The Anaheim Ducks are parting with a promising young defenseman.Shea Theodore was traded by the Ducks to the Vegas Golden Knights, who promptly selected veteran blue-liner Clayton Stoner from Anaheim in the expansion draft.The Ducks were likely going to lose a much better player in the expansion draft had they not agreed to this deal, a fact acknowledged by general manager Bob Murray on Wednesday night."Obviously, we were going to lose one player in expansion, but we felt freeing up some salary would help us this summer," Murray said in a statement.Stoner's 2017-18 cap hit is $3.25 million, after which he's eligible to become an unrestricted free agent.Theodore collected nine points in 34 games for Anaheim in the regular season, adding two goals and six assists in 14 playoff contests.He was a first-round pick of the Ducks in 2013.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Marc-Andre Fleury may not be one of the three nominees for the Hart Trophy on Wednesday, but that's not stopping Evgeni Malkin from throwing his support behind the veteran netminder.

Sergei Bobrovsky of the Columbus Blue Jackets won his second career Vezina Trophy on Wednesday after being voted the NHL's top goaltender for the 2016-17 regular season.Bobrovsky beat out Braden Holtby, last year's winner, and Carey Price for the honor, taking 25-of-30 first-place votes.

Calgary Flames winger Johnny Gaudreau was named the 2017 Lady Byng Memorial Trophy winner as the league's most sportsmanlike player.The trophy is officially awarded to the "player adjudged to have exhibited the best type of sportsmanship and gentlemanly conduct combined with a high standard of playing ability."Gaudreau is coming off a season in which he posted 61 points while only totaling four minutes in penalties.

The Vegas Golden Knights selected defenseman Jason Garrison from the Tampa Bay Lightning in the expansion draft, and the two clubs completed a trade as part of the pick.The Lightning dealt forward Nikita Gusev, a second-round pick in 2017, and a fourth-round pick in 2018 (originally the Pittsburgh Penguins') to Vegas as part of Garrison's selection.Gusev is 24, was a seventh-round pick in 2012, and needs a contract. He had 24 goals and 47 assists in 57 games in the KHL last season.His agent chimed in on Twitter after the deal was made:

Craig Anderson's difficult season is ending with some recognition.The Ottawa Senators goaltender is the 2017 recipient of the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy, given annually to the player who best exemplifies perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication to hockey.Anderson took multiple leaves of absence to attend to his wife, Nicholle, who was diagnosed with a rare form of throat cancer last October.The veteran netminder returned at her request when Andrew Hammond suffered a groin injury in the fall, departing again in December to be with Nicholle while she underwent treatment.Anderson rejoined the Senators after the All-Star break, notching a shutout in his first game back, then helping Ottawa reach the Eastern Conference Final this spring.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Columbus Blue Jackets head coach John Tortorella has taken home the Jack Adams Award, presented to the coach adjudged to have contributed the most to his team's success, selected in a poll of NHL Broadcasters' Association members. He beat out Maple Leafs head coach Mike Babcock and Edmonton Oilers bench boss Todd McLellan.Tortorella led the Blue Jackets to a franchise-best 108 points, only a year after they finished with the fourth-worst record in the NHL. It is his second career Jack Adams Award, also taking home the honors back in 2004 when he was with the Tampa Bay Lightning.Tortorella tallied 39 first-place votes, as seen below:

David Poile of the Nashville Predators captured the NHL General Manager of the Year Award on Wednesday night, finishing well ahead of Edmonton's Peter Chiarelli and Ottawa's Pierre Dorion in a landslide vote to win the award for the first time.

The Vegas Golden Knights have acquired a first-round pick in 2017 and a second-round pick in 2019 from the New York Islanders, along with center Mikhail Grabovski, defenseman Jake Bischoff, and goaltender Jean-Francois Berube.Berube was the official expansion draft selection by Vegas, while Grabovski, Bischoff, and the draft picks were acquired via trade.The two draft picks were likely compensation for Vegas passing on some of New York's key players that were left exposed, such as defenseman Calvin de Haan and forwards Ryan Strome, Brock Nelson, and Josh Bailey, as well as for taking on the contract of Grabovski, who has one year remaining with a cap hit of $5 million.Grabovski, 33, tallied 208 points in 340 games with the Toronto Maple Leafs from 2008-2013, but after a one-year stint in Washington, he has managed to register just 44 points in 109 games with the Islanders.Bischoff, 22, spent last season split between the University of Minnesota, where he recorded 32 points in 38 games, and the AHL's Bridgeport Sound Tigers, where he notched two goals and an assist in six games.Berube, 25, posted an ugly .889 save percentage and a 3.42 goals-against average in 14 games with the Isles last year.The first-round pick Vegas is receiving from the Islanders will be the 15th overall selection on Friday night, in addition to its own sixth-overall pick. The Golden Knights now own 11 picks and counting in the 2017 NHL Entry Draft.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Auston Matthews of the Toronto Maple Leafs has won the Calder Trophy, awarded to the player selected as the most proficient in his first year of competition in the NHL.This award was expected to come down to Matthews and Winnipeg's Patrik Laine, but in the end, the vote wasn't particularly close.

It's been a pretty solid Wednesday night for Connor McDavid.First, the Edmonton Oilers captain picked up the Ted Lindsay Award, presented to the "most outstanding player" in the NHL as voted by members of the NHLPA.He was then named the EA Sports cover athlete for NHL 18, the popular hockey video game.

San Jose Sharks defenseman Brent Burns took home the Norris Trophy on Wednesday night as the NHL's top rearguard of the 2016-17 campaign.Burns is coming off one of the more impressive offensive seasons by a defenseman in recent memory, leading the NHL in scoring by a blue-liner with 76 points - good enough for ninth-best in the league.Last year's runner-up, Ottawa's Erik Karlsson, and Tampa Bay's Victor Hedman were the other two nominees for the award.

Patrice Bergeron won the Frank J. Selke Trophy as the NHL's best defensive forward Wednesday night.It's the fourth time he's won the award, tying Bob Gainey for the most all time.Bergeron also received the honor in 2012, 2014, and 2015.The Boston Bruins forward edged out fellow finalists Ryan Kesler of the Anaheim Ducks and Mikko Koivu of the Minnesota Wild for the 2017 award.Here's the voting breakdown:

Edmonton Oilers center Connor McDavid has taken home the Ted Lindsay Award (formerly the Lester B. Pearson Award), presented to the "most outstanding player" in the NHL as voted by fellow members of the NHLPA. He edged out Penguins center Sidney Crosby and Sharks defenseman Brent Burns.In his second NHL season, McDavid led the league with 100 points, scoring 30 goals and tallying 70 assists. He also led the Oilers to their first playoff berth since 2005-06.McDavid, 20, joins Crosby and Mario Lemieux as the only players to win the award before the age of 21.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

LAS VEGAS (AP) Commissioner Gary Bettman says the NHL will look to enforce slashing penalties more next season and is not interested in more expansion at this time.Following the league's board of governors meeting, Bettman said pointless slashes to players' hands will be called more. Ottawa's Marc Methot and Calgary's Johnny Gaudreau were among the players to miss time last season with hand injuries from slashes.In response to questions about Seattle and Quebec City, Bettman says owners weren't interested in considering another expansion process. Vegas, which will announce its expansion draft selections tonight during the awards show, begins play as the 31st team next season.Bettman also says he doesn't believe anything is ''amiss'' with the Chicago Blackhawks and Marian Hossa, who won't play next season because of side effects to medication for a progressive skin disorder. Hossa can be placed on long-term injured reserve, giving the Blackhawks much-needed salary relief.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Vegas Golden Knights selected Washington Capitals defenseman Nate Schmidt in the expansion draft, according to Isabelle Khurshudyan of The Washington Post.Schmidt, 25, is one of the smoothest-skating defensemen in the NHL, but he was stuck behind a plethora of proven rearguards in Washington, averaging just 15:29 minutes per game this past season.He recorded just 17 points in 60 games, but in what's expected to be a top-four role with power-play time in Vegas, he'll have a chance to produce more offensively. He posted an impressive Corsi For percentage of 53.6 this past season, largely due to his ability to skate the puck out of his own zone. He's the definition of a puck-moving defenseman.Schmidt wasn't necessarily the obvious choice, though. Vegas could have selected goaltender Philipp Grubauer, who has a .923 save percentage and a 2.25 goals-against average in 66 career games with the Caps. Washington would have no doubt preferred that outcome, as backup goaltenders are easily replaceable - especially when Braden Holtby starts 60-plus games - while losing Schmidt is a crushing blow.The Capitals aren't expected to re-sign pending unrestricted free-agent defensemen Kevin Shattenkirk and Karl Alzner, so Schmidt likely would have been in line for an expanded role had Vegas passed on him.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Florida Panthers are expected to add former longtime NHL defenseman Chris Pronger as a high-ranking executive with the club, reports TSN's Darren Dreger.Pronger hasn't played since 2011-12 with the Philadelphia Flyers, but his seven-year, $34.55-million contract that was signed in 2008 just expired at the end of the 2016-17 season. The 42-year-old never officially retired, but was forced to stop playing after suffering a concussion from a high stick.In 2014, Pronger joined the NHL's Department of Player Safety.Through 18 NHL seasons, he logged 1,167 games and 698 points. He won the Hart Trophy as league MVP in 1999-00, along with the Norris Trophy, awarded to the top defenseman. He also nabbed a Stanley Cup, two Olympic gold medals, and was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2015 to cap an illustrious playing career.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Vegas Golden Knights drafted defenseman Colin Miller from the Boston Bruins in the NHL Expansion Draft, according to Fluto Shinzawa of The Boston Globe.With Miller's acquisition, Vegas general manager George McPhee gains a dependable young defenseman who's under contract for next season.Over his two seasons with the Bruins, Miller, 24, totaled 29 points in 103 games to go along with 72 blocked shots and an even plus-minus rating.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Toby Enstrom doesn't appear to be going anywhere.The Winnipeg Jets and Vegas Golden Knights have worked out a deal to shelter the defenseman from being selected in the expansion draft, according to TSN's Bob McKenzie.McKenzie adds the likely cost for the Jets to protect Enstrom is moving spots within the first round of Friday's NHL draft, and an additional selection in a later round.Enstrom had agreed to waive his no-movement clause prior to the expansion process, but now it's apparent the Jets made the request with a view to protecting someone else while ensuring the veteran would not be lost.Under contract for one more season at a cap hit of $5.75M, Enstrom registered one goal and 13 assists in 60 games this past season.Winnipeg, by the way, owns the 13th overall pick in this year's draft.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

A pair of Florida Panthers forwards are reportedly Vegas-bound.Jonathan Marchessault and Reilly Smith have been informed they'll become members of the Vegas Golden Knights, according to TSN's Bob McKenzie.While the Golden Knights can only select one player from each team in the expansion draft, it's possible they've worked out a side deal with Florida to nab Marchessault as incentive for taking on Smith's contract.Marchessault led the Panthers with 30 goals in 2016-17, while Smith is on the books for five more seasons, carrying a $5-million annual cap hit.Florida left both players unprotected, instead opting to protect defensemen Mark Pysyk and Alex Petrovic.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Vegas Golden Knights have added another name to their roster, as Sportsnet's Eric Engels reports the club selected Montreal Canadiens defenseman Alexei Emelin in the NHL Expansion Draft.Emelin's Montreal exit comes on the heels of defensemen Nathan Beaulieu and top prospect Mikhail Sergachev being - separately - shipped out of town, continuing a trend of change on the Canadiens' blue line. Meanwhile, Emelin immediately provides Vegas with a stabilizing veteran presence on the back end.In six seasons with the Habs, Emelin racked up 14 goals and 58 helpers to go along with an impressive 1,235 hits, and will add a bit of much-needed truculence to Vegas' blue line.Emelin becomes an unrestricted free agent at the end of next season.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Vegas Golden Knights' full roster won't be officially announced until Wednesday night, but Larry Brooks of the New York Post and Steve Zipay of Newsday Sports are both reporting that the New York Rangers lost center Oscar Lindberg in the expansion draft.Lindberg, 25, recorded 20 points in 65 games for the Rangers last season. He's perhaps best known for his red-hot start to begin the 2015-16 season, when he scored seven times in the first 13 games. However, he only finished the year with 13 goals.Lindberg's possession numbers have been poor throughout his brief career, but it's possible they could improve in a situation where he isn't being dragged down by fourth-liners. He averaged just 11:31 minutes of ice time per game over the past two seasons.Vegas is expected to be shallow down the middle, but could feature some scoring talent down the wings, presenting Lindberg with a glorious opportunity to succeed. He's shown flashes of promise, but there were plenty of mouths to feed in New York with the team's depth at center.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Vegas Golden Knights general manager George McPhee has sent in his expansion draft selections, and team owner Bill Foley is looking forward not only to revealing the roster, but also seeing the players take to the ice."I believe we put together a great team from the net out," Foley said following his first Board of Governors meeting as an official owner, according to Tom Gulitti of NHL.com. "I believe the fans are really going to like the team and the trades and the draft picks and the prospects that we have."Foley said McPhee and his staff got a bit creative in assembling the roster."It's not just a player per team. In many cases, it might have been two players a team. It might have been an upgraded draft pick plus a player, all kinds of different situations. Sometimes the player might be an unrestricted free agent who may or may not come with us."We've already signed two restricted free agents to contracts with fellows that we drafted that were restricted free agents."Foley wasn't naming names, of course, choosing instead to wait for Wednesday night's official announcement as part of the NHL Awards. He did say a handful of Golden Knights will be at the event, and that he intends to call others personally to welcome them to the organization, adding, "I'm very proud of some of these players.""The people of Las Vegas are going to be happy with what we did. They're going to be pleasantly surprised."Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The NHL will review whether the Chicago Blackhawks can place forward Marian Hossa - who announced Wednesday he will miss the entire 2017-18 campaign with a skin disorder - on long-term injured reserve for the upcoming season, Sportsnet's Chris Johnston reports.Much rides on the decision, as Hossa landing on LTIR would provide the cap-crunched Blackhawks with major financial relief, compared to "cap recapture" penalties should he have to retire.With the expansion and entry drafts taking place this week, the NHL is rather preoccupied, but Yahoo's Greg Wyshynski reports league deputy commissioner Bill Daly said a decision should come by July 1.The 38-year-old powerhouse winger revealed he privately underwent treatment throughout the season, and side effects from the medication to treat the disorder contributed to the decision to sit out.Hossa, a shoo-in for the Hall of Fame, netted 26 goals and 19 assists across 73 contests for the Blackhawks in 2016-17, and has four seasons remaining on his current contract which carries an annual cap hit of $5.275 million.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Two of the Vegas Golden Knights' first games are now confirmed and with a team based in the betting capital of the world you can bet lines are already set.The Golden Knights will play their first game on Oct. 6 against the Dallas Stars and will host their first home game on Oct. 10 against the Arizona Coyotes.With that, here are some numbers you might want to consider if you care to get in on the early action, according to Westgate Las Vegas Superbook:Oct. 6 vs. StarsTeamOpening LineTotals GoalsGoal LineGolden Knights+2205.5 OV (-110)+1.5 (-135)Stars-2505.5 UN (-110)-1.5 (+115)Oct. 10 vs. CoyotesTeamOpening LineTotal GoalsGoal LineGolden Knights-1055.5 UN (-130)-1.5 (+270)Coyotes-1055.5 OV (+110)+1.5 (-330)Of course, since Vegas is without a roster in place for the time being - with the expansion draft scheduled for Wednesday night - you can expect these numbers are likely to change in a few hours time.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Vegas Golden Knights will host the Arizona Coyotes in the team's first-ever regular-season game at T-Mobile Arena on Oct. 10.The league announced each team's home opener for the 2017-18 season on Wednesday, with the full schedule being released Thursday.Among other notable home openers:

Braden Holtby doesn't foresee himself repeating as the Vezina Trophy winner.The Washington Capitals goaltender and reigning victor has been blunt about who deserves the trophy this year, suggesting Columbus Blue Jackets netminder Sergei Bobrovsky should take home the hardware."He definitely deserves it," Holtby said, according to NHL.com's Tom Gulitti. "That's my expectations and I think that's what it should be. It goes to show what kind of season he had."Bobrovsky will be looking to earn his second Vezina after capturing it during the lockout-shortened 2012-13 season.Holtby insists Bobrovsky's season compares favorably to that of Carey Price's 2014-15 campaign, when the Montreal Canadiens netminder earned the Vezina, the Hart, and the Ted Lindsay Award."It's not far off," Holtby said. "It's pretty special and I hope he gets the praise that he deserves because he put in a lot of work and us goalies around the league realize that and appreciate (that) what he's done this year is pretty special."The 28-year-old certainly put up the numbers to back up the vote of confidence from Holtby. Bobrovsky constructed a record of 41-17-5 in 63 games, pacing the league among goalies with at least 25 games played with a .931 save percentage, a 2.06 goals-against average, and tying for third in shutouts with seven.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Vegas Golden Knights will claim Pittsburgh Penguins netminder Marc-Andre Fleury in the expansion draft after the Penguins agreed to sweeten the deal with a draft pick, according to TSN's Pierre LeBrun.That was the price to be paid for the Golden Knights to select Fleury, who has two years remaining on a contract that carries a $5.75-million cap hit.According to LeBrun, the Penguins were concerned the Golden Knights could pass on Fleury, given the amount of goaltenders made available in the expansion pool. That would have left the cap-crunched Penguins on the hook for Fleury's big-ticket deal.According to Cap Friendly, the Penguins have just under $15 million in available cap space, a number that increases to more than $20 million with the exit of Fleury. But several Penguins are up for new deals, including Nick Bonino, Chris Kunitz, Conor Sheary, Trevor Daley, Brian Dumoulin, and Justin Schultz, among others.Fleury - who carries a no-movement clause - required protection from the expansion draft before he agreed to a move to Vegas. The 32-year-old was a key piece in the Penguins' recent Stanley Cup win.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Minnesota Wild have reportedly agreed to send 2014 first-round pick Alex Tuch to the Vegas Golden Knights as part of an expansion-draft side deal, Michael Russo of the Star Tribune reports.The agreement will see the Golden Knights sign Wild restricted free-agent Erik Haula after the new club agreed to stay away from center Eric Staal and defensemen Matt Dumba and Marco Scandella, all of whom were made available in the expansion draft.

Toronto Maple Leafs rookie Auston Matthews is one of many who was taken aback by the Arizona Coyotes' announcement last week that the team is moving on from longtime captain Shane Doan.Matthews - a nominee for the Calder Trophy at Wednesday's NHL Awards - grew up in Arizona and cheered for the Coyotes, particularly Doan, making the 19-year-old that much more crestfallen about the news."I loved him growing up," Matthews said, according to NHL.com's Dan Rosen. "He was my idol. Then getting to know him, he's such an unbelievable person. As good as he is on the ice, the person he is off the ice really exemplifies everything about him. I'm pretty sad to see it, but he gives it his all and he's been with that organization for 21 years and he's made a big impact on and off the ice."Luckily for Matthews, he was able to share a special moment with Doan earlier in the season. Matthews took the opening faceoff against Doan during Toronto's visit to Arizona in December and later in the game watched the 40-year-old score his 400th career goal.Report: Coyotes offer Doan front-office jobOn the bright side, it appears the veteran of 1,540 games plans to join a contending team to challenge for his first career Stanley Cup, meaning his playing days aren't over just yet.Heck, maybe Toronto could fit the bill. At least one player would be open to the idea.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Chicago Blackhawks got some crushing news Wednesday morning.Marian Hossa and the team jointly announced that the 38-year-old will miss the entirety of the 2017-18 season due to a progressive skin disorder and complications with the medication that treats it. For now it's known that Hossa will miss at least next season, but given his age and the perceived severity of the disorder, it would seem the veteran's NHL career may also be in question.It's a dramatic and devastating loss to the Blackhawks as Hossa has been one of the most consistent and potent point producers during his time with the club, while also playing great at both ends of the ice.Fingers will certainly be crossed with the hopes Hossa will one day don the Blackhawks jersey again, but in the meantime here is what Wednesday's news means to the club:Loss in offenseAs mentioned off the top, the Blackhawks will feel the loss of Hossa the most on the scoreboard.Since joining the Blackhawks ahead of the 2009-10 season, he ranks third in both goals and points to only Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews with 186 and 415, respectively.Meanwhile, his 18 shorthanded goals and eight overtime goals lead the Blackhawks over that time, while his 1,614 shots rank second only to Kane.He generates offense at all strengths and replacing him surely won't be easy.Cap reliefIf there are any positives to take from this situation it is that Hossa's loss should provide some significant cap relief for the Blackhawks.Heading into next season, the Blackhawks currently have a cap hit of nearly $77.5 million - or $2.5 million over the $75-million cap - and that's without considering pending restricted free agents Tomas Jurco and Dennis Rasmussen.It's likely that Hossa will be placed on long-term injured reserve for the duration of the season, temporarily freeing the Blackhawks from his $5.275-million cap hit and putting the team back under the cap to potentially give it some wiggle room to be active in free agency or to take on another contract.Retirement not an ideal situation for BlackhawksThe biggest fear with all of this is that Hossa could be forced to retire from the game. While it would mean we've all seen the Slovak star's final game in the NHL, his retirement would also expose one of the league's more questionable rules.If Hossa were to retire, his contract would not merely come off of the Blackhawks' books. Instead, Chicago would endure a "recapture penalty" that would cost the team $3.675 million over the next four years, according to Mark Lazerus of the Chicago Sun-Times.This would be the case even despite the fact that Hossa is owed just $1 million in each of the next four years of his contract thanks to a structure that saw it front-loaded, which is no longer acceptable under the CBA.With that, it would be in the Blackhawks' best interest to keep Hossa on LTIR to save them from the penalty - similar to what the Toronto Maple Leafs have done with defenseman Stephane Robidas and forward Joffrey Lupul of late.Let's just hope this isn't how Hossa's historic NHL career comes to an end.(Photos courtesy: Action Images)Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Chicago Blackhawks forward Marian Hossa will miss the entire 2017-18 NHL season due to a progressive skin disorder and the side effects of the medications used to treat it, the Blackhawks and Hossa announced Wednesday in a joint statement."Over the course of the last few years, under the supervision of the Blackhawks medical staff, I have been privately undergoing treatment for a progressive skin disorder and the side effects of the medications involved to treat the disorder," Hossa said. "Due to the severe side effects associated with those medications, playing hockey is not possible for me during the upcoming 2017-18 season. While I am disappointed that I will not be able to play, I have to consider the severity of my condition and how the treatments have impacted my life both on and off the ice."Despite his health struggles, Hossa still played in 73 of the team's 82 games last season, contributing 26 goals - good enough for third on the team - and another 19 assists."This is extremely difficult for us because we all know the incredible person and player that Marian Hossa is - competitive, loyal, and humble," Blackhawks general manager Stan Bowman said. "He has played a major role in the success our franchise has experienced in recent years, which makes his departure from our lineup a significant loss."His teammates and coaches know he battled through some very tough physical difficulties but never complained or missed games despite the challenges he faced. The organization will continue to provide him every resource he needs to maintain his health."Team physician Dr. Michael Terry "strongly supports" Hossa's decision to sit out next season, calling it "the appropriate approach for Marian in order to keep him functional and healthy in the short term and throughout his life."The 2017-18 campaign marks the ninth year of Hossa's 12-year, $63.3-million contract, leaving three more seasons after that with a cap hit of $5.275 million.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

While much of the excitement out of Las Vegas this week is yet to come (we hope), the NHL gave its fans something to chew on as the league congregates to welcome a new era in Sin City: new uniforms.The league joined Adidas, its new jersey supplier, in debuting its new threads Tuesday night, with some teams undergoing more significant changes than others.Below, we outline what's changed and provide an overall grade for the teams that will rock a significantly new look to start the 2017-18 season.Golden Knights

The Vegas Golden Knights have jerseys. All they need is a roster full of players to don the newly unveiled sweater.

Minnesota Wild forward Erik Haula could find his way to Vegas before the expansion draft is finalized, as his agent, Jay Grossman, and Golden Knights general manager George McPhee are engaged in ongoing talks regarding a contract for the restricted free agent, reports Michael Russo of The Star Tribune.McPhee and the Golden Knights hold exclusive rights to negotiate contracts with both unrestricted and restricted free agents before they submit their official expansion roster Wednesday.If Haula winds up signing a deal in Sin City, it would help the Wild dodge a big bullet, as Vegas wouldn't be able to claim the likes of Eric Staal, Matt Dumba, and Marco Scandella, who Minnesota left exposed.Haula, 26, netted a career-high 15 goals last season in 72 games with the Wild, totaling 26 points.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

While the bulk of the NHL Awards won't be revealed until Wednesday night, the NHL Humanitarian Awards have come and gone, and Nick Foligno might need to invest in a bigger trophy case.The Columbus Blue Jackets' captain was awarded the King Clancy Memorial Trophy as the player who best exemplifies leadership qualities on and off the ice and has made a noteworthy contribution in his community.Foligno also took home the Mark Messier NHL Leadership Award as the player who exemplifies great leadership qualities to his team on and off the ice during the regular season.On the ice, Foligno scored 26 goals, added 25 assists, and led the Blue Jackets to a franchise-best 108 points after they finished with the fourth-worst record in the NHL the year prior.Away from the rink, Foligno is involved in countless amounts of charity work. Perhaps most notably, he donated $1 million to the two hospitals that saved his daughter's life after she was diagnosed with a life-threatening heart condition.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Nashville Predators appear to have jumped the gun.With the NHL's new Adidas jerseys set to be officially unveiled Tuesday night in Las Vegas, the Western Conference champions went ahead and posted a clear video preview of their new home look.Here's a look at the front of the jersey:(Courtesy: NHL.com)These jerseys will be donned beginning next season.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

George McPhee decided to make some exceptions.With as many as six trades already in place, the Vegas Golden Knights extended the general manager's Monday deadline to negotiate with his colleagues.Among the teams he's still talking to is the Toronto Maple Leafs after GM Lou Lamoriello experienced travel issues on the way to Nevada, per Chris Johnston of Sportsnet.The nature of the deal is not known; some teams seem set on paying a premium to retain players exposed for expansion draft purposes, while others could be working out a deal for a selected player to be flipped.McPhee has confirmed that some of the picks revealed Wednesday will be officially traded Thursday, according to Renaud Lavoie of TVA Sports.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

With all the excitement surrounding the NHL's expansion and entry drafts this week, it's understandable the league's award ceremony is being slightly overlooked, but there's still some hardware to be handed out.Most fans may be tuning in Wednesday night to witness the league's 31st franchise, the Vegas Golden Knights, name its roster. But some will also take the opportunity to throw down some loot on predicting who will take home the league's top honors.Here's a look at the nominees, and we break down each category's likely winner so you can adjust your bet accordingly. The awards are hosted in Vegas, after all.Calder TrophyNominee (Team)Odds to WinAuston Matthews (Maple Leafs)1.05-1Patrik Laine (Jets)6.50-1Zach Werenski (Blue Jackets)19-1Matthews put the league on notice from the jump with a quartet of tallies in his first game and finished with 69 points. He was also the best all-around rookie last season. Carrying Toronto to the playoffs by leading the team in goals and points, Matthews proved that he was worth being drafted with the first overall pick ahead of Laine.There is obviously zero value in taking Matthews here, even though he deserves the award. Sprinkle a small wager on Laine at 6.50-1 and hope that his 36 goals in 73 games - nine fewer contests than Matthews - are enough to put him in contention.Winner: Auston MatthewsJack Adams Award Nominee (Team)Odds to WinMike Babcock (Maple Leafs)1.74-1John Tortorella (Blue Jackets)3.25-1Todd McLellan (Oilers)3.65-1Taking a club from dead last in the league to a playoff position a year later requires Jack Adams-level coaching, and that's exactly what Babcock did with his Leafs this season.Sure, the Oilers were only one point ahead of Toronto in 2015-16 and followed it up by finishing second in the Pacific Division this year. But, with all due respect to Matthews, Connor McDavid makes McLellan's job too easy for this award.At 1.74-1, Babcock won't win you a mortgage payment, but if you parlay it with another pick - or two - your payout should be worth a wager.Winner: Mike BabcockVezina Trophy Nominee (Team)Odds to WinSegei Bobrovsky (Blue Jackets)1.25-1Braden Holtby (Capitals)3.20-1Carey Price (Canadiens)23-1Finishing the season with the league's best goals-against average (2.06) and save percentage (.931) should present a strong enough case for Bobrovsky to take home his second Vezina in four years.However, Holtby also had a stellar year, and led the NHL in two important categories - his nine shutouts and 42 wins both paced the league. It must be taken into consideration that Holtby played behind the best team in the East, but remember the Blue Jackets are no longer bottom-feeders.That makes this perhaps the toughest choice on the board. The edge goes to Bob for playing behind a younger, less experienced squad while still pushing his team to a 100-plus-point season.Winner: Sergei BobrovskyNorris Trophy Nominee (Team)Odds to WinBrent Burns (Sharks)1.20-1Erik Karlsson (Senators)3.50-1Victor Hedman (Lightning)26-1Here's the first opportunity to take someone other than the favorite and actually have a good shot at cashing out. Burns had an unreal season, finishing ninth in league scoring, but this is a defensive honor, and few play the position better than Karlsson.If the playoffs counted for this trophy, predicting the winner would be easier than scoring against the Dallas Stars. But the postseason isn't a factor, so Karlsson's amazing Cup run won't be considered, and the Norris is still Burns' to lose.Regardless, at 3.50-1, Karlsson is just way too good to not sprinkle a wager on him.Winner: Erik KarlssonHart Trophy Nominee (Team)Odds to WinConnor McDavid (Oilers)1.15-1Sidney Crosby (Penguins)5-1Sergei Bobrovsky (Blue Jackets)12-1As is the case with Matthews and the Calder, there's no value in picking the favorite to win the league MVP.McDavid paced the league in assists and points with 70 and 100, respectively, earning the right to be the favorite. But never count out Crosby, who led the NHL with 44 goals and registered 89 points while playing seven fewer games than McDavid. At 5-1, Sid's definitely worth a couple bucks.Apologies to Bobrovsky, but this award comes down to the two best players on the planet. McDavid will have plenty of time to win this award once Crosby retires, so chalk up another Hart for No. 87.Winner: Sidney Crosby(Odds courtesy: Bodog)(Photos courtesy: Action Images)Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

There's some serious wheeling and dealing happening in Vegas.Golden Knights general manager George McPhee had said he has "at least" six trades completed in advance of the expansion draft announcement, per Chris Johnston of Sportsnet.And there may be more in the works.

Call it a day, or one last kick at the can?That's the decision facing a pair of longtime former NHL captains Shane Doan and Jarome Iginla heading into the summer.Their fates, however, may not rest in their hands.First, the unfortunate reality. Out of the five oldest soon-to-be unrestricted free agents, Doan and Iginla represent the only two yet to win a Stanley Cup, surely one of the biggest factors in seeking a contract for 2017-18.PlayerAge2016-17 SalaryStanley CupsJaromir Jagr45$4M2Shane Doan40$3.876M0Matt Cullen40$1M3Jarome Iignla39$5M0Mark Streit39$4M1(Courtesy: Cap Friendly)The story so farAnother thing that ties these players together is the fact they were both named captains of their respective teams at the onset of the 2003-04 season.Iginla held the post with the Calgary Flames until 2012-13, at which point the rebuilding club traded him to the Pittsburgh Penguins. Doan led the Coyotes until Monday, when Arizona - the only franchise he's ever played for - announced it would not offer him a contract.Both are all-timers for those two clubs, and could go into the Hall of Fame in those jerseys. But the ultimate level of success in hockey has thus far eluded them.Iginla came oh-so-close to winning with the Flames, losing in seven games to the Tampa Bay Lightning in the 2004 Cup Final. He's been on a fresh hunt for a few years now, first agreeing to be sent to the Penguins and then subsequently signing with the then-contending Boston Bruins for the 2013-14 season.He then made a serious misstep on the Cup trail, signing a three-year deal with the Colorado Avalanche. The team didn't make the playoffs during his tenure and was historically bad this past season. Iginla even earned a Masterton nomination for persevering through that particular mess.Iginla was eventually traded to the Los Angeles Kings - a team that also fell short of the playoffs - in a failed attempt at winning this past season, and has said he's interested in returning for at least one more go at it.It's a sentiment echoed by Doan, or at least his agent.After the Coyotes made their announcement, Terry Bross said his client doesn't plan to retire and it's "time for him to get a shot at the Cup."In Doan's 20 seasons in Arizona, the Coyotes qualified for the postseason only eight times, advancing as far as the Western Conference Final on one occasion (2012).To say he's hungry for a win would seem to be an understatement.Related: 3 fits for Shane Doan in free agencySo what's next?Well, in order to sign a new deal, a deal must be offered, and here's where things may get a bit tricky.Neither player will command much with respect to term and valuation on new deals, and whether teams with legitimate Cup aspirations come calling or rely instead on younger talent remains to be seen.The NHL is trending younger and faster with each passing season, and Doan (six) and Iginla (14) combined for 20 goals in 2016-17. Their leadership, heart, and veteran experience will be valued, but the reality is they've lost a step in the skates and some velocity on the stick.Doan has also reportedly been offered a front-office job with the Coyotes should he choose to hang up his skates, and Iginla would likely be offered a similar opportunity somewhere around the league, maybe even in Calgary.It's entirely possible that one or both of these consummate pros will be left out in the cold, and to have played their final years with the lowly Coyotes and Avalanche would be a tough way to go out.But if they do return, there'll be no shortage of hockey fans rooting for them to finally lift that Cup.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Tampa Bay Lightning appear to have their backup in place.The club has reportedly agreed to terms on a two-year contract extension with Peter Budaj worth $2.05 million, according to TSN's Bob McKenzie.The NHL is the midst of a transaction freeze while the Vegas Golden Knights choose their roster, and while Budaj was left unprotected by the Lightning, his agent, Rolly Hedges, confirmed the agreement with Tampa Bay, one that will likely be made official after the expansion draft."There was great interest in Peter coming back," Hedges told Joe Smith of the Tampa Bay Times on Monday. "He likes the Tampa Bay area. He likes the teammates. Peter has some young children, and his priority was being in Tampa and living in an area that was comfortable for him and his wife and his children. They enjoyed it there."Budaj appeared in seven games for the Lightning after being acquired from Los Angeles in the Ben Bishop trade, posting a record of 3-1-0 with a .898 save percentage. Prior to that, he filled in admirably for the injured Jonathan Quick, going 27-20-3 with a .917 save percentage with the Kings.He'll serve as backup to Andrei Vasilevskiy, and the pair will cost $4.525 million against the cap, which is tremendous value at that position in today's NHL.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Shane Doan wants to test free agency, but he may have another option if that doesn't work out.The Arizona Coyotes have offered the veteran forward a front-office position, Arizona Sports 98.7 FM's Craig Morgan reports.Doan was told he wouldn't be offered a contract for next season, which the club revealed Monday, leading his agent to declare his client ready to enter free agency.Related: 3 fits for Shane Doan in free agencyThe 40-year-old followed up his agent's comments by saying he wasn't expecting the Coyotes to let him walk and insisting it was team owner Andrew Barroway who made the decision.Doan added that he's upset about the way it ended, but understands where the Coyotes' brass is coming from.Still, as Morgan pointed out, the longtime Arizona captain will likely need some time to consider the latest offer, given he's still processing the team's decision not to bring him back as a player in 2017-18.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

21 seasons later, Shane Doan has to find a new franchise.The Arizona Coyotes announced Monday they won't offer Doan a new contract this offseason, as the 40-year-old is slated for unrestricted free agency.Doan, drafted by (the original) Winnipeg Jets seventh overall in 1995, is the organization's all-time leader in games played (1,540), goals (402), assists (570), and points (972), while captaining the club since the start of the 2003-04 season.While Doan's final chapter in the desert may seem to have come to an abrupt end, his agent has already announced his client doesn't plan on retiring and will test free agency for a chance at the Stanley Cup.However, coming off a meager six-goal output in 2016-17, Doan's list of suitors might be limited, especially if he's looking to join a contender.Still, with possibly just one more kick at the can and fueled by the motivation to actually qualify for the postseason (sorry, Coyotes), this situation might bring the best out of a player who's cracked the 20-goal plateau 13 times.Below are three franchises with whom Doan just might be a fit.Edmonton OilersDoan has employed a brash style of play his entire career, and Edmonton general manager Peter Chiarelli hasn't shied away from surrounding the core of Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl - who will all but certainly carry the Oilers to the playoffs if healthy - with physical players.Doan fits the mold of the Oilers' roster and is also an Alberta native, factors which could potentially see him lower his price tag if it means joining a club with championship aspirations.Calgary Flames(Photo Courtesy: Getty Images)Calgary already nabbed former Coyotes goalie Mike Smith, what's the harm in a little reunion?While the Flames' Cup chances might not be that of their provincial adversaries, Calgary can compete in the Pacific Division as long as Smith is indeed the solution to its problems in goal.There are a few holes on the wing for the Flames, and mixing in Doan could further solidify an already ultra-deep forward corps.Anaheim DucksYet another team in the Pacific could perhaps benefit from Doan's availability.Anaheim, a perennial threat in the Western Conference, will likely look at retaining UFA Patrick Eaves, but his breakout 32-goal campaign could inflate his asking price.Doan's career shooting percentage (10.2%) is slightly below Eaves' (11.3%), but while one is coming off career-low numbers and one career highs, the two players can be expected to put up similar numbers as each other in 2017-18.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Shane Doan says he was caught off guard when the Arizona Coyotes told him they wouldn't be signing him to another contract."I'd say I was surprised," Doan told Dave Burns and John Gambadoro on Arizona Sports 98.7 FM on Monday. "I wasn't expecting it, so there's an element of surprise in that."On the other hand, the 40-year-old forward knows full well that hockey is a business."I wasn't necessarily shocked that they didn't want me to play (with them) again," he said. "I understand the direction they're going (in), I don't completely agree with a lot of the decisions they've made, but ... I'm a player and ... you sometimes start to think you're bigger than you are, and ... (my) job is (simply) to play. I understand their job is to make decisions like this, and that's what they had to do."Doan said he was waiting to hear from the Coyotes about whether they wanted him back, and general manager John Chayka met with him Saturday to inform him of the club's intent.The longtime captain believes it was Coyotes owner Andrew Barroway who opted to move on."It was the owner's decision," Doan said Monday. "When (he) got possession of the team, he ... wanted to go with a younger group and me being around might have delayed things. Sometimes, you have to rip the Band-Aid off, and I guess that's kind of the approach they were looking at."When asked if he had any hard feelings, Doan insisted he won't hold a grudge."I don't like the way it ended, and ... I'm not happy. If you talked to me two days ago, it would have been probably a little bit different," he said. "But at the same time, I'm not going throw everything away that I've worked hard to build up as collateral with the Coyotes over an individual's decision."I understand it is what it is. Yeah, I'm hurt and I'm upset, and I wish it hadn't ended the way that it (did) ... but I don't think I'm going to be bitter."Doan's agent, Terry Bross, told 98.7's Craig Morgan earlier Monday that his client is ready to test the free-agent market and wants a chance to win the Stanley Cup.He'll officially become an unrestricted free agent July 1.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Shane Doan isn't hanging up his skates."Shane is ready to enter the free-agent market and see where it goes," Doan's agent, Terry Bross, told Arizona Sports 98.7 FM's Craig Morgan. "Time for him to get a shot at the Cup."The Coyotes opted not to offer Doan a contract for next season, and team owner Andrew Barroway said in a statement Monday that "the time has come for us to move on and focus on our young, talented group of players and our very bright future."Doan will now become an unrestricted free agent on July 1. The 40-year-old didn't provide much in the way of production this past season, as he posted only six goals and 27 points on an abysmal Coyotes squad.Most of his value is of the intangible variety, considering his leadership experience as Arizona's longtime captain and his 21 NHL seasons, all of which were spent with the Coyotes organization.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Oliver Ekman-Larsson will reportedly be named the next captain of the Arizona Coyotes.The club has decided not to offer a new contract to longtime leader Shane Doan, opening the door for the franchise defenseman to don the "C" moving forward.From Sarah McLellan of azcentral sports:

Shane Doan has spent the last 20 seasons in a Coyotes uniform. But that number won't hit 21, as the club announced Monday that it will be parting ways with its longtime captain.Despite coming off a season in which he registered his lowest point output in four years (six goals and 21 assists), Doan still played a key leadership role on a Coyotes squad filled with youth and inexperience.However, leadership and loyalty is apparently not enough to keep the former seventh overall pick in the desert for one more season.Doan has been the cornerstone of the franchise since being drafted by the then-Winnipeg Jets in 1995, and despite showing his interest in returning for another year, he will be moving on to a new franchise for the first time in his 22-year career.The 40-year-old finishes his career in Arizona as the Coyotes' all-time leader in games played (1540), goals (402), assists (570), and points (972).Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.