the arrivals of Joel Edmundson and Alex Romanov solidify a deep blue line, while the acquisition of Jake Allen provides the Canadiens with a true backup goalie for the first time in years, lightening the burden on Carey Price.The Habs have great depth throughout the roster, with a healthy blend of size and skill. With the continued progression of Suzuki and Kotkaniemi, the Canadiens can make some real noise this season in a wide-open Eastern Conference. This price should be in the 25-1 to 30-1 range.SellColorado Avalanche (+450)Don't get me wrong, the Avalanche had a better offseason than just about anyone, and far and away the best of any true Cup contender. Joe Sakic might not have many more of his phone calls answered after absolutely fleecing the Islanders for defenseman Devon Toews. Brandon Saad was another smart acquisition, as Colorado added excellent value to what was arguably already the best roster in the NHL.So why sell on the Avalanche? Because +450 is an egregious price in the futures market. It's an especially egregious price in a league of parity and arguably the toughest trophy to win in professional sports. Even if the Avalanche rip through the regular season and finish atop the Western Conference, these are the sort of odds you can get at the start of the playoffs. Exercise patience here.New York Islanders (+1800)Speaking of getting fleeced, losing Toews for virtually nothing was the cherry on top of a miserable offseason for the Islanders, just weeks after coming so close to reaching the Stanley Cup Final. Salary cap issues were the driving force, but Toews’ departure will be a crippling blow on the blue line. Losing Thomas Greiss will be made more manageable by the arrival of Ilya Sorokin, but this team did nothing to improve and that's a big concern. At just +1800, I'm staying far, far away.Vancouver Canucks (+2200)It’s been a head-scratching offseason for general manager Jim Benning. The biggest blow was the departure of Jacob Markstrom, who was playing at a Vezina level for this team last season. It vaults Thatcher Demko into a full-time role, with Braden Holtby and his declining skills brought in to share duties.Chris Tanev and Troy Stecher signing elsewhere is a blow to the Canucks' already worrisome depth, but the most puzzling decision was not bringing back Toffoli, who signed an incredibly reasonable and affordable deal in Montreal. Sure, acquiring Nate Scmidt was one of the best trades of the offseason, but it’s not enough to erase the irreversible damage done before that. This is a team primed for a decline.(Odds source: theScore Bet)Alex Moretto is a sports betting writer for theScore. A journalism graduate from Guelph-Humber University, he has worked in sports media for over a decade. He will bet on anything from the Super Bowl to amateur soccer, is too impatient for futures, and will never trust a kicker. Find him on Twitter @alexjmoretto.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Ilya Mikheyev's agent says they did the Toronto Maple Leafs a favor at his client's expense.“Ilya decided to step off a little bit from an already agreed number to help the team fit under the cap,” Dan Milstein told Sportsnet's Luke Fox on Tuesday night. “For Ilya, it was less about the money, but more about the role in the organization. He wishes to win the Stanley Cup. It's been a lifelong dream.”The Maple Leafs and Mikheyev initially agreed to a cap hit exceeding the $1.645 million that accompanied the two-year contract the two sides announced Tuesday, according to Milstein.However, the club then called the agent back - while he was on the phone with Mikheyev outlining the original deal - and asked if he'd be willing to take a slight decrease in pay to accommodate Toronto's cap situation.The 26-year-old forward signed his new pact fewer than 24 hours before he was scheduled to have a salary arbitration hearing. He reportedly filed for a one-year contract at $2.7 million, while the team offered two years at $1 million.Mikheyev became a fan favorite in his rookie campaign while posting eight goals and 15 assists over 39 games in 2019-20. He returned for the playoffs in August after his regular season came to an early end when his wrist was cut by a skate in December.The Russian winger spent four years with the KHL's Avangard Omsk - his hometown squad - and signed a one-year, $925,000 deal with the Maple Leafs in May 2019.Toronto's projected cap hit for 2020-21 is now $81,675,200, according to CapFriendly. The cap ceiling will be $81.5 million next season. Defenseman Travis Dermott is the lone remaining restricted free agent on the club's NHL roster.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Willie O'Ree's surname, the four letters that changed hockey for the better when they appeared on an NHL lineup card in 1958, derives from that of the American military officer who enslaved his great-great-grandfather. The officer was Peter Horry, pronounced unlike what you'd expect. He fought the British in the Revolutionary War, and in recognition of his service, he was given a Black man to own. The man was Paris O'Ree, as the name was later stylized, whose courage unlocked a future for his descendants.Willie O'Ree isn't sure how Paris secured his freedom, but archival records he's read relate the enormity of what the man accomplished. Along with some family and at tremendous risk, Paris is believed to have escaped South Carolina, where Horry lived, late in the 18th century, becoming a farmer and father upon settling north of the border. He came to own a couple hundred acres in New Brunswick, Willie's future home province. Paris' son had a son who had a son who had a son, the trailblazing winger who's proud to share his ancestor's spirit.A name is weighted with history, and Paris O'Ree rewrote his family's. Anti-racism protests gripped his great-great-grandson's sport this year, as they have North American society at large. Where Paris sought liberty, NHL players want their game to be inclusive and welcoming, full stop. They want to eliminate any remnant of the barriers and the hate that Willie O'Ree - the first Black man to play in the NHL - conquered when he debuted with the Boston Bruins.Paris and his family "set goals for themselves, I guess the way I did," O'Ree said in a phone interview this week. "They wanted to make a better life for themselves. (Despite) the hardships and things they had to go through, they just made things happen." Mike Stobe / NHL / Getty ImagesTogether with author Michael McKinley, O'Ree has written a new memoir, "Willie: The Game-Changing Story of the NHL's First Black Player." The book, released in hardcover Tuesday, recounts his ascent to hockey history: how he twice dressed for the Bruins in 1957-58, tallied 14 points in 43 games for Boston in 1960-61 - no small feat in the Original Six era when NHL roster spots were in short supply - and skated in a further 785 games in the minor-pro Western Hockey League, from which he retired in 1974 as a top-20 career scorer. As it happens, 1974 was the year the Washington Capitals drafted and signed Mike Marson, the first Black player to follow O'Ree to the NHL.O'Ree turned 85 last week, and his presence in the game remains cherished. He was elected as a builder to the Hall of Fame in 2018, and became that same year the namesake of the NHL's Willie O'Ree Community Hero Award, presented annually to a person who harnesses hockey to positively impact his or her part of the world. O'Ree lives near San Diego, his longtime WHL home, but he's a product of Fredericton, New Brunswick. It was there as a child that he listened by radio to Hockey Night in Canada. He idolized Maurice Richard, and Foster Hewitt's nasal, rousing commentary provided the soundtrack to his Saturday nights.Without a TV at home, O'Ree never watched Richard play. Only later did he think about the upside of this constraint: how seeing no Black men on the ice might have snuffed his childhood ambition, and how instead he was empowered to visualize a sport and league in which he belonged.O'Ree (right) skates for the Bruins in 1961. Bruce Bennett / Getty ImagesO'Ree's first hockey mentor was his oldest brother, Richard (nicknamed "Coot"), a regional light-heavyweight boxing champion 17 years his senior whose tutelage helped fine-tune O'Ree's best skills: the blazing speed, the stickhandling honed on choppy pond ice, the will to absorb hard hits and respond in kind. Booted off his high school team for hurting the coach's son with a clean open-ice check, O'Ree charted his own course through Fredericton's youth ranks to Quebec's top junior league. There, his coach - the former NHL star Phil Watson - endorsed O'Ree's towering potential, telling him he had the talent to become hockey's Jackie Robinson.Emulating Robinson's breakthrough on the diamond required O'Ree to keep a troublesome secret: He was blind in one eye, the consequence of a deflected slapshot that had smashed his right retina in junior.O'Ree told a single confidant, his older sister Betty, about the injury. To everyone else, he looked like the same fleet left-winger with scoring touch, and the Bruins, whose vetting process didn't include a sight exam, soon promoted him to the NHL. Squeezed out of the 132-player league after 1961, O'Ree went on to excel for 13 seasons in the WHL, where the Los Angeles Blades cleared a positional glut by shifting him to the right wing. The switch enabled his good eye to process more of the ice, powering him to five 30-goal seasons."It was a big move for me," O'Ree said. Mark Blinch / NHL / Getty ImagesThe 13th and youngest child of one of two Black families in Fredericton, O'Ree writes in his memoir that he was never bullied for the color of his skin growing up. In adulthood, racism tailed him across the continent. O'Ree rode a segregated bus to attend a pro baseball training camp - he was a good middle infielder, too - in Georgia in 1956. Junior hockey fans in Chicoutimi, Quebec, chanted racial obscenities at him. Minor-league fans in Virginia hurled a black cat over the glass during one of his shifts. During an NHL road game in 1961, O'Ree writes, Chicago forward Eric Nesterenko called him the N-word, shattered his front teeth with a butt-end to the mouth, and repeated the slur. (Nesterenko has said he doesn't remember the oft-told incident.)In 1965, O'Ree and a Blades teammate drove through the Los Angeles neighborhood of Watts in the aftermath of the area's six-day uprising against racial discrimination. He recalls breathing in the air and surveying burned-out buildings, processing the fury and sorrow that compelled Watts' Black residents to take to the streets.Rage and the desire for justice - for George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and other Black victims of U.S. police violence - moved millions of Americans to protest this spring and summer. In the absence of justice, O'Ree writes in his reflection on Watts, anger is an understandable response."People of color have always been targeted, way back since slavery," O'Ree said. "I'm all for protesting in a nonviolent way, and the marching to let people know that people's lives matter. They really do. I'm just hoping, and I keep my fingers crossed, that things are going to get better." Dave Sandford / NHL / Getty ImagesIn hockey, Black players who followed O'Ree to the peak of the profession have taken it upon themselves to lobby for change. At the start of the NHL's bubbled postseason, Minnesota Wild defenseman Matt Dumba spoke at center ice on behalf of the nascent Hockey Diversity Alliance, exhorting his sport to take seriously the need to combat racism. The players who kneeled before a Vegas Golden Knights-Dallas Stars game - Ryan Reaves, Robin Lehner, Tyler Seguin, and Jason Dickinson - were among the hundreds who forced the playoffs to pause later in August, hockey's contribution to the athlete sit-out protests following the police shooting of Jacob Blake.In effect, players such as Hockey Diversity Alliance co-founders Evander Kane and Akim Aliu now front the cause O'Ree has championed for decades. After his minor-league career ended, O'Ree recalls in his book, he took jobs spanning a wide gamut. He worked construction, drove a Pepsi truck, sold Pontiacs, and even supervised security at San Diego Chargers NFL home games. In 1996, not long after O'Ree turned 60, NHL executive Bryant McBride recruited him to the league's diversity outreach program; in the days before search engines were prevalent, McBride went so far as to ask acquaintances at the FBI to track down his phone number.Before the coronavirus pandemic, O'Ree's ambassadorship kept him on the road 10 days a month, running hockey clinics and recounting his journey to youth of color from coast to coast. He said the fire to work - to make the game more accessible to kids who lack the means or opportunity to play - still burns within him. He hopes he'll soon get to travel for the first time since March and that he'll be able to stick with it for a couple more years.In the meantime, hockey's best and most promising Black players continue to log major milestones. Blake Bolden, the first Black player in the National Women's Hockey League, joined the LA Kings last winter as an AHL scout. The Kings just drafted Quinton Byfield second overall, making him the highest-selected Black prospect in NHL history. The cast of standout players, present and past, with whom O'Ree keeps in touch - P.K. Subban, Wayne Simmonds, Anson Carter - includes Jarome Iginla, the newly elected Hall of Famer who wrote the foreword to "Willie."O'Ree and Blake Bolden, the National Women's Hockey League's first Black player. Juan Ocampo / NHL / Getty ImagesIn his book, O'Ree makes clear that other Black men could have ascended to the NHL before him. He counts six predecessors or contemporaries who, in his view, were worthy of the honor: Herb and Ossie Carnegie, Manny McIntyre, Art Dorrington, John Utendale, and Stan Maxwell. If O'Ree's story is a testament to his own self-belief and persistence - "I stayed true to my goals (through) the things that I had to overcome," he said - it's also intertwined with a larger legacy.O'Ree hopes his readers come to understand the magnitude of the challenges he endured, starting with the eye injury and recurrent bigotry. In Iginla's foreword, the legendary Calgary Flames captain contemplates the maltreatment O'Ree would have faced in the NHL: Every opposing agitator and prejudiced fan had a ready-made target to try to rile, knowing O'Ree, bearing a pioneer's burden, was out there alone.All O'Ree did, Iginla marvels, was smile and proceed to prove he belonged. His example has uplifted generations."(Black players aren't in the NHL) because of their color. They're there because they have the skills and the ability to play in the National Hockey League," O'Ree said. "They've proven that. It's just a nice feeling to know that I was the person who made it possible for them to be there."Nick Faris is a features writer at theScore.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Welcome to Puck Pursuit, an interview-style podcast hosted by John Matisz, theScore's national hockey writer.Subscribe to the show on iTunes, SoundCloud, Stitcher, and Spotify.Puck Pursuit · TSN senior correspondent Rick WestheadRick Westhead, TSN's investigative journalist and senior correspondent, joins the show to discuss a variety of topics, including:

Todd Bertuzzi apologized for the way he acted with the media for a portion of his career on Tuesday's edition of Sportsnet 650's "Starting Lineup.""I was too hard, I told you guys, 'Sorry if I was a douche, man,'" Bertuzzi said. "It's true, I wasn't very co-operative at times because I wasn't ready for that stuff. I didn't want to speak every day. I was paid to go play hockey and entertain fans not to have stuff written in the paper. I could care less what was written in the paper, the stories that you guys needed. I just wanted to go play hockey and entertain fans, that's all I wanted to do."The 45-year-old was known as a bruising power forward throughout his career. In an infamous 2004 incident while with the Vancouver Canucks, Bertuzzi sucker-punched Colorado Avalanche forward Steve Moore and fractured multiple vertebrae in his neck, ending his NHL career.The event resulted in criminal charges against Bertuzzi and a civil lawsuit, which brought an intense media spotlight on him for several months."Getting older and understanding that a lot more comes with it, I'm sure things would have been less abrasive after 2004, but at the same time what's done is done and we all learn," Bertuzzi said. "If people want to hate me or have an opinion on me because of that then that's OK I'm fine with that."Vancouver, you know what, looking at it now, they were great, they really were. I was just at that point annoyed with having to answer the same set of questions, I was not prepared for what I needed to do."Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Toronto Maple Leafs signed forward Ilya Mikheyev to a two-year contract extension with an average annual value of $1.645 million, the team announced Tuesday.The two sides were set to have an arbitration hearing on Wednesday. Mikheyev filed for a one-year contract with a value of $2.7 million and the team filed for two years at an average annual value of $1 million, according to Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman.Mikheyev appeared in 39 regular-season games during his rookie campaign, registering eight goals and 15 assists. He was cut by a skate on his wrist in December but was able to return for the playoffs.Prior to joining the Maple Leafs, Mikheyev spent four seasons in the KHL, in which he racked up 62 goals and 60 assists in 224 games.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The seven teams excluded from the NHL's return-to-play postseason over the summer will get to hit the ice sooner to get back into the groove of things.The NHL and NHLPA have tentatively agreed to allow the Anaheim Ducks, Buffalo Sabres, Detroit Red Wings, Los Angeles Kings, New Jersey Devils, Ottawa Senators, and San Jose Sharks to get extra training time before regular training camps resume for all teams, TSN's Pierre LeBrun reported on Tuesday's edition of "Insider Trading."The clubs' general managers reportedly requested the extra training camp time in August. While the extension's details are still unknown, their proposal has reportedly requested a minimum of two additional weeks of camp.The NHL paused its season on March 13 due to the coronavirus pandemic. After the league agreed on a 24-team format to finish the campaign, it eliminated the bottom-seven clubs. Players that participated in the return-to-play had the opportunity to join voluntary workouts and condensed training camps before games resumed.With the NHL aiming to begin the 2020-21 season on Jan. 1, it could be nearly a full year between games for the teams that did not participate in the return-to-play.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Chicago Blackhawks are shifting their attention toward the future.The team released a statement to season-ticket holders Tuesday and admitted they're focused on rebuilding the roster."We recently said goodbye to a pair of popular, two-time champions and acquired some new players via trade and free agency," the statement read. "We understand it was tough to see those respected veterans go and realize you may have some questions about our direction. We'd like to address that direction and share why we're hopeful for the future of Blackhawks hockey."We're committed to developing young players and rebuilding our roster. We want more than another window to win; we want to reach the summit again, and stay there - an effort that will require a stockpile of emerging talent to complement our top players."The Blackhawks veteran core reportedly voiced their frustration last week with the team's moves this offseason. Chicago allowed perennial puck-stopper Corey Crawford to walk in free agency, dealt goal-scorer Brandon Saad, and opted not to extend qualifying offers to Drake Caggiula and Slater Koekkoek.Blackhawks captain Jonathan Toews, who said the team's moves came "as a shock," and superstar Patrick Kane each have three years remaining on their contracts.General manager Stan Bowman said he spoke with Toews, Kane, Brent Seabrook, and Duncan Keith to ensure everyone is on the same page."We had a very good discussion, in-depth discussion about where we're going," Bowman said, according to NBC Sports' Charlie Roumeliotis. "I think part of this communication here is to clear up some miscommunications or perceptions."It's really not a rebuild in a (sense) of 'we're tearing this down and we're just getting rid of all the players.' Sometimes you do have to make difficult decisions to trade away popular players and it's hard for our veterans who've been together."The Blackhawks upset the Edmonton Oilers in four games in the best-of-five play-in round in 2019-20. Chicago missed the playoffs in each of the previous two seasons before this past campaign.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Mike Hoffman's representative says his client isn't lacking suitors 11 days into free agency.Interest in the productive forward "has been very strong," Robert Hooper told The Athletic's Adam Vingan on Monday.Hooper revealed that 13 teams have inquired about Hoffman, five or six of which he described as having serious interest. However, the agent cited teams' financial limitations and the general uncertainty about next season as reasons for the winger still being available.“I think teams are a little paralyzed at this point in time by the flat cap,” Hooper said. “I think some of the teams that would love to add Mike Hoffman to their roster have had difficulty moving pieces around in order to make room for a guy like Mike. The feedback on him has been very positive. It’s just a matter of making it fit.“It’s just a situation where until we know when the puck’s being dropped, there’s no pressure on either side to really do anything.”Last week, it was reported that Hoffman was considering signing a one-year contract, much like the one Taylor Hall inked with the Buffalo Sabres on Oct. 11. Hooper confirmed Monday that his client isn't ruling that out.“There’s no issues on a one-year deal,” Hooper said. “Obviously, if you’re going to take a one-year deal, you want to put yourself in a good situation, because you’re going to be back in the market next year again.”Hoffman is arguably the best UFA remaining on the market. The nine-year veteran, who'll turn 31 in November, racked up 29 goals and 59 points in 69 games this past season. He's notched 0.364 goals per game since becoming an NHL regular in 2014-15, which equates to 29.9 per 82 games over that span.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The upcoming 2021 World Junior Championship will kick off on Christmas Day for the first time since 2005.The tournament, which will take place in a bubble in Edmonton and use only Rogers Place to play games, will run from Dec. 25 to Jan. 5.Here's the schedule:TeamsDateTime (ET)Switzerland vs. SlovakiaFriday Dec. 252 p.m.Germany vs. FinlandFriday Dec. 256 p.m.Russia vs. United StatesFriday Dec. 259:30 p.m.Sweden vs. Czech RepublicSaturday Dec. 262 p.m.Germany vs. CanadaSaturday Dec. 266 p.m.United States vs. AustriaSaturday Dec. 269:30 p.m.Finland vs. SwitzerlandSunday Dec. 272 p.m.Slovakia vs. CanadaSunday Dec. 276 p.m.Czech Republic vs. RussiaSunday Dec. 279:30 p.m.Austria vs. SwedenMonday Dec. 286 p.m.Slovakia vs. GermanyMonday Dec. 289:30 p.m.United States vs. Czech RepublicTuesday Dec. 292 p.m.Canada vs. SwitzerlandTuesday Dec. 296 p.m.Austria vs. RussiaTuesday Dec. 299:30 p.m.Finland vs. SlovakiaWednesday Dec. 302 p.m.Switzerland vs. GermanyWednesday Dec. 306 p.m.Russia vs. SwedenWednesday Dec. 309:30 p.m.Czech Republic vs. AustriaThursday Dec. 312 p.m.Canada vs. FinlandThursday Dec. 316 p.m.Sweden vs. United StatesThursday Dec. 319:30 p.m.QuarterfinalsSaturday Jan. 212 p.m.QuarterfinalsSaturday Jan. 23:30 p.m.QuarterfinalsSaturday Jan. 27 p.m.QuarterfinalsSaturday Jan. 210:30 p.m.SemifinalsSunday Jan. 36 p.m.SemifinalsSunday Jan. 39:30 p.m.BronzeTuesday Jan. 55:30 p.m.GoldTuesday Jan. 59:30 p.m.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Evgenii Dadonov has only a handful of NHL seasons under his belt, but he's set to find himself in a veteran role with the youthful Ottawa Senators."They told me I would have a good role on the team because there's not a lot of veterans on the team," Dadonov said, according to Sportsnet's Wayne Scanlan. "It's time for me to step up, as one of the most experienced guys on the team. I'm ready for that."The 31-year-old inked a three-year pact with the Senators as a free agent. He's set to join a club undergoing a massive overhaul, with seven forwards who are 25 years old or younger.Dadonov went overseas to play in the KHL for five seasons from 2012 to 2017 before rejoining the Panthers ahead of the 2017-18 campaign.Over the past three seasons, Dadonov scored 25, 28, and 28 goals, respectively. He'll bring a much-needed goal-scoring presence to the budding Senators lineup, and he hopes the team will compete for the Stanley Cup while he's there."I'm really excited to play for this team," Dadonov said. "It wasn't a decision made because of the contract - I hope this team is going to have success and be in the race for the Cup for the next few years."Dadonov also expressed his confidence in franchise cornerstones Brady Tkachuk and Thomas Chabot, saying they "have a chance to be superstars in the league."Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

With the departure of franchise cornerstone Joe Thornton, San Jose Sharks general manager Doug Wilson is calling on his young players to take the team to the next level."Tomas Hertl, Timo Meier, Kevin Labanc, it's their time," Wilson said, according to NHL.com's Tracey Myers. "They need to step up to the next level."We have to be the sum of all our parts. There are teams around this league that have lost some good players. Some teams lost their best players in their prime and they found their team game, they found their collective connection and had a lot of success. We need everyone to bring something to the table, learn from what happened last year, re-establish our game and bring that love and juice and energy that 'Jumbo' brought to the rink."Thornton's departure marked the second straight offseason in which a key veteran player moved on from the Sharks. Last year, Joe Pavelski opted to sign with the Dallas Stars after spending 13 years in San Jose.The Sharks have only two forwards on their active roster who are at least 30 years old: Logan Couture and Patrick Marleau. Wilson expressed his confidence in his team's young lineup and sees the potential for players to step up and take on bigger roles next season."We have five top-six forwards, guys who have scored 30 goals or close to 60 points, we need someone to come in and compete for that (sixth) spot," Wilson said. "I like our defense. I want to leave a spot open for some competition for some of the younger guys. We think we have the bones of a good team. We have some competition. We have some young guys coming in."The Sharks finished last in the Western Conference this past season with a 29-36-5 record.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Vancouver Canucks signed forward Adam Gaudette to a one-year contract worth $950,000, the team announced Monday."Adam has been an excellent young player for us and we are happy to have him continue his progress for another year in Vancouver," said general manager Jim Benning. "We look forward to his intensity and compete level continuing to be a great source of energy for our team."The 24-year-old recorded career highs with 12 goals and 21 assists over 59 games during the final year of his entry-level deal in 2019-20.Vancouver selected Gaudette in the fifth round of the 2015 draft. The 6-foot-1 pivot has amassed 17 goals and 45 points through 120 career contests.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Colorado Avalanche re-signed forward Tyson Jost to a one-year contract, the team announced Monday.Jost, 22, recorded eight goals and 23 points through 67 games in 2019-20, the final year of his entry-level deal.The Avalanche selected Jost with the 10th overall pick in the 2016 draft. He's tallied 32 goals and 40 assists over 208 career contests.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Arizona Coyotes signed forward Christian Fischer to a new two-year contract, the team announced Monday.Fischer's deal is worth $2 million, The Athletic's Craig Morgan reports.He was the Coyotes' lone remaining restricted free agent.The 6-foot-2, 214-pound winger collected six goals and three assists while averaging just over 11 minutes in ice time across 56 games with Arizona this past season. It was his third full campaign with the Coyotes, who drafted him 32nd overall in 2015.Fischer notched a career-high 15 goals across 79 contests in 2017-18 after tallying three goals over seven games in his first taste of NHL action during the previous season. However, he's failed to build on that since, combining for only 17 goals and 27 points in 127 games during the last two campaigns.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Mike "Doc" Emrick is signing off after a legendary career in the broadcast booth.Emrick finished his journey with NBC while working from home this postseason, and the 74-year-old expressed gratitude as he reflected on his career."I hope I can handle retirement OK, especially since I’ve never done it before," he said Sunday, according to the New York Post's Phil Mushnick. "But I’ve just been extremely lucky for 50 years. And NBC has been so good to me, especially since the pandemic, when I was allowed to work from home in a studio NBC created."Now, into my golden years, this just seemed to be the time that was right."

"Jumbo Joe" got some help from another Joe who knows all about leaving Northern California after spending most of his career there.Joe Thornton said he talked to NFL legend Joe Montana before the veteran NHL forward chose to join the Toronto Maple Leafs."Joe gave me some good advice," Thornton told reporters Sunday. "He just talked about leaving San Francisco and going to Kansas City."The 49ers traded Montana to the Chiefs amid a quarterback controversy in 1993. He played 13 years with San Francisco, guiding the team to four Super Bowl titles. The all-time great suited up for two seasons with Kansas City before retiring in 1995.Thornton spent nearly 15 of his 22 seasons with the San Jose Sharks, who acquired him from the Boston Bruins in a 2005 trade. Though the Sharks never won a championship, he helped them reach the Stanley Cup Final in 2016 and the Western Conference Final three other times.The 41-year-old also said Sunday he signed with the Maple Leafs because he believes they're "ready to win now." He inked a one-year contract with Toronto at the league minimum of $700,000.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The ball appears to be in Zdeno Chara's court.The Bruins captain is an unrestricted free agent for the first time since arriving in Boston, and general manager Don Sweeney says he's willing to let the defenseman take his time in making his decision for the 2020-21 season."We've ... communicated consistently with Zdeno and (agent) Matt Keator," Sweeney told reporters Saturday. "We're just waiting for him to initiate what he'd like to do moving forward. I feel very comfortable allowing that to take the necessary time and let Zdeno make his own decisions along that route."Chara's agent recently said his client is "looking at all options" in free agency.The 43-year-old has spent the last 14 seasons in Boston, winning a Stanley Cup as captain in 2011. He proved to still be an effective top-four defenseman in 2019-20, averaging 21:01 per game while tallying five goals and nine assists.After locking up defenseman Matt Grzelcyk on Saturday, the Bruins have $6.65 million in cap space remaining with only forward Jake DeBrusk left to re-sign.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Joe Thornton is hoping to finally see his name etched on the Stanley Cup, and he believes the Toronto Maple Leafs offer the best chance to get him there."It's the hardest hockey decision I've ever had to make, but I truly believe with the roster they have, with the guys they picked up this offseason, I think this team is ready to win now. I'm ready to win," Thornton said, according to TSN's Kristen Shilton."I need to win a Stanley Cup, and I think this is a great team that can do that," he added.The 41-year-old has been chasing the Cup throughout his 22 NHL seasons. He lost in the finals once and reached the conference finals on three other occasions. He's amassed 133 points in 179 postseason games.Thornton is particularly impressed by Leafs goaltender Frederik Andersen."I love their goalie. I like Freddie a lot," he said. "I think that was a big part of my decision, I think he's a great goalie."Despite the star power currently on the roster, the Maple Leafs haven't reached the second round of the postseason since 2004.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Joe Thornton was given the opportunity to continue wearing his No. 19 jersey with the Toronto Maple Leafs, but he'll take a new number for the first time in nearly 20 years instead.Jason Spezza, who wears No. 19 for Toronto, offered it to Thornton after the club signed the 41-year-old. But the former Shark declined, according to TSN's Pierre LeBrun.Spezza said he respects Thornton so much that he had to offer the number. And while he certainly appreciated the gesture, Thornton didn't want to take it away from Spezza."I couldn't do that to him," Thornton said. "He really is a special guy."Thornton will wear No. 97 with the Leafs, a number that he's sported in international play throughout his career. He's the first player in Leafs history to don the number.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Jim Rutherford believes he's found an ideal right-winger for his star-studded top line.The Pittsburgh Penguins general manager thinks Kasperi Kapanen could gel with Sidney Crosby and Jake Guentzel."We really hope that we've got the right chemistry for a line for Sid," Rutherford said on SiriusXM NHL Network Radio on Saturday. "(Crosby) has had really good chemistry with Guentzel here for a while, which will continue. But getting that right-winger that works (is important) and we're hoping that Kapanen is the guy who can do that."Rutherford hopes their styles of play will mesh well together."I think with Kapanen's speed and the fact he can track down pucks and Sid can find him in the open, it should be a good fit, but we'll see," Rutherford said.The Penguins reacquired Kapanen in a six-player trade with the Toronto Maple Leafs in August. Pittsburgh also threw in the 15th overall pick in this year's draft, which the Leafs used to take Russian forward Rodion Amirov.Pittsburgh drafted Kapanen with the No. 22 selection in 2014 but dealt him to Toronto in the swap that sent Phil Kessel to the Penguins one year later.Kapanen collected a career-high 20 goals and 44 points across 78 games in 2018-19, but the 24-year-old produced only 13 markers and 36 points over 69 contests this past season.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The majority of the marquee free agents are now off the board, but Mike Hoffman continues to search for his next destination. It was reported Thursday that the 30-year-old is open to signing a one-year contract, which gives prospective teams more flexibility to bring in the dangerous goal-scorer.Here are five clubs in a position to make a splash by bringing in Hoffman for one season.Nashville Predators Andy Devlin / National Hockey League / GettyProjected cap space: $12.94M

The Boston Bruins have secured defenseman Matt Grzelcyk's services for another four seasons with a $3,687,500 cap hit, the club announced Saturday.Grzelcyk, who was a restricted free agent, had a salary arbitration hearing scheduled for Tuesday.The Massachusetts-born blue-liner was coming off a two-year contract that carried a cap hit of $1.4 million.Grzelcyk collected a career-high 21 points and averaged 18:04 in ice time over 68 games for Boston during his third full NHL campaign this past season. The 26-year-old has spent his entire career with the Bruins since being drafted 85th overall in 2012.He could be in for an increased role in 2020-21 following Torey Krug's departure and considering the uncertainty surrounding Zdeno Chara's future.Forward Jake DeBrusk is now the team's only remaining RFA.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Pittsburgh Penguins signed defenseman Cody Ceci to a one-year contract worth $1.25 million, the team announced Saturday.The 26-year-old spent last season with the Toronto Maple Leafs after signing a one-year, $4.5-million deal with the club. He recorded one goal and added seven assists in 56 games."Cody is a two-way defenseman who plays with size and a speed game that fits our system well," general manager Jim Rutherford said. "He brings both regular season and playoff experience, and can be utilized on the penalty kill."Ceci's play seemed to drop off in Toronto after the rearguard's consistently solid presence for the Ottawa Senators over six seasons to begin his career. He ranked at the bottom of the Leafs' roster in possession numbers, recording a 50.22 Corsi For percentage at five-on-five, and a 50.87 expected goals for percentage.The Senators selected Ceci with the 15th pick in the 2012 NHL Draft. He's registered 33 goals and 93 assists in 496 career games.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

It's unclear what's left in 41-year-old Joe Thornton's tank, but what's crystal clear is that Toronto Maple Leafs head coach Sheldon Keefe will get more options when setting his lineup next season.The Leafs' bottom-six forward group has undergone a transformation this offseason, with the team trading away Kasperi Kapanen and Andreas Johnsson, while bringing in Thornton, Wayne Simmonds, Jimmy Vesey, and Alexander Barabanov (who was signed out of the KHL in April). Youngster Nick Robertson could also make the team.Here are four different ways the Maple Leafs could set their forward lines next campaign, assuming general manager Kyle Dubas is done adding forwards this offseason. For these projections, we've rotated Robertson, Vesey, and Barabanov in and out of the lineup. Pierre Engvall, meanwhile, was omitted because his $1.25-million cap hit may be tough to manage.Option 1: Stacked top 6 Kevin Sousa / National Hockey League / GettyLWCRWZach HymanAuston MatthewsMitch MarnerAlexander KerfootJohn TavaresWilliam NylanderNick RobertsonJoe ThorntonIlya MikheyevJimmy VeseyJason SpezzaWayne SimmondsBefore adding Thornton, the Leafs would've needed Kerfoot to play center. Opinions are mixed regarding whether he's best suited to be a center or a winger. But Kerfoot struggled during his first season in Toronto, which was spent primarily playing down the middle. Some of his best success came as a winger with the Avalanche in a complementary role on the club's top lines, so we've placed him on the left side with Tavares and Nylander.The 19-year-old Robertson, meanwhile, flanks Thronton after leading the OHL in goals last year. Mikheyev, who was a hound on the puck last season before suffering a wrist laceration and being quiet in the playoffs, joins them. The finisher and puck retriever could nicely complement Thornton's playmaking ability.Option 2: Depth down the middle Bruce Bennett / Getty Images Sport / GettyLWCRWZach HymanAuston MatthewsMitch MarnerIlya MikheyevJohn TavaresWilliam NylanderJimmy VeseyAlexander KerfootWayne SimmondsAlexander BarabanovJoe ThorntonJason SpezzaThere's a real chance Thornton can no longer play top-nine minutes and must be sheltered on the fourth line. That would force Kerfoot back to center. We've bumped Vesey - Kerfoot's former college teammate at Harvard - up to the third line in hopes of recreating their old chemistry.Putting Spezza and Thornton on the same line may not be ideal because they both lack quickness, but flipping Spezza and Simmonds doesn't entirely fix that problem. We've also inserted Barabanov for Robertson in this scenario to provide a different look.Option 3: Balanced attack Kevin Sousa / National Hockey League / GettyLWCRWAlexander KerfootAuston MatthewsZach HymanIlya MikheyevJohn TavaresMitch MarnerNick RobertsonJoe ThorntonWilliam NylanderAlexander BarabanovJason SpezzaWayne SimmondsThe previous two lineups are awfully top-heavy, which was part of Toronto's issues in 2019-20. In this lineup, we're banking on Matthews to carry his own unit. As the league's second-highest-paid center, he shouldn't need the help of Marner or Nylander to be effective. Plus, a workhorse in Hyman is there for support, alongside a capable playmaker in Kerfoot.The third line sees the biggest change in this lineup. Nylander, an elite play-driver and zone-entry specialist, would put Thornton in the best position to succeed. A 30-goal scorer this past season, Nylander would benefit from Thornton's playmaking skills, too. As would Robertson, of course.Option 4: Let's get weird Kevin Sousa / National Hockey League / GettyLWCRWJohn TavaresAuston MatthewsMitch MarnerZach HymanJoe ThorntonWilliam NylanderAlexander BarabanovAlexander KerfootIlya MikheyevJimmy VeseyJason SpezzaWayne SimmondsThis isn't a realistic or viable lineup to use over an extended period. It's more of an in-game desperation option for Keefe if the team is trailing and he needs to create a spark.Toronto ran out it's $33.5-million line toward the end of its qualifying-round series against the Columbus Blue Jackets after the club's offense dried up. The trio displayed flashes of brilliance, but the line should really only be used in spurts.It probably isn't best to give Thornton second-line minutes over a long span, but Hyman and Nylander are there to provide ample support. However, that leaves the bottom six looking quite bleak. Putting Kerfoot between Barabanov and Mikheyev could create a makeshift checking line, though.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Joe Thornton left a lasting impact on the ice in the Bay Area, ranking second on the Sharks' all-time points list after 15 seasons in San Jose. However, Jumbo Joe - who signed with the Toronto Maple Leafs on Friday - was also one of the team's most beloved players off the ice.That was evident after Thornton called members of the Sharks before news broke of his signing with the Leafs, per The Athletic's Kevin Kurz. It was also made clear by all the support Thronton's ex-teammates gave to the greatest player in Sharks franchise history.

Jumbo Joe is coming to T.O.The Toronto Maple Leafs signed Joe Thornton to a one-year contract worth the league minimum of $700,000, the team announced Friday.The deal includes a no-movement clause, according to TSN's Pierre LeBrun.The future Hall of Famer is 41 years old now. He tallied seven goals and 24 assists in 70 games with the San Jose Sharks last season. He's just a year removed from a 51-point campaign, though.Thornton maintained strong underlying numbers last season, posting an expected goals for percentage of 50.6 and a shot attempt differential of 53% at five-on-five, according to Natural Stat Trick.The 6-foot-4 center is one of the most decorated players of all time. He ranks 14th on the NHL's all-time points list and has won numerous times with Team Canada on the international stage, but he's still missing a Stanley Cup from his resume. The Leafs, although talented, have not won a Stanley Cup since 1967 and a playoff series since 2004.How Thornton fits with the Leafs remains to be seen. It'd seem unlikely that he'd be on the same line as veteran playmaker Jason Spezza, as both players have similar skill sets and neither are fleet of foot. Thornton could potentially serve as Toronto's third-line center, which would allow Alexander Kerfoot to play the wing.The Leafs reportedly tried to persuade Thornton to come to Toronto in the 2017 offseason when the club signed Patrick Marleau, but the St. Thomas, Ontario native opted to re-sign in San Jose.Thornton spent the last 15 seasons in San Jose. Prior to that, he played parts of eight campaigns with the Boston Bruins to begin his career.Thornton's currently training overseas with HC Davos of the Swiss league.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Philadelphia Flyers forward Nolan Patrick accepted his one-year qualifying offer worth $874,125, the team announced Friday.The 22-year-old missed the entire 2019-20 season with a migraine disorder.Patrick recorded a combined 61 points in 145 games through his first two NHL seasons. The Flyers selected him second overall in 2017, ahead of Miro Heiskanen, Cale Makar, and Elias Pettersson.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Calgary Flames have signed forward Andrew Mangiapane to a two-year deal worth $4.85 million, the team announced Friday.Mangiapane was a restricted free agent and had an arbitration hearing set for Oct. 20. His new deal carries an average annual value of $2.425 million.The 24-year-old tallied career highs with 17 goals and 15 assists over 68 games in 2019-20 after signing a one-year pact worth $715,000 with the Flames last offseason. He added two goals and five points through 10 playoff contests.Calgary selected Mangiapane in the sixth round of the 2015 NHL Draft.The Flames have just under $4 million in projected cap space with one remaining restricted free agent in defenseman Oliver Kylington, according to CapFriendly.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Salary arbitration hearings for restricted free agents will begin next week, the NHLPA announced Tuesday.Here's the full schedule:DatePlayerTeamOct. 20Matt GrzelcykBOSOct. 21Ilya MikheyevTOROct. 22Connor BrownOTTOct. 25Tyler BertuzziDETOct. 26Linus UllmarkBUFOct. 27Sam ReinhartBUFOct. 28Jake VirtanenVANOct. 30Josh Ho-SangNYIOct. 31Devon ToewsCOLNov. 2Gustav ForslingCARNov. 4Victor OlofssonBUFNov. 4Warren FoegeleCARNov. 5Ryan StromeNYRNov. 6Brendan LemieuxNYRNov. 6Ryan PulockNYINov. 7Christian JarosOTTNov. 8Chris TierneyOTTNov. 8MacKenzie WeegarFLANov. 8Haydn FleuryCARPlayers can still re-sign with their teams prior to their hearings.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.