After leading the Stanley Cup Playoffs with 13 goals in 25 games, Pittsburgh Penguins rookie forward Jake Guentzel got his day with the trophy on July 13, and only then did his achievement really sink in..The Cup landed in Minneapolis, Minn., and headed to Guentzel's hometown of Woodbury as family and friends awaited its arrival. That's when he was able to truly appreciate the culmination of a rookie season which began in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton of the AHL."That's when it becomes real," Guentzel said, according to Jessi Pierce of NHL.com.Guentzel brought the trophy to a public event at HealthEast Sports Center, where he played youth hockey.While the Penguins' top stars in Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Kris Letang, and Marc-Andre Fleury finished off their (first) career hat trick of Stanley Cup victories, Guentzel is cherishing what could be his only one."It's exciting. You've worked so hard for this your whole life, and to have my family and friends here and see how excited they are, it makes it fun for all of us," said Guentzel.His father Mike, who is an assistant coach at the University of Minnesota, approached the beginning of his son's professional career with very modest expectations."We were just hoping he'd get to play maybe five or 10 games in the pros to start," Mike said.Instead, Jake quickly got an opportunity on Crosby's left side, and stayed there for the remainder of the regular season and through the playoffs. Asked how he would have reacted if someone told him a year earlier that he'd be at his old rink with the Stanley Cup on Thursday, Jake echoed his father's surprise."I'd probably have laughed at you," he said. "You don't expect it to go like this. It's been fun. (I'm) just trying to soak it in."Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Carolina Hurricanes owner Peter Karmanos Jr. is indeed considering an offer to sell the team.Chuck Greenberg, a former co-owner of the Texas Rangers, is reported to be close to purchasing the club for approximately $500 million in a deal that would keep the team in North Carolina, according to Scott Soshnick of Bloomberg.In response, the Hurricanes offered the following statement, via Chip Alexander of the News and Observer:"Since an offer has been made to purchase the team, Mr. Karmanos intends to evaluate that offer and also will continue to evaluate his other options, including retaining his ownership of the team."If the sale goes through, the team would not be on the move.

The Calgary Flames re-signed forward Micheal Ferland to a two-year, $3.5-million contract on Thursday, the team announced.With the deal, Ferland - who was a restricted free agent - and the Flames avoid arbitration. The two sides were scheduled to make their cases in front of a third party on July 22.The 25-year-old is coming off his third season with the big club that saw him hit career highs in games (76), goals (15), and points (25). Ferland's newest contract represents a raise of $925,000 per year from his previous two-year deal.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

It has been a customarily quiet offseason in Canada's capital, as the Ottawa Senators have retained backup goaltender Mike Condon and added depth forward Nate Thompson.No major moves were expected after the Sens finished the 2016-17 season one double-overtime goal short of a Stanley Cup Final appearance. The team has just shy of $11 million in salary cap space remaining, according to Cap Friendly, and just need to re-sign restricted free-agent forwards Ryan Dzingel and Jean-Gabriel Pageau.But despite the quiet blanketing the team, rumors continue to emerge regarding the future of defenseman Dion Phaneuf. With four years at an annual average value of $7 million remaining on his contract, Phaneuf is the team's second-highest paid player, behind forward Bobby Ryan. The Senators willingly took on Phaneuf and his contract in a February 2016 trade with the Toronto Maple Leafs, but there's no denying the difficulties it creates.For the Senators, it's a more tolerable hindrance than any similarly poor contract they'd need to take on in a potential trade.He's better than the alternatives(Photo courtesy: Action Images)Phaneuf has one strong pro in his favor by default: he plays defense. Many of the league's other egregious contracts have been awarded to forwards, with Los Angeles Kings forwards Dustin Brown and Marian Gaborik among the names being circulated in connection to the Senators.With Brown and Gaborik coming off a season in which they combined for just 57 points, neither factors into the top six of a team hoping to build off an Eastern Conference Final appearance. The re-signing of forward Tom Pyatt and addition of Thompson cemented the Sens' bottom-six forward group - at least in their eyes.The Senators have used four of their past five first-round draft picks on forwards, making defense the greater team need both in the present and long term.He's not that bad(Photo courtesy: Action Images)The Senators and head coach Guy Boucher utilized a defense-first system last year which relied on forcing their opponents into low-quality scoring chances and capitalizing on offense whenever possible. While the system propelled them to within a game of the Stanley Cup Final, it resulted in poor Corsi For ratings for most of the team, especially the defensemen.NAMETOICF%Fredrik Claesson398:4853.59Chris Wideman893:3452.53Erik Karlsson1481:0649.72Mark Borowiecki905:0748.53Marc Methot1135:3347.56Dion Phaneuf1363:0146.66Cody Ceci1407:4545.69Here's a look at the possession influence Phaneuf and Ceci, his typical 5-on-5 partner, had as individuals on some of their most common linemates.Corsi For with and without Phaneuf (stats at 5-on-5 in games where both players were active):NAMETOIWITHWITHOUTCody Ceci881:0145.0346.80Derick Brassard385:2152.2554.93Kyle Turris380:4048.8747.66Mike Hoffman350:3150.0050.54Mark Stone343:0153.2954.63Erik Karlsson228:0150.4349.59Fredrik Claesson18:2858.0652.40Corsi For with and without Ceci (stats at 5-on-5 in games where both players were active):NAMETOIWITHWITHOUTDion Phaneuf881:0145.0349.78Derick Brassard393:4649.8055.88Kyle Turris387:3747.6447.98Mike Hoffman342:2848.3550.99Mark Stone353:2450.7556.24Erik Karlsson31:0953.2349.29Fredrik Claesson42:5550.0051.81While Phaneuf's personal chart doesn't present him in an endearing light, it's important to remember that most commonly with and without him also meant having Ceci on the ice. The true testament to Phaneuf's play last season can be more evidently seen through Ceci's WOWY chart.Without Ceci on the ice, nearly all of the Senators' most important forwards noticed a significant spike in possession. Phaneuf was left on the ice with a different defense partner in many of those situations.Much of the blame Phaneuf takes for his own defensive play should be placed on, or at least shared with, Ceci.Help is on the way(Photo courtesy: Getty Images)While the Sens lost defenseman Marc Methot to the Vegas Golden Knights and Dallas Stars in the Expansion Draft and subsequent trade, they expect to have 2015 first-round pick Thomas Chabot in the lineup on a full-time basis in 2017-18.As seen above, Methot had the third-worst 5-on-5 Corsi For rating among the team's regular defensemen. In his place, the Senators will substitute a player who was the 2017 World Junior Hockey Championships MVP, as well as the QMJHL defenseman of the year and playoff MVP.Boucher will have the ability to break up the failed Phaneuf/Ceci pairing, putting the former in a tandem with Karlsson, Claesson, or Chabot.The results can't be much worse.(All statistics courtesy naturalstattrick.com and applied to 5-on-5 situations)Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The San Jose Sharks re-signed forward Chris Tierney to a one-year contract on Thursday, the team announced.The 23-year-old is coming off his third season with the club since being drafted in the second round in 2012. Tierney was a restricted free agent and while he hit career highs in both goals and points - with 11 and 23, respectively - general manager Doug Wilson feels he still hasn't hit his full potential."We believe Chris has yet to hit his prime, but has already proven that he can be a key member on our penalty kill and the defensive side of the puck," Wilson said in a release. "We are excited to watch his offensive development as he continues to use his strong two-way hockey sense to impact the youthful infusion of our roster."In 202 career games with the Sharks, Tierney has tallied 24 goals and 64 points.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

After a busy offseason that saw the Arizona Coyotes clean house, the club held a press conference Thursday, featuring the executives that will be tasked with turning the franchise around.Owner Andrew Barroway, CEO Steve Patterson, general manager and president of hockey operations John Chayka, and new head coach Rick Tocchet were on hand to answer questions, and shed light on the direction they intend on taking the Coyotes.Here are three takeaways from what they discussed:The ongoing arena sagaEverybody knows the Coyotes need a different place to play, and Barroway guaranteed the club will strike a deal for a new arena under his tenure, though he didn't ensure when it will happen.

Arizona Coyotes owner Andrew Barroway stands by his verdict not to offer the organization's most storied player a new contract this summer."Not offering Doan a contract was the right hockey decision," he said at a press conference, per AZ Central's Sarah McLellan.Doan had spent his entire 21-year NHL career with the Jets/Coyotes franchise, but with Arizona going through a rebuild and attempting to get younger, its brass decided it was no longer in the team's best interest to bring back their 40-year-old captain.Coming off a season of just six goals, 21 assists, and a Corsi For percentage of 47.8, it doesn't take an analytics expert to tell you Doan's on-ice effectiveness is waning.Barroway does regret the way he handled the situation, though. He apologized to both Doan and Coyotes fans for how he handled the captain's exit, stating he should have flown out to meet with Doan face to face in order to deliver the news, according to McLellan and Arizona Sports' Craig Morgan.The free-agent market hasn't been kind to veteran wingers like Doan thus far, as Jarome Iginla, Jaromir Jagr, and Brian Gionta also remain without contracts for the upcoming season.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Veteran defenseman Andrew Ference retired from professional hockey on Thursday, the Edmonton Oilers announced.Ference, 38, spent the last four seasons with Edmonton and served as captain from 2013-15. In 147 games with the Oilers, Ference tallied six goals and 26 assists to go along with 108 penalty minutes."As I graduate from my time of playing in the NHL, I realize I have the problem of being unable to properly thank the hundreds of people who have helped me achieve my goal of playing in the best league in the world," Ference said in the team's statement."Thank you to Pittsburgh, Calgary, Ceske Budejovice, Boston, and Edmonton. Your love of our sport provided me with an incredible stage to play on and your cities will always feel like home to me. Hockey fans really are amazing."In 907 career regular-season games, the former eighth-round pick of the Pittsburgh Penguins totaled 225 points (43 goals, 182 assists) and 753 minutes in penalties.Ference missed the majority of the past two seasons with a severe hip injury.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Chuck Greenberg, a former co-owner of the Texas Rangers, is close to purchasing the NHL's Hurricanes for approximately $500 million in a deal that will keep the team in North Carolina, according to Scott Soshnick of Bloomberg.

NEWARK, N.J. – Nico Hischier is already in the NHL record books as the first player from Switzerland selected No. 1 overall in the draft.But the New Jersey Devils hope more history-making days are on the way for the 18-year-old, who had 38 goals and 48 assists in 57 games for the Halifax Mooseheads of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League last season. He projects, as you would expect for someone drafted No. 1, to be a star. But his road there will be his own."I know I still have to be a better hockey player and improve a lot of things," Hischier said Wednesday at the Devils rookie camp. "It starts right now with this development camp, to be a better hockey player, and I just go step by step. Having fun is the main thing for me, and I'll work hard and have fun at the same time."The word "fun" is not one that has always been associated with the Devils' brand of hockey, but that could be set to change as they build around the top draftee. Hischier's calling card is his speed and ability to create offense on the move, not dissimilar to New Jersey's key trade acquisition this summer, former Washington Capitals center Marcus Johansson."He looks great, he looks fast, and he looks really skilled," said Pavel Zacha, another fleet-skating center who was the No. 6 overall pick in 2015 and had eight goals and 16 assists as a rookie last season. "It's going to be on him how he shows in this camp and the main camp. I think he looks great, and it's really exciting to see him."Devils fans packed the team's practice rink Wednesday to get a glimpse of Hischier in the development camp's three-on-three tournament, and he did not disappoint, leading Team Niedermayer to the championship game. The view was even better on the ice."His skill is unbelievable," said Reilly Walsh, a third-round pick in this year's draft who played in a three-man unit alongside Hischier. "The speed, the vision, the hockey IQ, it's off the charts. He's such a smooth player, that's the first thing I noticed. He skates really well, controls the puck, and his acceleration - he cuts side to side so quick where he can make a good play - it catches your eye right away with him."What does not immediately catch the eye with Hischier is an outsize personality. Walsh described Hischier as someone who "keeps to himself," while 2016 third-round pick Joey Anderson said, "you can tell he means business." Speaking with reporters, Hischier is quiet and deliberate in his responses to questions.It's a stark contrast from who Hischier is as a player, but that may well be an attribute of its own, because when you're the No. 1 pick in the draft - particularly the top choice after Auston Matthews and Connor McDavid - there are going to be a lot of expectations to deal with."He seems like a pretty mature and polished kid for an 18-year-old," said Cory Schneider, who knows something about pressure on arrival, having come to New Jersey in the 2013 trade that anointed him as the successor to Martin Brodeur in goal when the legend still was with the Devils."I know I wasn't that way, but these kids today, they come in more ready than ever. The situation was different, since I was 27 and had been in the league a few years, and played on some good teams, and been surrounded by some very good veteran players - but I think that's the key, the veteran group. It's up to us to make sure that he doesn't feel that much pressure, or that he's got to be The Guy from day one."Hopefully we can do that, and let him be the player that he is because, by all accounts, he's an incredible talent."Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

When the NHL announced the unprotected player lists that the Vegas Golden Knights would build their roster from last month, one of the more surprising names that were available was Jonathan Marchessault.The 26-year-old had a career year in 2016-17 in which he posted an impressive 30 goals to go along with 21 assists. And a forward coming off a 51-point season on a contract with a cap hit of just $750,000 would seemingly have been a lock for protection.But that wasn't the case."I don’t know (why I wasn’t protected). I was surprised also," Marchessault said Wednesday, according to Luke Fox of Sportsnet. "I tried to give everything I had last year. Everyone was asking me if I’m going to get protected or not. My answer was, 'I gave everything I had. I have no regrets.'"Instead, the Panthers chose to protect defensemen Mark Pysyk and Alex Petrovic - a decision that Marchessault doesn't take personally."If you look at the guys who were protected, they’re all great hockey players. It was a hard decision, I’m sure, for them," said Marchessault. "You can’t take it personally. It’s a business. The Panthers are trying to be the best team possible."Marchessault heads to Vegas with one-year remaining on his two-year, $1.5-million deal.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Ron Burkle would gladly have given up the money earned through expansion if it meant holding on to Marc-Andre Fleury.The Pittsburgh Penguins co-owner mentioned his great reluctance to part ways with the goalie in an interview with Dave Molinari of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette."What Fleury did for us by being more of a stand-up person than you could ever imagine anybody being and (general manager Jim Rutherford's) call to keep him all year, which was exactly the right thing to do - I wish we could have given the $15 million (expansion fee) back and kept him forever," Burkle said.Burkle is referring to Fleury taking a back seat following the emergence of Matt Murray and handling the situation like a consummate professional.There were other factors in play, of course - notably, a salary cap that makes it difficult to carry two bona fide starting goalies and a market that dictated Fleury likely would have been traded.In the end, Fleury was exposed in the expansion draft and selected by the Vegas Golden Knights, giving them an accomplished netminder right out of the gate.Fleury was selected first overall by the Penguins in 2003 - four years after Burkle, along with Mario Lemieux, helped save the club from bankruptcy and potential relocation. He won 375 regular-season games and three Stanley Cups during his time in Pittsburgh.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

If Florida Panthers forward Nick Bjugstad was a National Hockey League general manager, Jaromir Jagr might not still be without a contract for next season.Bjugstad, who played with Jagr in Florida over the past two years, acknowledged the impact the legendary forward made during his stint with the Panthers, especially on the team's young core. And in Bjugstad's view, Jagr still has plenty to offer, both on and off the ice."Just seeing him play at such a high level, even today, it's very odd to be able to play 20 years in the NHL, let alone 25 or however many years he's at," Bjugstad said, per Jesse Pierce of NHL.com. "I think everyone's kind of looking at him and looking at what he does differently; how he trains, what he eats."I can't say enough good things about him. Wherever he ends up, I'm sure he'll do well and he'll bring the same personality and same stuff to the locker room. Any team would be lucky to have him and I can't thank him enough for all he's done for me."Back on July 1, Jagr's agent confirmed the Panthers would not be re-signing his client. He played last season on a one-year, $4-million deal, registering 16 goals and 30 assists in 82 games.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Almost all of the big dominoes have fallen in the NHL offseason, but Colorado Avalanche forward Matt Duchene is still awaiting a new jersey in mid-July after a year of heavy trade rumors.The Blue Jackets, Bruins, and Predators have all been reported as players in the Duchene sweepstakes. The team that's in the best position to acquire the dynamic forward, however, is actually the Carolina Hurricanes, thanks to what they can offer Colorado, their cap situation, and a surprisingly excellent roster fit.Dealing from depthIt's no secret that the Avalanche are seeking help on the blue line in return for Duchene, and the Hurricanes might have more trade bait on the back end than any team in the NHL. Here's how their defense is expected to shape up next year:LDRDNoah HanifinJustin FaulkJaccob SlavinBrett PesceKlas DahlbeckTrevor van RiemsdykAnd thanks to their organizational depth, Hurricanes general manager Ron Francis may not have to touch this group to get Duchene.Slavin, 23, and Faulk, 25, certainly don't appear to be going anywhere, and Hanifin, a former No. 5 overall pick, is just 20 years old. It's doubtful Francis would give up such a promising young defenseman, but stranger things have happened.While Dahlbeck doesn't have much trade value, Pesce and the recently acquired Van Riemsdyk could be appetizing to Avs general manager Joe Sakic.Still, he'd demand more for a talent like Duchene - and luckily, Carolina's farm system is a factory for promising defensemen.Jake Bean (selected 13th overall in 2016) and Haydn Fleury (seventh overall in 2014) are blue-chip defense prospects. Roland McKeown, a second-round pick in 2014 by the Kings (later acquired by Carolina in the Andrej Sekera trade) also projects to be a solid NHL D-man. Since the Hurricanes already have a young defense corps already in place, Francis can seemingly afford to deal these three.Room to maneuver(Photo courtesy: Getty Images)Not only do the 'Canes have the pieces to make a trade happen, but with $17 million in cap space for the coming season, they could easily afford Duchene's $6-million hit.Things could get a bit trickier in 2018-19, the last year of his current contract. Cap Friendly projects Carolina will have just over $30 million in cap space, but Hanifin, Dahlbeck, Van Riemsdyk, Pesce, Elias Lindholm, and Joakim Nordstrom will all be restricted free agents. However, Hanifin, Pesce, and Lindholm are likely the only ones in line for big paydays, so Duchene's salary should be affordable.The one thing Carolina's missing(Photo courtesy: Action Images)The 'Canes are also the perfect roster fit - contrary to what many might think, they're poised to win now.The addition of Scott Darling filled a huge need between the pipes. Carolina had the league's fifth-worst save percentage last year, despite allowing the fifth-fewest shots and an average amount of scoring chances. Though Darling's never started more than 27 games in an NHL season, in his worst statistical campaign, he posted a .915 save percentage - already a substantial improvement for the Hurricanes, whose team mark has hovered just over .900 since 2014-15.With a solution in the crease, the continued development of their young defensemen, and an exceptionally deep crop of talented forwards, Carolina's only remaining need is a true No. 1 center. Duchene can be that go-to guy. Here's how their forwards could line up if they acquire him:LWCRWJeff SkinnerMatt DucheneJustin WilliamsSebastian AhoVictor RaskElias LindholmTeuvo TeravainenJordan StaalLee StempniakJoakim NordstromMarcus KrugerDerek RyanAs you can see, this lineup would be awfully dangerous. Duchene's presence would give the Hurricanes one of the NHL's deeper offenses, and make them a legitimate contender in the stacked Metropolitan Division.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

As the 2016-17 season wound down, Sabres captain Brian Gionta was vocal about his excitement over the club's talented young core and made it explicitly clear he wanted to remain in Buffalo.But at the NHLPA’s 25th annual charity golf tournament Wednesday, Gionta said the odds of a return to the Sabres next season are slim."The door is not completely shut but (it's) very unlikely," Gionta said, according to Sportsnet's Luke Fox. "I'm still trying to figure things out. At this point in my career, it's got to be a good situation for the family, so I'm just working through some things."At 38 years old, Gionta's prime is behind him, but that doesn't mean the undersized winger can't still produce.In 82 games last season, the former third-round pick registered a respectable 35 points, and can still provide veteran leadership to a team in need of depth scoring.After 15 seasons in the NHL, Gionta's focus is clear: he wants to join a team with a legitimate shot at a Stanley Cup."A team that has a chance is important, or someplace the family would be comfortable," Gionta said. "That's the main focus at this point. If things work out, that would be great. At the same time, with the amount of years I've been in the league, it's got to be the right fit."Gionta joined the Sabres in 2014, and has served as their captain ever since.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Chris Kunitz isn't satisfied with four Stanley Cup wins.The veteran winger is after a fifth (at least) before hanging up his skates, hence his recent decision to sign one-year, $2-million contract with the Tampa Bay Lightning."The Lightning obviously have an unbelievable chance to win a Stanley Cup and that's basically why we came here," Kunitz told reporters Wednesday.It may seem like a bold statement about a team that didn't make the playoffs last season, though they didn't miss by a wide margin and experienced significant injury issues along the way, including the loss of captain Steven Stamkos for the majority of the regular season.At full force, Kunitz estimates, his new club stacks up well against the best in the league."I would say it's in those top three or four teams that everybody would agree they're just that close. When healthy, any team with this dynamic of a roster can beat anybody every single night," Kunitz said. "They have position players who can win a game on their own, like a goaltender or dynamic forwards or D-men who can step up. It has to be one of the favorite teams that can go in and try to make a run at it."In the two seasons prior to 2016-17, Tampa Bay advanced to the Stanley Cup Final (2015) and pushed Kunitz's Pittsburgh Penguins to seven games in the Conference Finals (2016).Kunitz won three Cups while in Pittsburgh (2009, 2016, 2017) and another with the Anaheim Ducks (2007), and was also a member of Canada's 2014 Olympic gold-medal winning team.Altogether, he's racked up 92 points in 161 career playoff games, and will be relied upon to make that experience count when it matters most for the Lightning.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Winnipeg Jets re-signed forward Andrew Copp to a two-year contract with an average annual value of $1 million, according to Ken Wiebe of the Winnipeg Sun.Copp will earn $900,000 in 2017-18 and $1.1 million in 2018-19, per Cap Friendly.Copp, 23, recorded a career-high nine goals and eight assists in 64 games with the Jets last season. He skated mostly in a bottom-six role, averaging just 12:21 minutes per game.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

HALIFAX, Nova Scotia (AP) Sidney Crosby said Wednesday he did not pay attention to those questioning whether he should continue playing hockey after suffering another concussion during the playoffs.Crosby was too focused on capturing another Stanley Cup for his Pittsburgh Penguins to worry about outside opinions on his health.''I don't really read or listen to that stuff during the playoffs,'' Crosby told reporters at his annual hockey camp in his hometown of Cole Harbor, Nova Scotia.Crosby has suffered multiple concussions during his career, including one during Game 3 of the second round against Washington in May. He missed one game before returning for Game 5, prompting questions about whether he should consider retirement.The Penguins went on to win a second straight Cup, defeating the Nashville Predators in the final.Crosby said he understands why concussions generate so much controversy.''It's a hot topic,'' he said. ''That's the nature of it right now.''He said more information on how to deal with head injuries is becoming available all the time.''You have to continue to listen to your body to make sure before you go back that you're good to go,'' he said. ''There's things in place to help with that.''---More AP NHL: https://apnews.com/tag/NHLhockeyCopyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Toronto Maple Leafs have signed 2017 first-round draft choice Timothy Liljegren to a three-year, entry-level contract, the club announced Wednesday.Leafs general manager Lou Lamoriello has said the defenseman, who was selected 17th overall, will either play pro in Sweden or with the AHL's Toronto Marlies next season.Entering the draft, Liljegren was the seventh-ranked European skater and the Leafs were widely considered winners for landing the smooth-skating blue-liner in the second half of the first round.In 19 games with Rogle of the Swedish Hockey League last season, Liljegren recorded one goal and four assists.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Tomas Tatar is reportedly seeking a longer-term contract than the Detroit Red Wings are willing to give him at the moment.The restricted free-agent forward's camp is looking for a deal in the range of seven years, but the Red Wings have yet to offer more than five, according to Helene St. James of the Detroit Free Press.Tatar filed for salary arbitration and has a hearing scheduled for July 20.If the two sides are unable to agree on a long-term deal before then, he'd be looking at a one-year pact that he recently admitted would "probably" be his last contract with the Red Wings.Tatar led Detroit with 25 goals this past season, the final campaign of a three-year, $8.25-million deal he inked with the Red Wings in 2014.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Carolina Hurricanes made headlines Wednesday afternoon, inking 23-year-old defenseman Jaccob Slavin to a seven-year, $37.1-million contract extension.At first glance, the news warrants a few questions. Who the hell is Jaccob Slavin? Why does his first name have two Cs? And why is he about to make $5.3 million annually through 2024-25?We may not know the origins of Slavin's name, but we do know he quietly emerged as one of the steadiest blue-liners in the NHL last season, and that he's on the fast track to superstardom.Here are three things to know about the young, under-the-radar Hurricanes defender as he pushes to become a household name.His backgroundSlavin, a native of Colorado, was selected by the Hurricanes 120th overall in the 2012 entry draft. After three seasons with the Chicago Steel of the USHL, he went on to play two years at Colorado College before a 14-game pit stop with the Charlotte Checkers in the AHL.From there, Slavin was given his first NHL shot in 2015-16, recording 20 points in 63 games for Carolina as a rookie.As Chip Alexander of The News & Observer recalls, Carolina dealt Alexei Ponikarovksy to the New Jersey Devils in January 2012 for a prospect and a fourth-round pick - which turned into Slavin.It's probably fair to say the Hurricanes won that deal.The numbersHowever you slice it, Slavin has quickly developed into a top-pairing defender. Here are his stats compared to the league-average No. 1 blue-liner, courtesy of ownthepuck.blogspot.ca.Among all defenseman with more than 1,300 minutes of ice time last season, Slavin ranked 12th with a Corsi For percentage of 53.01 at five-on-five, while Carolina controlled over 52 percent of scoring chances at even strength while he was on the ice. Slavin was regularly deployed on the Hurricanes' top pairing, and strongly contributed to their sixth-ranked penalty kill.In terms of more traditional numbers, Slavin recorded five goals and 23 assists while averaging 23:26 of time per night. He ranked 13th in blocked shots with 161, and was the only blue-liner in the top 10 in takeaways, finishing second with 83. He was disciplined, too, committing just six minor penalties in 82 games all season.Long-term benefitsSlavin has one year remaining on his entry-level deal, meaning his lucrative extension won't kick in until 2018-19. In only two seasons, he's proven to be valuable in virtually every facet of the game, leading general manager Ron Francis to deem him a "cornerstone" of the organization going forward.At just $5.3 million per season, Slavin's extension also has the potential to become one of the best bargains in the NHL, annually costing less than the likes of Nick Leddy, Tyler Myers, Erik Johnson, and Johnny Boychuk, all of whom he's outperformed since becoming a regular on Carolina's back end.Slavin's deal was the latest in a series of solid moves Francis has made this offseason, as he looks to keep improving a team that hasn't qualified for the postseason since 2008-09. The Hurricanes have gradually built a quality roster, and locking down their rising young defenseman ahead of his prime years was another massive step in their quest to contend in the Eastern Conference.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Arizona Coyotes are adding decades of experience to their front office and giving their young general manager some more responsibility.Steve Patterson was named the club's new president and CEO on Wednesday, and GM John Chayka will take on a second job as the team's president of hockey operations.Patterson helped bring the Texans and the Super Bowl (XXXVIII) back to Houston, served as general manager of the NBA champion Rockets in 1994, and, more recently, occupied the role of athletic director at Arizona State University and later the University of Texas.He takes on the dual role with the Coyotes that opened up when Anthony LeBlanc stepped down June 16, four days after Andrew Barroway became the club's sole owner.Gary Drummond resigned as president of hockey operations on the same day as LeBlanc's departure.Arizona hired Rick Tocchet as head coach Tuesday.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Sergei Gonchar has been promoted to assistant coach with the Pittsburgh Penguins, the club announced Wednesday, one day after losing Rick Tocchet and adding Mark Recchi behind the bench.Gonchar had been working as Pittsburgh's defensemen development coach for the past two seasons, which both resulted Stanley Cup championships. And while the Penguins' blue line was identified as a weakness during both runs, the former five-time All-Star played a key role in the postseason success."He was invaluable during the playoffs, especially working with our young defenseman," head coach Mike Sullivan said.Over a 20-year playing career, Gonchar was one of the league's premier offensive defenseman, notching 811 points in 1,301 contests. He also captured a Stanley Cup with the Penguins as a player in 2009.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Carolina Hurricanes have secured a significant piece of their young core for the long haul.Jaccob Slavin agreed to a seven-year contract extension with an average annual value of $5.3 million Wednesday.Slavin's new deal will begin in 2018-19 and run through 2024-25. He'll carry a cap hit of $742,500 in the final season of his entry-level deal beginning this fall, according to CapFriendly.The 23-year-old defenseman led the Hurricanes in time on ice, notched 34 points, and played all 82 games in 2016-17, his second NHL season."Jaccob is one of the cornerstones of our team moving forward, and it was important to secure him with our organization long term," Carolina general manager Ron Francis said in a statement.The Hurricanes made Slavin a fourth-round pick in 2012.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

An AHL sniper is headed to Finland.Nicklas Jensen agreed to a one-year deal with Jokerit Helsinki in the KHL on Wednesday, with an option for 2018-19.The 24-year-old forward ranked second in the AHL with 32 goals for the Hartford Wolf Pack this past season, one behind Wade Megan of the Chicago Wolves in three fewer games.Jensen got a qualifying offer from his parent club, the New York Rangers, meaning the team would retain his rights should he return to North America.He appeared in only seven games for the Rangers this past season and was a restricted free agent after signing a one-year deal with New York last July.Jensen was drafted 29th overall by the Vancouver Canucks in 2011.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

As summer drags along, it's the time of year when hope springs eternal and NHL teams begin preparing for the new season.September training camps are especially important for prospects, as they give those players - along with management and fans - the chance to see how they stack up against established pros.A strong showing can improve a player's professional fate, while their performance can help determine whether they're developing fast and furious, or starting to drift.Here are three rookies to keep an eye on in September.Pierre-Luc Dubois, Columbus Blue JacketsThe Blue Jackets raised eyebrows in 2016 by passing on Jesse Puljujarvi in favor of Pierre-Luc Dubois with the third overall pick.That's because Puljujarvi had been running neck and neck with Patrik Laine in the second overall discussion all year long, and appeared to be a lock for Columbus and its general manager, Jarmo Kekalainen, who also hails from Finland. Instead, Dubois got the call, and was sent back to the QMJHL to develop his game last season.There, Dubois scored 21 goals and added 34 assists in 48 games, while contributing five assists in seven games for Canada at the World Junior Championship, winning a silver medal.The 19-year-old may need another season in junior hockey before making the jump to the NHL, but two factors have opened up an opportunity to improve his fate in training camp.For one, the Blue Jackets traded away Brandon Saad for Artemi Panarin earlier this offseason, adding a high-end offensive talent while sacrificing a more well-rounded game. Meanwhile, Columbus failed to add a center who can play in the top six.Enter Dubois, who projects to fill those roles, per Curtis Joe of Elite Prospects:

The man who put one European nation on the international hockey map will try to do so with another.Ted Nolan has been hired as head coach of the Polish men's national hockey team, the IIHF announced Wednesday.The former Buffalo Sabres and New York Islanders bench boss took over the Latvian program in 2011 and helped it make great strides, including a quarterfinal appearance at the 2014 Olympic Games in Sochi, where it put forth a strong showing in a 2-1 loss to Canada.Nolan also coached Latvia at the World Championships from 2012-14.Poland's men's team is ranked 20th internationally and will attempt to qualify for the 2019 worlds next spring.“I love challenges," Nolan said upon arriving in Poland this week. "I’ve always been an underdog my whole life. When this opportunity came and seeing where Polish hockey has been for a while, hopefully I can make a difference and rise up to a higher level. I’m really looking forward. It’s probably my biggest challenge to date and my biggest excitement to date."Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Chicago Blackhawks' cap situation just got a little clearer.If Marian Hossa is eventually deemed eligible to be placed on long-term injured reserve, it won't be this summer."Chicago is not attempting to utilize LTI(R) during the offseason for Hossa and, as a result, the determination of whether it will be available next season is not a time-sensitive matter," NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly told The Athletic Chicago's Scott Powers in an email Tuesday.Hossa has already been ruled out for the entire 2017-18 campaign due to a skin disorder, but the league hasn't yet decided whether the veteran forward can be placed on LTIR - thereby freeing up his $5.275-million cap hit.Daily said in June that a decision was expected by July 1, but that deadline may have shifted when the club elected not to seek the move until the fall.The Blackhawks have minus-$34,795 in projected cap space at the moment, according to CapFriendly.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

When the Arizona Coyotes made then-26-year-old John Chayka their general manager last spring, experts around the NHL expected the young front-office executive to turn around a franchise that's been a bottom-feeder for the better part of two decadesWhat they didn't expect, however, was that he could do it so quickly.Related: Coyotes hire Rick Tocchet as head coachStarting with netminder Mike Smith being shipped to Calgary and culminating with Tuesday's signing of new head coach Rick Tocchet, Chayka has pulled off a series of moves that should lift the Coyotes back into relevance.That's easier said than done, of course. But when considering the young, talented core the team already boasts, the offseason shuffle becomes much more exciting.Here are three moves that made the Coyotes the early winners of the 2017 offseason:Hjalmarsson, Raanta, Stepan complement young coreThey may not be the three biggest names changing cities this summer, but that doesn't diminish their potential impact on a Coyotes squad lacking veteran leadership.Stepan fills one of the glaring holes up the middle on Arizona's roster, and will serve as an excellent mentor to developing pivots Dylan Strome and Christian Dvorak.Meanwhile, Niklas Hjalmarsson and Antti Raanta each provide the veteran stability the club has longed for on the back end, while still having a lot left in their tanks at ages 30 and 28, respectively.Hjalmarsson is especially intriguing when you consider that he's played with Coyotes defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson, as the pair previously suited up together at the 2014 Winter Olympics and the 2016 World Championship.Moving on from Doan, Smith signifies end of an eraThe offseason moves Chayka should arguably be praised most for are the guys he let go.Smith and Shane Doan were the faces of the franchise for the last six seasons, with Doan serving as captain from 2003 until last month, when he and the team decided to part ways. But that doesn't hide the fact that the organization is better off without them.Potential cap implications aside, the pair were liabilities on the ice - both with their best years behind them.Doan registered his lowest point total in four seasons with a measly 27 in 74 games played last season, while Smith only managed 19 wins and a 2.92 goals-against average during another injury-riddled campaign.Passing on Doan and moving Smith marked a changing of the guard in Arizona that Coyotes fans should welcome with open arms.Tocchet's the best man for the jobFew names were mentioned more in the coaching rumor mill this summer than Tocchet's. The former NHLer joined the team following three seasons - and two Stanley Cups - with the Pittsburgh Penguins, with whom he studied and served under Mike Sullivan as an assistant coach.Aside from his time with the powerhouse Pens, Tocchet's benefit to Arizona is clear.He has the experience and pedigree to become a successful NHL head coach, but also a familiarity with the organization (Tocchet spent the 2005-06 season as an assistant coach, in addition to playing three years in the desert) that makes his hiring a slam dunk for Chayka and his front-office staff.If Tocchet can work his magic on youngsters Max Domi, Lawson Crouse, and Jakob Chychrun, to name a few, expect to see the Coyotes back in the playoffs sooner rather than later.Fixing a club with as many holes in its lineup as Arizona's is no easy task, and, just like any acquisitions in professional sports, the moves the team made have the potential to backfire. At this point, though, there's no doubt the Coyotes are a much improved group, and the NHL's offseason winner so far.(Photos courtesy: Action Images)Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Philadelphia Flyers signed forward Scott Laughton to a two-year contract on Tuesday, the team announced.The 23-year-old is coming off his fourth season with the Flyers since being drafted in the first round back in 2012. Laughton, however, suited up in just two games for the Flyers in 2016-17, and instead spent the year with the team's American Hockey League affiliate, the Lehigh Valley Phantoms.Laughton - who was a restricted free agent - went pointless in his two games with the Flyers last season, but tallied 19 goals and 39 points in 60 games with the Phantoms.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Pittsburgh Penguins didn't waste any time replacing Rick Tocchet.The club hired Mark Recchi as assistant coach Tuesday after Tocchet, who previously held the position, was named head coach of the Arizona Coyotes."Mark Recchi will be a tremendous addition to our coaching staff," said general manager Jim Rutherford. "His recent history with the organization, especially with our players and coaches, and his incredible knowledge of the game, will help to ensure a seamless transition. It's only fitting that he starts his NHL coaching career the same year he is inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame."Recchi spent the past three seasons as Pittsburgh's player development coach, and was promoted to director of player development. He'll now oversee the team's forwards and work closely with head coach Mike Sullivan on the power play.Recchi was recently elected to the Hockey Hall of Fame on the strength of a playing career that saw him register 1,533 points in 1,652 games and win three Stanley Cups, including one with the Penguins (1991).Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Arizona Coyotes hired Rick Tocchet as their new head coach Tuesday, the team announced.Tocchet becomes the 18th head coach in franchise history, and joins a Coyotes organization that's flush with young talent in need of a fresh voice behind the bench."We are very pleased to name Rick as our new head coach," Coyotes general manager John Chayka said in a statement."Rick is an excellent coach and a proven winner. While with the Penguins, he won a Stanley Cup as a player and two cups as a coach. He's experienced, knowledgeable and is a great leader and communicator. He's also a former Coyotes player and assistant coach and the perfect fit for us. We're thrilled to have him rejoin our organization."Chayka went on to say that Tocchet was the best candidate for the job "by a wide margin," according to Craig Morgan of AZ Sports 98.7 FM.The former NHL player heads to Arizona following three seasons as an assistant coach with the Pittsburgh Penguins, signing a contract that will keep him in the desert for at least the next four years, according to Dan Rosen of NHL.com."I'm extremely happy to be back with the Coyotes organization," Tocchet said. "I loved playing and coaching here in the Valley and have always considered Arizona my home. We have a great young team with a ton of talent and I'm excited about leading this group of players. I'd like to thank Mr. (Andrew) Barroway and John Chayka for this incredible opportunity. I can't wait to get started."The Scarborough, Ontario native previously spent one season as an assistant coach with the Coyotes in 2005-06, and played parts of three campaigns (213 games, 64 goals, 66 assists) with the club between 1997-2000.Tocchet's hiring comes nearly a month after the team decided to part ways with former bench boss Dave Tippett.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

As the Buffalo Sabres gear up to award franchise cornerstone Jack Eichel a long-term extension, it appears another key piece in the club's quest for contender status will have to wait for his payday.That piece is Sam Reinhart, the second overall pick in 2014, who will play out the final season of his entry-level contract beginning in October. While he became eligible to sign an extension July 1, Sabres general manager Jason Botterill isn't in a rush to work out a new deal with the 21-year-old just yet."We're excited with Sam but I don't think Sam from a contract standpoint will happen this summer," Botterill told Mike Harrington of The Buffalo News. "We have him under contract another year and we'll see how things play out."Reinhart is coming off his second full season in the pros, setting a career high with 47 points in 2016-17 after notching 42 as a rookie.In waiting another season, the Sabres are giving Reinhart a chance to truly prove his value, and whether he takes a step forward in his development under new head coach Phil Housley will play a huge part in the young forward's impending pay increase.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The New York Islanders hired Kelly Buchberger as an assistant coach, the club announced Tuesday."Kelly adds years and years of NHL coaching and management experience to our staff," head coach Doug Weight said in a press release. "He is a tireless worker who commands respect behind the bench and in the locker room. I'm thrilled to welcome him to the organization."Buchberger joins a staff with plenty of playing experience.

Connor Brown is in a holding pattern.The Toronto Maple Leafs forward remains an unsigned restricted free agent, but doesn't appear to be sweating the situation, he told the Toronto Sun's Lance Hornby at the team's development camp Tuesday.

Tampa Bay Lightning general manager Steve Yzerman crossed out a massive task on his offseason to-do list Monday, signing centerman Tyler Johnson to a seven-year contract extension worth $35 million.Despite a disappointing 2016-17 season that saw the club miss the playoffs, one of the main factors behind why Johnson, 26, wanted long-term security in Tampa Bay was because he believes the Lightning can contend again soon."We've been close," Johnson told Roger Mooney of The Tampa Bay Times on Monday. "I think we have a group that's able to do that, and that's one of the biggest reasons why I wanted to stay here, because I really feel this is the best opportunity to win a Cup."The Lightning lost in the Stanley Cup Final in 2015, then took the Pittsburgh Penguins to seven games in the Eastern Conference Final a year later. The team's failure to build upon that success last season was largely due to injuries up and down the roster, including Johnson, who was limited to 66 games.Despite his injury plagued campaign, Johnson managed to put up 45 points in 2016-17.Since becoming a regular in the Lightning lineup in 2013-14, Johnson has averaged 0.69 points per game, a clip that increases to 0.89 in 47 career playoff contests.By reaching a new deal the former restricted free agent avoided arbitration, which was scheduled for July 20.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

It's rare that an assistant coach boasts more experience and wins than the actual bench boss.That's now the case in New York, where Lindy Ruff has joined Alain Vigneault's staff to help with the Rangers defense.Despite trailing his new assistant in games coached (1,493-1,134) and regular-season wins (736-614), Vigneault isn't worried about Ruff standing in as his potential replacement."Now that we have Lindy on board, I know what some fans and people in the media will say if we get off to a rough start or hit some bumps in the road," Vigneault told Larry Brooks of the New York Post on Monday. "They’ll be saying that Lindy should replace A.V. and that’s the reason he was hired."You know what? That kind of talk doesn’t bother me at all. I’ve never taken things like that personally. I’m in this to win," he said. "I want us to have the best coaching staff we can. For me to be able to bring in a coach like Lindy to take care of the defense makes us a stronger staff and gives our team a better chance to win. It’s great for us."Ruff is coming off a four-year run as head coach of the Dallas Stars, preceded by a 15-season stint with Buffalo during which he led the Sabres to the Stanley Cup Final in 1999 and won the Jack Adams Award in 2006."Lindy brings so much to the staff in terms of experience and knowledge and the way he sees the game," Vigneault added. "And he has experience running the defense on the bench from his days as an assistant in Florida and with the (2014) Canadian Olympic Team."Ruff's Stars had the fourth-highest goals against total among all teams over the past four seasons, but having Henrik Lundqvist as the last line of defense should help his cause in New York.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Viktor Stalberg is heading to Europe.The forward signed a two-year contract Monday to play for EV Zug of Switzerland's National League.

The man who wrote one of hockey's most recognizable and most beloved team anthems has died at the age of 94.Jacques Ysaye, who composed "Brass Bonanza," a song that became synonymous with the Hartford Whalers, died last week in Belgium, according to his Facebook page.Ysaye, who was also known under the pseudonym Jack Say, wrote the tune in the mid-1970s, and it was Whalers' theme song from 1977 until Brian Burke discontinued its use upon taking over as the club's general manager in 1992.When Burke left to take a job with the NHL several years later, the team re-adopted the song and kept it until moving to North Carolina to become the Hurricanes in 1997."His motto was no more Mr. Nice Guy," former Whalers assistant GM Pierre McGuire told NHL.com's Evan Weiner in 2008 when asked about Burke's decision. "He thought the Brass Bonanza was too nice, so he got rid of it. For a lot of players, coaches, and fans, it was (the Whalers' signature song). Brian wanted to do it his own way. Eventually, after Brian left and went to the league, the song came back."It was playing as the Whalers skated off the ice for the final time on April 13, 1997, and is still frequently played at other sports venues to this day.Several NHL organists, including Kyle Hankins of the Nashville Predators and Dieter Ruehle of the Los Angeles Kings, play it during games, and it has previously been used by the AHL's Connecticut Whale (now the Hartford Wolf Pack) and the University of Connecticut.Ysaye titled the song, "Evening Beat" when he originally composed it.For the full story of how it became the Whalers' anthem, read this 2010 piece by the Hartford Courant's Jeff Jacobs.- With h/t to Yahoo SportsCopyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Tampa Bay Lightning have signed forward Tyler Johnson to a seven-year extension worth $35 million, the team announced Monday.Johnson appeared in 66 games with the Lightning last season, tallying 19 goals and 26 assists. He was a restricted free agent who was scheduled for arbitration later this offseason.During the 2014-15 postseason, Johnson led the Lightning with 23 points as Tampa Bay advanced to the Stanley Cup Final.Johnson joined the Lightning in 2011 as an undrafted free agent. He has since appeared in 308 games and has recorded 89 goals and 122 assists.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

As a great man once said, "You miss 100 percent of the shots you don't take."The ECHL's Florida Everblades took a shot Monday and made a pitch to Jaromir Jagr in hopes he'll join their roster next season.

Drew Stafford wouldn't mind continuing his career with the Minnesota Wild.An unrestricted free agent, the veteran forward's camp has been in contact with the Wild, Michael Russo of the Star Tribune reports.Stafford, 31, split last season between the Winnipeg Jets and Boston Bruins, where he was dealt at the NHL trade deadline. He finished the season with 21 points in 58 games.Stafford made his NHL debut in 2006-07 with the Buffalo Sabres. A move to Minnesota would reunite him with some of his former Sabres teammates, including Tyler Ennis and Marcus Foligno, who were traded to the Wild last month.In 725 career games, Stafford has recorded 183 goals and 217 assists.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

He has arrived.Nico Hischier took to the ice as part of the New Jersey Devils' development camp Monday, marking the first time he's suited up with his NHL club.

Absence makes the heart grow fonder.A group of local lawmakers is proposing the New York Islanders return to Nassau Coliseum, the barn which the team called home for more than 40 seasons before it uprooted for Brooklyn's Barclays Center in 2015.Nassau and Suffolk county lawmakers will hold a press conference Friday, urging the firm redeveloping Nassau Coliseum to make the required upgrades needed for the Islanders' return."We have been assured by (developer) Nassau Events Center that they are very willing to make necessary modifications to accommodate an NHL team," Nassau lawmakers wrote in a letter to the Islanders' ownership, according to Robert Brodsky and Jim Baumbach of Newsday.Seating capacity was a primary concern why the Islanders left Nassau Coliseum, a 1971-built arena that had 16,170 seats. The ongoing renovation has reduced it to 13,000. The Winnipeg Jets are home to the NHL's smallest arena by seating capacity, coming in at 15,294.In a statement to Newsday, NHL commissioner Gary Bettman said Nassau Coliseum is not a "suitable option" for the Islanders.However, the move to Brooklyn has not been without its own concerns, as the arena was initially built for basketball, leaving many seats with an obstructed view of the Islanders' ice surface.The Islanders have a 25-year lease at Barclays Center, but can opt out of the agreement as early as 2018. In April, the team submitted a request for proposal to build a new arena at Belmont Park in Nassau County.While the location of the team's future home remains uncertain, the Islanders will play at least one more game at Nassau Coliseum, as it was announced last month that the arena will host a preseason game next season between the Islanders and Philadelphia Flyers.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Dallas Stars have re-signed restricted free agent Radek Faksa to a three-year contract worth $6.6 million, the club announced Monday.Faksa, 23, is coming off his first full NHL season, in which he recorded 12 goals and 21 assists in 80 games, averaging 16:10 per night."We're thrilled to have Radek locked in for the next three seasons as he is an important part of what we're building here," general manager Jim Nill said. "He has proven to be a trustworthy, 200-foot player and we fully expect him to continue growing in all areas of the game."Faksa was drafted by the Stars 13th overall in 2012, and is now locked into a Stars roster that underwent major changes this offseason. Dallas lured high-powered winger Alexander Radulov and Martin Hanzal in free agency, traded for Marc Methot and goaltender Ben Bishop, and also hired Ken Hitchcock as head coach.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Edmonton Oilers signed defenseman Yohann Auvitu to a one-year contract Monday.

The Los Angeles Kings have hired 500-goal scorer Pierre Turgeon as an assistant coach, strictly dedicated to the role of offensive coordinator, club vice president and general manager Rob Blake announced Monday."Pierre had great success as a player and has a tremendous hockey background on the whole. He is a person who brings a lot of energy, passion, and insight to the job along with a great deal of enthusiasm about the game," head coach John Stevens said.The new gig will be Turgeon's first behind an NHL bench, and he'll be tasked with overhauling a troubled Kings' offense that mustered 199 goals last season - a mark good for 25th in the league.Turgeon joins Blake, Stevens, and Kings legend Luc Robitaille in Los Angeles' new braintrust, which came to power after the firings of general manager Dean Lombardi and head coach Darryl Sutter upon failing to qualify for the playoffs in 2016-17.After being selected first overall by the Buffalo Sabres in 1987, Turgeon suited up in 1,294 career games across 22 seasons, accumulating 1,327 points and five All-Star nods along the way.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Lindy Ruff is back in the game.The veteran bench boss has been named an assistant coach with the New York Rangers, the team announced Monday.Ruff arrives in New York after a four-year stint as head coach of the Dallas Stars in which he posted a 131-85-30 record. The Stars did not renew his contract at the end of the 2016-17 campaign.Prior to joining Dallas, Ruff was the head coach of the Buffalo Sabres for 15 seasons. He led Buffalo to the Stanley Cup Final in 1999 and won the Jack Adams Award in 2006.Ruff ranks fifth all time with 736 career wins.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.