The Edmonton Oilers have re-signed forward Alex Chiasson to a two-year contract, the team announced Monday.The deal is worth $4.3 million, reports TSN's Ryan Rishaug.Chiasson was one of the biggest surprises of 2018-19, joining Oilers camp on a PTO before finishing the season ranked fourth on the team with a career-high 22 goals.The 28-year-old appears to be the second forward the Oilers have locked up during free agency, as the club reportedly came to terms with Markus Granlund earlier Monday.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Chicago Blackhawks signed free-agent goaltender Robin Lehner to a one-year, $5-million contract, the team announced Monday.Lehner finished in third place in Vezina Trophy voting as the league's top goaltender this past season. He posted a .930 save percentage and a 2.13 goals-against average in 46 games played with the New York Islanders.Lehner, along with former teammate Thomas Greiss, took home the Jennings Trophy for allowing the fewest goals in the league. He also won the Bill Masterton Trophy for his remarkable season after a well-documented battle with mental illness and alcoholism.On June 23, Lehner said he had "no plans" to talk to other teams during the free-agent negotiation period as he was intent on returning to Long Island.The Isles wasted no time finding Lehner's replacement, inking former Colorado Avalanche netminder Semyon Varlamov to a four-year contract almost immediately after Lehner signed.The Blackhawks now have just over $1 million in cap space remaining with 10 forwards, eight defensemen, and three goalies signed, according to CapFriendly. The club has two remaining RFAs: Brendan Perlini and Victor Ejdsell.Corey Crawford, who backstopped Chicago to two Stanley Cups, has one year remaining on his deal with a $6-million cap hit. Concussions have forced him to miss significant time over the past two seasons.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Carolina Hurricanes have retained free-agent goaltender Petr Mrazek by signing him to a two-year contract, the team announced Monday.Mrazek will earn $3 million during the 2019-20 season and $3.25 million in 2020-21.The 27-year-old split time with Curtis McElhinney last year and was Carolina's primary netminder during its run to the Eastern Conference Final.Mrazek recorded a 23-14-3 record with a 2.39 goals-against average and .914 save percentage during his first campaign with the Hurricanes. He went 5-5 with a 2.73 goals-against average in 11 playoff contests.Carolina acquired James Reimer from the Florida Panthers on Sunday. The two veterans could compete for the No. 1 spot in 2019, though Mrazek will be viewed as the favorite to retain his job.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Paul Fenton must've caught an interesting reptile documentary on the WildLife Channel recently.The Minnesota Wild general manager gave an interesting analogy when discussing the club's newest free-agent acquisition, Mats Zuccarello."One of the top playmakers in the league, if you watch the way that he plays and dissects the offensive zone in particular," Fenton said Monday. "I told him when I was talking to him that he's like a lizard, the way a lizard takes his tongue and sticks it as far as it does and retrieves what it was trying to do."When you look at Mats, he's not the tallest in stature, but he uses an incredibly long stick and he reaches into piles, comes out with things, and most of the time, guys would be awkward with a stick that is as long as he uses, but he's so natural, fluid, smooth, he comes out with things and he's able to make plays."At five-foot-eight, Zuccarello is one of the smallest players in the league, but he's known for using a comically long stick that's taller than he is; generally, the average stick comes up to a player's chin.Fenton has only been Minnesota's GM for just over a year, but this isn't the first time he's made headlines for saying exactly what's on his mind. Back in February, he said he found himself "crying like a baby" when trying to sleep at night due to the team's struggles.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Carolina Hurricanes' social media team had a witty response to the offer sheet tendered to restricted free-agent forward Sebastian Aho by the Montreal Canadiens.After the 21-year-old signed the offer, the Hurricanes' Twitter account put out a poll making light of the situation. Carolina has seven days to match.

The Columbus Blue Jackets have signed free-agent forward Gustav Nyquist to a four-year contract, the team announced Monday.The pact carries a $5.5-million annual cap hit, TSN's Bob McKenzie reports."Gustav Nyquist is a skilled, fast, two-way player who will be a great addition to our club both on the ice and in the dressing room," Jackets general manager Jarmo Kekalainen said. "He is a talented playmaker with a versatile game who has been extremely durable throughout his career and we are very excited to welcome him to the Blue Jackets family."Nyquist tallied a career-high 60 points last season. He began the year with the Detroit Red Wings but was traded to the San Jose Sharks as a deadline rental. He'll be counted upon to provide offense for Columbus after the departures of Artemi Panarin and Matt Duchene.The Swede will turn 30 on Sept. 1.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Montreal Canadiens have tendered an offer sheet to Carolina Hurricanes forward Sebastian Aho, the Canadiens announced Monday.Montreal is proposing a five-year contract with an average annual value of $8.454 million for the 21-year-old center.Aho has signed the offer sheet, Canadiens general manager Marc Bergevin confirmed. Carolina now has seven days to match.''He wants to come to Montreal," Bergevin said. "He sees our youngsters coming up in the organization and he wants to be a part of that. We're proud, but there's still a waiting period.''If the Hurricanes don't match, they'll be compensated with a first-, a second-, and a third-round pick.Signing bonuses would reportedly make up most of the deal.

The Colorado Avalanche have re-signed forward Colin Wilson to a one-year deal, the club announced Monday.The contract is worth $2.6 million, a source told The Athletic's Ryan S. Clark.Wilson registered 12 goals and 27 points in 65 games with the Avs last season. He enjoyed a stellar postseason, tallying four goals and eight points through 12 contests.The 29-year-old will enter his third campaign with the Avalanche after spending the first eight seasons of his career with the Nashville Predators.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Colorado Avalanche signed free-agent forward Pierre-Edouard Bellemare to a two-year contract, the team announced Monday.The deal is worth $1.8 million in average annual value, Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman reports.Bellemare spent the last two seasons with the Vegas Golden Knights. He recorded 15 points in 76 games in 2018-19.The 34-year-old adds veteran experience to an ascending Avalanche squad and will likely slot in as a bottom-six forward this upcoming season.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Colorado Avalanche have signed forward Joonas Donskoi to a four-year contract, the team announced Monday.The deal carries an average annual value of $3.9 million, reports The Athletic's Ryan S. Clark.Donskoi spent the first four seasons of his career with the San Jose Sharks and hit free agency this summer after the expiry of a two-year contract that paid him $1.9 million annually.The 27-year-old winger is a solid two-way player and put up 37 points across 80 games in 2018-19. He should provide good offensive depth for an Avalanche team that owns one of the best top lines in hockey.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Florida Panthers signed free-agent winger Brett Connolly to a four-year contract, the team announced Monday.Florida was rumored to be the likely destination for Connolly, though the Edmonton Oilers reportedly also expressed interest in the veteran forward.The 27-year-old spent the last three seasons with the Washington Capitals. He's coming off a career season during which he contributed 22 goals and 46 points in 81 games, and he added a pair of goals in seven playoff contests.Connolly has recorded 155 points in 427 career games and captured a Stanley Cup with the Capitals in 2018.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Nashville Predators landed a key piece in free agency, signing star forward Matt Duchene to a seven-year, $56 million contract, the team announced Monday.Duchene joins the Preds after a brief stint with the Columbus Blue Jackets. He was acquired from the Ottawa Senators just prior to the trade deadline in exchange for a pair of conditional first-round picks and a couple of prospects.The 28-year-old failed to live up to lofty expectations in 23 regular-season games with Columbus, notching just four goals and eight assists. He did fair better in the playoffs, registering five goals and 10 points during the Jackets' 10-game postseason run.Nashville will be Duchene's fourth team in four seasons following the Avalanche, Senators, and Blue Jackets. He was originally the third overall selection in the 2009 NHL Draft by Colorado and spent his first nine seasons with the Avs before being dealt to Ottawa during the 2017-18 season.Duchene, a two-time All-Star, had his best season in 2013-14 when he recorded a career-high 70 points in 71 games. His best scoring season came two years later when he hit the 30-goal mark for the only time in his career. Overall, Duchene has piled up 547 points across 727 career games.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The San Jose Sharks have re-signed restricted free-agent forward Timo Meier to a four-year contract, the team announced Monday.The contract carries an average annual value of $6 million, according to TSN's Pierre LeBrun.Meier is the first phenom from the deep 2019 RFA class to sign a contract.The 22-year-old is fresh off a breakout season, recording 30 goals and 66 in 78 games with the Sharks in 2018-19. Meier had a strong postseason too, tallying 15 points in 20 games.San Jose selected the Swiss native ninth overall in the 2015 NHL Draft.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Tampa Bay Lightning signed goaltender Curtis McElhinney to a two-year deal with an average annual value of $1.3 million, the team announced on Monday.McElhinney, a career backup, is enjoying the best stretch of his career, owning a .919 save percentage and a 2.51 goals-against average in 72 games since 2016-17.The 36-year-old played in a career-high 33 games this season for the Carolina Hurricanes after being waived by the Toronto Maple Leafs at the start of the campaign.McElhinney was sensational for the Hurricanes during the playoffs, posting a .930 save percentage and a 2.01 goals-against average in five games.Louis Domingue served as Andrei Vasilevskiy's backup last season.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Florida Panthers have made another big splash in free agency, landing defenseman Anton Stralman on a three-year contract, the team announced Monday.The deal is worth $5.5 million per season, according to TSN's Pierre LeBrun.Florida also signed goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky to a monster seven-year deal earlier Monday and reportedly agreed to a four-year pact with forward Brett Connolly.Stralman, 32, is a steady right-shot veteran and should help shore up a Panthers blue line in need of depth.The Swedish defenseman spent the last five seasons with the Tampa Bay Lightning and put up 17 points across 47 games in 2018-19 while averaging over 20 minutes per contest.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Dallas Stars have secured the services of one of the top unrestricted free agents, inking Joe Pavelski to a three-year, $21-million contract, the team announced Monday.Pavelski spent all of his previous 13 seasons with the San Jose Sharks, including the last four as captain.The veteran forward, who turns 35 on July 11, racked up 38 goals in 75 regular-season games with the Sharks this past season, albeit with a career-high 20.2 shooting percentage. He added four goals and nine points in 13 playoff contests.Pavelski ranks second on San Jose's all-time goals list with 355 tallies, trailing only Patrick Marleau. He also ranks third behind Marleau and Joe Thornton on the team's all-time points list (761) and all-time assists list (406).Marleau, Thornton, and Marc-Edouard Vlasic are the only players to have played more games in a Sharks uniform than Pavelski, who skated in 963 regular-season contests for San Jose.The Stars have been busy thus far in free agency. In addition to Pavelski, they signed Corey Perry and reportedly agreed to a deal with Andrej Sekera. The club is left with $2.47 million in cap space, according to CapFriendly.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The New Jersey Devils have signed forward Wayne Simmonds to a one-year, $5-million contract, the team announced Monday.Simmonds is coming off a down season by his standards. He recorded 17 goals and 30 points in 79 games split between the Philadelphia Flyers and Nashville Predators in 2018-19.The 30-year-old has been one of the most productive power forwards over the last decade. He averaged 26.7 goals per season from 2011-12 to 2017-18 while serving as one of the game's most physical players.Simmonds brings more to the table than just his on-ice abilities, though. Regarded as one of the league's most respected players, he took home the Mark Messier Leadership Award this past season.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Edmonton Oilers have agreed to a one-year contract with free-agent goaltender Mike Smith, the team announced Monday.Financial terms are not yet known.Smith spent the last two seasons in-province with the rival Calgary Flames and is expected to compete with incumbent netminder Mikko Koskinen for the Oilers' starting job.The 37-year-old posted a 23-16-2 record with an .898 save percentage in 42 games last season.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Calgary Flames signed goaltender Cam Talbot to a one-year contract worth $2.75 million, the club announced.Talbot was traded from the Edmonton Oilers to the Philadelphia Flyers last February and posted a 3.70 goals-against average across four appearances in Philly.With Mike Smith headed to Edmonton, Talbot is expected to compete with David Rittich for Calgary's starting spot if the restricted free agent re-signs.The 31-year-old Talbot spent three seasons as the Oilers' starter but largely disappointed in his final years with the team.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Winnipeg Jets have re-signed defenseman Nathan Beaulieu to a one-year, $1-million contract, the team announced Monday.Winnipeg acquired Beaulieu from the Buffalo Sabres in February. He recorded five points in 18 games following the trade.The 26-year-old adds stability to a Jets blue line that lost Tyler Myers to the Vancouver Canucks in free agency.Beaulieu is a former first-round pick of the Montreal Canadiens and is a veteran of 332 NHL games.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Dallas Stars announced Monday the signing of former Edmonton Oilers defenseman Andrej Sekera to a one-year contract worth $1.5 million in base salary and $500,000 in potential bonuses.Sekera was recently bought out by the Oilers. He had two seasons remaining on a six-year, $33-million contract he signed on July 1, 2015.The 33-year-old has been held to just 60 games over the last two campaigns. He tore his ACL during the 2017 playoffs and then tore his Achilles during an offseason training session in August 2018.Sekera had four points in 24 games last year.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Breadman is headed to Broadway.The New York Rangers have signed free-agent superstar Artemi Panarin, the club announced Monday. The contract is for seven years and worth $81.5 million, according to Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman.With a reported average annual value of $11.642 million, Panarin is now the second-highest-paid player in the league after Connor McDavid.Panarin, one of the most coveted free agents on the market, joins the Rangers after two seasons with the Columbus Blue Jackets. He notched 28 goals and registered a career-high 87 points in 79 games this past campaign and added five goals and 11 points in 10 playoff contests.After going undrafted, Panarin began his career in the KHL before signing a two-year deal with the Chicago Blackhawks prior to the 2015-16 campaign. He made an immediate impact in the Windy City, tallying 30 goals and 77 points during his first season to win the Calder Trophy as the league's top rookie.Columbus acquired Panarin in June 2017 in a five-player trade with Chicago that sent Brandon Saad to the Blackhawks. The 27-year-old has never recorded fewer than 74 points during any of his four NHL seasons and has been essentially a point-per-game scorer, totaling 320 points in 322 career appearances.His addition to the Rangers puts a bow on a gigantic offseason for New York, which has already added Jacob Trouba and Adam Fox via trades and drafted Finnish phenom Kaapo Kakko second overall.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Florida Panthers got a huge upgrade in net by signing star netminder Sergei Bobrovsky to a seven-year contract, the team announced.The deal carries an annual average value of $10 million, according to TSN's Pierre LeBrun.The best goalie available on the free-agent market, Bobrovsky joins Florida after seven solid seasons with the Columbus Blue Jackets.Bobrovsky began his career in Russia before signing with the Philadelphia Flyers in May 2010. He spent two seasons in Philadelphia before the Flyers traded him to Columbus for three draft picks prior to the 2012-2013 season.Elevating his play with the Blue Jackets, Bobrovsky won the Vezina Trophy as the league's top goalie in his first season in Columbus, posting a 2.00 goals-against average and a .932 save percentage. He captured the Vezina again in 2017 after winning a franchise-record 41 games.The 30-year-old helped Columbus reach the postseason for the third year in a row in 2018-19 and was instrumental in the Jackets' first playoff series win in franchise history - a surprising sweep of the record-setting Tampa Bay Lightning.Bobrovsky sports a career regular-season record of 255-153-37 with a 2.46 GAA, .919 save percentage, and 33 shutouts. His postseason numbers are less impressive, though, as he has an 11-18 record, 3.14 GAA, and .902 save percentage in the playoffs.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Ottawa Senators signed defenseman Ron Hainsey to a one-year, $3.5-million contract, the team announced Monday.Ottawa is also expected to add free-agent forward Tyler Ennis, TSN's Bob McKenzie reports.Both players suited up for the Toronto Maple Leafs this past season. Hainsey posted 23 points while averaging over 20 minutes across 81 games. Ennis recorded 18 points in 51 contests in a fourth-line role.They won't be the only former Leafs to suit up in Ottawa next season, as the two clubs swung a six-player trade that sent Nikita Zaitsev and Connor Brown to Canada's capital earlier Monday.The Senators also hired former Leafs assistant D.J. Smith as their head coach earlier in the offseason.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Valtteri Filppula is doing a second tour of duty in Detroit.The Red Wings signed the veteran free-agent forward to a two-year deal Monday, the team announced. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.Filppula spent the first seven seasons of his career in the Motor City. He then signed with the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2013, a transaction overseen by current Red Wings general manager Steve Yzerman. He joined the New York Islanders last year after spending parts of two seasons with the Philadelphia Flyers.The 35-year-old tallied 17 goals and 31 points in 72 games with the Isles last season.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Pittsburgh Penguins have signed free-agent winger Brandon Tanev to a six-year contract worth roughly $3.5 million in average annual value, according to TSN's Bob McKenzie.More to come.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Florida Panthers are expected to sign forward Noel Acciari to a three-year deal with a $1.67-million cap hit, TSN's Bob McKenzie reports.Acciari, 27, registered 14 points in 72 games with the Boston Bruins during the regular season while centering the fourth line. He added four points in 19 contests during the team's run to the Stanley Cup Final.Known for his forechecking ability, Acciari racked up 221 hits last season.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Toronto Maple Leafs traded defenseman Nikita Zaitsev, forward Connor Brown, and prospect Michael Carcone to the Ottawa Senators for defensemen Cody Ceci and Ben Harpur, as well as prospect Aaron Luchuk and a third-round pick in 2020, the teams announced Monday.The trade was apparently in the works for a while but was completed once the Leafs paid Zaitsev his $3-million signing bonus Monday. The Russian blue-liner also had to waive his no-trade clause in order for the deal to go through.Zaitsev notched 14 points and averaged just over 20 minutes in 81 games this past campaign. He's owed $4.5 million per year across the next five seasons.Brown played every game for the Leafs in 2018-19 and put up 29 points in a restricted offensive role. He has one more season on his current contract at a $2.1-million cap hit.Toronto made the move to shed salary. The club now has $11.4 million in projected cap space, per CapFriendly, with an extra $5.3 million potentially at its disposal if Nathan Horton is placed on LTIR.Ceci, a restricted free agent, had 26 points last season and can fill a hole on the Leafs' right side. He verbally agreed to a one-year contract worth $4.5 million, according to TSN's Darren Dreger.Harpur played 51 games with the Senators a season ago and recorded five points. Prospects Carcone and Luchuk, both forwards, had 44 and nine points at the AHL level, respectively, in 2018-19.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Boston Bruins agreed to terms on a three-year contract extension with defenseman Connor Clifton worth $3 million total, reports TSN's Frank Seravalli.Clifton has one more season on his current deal and will make $725,000 in 2019-20 before the extension kicks in.The 24-year-old right shot only recorded one point in 19 games last season but saw his role increase during the Bruins' run to the Stanley Cup Final. He had five points and averaged just over 13 minutes in 18 postseason contests.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Vancouver Canucks will sign defenseman Jordie Benn to a two-year, $4-million deal, according to TSN's Pierre LeBrun.Benn, 31, is a native of Victoria, British Columbia and played most of his junior career with the BCHL's Victoria Grizzlies.He spent last season with the Montreal Canadiens and registered 22 points in 81 games. The veteran will bring grit to the Cancuks' blue line, but he was also a positive possession player last season, posting a 53.4 Corsi For percentage.Benn's signing will mark the club's second addition on the back end after reportedly agreeing to a deal with Tyler Myers earlier Monday.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Minnesota Wild are expected to sign forward Ryan Hartman to a two-year contract worth $1.9 million annually, TSN's Pierre LeBrun reports.Hartman was recently traded from the Philadelphia Flyers to the Dallas Stars but wasn't qualified by his new club, making him a free agent.The 24-year-old appeared in 83 games in 2018-19 split between the Flyers and Nashville Predators, recording 12 goals and 14 assists.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The New York Rangers dealt forward Jimmy Vesey to the Buffalo Sabres for a third-round draft pick in 2021, the teams announced Monday.Vesey, 26, has one year remaining on his current contract at a $2.275-million cap hit before he hits unrestricted free agency.The Sabres acquired Vesey's rights in 2016 from the Nashville Predators, but he ultimately chose to sign with the Rangers after being heavily pursued following a Hobey Baker-winning season with Harvard.Vesey registered 17 goals and 18 assists while averaging just over 16 minutes across 81 games in 2018-19.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Edmonton Oilers plan to sign forward Markus Granlund to a one-year contract, according to TSN's Bob McKenzie.The value of the contract is unknown at this point.Granlund, a 26-year-old center, spent last season with the Vancouver Canucks and registered 12 goals and 10 assists through 77 games.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Toronto Maple Leafs are expected to add veteran pivot Jason Spezza on a one-year contract Monday, reports TSN's Bob McKenzie.Spezza is expected to earn roughly the league minimum of $700,000, McKenzie adds.The 36-year-old spent the last five years with the Dallas Stars, putting up 27 points and averaging 13 minutes across 76 games while winning 58.2 percent of his draws. He'll offer reliable center and power-play depth for a Leafs team searching for cost-effective players.Spezza, a Mississauga, Ontario, native, is quite familiar with the Leafs, having spent the first 11 seasons of his career with the Ottawa Senators.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Vancouver Canucks are expected to sign free-agent defenseman Tyler Myers to a five-year contract Monday, according to multiple reports.The two sides are "closing in" on a deal worth $30 million, according to TSN's Frank Seravalli.The free-agent market opens Monday at noon ET and Myers is one of the top defenders available. The 29-year-old had nine goals and 31 points in 80 games with the Winnipeg Jets last season.Myers was a first-round pick, 12th overall by the Buffalo Sabres in 2008. He has 74 goals and 265 points in 635 career games.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Blue Jackets took their last shot, making a last-minute pitch late Sunday to Artemi Panarin with hopes of keeping him in Columbus.The club reportedly offered the star forward an eight-year deal worth at least $96 million, according to The Athletic's Aaron Portzline. The contract could've been worth as much as $100 million, but it needed to be signed by midnight ET, a deadline that passed without an agreement.In order to lock up Panarin for eight years, the deal had to be agreed upon before July 1. When Panarin hits the open market Monday at noon ET, the longest contract he'll be able to sign - with any team, including Columbus - is seven years.The Blue Jackets reportedly made an eight-year, $72-million offer to Panarin last summer, but he informed them he wasn't interested in negotiating an extension.The Russian winger led Columbus in scoring in each of his two seasons with the team and tallied a career-high 87 points this season.With reports of Matt Duchene signing with the Nashville Predators and netminder Sergei Bobrovsky likely headed to the Florida Panthers, the Blue Jackets are taking one last swing at keeping one of their most promising talents.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Toronto Maple Leafs will reportedly send forward Connor Brown and defenseman Nikita Zaitsev to the Ottawa Senators on Monday in exchange for defenseman Cody Ceci, according to TSN's Bob McKenzie.At least six pieces (players and draft picks) are included in the deal, but those are the key players involved, McKenzie adds. Zaitsev has a $3 million bonus that is scheduled to be paid out Monday by the Maple Leafs before the deal is completed.Zaitsev has reportedly waived his no trade clause in order to make the trade possible, according to TSN's Darren Dreger. The 27-year-old requested a trade from the team in May.The Russian rearguard has five years remaining on his current contract with an average annual value of $4.5 million.Ceci, who is a restricted free agent and is in need of a new deal, enjoyed a career season with the Senators, posting 26 points in 74 games.Brown hasn't been able to replicate the offensive production he saw in his 20-goal rookie campaign, but he did contribute 29 points in 82 games in a depth role for the Leafs last season. His current deal has one year remaining with a team-friendly cap hit of $2.1 million.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Veteran forward Corey Perry is expected to sign a one-year, $1.5-million deal with the Dallas Stars, according to TSN's Frank Seravalli. The deal is also expected to include performance bonuses for games played and playoffs.The Edmonton Oilers were also rumored to be interested in the winger's services.Perry underwent knee surgery last September and did not return to the lineup until February. The 34-year-old struggled when he was healthy, tallying six goals and 10 points in 31 games with the Anaheim Ducks.The former Hart Trophy winner could still provide some offensive upside for the Stars, as Perry is just two years removed from a 17-goal, 49-point campaign.The Ontario native was bought out by the Ducks on June 19 after spending the first 14 years of his career with the club.The Stars also have a reported deal in place with free-agent forward Joe Pavelski.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Toronto Maple Leafs are to sign forward Kenny Agostino to a two-year, one-way contract with an average annual value close to $700,000, according to TSN's Bob McKenzie.Agostino recorded career highs with six goals and 24 points in 63 games between the Montreal Canadiens and New Jersey Devils last season.With restricted free agent Mitch Marner in need of a new deal, Leafs general manager Kyle Dubas has little salary space to work with, and the addition of Agostino at close to the league minimum gives the team another depth option up front.The 27-year-old was selected by the Pittsburgh Penguins in the fifth round of the 2010 NHL Draft.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Free-agent forward Matt Duchene is reportedly set to join the Nashville Predators on a contract carrying an average annual value of $8 million, according to Sportsnet's Chris Johnston.

Unrestricted free-agent forward Richard Panik is expected to join the Washington Capitals on a four-year contract, reports TSN's Bob McKenzie.Panik could earn "somewhere north" of $2.5 million annually, McKenzie adds.The 28-year-old spent the 2018-19 season with the Arizona Coyotes, scoring 14 goals and finishing with 33 points in 75 contests.Panik has 75 goals and 159 points in 410 career games.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

All signs reportedly point to free-agent forward Brett Connolly inking a four-year contract with the Florida Panthers when free agency begins Monday, according to TSN's Pierre LeBrun.Connolly's name has been circling the rumor mill over the past week, with the Edmonton Oilers reportedly interested in the winger's services as well.The 27-year-old is coming off a career season with the Washington Capitals, where he contributed 22 goals and 46 points in 81 games and added a pair of goals in 7 playoff contests.Connolly has recorded 155 points in 427 career games and captured a Stanley Cup with the Capitals in 2018.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

One of this summer's most coveted free agents could already be off the table.Forward Joe Pavelski is reportedly poised to sign a three-year deal with the Dallas Stars, according to TSN's Darren Dreger. The contract is reported to carry an average annual value of $7 million, according to The Athletic's Sean Shapiro.It's believed that forward Corey Perry is also an option for the Stars, Dreger adds.The Stars have a projected $12.47 million in cap space available, not including the potential Pavelski signing. The longtime Shark would join a Dallas core that includes blue-chippers Jamie Benn, Tyler Seguin, and Alex Radulov, all of who are in their prime and under contract for at least three more seasons.The Sharks, on the other hand, have a projected $14.84 million in cap space remaining but still need to accommodate several players, including restricted free-agent forwards Timo Meier and Kevin Labanc, making it difficult for them to bring Pavelski back.Pavelski was selected by the Sharks in the seventh round of the 2003 NHL Draft and has spent all 13 years of his career with the franchise, including four seasons as the team's captain.The soon-to-be 35-year-old has hit the 35-goal mark in four of the previous six seasons and is coming off a 38-goal campaign in 2018-19.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Change isn't always a bad thing.Many players will be granted a chance at a fresh start and an opportunity to resurrect their careers on a new team once free agency officially opens Monday.Here are five players that would be better served moving on from their current team and finding a new home next season.Jason Spezza - CGPGAPCap hit7681927$7.5MSpezza's best days may be behind him, but he could still carve out a role as a productive bottom-six center with a change in scenery. The 36-year-old fell down the depth charts in Dallas last season and was named a healthy scratch on multiple occasions.Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / GettyThough his point production has fallen off, Spezza remains one of the top faceoff talents in the league, ranking third last season (minimum 100 draws) with a faceoff percentage of 58.2. The veteran playmaker still has the ability to create as well, racking up 72 assists over the past three campaigns.Spezza remains a valuable locker room presence who relies on his savvy hockey IQ at this stage of his career. In the right role, the Ontario native could provide upside for a team in need of depth production.Derick Brassard - CGPGAPCap hit7014923$5MBrassard has struggled to find his game since being traded by the Ottawa Senators in February 2018, logging forgettable stints with the Pittsburgh Penguins, Florida Panthers, and Colorado Avalanche.In 20 games with the Avalanche following the 2019 trade deadline, the 6-foot-1 center tallied just two of his four goals at even strength and didn't record a single assist. He also contributed just one point in nine playoff games. Brassard is hardly two years removed from a productive season with the Senators and he may be able to restore his offensive upside on the right roster.The Quebec native turns 32 in September and would be the oldest player on Colorado's roster if he were to return. The Avalanche have taken on the identity of a fast, young team that's loaded with talent for both the present and future, and it's hard to imagine Brassard fitting into those plans going forward.Tobias Rieder - RWGPGAPCap hit6701111$2MIt's probably in Rieder's best interest to continue his career with a new club after CEO Bob Nicholson put him on blast at a season-ticket holder event last year for his lack of production.Rieder remarkably fired 92 shots on net last season without scoring a single goal. Despite his poor luck in Edmonton, the 26-year-old has proven to be a productive player in the past, tallying a career-high 16 goals during his 34-point campaign with the Arizona Coyotes in 2016-17.Andy Devlin / National Hockey League / GettyIn addition to his porous luck, Rieder saw reduced opportunities with the Oilers and was never able to define his role with the team.During his first three seasons with the Coyotes, Rieder averaged 17:11 of ice time per game compared to just 12:39 with the Oilers. Down the final stretch of the 2018-19 season, his line often featured Colby Cave, a 24-year-old center with just 56 games of NHL experience, and winger Sam Gagner, who played the first half of the season in the AHL.Joonas Donskoi - RWGPGAPCap hit80142337$1.9MDonskoi broke onto the scene in 2015-16 with a 36-point rookie campaign for the San Jose Sharks but hasn't shown much growth with the team throughout his four-year tenure. The Finnish winger averaged a career-low 13:25 of ice time per game last season and was scratched on several occasions, including multiple playoff games.With that considered, the Finnish winger still mustered nearly half a point per game in 2018-19. He was also a plus possession player, posting a Corsi For rating of 54.46 while the Sharks owned 56 percent of high-danger scoring chances when he was on the ice. Donskoi is a skilled forward with all the right tools to etch out a valuable role with the right team.The talent is there. Perhaps a change of scenery could help ignite the 27-year-old and help him rediscover his game.Markus Granlund - C GPGAPCap hit77121022$1.47Granlund scored 19 goals and contributed 32 points in his first full season with the Vancouver Canucks but has trended in the wrong direction since.Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / GettyThe Canucks are still rebuilding, and it's clear they don't see the Finnish forward as part of their long-term plan. The 26-year-old saw his ice time decline over three consecutive seasons and was given less opportunity on the power play. With Bo Horvat and Elias Pettersson emerging as the Canucks' top centers and veterans Brandon Sutter and Jay Beagle filling depth roles up the middle, Granlund is better served carving out a role with a new team next season.The 6-foot center has tallied 97 points in 301 career games and is capable of providing scoring depth for a team in need. Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Andrew Shaw is heading back to Chicago.The Montreal Canadiens have traded Shaw and a 2021 seventh-round pick to the Chicago Blackhawks for a second-round pick and a seventh-round pick in 2020, as well as a third-round selection in 2021, the teams announced Sunday.The Canadiens didn't retain any salary in the deal, according to TSN's Pierre LeBrun. Shaw has three years remaining on his current contract with an annual cap hit of $3.9 million.Shaw was selected by the Blackhawks in the fifth round of the 2011 NHL Draft and spent the first five years of his career in Chicago, capturing a pair of Stanley Cups in 2013 and 2015.The 27-year-old recorded 19 goals and a career-high 47 points in his third season with the Canadiens last year.The Blackhawks bolstered their blue line earlier this month after picking up defenseman Calvin De Haan from the Carolina Hurricanes and Olli Maatta from the Pittsburgh Penguins. Chicago now has $8 million in projected cap space with eight forwards currently under contract.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Free-agent netminder Mike Smith will sign with the Edmonton Oilers once free agency opens Monday, while Cam Talbot will be joining the Calgary Flames, according to TSN's Frank Seravalli.Smith spent the last two seasons with the Flames and helped the team capture the top seed in the Western Conference in 2018-19 while splitting crease time with netminder David Rittich.The 37-year-old posted a 48-38-8 record with a 2.68 goals-against average and a .909 save percentage during his tenure with the Flames.Talbot was traded from the Oilers to the Philadelphia Flyers last February and posted a 3.70 goals-against average in four appearances with the team.The 31-year-old spent three seasons as the Oilers' starter. With Jon Gillies currently the only Flames netminder under contract, Talbot could find new life in Calgary. He'll likely battle it out for the starting role with Rittich if the restricted free agent re-signs with the Flames.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

On the eve of the 2019 free-agency period, the Edmonton Oilers are among the teams going after free-agent winger Corey Perry, reports Sportsnet's John Shannon.Perry spent his entire 14-year career with the Anaheim Ducks before the team bought out his contract earlier in the offseason. The Nashville Predators and Chicago Blackhawks were also reported to have interest in the former MVP earlier in June.The 34-year-old was limited to 31 games in 2018-19 due to injuries but has six NHL seasons with 30 or more goals under his belt. He could provide decent value to an Oilers offense that ranked 20th in goals for this past season - despite having two of the league's top four scorers.Edmonton has $11.3 million available to spend this offseason, according to CapFriendly.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Phil Kessel is a Coyote. Alex Galcheyuk is a Penguin. What a time to be alive.In case you missed it, here are the full details of Saturday night's five-piece trade:TO PITTO ARIAlex GalchenyukPhil KesselPierre-Olivier JosephDane Birks2021 4th-round pickThe gist: Arizona general manager John Chayka got the best player in the deal, and Pittsburgh GM Jim Rutherford got a reasonable return for a player who didn't see eye to eye with the organization. It's fair to say the Coyotes are the short-term winners, while there's a decent chance the Penguins look like thieves a few years down the road. The long-term X-factor is Joseph's development.Now for some deeper thoughts on the pre-free agency swap:Kessel's fit in ArizonaWith Kessel's persona and his butting of heads with Rutherford and head coach Mike Sullivan commanding the bulk of the post-trade oxygen, what seems to have been lost in the shuffle is how freaking good Kessel is.The Penguins just traded a guy who ranks eighth in total goals and fourth in even-strength tallies since he broke into the NHL in 2006-07. Kessel, who turns 32 in October, has bagged 23-37 goals for 10 straight non-lockout seasons and posted 92 and 82 points the past two campaigns. He's extremely durable, not missing a regular-season game since 2009-10, and was dominant in Pittsburgh's two Stanley Cup runs, contributing 22 points in 2016 and another 23 in 2017.Icon Sportswire / Getty ImagesThe Kessel-Coyotes fit is harmonious. Arizona is bereft of talent up front. Clayton Keller, the team's only dynamic forward, led last year's squad with 47 points. As a team, the Coyotes scored 2.55 goals per game to finish tied for 28th in the NHL. Kessel and his all-world wrist shot immediately become the yin to Keller's yang, taking some of the weight off the 20-year-old playmaker's shoulders as either a linemate or second-line threat. Bonus: Kessel's $6.8-million cap hit, which runs through 2022, is great value.Of course, the fact that Rick Tocchet - whom many considered the "Phil whisperer" during the Penguins' Cup years - now patrols the Coyotes' bench is a massive factor here. Their relationship fuelled trade discussions, and there will be no surprises in training camp. The familiarity should allow for a smooth transition for both team and player, and ice time, be it at even strength or on the power play, probably won't be an issue.Away from the rink, the anonymity of playing in the desert - not hockey-mad markets like his previous stops in Boston, Toronto, and Pittsburgh - is a boon for Kessel, who doesn't care for media and isn't in love with the spotlight. Really, it's a match made in heaven on a number of levels.Galchenyuk's fit in PittsburghDespite being 25 years old and a veteran of 400 NHL games, Galchenyuk is still a difficult player to get a handle on. He was maligned in Montreal, has suffered through multiple serious injuries, and though he isn't a bust, per se, he's failed to live up to the lofty expectations of a third overall pick.Icon Sportswire / Getty ImagesA cynic might suggest Galchenyuk's never going to wow you. By the time a player hits his mid-20s, he is what he is; there's little room for vast improvement. In that sense, he's a second-line forward good for 40-55 points a season who can play center or the wing. Unfortunately for Pens fans, Galchenyuk doesn't drive possession and isn't a strong defensive player.An optimist might suggest Galchenyuk's move to Pittsburgh will launch him to new heights. A second change of scenery in as many years (the Coyotes acquired Galchenyuk for Max Domi in June 2018), and a spot alongside Evgeni Malkin or Sidney Crosby, sounds promising. There's realistic hope there.As for Joseph, the Penguins addressed a need. Only 19, he's a 6-foot-2 left-handed defenseman more than capable of transitioning the puck to Pittsburgh's talented forwards. The question is, what's his ceiling? Joseph, a 2017 first-rounder, will most likely start in the AHL.What are the Coyotes doing?The 2018-19 Coyotes were a weird team. They received Vezina-caliber goaltending from Darcy Kuemper and boasted an excellent penalty kill, but were plagued by poor health and an inability to score at 5-on-5 or on the power play. A solid squad on paper, Arizona missed the postseason by four points.It’s been seven years since the Coyotes played playoff hockey. The Chayka era, which officially started when he was promoted to the GM chair in May 2016, is entering its fourth season. And though he's wheeled and dealed at a league-high rate - mainly picking up small pieces and taking on dead contracts - the Kessel acquisition is Chayka's finest work to date.Bruce Bennett / Getty ImagesWhat appears to be different this summer is the organization's willingness to move the needle. Last week, Chayka picked up quality middle-six forward Carl Soderberg from Colorado, and the team has apparently expressed interest in some highly sought-after unrestricted free agents, including Joe Pavelski. For once, the Coyotes are big-game hunting.On the eve of free agency, Arizona is right up against the salary cap, with CapFriendly listing its available space for 2019-20 at $1.7 million. In the coming days, will the team dump to save money, stand pat, or shop some more?What are the Penguins doing?There's no denying the Penguins are worse now than they were a couple of days ago. Kessel moved up and down the lineup, but served largely as the third line's offensive engine for four highly productive years. All of a sudden, the bottom six looks just, well, OK.From a payroll perspective, Pittsburgh has an extra $1.9 million to spend in free agency since Galchenyuk, a UFA in 2020, earns $4.9 million in 2019-20. That's no small chunk of change as Rutherford attempts to once again extend the Pens' Cup window. One day, Sidney Crosby, Kris Letang, and Malkin won't have enough left in their tanks to lead this team to glory, and Pittsburgh's GM would rather not look back on their early 30s with regret.Dave Sandford / Getty ImagesNow that the Kessel drama is over, Rutherford could pivot to the pursuit of a free-agent forward. The Pens are one of several teams reportedly interested in the reclamation project that is Corey Perry; the 34-year-old Cup champ is searching for a new home after being bought out by the Ducks.Let's not forget, too, that a Jason Zucker-for-Kessel trade seemed all but finalized a few weeks ago. Does Rutherford circle back to Wild GM Paul Fenton and pitch a new package? Or have his priorities shifted? Rutherford did send Olli Maatta and his $4-million salary to Chicago before the draft to kickstart a retool on the blueline. Perhaps he's not be done tinkering with the back end.Based on Rutherford's track record, the Pens will do something else this summer, though cap space limits their scope. Galchenyuk may be their quote-unquote big splash.John Matisz is theScore's national hockey writer.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Edmonton Oilers have placed veteran defenseman Andrej Sekera on unconditional waivers for the purpose of a buyout, the team announced Sunday.Sekera has two more years on his contract at an annual cap hit of $5.5 million. His buyout will cost the Oilers $2.5 million in each of the next two seasons and $1.5 million for the two campaigns after that, according to CapFriendly.The 33-year-old signed a six-year pact with Edmonton in 2015 but injuries marred most of his Oilers tenure. Sekera only appeared in a combined 60 games over the last two seasons, registering 12 points.With Sekera now a free agent, the Oilers have a projected $11.3 million to spend this summer.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Florida Panthers have traded goaltender James Reimer to the Carolina Hurricanes in exchange for netminder Scott Darling and a sixth-round pick in 2020, the teams announced Sunday.Florida will buy out the final two seasons of Darling's four-year, $16.6-million contract.The Panthers have been working to trade Reimer throughout the offseason. Between Sunday's deal and Roberto Luongo's recent retirement, Florida now has the money and roster spots to take a run at prized free-agent netminder Sergei Bobrovsky.Adding a goalie was the top offseason priority for the Hurricanes as well, with both Petr Mrazek and Curtis McElhinney slated for unrestricted free agency. General manager Don Waddell confirmed Saturday that the latter won't be returning next season.Reimer, 31, appeared in 36 games for the Panthers this past season, posting a .900 save percentage.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.