The Winnipeg Jets announced Saturday they signed forward David Gustafsson and defenseman Logan Stanley to two-year contract extensions.Both players were restricted free agents. Gustafsson's contract carries an average annual value of $835,000, while Stanley will earn $1.25 million per year on his new deal.Gustafsson was a second-round pick of the Jets in 2018. He produced seven points in 39 games this past season.Stanley had two points in 25 appearances. He's played 139 games with the franchise since being drafted 18th overall in 2016.The Jets' remaining RFAs are Cole Perfetti and Dylan Coghlan, the latter of whom was acquired from the Carolina Hurricanes via trade Saturday.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The forecheck-heavy Carolina Hurricanes have a clear identity on the ice. Off the ice, they stick to the master plan, placing a firm valuation on each player, pick, and prospect, and rarely move off it. Carolina is, in a word, purposeful.It's no surprise then that the Hurricanes haven't shied away from drafting Russians in recent years despite the so-called "Russian Factor" looming large.A total of 138 Russian and Belarusian players have been selected in the past five NHL drafts. Carolina has drafted the most Russians (20) and allocated the highest portion of draft capital to Russians (42% of all picks). For context, New Jersey and Calgary are tied for second with eight Russian picks each, while Colorado's second with a 24% allocation (six in 25 total picks)."I can't speak to what the other teams are doing or not doing," Hurricanes assistant general manager and head scout Darren Yorke said last week after selecting six Russians in Las Vegas. "We just evaluate the players based off how they play hockey. If other teams are afraid to draft a player from a certain country, that's really out of our control. It's very simple: We're just trying to get the best hockey players as we can, irrespective of where they're born." Candice Ward / Getty ImagesGoing back 10-20 years ago, the Russian Factor referred to a distrust in the players produced by the country. Fairly or not, Russians were stereotyped as one-dimensional and selfish. Playing in the KHL, founded in 2008, was alluring to Russian players, too.In 2024, the Russian Factor isn't about the players' personalities, work ethic, or playing styles. It has become difficult to scout players in person thanks to travel restrictions relating to the war in Ukraine and the fact that the International Ice Hockey Federation has banned Russian and Belarusian national teams from tournament competition.Most draft-eligible Russians are under contract in the KHL, and those multi-year deals aren't easy to maneuver out of. After the player's drafted, the NHL team tends to have limited control over his development due to the significant language and cultural barriers between North Americans and Russians and the inconsistent relationship between the NHL and KHL. Sometimes, as with Flyers goalie prospect Ivan Fedotov, a player might be pushed into military service."You have to slot the players where you believe they are on your list, from one to whatever the final number is," Sabres GM Adams told reporters prior to the draft. "Take away geography. Take away everything. You're putting it purely on projection. Then you're going to have to look at the variables. Some of that could be injury history. There could be contracts tied up in Europe. There's so many different variables. Certainly, the Russian variable is real."What is your plan to develop them? Are you going to be able to get them over here? And we've seen it both ways. We've drafted some Russian players who have been able to get over here pretty quickly and get into our system, which is great. And we've drafted players like (2021's Prokhor) Poltapov, who we knew was going to be years away based on the contract. So, you weigh it. Nothing for us has changed philosophically, though. If you believe you have the opportunity to get a player and it's of value, we'll do it." Jason Kempin / Getty Images"Value" is the operative word there.Five clubs have drafted just one Russian in the past five years, and Boston hasn't selected any. Russian prospects fall on draft day if certain teams are reluctant to pick them, while organizations more comfortable with video scouting and the overall risk-reward calculation will happily snag a high-upside player in the later rounds."We don't go into it saying, OK, we're going to select as many players (as possible) from this country or that country," Yorke said. "It just depends on how the (draft unfolds and who's still available). The way it went this year, it ended up being a lot of players from Russia."One advantage to drafting Russians is that they stay on a team's reserve list indefinitely, whereas the signing rights for players out of junior, college, or Europe expire within four years, depending on age and league. Teams have a longer runway with Russian prospects and can thus hold off on offering a contract to the player until he's close to stepping into the NHL."There's this underlying theme that perhaps you'll hit it out of the park with a Russian because not everybody has the fullest understanding of what the player can bring to the team," is how Dan Marr, the NHL's Central Scouting bureau chief, summarized the dynamics during an early-June interview.Utah GM Bill Armstrong has allocated about 10% of his draft capital since 2020 to Russians, including Dmitri Simashev and Daniil But at sixth and 12th overall in 2023. "If they're a really good Russian player, about 100% of the time, they end up in the NHL. They'll find their way over eventually." Icon Sportswire / Getty ImagesPlayer agents like Daniel Milstein deserve credit for helping bridge the gap between clubs and young Russians. All but one NHL team attended a pre-draft showcase in Florida organized by Milstein's Gold Star Hockey agency. Scouts and executives were able to interview and watch players train on and off the ice - something they can't do at the annual league combine in Buffalo."We've had really good success with Russian players. They've come in, they like Calgary, it seems like they enjoy it. A lot of the Russian players that we've had, stay all summer," said Flames GM Craig Conroy, who took a Milstein client - forward Matvei Gridin, who's already playing in the U.S. - with the 28th pick this year."We have a lot of Dan Milstein clients," Conroy added with a smile. "It just seems like it's a good fit. They've come in and really enjoyed it. When we talk to (Russians), sometimes you get some apprehension from some players, and then others say, 'No, we'd love to come to Calgary.' Having a couple Russian players also makes it a little bit easier for them coming in."Leftover offseason notesI reacted in real time to every major move made July 1. A few days removed from the chaos, let's check in on three teams operating on different timelines. Bruce Bennett / Getty ImagesDucks: At first glance, the Ducks are among the losers of the early offseason. They re-signed a few depth players and made two mid-level trades to bring in winger Robby Fabbri and blue-liner Brian Dumoulin. So: nothing significant despite a six-year playoff drought and GM Pat Verbeek talking openly about wanting to acquire a top-four defenseman and top-six forward. (Fabbri and Dumoulin are fine but don't check those boxes.)Verbeek either struck out on the marquee free agents (likely) or has become a little gun-shy after gifting Alex Killorn $25 million last summer. Regardless, once you take a step back and factor in the franchise's competitive timeline, it's clear that Anaheim's actually an early winner. As a team on the rise but not ready to challenge for a playoff spot, it's smartly kept its powder dry.The Ducks' long-term nucleus is mostly filled with 22-and-under skaters: forwards Leo Carlsson, Cutter Gauthier, Mason McTavish, and Beckett Sennecke, plus defensemen Pavel Mintyukov, Olen Zellweger, Tristan Luneau, and Stian Solberg. Trevor Zegras, Lukas Dostal, and Troy Terry are just 23, 24, and 26.Verbeek has time to weaponize his $21 million in cap space. For instance, if he ultimately decides to trade the flashy Zegras, he can theoretically complete a better deal by taking on money. Verbeek can make waves in 2025 free agency instead; the core group will be further along then. Derek Cain / Getty Images Sport / GettyCapitals: From a strictly team-building perspective, the Capitals are the NHL's most fascinating club. They began retooling ahead of the 2023 trade deadline in an effort to remain relevant as Alex Ovechkin chased the all-time goals record, and this offseason, that retool went into overdrive.Arriving were forwards Pierre-Luc Dubois, Andrew Mangiapane, Brandon Duhaime, and Taylor Raddysh; defensemen Matt Roy and Jakob Chychrun; and goalie Logan Thompson. Departing: forwards Beck Malenstyn, Nicolas Aube-Kubel, and Max Pacioretty; defenseman Nick Jensen; and goalie Darcy Kuemper.The goalie duo has arguably improved and is definitely eating up less cap space. Dubois is a massive gamble but worth a shot given the Capitals' need for a top-six center. Mangiapane, Roy, and Chychrun should all thrive.The retool has yielded better draft slots, too. The Capitals picked Terik Parascak 17th overall this year, Ryan Leonard sixth last year, and Ivan Miroshnichenko 20th in 2022 after seven consecutive years of not picking inside the top 20.Interestingly, after all these transactions, Washington's ceiling remains relatively low for the 2024-25 season. It's closer to a middling team than a contender. But I'll give the Capitals credit for not sitting on their hands and simply hoping for the best with a flawed roster. (While the Caps made the playoffs last year, you may recall they finished with a minus-37 goal differential). Bruce Bennett / Getty ImagesPanthers: Bill Zito displayed serious discipline over the past week. Fresh off hoisting the Stanley Cup and adding six players via the draft, the Panthers GM negotiated team-friendly extensions with Sam Reinhart, Anton Lundell, and Dmitry Kulikov while shrewdly avoiding extensions with Brandon Montour, Vladimir Tarasenko, Oliver Ekman-Larsson, Kevin Stenlund, and Anthony Stolarz. (Also on board at a cheap price: Jesper Boqvist and Nate Schmidt.)The big-picture takeaway: Aleksander Barkov, Matthew Tkachuk, Reinhart, Lundell, and Gustav Forsling are now all signed through at least 2029-30 for a combined $38.9 million against the cap. That's five essential members of the Cup-winning squad - none of them in their 30s - locked in at reasonable rates.Zito passed Part 1 of the offseason with flying colors. Part 2 involves figuring out what to do with 2025 unrestricted free agents Aaron Ekblad, Sam Bennett, and Carter Verhaeghe. The rational play would be to re-sign Verhaeghe first, then try to extend Bennett and Ekblad on discounts. If Bennett and Ekblad don't want to play ball - which is fair, players should get paid what they're worth - let them test free agency and move on.Parting shots:World tour continues: After three seasons as an assistant coach with AHL Abbotsford, Jeff Ulmer has joined the Sharks as an assistant under new bench boss Ryan Warsofsky. Surprisingly, this will be the first time Ulmer - one of the most well-traveled athletes in any sport - lays down roots in California. The 47-year-old's playing career amounted to a world tour: junior in his home province of Saskatchewan, college in North Dakota, then 19 pro seasons from 1999 through 2018 for 24 teams in 13 countries. The leagues range from the NHL (21 games with the Rangers) to Germany's DEL and Finland's Liiga to top loops in Denmark, England, and central Europe. Ulmer, who previously worked for the Coyotes in a player development role, connects with players on a personal level in part because of his diverse hockey and life experiences. The Sharks' roster features a mix of Canadians, Americans, Czechs, Swedes, Germans, Finns, and Russians. Amazingly, Czechia is the only place he hasn't lived.

The Sabres and Oilers pulled off a shocking trade Friday, with Buffalo sending prized prospect Matt Savoie to Edmonton for center Ryan McLeod and minor-leaguer Tyler Tullio.Below, we break down what the trade means for both sides.Oilers Jonathan Kozub / Getty Images Sport / GettyThe Oilers have a surplus of centers in a perennially center-needy league - even after dealing McLeod. In addition to Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Edmonton still has Adam Henrique, Dylan Holloway, and Derek Ryan capable of playing down the middle.Clearing McLeod's $2.1-million salary off the books also gets the Oilers closer to cap compliance. They still have to shed a bit more money in order to re-sign restricted free agents Holloway and Philip Broberg.It's hard to imagine Edmonton would've been shopping the 24-year-old, defensively sound McLeod - especially without a permanent general manager in place following Ken Holland's departure - but it's easy to understand why the front office was willing to move him once Buffalo put Savoie in play.The 2022 No. 9 pick and St. Albert, Alberta, native, Savoie comes with loads of upside. He's a highly dynamic forward who tallied 256 points in 161 games in the WHL over the last three seasons. He's incredibly shifty with great hands and vision.Though he spent most of his junior career playing center, Savoie might be a winger in his NHL future, in part due to his small frame (5-foot-10, 179 pounds). Still, he possesses both the skill and brain that could one day allow him to be a legitimate running mate in the top six for McDavid or Draisaitl.Savoie will likely begin the 2024-25 campaign in the AHL, but he could push for an NHL job by midseason if he's lighting up the minors. The 20-year-old has three years left on his entry-level deal and could become a crucial piece of Edmonton's future.There are very few sure things when it comes to prospects. Savoie could very well join the long list of undersized forwards who tore up junior but could never quite hack it in the NHL but, given his game-breaking upside, this is a swing worth taking for the Oilers. Especially because they already have internal replacements for McLeod.Grade: ASabres Bruce Bennett / Getty Images Sport / GettyIt's easy to understand Buffalo's rationale in this trade - even if Savoie's ceiling is higher than McLeod's.Like the Oilers, the Sabres also dealt from a position of strength. Despite trading Savoie, Buffalo's farm system remains loaded with high-end forward prospects who were selected in the first round, such as Jiri Kulich, Noah Ostlund, Isak Rosen, and Konsta Helenius. There's also young talent on the wings in the NHL with Zach Benson, JJ Peterka, and Jack Quinn.Before this trade, Buffalo didn't have a third-line center it could trust in a shutdown role against dangerous offensive opponents. McLeod has the speed and checking ability to fill that role, as evidenced by his elite defensive metrics over the last three campaigns. He's also a penalty-killing ace and won 50.8% of his faceoffs a year ago - a mark that should continue to rise as the 6-foot-2, 207-pounder gets older and stronger.

Carolina Hurricanes forward Martin Necas and New York Rangers defenseman Ryan Lindgren were among the 14 restricted free agents to file for salary arbitration before Friday's 5 p.m. ET deadline, the NHLPA announced.Here's the complete list:PlayerTeamProjected contractUkko-Pekka Luukkonen (G)BUF4 years x $5.245MBeck Malenstyn (F)BUF3 years x $1.742MJack Drury (F)CAR2 years x $1.628MMartin Necas (F)CAR8 years x $8.82MJake Christiansen (D)CBJ1 year x $816.7KJet Greaves (G)CBJ1 year x $895.4KKirill Marchenko (F)CBJ2 years x $3.583MJoe Veleno (F)DET2 years x $2.036MSpencer Stastney (D)NSH2 years x $894.8KOliver Wahlstrom (F)NYI1 year x $1.039MRyan Lindgren (D)NYR6 years x $4.888MTy Emberson (D)SJS1 year x $1.031MJ.J. Moser (D)TBL3 years x $3.309MConnor Dewar (F)TOR2 years x $1.437MContract projections provided by Evolving-Hockey.Players can still negotiate and sign contracts before their salary arbitration hearings. Those who elect for arbitration are no longer eligible to sign offer sheets.The deadline for club-elected salary arbitration is Saturday at 5 p.m. ET. Hearings will be held from July 20 to Aug. 4.Boston Bruins goaltender Jeremy Swayman was eligible to file for arbitration again this summer. He went through the process last year and was awarded a one-year pact worth $3.475 million, though he said he didn't want to go through with it again.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Edmonton Oilers traded speedy center Ryan McLeod and minor-league winger Tyler Tullio to the Buffalo Sabres for prized forward prospect Matt Savoie, the teams announced Friday.McLeod recorded a career-high 12 goals and 18 assists in 81 games with the Oilers in 2023-24, primarily serving as their third-line center. He turns 25 in September and carries a $2.1-million cap hit before becoming a restricted free agent in 2025.He's posted superb defensive metrics over the last three years.

The Buffalo Sabres re-signed restricted free-agent rearguard Henri Jokiharju to a one-year deal worth $3.1 million, the team announced Friday.The 25-year-old can become an unrestricted free agent next summer.Jokiharju posted a career-high 20 points (three goals, 17 assists) in 74 outings this past season while registering 18:22 minutes of ice time per contest. Eleven of his points came in the 33 games following the All-Star break.A right-handed shot, Jokiharju spent the bulk of the 2023-24 campaign paired with youngster Owen Power or star Rasmus Dahlin.The Chicago Blackhawks selected Jokiharju with the 29th overall pick in the 2017 draft. He spent his first NHL campaign in the Windy City but was traded to Buffalo in July 2019 in exchange for forward Alex Nylander.Jokiharju has amassed 87 points in 347 career NHL games.The Sabres also traded prospect Matt Savoie to the Edmonton Oilers in exchange for center Ryan McLeod and winger Tyler Tullio on Friday.Buffalo has three remaining restricted free agents on its roster: forwards Peyton Krebs and Beck Malenstyn (acquired from the Washington Capitals in late June) and goaltender Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Seattle Kraken signed restricted free-agent forward Eeli Tolvanen to a two-year contract.General manager Ron Francis made the announcement during a development camp scrimmage Friday.

Virtually every high-profile unrestricted free agent signed during the July 1 frenzy. Vladimir Tarasenko was the biggest name left after Day 1, but he joined the Detroit Red Wings on Wednesday.However, there are still a handful of potential hidden gems available. Rather than choosing veterans who can only play depth roles at this point in their careers, we tried to steer our focus to younger UFAs who could still have their best hockey ahead of them.Below, we choose the best fit for the most intriguing players remaining on the open market.Daniel Sprong Gregory Shamus / Getty Images Sport / GettyAge: 27

The Edmonton Oilers and star blue-liner Evan Bouchard are unlikely to begin discussions on a contract extension this offseason, according to The Athletic's Daniel Nugent-Bowman.Bouchard became eligible to sign a new deal July 1 but is under contract for 2024-25 at a $3.9-million cap hit and can reach restricted free agency after the season.The Oilers, currently without a general manager, are focused on extensions for Leon Draisaitl (2025 UFA) and Connor McDavid (2026 UFA), Nugent-Bowman reports.Edmonton's two superstar forwards have strong cases to become the league's highest-paid players, but Bouchard is owed a significant raise as well. The 24-year-old ranked fourth among defensemen with 81 points last season and added 32 in the playoffs as the Oilers fell one win shy of the Stanley Cup.Bouchard averaged 23 minutes per contest in 2023-24 and quarterbacks Edmonton's lethal power play.The Oilers drafted Bouchard 10th overall in 2018.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Dave Cameron will return as Canada's head coach for the 2025 World Junior Championship after occupying the role three years ago, the country's governing body of hockey announced Thursday.Cameron led Canada to gold at the 2022 tournament. Dennis Williams took over the following year and guided the team to another victory in the final. Alan Letang took the reins in 2024, but Canada fell to bronze-medalists Czechia in the quarterfinals.Cameron's the head coach of the OHL's Ottawa 67s. He also guided the Ottawa Senators from December 2014 to April 2016. The 2025 world juniors will be held in Canada's capital, 16 years after the city last hosted the event.The veteran bench boss, who turns 66 on July 29, will be assisted by Sylvain Favreau, Mike Johnston, and Chris Lazary, along with goaltending consultant Justin Pogge and video coach James Emery.Favreau is the head of the QMJHL's Drummondville Voltigeurs. Johnston (not to be confused with the TSN NHL analyst) is a former NHL bench boss and the current head coach of the WHL's Portland Winterhawks. Lazary serves the same role with the OHL's Saginaw Spirit.Pogge is a former journeyman netminder who played seven NHL games with the Toronto Maple Leafs.The 2025 world juniors begin on Dec. 26. The tournament runs through Jan. 5.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The San Jose Sharks signed forwards Carl Grundstrom and Ty Dellandrea to two-year contracts, the team announced Thursday.Grundstrom's new deal has a $1.8-million cap hit, while Dellandrea comes in at $1.3 million. Both players were restricted free agents.San Jose acquired Grundstrom from the Los Angeles Kings in June for defenseman Kyle Burroughs. He tallied eight goals and 12 points in 50 games last season."Carl brings consistent competitiveness to our lineup," general manager Mike Grier said in a statement. "He showed that he is able to contribute not just in the offensive zone but is also difficult to play against on the defensive end. We're excited to add him to the organization."Grundstrom accumulated 40 goals and 67 points in 236 contests with the Kings over parts of six seasons. The Toronto Maple Leafs drafted him 57th overall in 2016.The Sharks also acquired Dellandrea in June. San Jose sent a 2025 fourth-round pick to the Dallas Stars in the trade.Dellandrea scored two goals and nine points in 42 games last year. He played in six of Dallas' 19 postseason contests, managing one goal.The 2018 first-round pick accrued 14 goals and 42 points in 151 games with the Stars over parts of four campaigns.San Jose has $13.7 million of cap space after the signings, according to CapFriendly.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Nikita Zaitsev is leaving the NHL and returning to his homeland.The veteran defenseman is signing a four-year contract with SKA Saint Petersburg in the KHL, the club announced Thursday.Zaitsev was an unrestricted free agent. He played parts of the last two seasons with the Chicago Blackhawks after spending parts of four campaigns with the Ottawa Senators and his first three in North America with the Toronto Maple Leafs.The 32-year-old posted career highs in assists (32) and points (36) during his 2016-17 rookie campaign but failed to collect more than 13 and 17, respectively, over the rest of his NHL tenure.Zaitsev averaged over 20 minutes of ice time in each of his first five seasons. But his playing time fell below that mark in the campaigns that followed, and he was also beset by injuries. The Russian blue-liner logged 15:56 per night this past season while playing only 38 games.He played only 46 contests in 2022-23, suiting up for 28 with the Senators before they traded him to the Blackhawks in February 2023.The Maple Leafs signed Zaitsev as an undrafted free agent in May 2016. He played four seasons with the KHL's Sibir Novosibirsk and three more with CSKA Moscow before heading to North America.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Carolina Hurricanes signed free-agent forward Jack Roslovic to a one-year contract worth $2.8 million, the team announced Thursday.Roslovic amassed nine goals and 31 points in 59 games this past season, split between the Blue Jackets and Rangers. New York acquired his services from Columbus in exchange for a 2026 fourth-round pick at the trade deadline.The 27-year-old went on to add eight points in 16 playoff games during the Rangers' run to the conference finals.He played out the final season of a two-year pact with a $4-million cap hit, though the Blue Jackets retained half of his salary as part of the trade agreement with New York.The Jets selected Roslovic with the 25th overall pick in the 2015 NHL Draft. He spent the first four years of his NHL career in Winnipeg before being traded to his hometown Jackets in January 2021 as part of the blockbuster Patrik Laine and Pierre-Luc Dubois swap.Roslovic has totaled 80 goals and 221 points in 445 career NHL games.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Detroit Red Wings sent forward Robby Fabbri and a conditional 2025 fourth-round pick to the Anaheim Ducks in exchange for goalie Gage Alexander, the teams announced Wednesday.Anaheim will receive the earlier of Detroit's fourth-rounder at next year's draft or the Boston Bruins' selection, which was acquired by the Red Wings in March 2023 as part of the Tyler Bertuzzi trade.Detroit announced the trade shortly after signing free-agent forward and two-time Stanley Cup champion Vladimir Tarasenko to a two-year pact worth $4.75 million annually.Fabbri is under contract for the 2024-25 campaign with a cap hit of $4 million. He can become a free agent next summer.The 28-year-old racked up 18 goals - matching his career high - and 32 points in 68 games this past season.Fabbri has struggled with injuries in recent years and sustained three ACL tears in his career.He suffered a season-ending left knee ailment in February 2017 as a member of the St. Louis Blues. Fabbri then reinjured himself the following training camp and missed the entirety of the 2017-18 campaign.In March 2022, Fabbri tore his right ACL and wasn't able to take the ice again until January 2023. He suited up for just 28 contests in 2022-23 after suffering a lower-body injury that required surgery.The Mississauga native has amassed 98 goals and 200 points in 398 career NHL games after being selected by the Blues with the 21st overall pick in 2014.Alexander appeared in 19 games for the ECHL's Tulsa Oilers this past season, posting a 5-8-1 record to go along with a .887 save percentage and 3.76 goals against average. He's listed at 6-foot-6 and 205 pounds.The Ducks picked Alexander in the fifth round of the 2021 NHL Draft.The Red Wings now have around $20 million in cap space, while the Ducks have just under $21 million, according to CapFriendly.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Detroit Red Wings signed Vladimir Tarasenko to a two-year contract with an average annual value of $4.75 million, the club announced Wednesday.Tarasenko was arguably the best unrestricted free agent remaining.The 32-year-old is fresh off winning the Stanley Cup with the Florida Panthers. It was his second championship in five years after he helped the St. Louis Blues win it all in 2019.Tarasenko posted six goals and eight assists in 19 games down the stretch of the regular season with the Panthers before adding five tallies and four helpers over the 24 games of their title run.Before the trade deadline in March, the Ottawa Senators dealt Tarasenko to Florida for a fourth-round pick in this year's draft and a 2025 third-rounder. The Russian winger collected 17 goals and 24 assists across 57 contests for the Senators in 2023-24.Tarasenko averaged less ice time (14:48) in the regular season than any other campaign except his rookie year with the Blues in 2012-13. That dipped to 13:22 in the playoffs.He's coming off the one-year, $5-million contract he signed with the Senators last July. Ottawa retained 50% of that figure when the team traded the veteran forward to Florida, per CapFriendly.Tarasenko played his first 10 seasons and part of another with the Blues, who shipped him to the New York Rangers in February 2023.The Red Wings brought back veteran forward and fellow UFA Patrick Kane earlier in free agency, agreeing to a one-year, $4-million pact plus $2.5 million in bonuses on Sunday.Moments after signing Tarasenko, Detroit traded forward Robby Fabbri and a conditional 2025 fourth-round pick to the Anaheim Ducks for 22-year-old minor-league goaltender Gage Alexander.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Philadelphia Flyers re-signed restricted free-agent forward Bobby Brink to a two-year deal with an average annual value of $1.5 million, the team announced Wednesday.Brink totaled 11 goals and 23 points in 57 games this past season as a rookie while averaging just under 14 minutes of ice time per contest. He made his NHL debut in 2021-22, registering four assists in 10 outings that campaign.The 22-year-old also spent time with the AHL's Lehigh Valley Phantoms in 2023-24, scoring seven tallies and six helpers in 13 regular-season games before logging four points in six playoff matchups.The Flyers drafted Brink in the second round in 2019.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Seattle Kraken made history Wednesday by tabbing Jessica Campbell to join head coach Dan Bylsma's staff.Campbell will be the first-ever full-time female assistant coach on an NHL bench and only the second full-time female assistant coach in league history.The Washington Capitals hired Emily Engel-Natzke as the first female video coordinator in June 2022.Campbell spent the last two seasons as an assistant on Bylsma's staff with the Kraken's AHL affiliate, the Coachella Valley Firebirds. She became the first-ever woman behind a bench in that league when the Firebirds hired her in 2022.The 32-year-old helped guide Coachella Valley to Calder Cup Final appearances in both of her campaigns with the farm club. She oversaw the team's forwards and power play. The Firebirds led the AHL with 252 goals this past season."I had to trust myself," Campbell said Wednesday, per team writer and broadcaster Alison Lukan. I'm a big believer in being prepared to do the job every day and own my own voice ... and not hold back in ways I can help and make a difference."Campbell added that she's looking forward to watching how the Kraken evolve under Bylsma."Mostly I'm excited to see how the team is going to become a better version of the Seattle Kraken under his leadership style," she said.Bylsma sung Campbell's praises in a press release Wednesday."During our tenure in Coachella Valley, I saw firsthand Jessica's commitment to player development," Bylsma said. "Her ability to establish relationships with her players, specifically Tye Kartye, Shane Wright, and Ryker Evans, was an important factor in this hire. I'm looking forward to continuing to work with her at the NHL level."In late May, Bylsma said upon being hired that Campbell would be considered for an NHL assistant job.Campbell served as an assistant and skills coach with the Nurnberg Ice Tigers of the DEL, the top men's league in Germany, in 2021-22.The Canadian played professionally with the CWHL's Calgary Inferno and the Malmo Redhawks in Sweden's Damettan, now known as the NDHL. She also spent four years at Cornell beginning in 2010-11.Campbell represented Canada at the 4 Nations Cup, the Under-18 Worlds, and the World Championship. She won gold and silver at the first two tournaments and silver at the 2015 World Championship.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Editor's note: Jessica Campbell on Wednesday was hired to join Dan Bylsma's staff as an assistant coach with the Seattle Kraken, becoming the first full-time female bench coach in NHL history. Our story on her journey through the game was first published in November 2023 when she was on Bylsma's staff with Coachella Valley in the AHL.In Jessica Campbell's rearview mirror, all roads lead back to her 10-year-old self. The first woman to coach full time in the AHL, and one of the first women to work a game behind an NHL bench, Campbell spent the first decade of her life living an idyllic, rural Canadian existence that included hockey, family, and more hockey."When she was small we lived miles from town - on a farm - and she would say, 'Can we go skating tonight?' and it'd be a blizzard," Campbell's mom Monique says. "You could not keep her off the ice. She had so much fun skating with people. She would beg for me to drive her in even though you could barely see the road. That's how much she loved it, she just couldn't miss a night."Loving hockey was a birthright for the Campbells. As a young adult, Monique played hockey at the University of Saskatchewan, while Jessica's dad, Gary, grew up on outdoor rinks of Canadian lore."It's something I grew up with, my dad liking hockey so much," Monique says. "He passed it on in outdoor rinks and small rural teams we got to play on as girls. I got the opportunity (to play) from my dad and my husband got the opportunity from his family. So we just kept that going."The four Campbell children followed their parents into a lifelong love affair with the game. Josh, the oldest, had big-league ambitions. By the time he was 17, he was up to nearly a point a game for his AAA team. Next in line was Dion, who played university hockey in New Brunswick before professional stints in the Central Hockey League and in Germany. Jessica's older sister, Gina, followed in her mother's footsteps to play university hockey at the University of Regina.From left to right: Josh, Jessica, Gina and Dion Campbell. SuppliedBut back in the fall of 2002, when Jessica was 10, the family's passion for hockey led them to relocate to Melville, Saskatchewan, from nearby Rocanville to be closer to Josh, who signed as a rookie with the Yorkton Terriers of the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League."I want to be a fan favorite here. I don't just want to be an average hockey player, I want to be one of the best, the best I can be," Josh said at a press event at the time.By Canadian Thanksgiving in October, the younger kids were settling into their new schools. Josh, who turned 18 in September, would be heading home for the holiday.But at 8 a.m. on the Friday of the long weekend, Monique received devastating news: Josh had been in a fatal collision. He wasn't coming home."I remember that morning very clearly. It's just a heartbreaking, devastating moment. You feel weak and lost," Monique says.Josh had been Jessica's biggest role model. "She always connected with him because that's who we watched play hockey the most," Monique says. "She looked up to him a lot. He always helped her along the way, giving her tips on the ice, strategy. We went shinnying together and played a lot together. There was a really good bond there."Jessica Campbell and Josh Campbell as children. SuppliedThe pain pierced through Jessica's childhood. "Those were hard times on me as a young girl," Campbell says. The family leaned into what it knew best: hockey. "It was just a challenging time, but I think it only made us stronger," she says. "And, honestly, it made hockey a place for us where we could work through it. The game itself brought so much joy. I think the game of hockey is an amazing sport because there's a community of people. When you're from small towns, that rink, and the arena, it's a place of gathering where people have each other's backs and everyone knows each other."That community sustained the family through the darkest days following Josh's death. "A lot of Josh's friends at the time on the Terriers - his teammates - would come out and watch (Jessica) play. I know that meant a lot to her," Monique says. "The hockey community - it is like a family, really. They seem to know what you're going through and are really compassionate."As the family adjusted to its loss, hockey helped 10-year-old Jessica define her identity. "The avenue of sport and hockey for me was a place where we healed together as a family but we also could carry on my brother's love for the game," she says.Even before Josh's death, Campbell had announced herself on the ice."I remember I was coaching novice hockey," family friend Leo Parker says. "We lose to this little novice team. House league teams. We lose, I don't know, 10-2 or something like that. Jess scored all 10 goals."Parker paused to laugh. "My son Andre said to me, 'Dad, we have to get her on our team.' She was a perfect little hockey player."Jessica Campbell on the ice in the 2001-02 minor hockey season. Following Josh's death, Parker says Campbell always insisted on wearing his No. 8."You can always connect dots back in your life. Right?" Campbell says. "For me, that loss at such a young age and not really understanding why - you never understand why - that was always the driving force for me in my playing career."Her goals crystallized in those years: get to the highest level of hockey. As a young woman in the early 2000s, that meant making the Canadian national team. And she had a skill that gave her an edge: skating."Jess was always, by far, the best skater on our team," says Bailey Bram, who represented Canada at the 2018 Winter Olympics. "When it came to power skating drills, she was always the one who the coach was like, 'OK, Jess, you demo because you can do it best.' No one would ever race her to anything because it was just like, 'Jess is automatically going to win.'"Campbell earned a silver medal at the world under-18 championship and gold the following year as team captain before playing four years of hockey at Cornell. After being cut three times in the final round of tryouts for the senior national team, Campbell was eventually named to the team in 2014, on Oct. 11 - exactly 12 years to the day of Josh's death."She called me the minute she found out. She was just sobbing," Bram says. "She was just like, 'This is supposed to happen this way. And it was supposed to happen this weekend.'"That same year, Campbell signed with the Calgary Inferno in the Canadian Women's Hockey League, playing with them for three seasons. As her playing career began winding down, it was time for her to ask: what next?The answer was obvious to the people who knew Campbell best.From her mom's perspective, it was natural Campbell would continue to leverage her high energy and love for people. "Jess was a high-spirited child who liked to do everything. She never missed anything. She wanted to be part of a lot of things," Monique says. Campbell loved hockey's team atmosphere; even when she was regularly the only girl on her minor hockey team, her mom noticed she formed instant, close bonds with all her teammates on road trips, at tournaments, and on the ice. Her mom couldn't imagine her doing anything but being involved with a team.To Bram, skating definitely had to be part of Campbell's future. "We all thought she might end up doing something with hockey and skating because that's what she was so good at."Campbell coaches on the ice during a Firebirds practice. Coachella Valley FirebirdsPutting those two together meant Campbell would be a natural fit to coach, so she took a position in the Okanagan Valley in British Columbia coaching high school girls. Several years into her tenure, she called Bram from a Starbucks drive-through for an impromptu heart-to-heart."She said, 'I'm not unhappy here. I just feel like I'm not fulfilled. I love the girls. They're fun. But, I just feel I have more potential,'" Bram remembers."I wanted to continue to aspire to work with players of the highest level, regardless of gender," Campbell says.To aim for the highest levels of professional coaching meant she would have to do something that hadn't yet been done by a woman: rise through the ranks of men's professional hockey and into the NHL."There is no true blueprint for anybody's pathway," Campbell, 31, says. "If you would have looked at mine, you probably would never have said, 'She's going to coach in the NHL or be in this position.' Because the reality was, nobody else was doing it. But looking back now, I feel if I connect my dots backwards, my upbringing and my story as a young girl with the boys has set me up for the right mentality," she says.Campbell headed directly from the drive-through to her employer to give notice she was leaving. She had a plan: to launch her own power skating business. And that business took off.Campbell briefly relocated to Sweden to launch JC Powerskating before returning to the Okanagan shortly before the NHL's 2020 playoff bubble was set to begin. At the time, many players were isolating in the Okanagan and looking for summer ice to brush off pandemic cobwebs, and before long, she was running 20-person skates with players like Luke Schenn - who won the Stanley Cup with the Tampa Bay Lightning that year."I wasn't focused on trying to get to work with NHL players," Campbell says. "I was presented with an opportunity where one NHL player wanted ice time and asked if they could come skate with me. Next thing you know, there were 15 guys and I was running an entire NHL group. The realization for me was just to continue to bring that passion and not worry about any of the other barriers or perspectives that others may have about it."After noticing her skates gaining momentum with NHLers, Brent Seabrook hired Campbell privately to help him recover from hip and shoulder surgery. Icon Sportswire / Getty Images"I really hated her, to be honest," Seabrook says laughing. He clarifies: "I hated watching her skate."I'll never forget, we were working on pivots. And she's like, 'Hey, I want you to come up. And I want you to do like this.'"Campbell demonstrated the skill and Seabrook shook his head."I'm like, 'Jess, there's no chance I'm going to be able to get that low and get my leg out that far. And then push and pump. It doesn't matter how healthy I am or how young I ever was. There's no way I can get down that low,'" he says. "She was very good with the technical parts of it."Her sheer skill earned her respect. "Everything she was asking us to do, she could do," he says. "Everything. She did it, and she did it really well."I find the people that I've worked with (who) are really exceptional at what they do are the people that really stop you and correct you and make sure you're doing it properly."But it wasn't only Campbell's skating that Seabrook liked; her demeanor was great, too. "She took the time to talk to us. It wasn't barking. I could talk to her. She'd follow up with questions. She was learning from us as well. She didn't take any crap from us. She was out there to do a job, and the mentality was, 'Let's do it properly.'"Whatever level you're at, you want to feel like (your coaches) care," Seabrook says. "She would go the extra mile. She would text me after to see how I was feeling. Is it too much? What do you want to do tomorrow for the skate? Do you think we should go harder? Should we pull back a bit? There was a plan behind every skate. She cared."That's Campbell's personality - on and off the ice. "That's a big piece of who I am as a coach," she says. "I want to be a coach who is willing to ask the hard questions and who is willing to be sensitive. I know that is my feminine self that comes through in coaching. It is that communication piece. That level of care. Making sure the guys know my coaching style is to lead with love and lead with service for them. Making sure they know I'm in the trenches with them, and all I want to do is see them succeed."Opportunity knocked as her coaching reputation grew. In 2021, she headed to Germany to be an assistant coach of the Nuremberg Ice Tigers in the DEL under Tom Rowe, the former Florida Panthers general manager and head coach. After the season, she and Rowe were assistants to Toni Soderholm with the German national team at the men's world championship.Campbell, far right, on the German bench at the 2022 world championship. Eurasia Sport Images / Getty ImagesThat's where Campbell came to the attention of Dan Bylsma, the 2011 NHL coach of the year and winner of the 2009 Stanley Cup with the Pittsburgh Penguins. When Bylsma met Campbell, he was an assistant coach with Team USA, and was also scouting upcoming additions for his staff, as he was set to start as head coach of the Seattle Kraken's AHL affiliate, the newly formed Coachella Valley Firebirds."I started my search with a couple of different names in mind. But I saw her coaching the German national team and I started an investigation into where Jessica was at and where her coaching path was at," Bylsma says.He was even more impressed when he learned about her skates in the Okanagan. "NHL players reached out to her and asked her to put them on the ice and through the paces to keep their game fresh and relevant," he says. "That struck a big chord with me in terms of what kind of coach she is. She can put a player on a path to be relevant."When Bylsma hired her, she became the first woman to have a full-time coaching position in the AHL. Now in her second season on Bylsma's staff and with an NHL preseason game under her belt, she's close to the pinnacle she sought when she left her high school job."I think that my hardships and the challenging times in my life were actually the days that prepared me for the work in this job," Campbell says. "There are a lot of hard days, there are a lot of sleepless nights. And, I am alone in this space. As much as I feel completely supported by my staff, by Bylsma, by the organization, by the Kraken - everybody has been so supportive of me - there isn't another female coach specifically in my position that I can call at the end of the day and just communicate with on that same level."I think the strength comes from some of the challenging times in my life where I can lean in. I can dig in and access the place of strength."Bylsma, center, and Campbell, right, before a Firebirds game. Coachella Valley FirebirdsCampbell's in charge of the Firebirds' forwards and power-play unit. In her first season, Coachella Valley was the AHL's third-highest scoring team, with 257 goals. The power play hummed at 20.3% efficiency. The club marched to the Calder Cup final, eventually losing to the Hershey Bears in seven games.Along the way, Campbell did exactly what Bylsma thought she would: show players how to become relevant. She helped transform forward Tye Kartye's play and jumpstart his NHL prospects. Kartye, an undrafted free agent, led AHL rookies with 57 points in 2022-23 and was named the league's top freshman. He was called up to the Kraken for the 2023 NHL playoffs.Kartye's experience was similar to the one Seabrook had back in Campbell's early Okanagan days. "She was really good at telling you how the game went and what you needed to improve on," Kartye says. "Little conversations like that, when you talk one-on-one about how you're doing and how you can improve and how the games have been going, conversations like that build a lot of trust."It's an approach that proves itself in the details and the staggering amount of hours she devotes to developing players."Last year, I was a rookie. I came in and it was a bit of a slow start," Kartye says. "Being able to work with her after practice - she was always out on the ice before or after practice - whenever I needed to do something, she was always there. She'd pass pucks, give advice, go over video. She helped me an incredible amount as I was trying to reach my goal to get to the NHL."Tye Kartye in action during a second-round playoff game last season. Christopher Mast / NHL / Getty ImagesCampbell traces that dedication back to her brother. "That mindset of really not holding back and just going for it has always been inspired by my brother and the way he lived and in the athlete and person that he was," she says.That work ethic and people-centered approach keep providing her chances to see her brother's dream come to fruition. "I think every day about how I get to live out my brother's dream of working or playing at the highest level on the men's side. I do feel a sense of pride and honor with my family that they get to also experience this with me, and there's just so much joy around the game. The game has always been a place where we, as a family, have been able to connect and celebrate."If Campbell could say one thing to Josh, knowing what she now does about her career path, and her future dreams, she knows what those words would be: "I'm here because of you. And I definitely am grateful every day. I'm never going to take the opportunity for granted to get to do what I love on the ice."And if Josh could see Jessica now, Monique thinks he'd use her nickname, one he gave his little sister because she ran before she could walk. She thinks he'd say something like this:"Boof, we always knew you were going to go far with hockey. Look what you've done. I'm extremely proud."Jolene Latimer is a feature writer at theScore.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Florida Panthers signed forward Anton Lundell to a six-year contract, the team announced Wednesday.The contract has an average annual value of $5 million, TSN's Chris Johnston reports. Lundell was a restricted free agent.Lundell, 22, tallied 13 goals and 35 points last season. He added three goals and 17 points in 24 playoff contests en route to winning the Stanley Cup."Anton has matured into a dependable multirole center for our club who seized his opportunity from his first day in North America," general manager Bill Zito said in a statement. "His commitment to improvement and cerebral approach to the game earned him the profound respect of his teammates and coaches, and we are excited to see him continue to grow and succeed with the Panthers."Lundell was tied with Carter Verhaeghe for the most five-on-five points (13) among Panthers players in the playoffs.Florida drafted Lundell 12th overall in 2020. He's accumulated 43 goals and 112 points in 216 games over three seasons.The Panthers are $83,334 over the cap after the signing, according to PuckPedia.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Brothers Pierre-Olivier Joseph and Mathieu Joseph will get a chance to play together with the St. Louis Blues this upcoming season.The Blues signed P.O. Joseph, who was an unrestricted free-agent defenseman, to a one-year, $950,000 contract on Tuesday, the club confirmed.Earlier Tuesday, St. Louis acquired Mathieu Joseph and a 2025 third-round pick from the Ottawa Senators for future considerations.P.O. recorded 11 points in 52 games with the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2023-24. The Pens decided not to issue the 25-year-old a qualifying offer, making him a UFA. He'll become a restricted free agent again in 2025.The Arizona Coyotes selected P.O. 23rd overall in the 2017 draft. The 6-foot-2 left-shot defenseman has registered 37 points in 147 career NHL games.Mathieu collected 11 goals while establishing career highs in assists (24) and points in his second full season with Ottawa. The 27-year-old didn't drive possession at five-on-five in 2023-24, authoring a subpar expected goals for percentage of 46.59, per Natural Stat Trick. However, he was elite at killing penalties.

The Florida Panthers signed Nate Schmidt to a one-year contract worth $800,000 to help replenish their defense corps, according to Daily Faceoff's Frank Seravalli.Schmidt reportedly left money on the table to join the Panthers, who lost Brandon Montour and Oliver Ekman-Larsson in free agency Monday. Schmidt is Florida's first notable reinforcement on the back end.The 32-year-old veteran spent the last three campaigns with the Winnipeg Jets, who bought him out Sunday. He played under Panthers head coach Paul Maurice in 2021-22.Schmidt was relegated to the third pairing with the Jets in 2023-24 and posted strong defensive underlying numbers. However, he played a top-four role in the previous two seasons and struggled to win his minutes.The 6-foot, 194-pound defender is a strong skater capable of playing on both sides. He could potentially link up with Dmitry Kulikov on Florida's third pair.Schmidt has recorded 220 points in 661 career games across 11 NHL campaigns between the Washington Capitals, Vegas Golden Knights, and Jets.The Panthers have about $6.5 million left in cap space, though some of that will be allocated to restricted free agent Anton Lundell.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Ottawa Senators are bringing forward Shane Pinto back on a two-year, $7.5-million contract, the club announced Tuesday.The NHL suspended Pinto for the first 41 games this past season for breaking the league's rules on gambling. He produced nine goals and 18 assists over the final 41 contests.Pinto was a restricted free agent. He signed a one-year contract for the league minimum ($775,000) with Ottawa in January once he was eligible to play again.The American forward, who'll turn 24 in November, represented his country at this year's World Championship in May. He posted two goals and seven assists over eight games in the tournament, though the U.S. finished fifth.Pinto and the Senators came to a negotiating stalemate before the 2023-24 campaign, forcing him to miss all of training camp. The league then suspended him on Oct. 26.Ottawa drafted Pinto 32nd overall in 2019.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Tampa Bay Lightning signed seven-time 20-goal-scorer Cam Atkinson to a one-year, $900,000 deal Tuesday, the team announced.Atkinson, 35, recorded 13 goals and 15 assists in 70 games with the Philadelphia Flyers last season. He missed the prior campaign after undergoing neck surgery.The Flyers bought out the final two years of his contract Friday.Atkinson will aim to provide the Bolts with some depth scoring. The 5-foot-8 winger enjoyed seasons of 35 and 41 goals two years apart during his heyday with the Columbus Blue Jackets.The Lightning still have $5.75 million in projected cap space with J.J. Moser their only remaining restricted free agent.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The St. Louis Blues signed forward Pavel Buchnevich to a six-year contract extension carrying an average annual value of $8 million, the club announced Tuesday.Buchnevich has one season left on his current deal at $5.8 million, per CapFriendly.The Russian winger tied for second on the Blues in both goals (27) and assists (36) while ranking third in points this past season. He posted 26 tallies and 41 helpers across only 63 contests in 2022-23 after establishing career highs with 30 goals and 46 assists in 2021-22.When his new deal kicks in, Buchnevich will be the Blues' third-highest paid player behind Robert Thomas and Jordan Kyrou, both of whom have cap hits of $8,125,000.Buchnevich played the last three seasons with the Blues after they acquired him in a July 2021 trade with the New York Rangers for forward Sammy Blais and a second-round pick.The 29-year-old suited up for five campaigns with the Rangers before they dealt him. He's scored at least 20 goals five times, scoring that exact number across only 54 contests with New York in the abbreviated 2021 campaign.The Rangers drafted him 75th overall in 2013.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Seattle Kraken traded defenseman Brian Dumoulin to the Anaheim Ducks for a 2026 fourth-round pick, the clubs announced Tuesday.Dumoulin played one season for the Kraken, posting six goals and 10 assists while averaging 17:01 of ice time over 80 games.Seattle signed the veteran blue-liner, who'll turn 33 on Sept. 6, to a two-year contract last July 1. The pact carries a $3.15-million cap hit, per CapFriendly.Dumoulin spent his first 10 seasons with the Pittsburgh Penguins, helping them win the Stanley Cup in 2016 and 2017.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The New Jersey Devils signed forward Tomas Tatar to a one-year contract worth $1.8 million, the team announced Tuesday.Tatar, 33, tallied nine goals and 24 points in 70 games with the Colorado Avalanche and Seattle Kraken last season.The Slovakian winger played two seasons in New Jersey from 2021-23. He recorded 20 goals and 48 points in his last season with the Devils and ranked fifth league-wide with a plus-41 rating.Colorado signed Tatar to a one-year contract worth $1.5 million last September. He struggled early in the campaign and was dealt to Seattle after managing one goal in 27 games with Colorado.Tatar captained Slovakia at the IIHF World Championship in May. He totaled six points in eight games at the tournament. Budding Devils defenseman Simon Nemec also featured for Slovakia.New Jersey had $6.7 million of cap space before the signing, according to CapFriendly.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Colorado Avalanche signed defenseman Erik Brannstrom to a one-year contract worth $900,000, the team announced Tuesday.Brannstrom, 24, tallied a career-high three goals and 20 points in 76 games last season with the Ottawa Senators. Ottawa didn't issue him a $2-million qualifying offer Sunday, making him an unrestricted free agent.The Swedish defender posted strong underlying metrics in a third-pairing role over the past two campaigns.

The NHL unveiled the schedule Tuesday for the 2024-25 season.The campaign will begin Oct. 4 with the Buffalo Sabres facing the New Jersey Devils at Prague's O2 Arena as part of the Global Series.Four days later, the season will begin in North America with a trio of matchups. The Seattle Kraken will host the St. Louis Blues at 4:30 p.m. ET, the Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers will raise their championship banner before battling the Boston Bruins at 7 p.m. ET, and then the Utah Hockey Club will play their first-ever game when they host the Chicago Blackhawks three hours later.On Oct. 9, six of the seven Canadian teams will feature in a tripleheader. The Montreal Canadiens will host the Toronto Maple Leafs at 7 p.m. Three hours later, the Edmonton Oilers will take on the Winnipeg Jets in Alberta and the Vancouver Canucks will face the Calgary Flames in British Columbia.Here are some other notable dates: