New Jersey Devils general manager Tom Fitzgerald is putting his faith in the team's young core to develop and help create a winning culture rather than relying on bringing in immediate help with big moves."I'm not looking for a quick fix here. When this team takes off is when (Jack Hughes) and (Nico Hischier) take off for good," Fitzgerald said, according to NHL.com's Mike Morreale. "They're the type of players that can pull everybody with you."I'm going to be true to myself and true to this plan that we're not going to get ahead of ourselves. We're going to do this the right way and we're going to chip away and we're going to find the right support for our young future stars to help them grow, because they're still so young and they're ready to go."The Devils iced one of the youngest and most inexperienced teams in the league during the 2019-20 season, finishing the year with just three players over the age of 30.Beyond Hischier and Hughes, New Jersey is backstopped by the 23-year-old MacKenzie Blackwood and has a good crop of young prospects. Fitzgerald is willing to wait for his star players to progress properly."(Hischier) is in his fourth year and I know he's ready to take a big step," Fitzgerald said. "(Hughes) is going to take a step, we're just not sure how big that step will be. It's going to be exciting to see how big of a step he takes. We want to allow our kids to grow at their pace without rushing them into the NHL because we need to."The Devils parted ways with Taylor Hall, Blake Coleman, Sami Vatanen, Andy Greene, and Wayne Simmonds during the 2019-20 season. As a result, they have nine picks in the upcoming draft, including three in the first round."It's exciting times," Fitzgerald said. "Sometimes it may be hard to not have an itchy trigger finger and pull things off because they look great, but it just has to make sense for where we're at and where we want to go."He added: "The only thing I'm looking forward to is helping these young kids like (Hughes and Hischier), the rest of the prospects, the core kids, and watch them develop and grow together. Then whenever that time is, we just watch them create that winning culture. That's what I'm trying to do right now."Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Los Angeles Kings have fired mascot actor Tim Smith following a sexual harassment lawsuit filed against him earlier this year, the team has said in a brief statement, according to The Associated Press.A former female member of the club's ice crew sued Smith, who portrayed the mascot "Bailey," along with the Kings and team owner AEG.Smith allegedly verbally and physically harassed the woman and then fired her after she confronted his behavior, according to the lawsuit.The Kings had employed Smith since 2007.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Winnipeg Jets aren't making any changes to their crease for the upcoming 2020-21 season.The Jets signed goaltender Laurent Brossoit to a one-year, $1.5-million deal, the team announced Friday.Brossoit has been Connor Hellebuyck's backup goalie in Winnipeg for the past two seasons. The 27-year-old Brossoit started 15 games during the 2019-20 campaign, recording a .895 save percentage and 3.28 goals-against average.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Toronto Maple Leafs signed forward Denis Malgin to a one-year, $700,000 extension, the team announced Friday.Malgin, 23, will become a restricted free agent at the end of the 2020-21 campaign.Toronto acquired the 5-foot-9 pivot from the Florida Panthers in February. He logged 10:21 of average ice time over eight regular-season games with the Maple Leafs.Malgin has amassed 28 goals and 60 points over 192 career contests.The Panthers selected the Swiss native in the fourth round of the 2015 NHL Draft.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Dallas Stars are hoping to retain the goaltender who carried them to the Stanley Cup Final.Stars general manager Jim Nill contacted Anton Khudobin's agent, Kent Hughes, on Thursday to convey the club's interest in re-signing him, sources told The Athletic's Pierre LeBrun."We plan to speak with Jim and will try to make it happen," Hughes told LeBrun on Friday.Keeping Khudobin would not necessarily mean trading Ben Bishop, according to LeBrun, as the Stars intend to keep both members of their goalie duo in the fold.Khudobin excelled throughout the playoffs in place of Bishop, posting a .917 save percentage while facing 71 more shots than his Tampa Bay Lightning counterpart, Andrei Vasilevskiy, in the same number of games.The 34-year-old puck-stopper is a pending unrestricted free agent coming off the final campaign of a two-year, $5-million contract he inked with the Stars in July 2018.Dallas also boasts promising rookie Jake Oettinger, who made his NHL debut replacing Khudobin in Game 2 of the Western Conference Final against the Vegas Golden Knights. The 21-year-old also came into Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Final, stopping all eight shots he faced over his two appearances.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Florida Panthers traded defenseman Josh Brown to the Ottawa Senators in exchange for the 95th overall pick in the 2020 draft, the Sens announced Friday.Brown played in 56 games with the Panthers last year, recording three goals and five assists while averaging 13:25 of ice time per contest.The 26-year-old has excelled defensively over the past two seasons, according to HockeyViz's isolated five-on-five impact (blue zones, negatives are good in the defensive end): hockeyviz.comAt 6-foot-5 and 225 pounds, Brown will also provide a physical presence on the back end and could replace Mark Borowiecki if he departs in free agency. Brown led all Panthers defensemen with 77 hits a year ago. He also shoots right, which is a bonus for Ottawa's lefty-heavy blue line.Brown is a pending restricted free agent and is eligible for arbitration. He earned $675,000 per year on his previous contract.The London, Ontario, native won a Memorial Cup with the Oshawa Generals in 2015 while current Sens bench boss D.J. Smith was the team's head coach.The Senators still have 12 picks in the 2020 draft. Florida now has eight selections.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Carolina Hurricanes have opened contract talks with talented forward Andrei Svechnikov, general manager Don Waddell confirmed Thursday."We started talking," Waddell said. "Andrei's got another year left on his contract, but we have this time in our favor right now ... Our goal is to keep Andrei here for a very long time. Saying that, with the economics the way they are right now around the league, it might make sense to do a bridge deal."Waddell emphasized the team intends to secure Svechnikov's services, regardless of the contract terms."I think the player definitely wants to be here," the GM added. "His representation's been very forthright about that (and) we obviously want Andrei here. So we're keeping it open-minded. There's no timetable if this happens two weeks from now or two months from now, but one way or another, there's no doubt that we'll sign Andrei at some point to some kind of extension."Svechnikov is entering the final year of the rookie pact he inked with the club in 2018. He'll be a pending restricted free agent beyond that point without a new deal. The 20-year-old winger ranked second on the Hurricanes with 24 goals and third with 61 points in 68 games this past season.He also captivated the hockey world with a pair of lacrosse-style goals less than two months apart early in the campaign.The Hurricanes could have some big decisions to make heading into 2021-22, when defenseman Dougie Hamilton, as well as goaltenders Petr Mrazek and James Reimer, could become UFAs.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Columbus Blue Jackets need to bolster their offense this offseason and are apparently open to trading one of their budding young goaltenders to do so.Columbus is reportedly listening to offers for both Joonas Korpisalo and Elvis Merzlikins and would like a first- or second-line center in return, according to TSN's Pierre LeBrun on Thursday's edition of "Insider Trading."The Blue Jackets also don't believe there will be enough net to go around - both puck-stoppers have proved they're capable of fulfilling a starting role, LeBrun adds.Here's how each netminder stacked up this season:PlayerGSGAASV%GSAAKorpisalo352.60.9111.14Merzlikins312.23.93512.10GSAA = Goals saved above averageKorpisalo enjoyed a consistent campaign before he took a massive leap in the postseason. The 26-year-old posted a .941 save percentage and a 7.21 goals saved above average across nine playoff starts. Korpisalo also set the modern-day NHL record for saves in a playoff game when he turned aside 85 shots in a five overtime game against the Tampa Bay Lightning.Merzlikins, 26, went on an absolute tear after failing to record a win over his first 10 NHL appearances. The Latvian goalkeeper enjoyed a 12-2 stretch in which he authored a ridiculous .953 save percentage and five shutouts to propel the Blue Jackets from lottery players to playoff participants.Both netminders have two years remaining on their respective deals, with Korpisalo carrying an annual cap hit of $2.8 million and Merzlikins $4 million.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Montreal Canadiens could be looking to shake things up ahead of this year's draft. General manager Marc Bergevin has let teams know his team's No. 16 selection is available for the right price."I’ve had conversations with other teams to check on whether certain players might be available. I was asked if my (first-round) pick might be available, and I answered yes, though I won’t trade that pick just to trade it," Bergevin said, according to The Athletic's Arpon Basu and Marc Antoine Godin. "It has to be for a player who would help us right away. And then there’s the contract. Trading the 16th pick for a player that has one year left on his contract before becoming a free agent, that’s not the smartest thing to do either."But my pick is even more available (than usual), yes."While Bergevin is open to trading his team's top pick, he is looking for a top-six forward in return, reported TSN's Pierre LeBrun on Thursday's edition of "Insider Trading."The Canadiens' offense showed immense potential during the 2019-20 postseason when they knocked out the top-seeded Pittsburgh Penguins in the qualifying round.With the sudden rise of youngsters like Jesperi Kotkaniemi and Nick Suzuki and the aging of core veterans such as Carey Price and Shea Weber, Bergevin believes relying on their youth and not having to add depth players in the offseason can keep his squad moving forward."There’s no doubt we are working with a small sample size with what happened in 10 games (in the postseason), but at a certain point you have to take the risk that your kids will keep progressing," he said. "We’ve reached a point where we’re ready to take that risk."Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Enter theScore’s Hockey Top 10 Draft Contest for your shot at $5,000 USD!* All you have to do is correctly predict the first 10 draft selections of the 2020 NHL Draft, including the order in which they're called. The entry with the most correct picks will win the cash prize.Think you have what it takes? Entry is completely FREE, so it's time to put your hockey knowledge to the test!ENTER THE CONTEST NOW!Submit your entry on the official contest page before the start of the draft on Tuesday, Oct. 6, 2020 by 6:45 p.m. ET to lock in your chance at $5,000 USD.Good luck!*Terms and conditions apply. Contest is open to legal residents of the United States (excluding Guam, U.S. Virgin Islands, and Puerto Rico) and Canada (excluding Quebec) who are of legal age. Void where prohibited. For official contest rules, visit https://thesco.re/34enys1.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Vancouver Canucks and Boston Bruins are believed to be the two teams Arizona Coyotes captain Oliver Ekman-Larsson would be willing to join in a trade, reports Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman.The situation is fluid and Ekman-Larsson's desires could change at any time, Friedman notes.Boston and Arizona were engaged in trade discussions about the defenseman before the Coyotes hired Bill Armstrong as their general manager in September, according to TSN's Darren Dreger. Steve Sullivan had been serving as the Coyotes' interim general manager after they parted ways with John Chayka in July.The Bruins are projected to have $14.4 million in cap space this offseason before re-signing restricted free agents Jake DeBrusk and Matt Grzelcyk, according to CapFriendly. With Torey Krug a pending unrestricted free agent and Zdeno Chara possibly on the verge of retirement, Ekman-Larsson - a left-handed shooter - could help fill potential holes on the left side of Boston's blue line.The Canucks are projected by CapFriendly to have $14.3 million in offseason cap space, but their situation is far more complicated than Boston's. A number of Vancouver's key players are set to become UFAs, including Tyler Toffoli, Josh Leivo, Chris Tanev, and Jacob Markstrom.Vancouver also has a handful of RFAs who are due for modest raises in Jake Virtanen, Tyler Motte, and Troy Stecher. More importantly, the entry-level deals of cornerstone players Elias Pettersson and Quinn Hughes expire after next season.The Coyotes, meanwhile, are in a serious salary-cap bind: They're projected to have just $1.1 million in cap space this offseason with three RFAs and three UFAs.Ekman-Larsson has seven years remaining on a contract that carries an $8.25-million annual cap hit and includes a full no-movement clause. The 29-year-old is coming off the worst offensive season of his career after tallying nine goals and 30 points in 66 games in 2019-20. He averaged 17 goals and 45 points in the six seasons prior.On the defensive side of the puck, Ekman-Larsson has limited expected goals against at a below-average rate since his career year in 2015-16, according to HockeyViz's examination of his isolated impact at five-on-five. hockeyviz.comIt's possible a change of scenery could help him improve those metrics.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

With the free-agent market lacking impact centers, the Nashville Predators are open to moving one of their pivots, according to TSN's Frank Seravalli.Nashville has Matt Duchene, Ryan Johansen, Kyle Turris, and Nick Bonino down the middle of the ice - none of whom have any trade protection.Duchene signed a seven-year, $56-million contract last offseason, but he underachieved during his first year in the Music City, collecting 42 points in 66 games.Johansen was also a disappointment in 2019-20, tallying just 36 points in 68 contests. The 28-year-old is signed for five more campaigns with an $8-million cap hit.Turris is coming off two straight down years, as he's registered just 54 points over his last 117 regular-season games (he produced 50 points in each of the two seasons prior). The 31-year-old has four more seasons left on his contract, which carries a $6-million cap hit.Bonino is the most economical option, as he has just one year left on his deal with a $4.1-million cap hit. He put up 35 points in 67 games last season, which tied the second-best points-per-game mark of his career.The top unrestricted free agent centers include veterans Mikko Koivu, Joe Thornton, Carl Soderberg, Erik Haula, and Cody Eakin. Former Predator Mikael Granlund is also a pending UFA, though he's spent the last few seasons playing the wing and has been far more productive there.The Columbus Blue Jackets, Florida Panthers, Minnesota Wild, and Winnipeg Jets are among the many center-needy teams.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Tampa Bay Lightning general manager Julien BriseBois revealed Thursday the extent of the mysterious injury that kept Steven Stamkos out for all but five shifts of the 2020 Stanley Cup Playoffs.Stamkos underwent surgery for a sports hernia prior to the NHL's pause in March, BriseBois told NHL.com's Bryan Burns. The Lightning captain recovered from that injury and fully participated in Phase 2 of the league's return-to-play plan, but his rehab triggered a compensation injury."We fully expect him to be ready for next season," BriseBois said, adding that Stamkos will meet with a specialist next week to ascertain the full extent of his current injury.BriseBois also said Stamkos is expected to recover in a matter of weeks rather than months.Stamkos saw just 2:47 of ice time during the postseason - scoring a goal in Game 3 of the finals - but the Lightning were victorious anyway, beating the Dallas Stars in six games to win the Stanley Cup.The 30-year-old was productive when healthy during the regular season, tallying 29 goals and 37 assists in 57 games.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Edmonton Oilers and forward Ryan Nugent-Hopkins have made progress on a long-term extension over the past 24 hours, reports TSN's Frank Seravalli.A new deal isn't imminent, but the two sides appear to be headed in the right direction, Seravalli adds.Nugent-Hopkins is entering the final season of a seven-year, $42-million contract he signed in 2013. He'll become an unrestricted free agent if a deal isn't reached by the end of the 2020-21 campaign.The 27-year-old was on pace for the best statistical season of his career before the pause in March, having posted 61 points in 65 contests while averaging over 20 minutes per night. He added six points in four play-in games versus the Chicago Blackhawks.The Oilers currently have approximately $32 million in projected cap space for the 2021-22 season, when Nugent-Hopkins' potential new deal would kick in.Edmonton drafted Nugent-Hopkins with the first overall pick in 2011. He's registered 443 points in 604 games in his career.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Several times a week for four years, Michael Rossi got home from work in Rankweil, Austria, to find his teenage son's equipment bag placed outside the garage, a silent signal to dad that no night off was ahead. Even then, Marco Rossi didn't take nights off. Suggesting, say, on a drab Tuesday in January that he should rest, kick back, maybe catch a movie with friends, tended only to rile him. Better to load the Fiat Freemont and drive 90 minutes to practice in Zurich, west across the Swiss border in the general direction of the NHL."I've always thought since I was younger, if I don't train, I don't get better," Marco said."People thought, 'That Rossi father, he's f------ crazy. He's sick, what he's doing,'" said Michael, reflecting on his and his son's nightly commute. "Marco is 10 times crazier than me. He's really a beast, I'll tell you."Here we have the signature trend of Marco Rossi's hockey upbringing: onlookers questioning Michael's judgment, and Marco, a potential top-five pick in next week's entry draft, acting to alleviate their angst or dispel doubts. As the elder Rossi tells it, they figured Marco wouldn't succeed at each stage of the game that he's surpassed. He was too small to excel against Swiss competition; too young to keep pace with men there at age 16.Certainly, he couldn't withstand the physicality of the Ontario Hockey League. As it happens, he's now the OHL's reigning MVP.A 5-foot-9 center from the Alps is hardly the archetype of an elite prospect. Indeed, the unusual story of how Rossi became a junior star - the kind of player who older Canadian teammates swear they look up to, and whose self-assurance at age 19 leads him to swear he can crack the NHL this coming season - originates with those drives to Zurich. Michael's SUV logged close to 500,000 kilometers, and the resolve needed to stick with the dream came into crystalline focus. Icon Sportswire / Getty ImagesThe Rossis required a strict routine to live at home and commit to the ZSC Lions, the Swiss parent club of Marco's youth teams from 2014-18. Marco rose at 6 a.m., shortly after his dad did. He was back from school by 3 p.m. to finish homework and eat. Forgiving traffic patterns and lively conversation - about school, current events, choice memories from Michael's own 20-year pro career - got them to Zurich on time and energized by 6:30.The retired defenseman stood waiting in the rink hours later with heated pasta or chicken in hand, ready for the return leg that got Marco to bed by midnight."Up at 5 again, 5:30," Michael said, "and let's go."The schedule was a grind and was made more difficult, Michael acknowledges in hindsight, because he lost two jobs in sales during this period. Still, he won't entertain the notion that his participation entailed sacrifice. "You do it (because) you love your kid," he said, and he's adamant about one point: he never pressured Marco to do anything.Marco confirms this, knowing that bristling at relaxation was his call. He was the one who kept his bag at the ready."If you see the mental part, I got so strong," he said, thinking back to the demands of the commute. "I think I'm mentally so strong that nothing can (affect) me."––––––––––Once the New York Rangers draft Alexis Lafreniere first overall next Tuesday and Quinton Byfield and Tim Stutzle, in all likelihood, are selected next, several remaining standout forwards will headline the top of the board. Teams may balk at Rossi's height or find another reason to downgrade him to the bottom of the tier, below Cole Perfetti, Lucas Raymond, and Alexander Holtz. Maybe defensemen Jamie Drysdale and Jake Sanderson each go before him. A scenario exists whereby the class' strength pushes Rossi out of the top 10.If that happens, it certainly wouldn't negate all he's accomplished to date. Rossi was a force for the Ottawa 67s in 2019-20, as his 120 points led Canadian major junior hockey when the pandemic halted the season in March. Members of the 67s and analysts who watched them tend to draw the same conclusion; his potential is that of a future No. 1 center, size be damned."You normally would use the phrase 'complete package' with a player who's bigger than 5-foot-9," NHL Central Scouting director Dan Marr said. "But as it is, he's the complete package with skills, smarts, skating, and a competitive game. These are all the ingredients that you need today." Icon Sportswire / Getty ImagesIn Rossi's case, those ingredients amount to an astute playmaker who thinks a beat or two ahead of the action, enabling him to tilt the ice in his squad's favor and exploit unseen scoring opportunities. He's a capable shooter and his stride, though not the fastest, is powerful and quick. He defends with gusto, protects the puck with force and leverage, and is a workhorse in all phases of the game. Rossi's idol is Pavel Datsyuk, but his favorite active player is Stanley Cup champion Brayden Point, the best shorter center around."I've talked with a lot of people about his size, and some people say, 'Do you think he'll play center (in the NHL)?'" said 67s head coach Andre Tourigny. "I guarantee he'll play center, but one thing I know even more: Whatever he will play, his coach will trust him, because he knows he will be prepared. He knows he will be focused. He knows he will compete."Rossi's teammates, coaches, and front-office executives rave about four facets of his game: hockey sense, lower-body strength, defense, and maturity and drive. It's worth running through each attribute in turn.'His brain is just fabulous'If anyone within the 67s can be said to have discovered Rossi, it's assistant general manager and director of scouting Jan Egert, a Swiss who grew up near Zurich. Egert and Ottawa GM James Boyd were with the OHL's Mississauga Steelheads five years ago when Egert's contacts in the ZSC Lions organization suggested he keep tabs on their top prospect.Egert listened. He made some calls, cued up footage of Rossi dazzling in the Lions' system, and urged Boyd to be prepared to target him in a future Canadian Hockey League import draft. Before Egert ever tracked him live, Rossi's intelligence and vision were plainly discernible on screen."He did things, even when you watch it on video and you slow it down and you stop it freeze-frame, it makes you wonder: How did he do that? How did he come up with that idea? How did he see that teammate or that player in that situation? How did he know to change that angle to give himself a better opportunity to make a play?" Egert said. "All those innate things, Marco showcased those assets when he was 14, 15 years old." Icon Sportswire / Getty ImagesRossi continued to showcase his playmaking chops in Ottawa, where bench staff and former linemates alike marvel at how he reads sequences and dictates offense. "His brain is just fabulous," Tourigny said."He can get (passes) over two, three sticks like it's nothing," said Austen Keating, Rossi's left winger for two years, contextualizing how Rossi slung an OHL-best 81 assists in 56 games last season.Rossi notched a point in 52 of those 56 games. He tallied at least three points 23 times. The numbers substantiate a startling claim from his father: that he can count on one hand the bad games he's ever seen his son play."Marco is good any Friday night, any Saturday night, any Tuesday morning practice," Tourigny said. "His consistency, not just game to game - shift to shift in a game - is almost perfect."Slackline strongIn an interview during the NHL playoffs, Mark Seidel, director of the independent North American Central Scouting agency, observed something about the rigors of the postseason: Guys have to play remarkably hard to make a positive impact. He connected the thought to his faith in Rossi; some shorter forwards who score prolifically in junior stagnate as pros, he noted, when they're hesitant to leave the perimeter, muck about in traffic, and attack the net.The knock doesn't apply to Rossi, Seidel said: "This kid has no fear."

The Quebec Major Junior Hockey League will implement harsher penalties for players who fight during the upcoming 2020-21 season, it announced Wednesday.All players involved in a fight will now be assessed a 10-minute misconduct along with a five-minute major. The misconduct will begin only after the five-minute major is served.Players will also receive an automatic one-game suspension after their third fight and an additional one-game suspension for any additional fights afterward."It's very important to protect our players, to make sure he's playing in a safe environment. And today in the hockey business, the way that the game has improved, it's based on speed, skill (not fighting)," QMJHL commissioner Gilles Courteau told reporters Wednesday, according to The Canadian Press.The league's season is set to kick off on Friday.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

An unexpected name is drawing significant interest as the NHL's free-agent frenzy draws nearer.Over a third of the league's clubs are "hungry" to see Minnesota Wild defenseman Carson Soucy become an unrestricted free agent, reports TSN's Frank Seravalli.However, the Wild are reportedly engaged in talks to retain him, and the 26-year-old has said he wants to stay with the team.Soucy will be a Group 6 UFA by virtue of being at least 25 years old, playing at least three pro seasons, and appearing in fewer than 76 career games, the latter of which was reduced from the standard 80 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.He's played in only 66 total NHL contests after missing the final nine regular-season games in 2019-20 due to injury before returning for all four of Minnesota's postseason matchups.Soucy played this past campaign on a one-year, $750,000 pact he signed with the Wild in July 2019.He inked a deal with Minnesota rather than opting for free agency in April 2017. Soucy agreed to a two-year, $1.85-million contract with the Wild at the time after playing four years at the University of Minnesota Duluth.He collected 14 points while averaging 15:38 of ice time and posting a 51.33 expected goals for percentage in 55 regular-season games during the 2019-20 campaign.The Wild drafted him 137th overall in 2013.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

It appears as though Cody Ceci will be finding a new home this offseason.The Toronto Maple Leafs blue-liner is set to become an unrestricted free agent on Oct. 9 and is headed to the open market, according to TSN's Pierre LeBrun. However, the 26-year-old could circle back to the Leafs once the market opens, LeBrun adds.Ceci signed a one-year, $4.5-million deal with Toronto after being acquired from the Ottawa Senators in July 2019.The 6-foot-2 defenseman tallied one goal and eight points while logging 20:32 of average ice time across 56 contests. He ranked second on the Leafs in hits (92) and third in blocked shots (79).The Leafs have $6.106 million in projected cap space for next season, according to CapFriendly. Defenseman Travis Dermott and winger Ilya Mikheyev are two important restricted free agents in need of new deals, while 29-year-old blue-liner Tyson Barrie is set to become an unrestricted free agent.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The King's reign on Broadway officially came to an unceremonious end on Wednesday, with the New York Rangers buying out the final two years on the contract of longtime goaltender and face of the franchise Henrik Lundqvist.It was a business move for the betterment of the team's future, and one that didn't come as a surprise. Still, when a future Hall of Famer who was synonymous with the success of an organization is bought out, it's a massive development.He may find a new home to chase a Stanley Cup before next season, but for now, let's look back at some defining numbers from Lundqvist's illustrious tenure in the Big Apple.205: The draft pick the Rangers used to nab their future netminder in 2000. Pretty good value for an unheralded prospect out of Are, Sweden.459: Regular-season wins, the sixth-most in NHL history. Lundqvist's highest single-season win total was 39 in 2011-12..918: Lundqvist's career save percentage, the fourth-highest clip in NHL history among goaltenders to play 500-plus regular-season games.64: Regular-season shutouts, a league-best since his career began in 2005-06.887: Games played, the eighth-most among goalies. Lundqvist also ranks seventh on the Rangers' all-time list, which spans 94 years.80: The percentage of first-place Vezina Trophy votes Lundqvist earned in 2011-12. It was the only campaign when he won the award, and over 62 starts the five-time All-Star was more than deserving after posting a .930 save percentage, 1.97 goals-against average, and 28.37 goals saved above average - all career bests.23,509: Lundqvist's career regular-season saves to date, the seventh-most ever. Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / Getty61: Lundqvist's playoff win total, which ranks 12th all time..923: Lundqvist's save percentage in the lone Stanley Cup Final of his career. The Rangers fell in five games to the Los Angeles Kings, but Hank played well, stopping 88 of 92 shots across two games after New York found itself in a 3-0 hole.15: The elimination games Lundqvist won between 2012 and 2015 against just four losses. In those contests, he registered a 1.74 goals-against average and two shutouts.6: The consecutive Game 7s Lundqvist won between 2012 and 2015, an NHL record.57.2: The number of wins above replacement Lundqvist has provided since 2007, which is 20 more than the next goalie, according to Evolving Hockey. Over that span, The King stopped 278 goals above expected, nearly 200 more than the next netminder on the list.$99,283,390: Lundqvist's estimated career earnings, according to Cap Friendly.30: The next Rangers jersey number to be hung from the rafters at Madison Square Garden.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Ottawa Senators aren't opposed to trading the fifth overall selection in the upcoming draft if the right deal comes along.Trent Mann, the club's chief amateur scout, confirmed general manager Pierre Dorion is open to receiving proposals involving the pick."It’s going to depend (on) what happens ahead of us," Mann said Tuesday, according to Postmedia's Bruce Garrioch. "We have to be ready for a number of different things, including a scenario where somebody wants to move up and take No. 5 as well. If that's the case, what does that give us in the end?""That's a possible scenario the amateur staff has to prepare for because this year we're in the enviable place (of) picking No. 3 and No. 5," Mann continued. "Equally, based on the nature of the importance of the draft for the organization, you have to listen and prepare for any scenario that may happen because teams will call. Pierre has already indicated he's willing to listen."Ottawa boasts the 28th selection in addition to its pair of top-five picks. The team also has four second-round choices, and 13 total selections over all seven rounds.The NHL released the full 2020 draft order earlier Tuesday.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The complete order of selections in the upcoming NHL draft is now set.Here's how the first two rounds will go:Round 1PickTeam1New York Rangers2Los Angeles Kings3Ottawa Senators (from San Jose Sharks)4Detroit Red Wings5Senators6Anaheim Ducks7New Jersey Devils8Buffalo Sabres9Minnesota Wild10Winnipeg Jets11Nashville Predators12Florida Panthers13Carolina Hurricanes (from Toronto Maple Leafs)14Edmonton Oilers15Maple Leafs (from Pittsburgh Penguins)16Montreal Canadiens17Chicago Blackhawks18Devils (from Arizona Coyotes)19Calgary Flames20Devils (from Vancouver Canucks via Tampa Bay Lightning)21Columbus Blue Jackets22Rangers (from Hurricanes)23Philadelphia Flyers24Washington Capitals25Colorado Avalanche26St. Louis Blues27Ducks (from Boston Bruins)28Senators (from New York Islanders)29Vegas Golden Knights30Dallas Stars31Sharks (from Lightning)Round 2PickTeam32Red Wings33Senators34Sharks35Kings36Ducks37Predators (from Devils)38Sabres39Wild40Jets41Hurricanes (from Rangers)42Predators43Panthers44Maple Leafs45Red Wings (from Oilers)46Blackhawks (from Penguins via Golden Knights)47Canadiens48Canadiens (from Blackhawks)49No selection50Flames51Kings (from Canucks)52Senators (from Blue Jackets)53Hurricanes54Flyers55Red Wings (from Capitals)56Sharks (from Avalanche via Capitals)57Canadiens (from Blues)58Bruins59Senators (from Islanders)60Kings (from Golden Knights)61Senators (from Stars via Golden Knights)62LightningThe draft lottery determined the first 15 picks. Selections 16-27 belong to teams that lost in the first two rounds of the playoffs, in inverse order of the clubs' regular-season points percentage.The No. 28 and 29 picks have been given to the teams that were knocked out in the conference finals (though the New York Islanders' selection belongs to the Ottawa Senators), again in inverse order of the points percentage during the regular season. The 30th and 31st overall selections will go to the Stanley Cup Final loser and winner, respectively.Unlike previous years, the NHL didn't take division winners into account. As a result, the Washington Capitals and Colorado Avalanche were flipped at No. 24 and 25.In rounds two through seven, selections one to seven go to teams that didn't qualify for the 24-team return-to-play format, and Nos. 8 through 15 belong to clubs that were bounced out of the qualifying round. All 15 of those picks over the final six rounds are slotted in inverse order based on regular-season points percentage.The Arizona Coyotes forfeited the 49th overall pick and their 2021 first-rounder after violating the NHL's combine testing policy during the 2019-20 campaign.View the order for all seven rounds here. The draft will be conducted over video conferencing on Oct. 6 and 7.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Aside from bonding with his teammates, Dallas Stars forward Tyler Seguin admitted bubble life in Edmonton for the duration of the Stanley Cup Playoffs was a grind unlike he's ever experienced."(It was) the biggest grind and the hardest time of our lives as professional athletes, and also the most fun," Seguin told NHL.com's Tom Gulitti. "We had so much fun - that's kind of why it's so disappointing - on this run. It's fun being on this stage. A lot of guys in this league or this business don't have that opportunity to feel this pressure, and we had a lot of fun with it, so it was great."But other than that, there's nothing positive you're going to take from the bubble life. It definitely (stunk) and I think we're all looking forward to seeing family and friends now."Players reported to their respective bubbles July 26, and the Stars' run ended Monday night - over two full months later - as they lost the Stanley Cup Final in Game 6 to the Tampa Bay Lightning.Seguin finished the postseason with 13 points in 26 games. It was the third time in franchise history the Stars had reached the finals.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Edmonton Oilers have at least one goalie on their radar as they enter the offseason.Edmonton has shown an interest in Carolina Hurricanes goaltender Petr Mrazek, TSN's Pierre LeBrun reported during Tuesday's edition of "Insider Trading."LeBrun added that acquiring Mrazek would be more of a "Plan B" for the Oilers.The 28-year-old goaltender has one season remaining on his contract that carries a value of $3.125 million. Oilers general manager Ken Holland drafted Mrazek in 2010 while with the Detroit Red Wings.Mrazek appeared in 40 games during the 2019-20 regular season, putting together a 21-16-2 record with a .905 save percentage and 2.69 goals-against average.The Oilers have goaltender Mikko Koskinen signed for two more seasons with an average annual value of $4.5 million. Mike Smith, who appeared in 39 games for the team last season, is an unrestricted free agent.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Henrik Lundqvist's time with the New York Rangers is set to come to an end after 15 years.The Rangers are expected to buy out the final year of Lundqvist's contract, TSN's Darren Dreger reported during Tuesday's edition of "Insider Trading.""Unfortunately for Henrik Lundqvist, there will be a separation from the New York Rangers by form of that buyout," Dreger said."This would not come easy to the New York Rangers, again, given everything that Lundqvist has provided to the Rangers as an organization. This was a tough decision but a decision that has to be made moving forward," Dreger added.Lundqvist has one season remaining on his current contract that carries a cap hit of $8.5 million for the 2020-21 season.The 38-year-old has spent his entire career with the Rangers since being selected by the team in the seventh round of the 2000 NHL Draft. His 887 games played, 459 wins, and 64 shutouts are all franchise records.Rangers general manager Jeff Gorton said in August that the team's plan is to carry only two goalies on its NHL roster next season. During the 2019-20 season, Lundqvist split starts with teammates Alexandar Georgiev and Igor Shesterkin.Since Lundqvist's rookie season in 2005-06, the Rangers have made the playoffs 11 times. He helped guide the team to the Stanley Cup Final once in 2014 and the conference finals on two occasions.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Tampa Bay Lightning have returned home with the Stanley Cup.The Lightning exited the NHL bubble Tuesday after spending over two months in Toronto and Edmonton. Friends and family met them on the tarmac after they landed back in Tampa:

Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Victor Hedman claimed the Conn Smythe Trophy as the most valuable player of the Stanley Cup Playoffs following his club's title-clinching victory over the Dallas Stars on Monday night.In one of the closest Conn Smythe races ever, Hedman edged out teammate Brayden Point by a margin of 70 points to 66 among the 18 voting members of the Professional Hockey Writers Association.Hedman received nine first-place votes, eight second-place nods, and one third-place vote. Point earned eight first-place nods, eight for second, and two for third. Nikita Kucherov placed third in the voting, garnering a lone first-place vote, two second-place nods, and 14 third-place votes.Hedman led all blue-liners with 10 playoff goals and ranked fifth among all skaters with 22 postseason points.The 29-year-old entered Game 6 leading all skaters still competing in postseason ice time, averaging over 26 minutes per contest.Hedman scored seven of his 10 markers at even strength, and three of his goals were game-winners.The imposing rearguard was a finalist for the Norris Trophy as the NHL's top defenseman in 2019-20 after racking up 55 points in 66 regular-season games while averaging 24:04 in ice time. He won that award in 2018.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 · Olympic gold medallist Sami Jo SmallSami Jo Small, the former longtime goalie for Canada's national women's hockey team, joins the show to discuss a variety of topics, including:

It was mid-afternoon on Aug. 19, and Jon Cooper looked exhausted.He seemed spent - like he was just glad it was all over, wholly relieved the Tampa Bay Lightning had claimed a first-round Game 5 win over the Columbus Blue Jackets inside Toronto's Scotiabank Arena during the strangest NHL postseason ever. Finally, the weight was off his shoulders."We had 422 days to think about it, but who's counting?" Cooper, the NHL's longest tenured head coach, quipped to reporters after the 5-4 matinee. Bruce Bennett / Getty ImagesA series win over Columbus was no ordinary playoff triumph for Tampa. The Blue Jackets had swept the Lightning in the opening round of the 2019 postseason more than a calendar year earlier. It had been an epic upset, a psyche-rattling ouster for a team that had demolished the competition during the regular season, appearing unstoppable while winning 62 of 82 games.But after another successful regular season, nearly five months off as the sports world stopped to tend to a pandemic, and a long, stressful run-up to the playoff bubble, Tampa emerged the postseason victor - not Columbus."A lot of learning went into last year," Cooper said later in the press conference. "We had to grow as a team. We didn't necessarily need to tweak how to play the game. I don't know if it was as much on structure as it was between the ears."It was hard not to think of Cooper's insight Monday night as injured captain Steven Stamkos hoisted the Stanley Cup high over his head. Lightning players, coaches, and staff - isolated from the outside world, including loved ones, for 65 straight days split between Toronto and Edmonton - celebrated the second Cup in franchise history. The Cooper-era Lightning squad, perennial contenders and 2015 Cup Final losers, are now 2020 champions.The Lightning capped off an incredible 25-game - which featured a 2-1 record in the round robin before series wins over the Blue Jackets, Bruins, Islanders, and Stars - with a 2-0 Game 6 victory Monday over the Dallas Stars in the Cup Final. And all under unprecedented circumstances, too: No fans, no travel, and a condensed schedule inside a closely monitored bubble, with the COVID-19 pandemic and racial injustice protests unfolding outside of it."It was so special to do it this year in the style that we did it," captain Steven Stamkos said postgame, before adding: "It's something we talked about at the beginning of (summer) training camp, that it's not just going to take 20 guys to win the Stanley Cup, it's going to take every single guy in this bubble, and I'm so proud of each and every one of them."Forward Pat Maroon was less poetic, but equally effective in describing the accomplishment: "We worked our nuts off, and we deserve this," he said.All-world defenseman Victor Hedman is the Conn Smythe Trophy winner as playoff MVP after racking up 10 goals and 12 assists in 25 games while playing 26:28 nightly against the opponent's most dynamic skaters. Top-line forwards Nikita Kucherov and Brayden Point brilliantly combined for 21 goals, including four game-winners. Stud goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy posted a .927 save percentage through all 1,708 minutes of the club's run. There's no denying Tampa's best players were their best players from start to finish. Dave Sandford / Getty ImagesAmazingly, the Lightning managed to reach the mountaintop without a healthy Stamkos, who was sidelined the entire postseason aside from a magical five-shift cameo in Game 3 of the Final. But a mixture of the team's long-term core and its versatile supporting cast filled the Stamkos void, which is what made this squad unique - it was star-studded and super deep."The beauty of our team is everyone was chipping in," Point said. "We got contributions from anyone and everyone at different times, and that’s what makes this win so special."And through a big-picture lens, the Lightning's Cup victory is just as much about what they didn't do as it is about what they did.For starters, the organization's top decision-makers - namely owner Jeff Vinik and general manager Julien BriseBois - didn't panic after the shocking and embarrassing Columbus sweep. They didn't fire Cooper or trade away a star player. No, BriseBois instead began to workshop how he could leave no stone unturned in the 2019-20 season and reel in key contributors via free agency and at the annual trading deadline. They aimed to get harder to play against, a little tighter defensively, and add layers of support to an already deadly team."When I got the call from Julien and Coop, they wanted my presence in the locker room and bring a different atmosphere, bring guys together, and bring a different game to the Tampa Bay Lightning. I think I did my job," Maroon, a free agent pickup and the roster's lone Cup champion before Monday's win, said on the Sportsnet broadcast moments after lifting the trophy. Bruce Bennett / Getty ImagesThe newcomers included defensemen Kevin Shattenkirk, Luke Schenn, and Zach Bogosian, as well as forwards Maroon, Blake Coleman, and Barclay Goodrow. No marquee names, yet all six moved Tampa closer to becoming bulletproof on paper and made BriseBois look genius - especially in the marathon postseason, when their combined efforts were needed most."Ultimately, at the deadline, if you are a buyer, you are damned if you do and damned if you don’t," BriseBois said in late February after giving up two first-round picks and a high-end prospect to acquire third-liners Goodrow and Coleman in separate trades. "And I decided I was going to take the risk of being damned if I do because I did."The last Lightning player to touch the puck Sunday was Goodrow, who chased it through the neutral zone and into the Dallas end before tossing his stick into the air in jubilation at the final buzzer. Coleman, the prototypical modern energy guy, had a strong playoff performance, particularly in the early going. The pair's center, the undrafted Yanni Gourde, had his moments too. Together, they formed the famous Gnats trio - a highly effective third line.Gourde's draft status is notable, of course, because he's not their scouts' only find. Tampa took Kucherov in the second round, Point and two-way center Anthony Cirelli are third-rounders, top-line winger Ondrej Palat is a seventh-rounder, and Tyler Johnson - one of eight players remaining from the 2015 team - is another undrafted gem. Stamkos is on the other end of the spectrum as the first overall pick in the 2008 draft and a career-long Lightning player. He's joined by Hedman, who Tampa selected in the No. 2 spot a year later."We've been together since Day 1," Stamkos said of Hedman. "To go through all the ups and downs, this is what you play for, to watch Heddy win that Conn Smythe, to be the best player in the world in the playoffs, and to just watch our relationship grow to where it is today, it's just love and admiration." Dave Sandford / Getty ImagesTampa built this 2020 Cup team in every which way and over several years: Through the draft, through free agency, and through trades. Drafting, developing, and then pouncing on the market at the right time. Don't lose hope, trust the process. Easier said than done, right? You can thank former GM Steve Yzerman for a large portion of those moves, but BriseBois finished the job. And despite the new faces on the ice, the Lightning stayed true to their core, their brand of hockey, and their ultimate goal. Amid a pandemic, the payoff is enormous, a huge reward, and certainly mighty fulfilling.Just ask Cooper."We basically went from the outhouse to the penthouse," he said.John Matisz is theScore's national hockey writer.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Tampa Bay Lightning are the 2020 Stanley Cup champions.Tampa Bay defeated the Dallas Stars 2-0 in Game 6 on Monday to end the series. Lightning forward Brayden Point scored the game-winning goal, while goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy recorded a 22-save shutout. Forward Blake Coleman scored Tampa's second goal of the game.The Lightning won three straight against the Stars after dropping Game 1. After losing in double-overtime in Game 5, they bounced back to control Game 6 and claim the franchise's second title.Lightning winger Nikita Kucherov finished the postseason with a team-leading 34 points in 25 games, while Point had 33 points in 23 games. Defenseman Victor Hedman won the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP after racking up 10 goals and 22 points in 25 contests.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Tampa Bay Lightning have rebounded in a big way after suffering last postseason's historic upset, becoming the 2020 Stanley Cup Champions."A heartbreak. It's easy to say now, but it is true. Sometimes in failure, you find success. It doesn't come easy," Lightning head coach Jon Cooper said, per Sportsnet. "People say, 'you never know when you're gonna go back, you never know when you're gonna go back.' But I truly believe it was the heartbreak we suffered that brought us here today."Tampa Bay had one of the most dominant regular seasons of all-time during the 2018-19 season. They accrued 128 regular-season points and entered the playoffs as a heavy Cup favorite.The Lightning were then shocked in the first round, where they got swept by the Columbus Blue Jackets. The club became the first Presidents' Trophy winners to lose four straight first-round games in the modern era.Tampa Bay has remained a top contender in recent years but hasn't been able to capture a title. They lost in the Stanley Cup Final in 2015 and in the conference finals in 2018.Victor Hedman, who was named the winner of the Conn Smythe Trophy and has been with the team since 2009, recognized the hard work it took for the team to get their hands on the Cup."It’s been a grind. It’s not easy. It hasn’t been easy," Hedman said, according to The Athletic's Craig Custance. "But it’s all worth it now, for sure. That’s the bottom line. We’re Stanley Cup champs."Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Tampa Bay Lightning's celebration with the Stanley Cup will likely look different than usual.The team will host a boat parade along the city's Riverwalk and Hillsborough River at 5 p.m. on Wednesday to celebrate the Cup win. Fans are encouraged to gather safely along the Riverwalk."The Stanley Cup is once again coming home to Tampa, and we could not be more proud of the Tampa Bay Lightning for embodying the resilient, fighting spirit of the Tampa Bay community and for bringing the Cup home," Tampa Bay mayor Jane Castor said."Despite every challenge this past year, Tampa continues to ensure that our comeback is even greater than any setback. Thank you to our team for working hard, playing hard, and giving our community something to celebrate. We cannot wait for Stanley to get than tan."There will also be a celebration at Raymond James Stadium at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, with socially distant pod seating available.This victory marks the second time the Lightning have claimed the Stanley Cup, last winning in 2004.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The NHL won't replicate its two-bubble format for the full 2020-21 campaign, but it may explore a hybrid concept.The idea of utilizing four-to-six bubble environments next season "has been kicked around on a preliminary basis," reports TSN's Frank Seravalli. Seravalli adds that the bubbles would ideally be located in cities where fans are allowed in arenas.At least one bubble would be in Canada in this scenario, and an all-Canadian division is a "distinct possibility" given current restrictions on cross-border travel, according to Seravalli.The concept would also reportedly see players on a rotation, spending two weeks inside the bubble and then one week at home with their families before re-entering. Teams would play roughly 12 games per month.Such an idea would face several hurdles, most notably the fact the NHL must likely conclude the 2020-21 season before NBC, the league's rightsholder in the U.S., begins covering the Olympics in Tokyo on July 22. The league would likely have to cut its season to 48 or 60 contests under the hybrid concept as a result.Seravalli notes the NHL would also face the possibility of reintroducing potentially infected individuals into a protected environment.The league and the National Hockey League Players' Association are reportedly likely to schedule a meeting next week to open talks regarding logistics for next season.NHLPA executive director Donald Fehr has said players don't want to spend an entire campaign in quarantine."Certainly not for a season, of course not," Fehr told The Associated Press' Stephen Whyno on Sunday. "Nobody is going to do that for four months or six months or something like that."Whether we could create some protected environments (where) people would be tested and they'd be clean when they came in and (that) lasted for some substantially shorter period of time with people cycling in and out is one of the things I suspect we will examine."Under the reported hybrid concept, teams would begin the season in bubbles and eventually host limited-attendance games in their home arenas. The league would then have more facilities operating at full capacity for the postseason.NHL commissioner Gary Bettman said earlier in September it's possible the league takes such an approach, though he added "there's still too much we don't know." He also noted any attempt to guess when next season will begin is "nothing more than speculation."Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

As the Stanley Cup Final nears its conclusion, the NHL announced a 10th consecutive week with no positive COVID-19 tests within the bubble.Daily testing began one week before the league officially dropped the puck for its return, and a total of 33,174 tests have been administered to players and team personnel over that span.The NHL will release one last testing update following the end of the Stanley Cup Final, which will conclude Sept. 30 at the latest.The Lightning currently lead the Stars 3-2, and they can clinch the championship Monday night.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Several teams have called new Buffalo Sabres general manager Kevyn Adams about the availability of superstar captain Jack Eichel, reports TSN's Bob McKenzie.One of the clubs to check in was the New York Rangers. However, Buffalo doesn't want to move its top player, McKenzie adds.Eichel's agent, Peter Fish, said his client wants to win and is preparing for another season with the Sabres, who drafted the three-time All-Star second overall in 2015."I hear that (trade talk) a lot," Fish said. "Jack wants to win, he's frustrated (not winning) but, no, he doesn't want out. Jack is preparing to head to Buffalo at some point here and prepare for the season, whenever that may be. That's all he controls."Eichel was enjoying a dominant campaign before the pause, putting up 78 points in 68 games while averaging a career-high 22 minutes per night. Despite his brilliance, the Sabres finished outside the expanded playoff bracket in the Eastern Conference, extending a postseason drought that dates back to 2011.In May, Eichel voiced his displeasure about missing the playoffs again, saying he's fed up with perennially losing, and it's been a "tough past five years."The Sabres fired former general manager Jason Botterill this offseason and replaced him with Adams - Eichel's third front-office boss since being drafted.The 23-year-old's current contract runs until 2026 at an annual cap hit of $10 million.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Find line reports, best bets, and subscribe to push notifications in the Betting News section.We were a game too early on the under, with our record falling to 9-4-1 since the start of Round 3.With at most two games left in the season, let's finish strong.Tampa Bay Lightning (-160) at Dallas Stars (+140)On the back of the Stars' best effort of the series, Corey Perry's double-overtime winner on Saturday forced a Game 6. It's easy to look at the shot totals from that contest, with the Lightning holding a 41-33 edge, and say Dallas earned the victory thanks to Anton Khudobin, but that's lazy analysis.Khudobin was solid but not spectacular on Saturday. His weakness - low blocker-side shots - was exploited again, and he saved just 0.15 goals above expected in regulation.If anything, Tampa Bay netminder Andrei Vasilevskiy deserves praise. The 2019 Vezina winner was superb throughout the game, coming up especially big during the Stars' dominant first and third periods. That's when Dallas controlled 83.7% of the expected goal share at five-on-five.Vasilevskiy is a massive reason why the Lightning even managed to get to overtime. The Stars were expected to score 3.16 goals in regulation, compared to 2.15 for the Bolts. Dallas also held a significant offensive edge throughout the game, generating 19 high-danger chances in 89 minutes of Game 5 action, while the Lightning created 12.The Stars may have allowed a lot of shots, but their excellent defensive play returned, with the club forcing everything to the outside and minimizing the number of quality chances against. Confidence is flowing throughout this resilient bunch, and they won't go down easy.Dallas seems to have rediscovered its game at the right time. At a generous price - and with Steven Stamkos ruled out for the series - back the Stars to force a Game 7.Pick: Dallas Stars (+140)(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.

Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere is available for a trade this offseason, sources told The Athletic's Pierre LeBrun.There are three seasons left on the six-year contract Gostisbehere signed in 2017 at an annual value of $4.25 million. The 27-year-old was limited to 42 games this past campaign due to an injury and frequently being a healthy scratch. He averaged a career-low 18:18 of ice time per game.Gostisbehere posted 12 points before the pause, then added two assists in five playoff contests before Philadelphia was eliminated in the second round.There are multiple younger, cheaper options available on the Flyers' roster who can assume Gostisbehere's role on the left side of the blue line. Trading the 2015-16 Calder Trophy runner-up would also free up significant cap space for a squad with only $6.235 million to work with this offseason to potentially add talent, and pay restricted free agents Philippe Myers and Nolan Patrick.Gostisbehere exploded onto the NHL scene as a 22-year-old rookie with 17 goals and 29 assists in 64 games. He's struggled to consistently match that production since, ranking sixth out of seven Flyers defensemen to play 500 minutes this season with a 46.96% expected goals rate.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Chris Stewart is retiring after 11 seasons in the NHL, he announced Sunday.The journeyman forward played for seven teams across 668 career NHL games. His most productive seasons came early in his career with the Colorado Avalanche and St. Louis Blues when he notched back-to-back 28-goal campaigns in 2009-10 and 2010-11.Stewart also had stints with the Buffalo Sabres, Minnesota Wild, Anaheim Ducks, and Calgary Flames before finishing with the Philadelphia Flyers. He wraps up his career with 160 goals and 162 assists.The Avalanche drafted Stewart in the first round in 2006.He's the brother of former NHL player and current Hockey Night in Canada analyst Anthony Stewart. Chris is also a member of the Hockey Diversity Alliance.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Tampa Bay Lightning captain Steven Stamkos is unavailable for the remainder of the Stanley Cup Final, head coach Jon Cooper announced Sunday.Stamkos suited up for Game 3 of his club's series versus the Dallas Stars - his only appearance of the postseason. He made the most of it, scoring a laser of a goal while logging just 2:47 of ice time across five shifts in the Tampa victory."Hopefully the next time you see him on the ice is during a trophy presentation," Cooper said, per Stephen Whyno of The Associated Press.Stamkos missed time during the regular season due to core muscle surgery and has been dealing with a lower-body injury since the Lightning reconvened in July.The Lightning currently lead the Stanley Cup Final 3-2 with Game 6 scheduled for Monday night.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

"Captain America" reigns supreme.Joe Pavelski's tying goal against the Tampa Bay Lightning in Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Final puts him solely in first place on the all-time list of American playoff scorers.The Dallas Stars forward's late equalizer, his second in as many nights, was his 61st postseason marker in 160 career playoff games. He passed Joe Mullen, who netted 60 in 143 playoff contests.Pavelski eclipsed Mike Modano's total of 58 and tied Mullen with a pair of goals during the Stars' overtime loss in Game 4 on Friday. The 36-year-old replied, "Keep it, next question," when asked about the record following the defeat.The veteran forward still had other priorities on his mind after Dallas' 3-2 double-overtime victory Saturday.

The Dallas Stars defeated the Tampa Bay Lightning 3-2 in double overtime in Game 5 on Saturday, keeping their hopes alive in the Stanley Cup Final.Stars forward Corey Perry's second score was the game-winning goal.Perry opened scoring with minutes remaining in the first period, giving the Stars the lead. Lightning forward Ondrej Palat got Tampa on the board in the second, tying the game up heading into the third.Just over three minutes into the final frame, Lightning defenseman Mikhail Sergachev beat Stars goaltender Anton Khudobin to score the go-ahead goal. Stars veteran Joe Pavelski tied things up with 6:45 remaining in the third period and forced overtime for the second straight game.Pavelski's 61st career goal sets the record for most playoff goals scored by an American-born player, passing Joe Mullen.Khudobin was superb in the game, stopping 39 of the 41 shots he faced. Andrei Vasilevskiy let in three goals on 33 shots.Dallas now trails the series 3-2. The teams will play Game 6 on Monday at 8 p.m. ET.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Dustin Byfuglien appears close to calling it a career."It's very unlikely Dustin Byfuglien's going to play," Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman reported on the latest edition of "Saturday Headlines.""Teams have asked," Friedman continued. "One of the teams that has asked is the Minnesota Wild. They figured because Byfuglien obviously has a lot of ties to Minnesota, he'd want to play there, and they could use him. They're probably the only team that has a chance, but I checked with Byfuglien's agent, Ben Hankinson, (and) he said it's doubtful that Byfuglien will play again."The 35-year-old defenseman sat out the 2019-20 campaign amid a contract dispute with the Winnipeg Jets, which stemmed from a difference of opinion over his health entering this season. He and the club agreed to a contract termination in April, which made him an unrestricted free agent.Byfuglien originally had one year remaining on his contract with Winnipeg and would have received payments through 2020-21.The gargantuan rearguard would be one of the top free-agent blue-liners if he chose to resume playing, despite his age and his extended NHL absence.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The New York Rangers have traded defenseman Marc Staal and a 2021 second-round draft pick to the Detroit Red Wings in exchange for future considerations, the team announced Saturday.Staal appeared in 52 games for New York during the 2019-20 regular season, recording two goals and nine assists. He had a 37.31 Corsi For percentage and 36.22 expected goals for percentage in all situations.The 33-year-old has one year remaining on a deal carrying a $5.7-million annual cap hit. He's spent his entire 13-season career with the Rangers after they selected him 12th overall in the 2005 NHL Draft.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Dallas Stars forward Roope Hintz is unfit to play in Saturday's Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Final against the Tampa Bay Lightning, head coach Rick Bowness told NHL.com's Tom Gulitti.Hintz took a hard tumble into the boards in Friday's Game 4 after tripping over Tyler Johnson's stick. He left the game and did not return.

The Detroit Red Wings signed veteran forward Sam Gagner to a one-year contract extension, the team announced Saturday.The deal is worth $850,000, according to Cap Friendly. Gagner was set to become an unrestricted free agent after playing out the final season of a three-year, $9.45 million contract signed with the Vancouver Canucks.Gagner joined the Red Wings prior to this season's trade deadline in a move that sent Andreas Athanasiou to the Edmonton Oilers. The 31-year-old suited up in six games for Detroit before the pause, notching a single goal while averaging just over 15 minutes per night.The Red Wings, who finished the shortened season in 31st place, have over $34 million in projected cap space this offseason with a few key restricted free agents to sign, including forwards Tyler Bertuzzi and Anthony Mantha.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Joe Pavelski wasn't happy with an overtime penalty call against Dallas Stars captain Jamie Benn that ultimately led to the Tampa Bay Lightning's game-winning power-play goal in Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Final on Friday."The ref's got a tough job. I see it. It's in front of (referee) Kelly (Sutherland), he's got a great look at it, the back ref calls it," Pavelski said postgame. "I don't have a ton of time for a play where (Lightning forward) Tyler Johnson steps in front of Jamie Benn and has no real effect in the play."Jamie breathes on the guy and he falls over. Whether that's the case or not, there's a little battle going on there. It's playoffs, it's overtime, we expect five-on-five. We expect to battle it out."Benn was called for tripping just over five minutes into overtime after taking down Johnson while the two battled for a loose puck. It was Dallas' fourth penalty of the game. Lightning defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk scored on the ensuing power play to give Tampa the win.Stars head coach Rick Bowness also disagreed with the call."I saw two guys going for a loose puck, their guy hooking our guy, and our guy trying to fight through the hook. ... That's a hockey play," Bowness said. "That's what I saw. I looked at the replay a couple of times, and it's two guys in the playoffs and you're going for a loose puck."He continued: "The players want to dictate the end of the game, and they're right. They want to play five-on-five and let's see what happens here. ... Let the players decide the game."With the loss, the Stars have their backs against the wall and trail 3-1 in the series. Game 5 is set for Saturday at 8 p.m. ET.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Tampa Bay Lightning defeated the Dallas Stars in a thrilling 5-4 overtime victory in Game 4 on Friday to take a commanding 3-1 series lead in the Stanley Cup Final.The teams traded goals all night but the Lightning ultimately prevailed in overtime when Kevin Shattenkirk scored the game-winner.Shattenkirk's marker came on the power play after Stars forward Jamie Benn took a tripping penalty. It was the Lightning's third goal of the game with the man-advantage.The Stars got off to a hot start, scoring the game's first two goals thanks to John Klingberg and Joe Pavelski. The Lightning answered just before the buzzer in the opening frame when Brayden Point burst into the offensive zone and put one past Anton Khudobin.Point was able to bat the puck out of the air to score again just minutes into the second period to tie it up.An incredible solo effort by Tyler Seguin led to a goal from Corey Perry, who managed to jam the puck into a wide-open net to put the Stars back on top. But, similarly to the first period, the Lightning netted a power-play marker at the end of the second to tie the game back up.Alex Killorn got on the board for the Lightning to take the lead minutes into the final frame, but Pavelski scored his second minutes later to tie things up once again.With the goal, Pavelski became the oldest player in NHL history to score 12 goals in a single postseason and also tied Joe Mullen for the most playoff goals scored by an American skater (60).Lightning goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy ended the night with 26 saves on 30 shots, while Khudobin stopped 30 of the 35 he faced.Game 5 is set for 8 p.m. ET on Saturday.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

John Klingberg and Miro Heiskanen became on Friday the second pair of defensemen on the same team to record at least 20 points each during a single postseason, according to TSN's Statscentre.The Dallas Stars teammates joined Paul Coffey and Charlie Huddy as those to accomplish the feat. Coffey and Huddy did it with the Edmonton Oilers during the 1985 playoffs when they recorded 37 and 20 points, respectively.Klingberg's goal in the opening frame of Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Final helped him reach the 20-point mark, while Heiskanen already had 24 points entering the contest. They've each appeared in 25 games this postseason, including Dallas' three contests in the round robin of the qualifying round.The pair are leading the way for the Stars this postseason, with Heiskanen sitting at No. 1 and Klingberg second in team scoring.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Patric Hornqvist said he was caught off-guard when the Pittsburgh Penguins shipped him to the Florida Panthers on Thursday, but ultimately, his decision to approve the swap wasn't difficult."This came up and blindsided me because I had a no-move clause," Hornqvist said Friday, according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette's Matt Vensel. "But then I find out that Pittsburgh didn't want me and Florida really wants me, and it was an easy choice for me and my family. I'm super excited to go down there and help them win some games."The deal, in which the Panthers sent defenseman Mike Matheson and forward Colton Sceviour to the Penguins, was first reported Wednesday. However, Hornqvist had to waive his no-trade clause for the transaction to go through, and it wasn't finalized until Thursday."It's been obviously a little crazy," he added. "It was obviously a tough situation for me and my family, when you get blindsided a little bit. When you know you have a no-trade, you don't think this kind of question is going to come up. When it came up, I took my time to go through every scenario."The 33-year-old spent the last six seasons with the Penguins - helping them win back-to-back Stanley Cup championships in 2016 and 2017 - after playing his first six NHL campaigns with the Nashville Predators.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Montreal Canadiens signed defenseman Jeff Petry to a four-year extension carrying an annual cap hit of $6.25 million, the team announced Friday.Petry's current contract, which carried a $5.5-million cap hit, was set to expire after next season. His new deal begins in 2021-22 and runs through the 2024-25 campaign.The extension includes a 15-team no-trade clause and a full no-movement clause, reports TSN's Pierre LeBrun.The 32-year-old is coming off his three most productive seasons. Petry tallied 11 goals and 40 points in 71 contests this past campaign. He also added two goals - including an overtime winner - and one assist in 10 playoff games.Petry has blossomed into a stellar two-way defender as well.

The Toronto Maple Leafs hired Paul MacLean as an assistant coach, the team announced Friday."Over nearly two decades as an NHL coach, Paul has filled every role on a coaching staff, winning a Stanley Cup and Jack Adams trophy along the way," head coach Sheldon Keefe said. "Adding someone of Paul's expertise and character to advise and assist our staff is something that we felt was very important as we seek to make tangible steps next season."MacLean was on the Columbus Blue Jackets bench for the 2019-20 season. He's also had stints with the Anaheim Ducks, Detroit Red Wings, and Ottawa Senators. He was the NHL's Coach of the Year with Ottawa in 2013 and won a Stanley Cup with Detroit in 2008.His role on Toronto's bench appears to be all-encompassing.