Near the end of every NHL offseason, there are inevitably a few half-decent players looking for a contract for one reason or another.Some are shunned because of injuries, age, or diminished production, some are casualties of the salary cap or a buyout, and some are cast aside simply due to roster circumstances.Here's a trio of players who've been done in by factors largely out of their control:Scott HartnellHartnell had a number of things working against him this summer. His age was obviously a factor, but equally significant was the fact that the Nashville Predators have a player with sky-high upside likely taking his spot in the lineup.The grizzled forward turned 36 in April, and that, combined with highly anticipated prospect Eeli Tolvanen's arrival and the Nashville Predators' depth at left wing, all but spelled the end of Hartnell's second tenure with the team.While Hartnell's overall offensive production dipped in 2017-18, he still managed to score 13 goals and drive possession with a 51.24 even-strength Corsi For percentage. The consistently durable veteran played only 62 games last season, his lowest total in a full campaign since 2003-04 and the first time he appeared in fewer than 77 contests in an 82-game campaign since 2006-07.Brooks OrpikOrpik may have a home, but there's no doubt the system failed him after he had his salary trimmed thanks to some financial maneuvering by the Washington Capitals and the Colorado Avalanche.Orpik had one year and $4.5 million in base salary (at a $5.5-million cap hit) left on his deal with the Capitals. They included him in the Philipp Grubauer trade at the draft, and the Avalanche promptly bought out the remaining year of Orpik's deal. About a month later, the Capitals re-signed Orpik on a one-year, $1-million contract.He's owed $1.5 million in buyout payments in each of the next two seasons, and he's reportedly eligible for separate $250,000 bonuses if he hits 20 and 40 games played this season. However, he'll turn 38 later this month, so it's not a foregone conclusion that he'll hit both of those benchmarks.Luca SbisaSbisa played the first month of last season in the Vegas Golden Knights' top four alongside Nate Schmidt, contributing eight points in the first 16 games. But then he got hurt, missed about three weeks, and was in and out of the lineup for the rest of the 82-game schedule.Making matters worse for the 28-year-old blue-liner, the Golden Knights stopped negotiating an extension with him after he suffered the injury and let him walk as an unrestricted free agent at season's end, even after he came back and played in the playoffs.Sbisa's season ended in embarrassing fashion, as his turnover behind the Vegas Golden Knights' net allowed Lars Eller to score the eventual Stanley Cup-winning goal for the Washington Capitals. However, he did provide some value when healthy, chipping in 14 points in 30 regular-season games and adding four assists in 12 playoff contests.(Photos courtesy: Getty Images)

Coming off his second reconstructive knee surgery in as many years, 39-year-old Joe Thornton isn't concerned with any ill effects as he gears up for his 14th season with the San Jose Sharks.Thornton missed the final 35 games of the regular season and all of the Sharks' playoff run after tearing his ACL and MCL in his right knee in January, nine months after doing the same to his left. Back-to-back injuries of such severity could spell doom for anyone's career, but Thornton, a future Hall of Famer who's never been particularly fleet of foot, is expecting to be the same player he's always been once back in uniform."They've said that since I've been 16 years old, and I think I've had a pretty good career," Thornton told Kevin Kurz of The Athletic when asked about his speed."I think when I'm out there I dictate the play. It doesn't matter who I play against, I usually dictate the play. I've had that criticism for 22 years. I think I've kept up pretty good."Thornton managed to record 36 points in 47 games last season and signed a one-year contract worth a reported $5 million in July. He's expected to be in the lineup when San Jose's season opens Oct. 3 versus the Anaheim Ducks and is just seven games shy of reaching the 1,500 mark for his career.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The group hoping to bring an NHL team to Seattle has made further progress.Oak View Group and Seattle mayor Jenny Durkan announced three new agreements relating to the prospective team's arena deal and revealed several new investors in the potential franchise Wednesday.A development agreement for the new arena, a long-term lease agreement, and an integration agreement were transmitted by the mayor and introduced to the Seattle City Council for consideration.The group has already received approval from the city to redevelop KeyArena, the home of the WNBA's Seattle Storm and former home of the NBA's SuperSonics.Related: Seattle hockey CEO says prospective franchise will make NHL pitch this fallThe new investors are David and Jeff Wright (whose family owns the Space Needle and other local landmarks), Seattle Sounders majority owner Adrian Hanauer, Christoper and Ted Ackerley (sons of former Sonics owner Barry Ackerley), Amazon Web Services CEO Andy Jassy, and Jay Deutsch, the CEO and co-founder of Seattle-based premium merchandise agency BDA.David Wright will serve as vice chairman of Seattle Hockey Partners, the formal name of the alliance that includes Oak View Group and all of its investors in the Seattle NHL effort.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Edmonton Oilers defenseman Darnell Nurse won't be participating in the club's upcoming training camp without some financial security.Nurse, the only Oilers player currently without a contract, recently said he's optimistic a deal will get done before camp opens in mid-September, but he confirmed Wednesday he won't be attending if he remains a restricted free agent."No, I wouldn't come to camp without a contract, but hopefully we get something done before camp so I can be out there (on the) first day. That's the goal," Nurse told reporters, via Sportsnet.Nurse is coming off the final year of his entry-level contract and is one of three prominent RFA defenseman across the league in need of a new deal, along with Shea Theodore of the Vegas Golden Knights and Josh Morrissey of the Winnipeg Jets.The Oilers have just under $4 million available in cap space to work out a new pact with Nurse, per Cap Friendly. The 23-year-old is coming off his most productive season at the NHL level, suiting up in all 82 games while registering 26 points and logging over 22 minutes per contest.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Toronto Maple Leafs will apparently not have a captain to begin the 2018-19 campaign."Not from the outset, I don't think," Maple Leafs general manager Kyle Dubas told TSN's Bob McKenzie in an interview posted Wednesday."I want to get into a day to day with these people and see who's best suited to handle that, if we do determine that we need somebody to handle that (and) if we feel we have a void in leadership because we don't have a formal captain, then I think it's something we can address," he said.The GM added that in studying teams, he found it's best to be patient with naming a captain, rather than rushing a decision and having to correct it.Auston Matthews recently said he'd be ready to wear the 'C' if called upon but also acknowledged new teammate John Tavares' experience in the role with the New York Islanders.The Leafs haven't had a captain since Dion Phaneuf was traded to the Ottawa Senators in February 2016.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

One week after Dallas Stars forward Tyler Seguin voiced his displeasure about not having a contract beyond 2018-19, it appears things are picking up.The Stars and Seguin's camp had more significant discussions this past weekend about a potential contract extension, a source told The Athletic's Sean Shapiro.The latest news comes after Seguin told reporters, including theScore's John Matisz, that there hadn't been much in the way of contract talks during the current offseason.The 26-year-old will enter the 2018-19 campaign in the final season of his six-year, $34.5-million contract and is set to become an unrestricted free agent next summer.Seguin is coming off his fifth consecutive 70-plus-point season in which he hit the 40-goal plateau for the first time. Since the 2013-14 season, he's tied with Pittsburgh Penguins forward Sidney Crosby for the second-most goals in the league.In the past, Seguin has spoken about his desire to remain with the Stars, so perhaps the latest news will lead to an extension before he hits free agency.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Max Pacioretty appears to have set a deadline on his contract negotiations.The Montreal Canadiens forward will hold off all talks about a new deal once the regular season begins, sources told Sportsnet's Eric Engels on Wednesday.Pacioretty, who is a pending unrestricted free agent, will abstain from negotiations not just with the Canadiens, but any other team, a source close to the player's camp told Engels, presumably taking into account the possibility of a trade.He's entering the final campaign of the six-year, $27-million pact he inked with Montreal in 2012.The Canadiens reportedly came close to trading Pacioretty at the draft, and general manager Marc Bergevin reportedly told the winger in July that the club would not negotiate an extension with him and was attempting to deal him as soon as possible.Last week, Pacioretty told reporters at his charity golf tournament that there were no extension talks taking place with the Canadiens at the time.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Cody Franson became the latest former NHLer to land at Avangard Omsk on Wednesday.The defenseman agreed to a two-year contract with the KHL club, the league announced.Franson split last season between the Chicago Blackhawks and their AHL affiliate, the Rockford IceHogs, contributing seven points in 23 NHL games and racking up 28 points in 37 AHL regular-season contests.He added six goals and 13 points in 13 playoff games for the IceHogs in the spring, helping them reach the Western Conference Final.The 31-year-old played for the Blackhawks, Sabres, Predators, and Maple Leafs over parts of the last nine seasons.He joins forward Kris Versteeg and defenseman Alexei Emelin, who signed deals of their own with Avangard within the last week. The team also includes former NHL forwards David Desharnais and Max Talbot.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Former Chicago Blackhawks forward Ab McDonald died Tuesday night at age 82, the team announced Wednesday.

Jim Johannson has been posthumously named the 2018 recipient of the Lester Patrick Trophy, the NHL announced on Wednesday."The Lester Patrick Trophy is presented for 'service to hockey in the United States.' Jim Johannson's entire playing career and professional life were dedicated to the game of hockey," NHL commissioner Gary Bettman said in a release."From his playing days at the University of Wisconsin and for U.S. national and Olympic teams, through his two-decade career at USA Hockey, Jim worked tirelessly to grow our game at all levels in the United States."Johannson died this past January at his home in Colorado Springs at just 53 years of age. Prior to that, he was a prominent name in American hockey, recently serving as the assistant executive director of USA Hockey and the general manager of the 2018 U.S. men's Olympic team. He was also part of the national team's management at the 2006, 2010, and 2014 Olympic Games.He played four seasons at the University of Wisconsin and was drafted in the seventh round of the NHL draft by the Hartford Whalers in 1982, although he never suited up in the league.Johannson will be recognized on Dec. 12, where his wife, Abby, will accept the award on his behalf, and where he'll will be inducted - alongside Red Berenson, Natalie Darwitz, Hago Harrington, David Poile, and Paul Stewart - into the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

NHL fans weren't the only ones sweating in the weeks leading up to July 1 - the day superstar center John Tavares would decide on where to sign in free agency.David Krejci also felt the heat.The 32-year-old occupies the Boston Bruins' second-line center position behind Patrice Bergeron, so when the Bruins emerged as one of five teams in the mix to sign Tavares - who ultimately joined the Toronto Maple Leafs instead - Krejci worried about his own future in Boston."I had no idea what was going on. My agent didn't tell me (anything) because he said he didn't know anything. I didn't get any phone calls from anyone from the Bruins," Krejci told NBC Sports Boston's Joe Haggerty. "So I was just getting those Instragram messages (telling me to request a trade) in my inbox. I know that I have a no-trade (clause) so they would have to call me (if they did end up signing Tavares)."Yeah, that wasn't kind of something I enjoyed. But it was over pretty quick. It was a quick couple of weeks. It is what it is."With just under $3 million in cap space available, the Bruins would have needed to shed salary to sign Tavares. And with Krejci set to earn $7.25 million a year for the next three seasons (the most among all Bruins players), he would have been a likely candidate to move elsewhere, or to drop down to the third line.Instead, Krejci can now turn his attention to the upcoming season as he prepares to play a key role for the Bruins. He also holds nothing against his club's management for trying to sign Tavares."I understand that it's the hockey business that you have to do whatever you have to do to make the hockey team better," Krejci said."Obviously I don’t want to go anywhere. But (Bruins GM) Donnie (Sweeney) has got to do what he's got to do. (Hockey is a business) is what I've learned over the years. I love being here and I've got three years left, so for me it was just about getting ready to be the best player I can be. I'm still young and I feel like I still have some of my best years in front of me. Maybe not 70 or 80 points production-wise, but maybe more of a complete player and helping out the young guys grow."Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Calgary Flames will give a journeyman goaltender a chance to make the team out of training camp.Jeff Glass is going to suit up for the Flames on a professional tryout contract, the netminder confirmed on the "Bosco Podcast" on Monday.The 32-year-old split last season between the AHL's Rockford IceHogs and their parent club, the Chicago Blackhawks, posting a .904 save percentage in 28 AHL games and a mark of .898 in 15 NHL appearances.Glass played for the IceHogs and the Toronto Marlies in 2016-17 after spending seven seasons with six different teams in the KHL. Before his tenure in Russia, he played parts of four campaigns in the AHL and also appeared in 39 ECHL contests.He was a third-round pick of the Ottawa Senators in 2004.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Despite a season's worth of turmoil, Matt Duchene isn't rejecting the possibility of signing a long-term deal with the Ottawa Senators.With one season left on his contract, the forward is eligible to sign an extension at any point, and while he and general manager Pierre Dorion haven't begun negotiations, the 27-year-old is open to committing to the nation's capital."I'd love for it to work," Duchene told NHL.com on Tuesday. "(Ontario) is my home province, three hours from home, Canadian city. Would be awesome if things could work out for sure."Duchene arrived in Ottawa last November via trade after a drawn-out split with the Colorado Avalanche - who surprisingly went on to qualify for the postseason while the Senators tumbled to a 30th-place finish.Amid the organizational hardships, Duchene managed to play some strong hockey, registering 23 goals and 26 assists in 68 contests with Ottawa.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

It's been all quiet on the Jordan Eberle contract extension front.The New York Islanders forward says he has yet to begin discussing a potential new deal with the club."I haven't had any conversations with anybody," Eberle told NHL.com's Brian Compton on Tuesday. "Going into the summer, I was trying to focus on me and being the best I can be, and come into the camp the best I can be. Once that happens, you start trying to fill a role and try to make this team as good as it can be."Eberle is entering the final season of the six-year, $36-million deal he signed in the summer of 2012, and as a result, could have started negotiating an extension July 1.He notched 25 goals and 59 points in his first season with the Islanders after being traded by the Edmonton Oilers for forward Ryan Strome last summer.The Islanders' eventful offseason was punctuated by John Tavares leaving for the Toronto Maple Leafs on the first day of free agency, but it also included Garth Snow being dismissed from his GM role, Lou Lamoriello taking it over in addition to president of hockey operations duties, Doug Weight being fired from the head coaching position, and Barry Trotz being named his replacement.Eberle isn't the only pending UFA forward on the club, as Anders Lee and Brock Nelson are among the other players up front that the club will need to negotiate with lest they hit the open market next July.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Vic Hadfield will be the 10th player to have his number retired by the New York Rangers.Hadfield's No. 11 will be raised to the rafters in an on-ice ceremony before a game against the Winnipeg Jets on Dec. 2, the Rangers announced on Tuesday.The former forward played parts of 13 seasons with the Rangers from 1961-62 to 1973-74, ranking fifth in franchise history in career goals (262), 10th in assists (310), and ninth in points (572).He was a two-time All-Star and the first Ranger to score 50 goals in a season, accomplishing the feat in 1971-72, which was also when his three-season stretch as the Rangers' captain began.He finished his career playing three campaigns with the Pittsburgh Penguins after a trade following the 1973-74 season.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The list of Boston Bruins players not heading overseas for their preseason games in China continues to grow, with action set to begin in just over a week.During the Boston Bruins Foundation Golf Tournament on Tuesday, head coach Bruce Cassidy announced that Noel Acciari, Zdeno Chara, Danton Heinen, Torey Krug, and Sean Kuraly won't make the trip to China for two preseason games against the Calgary Flames, the first in Shenzhen on Sept. 15 and the second in Beijing on the 19th.Heinen and Kuraly have been excused by the team after they went to China as part of the Bruins Global trip this summer. Meanwhile, Krug and Acciari are both coming off injuries and will play games in Boston. Both are expected to be ready for the beginning of the regular season, the team stated.Last week, forward Patrice Bergeron told reporters he wouldn't be participating in the games as he continues to rehab from offseason surgery. However, like Krug and Acciari, he is expected to be in the lineup for the team's season opener against the Washington Capitals on Oct. 3.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Washington Capitals might be celebrating their Stanley Cup win just a little too enthusiastically.Capitals players have been frequently doing keg stands out of the Cup during the trophy's turn with each member of the roster this summer. However, it's become evident that keg stands could damage the Cup, and now players and team staff have been asked to refrain from performing them."We ask them politely not to do it," Philip Pritchard, the Hockey Hall of Fame's Keeper of the Cup, told Isabelle Khurshudyan of The Washington Post. "We're trying to preserve the history of the Stanley Cup. We don't want any unnecessary damage to it or a person, in case they drop the person or he presses too hard or something."

The Ottawa Senators have appointed Chris Kelly as their new development coach, the team announced Tuesday.Kelly, along with fellow development coach (and former Senators forward) Shean Donovan, will work closely with the club's prospects.The 37-year-old Kelly played eight of his 15 years in the NHL with the Senators, where he put up 80 goals and 188 points in 545 games. Over his NHL career, Kelly tallied 123 goals and 291 points in 845 games.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Winnipeg Jets signed captain Blake Wheeler to a five-year contract extension worth $41.25 million, the team announced Tuesday.Wheeler's contract carries a cap hit of $8.25 million per season, which ties him with Philadelphia Flyers forward Jakub Voracek for the third-highest among right-wingers, according to Cap Friendly.The coming season was set to be the last of Wheeler’s six-year, $33.6-million contract, after which he would have become an unrestricted free agent.

Mikkel Boedker played his junior hockey in Canada, but after stints with three American clubs in 10 NHL seasons, an offseason trade will bring the Danish winger back to the Great White North.A June trade sent Boedker from the San Jose Sharks to the Ottawa Senators, and while on the surface it looks like he's leaving a contender for a team in a tailspin, Boedker is intrigued by the Senators' potential."I'm very much (excited)," Boedker told Bruce Garrioch of the Ottawa Sun. "It's a good opportunity to play some good hockey and join a Canadian franchise that's about to turn the ship around. It's good to be part of something like that."The hope is that Boedker will offset some of the production lost from forward Mike Hoffman, who was shipped to the Sharks in the same deal (then later flipped to the Florida Panthers).Boedker finished with 37 points in 74 appearances last season, however 29 points came in the 45 games once the calendar turned to 2018. The 28-year-old believes the Senators can have a similar turnaround this season after finishing in 30th place last season."When people talk about Ottawa I don't think they give them enough credit because I think there's a lot of capable players and a lot players that have done some damage in their careers on the stats sheet," Boedker said. "I still think it's a very capable team and we've just got to get back to that. We've just got to get back to where it's all in every night and every night matters."The Senators kick off the 2018-19 campaign against the Chicago Blackhawks on Oct. 4.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Nate Schmidt and those close to him vehemently disagree with his suspension for violation of the NHL/NHLPA Performance-Enhancing Substances Program, which resulted in a 20-game ban Sunday afternoon.Schmidt, the Vegas Golden Knights, and his agent each issued strongly worded statements on the matter shortly after news of the ban broke.

Vegas Golden Knights defenseman Nate Schmidt has been suspended without pay for the first 20 games of the 2018-19 season for violating the terms of the NHL/NHLPA performance-enhancing substances program, the league announced Sunday.Schmidt is eligible to take part in Golden Knights training camp, but he isn't allowed to suit up in any preseason games.He'll also be forfeiting a major chunk of his salary.

Another day, another NHL free agent joining Avangard Omsk.The KHL club signed defenseman Alexei Emelin to a three-year pact Sunday, about 24 hours after Kris Versteeg's one-year deal with the team became official.Emelin became an unrestricted free agent after skating in 76 regular-season games and 10 playoff contests for the Nashville Predators in 2017-18.He's not known for his offensive production, but the 32-year-old chipped in nine points in the regular season while averaging fewer than 17 minutes of ice time.Emelin made $4.4 million in base salary during the final year of a four-year, $16.4-million extension he inked with the Montreal Canadiens in 2013, according to CapFriendly.He was selected by the Vegas Golden Knights in the 2017 expansion draft and then traded to the Predators for a third-round pick.The Russian blue-liner spent six seasons with the Canadiens, who drafted him 84th overall in 2004.He joins an Avangard squad that, in addition to Versteeg, also boasts former NHLers Max Talbot and David Desharnais.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Warning: Story contains coarse languageQuestions surround the Columbus Blue Jackets and their top stars heading into the 2018-19 campaign.Forward Artemi Panarin isn't interested in signing a contract extension with the club, and he won't entertain negotiations once training camp opens. Meanwhile, the Blue Jackets also reportedly haven't had much communication with goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky about a contract extension, and the two sides were far apart after initial discussions.Panarin and Bobrovsky are entering the final years of their current contracts, and while their futures with the team might be up in the air, head coach John Tortorella understands the position each player is in and doesn't hold it against them."I'm not mad," Tortorella said, according to The Athletic's Aaron Portzline. "This is their choice; it's their life. You go to Panarin … this is going to be years of his life. I'm not mad at either one of them. I am disappointed. I look at Panarin … I really like coaching him. I really like him as a person, and I like him in our room. I think he's contagious as far as how he comes to work and does his job with enthusiasm. I'm disappointed that there's talk he may be leaving. But I'm not gonna coach him any differently. He's going to be put in every damn situation I can find to put him in, because he gives us a really good opportunity to win hockey games."Panarin prefers to be traded to the New York Rangers, according to a report from Portzline earlier in the week. During the draft, the New York Islanders, Los Angeles Kings, Tampa Bay Lightning, Florida Panthers, and Dallas Stars also were among his preferred destinations.Last season, Panarin produced a career-high 82 points in 81 games. Bobrovsky, meanwhile, posted a 37-22-6 record with a .921 save percentage and a 2.42 goals-against average.It will be interesting to see how the Blue Jackets handle the contract situations of Panarin and Bobrovsky, but as Tortorella said, other teams often face similar situations."Do we want those to be distractions? Are we going to be able to handle it as a room, or does it turn into a distraction? I think I need to coach that," Tortorella said. "But shit happens. We're not the only team that has things go on like this."Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Kris Versteeg is off to Russia.The longtime NHL forward agreed to a one-year pact with Avangard Omsk in the KHL, the league announced Saturday.Versteeg was beset by a hip injury last season, undergoing surgery in December and playing only 24 games, in which he chipped in eight points for the Calgary Flames.The 32-year-old spent two campaigns with the Flames after stints with the Los Angeles Kings, Carolina Hurricanes, Florida Panthers, Philadelphia Flyers, Toronto Maple Leafs, and two tours with the Chicago Blackhawks, with whom he won the Stanley Cup in 2010 and 2015.Versteeg's deal was first reported by Sportsnet's Ryan Leslie on Aug. 17.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The defending champs are adding some depth up front.Sergei Shumakov agreed to a one-year, two-way, entry-level contract with the Washington Capitals, the club announced Saturday. The deal is worth $925,000.The 25-year-old tied for the team lead among CSKA Moscow skaters in 2017-18 with 40 points in 47 games. He spent parts of seven seasons in the KHL.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

TORONTO - Dozens of NHL players and prospects descended upon St. Michael's College School Arena this week for BioSteel Camp.The annual late-August gathering, headlined once again by Connor McDavid and Tyler Seguin, included an emotional gesture this time around: The BioSteel Cup was renamed the Ray Emery Cup in honor of the former NHL goalie. Emery, 35, died July 15."He was such a special character," Edmonton Oilers defenseman Darnell Nurse said. "He was always the life of the party, life of the room. Always had a smile on his face."Related - O'Reilly, Fabbri central to Blues' offensive refreshTeam Seguin won the trophy Thursday for its four-on-four tournament victory. Meanwhile, various players' media availabilities throughout the week produced plenty of news. Here are four bigger-picture takeaways from the event.Simmonds ready to shut up criticsWayne Simmonds, general manager Ron Hextall, and Philadelphia Flyers fans all know it: This coming season is gigantic for Simmonds. He's not young anymore, his underlying numbers have dipped, and his body is breaking down. He can sign a new contract with Philadelphia at any time, or he can wait and sign with another NHL team next July 1.On Wednesday, Simmonds - who says his reps and the team have held "preliminary talks" about an extension - was asked if he had something to prove in 2018-19."To prove?" he replied, seeming bothered by the question. "I don't know, I've played 10 years in this league. I've put together some pretty good years, so I don't think I have much to prove other than just being the player that I am."It's a fair response. If Simmonds can recapture the 30-and-30 form from his finest stretch of hockey - bookended by a 29-goal, 31-assist '13-14, and a 32-goal, 28-assist '15-16 - more power to him.However, the likelihood of him turning back the clock is, well, slim.For starters, he's not dealing with a single-season downturn. His worst year since '13-14 was arguably '16-17, when his five-on-five numbers started to slump.SEASON5v5 G/605v5 PTS/60PP G/60PP PTS/602013-140.581.683.245.182014-150.751.443.556.092015-160.871.922.664.292016-170.631.143.174.952017-180.491.292.654.10(G/60 = Goals per 60 minutes; PTS/60 = Points per 60 minutes)Rate stats may look complicated, but they're quite simple. Essentially, the table suggests Simmonds, once a highly efficient five-on-five and power-play producer, is not aging gracefully from a statistical standpoint.The late-season development of Nolan Patrick (who scored 12 of his 30 points in his final 19 games) and the summer signing of 36-goal scorer James van Riemsdyk are boons for both the Flyers and, by extension, Simmonds. Yet they also jeopardized the former L.A. King's trademark net-front superiority.Making matters worse, Simmonds is still rebounding from last year's absurd list of injuries - broken teeth, a broken ankle, a torn ligament in his thumb, and a torn pelvic ligament. The 30-year-old underwent surgery on his pelvis this spring and is feeling fine overall, but notes he's battling to regain game speed."I'm going to come in, I'm going to work hard," Simmonds said of Flyers training camp, "and you'll see what you usually see from me - which was obviously not last year, I don't think I had my best year - but I'm going to get better, I'm going to be healthy, and things are going to be good."Unpredictability makes for great theater, and Simmonds - a fearless competitor who's been criminally underpaid for the duration of his six-year, $23.85-million contract - is clearly ready to face the challenge head-on.Montour, Ducks' D just getting startedBrandon Montour is betting on himself.Unable to "figure out a longer-term deal that made sense," the 24-year-old defenseman settled for a two-year, $6.775-million bridge contract with the Anaheim Ducks in late July."I'm still growing as a player, and both sides were happy with doing something like this and we'll move forward from it," Montour told theScore on Tuesday. "I tell people all the time - I want to be there for a long time, they want me there as well."With Montour, Cam Fowler, Josh Manson, and no-frills anchor Hampus Lindholm, Anaheim's top four is a perfect blend of handedness (two lefties, two righties), youth (ages range from 24 to 26), mobility (they can all wheel and transport the puck), and offensive prowess (all four picked up at least 30 points last year)."We have all the confidence in the world," Montour, who is entering his second full NHL season, said of the Ducks' defense corps. "Being from where we are, being in California, we don't get seen or watched as much, (but) the four of us are very strong players and we feed off each other. Having duos like that - me and Cam, and Hampus and Manson - it's definitely huge for us as a team, and I feel like when we're out there we dictate the play and we take pride in that."Heading into training camp, the forward group is more uncertain. Ryan Getzlaf, Corey Perry, and Ryan Kesler are 33, 33, and 34, respectively. There's speculation Kesler could sit out the entire season to rehab a hip injury. Is Montour concerned about his teammate's health?"A little bit. He's looking to start the year," he said. "It's one of those things where we obviously didn't want the result we had in the playoffs but, for his sake and a couple of guys with key injuries, it's definitely allowed for a lot more time to rest and get prepared for the year. As far as I know, we should have a healthy team."Strome determined to take final stepAddressing the idea that the 2017-18 Oilers lost their "hunger" after making the playoffs the year prior, Nurse said Monday that "you can't believe your own hype."Dylan Strome, however, would be best served by doing the opposite. The third pick in the 2015 draft - sandwiched between McDavid/Jack Eichel and Mitch Marner/Noah Hanifin - needs to believe in his own pre-draft hype at this point.In his age-20 season, Strome recorded 53 points in 50 AHL games, indicating he has outgrown the feeder system. After plenty of junior and minor-league marination and 27 NHL games, he is ready for a full-time role with an up-and-coming Arizona Coyotes squad."It felt like I did what I was asked to do and I felt a lot better throughout the year," Strome said Monday. "I put up some good numbers, so hopefully I can continue that next year at the NHL level."The knock on Strome has always been his skating, even though he checks off several other scouting boxes - hockey sense, shooting ability, vision, puck protection, reach, playmaking ability.And because the modern NHL rewards speed over anything else, he won't be able to shake off the stigma until he can display significant improvement. The 6-foot-3, 183-pounder has been working tirelessly with Coyotes skating coach Dawn Braid this summer and in past offseasons."I feel a lot stronger, a lot faster," Strome said, explaining that his current sessions with Braid focus on improving his posture, positioning, and first few steps. "It's hard to tell when you're not in the game, but I'm excited for the year."Fortnite still making wavesErik Gudbranson is right in that sweet spot. He's 26, making him a millennial who's young enough to understand video game culture. But he's not so young compared to some of his fellow players."The kids are too good on this game," Gudbranson said Wednesday with a hearty laugh. "I go on there, I get roasted, and you just get sick of it."The Vancouver Canucks defenseman is referring to the "definitely addictive" Fortnite, the outrageously popular third-person survival game that has taken the hockey world (and beyond) by storm.The hoopla began in May, when Sportsnet's Jeff Marek told a story on a podcast about a top prospect whose video game addiction was ruining a promising career. It continued in June at the NHL scouting combine, where participants were grilled about their relationship with Fortnite. And it got a third life Tuesday when TSN's Rick Westhead reported some junior teams have advised players to "scrub Fortnite references from social media accounts" to avoid presenting themselves poorly to NHL clubs."It's been pretty big," Jordan Subban, a 23-year-old Maple Leafs prospect, said of the video game craze. "Even when I was in California last year (playing for the AHL's Ontario Reign), with the sun all year round, a lot of guys would still go home and just play video games. I try and not play it as much, but it's hard."A common response on social media in the wake of Westhead's report: At least these kids aren't out drinking or causing trouble. But given the attention that Fortnite continues to receive and the timing - rookie tournaments are just around the corner - don't expect this topic to die anytime soon.John Matisz is theScore's national hockey writer. You can find him on Twitter @matiszjohn.(Photos courtesy: Getty Images)Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Patrice Bergeron isn't going to see the Great Wall, but he's aiming to be in the lineup this fall.The Boston Bruins star center will not travel with the club to China for a pair of preseason games against the Calgary Flames, he told reporters including NHL.com's Amalie Benjamin on Friday.Bergeron will stay back to continue his rehab following offseason surgery and is hoping to be ready for the team's season opener.The four-time Selke Trophy winner underwent a groin procedure in June and was expected to be back at full strength by early August.For what it's worth, he did take part in practice Friday.

theScore staff took part in a 10-team, 16-round mock to provide a glimpse at what your drafts could look like, and provide analysis on the picks that were made.Related: theScore's 2018-19 Fantasy Hockey Draft KitThis is a standard scoring, head-to-head league made up of the following categories:SkaterGoalieGoalsWinsAssistsGoals-against averagePlus/MinusSave percentagePenalty MinutesShutoutsPower play pointsShots on goalThe roster positions are as follows: C, C, LW, LW, RW, RW, D, D, D, D, G, G, BN, BN, BN, BN, IR, IRDraft participants: Craig Hagerman, Josh Gold-Smith, Esten McLaren, Austin Owens, John Matisz, Eric Patterson, Josh Wegman, Alan Wong, Patrick Allen, Jason Wilson.Round 1PickPlayerOwner1C Connor McDavid (EDM)Hagerman2RW Nikita Kucherov (TB)Gold-Smith3C Steven Stamkos (TB)McLaren4C Sidney Crosby (PIT)Owens5C Evgeni Malkin (PIT)Matisz6C Nathan MacKinnon (COL)Patterson7LW Brad Marchand (BOS)Wegman8LW Alex Ovechkin (WSH)Wong9C Auston Matthews (TOR)Allen10RW Patrik Laine (WPG)WilsonThe first round came and went with no outlandish surprises. Ovechkin probably slipped further than he should have, providing nice value for Team Wong. I went with Marchand instead, who finished fourth in points per game last year and accumulates more PIMs than most first-round players. Team McLaren is banking on improvement from Stamkos after an 86-point campaign. If he plateaus, this will turn out to be a bad third overall pick.Round 2PickPlayerOwner11C John Tavares (TOR)Wilson12RW David Pastrnak (BOS)Allen13RW Patrick Kane (CHI)Wong14C/RW Tyler Seguin (DAL)Wegman15LW Taylor Hall (NJ)Patterson16C/RW Blake Wheeler (WPG)Matisz17D Erik Karlsson (OTT)Owens18C Evgeny Kuznetsov (WSH)McLaren19C/LW Claude Giroux (PHI)Gold-Smith20C Mark Scheifele (WPG)HagermanTeam Owens takes Karlsson as the first D off the board. His ceiling will be enhanced further if he's dealt to a cup-contending team. If Giroux has another season like his 102-point campaign from a year ago, Team Gold-Smith has a steal on his hands. Pastrnak is full of upside and plays on the league's best line, but this may have been a slight reach from Team Allen.Round 3PickPlayerOwner21G Andrei Vasilevskiy (TB)Hagerman22LW Artemi Panarin (CLB)Gold-Smith23RW Vladimir Tarasenko (STL)McLaren24G Connor Hellebuyck (WPG)Owens25LW Jamie Benn (DAL)Matisz26LW Johnny Gaudreau (CGY)Patterson27D Victor Hedman (TB)Wegman28D Brent Burns (SJ)Wong29RW Phil Kessel (PIT)Allen30D Dustin Byfuglien (WPG)WilsonVasilevskiy is the first goalie off the board. It's not necessary to take a netminder this early in a 10-team league, but Team Hagerman knows he doesn't choose again for another 18 picks. Don't be surprised if Tarasenko has a career year. He was quite unlucky in 2017-18 and his supporting cast has improved drastically.Round 4PickPlayerOwner31LW Filip Forsberg (NSH)Wilson32C Jack Eichel (BUF)Allen33C Anze Kopitar (LA)Wong34C Aleksander Barkov (FLA)Wegman35RW Mitch Marner (TOR)Patterson36D P.K. Subban (NSH)Matisz37D Drew Doughty (LA)Owens38D John Klingberg (DAL)McLaren39D Roman Josi (NSH)Gold-Smith40G Pekka Rinne (NSH)HagermanTeam Matisz seemed to start a run on defensemen, but all three players that followed were worthy selections. Eichel may have slipped further than anticipated, given his sky-high ceiling. Marner could have a breakout season skating alongside Tavares.Round 5PickPlayerOwner41C Patrice Bergeron (BOS)Hagerman42G Sergei Bobrovsky (CLB)Gold-Smith43C/RW Leon Draisaitl (EDM)McLaren44RW Mikko Rantanen (COL)Owens45G Frederik Andersen (TOR)Matisz46C/RW Joe Pavelski (SJ)Patterson47LW Evander Kane (SJ)Wegman48C Mathew Barzal (NYI)Wong49G Braden Holtby (WSH)Allen50C Sean Couturier (PHI)WilsonBergeron is certainly worthy of going in this slot, but Team Hagerman now has three centers without winger eligibility. In a standard league set up without a UTIL spot, he'll have to bench one of his top three skaters on busy game nights. I took a slight risk taking the oft-injured Kane here, but if he can stay healthy, he'll flourish in San Jose.Round 6PickPlayerOwner51G Tuukka Rask (BOS)Wilson52D Shayne Gostisbehere (PHI)Allen53G Jonathan Quick (LA)Wong54G John Gibson (ANA)Wegman55RW Brock Boeser (VAN)Patterson56RW Jakub Voracek (PHI)Matisz57C Nicklas Backstrom (WSH)Owens58RW Cam Atkinson (CLB)McLaren59C/LW Sebastian Aho (CAR)Gold-Smith60D John Carlson (WSH)HagermanTeam Hagerman redeems himself by stealing Carlson at the end of Round 6. The Caps blue-liner led all NHL defenseman in points last year and will be among the league leaders again after re-upping in Washington. Team Allen also gets good value on a D-man with Gostisbehere, who racked up 65 points last season. Team Owens reached on Backstrom, considering center is by far the deepest position in fantasy, and his upside is capped playing away from Ovechkin.Round 7PickPlayerOwner61D Alex Pietrangelo (STL)Hagerman62D Seth Jones (CLB)Gold-Smith63G Matt Murray (PIT)McLaren64RW Alexander Radulov (DAL)Owens65C/LW Jonathan Marchessault (VGK)Matisz66G Carey Price (MTL)Patterson67D Oliver Ekman-Larsson (ARI)Wegman68C/LW William Karlsson (VGK)Wong69C/RW William Nylander (TOR)Allen70G Martin Jones (SJ)WilsonTeam Gold-Smith gets excellent value with Seth Jones this late. Much has been made about William Karlsson's high shooting percentage contributing to his 43-goal season, but in Round 7 it's a calculated risk by Team Wong. In hindsight, I definitely could've waited on Ekman-Larsson, a perennial green jacket candidate (worst plus-minus).Round 8PickPlayerOwner71LW/RW Nikolaj Ehlers (WPG)Wilson72LW/RW Rickard Rakell (ANA)Allen73C Brayden Point (TB)Wong74D Dougie Hamilton (CAR)Wegman75D Torey Krug (BOS)Patterson76C Vincent Trocheck (FLA)Matisz77C Sean Monahan (CGY)Owens78LW Jonathan Huberdeau (FLA)McLaren79LW/RW Clayton Keller (ARI)Gold-Smith80D Kris Letang (PIT)HagermanTrocheck finished sixth in the NHL in shots last year, will play on one of the league's better second lines, and won't face the toughest matchups with Barkov ahead of him on the depth chart. This is an astute pick by Team Matisz at this point in the draft. Rakell and Ehlers could also outproduce their draft slots.Round 9PickPlayerOwner81RW Mark Stone (OTT)Hagerman82LW James van Riemsdyk (PHI)Gold-Smith83G Devan Dubnyk (MIN)McLaren84RW Viiktor Arvidsson (NSH)Owens85LW Jeff Skinner (BUF)Matisz86C Ryan Getzlaf (ANA)Patterson87G Marc-Andre Fleury (VGK)Wegman88D Tyson Barrie (COL)Wong89D Rasmus Dahlin (BUF)Allen90LW/RW Ilya Kovalchuk (LA)WilsonDahlin is the first rookie off the board. He should have an outstanding career, but only two 18-year-old defensemen have ever cracked the 40-point plateau: Bobby Orr and Phil Housley. Even if Dahlin miraculously joins them, there are plenty of 50-point blue-liners still available, making this a massive reach in a non-keeper league. Team Wilson also took a risk with Kovalchuk, but as long as he sticks alongside Kopitar, 30 goals are in the cards.Round 10PickPlayerOwner91RW Wayne Simmonds (PHI)Wilson92G Ben Bishop (DAL)Allen93G Corey Crawford (CHI)Wong94D Zach Werenski (CLB)Wegman95G Cam Talbot (EDM)Patterson96G Henrik Lundqvist (NYR)Matisz97C/RW Mikael Granlund (MIN)Owens98D Mikhail Sergachev (TB)McLaren99G Antti Raanta (ARI)Gold-Smith100LW/RW Mike Hoffman (FLA)HagermanTeam Wong takes a bit of a gamble by selecting Crawford, who still isn't 100 percent healthy after missing most of last season with reported vertigo-like symptoms. Team Owens gets a steal with Granlund this late. He's quietly averaged 68 points per year in the last two seasons. A dual-position, high-volume shooter in Hoffman is a good value pick this late as well.Round 11PickPlayerOwner101D Charlie McAvoy (BOS)Hagerman102C Ryan O'Reilly (STL)Gold-Smith103C/LW Logan Couture (SJ)McLaren104D Ryan Ellis (NSH)Owens105D Morgan Rielly (TOR)Matisz106LW Jake Guentzel (PIT)Patterson107LW Matthew Tkachuk (CGY)Wegman108LW Jaden Schwartz (STL)Wong109LW Gabriel Landeskog (COL)Allen110D Aaron Ekblad (FLA)WilsonMake it back-to-back rounds Team Owens gets outstanding mid-round value in Ellis, who played at a 60-point pace upon his return from injury. With winger eligibility, Couture is a very shrewd pick this late in the draft. He had a career-high 34 goals last season. Team Hagerman is banking on McAvoy making big strides offensively in his second season.Round 12PickPlayerOwner111D Mark Giordano (CGY)Wilson112LW Max Pacioretty (MTL)Allen113D Matt Dumba (MIN)Wong114C Brayden Schenn (STL)Wegman115RW Patric Hornqvist (PIT)Patterson116LW Kyle Connor (WPG)Matisz117D Jake Gardiner (TOR)Owens118D Ryan Suter (MIN)McLaren119C Dylan Larkin (DET)Gold-Smith120C Nazem Kadri (TOR)HagermanSchenn was much more valuable when he had winger eligibility, but there's no reason he can't repeat his 70-point season playing with Tarasenko. Minnesota's top two defensemen go off the board in this round, and in the correct order. Dumba should only continue to grow, while Suter is coming off a serious ankle injury, though he should be good to start the season.Round 13PickPlayerOwner121LW Anders Lee (NYI)Hagerman122D Rasmus Ristolainen (BUF)Gold-Smith123RW Eeli Tolvanen (NSH)McLaren124G Jake Allen (STL)Owens125C/RW Yanni Gourde (TB)Matisz126C Ryan Johansen (NSH)Patterson127LW/RW Jason Zucker (MIN)Wegman128LW/RW Evgenii Dadonov (FLA)Wong129C Nico Hischier (NJ)Allen130RW T.J. Oshie (WSH)WilsonAllen is coming off a bad year, but there's virtually no competition in the Blues' crease this season. If St. Louis is going to make some noise, Allen could rack up 35-plus wins. Tolvanen was possibly the best teenager the KHL had ever seen a year ago, but he'll have to work his way into Nashville's top six in order to return value at this draft slot. He's more than capable, though.Round 14PickPlayerOwner131C Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (EDM)Wilson132D Keith Yandle (FLA)Allen133C Jeff Carter (LA)Wong134RW Andrei Svechnikov (CAR)Wegman135D Ivan Provorov (PHI)Patterson136D Josh Morrissey (WPG)Matisz137D Will Butcher (NJ)Owens138D Colton Parayko (STL)McLaren139LW/RW Teuvo Teravainen (CAR)Gold-Smith140RW Josh Bailey (NYI)HagermanTeam Wilson could have the steal of the draft in Nugent-Hopkins, who flourished on McDavid's line in the second half of the season, and is projected to start there to begin 2018-19. It likely won't take him to long to gain winger eligibility either. Morrissey is a great two-way D, but even this late, Team Matisz easily could've found a blue-liner with more offensive upside than one who doesn't see power-play time.Round 15PickPlayerOwner141LW/RW Alex DeBrincat (CHI)Hagerman142D Kevin Shattenkirk (NYR)Gold-Smith143C Matt Duchene (OTT)McLaren144C/RW J.T. Miller (TB)Owens145D Nate Schmidt (VGK)Matisz146D Jake Muzzin (LA)Patterson147RW Tom Wilson (WSH)Wegman148C Jonathan Toews (CHI)Wong149C Casey Mittelstadt (BUF)Allen150D Shea Weber (MTL)WilsonIf Team Matisz was seeking a Golden Knights blue-liner, either Colin Miller or Shea Theodore would've made for a better choice than Schmidt. I opted to go with Wilson, who will single-handedly win PIMs some weeks and won't bring down my offense a whole lot. Weber likely won't return until at least December, but he's worth an IR stash in the draft's second-last round. Look for Miller to have a career year playing alongside Kucherov and Stamkos.Round 16PickPlayerOwner151G Juuse Saros (NSH)Wilson152D Mike Green (DET)Allen153D Duncan Keith (CHI)Wong154D Ryan Pulock (NYI)Wegman155D Mattias Ekholm (NSH)Patterson156C Elias Pettersson (VAN)Matisz157LW/RW Travis Konecny (PHI)Owens158C Nolan Patrick (PHI)McLaren159C/LW Pierre-Luc Dubois (CLB)Gold-Smith160RW James Neal (CGY)HagermanA lot of high-upside picks here, which is the right idea in the draft's final round. Konecny was dynamic in the second half of last year, and Team Owens is hopeful he carries that over into the start of this season. Pettersson is a blue-chip prospect who set numerous Swedish Hockey League records a year ago. Team Hagerman goes the high-floor route, securing a minimum 25-goal scorer in Neal.(Photos courtesy: Getty Images)Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Artemi Panarin apparently has his eyes set on the Big Apple.The Russian forward reportedly told the Columbus Blue Jackets in June that he wasn't ready to negotiate a contract extension, forcing the club to begin testing the market for its leading point producer. Now, sources have told The Athletic's Aaron Portzline that the New York Rangers are Panarin's first choice.The 26-year-old has one year left on his deal which carries a $6-million cap hit. He doesn't have a no-trade clause, and any interested team would likely have plans to sign him to a long-term extension.The Rangers, New York Islanders, Los Angeles Kings, Tampa Bay Lightning, Florida Panthers, and Dallas Stars were all on Panarin's list of preferred destinations at the draft, Portzline notes.The Jackets have fielded offers for Panarin, but most packages have contained high draft picks and prospects - neither of which would help the team's chances of returning to the playoffs.Acquired from the Chicago Blackhawks last summer in a deal involving Brandon Saad, Panarin went on to post a career-high 82 points during his first season in Columbus.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

More than two years after being traded to the Nashville Predators in one of the most shocking trades of the past decade, P.K. Subban is still reminded about a promise he made on his draft day.While speaking to reporters in Montreal at his annual gala for the P.K. Subban Foundation on Thursday, the 29-year-old admitted he's still upset about not winning the Stanley Cup during his time with the Montreal Canadiens."What I'm upset about, and at the time what I was upset about, is I made a promise to the city when I was drafted to bring a Stanley Cup back and never once did I remove myself from that statement or back away from it," Subban said. "The frustrating thing is I thought we had the right core to do that, it just seemed like we were never able to put the best team on the ice and it never happened for us."

The Calgary Flames signed restricted free-agent defenseman Noah Hanifin to a six-year extension with an average annual value of $4.95 million, the team announced on Thursday.The 21-year-old blue-liner was acquired from the Carolina Hurricanes this summer along with Elias Lindholm in exchange for Dougie Hamilton, Micheal Ferland, and Adam Fox.Lindholm, who was also an RFA at the time of the trade, later agreed to a six-year deal with the Flames averaging $4.85 million annually.Hanifin, the fifth overall pick in 2015, recorded career highs in goals (10) and points (32) last season.The Flames now have much of their core, including Hanifin, Lindholm, Mark Giordano, Johnny Gaudreau, Sean Monahan, James Neal, and Mikael Backlund, locked up through at least the 2021-22 season, with no player on the roster making over $6.75M per year.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

NHL commissioner Gary Bettman is set to be inducted into the Sports Broadcasting Hall of Fame as part of the 2018 class.Bettman joins a list of 11 professionals to be enshrined in December, which will also feature Jim Nantz, Bob Costas, and Dick Vitale, among others.Over his time as commissioner, Bettman has orchestrated multi-billion dollar deals with NBC Sports and Rogers Communications and helped create the NHL Network.Bettman was also named as an inductee to the Hockey Hall of Fame in June.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Following wrist, groin, and two hernia surgeries this offseason, Calgary Flames pivot Sean Monahan is feeling good as the NHL season inches closer."I feel like a new man right now," Monahan told Aaron Vickers of NHL.com. "I'm more flexible, more mobile, meaner and stronger, so I think it's a good feeling to be healthy."With the Flames out of the playoff picture late last season, Monahan was shut down after 74 games to get an early start on his recovery. Despite limited appearances, the 23-year-old matched his career best with 31 goals and set a new personal points benchmark in 2017-18.Monahan's health will be paramount to the new-look Flames as they seek a return to the postseason in 2018-19. Over the offseason, Calgary brought in Bill Peters as its new head coach, orchestrated a blockbuster that sent out Dougie Hamilton for Noah Hanifin, and signed perennial 20-goal sniper James Neal, who could find his way onto Monahan's line alongside Johnny Gaudreau.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

If there is any confusion about Max Pacioretty's long-term aspirations, his agent, Allan Walsh, is attempting to set the record straight.

It's no secret that the Philadelphia Flyers' penalty kill could use a bit of a boost.After finishing with a 75.8 percent kill rate last season - third-worst in the NHL - the Flyers are seeking a new face to add to their scheme when down a man."I'm open to it, but it would probably be more of a lateral move on the market rather than a free agent," Flyers general manager Ron Hextall told Dave Isaac of the Cherry Hill Courier-Post. "It would be a forward. We'd like to add a penalty-killing forward but to this point there's been nothing there that's made enough sense for us to move."Philadelphia did improve on the penalty kill in the late stages of last season - 78.6 percent after Feb. 1, good for 19th in the NHL."If we have the same personnel, we have to be the entire year like we were the last 25 games. We can't be at the bottom of the league," Hextall said. "We saw signs at the end of the year, which is why I feel some comfort right now."Do I feel total comfort? No, I don't. We finished bottom three in the league and that's not good enough. Again, the players that we have, have to be better."Head coach Dave Hakstol is entering his fourth season with the Flyers. During his tenure, the team has made fewer trips to the penalty box each season, only to watch its performance on the penalty kill also decline:Season Times Shorthanded (Rank) PK% (Rank)2015-16262 (12th)80.5 (20th)2016-17247 (15th)79.8 (21st)2017-18223 (29th)75.8 (29th)With those numbers, it's understandable for Hextall to be open to tweaking his lineup.Still, it wasn't an offseason of fireworks in Philadelphia, as the team recruited James van Riemsdyk and defenseman Christian Folin, but neither acquisition is a penalty-kill specialist. Van Riemsdyk saw less than two minutes total on the penalty kill over 81 games with Toronto, while Folin's 1:05 average ice time while shorthanded ranked fifth among Los Angeles blue-liners.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

TORONTO - The salary cap-era St. Louis Blues have been just kinda there.They've found plenty of success, of course, accumulating more than 80 points in 10 of 12 non-lockout seasons. They made the playoffs every year from 2012 to 2017, and, in Ken Hitchcock's final full campaign behind the bench, were two wins away from competing for the 2016 Stanley Cup.Through it all, though, they've rarely generated widespread excitement. Rarely rocked the boat. Rarely struck fear into opponents across the NHL.Then, the 2018 offseason came and went, and the perception changed.General manager Doug Armstrong remodeled up front this summer by acquiring Ryan O'Reilly, David Perron, Patrick Maroon, and Tyler Bozak, and trading away Patrik Berglund, Vladimir Sobotka, and Tage Thompson.The forward group won't be required to carry the Blues moving forward - captain Alex Pietrangelo and the defense corps, as well as goalies Jake Allen and Chad Johnson, have jobs to do too - but it will be the straw that stirs the drink in St. Louis.On an individual level, O'Reilly and winger Robby Fabbri, who hasn't appeared in an NHL game since February 2017, are both viewing the 2018-19 season as a fresh start. And, quite possibly, the start of something special for the Blues.O'Reilly's rechargeBack in April, as he addressed Buffalo media on locker room cleanout day, O'Reilly opened up about having "lost the love of the game multiple times" over the course of the '17-18 season.His remarks, linked strongly to the painstakingly slow Sabres rebuild, stopped media and fans in their tracks. It was the type of honesty we rarely see from public figures. (It turns out pro athletes can be vulnerable too. Huh.)A much cheerier O'Reilly revisited the topic Tuesday at the annual BioSteel Camp."It was tough," he said, referring to the last of his three seasons in Western New York. "You still love what you do, and there's no better feeling than playing a hockey game - it's the best job in the world - but, at times during the season, it was draining. You don't want to think about the game because it's just not going well. And it took a toll at different times of the year. There were times that year that we started to get things going and you love it. Winning's fun. Losing is not fun at all."Not surprisingly, O'Reilly welcomed the move to Missouri and is enjoying coming to the rink every day again. "They missed the playoffs by one game. They're close, they're on the verge of something great," he said. "Getting to add to that was pure excitement."The 27-year-old is penciled in as the Blues' No. 1 center next to super sniper Vladimir Tarasenko. Not a bad landing spot for a guy whose contract (another four years at $7.5 million per season) isn't easy to move."He's one of the best scorers in the game," O'Reilly said of Tarasenko, the eagerness evident in his voice. "If it works out, I think it'll be awesome. I use my stick a lot to create turnovers and he's that guy that is always in the right area, in the scoring areas."Tarasenko has scored 37, 40, 39, and 33 goals the past four seasons. Alongside a cerebral, faceoff-winning machine like O'Reilly, the Russian could conceivably bag somewhere in the neighborhood of 45 in '18-19. That trademark shot does a lot of the work."You see how he gets behind it, how he puts everything into it," O'Reilly said. "You see the release of it, the quickness and just the heaviness of it. Not many goalies stand a chance, and (he has) pinpoint accuracy. It is one of the best shots in the league."Head coach Mike Yeo will have training camp to experiment beyond the logical O'Reilly-Tarasenko and Schwartz-Schenn duos. Here's an educated guess of the Blues' top three lines to start the year:LEFT WINGCENTERRIGHT WINGPatrick MaroonRyan O'ReillyVladimir TarasenkoJaden SchwartzBrayden SchennDavid PerronAlex SteenTyler BozakRobby FabbriThat's a balanced and potent unit that will drive opponents nuts for 50 minutes a night. (It's still August - forget about the fourth line.)There's also the chance Robert Thomas, a high-end prospect from the OHL's Hamilton Bulldogs, makes the big club out of camp. He's regarded as a future first- or second-line NHL center but could easily slot in on the wing somewhere in the top nine.Any way you slice it (there's a case to be made for prospect Jordan Kyrou, 20, stealing a spot too), what was largely a one-line attack last year is now thorough.That's a necessary step for the Blues, because the Central Division is a house of horrors. They needed this infusion to compete with the Jets, Predators, Stars, and the like.Fabbri's effectOf the 15 forwards the Blues have signed for this coming season, eight are in a contract year. Fabbri, a true wild card, is in that show-me group.The 2014 first-rounder is returning from a pair of surgeries on his left knee. He tore his ACL during the 123rd game of his career and has been sidelined since, suffering the same injury last fall. The fearless speedster missed the entire season, moving back home to Toronto last December for rehab."I've done a good job keeping a positive mindset through this whole thing," Fabbri said Tuesday. "Not too many people get 10 months to train and prepare for a season, so that's the way I looked at it. Not only rehabbing my knee, (but also) fixing the imbalances and fixing the little things on and off the ice. It has helped. I never really got down about it. The situation's kinda tough, but stuff happens and you can't fix that.""I feel 100 percent," he added. "You can't really mimic the stresses of a season - back-to-back games and things like that - but if you ask me right now, yeah, I feel if not 100, 99 (percent)."(Photo courtesy: Getty Images)The cynical take: Fabbri may have durability issues.Fabbri, who has also suffered a concussion and a high ankle sprain in recent years, said the club told him to "come in and prove myself again," promising nothing in the wake of such a long layoff and the signing of a one-year, $925,000 contract. In general, will that knee hold up?The optimistic take: Fabbri may be on the verge of breaking out.There's no denying the 22-year-old's immense potential when healthy. He hasn't truly found his footing in the NHL, but, based on his pre-draft stock and flashes of brilliance, could blossom into a top-six mainstay who contributes 50-60 points a season. The club's 30th-ranked power play certainly needs a boost.You could play the same game with St. Louis.The cynical take: Same old Blues.The optimistic take: Brand new Blues.John Matisz is theScore's national hockey writer. You can find him on Twitter @matiszjohn.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Warning: Story contains coarse languageNearly two months after irking John Tortorella with a comment he made after signing with the Pittsburgh Penguins, Jack Johnson claims he was simply praising his new club."I was paying a compliment to Pittsburgh," the Penguins defenseman, and former Columbus Blue Jackets blue-liner, told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette's Jason Mackey on Wednesday. "They’ve won two Stanley (Cup championships) in the past three years. It is a winning organization. I was expressing how excited I am to be here. Nothing more."Johnson, who spent six-plus seasons with the Blue Jackets, said the following to reporters after agreeing to a five-year, $16.25-million contract with the Penguins on July 1.“I've been really wanting to be a part of a winning culture and a place where the expectations to win are as high as they can be. I don't think I could have asked for a better opportunity here.”Penguins general manager Jim Rutherford also drew the ire of Tortorella when he said he knew why Johnson wasn't playing at the end of the season, and that it wasn't due to his play.Neither utterance sat well with the Columbus head coach, who took both as shots at him and the organization as a whole."All I know is, this organization, from the lawyers, the front office, (president of hockey operations John Davidson), the managers, the coaches, players ... has done nothing but try to help Jack," the Blue Jackets bench boss told The Athletic's Aaron Porzline at the time. "And for (Johnson) to backhand slap us like this is utter bullshit, and he should know better."No one wishes anything bad to happen to him and his family," Tortorella continued. "We wish him the best. But for him to put it the way he put it today is bullshit. And to have a general manager question our decision-making from three hours away, he must be a fucking magician."Johnson posted 11 points in 77 games while ranking fourth on the Blue Jackets in average ice time at 19:33 last season.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Philadelphia Flyers and winger Wayne Simmonds have held preliminary talks about a new contract, he told theScore's John Matisz at BioSteel Camp on Wednesday.While discussions have started, Simmonds is focused primarily on his health heading into the final season of his six-year, $23.85-million contract."I've gotta get healthy, first and foremost, and show (them) that I am the player that I was, I think, two years ago," Simmonds said, according to Matisz.Following the Flyers' first-round playoff elimination in April, Simmonds revealed a ridiculous list of injuries he played through in 2017-18.

Brett Connolly isn't interested in going to the White House should the Washington Capitals be feted by U.S. President Donald Trump."Personally, I don’t think I’m going to go ... it has nothing to do with politics," Connolly told reporters, including theScore's John Matisz, at BioSteel camp Wednesday. "For me, I just don’t think it’s the right thing to do.“Everyone is entitled to their opinion," he added. "I think there’ll be a few guys not going, too. Like I said, it has nothing to do with politics, it’s about what’s right and wrong, and we’ll leave it at that.”Devante Smith-Pelly said back in June that he already had his mind made up and criticized the president for his "racist and sexist" rhetoric.Related - Smith-Pelly: Easy decision to forgo White House visit if Caps get inviteSeveral Capitals, including Alex Ovechkin, Nicklas Backstrom, and Evgeny Kuznetsov, said they would go if invited.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

TORONTO - Waiting isn't Joel Ward's favorite pastime, but it's all he can do right now.It's late August - professional tryout season - and the 37-year-old right-winger is jobless. An unrestricted free agent since July 1, Ward told theScore Tuesday he's "waiting to hopefully solidify something" before NHL training camps open in mid-September.The veteran of more than 800 NHL games won't let himself think about life outside the best hockey league in the world. Plan B options, such as playing in Europe or retirement, aren't top of mind."Haven't really thought about it," Ward said at the annual BioSteel Camp. "I think we're all fighting for contracts, for sure, so I think the main thing is to stay patient and just be ready."Ward's three-year, $9.825-million contract with the San Jose Sharks ended in unflattering fashion this spring. First, he was asked to waive his modified no-trade clause at the trade deadline. Then, following an injury-laden regular season in which he posted 12 points in 52 games, head coach Peter DeBoer sat him for all 10 playoff contests.A good soldier on seven previous NHL playoff squads, Ward admits it was a tough stretch in his professional life."I definitely wanted to play ... it was unfortunate, I suffered a pretty tough (shoulder) injury down the stretch and it was hard to get back in (the lineup)," he said. "You always want to be playing, regardless of the sport. You always want to get out there and help your squad win. But, it's part of the game sometimes and it definitely gave me some good fire in the belly to get after it this summer."Forward Scottie Upshall was in a similar spot during last year's BioSteel Camp. He ultimately signed with his old club, the St. Louis Blues, after Robby Fabbri went down with a season-ending injury in late September. This offseason, Upshall signed a PTO with the Oilers and will fight for a job in camp.Clubs prioritize speed, skill, and youngsters in the modern NHL. It's abundantly obvious this time of year, when tryout agreements start trickling in. Here's the full PTO list as of Wednesday morning, according to CapFriendly.com:PLAYER AGE TEAMScottie Upshall34OilersJason Garrison33OilersMark Letestu33PanthersSimon Despres27CanadiensEmerson Etem26KingsNow, Ward's willingness to stick it out this late in the summer shouldn't come as a giant surprise. He's been unwanted in the past. The 6-foot-1, 225-pounder went undrafted and didn't make the NHL until his mid-20s, but is sitting on 356 career points and more than $25 million in earnings.He has strung together a notable NHL career, dressing for 809 regular season and playoff games for the Minnesota Wild, Nashville Predators, Washington Capitals, and Sharks. Last season, Ward was one of only two NHLers who honed their craft in the Canadian University ranks (Derek Ryan was the other)."Looking back, you just hope to play one (NHL) game," he said of a four-year stint at the University of Prince Edward Island. "One turned into a couple more and it just kept going from there. Once you get a taste of it, you want to stay."Following four years of major junior, another four in university, and three more in the AHL, Ward found a 10-year home in the NHL. Can he squeeze out one more?Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Those in charge of the potential NHL franchise in Seattle will get their chance to impress the league in the not too distant future.“We now know that in early October we’re going to see the executive committee," Tod Leiweke, the president and CEO of the prospective team, told 950 KJR on Tuesday. "We believe that will be on October 2nd in New York City ... We then go in front of the entire membership of the NHL to make our case, and we’re going to be ready."Leiweke reiterated that he isn't underestimating the importance of the meeting.“We are not taking anything for granted," he said. "It would be an incredible honor to be the 32nd franchise, so we’re going to be prepared for that day and that test. We are right now building a spectacular presentation that we’ve been working on for weeks. I’ve never prepared like this for a presentation or meeting, and I’ve had a few in my career. This is an important moment because we owe it to the city to do our best.”Leiweke left his previous post as the NFL's COO in March and was hired in his current role in April. He joined his brother Tim, the CEO of Oak View Group, which will serve as the team's owners if a franchise is granted.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The NHL draft brings with it a new crop of rookies and the hype that follows them. And in all that excitement, some young players, who have spent time with an NHL squad but still retain their rookie eligibility, get lost in the shuffle.Here are four rookies who have already felt the pressure of competing against NHL-caliber players and are ready to make a splash in 2018-19.Related: Ranking the top NHL rookies for 2018-19(Position eligibility according to Yahoo)Lias Andersson, C, RangersAgeGPGAPTS197112The seventh overall pick of the 2017 NHL Entry Draft closed out his season with the New York Rangers after splitting time in Sweden and the AHL for the majority of the year. Andersson will now have a chance to make the big club out of training camp and could even compete for the second-line center role behind incumbent No. 1 Mika Zibanejad, who has missed time in each of the last two seasons. Andersson should be flanked by a pair of veteran wingers, which will only help him make the leap from prospect to pro.Valentin Zykov, LW, HurricanesAgeGPGAPTS2312448Zykov should be provided with an opportunity to play extended minutes and grow as a player, as the Carolina Hurricanes enter yet another rebuild. The 2013 second-round pick debuted with a two-game appearance in 2016-17, scoring a goal while averaging just over six minutes of ice time. He led the AHL with 33 goals and 54 points last season and could reward Carolina's patience if he's able to stick on the top line for a full campaign.Dylan Sikura, RW, BlackhawksAgeGPGAPTS235033Sikura was a top-10 Hobey Baker finalist in his final year at Northeastern. He notched 22 goals and 54 points over 35 games and earned a five-game stint with the Chicago Blackhawks to finish the season. Chicago's roster has recently become rather top-heavy, but the 2014 sixth-rounder could be on the fast track to offensive success if he's able to crack the top six, now that he's fully developed at the NCAA level.Logan Brown, C, SenatorsAgeGPGAPTS204011Brown opened last season on the Ottawa Senators' roster but was quickly returned to the OHL, where he totaled 48 points over 32 games. At 6-foot-6 and 220 lbs, he's the prototypical power forward and should be able to offer fantasy managers value with shots on goal and penalty minutes, even if the point production doesn't come immediately. He's definitely worth a late-round flier in banger leagues, in which he'd be credited with hits and blocked shots, but he could even warrant consideration in deeper standard leagues with ice time so readily available in Ottawa.Related: 5 rookies who can make a fantasy impact this season(Photos courtesy: Getty Images)Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Matt Stajan is heading across the pond.The longtime NHL forward signed a contract with the Munich Red Bulls in Germany, he confirmed Wednesday.Stajan was an unrestricted free agent who spent the last eight-plus seasons with the Calgary Flames after being traded there by the Toronto Maple Leafs in January 2010.Despite serving in a bottom-six role for most of his career, the 34-year-old played 1,003 NHL games, chipping in 146 goals and 413 points.He racked up a career-high 40 assists and 55 points with the Leafs in 2008-09. Toronto selected him 57th overall in 2002.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Franchise icon Martin Brodeur has returned to the New Jersey Devils, rejoining the organization as executive vice president of business development, the team announced Wednesday.Brodeur spent the last three years as assistant general manager with the St. Louis Blues, resigning from the role Tuesday.With New Jersey, Brodeur will report to president Hugh Weber and "work across all departments to identify, capitalize, and develop on business opportunities for the Devils, Prudential Center, and the outlying community," per the team's release."It feels fantastic to be back home here in New Jersey," Brodeur said. "This unique opportunity will allow me to build on existing relationships in the business community and take on a new challenge in my career. I've been able to work in all facets of the game of hockey and have had a growing interest in the business surrounding the game. Working with Hugh and his team will be beneficial for all of us. Over 20 years in in New Jersey, I was lucky enough to make connections that I can now use to help the Devils grow, not only in this area but beyond."As a goalie, Brodeur was the face of the Devils for 21 years, winning three Stanley Cups, four Vezina Trophys, and the Calder Trophy in 1994. He had his No. 30 retired by the club in 2016, and will be inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in November.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Edmonton Oilers signed veteran defenseman Jason Garrison to a professional tryout, the team announced Tuesday.Garrison played in only eight NHL games last year with the Vegas Golden Knights, recording one assist while averaging 19:04 ice time per game.In 58 games with the AHL's Chicago Wolves, the 33-year-old tallied eight goals and 20 assists.In the wake of Andrej Sekera's Achilles injury suffered during offseason training, the Oilers are bringing in competition for their blue line, as Jakub Jerabek signed a one-year deal with the club last week.Garrison has a bomb from the point - one that helped him pot a career-high 16 goals from the back end in 2011-12 with the Florida Panthers, but his lack of foot speed has made him ineffective over the past few years.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

TORONTO - Tyler Seguin wants you to know he is disappointed.Specifically, he is disappointed in the Dallas Stars for not offering a contract of his liking this summer and is unhappy because negotiations have been nonexistent of late.It was easy to draw these conclusions Tuesday, as Seguin uttered the words "disappointing" and "disappointed" a total of four times in a six-minute media scrum focused mainly on the potential 2019 free agent’s future with the Stars."Nothing’s really going on," he said when asked for an update on extension talks between his camp and the club. "Pretty much haven’t been talking much this summer. It’s been a little disappointing. I thought I’d have some exciting news to talk about at BioSteel camp, especially this late in the summer, but ..."Seguin, who has been eligible to re-sign in Dallas since July 1 and will almost certainly make north of $10 million per year on his next deal, trailed off for a moment but quickly reverted back to his main point."It’s been disappointing," the 40-goal scorer added, "but at the end of the day I’ve always had one year left here, so I’m focused on that, I’m focused on BioSteel camp right now, and I’m excited to get back to Dallas and I look forward to a good year."(Photo courtesy: Getty Images)The elite center also revealed Tuesday that, although talks haven’t materialized to any great extent since late June, he isn’t exactly counting down the days to July 1, 2019.Asked if he is curious at all about the free-agency process, Seguin replied, "I guess I’m not really there yet." In other words, unless the player-team relationship goes really south, the Stars should remain a favorite for his signature."Dallas has been home. I’ve been comfortable in Dallas since I got down there," the former Boston Bruin said. "At the end of the day, I want to win, I want to be successful, I want to get back into the playoffs."The Stars, for what it’s worth, are remaining mum. (Citing a team policy of not speaking publicly about negotiations, a spokesperson on Tuesday afternoon politely declined a request to interview general manager Jim Nill.) Regardless, it's safe to assume the Central Division squad is intent on retaining a 26-year-old who enters play this fall tied with Sidney Crosby for the second-most NHL goals since 2013-14, Seguin's first season in Dallas.PLAYERGPGOALSGOALS/GAMEAlex Ovechkin4022360.59Sidney Crosby3941730.44Tyler Seguin3871730.45Jamie Benn4041720.43Vladimir Tarasenko3831700.44Seguin’s comments - which appear genuine and from a good place but could easily be a form of posturing to nudge the Stars into a deal - are mighty interesting. While the 2010 second overall pick seems confident that the two sides will come to an agreement at some point, he is making it seem like the Stars blindsided him by stalling as the offseason progressed.Is Seguin comfortable negotiating during the season? "Honestly, it hasn’t really been much of a thought," he said. "I wasn’t really expecting this, so I’ve been taking it (as it comes). Normal training, normal summer. Same as last year and the year before."Stars training camp, which opens Sept. 14 in Boise, Idaho, will be packed with intrigue. There’s this Seguin drama, the introduction of rookie NHL coach Jim Montgomery and his systems, the return of Russian winger Valeri Nichushkin, and the highly anticipated North American debut of Miro Heiskanen.

Detroit Red Wings captain Henrik Zetterberg's back issues will force him to miss training camp and the start of the season, he told Swedish newspaper Sportbladet, according to Sportsnet's Chris Johnston."I have not been able to train and I cannot play NHL matches without being well prepared, especially not at my age," Zetterberg said.Red Wings head coach Jeff Blashill told MLive's Ansar Khan on Sunday that if Zetterberg wasn't ready to play by opening night, it's likely he won't feature at all this season.Though a comeback shouldn't be completely ruled out, it's possible that the NHL has seen the last of Zetterberg, who will turn 38 in October. He has three years remaining on his contract with an annual cap hit of $6.083 million, but he's only owed $3.35 million in total salary this season, and $1 million in each of the final two years, per Cap Friendly.Zetterberg hasn't missed a game since 2014-15, but he gutted through much of last season and was unable to practice for half of the year, Blashill said earlier this month. He still managed to put up 56 points.Without Zetterberg in the lineup, Blashill will shift the speedy Andreas Athanasiou to the middle as the club's third-line center behind Dylan Larkin and Frans Nielsen, he told Khan.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

If Jack Eichel thinks he deserves to be the next captain of the Buffalo Sabres, he has one former teammate in his corner.Ryan O'Reilly, who spent the last three seasons in Western New York alongside Eichel before being dealt to the St. Louis Blues this summer, responded emphatically when asked if he thought the Sabres' franchise cornerstone was ready to wear the 'C'."Absolutely. Oh, gosh, yeah," he said, according to Sportsnet's Luke Fox.The Sabres went without a captain last year, but Eichel did have an 'A' on his sweater. Brian Gionta is the team's most recent captain, holding that position for three seasons until the 2016-17 campaign.It's possible Jason Pominville, who was the Sabres' captain for two years during his first stint in Buffalo, draws consideration for the 'C'. But Eichel, who is about to enter the first season of an eight-year, $80-million contract, seems like a more likely choice, even though he's still only 21 years old.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Devante Smith-Pelly hasn't struggled with his decision to not go to the White House should his Washington Capitals be invited by U.S. President Donald Trump.The winger shed more light on his stance Tuesday after first making his feelings known back in early June."It was an easy decision," he told TSN's Mark Masters. "I said it at the time and the decision was made a long time ago."The Stanley Cup champion Capitals haven't been officially invited by the president yet, but he said in June that they'd likely be welcome.Two days before that, Smith-Pelly told Postmedia's Michael Traikos that "the things that (Trump) spews are straight-up racist and sexist," adding that "some of the things he's said are pretty gross," and that he "definitely" doesn't agree with Trump's rhetoric.About a week later, Smith-Pelly told reporters he'd "still love" Alex Ovechkin and any other teammates who decide to go. He shared a similar sentiment Tuesday while adding that he hasn't changed his mind about passing on a potential visit."I made my decision when the question was asked, so that hasn't changed," Smith Pelly told Masters. "(My teammates) don't care. The thing about that team is everyone is an individual and they let you be yourself, so I'm not going to hold it against anyone if they want to go. That's fine, they can go ahead, and no one's going to hold it against me or any other player who says, 'Hey, we don't want to go,' so they're all supportive. They don't care what I do."Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.