If Marc-Andre Fleury's days with the Penguins are indeed coming to a close, he won't soon be forgotten in Pittsburgh.Sure, the goaltender will be remembered as a first overall draft pick, a three-time Stanley Cup champion and, by all accounts, a model teammate. But with the possibility of being selected by the Vegas Golden Knights in the expansion draft a very real one, Fleury is leaving a more tangible legacy behind.Case in point: Fleury financed construction of a new, state-of-the-art playground at a Boys & Girls club in the Pittsburgh area, and attended the grand opening Monday morning.

Time is running out for the other 30 general managers to get their way in the expansion draft process.Speaking to reporters Monday, Vegas Golden Knights general manager George McPhee indicated he has put a deadline on discussions with his colleagues as they pertain to making deals to ensure exposed players are or are not selected, depending on the situation."Today will be the last day that we are going to have those discussions," he said. "We are going to pick our team (Tuesday)."Related - Expansion mock draft: Vegas Golden Knights take shapeThe Golden Knights must select one player from each team, including at least 14 forwards, nine defensemen, and three goaltenders. A minimum of 20 of those players must be under contract for 2017-18, and McPhee is free to speak to unprotected free agents to gauge their interest in joining the team.McPhee must submit his selections by 10 a.m. ET on Wednesday, while the roster will be announced that night at the NHL Awards.His full update can been seen here:

Although he's known more for his love of basketball, Drake is also a big hockey fan and played the sport growing up.In the clip above, the Toronto rapper, who was 10 years old at the time, shows off his table hockey skills in a satirical commercial based around goaltenders Martin Brodeur and Ron Hextall that aired at the 1997 NHL Awards.- With h/t to NoiseyCopyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The NHL and NHLPA have agreed on a salary cap for 2017-18, leaving the Chicago Blackhawks as the lone team with some shedding to do.The cap ceiling for the upcoming season has officially been set at $75 million, and the Blackhawks are the only team currently above that mark with an overage projected at $2.52M, per Cap Friendly.In fact, no other team comes within $4 million of the new limit:TeamProjected Cap SpaceBlackhawks-$2.52MBlue Jackets$4.04MIslanders$4.04MDucks$5.45MBlues$6.46MPart of that extra salary could be gone as early as Wednesday, though, courtesy of the Vegas Golden Knights.House moneyTSN's Frank Seravalli reports Chicago has a deal in place with the expansion franchise that would see Marcus Kruger move to the desert, with Trevor van Riemsdyk set as the price for taking on the forward's contract.Kruger is set to carry a cap hit of $3,083,333 for the next two seasons, while Van Riemsdyk's deal is valued at $825,000 against the cap. The savings there amount to $3,908,333, enough to get the Blackhawks under the ceiling.On the flip side, there are now two roster spots that need to be filled, leaving almost $1.4 million (and zero flexibility) to work with.The expansion draft, then, is just the beginning of general manager Stan Bowman's efforts to become cap compliant without sacrificing too much talent.Spin the trade wheelThe next (and bigger) step likely involves trading a more core piece of the roster. Assuming Jonathan Toews, Patrick Kane, Duncan Keith and Corey Crawford are safe, here are a few other candidates to be moved:PlayerPosition2017-18 Cap HitBrent SeabrookD$6.875M (NMC)Artemi PanarinF$6MMarian HossaF$5.275M (NMC)Artem AnisimovF$4.55M (NMC)Niklas HjalmarssonD$4.1M (M-NTC NMC)As we can see, the challenge here lies in the fact almost all these players can't be moved without giving consent, which is why Panarin cracks the list, as unfathomable as that may seem.We all know Bowman has proven to have a knack for filling roster holes with veteran players on the cheap, or with talented young prospects on entry-level deals. That challenge is greater than ever, with an aging core still stinging from the embarrassment of scoring three goals in a four-game sweep at the hands of the Nashville Predators.Chicago, then, will be a team to watch closely this summer, and the Blackhawks could be active hosts of this weekend's NHL Entry Draft by giving commissioner Gary Bettman a trade or two to announce.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

While the Vegas Golden Knights are set to put together their inaugural roster in just a few days, it has been 25 years since the Tampa Bay Lightning conducted their expansion draft prior to the 1992-93 season.The Lightning and Ottawa Senators, who joined the league the same year, each chose 21 players - two goaltenders, seven defensemen, and 12 forwards. The pickings were slim, as teams were allowed to protect two netminders and 14 skaters each (the second-year San Jose Sharks were exempt from the expansion draft).The Lightning made out considerably better than their Canadian brethren, winning 23 games while compiling 53 points in their inaugural season. Brian Bradley was the offensive catalyst, scoring an incredible 42 goals while finishing with 86 points en route to a spot in the NHL All-Star Game - his first of two consecutive All-Star appearances.Here are the 21 players the Lightning selected in the expansion draft:GoaltendersWendell Young (selected from Pittsburgh)GPWLTGAASV%3171923.66.872Young went from backup duty in Pittsburgh to a similar role with the expansion Lighting, playing behind Pat Jablonski. He actually posted slightly better numbers, but it wasn't enough to earn him more playing time the following season. He was dealt back to the Penguins in 1995, and played his final seven years with Chicago of the International Hockey League.Frederic Chabot (selected from Montreal)GP*WLTGAASV%45221743.33.901*Played with AHL's Fredericton CanadiensMontreal wasn't thrilled with losing Chabot, so it made a deal with Tampa the day after the expansion draft and sent fellow netminder Jean-Claude Bergeron to the Lightning. Bergeron actually asserted himself well in Tampa - recording a 3.65 goals-against average in 53 career games - while Chabot appeared in just two more games with Montreal and 32 for his NHL career.DefensemenJoe Reekie (selected from N.Y. Islanders)GPGAPTS+/-4221113+2Reekie was a dependable defense-first blue-liner that had one of the best seasons of any Lightning player in their inaugural season. He was so good, in fact, that Tampa Bay was able to deal him to Washington for bruiser Enrico Ciccone and a pair of draft picks in a March 1994 trade. Reekie went on to play parts of nine seasons with the Capitals.Shawn Chambers (selected from Washington)GPGAP+/-55102939-21Chambers was a revelation for Tampa Bay - at least on the offensive end. Despite finishing with the fourth-worst plus-minus on the team, he established career bests in goals and assists while leading the team in scoring among defensemen. He played parts of three seasons with the Lightning before being traded to New Jersey in March 1995.Peter Taglianetti (selected from Pittsburgh)GPGAP+/-61189+8Taglianetti's bruising style complemented the Lightning's skill players well. He not only led the team in plus-minus, but was also second in penalty minutes. But Tampa Bay decided against holding onto him, swapping him back to the Penguins in exchange for a third-round pick. Taglianetti would remain with the Pens until 1995 before wrapping up his career with Providence of the AHL.Bob McGill (selected from Detroit)GP*GAP+/-19101+5*Played with Toronto Maple LeafsMcGill didn't even appear in a game with the Lightning, who placed him on waivers in early September. He was subsequently claimed by the Maple Leafs, reuniting him with the team that selected him 26th overall in the 1980 draft. McGill retired as a player in 1996 with an odd statistical anomaly to his credit: He played in 49 NHL playoff games without registering a single point.Jeff Bloemberg (selected from N.Y. Rangers)GP*GAP+/-7664551-6*Played with AHL's Cape Breton OilersBloemberg was another player selected by the Lightning in the expansion draft and subsequently moved without playing a game with the team. He was sent to Edmonton for future considerations, and had a solid season with the Oilers' AHL affiliate. But despite stints with the Hartford and Detroit organizations, Bloemberg never played in the NHL again.Doug Crossman (selected from Quebec)GPGAP+/-4082129-4Crossman brought a veteran pedigree to Tampa, and was the team's top blue-line point producer on a per-game basis. In January 1993, the Lightning made him the centerpiece of a deal with St. Louis that landed them promising forward Jason Ruff. But Ruff did nothing with the Lightning, while Crossman's offense fell off a cliff in 1993-94 (nine points in 50 games played).Rob Ramage (selected from Minnesota)GPGAP+/-6651217-21Ramage in his prime was one of the top dual-threat defensemen in hockey, capable of racking up points and rearranging opponents' dental work. But as a 34-year-old whose best days were clearly behind him, he didn't offer much of anything on the offensive end. Tampa dealt him to Montreal for Eric Charron, Alain Cote, and Donald Dufresne in March.ForwardsMichel Mongeau (selected from St. Louis)GPGAP+/-4112-2Mongeau has an interesting HockeyDB page, even without much NHL content on there. He played just four games with the Lightning, spending the majority of that season in the IHL (65 points in 45 games with Peoria). That was his last NHL action, as he closed out his playing career with stints in the AHL, the Italian League, and the Quebec Senior Professional Hockey League.Anatoli Semenov (selected from Edmonton)GPGAP+/-13235-5Semenov came to the Lightning with plenty of promise after racking up 73 points over two seasons with the Oilers following a 10-year run with Moscow Dynamo. But he played in just 13 games with Tampa before being traded to Vancouver, and was claimed by Anaheim in its 1993 expansion draft - just over one year after being nabbed by the Lightning.Mike Hartman (selected from Winnipeg)GPGAP+/-58448-7Hartman provided a big part of the muscle for the expansion Lightning, collecting 154 penalty minutes over just 58 games with the team. After Tampa Bay traded him to the New York Rangers for Randy Gilhen, Hartman finished his NHL career on Broadway before spending the majority of his non-NHL time from there with the Charlotte Checkers of the ECHL.Basil McRae (selected from Minnesota)GPGAP+/-14235-3Coming off a five-season stint with the Minnesota North Stars in which he averaged more than 313 penalty minutes per season, McRae wasn't coming in to score 30 goals. But his time in Tampa Bay was short, as he was shipped to St. Louis as part of the transaction to acquire Ruff. Even so, he still managed 71 PIMs in just 14 games with the Lightning.Rob DiMaio (selected from N.Y. Islanders)GPGAP+/-54915240DiMaio provided a nice boost in Tampa Bay's first season. His point total jumped by 17 compared to his final year with the Islanders, though it wasn't enough to keep him with the Lightning, as he was traded to Philadelphia the following season for Jim Cummins and a fourth-round pick. DiMaio would play 10 more NHL seasons, including a return to Tampa for his final campaign.Dan Vincelette (selected from Chicago)GP*GAP+/-3655100*Played with IHL's Atlanta Knights and San Diego GullsTabbed as a future power forward, Vincelette had no trouble racking up the PIMs as a pro but couldn't match his offensive production from junior hockey. He never appeared in a game with Tampa Bay, as he was dealt to the Flyers for Steve Kasper in December 1992. Vincelette finished his career with 22 points and 155 PIMs in 27 games with Acton Vale of the QSPHL in 1996-97.Steve Maltais (selected from Quebec)GPGAP+/-6371320-20Maltais' NHL footprint is small - he had just nine goals and 18 assists in 120 games with five teams. But his lone season with the Lightning stands out, as it was his only NHL campaign with more than 26 games played. He was shipped out of Tampa Bay the following summer, sent to Detroit for Dennis Vial. He returned to the NHL seven years later with Columbus.Tim Bergland (selected from Washington)GPGAP+/-27336-5Bergland had bounced between the NHL and AHL with the Capitals organization since 1989-90 prior to being selected by the Lightning. That pattern continued in his Tampa Bay tenure, as he played 78 games with the Lightning and another 68 with the Atlanta Vipers of the IHL before being reacquired by Washington via waivers in March 1994. He retired in 1999.Brian Bradley (selected from Toronto)GPGAP+/-80424486-24No one could have seen this coming - particularly not the Maple Leafs, for whom Bradley had scored just 10 goals in 85 games over parts of two season. Bradley's sensational 1992-93 campaign propelled him to the first of two All-Star berths, and he finished with 300 points over 328 games as a member of the Lightning. His 42 goals stood as the team record until 2007.Keith Osborne (selected from Toronto)GPGAP+/-11112-1Osborne was an elite player for North Bay and Niagara Falls of the Ontario Hockey League but couldn't match that success in the NHL, finishing with just four points in 16 games. Following several successful seasons in the IHL and UHL, he ended his playing career with the hilariously-named Macon Whoopee of the Central Hockey League in 2000-01.Shayne Stevenson (selected from Boston)GPGAP+/-8011-5Stevenson will go down as one of the biggest first-round busts of the 1980s. The 17th overall pick in 1989 had a promising junior career but managed just two assists in 27 career NHL games. He toiled in a variety of minor leagues until the end of his playing days in 2000-01, including a two-season stint with Port Huron and Toronto of Major League Roller Hockey.Tim Hunter (selected from Calgary)GP*GAP+/-48538-4*Played with Quebec NordiquesHunter's tenure with the expansion Lightning lasted exactly one day. He was dealt to Quebec on June 19 for future considerations that wound up being forward Martin Simard, who finished with the same number of points in a Tampa Bay uniform as Hunter did. Meanwhile, Hunter played five more NHL seasons with the Nordiques, Canucks, and Sharks.(Photos courtesy: Getty Images)Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

With one year remaining on his contract with the Buffalo Sabres, winger Evander Kane hears his name mentioned in trade rumors.He seems quite used to it, in fact."My name seems to create a buzz with some reporters and radio stations. I wonder if I have some thank-you cards coming," Kane said to Steve Ewen of The Province at a reunion for the Vancouver Giants' 2007 Memorial Cup champions.The chatter isn't something he seems to be losing sleep over."Do I worry about the rumours? No. The funny part about rumours is that if you don't know something is going on, then nobody else does," he said. "I have an agent (Don Meehan) who is knowledgeable and tapped in. He gives me updates when I need updates. I'd like to think I'm well informed when I need to be."The rumors aren't entirely out of place, though, seeing as Kane's deal expires next summer and he's set to command a hefty raise, especially if he can replicate his 28 goals in 70 games from this past season.Sabres general manager Jason Botterill is new on the job and will no doubt assess the roster from top to bottom, and Kane's off-ice issues may play a role in any decision to jettison him out of Buffalo.For his part, Kane has expressed a desire to remain a Sabre, and believes he was able to bring his all to the team in 2016-17 despite facing charges of disorderly conduct and harassment - which were eventually dismissed - stemming from an incident last summer."I thought I did a pretty good job of that last season," Kane said of staying focused on his game. "I'm just going to continue to let my play on the ice do all the negotiating and talking and answering for me."I'm getting prepared to start another NHL season," he added. "Hopefully it's in Buffalo."Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

While the Vegas Golden Knights are set to put together their inaugural roster in just a few days, it has been 25 years since the Ottawa Senators conducted their expansion draft prior to the 1992-93 season.The Senators and Tampa Bay Lightning, who joined the league the same year, each chose 21 players - two goaltenders, seven defensemen, and 12 forwards. The pickings were quite slim, as non-expansion teams were allowed to protect two netminders and 14 skaters each. (The second-year San Jose Sharks were exempt from the expansion draft.)Ottawa didn't get much from the players it selected; only Sylvain Turgeon (pictured above) finished in the top three in team scoring, and was the only expansion pick to record more than 15 goals. That might explain why the Senators went an abysmal 10-70-4 in their first year, setting an NHL record for fewest road wins in a season (one).Here are the 21 players the Senators selected in the expansion draft:GoaltendersPeter Sidorkiewicz (selected from Hartford)GPWLTGAASV%6484634.43.856Sidorkiewicz, a one-time Calder Trophy finalist, had a dreadful season in the Canadian capital, winning just eight of his 64 appearances while leading the NHL in goals against. He was dealt to New Jersey the following summer in a five-player deal that netted the Senators netminder Craig Billington, among others, and played just four more NHL games after that.Mark Laforest (selected from N.Y. Rangers)GP*WLTGAASV%30101814.30.878* played for AHL's New Haven SenatorsLaforest was solid in back-to-back seasons for the Rangers' American Hockey League affiliate before being plucked by the Senators; he made just two appearances for Ottawa, both during the 1993-94 season, before bolting for the International Hockey League during the 1994-95 lockout. He wrapped up his playing career in 1997 with Utica of the Colonial Hockey League.DefensemenBrad Shaw (selected from New Jersey)GPGAPTS+/-8173441-47It was a rough two years in Ottawa for Shaw, who finished with the league's fourth-worst plus-minus in the Senators' inaugural campaign. Shaw was made team captain in 1993-94, posted a 4-19-23 line with a -41 rating in 66 games, and spent the majority of the next four seasons in the IHL. He retired in 1999 and has been an NHL assistant/associate coach since 2006.Darren Rumble (selected from Philadelphia)GPGAP+/-6931316-24Like Shaw, Rumble spent just two seasons with the Senators - and like Shaw, they were difficult campaigns. Rumble posted nine goals, 31 points, and a -74 rating in 139 games with the Senators before rediscovering his offensive touch in the AHL, recording three straight 50-point seasons. It never did translate to the NHL, however, as he had just 36 points in 193 career games.Dominic Lavoie (selected from St. Louis)GPGAP+/-20110Lavoie's playing days in North America were nearly spent by the time he arrived in Ottawa; he spent most of his only season with the Sens in the AHL, recording 43 points in 53 games. Stints with Boston and Los Angeles preceded a move overseas, where Lavoie split the final 10 years of his career between Felkirch VEU of the Austrian League and the Hannover Scorpions of the German League.Brad Miller (selected from Buffalo)GPGAP+/-11000-5Many sports fans know about former NBA center Brad Miller, and current Tampa Bay Rays infielder Brad Miller - but they may not know there was an NHL version, too. He made more of an impact with his fists, recording just one goal, five assists, and 321 penalty minutes in 82 career NHL games; he spent his final six seasons in the IHL, where he also punched faces.Ken Hammond (selected from Vancouver)GPGAP+/-62448-42Hammond, an eighth-round pick of the Kings in 1983, had played for the expansion Sharks the year before being plucked by the Senators, so being on a first-year team had kind of become his thing. Ottawa represented his final taste of NHL action; he played with Providence of the AHL in 1993-94 before wrapping up his career with the IHL's Kansas City Blades.Kent Paynter (selected from Winnipeg)GPGAP+/-6000-7Paynter didn't make much of an impact in his NHL career, recording one goal and adding three assists in 37 games. His Senators tenure was equally drab - one assist and a -13 rating in 15 games before he fled for the IHL for the final four years of his career. His only NHL goal came against Daniel Berthiaume, who also played for the Sens during their inaugural season.John Van Kessel (selected from Los Angeles)GP*GAP+/-17235-6* played for AHL's New Haven SenatorsNever heard of Van Kessel? It's okay; most hockey fans haven't. He never played in an NHL game, spending 1992-93 between the AHL and IHL and kicking around the minors for a few more seasons before wrapping up his career in Germany. Fun fact: Van Kessel was selected 49th overall in 1988, ahead of Mark Recchi, Rob Blake, and Alex Mogilny, among others. Oops!ForwardsSylvain Turgeon (selected from Montreal)GPGAP+/-72251843-29Turgeon was expected to be the centerpiece of Ottawa's offense; the former No. 2 overall pick had two 40-goal seasons in Hartford to his credit, and was still in his prime when the Senators selected him. But he topped out at a high of 25 goals in three seasons with Ottawa, then left the NHL in 1995-96 for stings in the IHL, Italy, Switzerland, and Germany.Mike Peluso (selected from Chicago)GPGAP+/-81151025-35It's fair to say the Senators knew what they were getting from a guy who had led the entire NHL with 408 penalty minutes the season before. But even though Peluso pretty much did as expected - racking up 318 PIMs in 81 games - he also showed some scoring touch, finishing fifth on the team in goals. He would net just 13 more tallies over his final five campaigns.Rob Murphy (selected from Vancouver)GPGAP+/-443710-23A second-round pick of the Canucks in 1987, Murphy never did reach his full potential following four impressive campaigns in the QMJHL. The Senators couldn't get much out of him, either, and cut him loose after one season. He spent the next four seasons in the IHL before a six-year stint in Germany and one year in the Quebec Senior Men's Hockey League.Mark Lamb (selected from Edmonton)GPGAP+/-7171926-40Lamb was by no means flashy, but he was a serviceable depth option for a Senators team that was woefully short on experience. Lamb finished with 18 goals and 55 points in parts of two seasons with Ottawa before being traded to Philadelphia for Claude Boivin in March 1994. He finished playing in 2000, then spent time as an assistant coach with the Edmonton Oilers and Dallas Stars.Jim Thomson (selected from Los Angeles)GPGAP+/-15011-11Thomson was another bruising forward with a penchant for dropping the gloves; the 6-foot-1 winger had racked up 162 penalty minutes in just 45 games with the Kings the season before. But he was a pivotal piece for the Sens, who sent him back to L.A. in December in a four-player deal that allowed them to acquire perennial 20-goal scorer Bob Kudelski.Lonnie Loach (selected from Detroit)GPGAP+/-30000Loach had turned heads in 1991, racking up 131 points in 81 games with Fort Wayne to win the International Hockey League scoring title by 11 points over linemate and future NHL head coach Bruce Boudreau. But Loach couldn't duplicate his success in the NHL, posting just 23 points in 56 games before plying his trade in the AHL, Switzerland, the Alpenligue, and the UHL.Laurie Boschman (selected from New Jersey)GPGAP+/-709716-26Boschman was one of the Senators' most established players; the former first-round pick had nearly 1,000 NHL games on his resume with the Maple Leafs, Oilers, Jets, and Devils. He reached the 1,000-game plateau in an Ottawa uniform but called it quits at season's end, returning for a seven-game stint with the British Hockey League's Fife Flyers in 1994-95.Mark Freer (selected from Philadelphia)GPGAP+/-63101424-35Freer wasn't much of an offensive threat, but still managed an NHL personal-best 10 goals despite a -35 rating with the Senators. He signed with the Calgary Flames the following offseason but spent the majority of 1993-94 in the AHL, averaging better than a point per game. He played the next five seasons in the IHL before returning to the Philadelphia organization with the Phantoms.Chris Lindberg (selected from Calgary)GP*GAP+/-6291221-3* played for Calgary FlamesThe Flames really didn't want to part with Lindberg, whom they had signed as a free agent in 1991. So, they dealt defenseman Mark Osiecki to the Senators in order to reacquire their prized forward. The deal didn't really work out for either side; Lindberg departed for Quebec as a free agent the following offseason, while Ottawa placed Oseicki on waivers in February 1993.Jeff Lazaro (selected from Boston)GPGAP+/-266410-8The Waltham, Mass., native was nothing more than a depth forward with the Bruins, but Lazaro showed decent offensive promise between Ottawa and New Haven (12 goals, 13 assists in 27 games). Yet, his Senators stint represented the last of his NHL playing experience, as he spent his final nine seasons between the AHL, ECHL, Germany, and Austria.Darcy Loewen (selected from Buffalo)GPGAP+/-79459-26Power forwards were all the rage in the late 80s and early 90s, which explains how Loewen was a third-round pick; he averaged a point per game over his final two WHL seasons while racking up 425 penalty minutes in that span. But he was all fists, no hands in the NHL, registering 12 points and 211 PIMs in 135 games. He finished his playing career in the West Coast Hockey League.Blair Atcheynum (selected from Hartford)GPGAP+/-4011-3Atcheynum, a third-round pick of the Whalers in 1989, had 138 points in his final junior season but never saw the ice with Hartford and barely featured for Ottawa. He rejuvenated his career in 1997-98, playing 61 games with the St. Louis Blues before being claimed by Nashville in the Predators' expansion draft. he was later dealt back to St. Louis before finishing his career with Chicago.(Photos courtesy: Getty Images)Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

We're so close.The protected and available players lists for the expansion draft are public, which means it's time to finally take our best shot at filling out the Vegas Golden Knights' roster.We've listed the roster by position, and broken down each selection by team, including the player's age, salary cap hit, and contract status.Forwards

It was only a matter of time before Roberto Luongo chimed in.The Florida Panthers' 38-year-old goalie was left exposed by the club ahead of the expansion draft, and took to Twitter to sympathize with the Vegas Golden Knights' tough decision ahead:

One of the most noticeable names left unprotected for expansion selection on Sunday was Detroit Red Wings goalie Petr Mrazek, but the reasoning behind it may not be what you expected.Many NHL pundits expected the Wings to leave the less desirable 33-year-old Jimmy Howard exposed, so when it was Mrazek's name left unprotected, those same experts began to speculate whether Detroit general manager Ken Holland had a side deal in place with Vegas to ensure Mrazek stayed in red and white.However, that appears to not be the case."We had a tough year. We're trying to build our team," Holland said, according to Ansar Khan of MLive.com. "I'm not spending any future assets to hang onto players."Related: Expansion Draft: A list of all players available to VegasIf no side deal exists to protect Mrazek from becoming a Knight, then why is Holland so dead set on making his former No. 1 available?Mrazek did have a lackluster season in 2016-17 - the 25-year-old posted an 18-21-9 record to go along with a 3.04 GAA and .901 save percentage - but, as Khan points out, the former fifth-round pick could be heading elsewhere due to poor behavior and a cocky approach.As such, a GAA above 3.00 and a save percentage barely above .900 apparently isn't enough to make up for a sour attitude.According to Khan, Mrazek has always carried a "swagger and air of confidence" with him, something that initially attracted the Wings. But if head coach Jeff Blashill's benching of Mrazek in favor of rookie Jared Coreau at the Centennial Classic is any indication, the Czech native has seemingly worn out his welcome in Motown.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The protected lists are in.We know who the Golden Knights can't select. On the flipside, below is a comprehensive list - broken down by team - of all the players George McPhee can have join him in Vegas.Anaheim Ducks

The Vegas Golden Knights will have some intriguing options to choose from both up front and on the back end Wednesday night.That's when the NHL's newest franchise will begin plucking players from the other 30 teams in the expansion draft, using the lists of the protected and available players revealed Sunday morning.Related: The 7 best goalies made available to the Golden KnightsThe New York Islanders and Columbus Blue Jackets have reportedly agreed to side deals to prevent the Golden Knights from taking certain players the clubs don't want to lose, and there could certainly be more of these arrangements in the works.Here are the best unprotected forwards and defensemen who are ripe for the picking barring more expansion-draft assurances:Jonathan MarchessaultThis one's a bit of a head-scratcher. The Florida Panthers elected to protect restricted free-agent defensemen Mark Pysyk and Alex Petrovic instead of their leading scorer this past season.Marchessault's 30-goal campaign came out of nowhere, but considering his breakout season and his incredibly affordable cap hit of $750,000 next season, it's surprising that the Panthers would leave him prone to selection by the expansion franchise.Even if he doesn't match 2016-17's offensive explosion, he's shown he has the tools to score consistently over an 82-game schedule.Sami VatanenThe Anaheim Ducks had to protect Kevin Bieksa because of his no-movement clause and had to limit themselves to three protected blue-liners because of their forward depth, so that left Vatanen prime for the taking.It would be a mild shock if Ducks general manager Bob Murray didn't work out a side deal before Wednesday to keep his steady Finnish D-man, but Vatanen is out there for now.James Neal(Photo courtesy: Action Images)Neal hit the 20-goal mark for the ninth consecutive season, and he's only one year removed from a 31-goal, 58-point campaign.The Nashville Predators winger could be a nice addition for the Golden Knights, who can thank the Predators' depth on defense and faith in younger forward Calle Jarnkrok for Neal being available.Eric StaalThe veteran center erupted for 28 goals and 65 points with the Minnesota Wild after struggling to find his game in his final foray with the Carolina Hurricanes and a disappointing post-trade turn with the New York Rangers.Who knows which Staal the Golden Knights would get if they picked him, but it might be worth finding out considering how well he played this past season.Matt Dumba(Photo courtesy: Getty Images)Staal's teammate is a solid defenseman at both ends of the ice, and the Wild would probably keep Dumba if they didn't have to account for Ryan Suter, Jared Spurgeon, and Jonas Brodin, as well as a deep forward group.He's also only 22 years old, and is coming off his best season from a production standpoint.Michael GrabnerLike Marchessault, there's no guarantee Grabner will replicate his 2016-17 efforts, and the New York Rangers appear to be betting against the 29-year-old forward by leaving him available.Still, Grabner scored 27 goals this past season - the most he's notched since his first full campaign in 2010-11 - and Chris Kreider was the only member of the high-powered Rangers offense who lit the lamp more than Grabner in the regular season.David PerronThe Golden Knights might be able to land Perron without having to give up a draft pick, and the St. Louis Blues winger could be a nice fit in Nevada.Perron is coming off his best offensive season since 2013-14, and he's repeatedly proven capable of scoring 15-20 goals per campaign.Nate SchmidtSchmidt worked his way into the Washington Capitals' lineup and proved he belongs, finishing the season as John Carlson's defense partner.He'd be a solid pick for the Golden Knights given that he's only 25 and promising left-shot blue-liners aren't easy to find.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Vegas Golden Knights have no shortage of options between the pipes.The NHL's 30 teams submitted their protections lists Sunday, which the incoming Golden Knights will now pore over to make their selections. Among the players made available, Vegas must select at least 14 forwards, nine defensemen, and three goaltenders.That totals to 26, and with Vegas needing to take 30 players, it could max out at seven goaltenders, leaving general manager George McPhee with plenty of assets to deal to rival teams seeking help in the crease:Marc-Andre FleuryWhat better way to headline the NHL in Sin City than with a three-time Stanley Cup champion tending the twine?The Pittsburgh Penguins are moving ahead with Matt Murray, the rookie netminder who has twice won the Stanley Cup. But that's fine with Fleury, who waived his no-movement clause to accept a move to Vegas. Had he not done so, he would have required protection, leaving Murray free for the taking.Should Fleury become a Golden Knight, he'll arrive in Nevada with the third-most wins among active netminders, with 375 career victories to his name.Petr MrazekThe Detroit Red Wings made the most surprising move in readying for the expansion draft, leaving Mrazek exposed in favor of veteran goalie Jimmy Howard.Mrazek struggled last season, piecing together a 18-21-9 showing through 50 games, coupled with a pedestrian .901 save rate that ranked dead-last among the 26 netminders who saw as much ice time.Still, the 25-year-old boasts plenty of potential, and could be a viable asset for the Golden Knights, whether he plays in Vegas or if he's flipped elsewhere. Mrazek also comes with an affordable cap hit, as he's owed just $4 million next season.Philipp GrubauerProtecting Braden Holtby left Grubauer up for grabs to the Golden Knights. The 25-year-old is a starter-in-waiting, and while he won't get that opportunity in Washington, he could find it in Vegas.With the Capitals last season, Grubauer appeared in 23 games, picking up 13 wins in the process, key victories in helping Washington secure its second-straight Presidents' Trophy.Should Grubauer wind up in Vegas, there will be at least one familiar face in McPhee, the former GM in Washington who drafted him in 2010.Antti RaantaCould the New York Rangers backup be the next Cam Talbot? The numbers appear to show Raanta is ready for a top job.Through two seasons in Manhattan, Raanta has been a tough challenger to Henrik Lundqvist, going as far as to unseat the King for part of last season. Through 30 games, Raanta posted a .922 save percentage, ranking him among the top 10 netminders who saw as many contests.Before arriving in New York, Raanta was a strong second-stringer for the Chicago Blackhawks, pushing for starts behind Corey Crawford. He also comes as a cost-effective option, as he's signed for just $1 million through next season.Roberto LuongoCould Luongo's Twitter game soon make its home on the Strip? It's now a possibility, with the Florida Panthers electing to protect James Reimer ahead of the veteran netminder.

George McPhee is simply telling it like it is, even if might sound like a threat from a "James Bond" villain or a fictional mob boss.The Vegas Golden Knights general manager had a message for his colleagues after the protected lists were revealed."You can negotiate your way out of this if you wish," he told reporters Sunday, according to The Associated Press' Stephen Whyno. "Every team in this league has a chance to protect their roster."Several teams were forced to leave key players exposed to potential selection by the Golden Knights ahead of Wednesday night's expansion draft, but as McPhee amusingly made clear, the clubs are welcome to arrange side deals to prevent Vegas from picking players the original teams don't want to lose.The Columbus Blue Jackets have reportedly agreed to send the Golden Knights a first-round pick and a prospect to ensure none of Jack Johnson, David Savard, Josh Anderson, or Joonas Korpisalo are chosen, while the New York Islanders will reportedly surrender a first-round pick to keep Vegas away from their slew of talented forwards.McPhee confirmed Sunday that he's already fielding calls from teams interested in drafting players for the Golden Knights, but he said the clubs need to give him something better than the players Vegas can claim from those teams.For the time being, it's the Golden Knights' world, and the 30 other teams are just living in it.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The salary cap will be set at $75 million next season, the NHL and NHLPA announced Sunday.It's an increase of $2 million from last season's cap, which was set at $73 million. The cap floor next season has been set at $55.4 million.The NHL introduced the salary cap in the 2005-06 season, when it was set at $39 million.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The New York Islanders are willing to pay the piper.The Brooklyn club is willing to send a first-round pick to the Vegas Golden Knights to keep the incoming squad from selecting one of its forwards in the expansion draft, according to TSN's Darren Dreger.The Islanders opted to protect eight skaters from the expansion draft, including five defensemen, namely Johnny Boychuk, Travis Hamonic, Nick Leddy, Adam Pelech, and Ryan Pulock.New York also shielded forwards John Tavares, Anders Lee, and Andrew Ladd, plus goaltender Thomas Greiss.That means the likes of forwards Josh Bailey, Brock Nelson, and Ryan Strome are up for grabs to the Golden Knights. But as Dreger reports, the Islanders are willing to pay a price for Vegas to direct its attention elsewhere.Fans of the Islanders will know the outcome soon enough, with the Golden Knights set to announce their selections June 21.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

It took a little longer than planned, but the lists finally came out.After making fans and the media wait an extra half hour Sunday morning, the NHL released the lists of protected and available players for all 30 teams not named the Vegas Golden Knights ahead of the upcoming expansion draft.Here's who each team is protecting heading into Wednesday's proceedings:Note: "(NMC)" denotes that the player has a no-movement clause in his contract.Anaheim Ducks

The NHL made fans wait a little longer Sunday morning, and the reaction on social media was, in a word, lit.One minute before the league's much publicized scheduled reveal time for the highly anticipated expansion draft protected players lists, there was this.

The Columbus Blue Jackets like what they see with John Tortorella.So much so that the club is working to sign the fiery bench boss to a contract extension, reports Aaron Portzline of The Columbus Dispatch."He did a great job for us, together with his coaching staff," said Blue Jackets general manager Jarmo Kekalainen. "We have some great young talent, and I think he can bring our team to the next level. So hopefully we get it done."Tortorella joined the Blue Jackets during the 2015-16 season following the early dismissal of Todd Richards. Flip the calendar a year later, with Tortorella getting the opportunity to instill his message from Day 1 of training camp, and it resulted in the best season in franchise history.Columbus finished with 50 wins and 108 points for the league's fourth-best record, and advanced to the playoffs for just the third time since joining the NHL in 2000.That performance has Tortorella nominated the Jack Adams Award as the coach of the year. It is his fourth nomination, winning in 2003-04 while with the Tampa Bay Lightning.Covering head coaching stints with the Blue Jackets, Lightning, New York Rangers, and Vancouver Canucks, Tortorella ranks 22nd all time with 530 career wins. He won the Stanley Cup with the Lightning in 2004.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

He may not have used it that often in the NHL last season, but this summer Buffalo Sabres goalie Linus Ullmark found good use for his mask.Saturday in his native Sweden, Ullmark did what most newly-married men do, he posed with his wife for photos after tying the knot. This wedding was a little different, however, as both bride and groom donned full goalie helmets for their photos.

The figurative rain fell on Mike Bales a day after the actual parade.The Pittsburgh Penguins celebrated their latest Stanley Cup win in the city's streets Wednesday, and on Thursday, Bales was informed that he was being let go as the team's goalie coach after four years of service."I wasn't expecting that coming off two Cups in a row," Bales admitted to Jason Mackey of the Post-Gazette.According to Mackey, Bales was seen as Marc-Andre Fleury's guy, while his replacement, Mike Buckley, has a closer relationship with Matt Murray. With the former set to move on as the franchise presses on with the latter - and rightfully so - Bales suddenly became replaceable, even though both goalies combined for 16 wins, five shutouts, and a .929 save percentage during this year's Cup run.It's yet another twist in what has been a unique goaltending situation in Pittsburgh over the past year."Sometimes if things aren't working out, the organization gets a new goaltender, and they weren't happy with their goaltending coach, they may ask the goaltender who they like," Bales said. "If it's a good fit for the team and the coaching staff, they'll make changes. I don't think it's very common what happened here."Fleury, Bales added, was shocked by Pittsburgh's decision, and thought the goalie coach was goofing. Not so, and Bales was hired Saturday by the Carolina Hurricanes, for whom he's excited to work with."I'm genuinely really excited to go there and work with the goaltenders there in the organization," he said, with Scott Darling in line to be the starter. "They're a young, up-and-coming team. I'm going to go there and be successful there, too. Good things happen to good people, I always say. I know good things will happen there for me."Fleury's next destination is yet to be determined, while Murray will get to work even more closely with his apparent goalie coach of choice.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

John Chayka is far from done.That was the clear message the Arizona Coyotes general manager sent out after sending goaltender Mike Smith to the Calgary Flames earlier Saturday."This move wasn't made in isolation," Chayka said, per Dave Vest of the team's website. "It was made to set up other moves to improve our club ... I think we've planted a lot of seeds that we can move forward with."At this point in his career and considering the team's trajectory, it made sense to part ways, especially with Smith carrying a $5,666,667 cap hit for two more seasons."We're trying to continue to build for the future and continue to make this as competitive of a team as possible," Chayka added. "We think we've got a good, young group here who has a chance to be a good team next year. The reality is Mike Smith is a 35-year-old goaltender and when some of our players are reaching their prime years then he's probably on the wrong side of his career."Chayka added trading Smith wasn't an easy deal to pull off, and that Chad Johnson - part of the return in the swap - is one option as a potential replacement in net."Hopefully we can get a good goaltender in there that can help our group next year," he said. "There's a chance (Johnson) could be a starter in this league, but right now we're just sorting through all the different options and he'd be one of them."On Friday, it was reported that Arizona is one of several teams with serious interest in New York Rangers center Derek Stepan, who has four years remaining on a contract that carries a cap hit of $6.5 million.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

So far, so good.The Vegas Golden Knights have released a statement to express how pleased the organization is with how the expansion draft process has gone so far as the NHL trade freeze took effect Saturday at 3 p.m. EST.The other 30 teams had until 5 p.m. EST to hand in their protection lists, and Vegas will keep the phone lines open with a view to helping make the selection process as painless as possible.From the official statement:

The Calgary Flames made a move Saturday in an attempt to shore up a position that has been the club's Achilles heel since Mikka Kiprusoff retired in 2013.Veteran netminder Mike Smith was acquired in a deal with the Arizona Coyotes, and with two years remaining on his current contract, Smith becomes the No. 1 goalie in Cowtown for the foreseeable future.Whether that's a good thing for Flames fans remains to be seen, but Smith does provide a sense of stability that general manager Brad Treliving has been searching for the past four years.While Smith's acquisition probably isn't getting Flames fans as excited as, let's say, landing Marc-Andre Fleury would have been, Smith can still be a viable option for a Calgary squad bursting at the seams with talent.Related: Flames GM: Smith has ability to put team on his backSure, Smith hasn't played a full season in his career, he's 35, and has limited playoff experience - 17 starts and nine wins - but, he's been playing in Arizona the past six seasons. And, despite playing on a perennial bottom-feeding club like the Coyotes, Smith was still able to post solid numbers - a fact that should have some folks in Calgary sleeping a little easier.Over his six seasons in the desert, Smith recorded 22 shutouts while posting a .916 save percentage to go along with a 2.69 GAA.The former fifth-round pick of the Dallas Stars should have a much easier time manning the Flames' crease, as Calgary boasts a talented trio of elite defensemen - T.J. Brodie, Mark Giordano, and Dougie Hamilton - that helped contribute to the Flames allowing only 2.67 goals-against per game.Calgary qualified for the postseason last year with Chad Johnson as the go-to guy in the blue paint. So what's stopping a guy like Smith from carrying the team even farther?Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Brad Treliving leaned on personal knowledge with respect to the goalie he traded for Saturday.The Calgary Flames general manager pulled off a deal to acquire Mike Smith from the Arizona Coyotes, the team he worked for prior to moving north, and Treliving believes Smith has what it takes to carry the Flames to the next level."Mike Smith has the ability to put a team on his back," Treliving said, per George Johnson of the Flames' official website. "This is a guy who's highly competitive. As athletic as anyone I've ever been around. And really, really driven. I know this player, what he brings."The fact that Smith is 35 and in the later stages of his career wasn't enough to dissuade the GM."You're cognizant of (Smith's age), no question," he said. "There's no question it's a consideration. One thing I'll say, Mike's an elite athlete. He looks after himself as well as anybody and if you look at his career, he was a late starter. He doesn't necessarily have the mileage some guys do at that age."(Age) was something we had a lot of discussion about but in the end it wasn't something we felt was an impediment."Smith was a huge part of the equation when the Coyotes went to the Western Conference Final in 2012, and, more recently, he was named to Canada's 2014 Olympic team as the third option in net. Smith also represented Arizona at the 2017 NHL All-Star Game.Time will tell what he's able to accomplish with the Flames in the two years he remains under contract.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Anaheim Ducks center Ryan Kesler underwent surgery last week and will resume full activity in 12 weeks' time, the club reported Saturday.According to the team, the 32-year-old had a "general cleaning" procedure to remove bone fragments in his hip.Kesler is coming off a 2016-17 campaign in which he did not miss a single game.The former first-round pick registered 22 goals and 36 assists in 82 regular-season games, while also playing a key role in the Ducks' Stanley Cup Playoffs run, chipping in eight points.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Mike Smith didn't see it coming. Not at first, at least.The veteran goaltender has been traded by the Arizona Coyotes to the Calgary Flames in a deal made possible by the nature of the modified no-trade clause on Smith's contract.Related: Coyotes trade Mike Smith to Flames for Chad Johnson, prospect, pickPer that clause, Smith was to submit a list of eight teams to which he did not want to be traded should the Coyotes ask him to do so. According to Sarah McLellan of azcentral sports, Smith wasn't caught off guard by Saturday's trade, as he was asked a few weeks ago to submit his no-trade list.That particular request, however, came as "kind of a shock" to the netminder.That may be due in part to the fact general manager John Chayka recently referred to Smith as the team's rock whose value is extremely high.Be that as it may, he's now a Flame, but part of him will always remain in the desert.

The Carolina Hurricanes have hired Mike Bales to be the team's new goalie coach, general manager Ron Francis announced.Bales spent the past four seasons in the same position with the Pittsburgh Penguins, and thus brings a winning pedigree along with him."Mike has a proven history of success as a goaltending coach with the Penguins, winning back-to-back Stanley Cups," said Francis. "Based on our research, we are confident that he is someone our goalies and coaching staff will enjoy working with, and we're thrilled to have him in our organization."Pittsburgh's goalie situation has been a hot topic as of late, and Bales' hiring is noteworthy on a couple of levels.Prior to serving as Pittsburgh's goalie coach, Bales was the team's goaltending development coach and scout from 2011-13. In that role, he was instrumental in drafting and developing Matt Murray, who backstopped the Penguins to those two Cup wins.Bales is also credited with bringing new life to Marc-Andre Fleury's game during his tenure.The Hurricanes are seen as a team on the rise and recently acquired Scott Darling to be their starting goalie moving forward. Cam Ward and Eddie Lack also remain under contract for the time being, and Bales will now be charged with getting the most out of this position.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The San Jose Sharks have traded defenseman Mirco Mueller and a fifth-round pick in 2017 to the New Jersey Devils for second- and fourth-round picks in this year's draft, the Sharks announced Saturday.Mueller spent much of this season with the Sharks' AHL affiliate, the San Jose Barracuda, tallying two goals and 18 assists in 62 games. He was recalled to the Sharks for four games, recording two points.The Sharks originally drafted Mueller 18th overall in 2013.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Buffalo Sabres have acquired defenseman Nathan Beaulieu from the Montreal Canadiens in exchange for a third-round pick in 2017, the Canadiens announced Saturday.Beaulieu appeared in 74 games this season, recording four goals and 24 assists. The 24-year-old is a restricted free agent.Beaulieu is a former first-round pick by the Canadiens, drafted 17th overall in 2011.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Mike Smith is headed north.The Arizona Coyotes traded the veteran goaltender to the Calgary Flames for the rights to pending unrestricted-free-agent goalie Chad Johnson, the rights to defensive prospect Brandon Hickey, and a conditional third-round pick, the clubs announced Saturday.The third-round pick becomes a second-rounder if the Flames make the playoffs, reports Arizona Sports' Craig Morgan.The Coyotes will retain 25 percent of Smith's salary, reports TSN's Bob McKenzie. The 35-year-old netminder has two seasons left on his contract at an annual cap hit of about $5.67 million.Earlier this offseason, Smith reportedly submitted a list of eight teams to which he'd agree to be dealt, according to TSN's Pierre LeBrun.The Flames' goaltending situation was uncertain entering the summer, as both Johnson and Brian Elliott are pending UFAs.Smith went 19-26-9 with a 2.92 GAA and .914 save percentage in 55 games behind a porous Coyotes defense in 2016-17.He departs the desert ranked third on the franchise's all-time save percentage and GAA lists, having faced the most shots and having made the most saves in club history.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Winnipeg Jets defenseman Tobias Enstrom has agreed to waive his no-movement clause ahead of the expansion draft, his agent confirmed Saturday to Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman.The move would permit the Jets to shield two other defensemen - Tyler Myers and Jacob Trouba - plus seven forwards, should they opt for the 7-3 protection route."(Enstrom) loves Winnipeg and the Jets and wants to stay," wrote his agent, Kalle Boden. "He thinks that the Jets (have) a bright future and wants to be a part of future success. Enstrom absolutely doesn't want to go to Vegas."Enstrom tallied 14 points in 60 games last season. The 32-year-old has one year remaining on his contract, carrying a $5.75-million cap hit.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Linus Ullmark knows how to pick them.The Buffalo Sabres netminder announced his nuptials over social media on Saturday, doing so in style:

The Columbus Blue Jackets are reportedly willing to pay a significant price to ensure several of their players aren't chosen by the Vegas Golden Knights in the expansion draft.The Blue Jackets have agreed to trade the 24th overall selection in the entry draft and a prospect (not Pierre-Luc Dubois or Sonny Milano) to the Golden Knights for assurances that the new franchise will take either Matt Calvert, William Karlsson, or Ryan Murray in the expansion draft, sources told Aaron Portzline of the Columbus Dispatch.That would prevent the Golden Knights from nabbing one of Josh Anderson, Joonas Korpisalo, Jack Johnson, or David Savard, all of whom will likely be exposed.The deal will be announced during the expansion draft Wednesday, according to the report.It would leave the Blue Jackets without a pick in the first two rounds of the entry draft, because their second-round selection now belongs to the Vancouver Canucks as compensation for the hiring of head coach John Tortorella.All NHL teams except the Golden Knights have until 3 p.m. ET on Saturday to make deals before a mandatory roster freeze goes into effect. The deadline for clubs to submit their expansion-draft protection lists is Saturday at 5 p.m. ET.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Something bigger may be brewing for the Arizona Coyotes.After pulling off a minor deal that saw Nick Cousins move from the Philadelphia Flyers to the desert, general manager John Chayka appears to have his eyes on New York Rangers center Derek Stepan, and he's reportedly not alone.According to TSN's Bob McKenzie, the Coyotes are one of multiple teams with "serious interest" in Stepan.Stepan has four years remaining on a contract that carries a salary cap hit of $6.5 million. That deal has a no-trade clause over the next two seasons, and a modified no-trade clause in the final two seasons. As McKenzie noted, that clause doesn't kick in until July 1, meaning the Rangers are free to trade him for the best possible return.Following a postseason series loss to Ottawa, Stepan said he was ashamed of his play. He registered one goal and three assists in six games against the Senators.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Philadelphia Flyers traded forward Nick Cousins and goaltender Merrick Madsen to the Arizona Coyotes for a fifth-round draft pick in 2018 and forward Brendan Warren, the Coyotes confirmed Friday.Cousins is coming off his first full season in the league after being drafted in the third round in 2011. He split the 2015 and 2016 seasons between the NHL and the Lehigh Valley Phantoms of the American Hockey League.The 23-year-old was rather unimpressive in his first full stint, scoring six goals and adding 10 assists in 60 games.Madsen is coming off his third year at Harvard University where he posted a record of 28-6-2 with a 2.11 goals-against average and a .923 save percentage.

It's heating up in Vegas.Golden Knights general manager George McPhee isn't expecting to get much - if any - sleep early next week, given that he and his staff will have only a few days to make their expansion draft selections."We may have to go around the clock because we will only have 72 hours to put our team together," McPhee told Kevin Allen of USA TODAY Sports. "And there is going to be a lot of negotiating with teams and players and a lot of debate and discussion among ourselves about who is the right fit."The other 30 teams have until 5 p.m. ET on Saturday to hand in their protected lists, and the Golden Knights will receive them at 10 a.m. ET the next morning after they've been vetted by the league for adherence purposes.From that point, Vegas will make its selections - one player from each team - and that list must be submitted by 10 a.m. on Wednesday.Already, McPhee and his staff have been putting in long days, not that anyone is complaining."It is non-stop," McPhee said. "There aren't many lulls, and if there are lulls, we need that time to go back and review teams and anticipate moves."We want to do a really good job, and that’s important," he added. "But it’s been a fantastic experience from Day 1. We hired intelligent, experienced people and it’s been a pleasure to work with them. We are very well-prepared. So the process has been enjoyable. There’s an intensity to it, but we have great chemistry in the room so it’s been fun."The official roster reveal will be made at the NHL Awards ceremony on June 21, hours after Vegas submits its list to the league.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Anaheim Ducks are indeed parting ways with defenseman Simon Despres.In a statement posted on Twitter, general manager Bob Murray confirmed an earlier report stating Despres had been placed on waivers for the purpose of a buyout.Murray wrote:

Cell service in the eastern Mediterranean is in need of an upgrade.On vacation in Cyprus, defenseman Mikhail Sergachev found out he was being traded from the Montreal Canadiens to the Tampa Bay Lightning via a random text message."Some fan texted me and said, 'Good luck in Tampa,' and I was like, 'What?'" Sergachev told Bryan Burns on the Lightning's website. "My phone doesn't work here in Cyprus, so (Canadiens general manager) Marc Bergevin couldn't call me."Sergachev turned to Twitter and saw that he had indeed been traded to Tampa Bay for Jonathan Drouin. The deal appears to have come right out of the same shade of blue that surrounded him in Cyprus."My reaction was like, I don't know," Sergachev said. "When I got drafted by the Habs, I was a big fan of them and I played for them. But then I got traded and first reaction was I was kind of frustrated and shocked but after that, it's a new opportunity for me."Sergachev was drafted ninth overall by the Canadiens in 2016 after a successful first season with the OHL's Windsor Spitfires in which he was named the league's most outstanding defenseman. From his point of view, his two seasons of junior experience - which includes a Memorial Cup win just last month - has prepared him for the next step."I feel like I had enough juniors and I played a lot in juniors and I learned a lot in those two years," he said. "I feel like this is my time to play in the NHL, and I'll do my best and I'll play my best to make the Lightning roster."Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Philadelphia Flyers haven't ruled out a return of Steve Mason.Speaking with reporters Friday, general manager Ron Hextall confirmed the team's goaltending search includes last season's starter."Certainly 'Mase' is still an option," said Hextall, according to Dave Isaac of the Courier-Post. "There are other guys out there too."If not Mason, the Flyers could pursue Ryan Miller, Jonathan Bernier, or Brian Elliott, who are among some of the better pending free agents. There is also the possibility of acquiring a netminder in a trade.In 58 games last season, Mason posted a 26-21-8 record, alongside a .908 save percentage and 2.66 goals-against average. He has been with the Flyers since 2012.If the Flyers are interested in bringing back Mason, they should put in a call to his representatives. On Wednesday, Mason's agent stated the two sides have not entered negotiations on a contract extension.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Ottawa Senators have no hard feelings toward Dion Phaneuf.After the defenseman denied a request to waive his no-movement clause and free up an expansion draft slot, the Senators are now back to square one in preparing for the Vegas Golden Knights.But while the move would have made life easier for Senators GM Pierre Dorion - who'd hoped to protect defensemen Erik Karlsson, Marc Methot, and Cody Ceci ahead of Phaneuf - he told reporters Thursday there's no ill will for the veteran blue-liner."Dion is a pro. He's been around the league for many years," Dorion said. "My respect for Dion hasn't changed. It's still the same. I still think he's a big part of this team and the fact that he wants to be here tells me a lot about him."With the Senators likely to opt for the 7-3-1 format - meaning they'll protect seven forwards, three defensemen (which must include Phaneuf), and a goaltender - the team could now consider dealing Methot or Ceci to avoid exposing them.As for Phaneuf, while he was apparently unwilling to risk getting scooped up by the Golden Knights, he's provided the Senators a list of 12 teams to which he would accept a trade.The 32-year-old arrived in Ottawa in 2016 following a trade from the Toronto Maple Leafs. He appeared in all but one game this past season, notching nine goals and 21 assists.Phaneuf has four years remaining on his contract, carrying a $7-million annual cap hit.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Anaheim Ducks are cutting ties with Simon Despres.The 25-year-old was placed on waivers Friday for the purposes of a buyout, according to Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman.Depres has four years remaining on his contract, carrying a $3.7-million annual cap hit. Should he clear waivers, Anaheim would proceed with a buyout.Despres appeared in just one game in 2016-17, missing the remainder of the season with a concussion.Per CapFriendly, the buyout would count against the salary cap for the next eight seasons, with next year's cap hit coming at the highest charge (about $1.26 million).Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

You've heard by now: Jonathan Drouin is a Montreal Canadien.The electrifying winger was acquired by the Habs - the team Drouin grew up adoring - in a blockbuster deal Thursday afternoon, and based on his skill level, it shouldn't take long for the 22-year-old to become a fan favorite.Drouin has certainly endured his fair share of criticism through his young career, but there's no denying the kid can flat-out dazzle, and below are five plays from his tenure in Tampa that should have Bleu, Blanc et Rouge supporters salivating.Extraordinary vision

Those following theScore's free-agent rankings should be well aware the summer's most abundant resource is backup goaltending.Whether it's those looking to move into a starting job for the first time in their career, or others being relegated to backup duty following a failed stint as a workhorse starter, the open market is flush with goalies capable of starting 10-40 games per season.Teams looking to land a viable starter they can plug in for 60-65 starts per season without having to worry about inconsistencies don't have many proven options to choose from. The Pittsburgh Penguins' Marc-Andre Fleury will be available via trade, but his $5.75-million cap hit will be tough to swallow for any Cup hopeful looking to add the 32-year-old for the next two seasons.Here's a look at goalies available either as free agents, expansion candidates for the Vegas Golden Knights, or potential trade targets:Looking for a shot(Photo courtesy: Getty Images)

Tampa Bay Lightning general manager Steve Yzerman was dealt an incredibly tough hand when Jonathan Drouin, the club's third overall pick from 2013, demanded a trade.Yzerman handled it as best as he could, and, in the end, it paid huge dividends for the Lightning. To refresh, here's a brief timeline of the events leading up to Thursday's blockbuster trade:

Minnesota Wild general manager Chuck Fletcher has received "quality trade offers" for defensemen Jonas Brodin and Matt Dumba ahead of the expansion draft, sources told Michael Russo of The Star Tribune.Fletcher and the Wild face quite a roster conundrum with the arrival of the Golden Knights, as there aren't enough spots to go around to ensure protection for all their quality players.Defenseman Ryan Suter owns a no-movement clause, meaning Minnesota has two spots to fill between Brodin, Dumba, Jared Spurgeon, and Marco Scandella should it choose the seven-three-one protection format.Brodin, 23, is under contract for four more seasons at a $4.16-million cap hit. Last season, he averaged 19:34 of ice time across 68 contests, and set a career high in points with 25.The 22-year-old Dumba, meanwhile, was selected seventh overall by the Wild in 2012, and recorded a career-high 34 points in 2016-17. He's slated to earn $2.55 million next season before hitting restricted free agency.As several NHL teams look to add quality defensemen, Fletcher's phone is sure to light up over the next few days, as the league-wide trade freeze kicks in June 17 at 3 p.m. ET.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

After a medical scare in April, Buffalo Sabres winger Kyle Okposo is expected to be ready for training camp.Okposo was hospitalized and kept in the Neuro Surgical Intensive Care Unit at Buffalo General Medical Center for under a week after reportedly enduring a harmful reaction to medication for a concussion."From our standpoint, everything will be ready for him at the start of training camp," Sabres general manager Jason Botterill said, according to Matt Schneidman of The Buffalo News. "Just like all our other players.""We've had conversation with him. Everything's looking great from Kyle," Botterill said. "He physically looks great and mentally looks great."Okposo signed a seven-year, $42-million contract with Buffalo last offseason, and suited up in 65 contests in 2016-17, missing time with a rib injury as well as an illness toward the end of the season.The 29-year-old recorded 45 points last season and represented the Sabres at the All-Star Game in Los Angeles.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Thursday's trade ahead of the NHL expansion draft pushed over the first domino in what's expected to be a frenzy of moves.The Montreal Canadiens acquired budding star Jonathan Drouin from the Tampa Bay Lightning for prospect Mikail Sergachev, with a couple of conditional draft picks swapped as well.The trade appears to be driven by the fear of losing a strong roster player to the Vegas Golden Knights in the expansion draft, which the Lightning had with Drouin and their abundance of riches at forward.With the deal finalized, both teams will have to tweak their strategies as they head into next week's draft. Here are some adjustments likely to be made, and the implications of the deal, for each team:LightningOff the hop, it appears likely it was the Lightning driving the bus in this deal.Heading into the expansion draft, Tampa was faced with a bit of a conundrum up front: they had more than seven forwards they wanted to protect.PlayerAge2017 Points*Steven Stamkos2720*Ryan Callahan324Nikita Kucherov2385Alex Killorn2736Vladislav Namestnikov2428J.T. Brown266Ondrej Palat2652Tyler Johnson2645*Has no-movement clause.Of course, prior to the deal, you could also add Drouin and his 53 points to that list. As it stands, it's fair to assume the Lightning will go the 7-3-1 route in terms of protecting players, with the forwards likely being Steven Stamkos, Ryan Callahan (due to his his no-movement clause), Nikita Kucherov, Alex Killorn, Ondrej Palat, Tyler Johnson, and Vladislav Namestnikov.With Drouin in the mix, the club would likely elect to hang on to him, meaning one of the seven above would have to be exposed, lest a side deal was made with the Golden Knights. So the trade means Vegas will walk away with a significantly less skilled player than they would have pre-trade.

It didn't take long for the Montreal Canadiens and Jonathan Drouin to put pen to paper.The Canadiens and Drouin agreed to a six-year contract worth a reported $33 million, according TVA Sports' Renaud Lavoie.