Brett Kulak and the Calgary Flames reportedly have very different assessments of what the defenseman is worth.Kulak is asking for a contract worth $1.15 million per season, while the club's offer is a two-way deal worth $650,000 at the NHL level, according to Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman.The arbitration hearing for the 24-year-old restricted free agent is scheduled for Monday.Kulak went unclaimed after being placed on waivers Thursday.He played exclusively at the NHL level this past season, chipping in eight points in 71 games.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Anaheim Ducks are working on a two-year bridge deal for restricted free-agent defenseman Brandon Montour, as the two sides couldn't work out details for a long-term extension, general manager Bob Murray said, according to The Athletic's Eric Stephens.Montour and the Ducks have an arbitration hearing set for Tuesday in Toronto, but it's still possible for a deal to be struck before then.After making his NHL debut in 2016-17, Montour established himself as a key fixture on the Ducks' blue line last season with an impressive campaign. The 24-year-old appeared in 80 contests, registering nine goals and 23 assists while logging over 20 minutes per game.Montour is one of three RFA's on the Ducks' books currently without a contract, along with wingers Ondrej Kase and Nick Ritchie. Murray will have approximately $8.8 million in cap space to work with to get the trio signed, per CapFriendly.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Minnesota Wild re-signed defenseman Matt Dumba to a five-year contract with an average annual value of $6 million, the team announced Saturday.The deal contains a modified no-trade clause in the final two years in which Dumba can submit a 10-team no-trade list, according to CapFriendly.Dumba is coming off his best season in which he tallied 14 goals and 50 points while suiting up in all 82 games for the Wild. He logged a career-high 23:49 of ice time per contest while recording 136 hits and 112 blocks.The Wild were eliminated in five games by the Winnipeg Jets in the first round of the playoffs, but Dumba was their best player, assuming the role of No. 1 defenseman with Ryan Suter injured.According to Corsica's player rating system, Dumba graded as the 34th-best defenseman last season, making him an elite No. 2 rearguard, and he's still just 23 years old.Dumba was a restricted free agent and was scheduled to have an arbitration hearing on July 23. Forward Jason Zucker now remains the Wild's lone RFA.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Vancouver Canucks re-signed defenseman Troy Stecher to a two-year deal with an average annual value of $2.325 million, the team announced on Friday."Troy Stecher is an important part of our team," said Canucks general manager Jim Benning. "He's a talented two-way defenseman who competes every shift. Troy has a willingness to always improve his game and is an example of a young player committed to being a professional."The Richmond, B.C. native's point total fell from 24 as a rookie to 11 in his sophomore campaign. However, he nearly doubled his hit total with 111, and blocked 75 shots.Stecher was originally signed as an undrafted college free agent after a stellar NCAA career, highlighted by winning a national championship with the University of North Dakota in 2015-16. He played alongside future NHLers Nick Schmaltz and Drake Caggiula, and current Canucks teammate Brock Boeser.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The initial rush of offseason player movement across the NHL is long gone, and we're now deep into the extended lull of summer activity.Save for a few big names remaining on the trade block, the free-agency well has run dry after a bevy of transactions. Now, let's take an early look at what we may be in store for next year when an unprecedented crop of superstars potentially hit the open market.ForwardsTyler Seguin, C, Stars

Mike Hoffman's fiancee wants to clear her name after being accused of cyberbullying Erik and Melinda Karlsson.Monika Caryk filed an application called a Norwich Order with the Ontario Superior Court of Justice on Thursday, according to court documents obtained by ESPN's Emily Kaplan.Caryk's application says she is seeking to "expose the real perpetrators responsible for harassment and cyberbullying (against) Ms. Karlsson, and demonstrate to Ms. Karlsson and the public that I have been wrongly accused."Melinda Karlsson applied for a peace bond against Caryk on May 4, the Ottawa Citizen's Shaamini Yogaretnam reported about five weeks later. Melinda Karlsson said Caryk waged an online harassment campaign against her and her husband, which included remarks about the death of their son, who was stillborn in March.Caryk said in her application Thursday that she has never been served with the peace bond and hasn't been summoned for a hearing on whether one should be issued.That peace bond is currently under seal with the court, according to ESPN.Hoffman and Caryk have denied the allegations. The Senators said in a statement last month that they are investigating the matter along with the NHL, but Caryk claimed in her application Thursday that, to her knowledge, no such investigation has taken place.The former Ottawa Senators forward was traded to the Florida Panthers by way of the San Jose Sharks on June 19.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Washington Capitals have re-signed defenseman Madison Bowey to a two-year, $2-million contract, the club announced Thursday.Bowey, 23, was drafted 53rd overall by the Capitals in 2013. He made his NHL debut in 2017-18, collecting 12 assists in 51 games, and chipped in six points over nine AHL appearances.Locking up Bowey means the only player on the Capitals' ledger without a contract for the 2018-19 season is winger Tom Wilson, a restricted free agent. The club has over $7 million in projected cap space to arrange a new deal for their enforcer, per CapFriendly.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Vegas Golden Knights' trademark dispute has been resolved.Bill Foley, the club's chairman and CEO, announced Thursday that the Golden Knights and the U.S. Army have entered into a trademark coexistence agreement regarding usage of the NHL team's mark and name.The U.S. Army's parachute exhibition team will continue to use the "Golden Knights" moniker, while the hockey club will keep using the names "Vegas Golden Knights" and "Golden Knights" in connection with that franchise.Foley's team has been dealing with trademark issues since the revelation of the name and logo in 2016. The Army renewed its battle with the club by officially opposing Vegas' use of those identifiers in January of this year.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Winnipeg Jets signed forward Adam Lowry to a three-year, $8.75-million contract Thursday, the team announced.Lowry was a restricted free agent and was scheduled to have an arbitration meeting with the Jets on Sunday.The 25-year-old is coming off his fourth season with the club since being drafted in the third round in 2011, in which he tallied eight goals and 21 points in just 45 games.Lowry has put up 41 goals and 90 points in 281 career games.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Calgary Flames have put defenseman Brett Kulak on waivers, as announced Thursday. An arbitration hearing date has been set for July 28.The 23-year-old Edmonton, Alberta native was selected by the Flames in the fourth round of the 2012 draft. Kulak spent parts of four seasons with the Vancouver Giants in the WHL before signing a three-year entry-level contract with Calgary in 2014.Kulak became a regular third-pairing defender with the Flames last season, skating in 71 games and recording two goals and six assists.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Artemi Panarin has given the Columbus Blue Jackets a deadline to discuss any business matters with him.The talented forward told general manager Jarmo Kekalainen on Thursday that as of Sept. 13 when training camp begins he won't discuss matters such as a potential contract extension or a trade, Panarin's agent, Daniel Milstein, confirmed to The Athletic's Aaron Portzline."Artemi loves hockey," Milstein said. "He hates the business side of hockey."When the season starts, the focus can only be on playing. He's going to play his best and give his best to the hockey club."The deadline relates largely to the trade front, as it was reported last month that Panarin is not willing to discuss an extension with Columbus, and that stance has apparently not changed.Related: 'No contract progress' in talks between Panarin, Blue Jackets, says agentPanarin will become an unrestricted free agent next offseason, and after watching the New York Islanders lose star John Tavares in free agency, wisdom suggests the Blue Jackets would like to avoid losing Panarin for nothing as well.Portzline added that according to sources, Columbus has received several "legitimate" trade offers for Panarin, but that the return is not expected to be more than prospects and draft picks unless Panarin agrees to an extension with the team that acquires him.The 26-year-old is coming off his first season with the Blue Jackets, in which he set the franchise's single-season scoring record with 82 points in 81 games.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Chicago Blackhawks seem to have put their offseason wheeling and dealing on hold for the time being.Following a trade with the Arizona Coyotes last week that shipped out Marian Hossa's contract and brought back forward Marcus Kruger, general manager Stan Bowman admitted Tuesday that the team is likely to wait until closer to training camp before potentially making more moves."That's probably the way it's going to be," Bowman said, according to NHL.com's Tracey Myers. "Each year teams have surprises, good and bad, in camp. I think our team's the same way. You have ideas on how your lines are going to look or how your players are going to be ready. There'll be some adjustments around the League, but probably not a lot of activity. If you look back the last couple of seasons, late July and August are quieter as far as transactions. There's the possibility of moves, but probably closer to training camp is more when changes may happen."The Blackhawks have $5.49 million in cap space heading into next season, giving them some wiggle room to bring in a player via trade or free agency if they so choose. However, with the potential for players to surprise in camp and challenge for roster spots, Bowman isn't feeling pressure to make a move for the sake of it."Having cap space is an asset in and of itself, so things will come along maybe in the summer, maybe in the beginning part of the (season) where teams have a couple players that make their team unexpectedly that makes some other players more expendable," Bowman said."In the past, we probably haven't really been a good match for those types of situations because we didn't have the cap room at that time. So now we're going to be in the mix for those types of things. Whether we use it right away or whether we use it during the season, I think the nice thing is we have the flexibility now going into the coming years where we're going to need cap room, all that and more, to sign the young players."Chicago is coming off its worst finish (76 points) in a full 82-game season since 2006-07, when the club finished with just 31 wins.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Winnipeg Jets and defenseman Jacob Trouba are reportedly $3 million apart in their contract talks, with an arbitration hearing just two days away.The Jets have offered $4 million while Trouba is asking for $7 million heading into arbitration, according to Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman.Related: After signing Hellebuyck, can the Jets afford to keep the rest of their core?The 24-year-old is a restricted free agent, coming out of the final season of a two-year, $6-million contract. Trouba signed the deal after a contract dispute to begin the 2016-17 season, which saw him hold out before signing on Nov. 7, 13 games into the regular season.Trouba tallied three goals and 24 points in 55 games last season while averaging 21:54 of ice time, the second-most among all Jets players.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The San Jose Sharks agreed to a two-year contract with forward Chris Tierney on Wednesday, the team announced.Both sides avoid arbitration with a new deal that carries an annual average value of $2.9375 million, reports Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman.

It happens in sports every year: athletes produce a magical season, but then quickly fall back to earth despite heightened expectations. Predicting that regression is far from an exact science, but when it comes to fantasy - and more specifically, to fantasy hockey - the ability to peg a player who's set for a decline can be the difference between winning and losing.With that in mind, here are four players to be wary of this fall:William Karlsson, C/LW, Vegas Golden KnightsLet's not over complicate things here, Karlsson came out of nowhere to take the league by storm in 2017-18 with a ridiculous offensive campaign highlighted by a slightly shocking 43 goals and 35 assists for Vegas.All props to Karlsson and the Knights for a sensational inaugural season on the strip, but the likelihood of the speedy Swede even cracking 30 goals next year is relatively low. Especially when you consider that his highest output previous to last season was a lowly nine with the Columbus Blue Jackets three years ago.Don't forget, Vegas has already lost the scoring punch of veteran snipers James Neal and David Perron, so opposing teams will focus their attention on shutting down Karlsson and linemates Jonathan Marchessault and Reilly Smith.The addition of Paul Stastny alleviates some of the offense lost with Perron and Neal, but the book is out on both the Knights and Karlsson, so the diminutive forward will be in tough to repeat last season's improbable offensive showing. Dustin Brown, LW/RW, Los Angeles Kings Speaking of guys who came out of nowhere last year, Brown had a resurgent 2017-18 that saw him surpass the 40-point mark for the first time in five seasons. While Brown's 28 goals and 33 assists were huge fantasy assets, his recent track record leaves some cause for concern.SeasonGAP2013-141512272014-151116272015-161117282016-171422362017-18283361It should also be noted Brown had the benefit of playing alongside a red-hot Anze Kopitar for a majority of last season, so his offensive numbers clearly benefited from the Hart Trophy-type campaign from his All-Star centerman.Brown will likely have the same opportunity to play on Kopitar's wing next season, but expecting both players to repeat their production, especially Brown, is a risky bet. After all, the Kings are a team which perennially finishes in the bottom half of the league in team scoring.Banking on a soon-to-be 34-year-old with rapidly diminishing foot speed to post back-to-back 40-plus point seasons for the first time in seven years would be a foolish move. Brown regresses next season, book it.Josh Bailey, LW/RW, New York IslandersBailey's proven he can hang in the NHL over the last two seasons after posting 127 points over 158 games while holding down a spot on the Islanders' top line. However, that No. 1 line had been anchored by superstar pivot John Tavares over recent years, so Bailey's numbers are set for a significant decline with Johnny T now cemented in Toronto for the foreseeable future.Tavares converted 29 of Bailey's 96 assists since the start of the 2016 campaign, meaning just over 30 percent of Bailey's apples came on JT's goals. Moreover, Tavares assisted on 14 of Bailey's 31 goals over the last two years, so, to expect Bailey to post another All-star-worthy season would be a bold prediction.Now, Bailey will still have the benefit of playing with up-and-coming stars like 40-goal man Anders Lee and reigning Calder Trophy winner Mathew Barzal, so he still holds fantasy value, especially in deeper leagues. But without his talisman up the middle, Bailey will be hard-pressed to repeat last season's 71-point performance. Phil Kessel, RW, Pittsburgh PenguinsNo one likes to crush hot dogs and put up solid offensive seasons as much as Kessel does. But in all fairness to Phil, the impressive 92-point showing from last year won't be replicated in 2018-19.Sure, he's coming off the most productive campaign of his 11-year career (34 goals and 58 assists), but Kessel will be turning 31 in October and it's not exactly like he's been the most committed player off the ice, either. Not to mention the rumored rift between Kessel and team management, which led to reports indicating Kessel was so unhappy with the Penguins that he would accept a trade out of Pittsburgh.Related: - Report: Kessel not opposed to trade, would play for Tocchet's CoyotesThere is no denying the stellar season Kessel had in 2017-18, a career year is a career year no matter how you slice it. But Phil managed only one goal in 12 playoff games, and was clearly uncomfortable with how head coach Mike Sullivan was utilizing him in the postseason.Kessel can still bring it, but given the potentially sticky off-ice situation and the growing notion that the veteran is getting tired of the day-to-day grind that comes with being an everyday NHLer, and it becomes quite evident that Kessel won't be posting another 90-point season.(Photos courtesy: Getty Images)Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Forward Tomas Nosek has agreed to a new one-year, $962,500 contract with the Vegas Golden Knights, the team announced.Nosek is coming off a two-year contract that carried a $612,500 annual cap hit.By re-signing with the Golden Knights, Nosek avoided an arbitration hearing that was set for July 30. He will be a restricted free agent once his new agreement expires.In 67 games with Vegas last season, Nosek notched seven goals and eight assists. The 25-year-old then upped his production in the postseason, tallying six points across 17 appearances, including the game-winning goal in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final.The Golden Knights claimed Nosek from the Detroit Red Wings in last summer's expansion draft.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The New York Rangers have agreed to terms with forward Jimmy Vesey on a new two-year contract, the team announced Tuesday.The deal comes with an average annual value of $2.275 million, according to the New York Post's Larry Brooks.The 6-foot-3 winger first signed with the Rangers following his stellar NCAA career at Harvard, but his time in the NHL has been slightly underwhelming thus far. In 159 games with New York over the past two seasons, the 25-year-old amassed 33 goals and 55 points.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The New Jersey Devils have come to terms with forward Stefan Noesen on a one-year, $1.725-million contract, the team announced Tuesday.In his first full season with the Devils, the 25-year-old had 13 goals and 14 assists in 72 games.The announcement was made by the team's executive vice president and general manager, Ray Shero."Since he has arrived in New Jersey, Stefan has played smart, competitive hockey and has scored timely goals," Shero said. "He's also a guy you can rely on to play in tough defensive situations and has really grown his all-around game."The Plano, Texas native was selected in the first round of the 2011 draft by the Ottawa Senators. He was claimed off waivers by New Jersey from Anaheim in January 2017. Noesen had previously filed for salary arbitration and will become a restricted free agent next summer.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Andrew Barroway has only been the sole owner of the Arizona Coyotes for just over a year, but he's reportedly seeking to sell 49 percent of the NHL franchise at a valuation of $500 million, sources told Mike Ozanian of Forbes.Related: Barroway committed to Arizona, new arena: 'No exit strategy here'Barroway took majority ownership of the club in December 2014, and took sole ownership in June of last year after spending $240 million to buy out his remaining partners. The $500-million valuation is a seemingly high figure given that Arizona has languished at the bottom of the standings and has struggled to draw fans for the majority of the past two decades.The club is also in financial turmoil, as it sits with $250 million of debt, $100 million of which is owed to the NHL.Given those issues, it will be interesting to see if potential buyers are willing to meet the valuation that Barroway is seeking.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The New Jersey Devils re-signed forward Blake Coleman to a three-year contract with an average annual value of $1.8 million, the team announced Tuesday.Coleman might be more known around the league for drinking pickle juice than for his hockey abilities, but he's actually one of the league's most underrated players.In his first full NHL season last year, the 26-year-old was a valuable checking forward for the Devils. He finished 15th in the league with 68 takeaways and was the only player in the top 45 of that category with fewer than 25 giveaways (21).Meanwhile, Coleman came very close to posting an even possession number (48.1 Corsi For percentage) despite starting nearly two-thirds (66.4 percent) of his shifts in the defensive zone. He also racked up 216 hits and 57 blocks.He wasn't exactly a dynamo offensively, but Coleman even managed to chip in 13 goals and 25 points despite limited ice time (14:24 per game) and being used primarily in a defensive role.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

If New York Rangers fans want a scouting report on their new head coach, they should turn their attention 850 miles southwest, where a pair of prospects are just the latest to sing his praises.Center Patrick Harper and defenseman David Farrance played for David Quinn at Boston University, and now find themselves in the Nashville Predators' deep prospect pipeline. Meanwhile, Quinn moved on to the Rangers this offseason, but his impact has stuck with them."He was great to me, played me in all situations, and just from a development standpoint he really stressed to learn how to play a 200-foot game," Harper told theScore after the Predators' Future Stars game. "I think from my freshman to sophomore year I improved in a lot of areas that really only guys within the room and the coaches can see, or whoever watched us a lot."The 51-year-old Quinn, also a former Colorado Avalanche assistant, spent five seasons with BU. He racked up 100 wins, led the university to the Frozen Four championship game in 2015, and was named the 35th head coach in Rangers history on May 23, replacing Alain Vigneault."He was great toward my development," Farrance said. "He's exactly what I needed. He was a very good coach, and he clearly deserves the job he got."Farrance added that Quinn's emphasis on work ethic and focus helped his all-around game."I think I've become a little bit of a smarter player," he said. "I think I've gotten better at finding plays (and) making the smart simple play over the complicated, hard play."Quinn's system at BU was based on puck possession and playing the "200-foot game" that Harper alluded to, which means aggressive forechecking and backchecking from forwards who are charged with playing hard at both ends of the ice. The coach's commitment to those tenets paid dividends for the team, and for several established NHLers who blossomed under his tutelage.Arizona forward Clayton Keller, who spent one year at BU under Quinn, has earned high praise from Coyotes general manager John Chayka for being a solid defensive player. Chayka has specifically referenced how Keller uses his stick and the way he reads the ice.Meanwhile, Buffalo Sabres forward Jack Eichel is perhaps Quinn's best-known former player. Despite playing on a less-than-stellar Sabres team, Eichel continually makes sound defensive plays, knowing when to transition the puck out of his own zone. According to data collected by NHL Network analyst Mike Kelly, Eichel averaged 10.4 controlled zone exits per game in 2016-17, and had 542 controlled exits and entries halfway through the 2017-18 season, which ranked fourth among all forwards.That style of play lines up well with the direction the NHL is trending. It made Quinn the perfect person to develop college prospects, and could make him a great fit to groom young, skilled NHLers.However, ask anyone about Quinn's greatest quality as a coach, and they'll likely tell you it's how effective he is at building relationships. It's evident when speaking to his former players - from Eichel to Jordan Greenway to Charlie McAvoy - as they've echoed that sentiment to a man.Eichel, the No. 2 pick in the 2015 draft, praised Quinn for helping him adjust to life as one of the top prospects in the world while in college - a status that came with plenty of unwanted scrutiny."It's been unbelievable," Eichel told the Boston Globe in March 2015 about playing for Quinn. "He is definitely one of the main reasons for my success. (He gave me) advice off the ice, if I was struggling socially, or on the ice, he has been super supportive. He has coached at all different levels and he has a lot of experiences of his own so he has been able to pass it on to me. He has given me some very good advice.”Meanwhile, Quinn has often acknowledged the value of connecting with those who play for him."The only way you will have a chance to develop a player is with a trust factor, and the more time you put in with him and the more time you put into him and he realizes that you care, that is where the trust comes in," Quinn told reporters at his introductory Rangers news conference. "You can do all the fancy drills that you want but if there isn't a connection between the coach and player, you have a hard time developing. The kids want to know why and the communication pieces is so important."Harper credits Quinn for doing the same with him."He's helped me so much on and off the ice, with everything on the ice and then just being a better human being off the ice," Harper said.Hannah Stuart keeps a close eye on both drafted and draft-eligible prospects and can usually be found trying to learn more about hockey analytics. She has previously written for FanRag Sports, The Hockey Writers, and Hooked On Hockey Magazine, and can also be found at High Heels and High Sticks. Find her on Twitter at @HockeyWthHannah.(Photos courtesy: Getty Images)Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The New York Islanders agreed to terms with blue-liner Ryan Pulock on a two-year contract Tuesday, the team announced.Pulock is coming off a solid season for the Isles in which he registered career-high totals in goals (10), assists (22), and points (32). He also racked up 184 shots on net and finished fourth on the team in hits with 113.The Dauphin, Manitoba native was selected by the Islanders in the first round (15th overall) of the 2013 NHL Draft. He has 36 points across 84 career NHL regular-season games.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald isn't planning to finish his Hall of Fame career with another team, even if it means retiring without ever hoisting the Lombardi Trophy."If I'm not playing in Arizona, I won't be playing anywhere," Fitzgerald told Jace Frederick of the St. Paul Pioneer Press. "I've built a good life for myself down there. Playing in the same place for 15 years is a true blessing."Fitzgerald, who'll be 35 when the new season begins, is signed through the 2018 campaign but could then hit the free-agent market for the first time in his illustrious career.Arizona has reached the playoffs just four times in his 14 seasons and appears headed for another rebuild following the selection of quarterback Josh Rosen in the first round of the 2018 draft.The 11-time Pro Bowler will enter the year ranked third on the NFL's all-time receiving list, just 389 yards shy of Terrell Owens for second place. He's posted three consecutive 1,000-yard seasons.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Connor Hellebuyck's six-year, $37-million contract extension was a deal Winnipeg Jets general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff had to make after the goaltender's play was a huge part of the team's success this past season.But now, Cheveldayoff's attention turns to the next task at hand: locking up the rest of his core.Cheveldayoff and his staff have drafted well over the last five years, which means a lot of restricted free agents will need new contracts, all within a two-year span. It's a problem every GM would love to have, but it's difficult nonetheless.Here's a list of the Jets' current RFAs:PlayerPos.2017-18 cap hitJacob TroubaD$2.81MAdam LowryC$1.125MTucker PoolmanD$925KJosh MorrisseyD$863KMarko DanoRW$850KBrandon TanevLW$700KTrouba and Morrissey are obviously the biggest fish to fry.On a long-term contract, Trouba will likely earn at least $6 million per season, while Morrissey would probably make around $5 million annually. The Jets could delay their extensions by going to arbitration or signing them to bridge deals, but that would only raise the cap hits on eventual long-term contracts.Winnipeg still has over $20 million in cap space, so securing Trouba and Morrissey, then retaining the remaining RFAs, isn't too much of a squeeze right now.It's next offseason when things become interesting.PlayerPos.FA type2018-19 cap hitBlake WheelerRWUFA$5.6MTyler MyersDUFA$5.5MBen ChiarotDUFA$1.4MJoe MorrowDRFA$1MAndrew CoppCRFA$1MPatrik LaineRWRFA$925KKyle ConnorLWRFA$925KWheeler, the Jets' captain, is coming off a career-high 91-point season. Another productive year could result in a cap hit in the $8-10 million range.Myers played all 82 games last season and was stellar while piling up 36 points. Smooth skating, right-handed shooting defenseman standing at 6-foot-8 don't grow on trees, so anything less than $6 million annually probably wouldn't be enough to keep him around.Since Laine and Connor are RFAs, there's no rush to sign them long term. But here again, the longer the Jets wait, the higher their cap hits will become. Already a perennial Rocket Richard Trophy candidate, Laine could get close to $10 million per season, and another 30-goal year would help Connor pull in roughly $5 million per season.Signing all six of Trouba, Morrissey, Wheeler, Myers, Laine, and Connor to long-term deals could cost the Jets around $40 million per season, which is estimating conservatively. That's a problem because, as Cap Friendly projects, they'll only have $38.2 million in cap space next year, which doesn't include any of the low-end deals to bring back the aforementioned role players.Who's the odd man out?One of the Jets' core players will have to go, and all signs point to Myers.Related: Why a Gardiner-for-Myers trade would make sense for Leafs, JetsThe Jets have 2017-18 AHL defenseman of the year Sami Niku and 2016 first-rounder Logan Stanley coming through the system on the back end, so letting a blue-liner go makes the most sense. Trouba is only 24 years old, so the odd man out wouldn't be him barring completely stalled contract negotiations. And with Dustin Byfuglien in the fold for three more years, having three stud right-handed shooting defensemen is a luxury the Jets won't be able to afford.Cheveldayoff could either trade Myers this offseason and get something in return, or keep him around for another year knowing he gives the team a better chance at winning the Stanley Cup, then let him walk for nothing. Either way, losing Myers seems inevitable if Cheveldayoff wants to keep the rest of his foundation together.However, even without Myers, the Jets will still be right up against the cap, meaning they'll have to move one of their current contracts to accommodate Trouba, Morrissey, Wheeler, Laine, and Connor. Forward Mathieu Perreault ($4.125M through 2020-21) and defenseman Dmitry Kulikov ($4.3M through 2019-20) would be most likely to go.Perreault has been a consistent role player for the Jets, and although his secondary scoring is valuable, they could live without it. Kulikov, meanwhile, is coming off a down year, and while he could rebuild his value before the need to make a trade next offseason, it would likely be much easier to move Perreault.Even after losing Myers, one of Perreault or Kulikov, and ponying up to pay several key players, the Jets could still boast one of the league's most talented rosters for the 2019-20 season.Note: Cap hits in parentheses, projected cap hits are bolded.Forwards: $48.41 millionLWCRWKyle Connor ($5M)Mark Scheifele ($6.125M)Blake Wheeler ($8M)Nikolaj Ehlers ($6M)Bryan Little ($5.29M)Patrik Laine ($10M)Nic Petan ($800K)Adam Lowry ($2M)Jack Roslovic ($894K)Brandon Tanev ($1M)Andrew Copp ($1.5M)Marko Dano ($950K)Brendan Lemieux ($850K)Defense: $25.98 millionLDRDJosh Morrissey ($5M)Jacob Trouba ($6.5M)Dmitry Kulikov ($4.3M)Dustin Byfuglien ($7.6M)Logan Stanley ($863K)Sami Niku ($775K)Tucker Poolman ($950K)Goalies: $6.96 millionGConnor Hellebuyck ($6.16M)Eric Comrie ($800K)That's $81.35 million for the projected 2019-20 roster. The NHL salary cap for the 2018-19 season is $79.5 million. However, the cap hasn't risen by less than $2 million since 2009-10, so the Jets should be fine.This projection doesn't include the pieces the Jets would receive in potential trades for Myers or Perreault, which could help the roster. The projected cap hits of some players could also drastically change depending on the 2018-19 season.However, with a little bit of maneuvering, the Jets shouldn't have any issues keeping the bulk of their core. And thanks to their great organizational depth, they should still be able to ice a very competitive team for years to come.(Photos courtesy: Getty Images)Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Jon Gillies has agreed to a two-year, $1.5-million deal with the Calgary Flames, the team announced Tuesday.The agreement is a two-way deal for the first year, which becomes a one-way contract in 2019-20.Gillies appeared in 11 games with the Flames last season, posting a 3-5-1 record with a .896 save percentage.The 24-year-old will compete for the Flames' backup position this season with fellow netminder David Rittich, a restricted free agent who has filed for salary arbitration.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Nashville Predators have signed goaltender Juuse Saros to a three-year, $4.5-million contract, the team announced Monday.The 23-year-old netminder was named to the NHL's All-Rookie Team last season after posting an 11-5-7 record. Saros recorded a 2.44 goals against average and a .925 save percentage, the third-best percentage in Predators' history.The Forssa, Finland, native was a fourth-round pick by the Predators in 2013. He's appeared in 48 career NHL games and holds a career 21-14-10 record with the blue and gold.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The New York Rangers have agreed to terms with defenseman John Gilmour on a one-year deal, the club announced Monday.Gilmour appeared in 28 games with New York last season, where he scored two goals and added three assists, including the first-ever overtime winner by a Rangers rookie defender.The 6-foot, 195-pound blue-liner skated in 120 AHL games over two seasons with Hartford, where he recorded 51 points. Before his professional career, Gilmour played four seasons for Providence College, where he helped the Friars to their first NCAA Championship title in 2015.In addition to the Gilmour signing, restricted free agents Chris Bigras, Steven Fogarty, Boo Nieves, and Rob O'Gara all accepted qualifying offers from the Rangers.Bigras was acquired by the Rangers in exchange for Ryan Graves in 2018. The 23-year-old defenseman played 46 games with the Colorado Avalanche over two seasons, recording four points.Fogarty, a third-round draft pick of the Rangers in 2011, has appeared in 132 AHL games with Hartford over three seasons. The center has tallied 41 points, and last season set career highs in goals, shorthanded goals, and game-winning goals.Nieves, a Rangers second-rounder from 2012, split last season between the NHL and AHL. In 28 games with the Rangers, the center netted nine points and posted a plus-six rating.O'Gara was acquired from the Boston Bruins in 2018. The 25-year-old defender appeared in 30 NHL games last season, tallied three assists, and was tied for third on the team in blocked shots per game.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Anaheim Ducks signed forward Adam Henrique to a five-year contract extension on Monday, the team announced.The deal carries an average value of $5.825 million per season for a total of $29.125 million, a source told The Athletic's Josh Cooper.

The Calgary Flames re-signed forward Elias Lindholm to a six-year contract worth $4.85 million annually, the team announced Monday.Lindholm and Noah Hanifin were acquired from the Carolina Hurricanes following last month's NHL draft in a blockbuster trade that sent Dougie Hamilton, Micheal Ferland, and Adam Fox the other way.The 23-year-old Lindholm was chosen fifth overall by the Hurricanes in 2013, but his development has taken slightly longer than expected. He's played in five NHL seasons, and compiled 16 goals and 44 points during 2017-18, both one shy of his career highs.The Swede is capable of playing both center and on the wing, so head coach Bill Peters (who coached Lindholm in Carolina) can use him in a variety of ways. However, a spot alongside Sean Monahan and Johnny Gaudreau on Calgary's top line could be the quickest formula for Lindholm to find his untapped potential.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Nashville Predators signed restricted free-agent forward Ryan Hartman to a one-year, $875,000 contract on Monday, the team announced.The 23-year-old was acquired from the Chicago Blackhawks ahead of last season's trade deadline along with a fifth-round pick. In exchange, the Predators shipped out a first- and fourth-round selection, as well as prospect Victor Ejdsell.In 79 games split between the Blackhawks and Predators, Hartman tallied 11 goals and matched his career high with 31 points.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Despite a meeting in Nice, France, on Monday between Columbus Blue Jackets general manager Jarmo Kekalainen and forward Artemi Panarin, it appears the sides are no closer to a contract extension.While Kekalainen declined to comment following the meeting, Panarin's agent, Dan Milstein, said it was a "good conversation," but that there was "no contract progress at this time," according to The Athletic's Aaron Portzline.It was reported back in June that Panarin wasn't ready to consider signing a contract extension with the Blue Jackets, and that Kekalainen was therefore testing the market for him.The 26-year-old Panarin has one year left on his current two-year, $12-million contract, after which he'll become an unrestricted free agent.He's coming off his first season with Columbus following a trade that sent Brandon Saad to the Chicago Blackhawks in return. Panarin finished 2017-18 with 27 goals and a career-high 82 points in 81 games.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Players available in the middle of a fantasy hockey draft who will greatly exceed expectations are just as important as the valuable sleepers in the later rounds.Targeting players who are on the radar of most managers in your league by picking them a round or two ahead of where their career production dictates is a major key to fantasy success.Here's a look at four players who could have breakout campaigns in 2018-19 and should be available at reasonable draft slots.C/LW Alex Galchenyuk, CoyotesThe No. 3 pick from the 2012 NHL Draft was finally granted his freedom from the Montreal Canadiens after a trade, and he should instantly play a massive role for the Arizona Coyotes.The 24-year-old Galchenyuk enjoyed a solid season in 2015-16 with 30 goals and 56 points. But he hasn't even hit the 20-goal mark in either of the two seasons since, and his shooting percentage dipped to a career-low 8.9 in 2017-18. Galchenyuk has never averaged more than 16:30 of ice time per game over a full campaign, and he's constantly been switched between the wing and center.He'll battle with Derek Stepan during the preseason for the first-line center role in Arizona. The recent addition of winger Vinnie Hinostroza through a trade with the Chicago Blackhawks provides the Coyotes with sorely needed depth on the outside.Galchenyuk ranked second among Canadiens' forwards with 240:01 of power-play time last season, totalling a team-best 24 points. Both of those figures exceed those of Stepan, and should provide the new addition with further fantasy opportunities.LW/RW Pavel Buchnevich, RangersBuchnevich took a tremendous step forward in his sophomore season, playing in nearly twice as many games and more than doubling his rookie-year point total. His shooting percentage dipped to a more reasonable 10.3, but seeing just shy of an extra two minutes of ice time allowed him to register an additional shot on goal every two games.The Rangers' thin forward depth should give Buchnevich an inside track to play on the top line beside Mika Zibanejad and Chris Kreider. He'll either be the focus of the second power-play unit or work the point on the top squad.Losing J.T. Miller, Rick Nash, and David Desharnais since the trade deadline leaves 342 shots on goal from last season to replace. There will be plenty of chances for Buchnevich entering the third and final season of his rookie deal.D Darnell Nurse, OilersNurse has steadily progressed since being the seventh overall pick in the 2013 draft.The 6-foot-4, 221-pound defender showed some signs of offensive upside during the 2017-18 season, registering 194 shots on goal. He ranked second among Oilers skaters while averaging 22:15 of ice time per game, and only Connor McDavid and Oscar Klefbom fired more shots on target.Had he been able to match his 5.9 percent shooting rate from the previous season, Nurse would've tallied 11 goals last year. He did, however, record 20 assists, largely as a result of playing with McDavid at even strength. Increased time with the man advantage, and some team success after the Oilers ranked just 20th in goals last season, should allow Nurse to approach the 40-point threshold.C/LW Pierre-Luc Dubois, Blue JacketsDubois' ceiling is strongly tied to the whereabouts of Artemi Panarin in 2018-19. Panarin has been included in trade rumors following a report that he's not ready to sign an extension with the Blue Jackets.Dubois finished third in team scoring as a rookie last season, behind Panarin and defenseman Seth Jones, despite trailing the two by averages of 3.5 and eight minutes of ice time per game. He's projected to serve as the top center this year with Panarin and Cam Atkinson filing in beside him.If Panarin is traded for nothing more than draft picks and prospects, Dubois should be able to greatly improve on his rookie success. He'd likely be asked to take on a large share of replacing the 228 shots on goal left behind by Panarin, and push for a 30-goal season while riding his reasonably sustainable 12.1 shooting percentage in 2017-18.(Photos courtesy: Getty Images)Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Nev. (AP) Former Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo rallied from four points back to win his first American Century Championship at Lake Tahoe on Sunday.Romo, who retired after the 2016 NFL season and is now an NFL analyst, had 27 points on the day to beat three-time defending champion Mark Mulder and San Jose Sharks captain Joe Pavelski, the leader after the first two rounds.''It's a special win,'' said Romo, who had finished second three times in seven previous trips to the annual celebrity golf tournament at Edgewood Tahoe Golf Course. ''It feels like you're playing a tournament back home here. The day felt good for a lot of reasons.''Romo tapped in for par, worth one point, on the 18th hole to finish with 71 points, three ahead of Mulder, the former major league pitcher. He then caught a flight to Berlin, Wis., where he was to compete in a 36-hole U.S. Amateur qualifying tournament on Monday.The American Century Championship uses a modified Stableford scoring system which rewards points for eagles (six), birdies (three) and pars (one) and deducts points (two) for double bogeys or worse. Bogeys are worth zero points.Pavelski had a 7-foot eagle putt on the par-5 18th that could have tied Romo, but it slid by. He finished with 66 points, tied for third with Ray Allen, who will be inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame on Sept. 7.''It feels like nothing went in for me today,'' Pavelski said. ''But I couldn't ask for more than to have that putt to tie on the last hole.''Romo plays as an amateur, so his $125,000 first-place check from the $600,000 purse will go to local charities and the Stowers Institute for Medical Research, the primary charitable arm of title sponsor American Century Investments.Rounding out the top five were Trent Dilfer, a Super Bowl-winning quarterback with the Baltimore Ravens in 2001, and former tennis player Mardy Fish. Each had 62 points.Golden State Warriors guard Steph Curry, who fell out of contention with a mediocre round Saturday, jumped into Lake Tahoe amidst much fanfare after losing a bet to his father, Dell. The elder Curry jumped into the lake last year, so he negotiated a 20-point handicap and won by two points.Other notable players in the 92-player field included John Smoltz, the MLB hall of Fame pitcher who two weeks ago competed in the U.S. Senior Open and finished 10th here with 53 points; Steph Curry, who finished tied for 11th with retired Marine and wounded war hero Andrew Bachelder (50); actor Jack Wagner (16th, 47 points); Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers (tied for 18th, 44 points); actor Ray Romano (tied for 71st, minus-26 points); comedian Larry the Cable Guy (tied for 77th, minus-33 points); and former NBA great Charles Barkley, who finished alone in last with minus-93 points.The tournament drew 57,097 fans for the week, setting an attendance record for the fourth straight year.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Warning: Post contains coarse languageThe hockey world lost one of the most memorable netminders in recent history on Sunday.Former Ottawa Senators goaltender Ray Emery died after drowning early in the morning while swimming in the Hamilton Harbour in Hamilton, Ontario.Emery dressed in 287 NHL games for five teams across 11 seasons, and judging by the overwhelming compassion expressed by former teammates and friends, he will surely be missed.

Former NHL goaltender Ray Emery died early Sunday morning in Hamilton, Ontario after drowning while swimming with friends, Hamilton police confirmed.Emery was 35 years old.He played 287 career NHL games across an 11-year career that included stops with the Ottawa Senators, Philadelphia Flyers, Anaheim Ducks, and Chicago Blackhawks.Emery last suited up during the 2015-16 season where he split his time between the Ontario Reign and Toronto Marlies of the American Hockey League and the Manheim Eagles of the DEL in Germany.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Montreal Canadiens agreed to terms with center Phillip Danault on a three-year contract Sunday, the team announced. The new deal carries an annual average value of $3.083 million per season.

When he's healthy, there is no denying Minnesota Wild forward Zach Parise's ability to put up points.Related: Parise suffered broken sternum in Game 3; reportedly out 6-8 weeksSo, following a season in which the 33-year-old underwent back surgery and suffered a fractured sternum in the playoffs, Wild fans should be excited to hear that Parise expects to be ready for the start of the 2018-19 campaign."I don't anticipate that being a problem," Parise said Saturday, confirming that he feels 100 percent, according to Dane Mizutani of the St. Paul Pioneer Press. "It feels good."Parise missed 40 games after his back surgery in October. Following his return, he registered 15 regular-season goals - 12 of them in his last 18 contests - and nine assists, only to suffer the sternum injury in Game 3 of the first round of the postseason.He says he's been skating for "a while" and is encouraged by his play down the stretch."It was nice to feel normal again on the ice. That was the biggest thing for me. ... That was relieving," Parise said. "I'm looking forward to doing that again next season."Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Columbus Blue Jackets signed restricted free-agent forward Oliver Bjorkstrand to a three-year contract on Sunday, the club announced. His new deal carries an annual average value of $2.5 million, according to Brian Hedger of BlueJackets.com."Oliver is a gifted player with a tremendous shot and scoring instincts who has improved steadily during his first three seasons as a pro," Columbus general manager Jarmo Kekalainen said. "He is just scratching the surface of the type of player he can be and we believe he has the potential to be a dynamic offensive player for our club."Bjorkstrand tallied 11 goals and 29 assists in 82 regular-season games for the Blue Jackets last year, chipping in with one goal and two assists in six playoff games.The Denmark native was a prolific scorer in lower levels, winning WHL player of the year honors in 2014-15 after racking up a ridiculous 63 goals and 55 assists in 59 games for the Portland Winterhawks. It will be very interesting to see if Bjorkstrand can continue to develop his game at the NHL level.He was drafted by Columbus in the third round of the 2013 draft (89th overall).Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Nev. (AP) San Jose Sharks captain Joe Pavelski held off a charge from three-time defending champion Mark Mulder to maintain a one-point lead after the second round of the American Century Championship celebrity golf tournament at Lake Tahoe on Saturday.Mulder began the day nine points behind Pavelski in the modified Stableford scoring system, which awards six points for eagle, three for birdie, one for par, zero for bogey and minus-two for double bogey or worse. He had 31 points in the round for a total of 47.Pavelski had 23 points on the day for a two-round total of 48. Former Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo (44), former NFL quarterback Trent Dilfer (43), two-time winner and former NFL quarterback Mark Rypien and former tennis standout Mardy Fish (39) followed. Former NBA star Ray Allen (38), MLB Hall of Famer John Smoltz (35) and Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers (33) were also in the hunt. Steph Curry, among the leaders after an 18 in the first round, fell back and was at 28 points.Mulder, a former major league pitcher, had just four points after 15 holes on Friday, but since then he has tallied 43 is now in position to win the tournament at Edgewood Tahoe Golf Course for the fourth straight year.''So I couldn't hit it worse than I did for the first 15 holes yesterday,'' said Mulder, who last year became the first player in the tournament's 28-year history to win three straight times. ''So I was kind of excited to get this day going and luckily made a few putts and got that ball in the hole.''Pavelski's best finish in two previous appearances was 10th. He knows he's going to have to hold off Mulder if he's going to win his first celebrity golf tournament.''I hung in there in a good position,'' Pavelski said. ''I'm excited to play with the guys tomorrow. There's some good golfers. And they've proven themselves. And Mulder's the guy to beat right now.''Sunday's final round will be televised live on NBC at 3 p.m. ET.Romo, who has competed in U.S. Open qualifier tournaments, said there was no magic to his strong round Saturday.''It's probably because I'm just actually a better golfer, to be honest,'' said Romo, who is an NFL analyst now. ''I wish it was, I'm more comfortable or mentally stronger or something. No, I've had more time. I've put more time in.''Former NBA great and crowd favorite Charles Barkley was alone in last place in the 92-player field with minus-63 points.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Age is just a number as far as Ilya Kovalchuk is concerned.The newest member of the Los Angeles Kings was on hand to speak to reporters on Saturday and said he still expects to play at an elite level through the duration of his contract."When I was making my decision, it was all about hockey because I have three or four years left in my tank where I can really play at a high level," Kovalchuk said, according to Jon Rosen of LAKingsInsider.com. "L.A. has a great group of guys. Like I said, great goaltending, great defense, and they have one of the best centers in the league. I never had a chance to play with those kinds of guys, so it's really exciting for me."This season will mark Kovalchuk's return to the NHL after five years spent with SKA St. Petersburg of the KHL. The former 1st overall pick of the Atlanta Thrashers - who averaged over 40 goals per 82 games in the NHL - is confident he'll be able to produce thanks in large part to the talent surrounding him in L.A."The last few years I was still in the same caliber like I was, so I feel comfortable," Kovalchuk said. "Especially when you play with the guys like Kopitar, Doughty, Carter, Brown, those guys, they make it even easier to get the points and the goals. We just need to work really hard and be a good team. It doesn't matter really who's going to score."Kovalchuk will be relied on heavily to produce offense after a season that saw the Kings finish 16th in the regular season in goals. The campaign concluded with a first-round sweep to the Vegas Golden Knights after the team managed a mere three goals. Adding the KHL's reigning points leader should help address that.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Columbus Blue Jackets restricted free-agent defenseman Ryan Murray accepted his one-year qualifying offer and will be paid $2.825 million for the 2018-19 season, the team announced Saturday.Murray, the club's second overall pick in the 2012 NHL Draft, has failed to live up to the hype of being such a high selection, but will get a chance to prove himself on a one-year deal. He'll be an RFA once again next summer, but will have arbitration rights.Columbus apparently had no interest in discussing a long-term extension with Murray, according to The Athletic's Aaron Portzline.Injuries are the main reason Murray has been labeled as a draft bust. Over the last two seasons, he's missed 64 games. In 2014-15, he only made 12 appearances in the Blue Jackets' lineup.However, it wouldn't be surprising if Murray, who will be 25, excels next season if he can have an injury-free year. After all, defensemen tend to take longer to develop compared to forwards, and his growth has presumably been hindered by all the time he's missed.The Blue Jackets now have roughly $8.134 million left in cap space, per Cap Friendly, and their only unsigned RFA is forward Oliver Bjorkstrand.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Ottawa Senators apparently didn't include much bonus money in their offer to Erik Karlsson.While the club's contract-extension pitch to the superstar defenseman was closer to $11 million than $10 million per season, it came up short in the area of signing bonuses, a source with knowledge of the offer told The Athletic's Chris Stevenson for a story published Friday.The Senators reportedly made the offer to Karlsson on July 1, and Ottawa reportedly gave other teams permission to negotiate with the stud blue-liner shortly thereafter.The lack of sizable signing bonuses would run in stark contrast to the deal John Tavares signed with the Toronto Maple Leafs.Tavares will receive more than half of his new $77-million contract ($44 million) in the first three years of the seven-year pact, and he'll earn less than $1 million per campaign in terms of actual salary in all seven of those years, with the vast majority of his earnings coming by way of bonuses.The Leafs' newest star forward isn't the only player to sign a bonus-heavy deal in anticipation of a potential work stoppage in 2019, as most of Connor McDavid's $100-million contract with the Edmonton Oilers will be paid by way of upfront money over an eight-year term when it kicks in during the upcoming season.Talk of a possible lockout or strike in 2019-20 has persisted because both the NHL and the NHLPA can opt out of the current collective bargaining agreement on separate dates in September 2019, even though the CBA runs through the 2021-22 season.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Nev. - San Jose Sharks captain Joe Pavelski took the lead with 25 points, and former NFL quarterback Trent Dilfer was at 24 points after the first round of the American Century Championship on Friday.Twelve players were within seven points of Pavelski in the modified Stableford scoring event, including baseball Hall of Famer John Smoltz (21), Golden State Warriors guard Steph Curry (18), former Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo (18), Denver Broncos quarterback Case Keenum (18) and actor Alfonso Ribeiro (18).The scoring system awards six points for eagle, three for birdie, one for par, zero for bogey and minus-two for double bogey or worse.Pavelski, who has spent his entire 12-year NHL career with San Jose, is making his third appearance in the event. He finished 10th in 2016 and tied for 12th in 2017.Three-time defending champion Mark Mulder finished eagle-birdie-birdie, worth 12 points, and was in a group at 16 along with Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers.Charles Barkley, a fan favorite, was in his usual spot, alone in last place among the field of 92 with minus-34 points.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Dallas Stars locked up forward Devin Shore to a two-year, $4.6-million contract on Friday, the team announced.Shore was a restricted free agent and was scheduled to go to arbitration on July 20."Devin is a hard-working, young forward who has shown us that he is willing to do whatever it takes on the ice to help the team win," general manager Jim Nill said in a release. "His durability and versatility as a player has proven to be a major asset for our club. We look forward to watching his continued growth and development."Shore is coming off his second full season in the NHL, where he put up 30-plus points for the second straight year. He concluded his sophomore season with 11 goals and 21 assists, and finished third among Stars forwards with 57 blocked shots.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Toronto Maple Leafs signed winger Andreas Johnsson to a one-year, two-way contract Friday, the club announced. His deal is worth $787,500 at the NHL level.Johnsson is coming off a stellar campaign for Toronto's AHL affiliate, as the speedy Swede racked up 26 goals and 28 assists in 54 regular-season games for the Toronto Marlies. He also scored 24 points (10 goals, 14 assists) in 16 playoff games en route to a Calder Cup title and the Jack A. Butterfield Trophy as AHL playoff MVP.Johnsson tallied two goals and an assist in only nine regular-season games last year with the Buds, but after such a strong 2017-18 showing, he should have a much larger opportunity to crack the big club's lineup straight out of training camp.The 23-year-old accepted the Leafs' qualifying offer that was proposed at the end of June. He'll become a restricted free agent at the end of the 2018-19 campaign. Johnsson was drafted by the Leafs in the seventh round (202nd overall) in 2013.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Los Angeles Kings re-signed defenseman Paul LaDue to a new two-year contract that will carry an annual cap hit of $825,000, the team announced Friday.LaDue, 25, suited up for 12 regular-season games with the Kings last year, scoring three goals and adding one assist. He compiled 18 points in 38 AHL contests with the Ontario Reign.Drew Doughty, Jake Muzzin, Alec Martinez, and Dion Phaneuf make up L.A.'s top four defensemen, but as a right-handed shot, LaDue will likely contend for a spot on the Kings' third defensive pairing alongside Derek Forbort this coming season.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Vegas Golden Knights signed goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury to a three-year contract extension Friday, the team announced. His new deal is worth an annual average value of $7 million.Flower had one year remaining on his previous contract, which carried an AAV of $5.75 million. This extension keeps the 33-year-old on the Strip until the end of the 2022 campaign.The Sorel, Quebec native joined the Knights via the expansion draft last June and went on to have one of the best seasons of his storied 14-year career. Fleury posted a record of 29-13-4 to go along with a sensational 2.24 goals-against average and .927 save percentage while backstopping Vegas to the Pacific Division crown and a Stanley Cup Final run.Fleury proved last season that despite his age and lengthy track record, he can still turn in Vezina Trophy-level performances. He's a three-time Cup champion and ranks 11th all time in victories with 404.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Montreal Canadiens agreed to terms with restricted free-agent winger Joel Armia on Friday, the team announced. The deal will pay Armia $1.85 million for the 2018-19 season.Armia was dealt to Montreal from the Winnipeg Jets along with goaltender Steve Mason on June 30 in exchange for defensive prospect Simon Bourque. The Finnish native played in 79 regular-season games for the Jets last campaign, registering 12 goals and 17 assists in 12:36 of ice time per night.The 25-year-old forward will bring some much-needed scoring depth to a Canadiens forward group that managed the third-lowest goal total last season with a measly 207.Armia was drafted by the Buffalo Sabres in the first round (16th overall) of the 2011 NHL Draft. He has 26 goals and 58 points in 180 career regular-season games.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

These five players won't be on many radars come draft day, but fantasy owners could strike gold by plucking at least one of them in the later rounds.LW/RW Ondrej Kase, DucksKase was very productive for the Anaheim Ducks this past season despite his limited role and missing 16 games, finishing in a tie for second on the team with 20 goals. Here's how he stacked up against the team's fellow top-nine right-wingers:PlayerGPGAPATOICorey Perry7117324917:47Jakob Silfverberg7717234017:58Ondrej Kase6620183813:55While Silfverberg's ice time is more reflective of his defensive abilities, Perry is on a dramatic decline. Considering Kase is one of their best offensive players, the goal-hungry Ducks could look to give him an expanded role this coming season, eating into Perry and Silfverberg's minutes.If Kase remains healthy, sees more ice time, and maybe even gets an audition alongside Ryan Getzlaf on the first line, he has the skill for a 30-goal season.RW Ty Rattie, OilersRattie should be classified as an extremely deep sleeper. Barring some sort of ridiculous performance in preseason, he probably won't even get drafted in your league, so he can be used with a final-round pick.The 25-year-old has largely underwhelmed thus far, considering he was chosen 32nd overall in the 2011 NHL Draft. He's spent most of his career in the AHL, where he has produced admirably. In brief NHL stints, he failed to make an impact; that was, however, until he was placed on Connor McDavid's line.In the final 12 games of the 2017-18 season, Rattie scored five goals and added four assists while primarily flanking McDavid and opposite Ryan Nugent-Hopkins on the Oilers' top line. While there's certainly no guarantee he takes the spot again, Edmonton hasn't added any wingers worthy of competing for that role.Monitor his usage in training camp and preseason, and if he's still with McDavid, scoop him up as a final-round flier. A 25-goal season is possible.C/RW Nick Bjugstad, PanthersBjugstad is far down the list of the Florida Panthers' fantasy-relevant players, but he could be in for a monster season, which is fitting because, at 6-foot-6 and 218 pounds, he's a monster himself.Like many of the Panthers, Bjugstad had an excellent second half, tallying 10 goals and 27 points in his final 34 games. That second-half surge started right around the time he joined forces on a line with superstar center Aleksander Barkov.Given how much firepower the Panthers have, a full year alongside Barkov could result in a 60-point season for Bjugstad.LW/RW Valentin Zykov, HurricanesZykov is the rookie nobody will be talking about.A second-round pick in 2013, Zykov, now 23, is older than most rookies who will be making headlines, but he's a darkhorse Calder Trophy candidate. He led the AHL with 33 goals last year despite only suiting up in 63 games. In his 10-game audition with the Carolina Hurricanes last year, he tallied seven points while averaging less than 14 minutes of ice time.The Hurricanes have a lot of young talent up front, but with Jeff Skinner likely on his way out, there could be a spot for Zykov in the top-six. With his upside, he's more than worthy of taking a flier on in the final round.D Ryan Pulock, IslandersPulock's biggest weapon is his shot. He has an absolute bomb from the point, and he isn't afraid to use it. He scored 10 goals on 184 shots last year and both of those numbers could rise drastically this season.Among defenseman who played at least 500 minutes at even strength last year, Pulock ranked third in shots per 60 minutes, trailing only Brent Burns and Dougie Hamilton, according to Natural Stat Trick.With Calvin de Haan departing in free agency and Johnny Boychuk getting on in age, Pulock could see much more ice time in his second full season, and it could result in a 15-goal, 45-point campaign.(Photos courtesy: Getty Images)Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Warning: Story contains coarse languagePittsburgh Penguins general manager Jim Rutherford says he wasn't taking an intentional shot at the Columbus Blue Jackets when he made an assessment about Jack Johnson's usage that didn't sit well with John Tortorella.“I have nothing but respect for the Columbus Blue Jackets,” Rutherford told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette's Jason Mackey. “They’ve got a good city, a good franchise, a great owner, and (president of hockey operations) John Davidson to run the franchise. I feel bad that it either (came) out the way it did or it upset people; that certainly wasn’t my intent. They have a very good franchise there, and it’s very well run.”After the Penguins made the signing of Johnson to a five-year, $16.25-million deal official on the first day of free agency, Rutherford told reporters the following about the veteran defenseman, according to The Athletic's Aaron Portzline:"I don't think he had a bad year. He was a healthy scratch at the end of the season. I know the reason why. It wasn't because of how he was playing."When asked Thursday to clarify what he meant by the latter remark, Rutherford declined to elaborate.“I don’t think that’s going to do anybody any good at this point,” he told Mackey. “We feel comfortable with the homework that we did on this player.”Rutherford's initial comments, along with Johnson telling reporters on July 1 that, “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," clearly irked Tortorella at the time.The always forthright Blue Jackets head coach issued an expletive-laden response in which he said that for Rutherford "to question our decision-making from three hours away, he must be a fucking magician," later adding that the Penguins GM should "shut the fuck up," and that Johnson's statement was "utter bullshit."Johnson was scratched in all six of the Blue Jackets' playoff games this spring and he collected only 11 points in 77 regular-season contests in 2017-18.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.