Los Angeles Kings defenseman Matt Greene has been activated off injured reserve for the purpose of a buyout, Jon Rosen of LAKingsInsider.com reported Tuesday.Greene was placed on injured reserve in late January after suffering a back injury. Under the current collective bargaining agreement, players who are injured can't be bought out.He has one year remaining on his current four-year, $10-million deal and is owed $2.5 million next season.According to Cap Friendly, if the Kings buy out Greene, they'd owe the 34-year-old $833,333 in both the 2017-18 and 2018-19 seasons.

An audience of 11.5 million tuned in across North America to see the Pittsburgh Penguins repeat as Stanley Cup champions on Sunday night, the NHL announced on Tuesday.The impressive viewership makes Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Final the most-watched playoff game since 2013, when 12.2 million tuned in to watch Game 6 between the Chicago Blackhawks and the Boston Bruins.On the whole, the 2017 final attracted an average of 8.09-million viewers across North America, a 23 percent increase from last year's edition. The 87 playoff games contested this year combined to average an audience of 3.57 million.If the Penguins contend for a three-peat next year, you can probably expect those numbers to rise once again.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Nashville Predators signed defenseman Yannick Weber to a one-year, $650,000 contract on Tuesday, the team announced.The 28-year-old is coming off his first season with the Predators after spending the previous three with the Vancouver Canucks. He played a career-high 73 games, recording one goal and seven assists.During the postseason, Weber served on the team's third defense pairing alongside Matt Irwin. In 22 games, he collected one assist while averaging 11:09 of ice time per game.Weber was set to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

After reports swirled early Tuesday around the Golden State Warriors possibly declining their championship invite to visit the White House, the recently crowned Stanley Cup champion Pittsburgh Penguins cleared the air surrounding their potential visit."The Pittsburgh Penguins would never turn down a visit to the White House and, if invited, we would go as a team," team president David Morehouse said in a statement, according to Greg Wyshynski of Yahoo Sports."We respect the office of the presidency of the United States and what it stands for," he said. "Any opposition or disagreement with a president’s policies, or agenda, can be expressed in other ways."As Wyshynski points out, the Penguins visited the White House following the team's most recent Cup wins in 2009 and 2016 during former President Barack Obama's tenure.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

While Penguins fans were out in the streets celebrating the team's Stanley Cup victory Sunday night, Bob Allen of CBS Pittsburgh affiliate KDKA-TV appeared to be wishing he was anywhere else."I'm not mad at any of these folks, but they really need to tone it down and let us do our thing," a visibly annoyed Allen said during his live shot. "And it's been tough, 'cause they're just having such a great time."Allen pointed out that fans had to leave in 90 minutes "because that's what the police department ordered," before shoving an exuberant fan away from the camera and sending it back to a chuckling anchor in the studio.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Ottawa Senators defenseman Dion Phaneuf is not expected to waive his no-movement clause leading up to the expansion draft, reports TSN's Bob McKenzie.The 32-year-old was reportedly asked by the club to do so, which would expose him to the Vegas Golden Knights.However, should Phaneuf retain his clause he'll be automatically protected. The Senators, of course, will certainly protect captain Erik Karlsson, and will likely have to choose between Marc Methot and Cody Ceci to round out their list should they choose the seven-three-one format.Phaneuf's current contract runs through the 2020-21 season at an annual cap hit of $7 million.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) The Buffalo Sabres' coaching search has resumed, with general manager Jason Botterill telling The Associated Press he hopes to make a decision by early next week.Botterill declined to reveal what candidates from the two Stanley Cup finalists he intends to interview after Pittsburgh beat Nashville to win the championship in Game 6 on Sunday. When asked specifically about his interest in Pittsburgh's Rick Tocchet and Nashville's Phil Housley, Botterill would only say he respects both assistant coaches.The newly hired GM has already interviewed numerous candidates, including Washington assistant Todd Reirden. Botterill, however, was forced to place the search on hold because NHL rules prevented him from interviewing assistant coaches on teams still competing in the playoffs.Botterill was hired last month after the Sabres fired both GM Tim Murray and coach Dan Bylsma in April.---AP Hockey Writer Stephen Whyno in Washington contributed to this report.---More AP NHL: https://apnews.com/tag/NHLhockeyCopyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

June is an incredibly busy month for the NHL, but that doesn't mean we can't look ahead to what's coming. Free agency begins at 12 p.m. ET on July 1, and we're ranking the top 80 unrestricted free agents in a seven-post series ahead of the madness.Here's a look at players ranked 30 - 21 on our list.30. Chad Johnson (G)Age on Oct. 1: 31

Pittsburgh Penguins rookie forward Jake Guentzel received more third-place votes for the Conn Smythe Trophy than anyone else. Only one voter cast a first-place ballot for him, though, despite a postseason which tied him with Dino Ciccarelli and Ville Leino for most playoff points by a rookie (21).Guentzel's 13 goals in the playoffs - the second-most ever recorded by a first-year player - are particularly impressive when compared to the 22-year-old's output during the regular season. In 40 games, Guentzel managed just three more goals and 12 more points than he produced in 15 fewer playoff matchups.Rookie playoff scoring has been on the rise in recent years. Five of the 27 rookies to score at least 14 postseason points are currently active. None of those five were older than 22 when they did it, and none of them are currently over the age of 29.Here's how Guentzel's 2017 playoff performance compares to his four recent predecessors, and how his future might unfold.Brad Marchand, Boston Bruins, 2011GPGAPTSRookie RS77212041Rookie PS2511819Career RS534192182374Career PS72172643Marchand appeared in an unimpressive 20 games for the Bruins during a 2009-10 season that included significant time in the AHL. He finished the year with just one NHL assist, and didn't play a single postseason game for Boston.Things changed big time in his official rookie season, and his game has continued to improve. Though the Bruins haven't enjoyed a similar level of playoff success since his breakout run, his production clearly represents the upper tier of what can be hoped for from Guentzel.If Guentzel can stick beside Sidney Crosby the way Marchand has stuck with Patrice Bergeron, he could certainly enjoy sustained success.Robby Fabbri, St. Louis Blues, 2016(Photo courtesy: Getty Images)GPGAPTSRookie RS72181937Rookie PS2041115Career RS123293766Career PS2041115Before Guentzel, Fabbri was the most recent rookie to make the NHL world take notice during the postseason.He missed the Blues' 2017 playoff run due to injury, though, and was limited to just 51 regular-season games. As is the case with Guentzel, the jury is still out, but Fabbri's proved capable of handling a steady top-six role with St. Louis in a system that's projected to favor offense slightly more under head coach Mike Yeo.Logan Couture, San Jose Sharks, 2011GPGAPTSRookie RS79322456Rookie PS187714Career RS504179197376Career PS86303969Couture gained the most experience of any player on this list prior to his rookie season. He played 25 regular-season games and 15 playoff contests in 2009-10, just narrowly falling short of the rookie qualifications.Injuries have been the only thing tempering his production since, as he's led San Jose's second line whenever healthy. He's typically played with inferior and less inexperienced talent while the Sharks tend to load up their top line. Guentzel hasn't shown such a complete game yet, since he's relied heavily on playing time with Crosby.Tyler Toffoli, Los Angeles Kings, 2014(Photo courtesy: Action Images)GPGAPTSRookie RS62121729Rookie PS267714Career RS2938491175Career PS4391221Toffoli played a total of 22 regular-season and playoff games in 2012-13 before busting out during the Kings' run to the 2014 Stanley Cup.Like Marchand and Guentzel, Toffoli was able to lean heavily on an elite center - in this case, Jeff Carter. Toffoli struggled with injuries this past season, but put up 49 and 58 points in the two campaigns before that.(Photo courtesy: Getty Images)Guentzel was the lowest draft pick among the players mentioned here, but he was the only one to break out in the postseason without any NHL experience from a previous season or playoffs.He was drafted seven years after Marchand and six selections lower. Guentzel was the same age as Marchand in his rookie run, younger than Toffoli, and only slightly older than Couture and Fabbri.His success may largely depend on how long he can ride Crosby's coattails, but Penguins head coach Mike Sullivan should have plenty of patience with that experiment.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

On Sunday, the Pittsburgh Penguins became the first team since the 1997-1998 Detroit Red Wings to win back-to-back Stanley Cups. There's no doubting how difficult this is to accomplish in general, let alone in the salary cap era. Despite this, what's stopping the Pens from becoming the first team to three-peat since the New York Islanders won four straight Cups from 1980-1983?Not as much as you'd think.Keeping the boys togetherPittsburgh's core of Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Phil Kessel, and Kris Letang are all locked up to long-term deals, and they are all in the prime of their careers. Letang will be coming off neck surgery, but he had 34 points in just 41 games this season.The quartet has a combined annual cap hit of $32.25 million. That's a lot for just four players, but thanks to some astute drafting, much of Pittsburgh's supporting cast is making pennies.Between Jake Guentzel, Bryan Rust, Tom Kuhnhackl, Scott Wilson, and Carter Rowney, nobody is scheduled to make more than $740K next season.Who's staying and who's going?Nick Bonino is an unrestricted free agent and frankly, it would be surprising if the Pens are able to meet his salary expectations. Also up front, there's a legitimate chance both Matt Cullen and Chris Kunitz retire. The only other key forward in need of a new contract is Conor Sheary, a restricted free agent who likely won't require a massive pay raise.On the back end, Brian Dumoulin and Justin Schultz are RFAs. Expect general manager Jim Rutherford to do everything in his power to lock up both, or at the very least, one of them. Trevor Daley and Ron Hainsey are UFAs and probably won't be back.In goal, Matt Murray has a cap hit of just $3.75 million for the next three seasons (!), giving him one of the most valuable contracts in the league. Marc-Andre Fleury and his $5.75 million cap hit are likely heading to another organization this offseason, giving Pittsburgh some cap relief in which to re-sign Schultz and Dumoulin.The needsIf they can't retain Bonino and Cullen ends up retiring, third- and fourth-line centers will be needed. Luckily, they won't be required to produce a ton offensively with Crosby and Malkin centering the top two lines. There aren't many capable third-line centers available in free agency, however. Fortunately, Pittsburgh has more than enough internal depth on the wings.If the Pens are able to lock up Schultz and Dumoulin, only one defenseman will be needed, and that spot could be filled internally, possibly by pending RFA and former top-10 pick Derrick Pouliot. However, depth should be added given Letang's injury history.With Fleury likely on his way out, a backup goaltender is needed, but those aren't very difficult to find.The competitionPittsburgh's biggest roadblock to repeating as champs this year was the Washington Capitals, but they will be getting significantly worse this offseason. The Blue Jackets should be good again, but probably not as good as they were last year. The Rangers' D is holding them back from being contenders.Over in the Atlantic Division, things look much easier for the Penguins come playoff time. The Leafs are probably a year or two away from being legitimate threats, the Habs seem to only be getting worse, and while Ottawa took the Penguins to seven games, it's unlikely they do so again. Tampa Bay should be Pittsburgh's biggest competition, though it has big decisions to make this offseason.The Penguins are clearly the only beast in the east.It seems any team could come out of the west and give the Pens a run for their money next season, but it's hard to match Pittsburgh's offensive firepower and stability in the crease with Murray.Unsurprisingly, the Penguins are already Stanley Cup favorites heading into next season. Perhaps their biggest competition will be themselves, as it will require immense will to go on a third straight run to the finals, but the pieces are clearly in place for a three-peat.(Photos courtesy: Getty Images)Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

#FormTheFutureThat was the hashtag being used by plenty of NHL team Twitter accounts on Monday as Adidas teased their upcoming unveiling of new home and away jerseys for all 31 teams.Of great interest will be the look for the Vegas Golden Knights, who will begin play in 2017-18.

The Florida Panthers are taking a chance on first-time head coach Bob Boughner, but he's hopeful that history has him lined up for a successful tenure in South Florida.Boughner is coming off two seasons as an assistant with the San Jose Sharks, a situation he views as quite similar to the one he's entering."The year before I got there they missed the playoffs. Then we came in and it was an immediate boost," Boughner told Jameson Olive of the team's website, referring to the fact San Jose advanced to the Stanley Cup Final in the first season under head coach Pete DeBoer."That's the same thing we're looking for here. I think the players are going to respond to it. They're going to have a little new life. It's a clean slate for a lot of guys. They have a lot of guys, from what I know, that are already hungry to forget about last year and bounce back."Related: Panthers name Boughner head coachGeneral manager Dale Tallon certainly believes Boughner is the right person for the job.

The Pittsburgh Penguins will be the first team in NHL history to make the 31st pick in the opening round of the entry draft.By virtue of winning the Stanley Cup, the champions officially locked up the final pick, with the Nashville Predators set to choose 30th as runner-ups.The extra pick, of course, belongs to the Vegas Golden Knights. They'll be on the clock with the sixth overall selection, as was determined during the draft lottery process in April.Here's the order of selection for Round 1 - pending further trades - beginning with the New Jersey Devils.

No professional athlete looks back fondly at a championship-deciding loss. Some are able to shrug off the disappointment of falling short of a life-long dream, concentrating on the hope of getting a shot at redemption someday, but second chances are rarely guaranteed.Game 6 of the 2017 Stanley Cup Final between the Nashville Predators and Pittsburgh Penguins will replay in the head of Predators forward Colton Sissons and dictate his dreams for years to come. While he's unlikely to need any reminders of what happened Sunday, here's a recap of the 23-year-old's nightmare on ice.

Remember Erik Karlsson's otherworldly postseason performance? The Professional Hockey Writers Association sure does.The collective group of Conn Smythe voters - or at least one of them - deemed the Ottawa Senators captain worthy of playoff MVP recognition despite not reaching the Stanley Cup Final.Here's the breakdown:

Andrew Ladd and Johnny Boychuk appear to be staying in Brooklyn.The New York Islanders skaters were not approached prior to Monday's deadline about waiving their no-movement clauses, according to Arthur Staple of Newsday. Had they done so, both players would have been made available to the incoming Vegas Golden Knights.Boychuk has five years remaining on his contract, which carries a $6-million annual cap hit. The 33-year-old defenseman compiled 23 points in 66 games last season.As for Ladd, who joined the Islanders last offseason, his contract does not expire until the 2023 offseason. The 31-year-old winger carries a $5.5-million cap hit and scored 31 points in 78 games in his debut season in New York.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Don't think for a second that the Pittsburgh Penguins ever thought twice about adding Phil Kessel to the mix.If we've learned anything over this team's back-to-back Stanley Cup championships in 2016 and 2017, it's not only that Kessel can contribute to a winning team, it's that he's downright essential.

Scott Hartnell will not be exposed to the Vegas Golden Knights.The Columbus Blue Jackets veteran forward was not approached about waiving his no-movement clause prior to Monday's 5 p.m. ET deadline, according to Aaron Portzline of The Columbus DispatchHartnell has two years remaining on his contract, carrying a $4.75-million cap hit.The 35-year-old appeared in 78 games this season, tallying 13 goals and 24 assists.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Nashville's sensational Stanley Cup effort came up just short, but there were an abundance of special moments that Predators fans will savor for a long time. The wounds are still fresh, but these three moments in particular can force a mourning to fan to crack a smile, or even shed a tear in remembrance of their team's Cinderella run. Hold your head high, Smashville.Fiala's OT winner Not only did Kevin Fiala's OT winner in the first round against the Chicago Blackhawks give the Preds a 3-0 lead, all but clinching the series, but it gave the rest of the team a "Hey, we can do this" mindset for the rest of the postseason.Unfortunately, Fiala suffered a fractured femur in Game 1 against the Blues, ending his playoffs. With two goals in five games, he was on the verge of having his own coming-out party.Sissons' hat-trick In Nashville's second straight game without their top two centers, Ryan Johansen and Mike Fisher, they needed someone to step up to avoid going to a Game 7 in Anaheim. In stepped Colton Sissons.The 23-year-old notched three goals, including the game winner, en route to a 6-3 win to move on to the Stanley Cup Final.Rinne's diving saveGoaltender Pekka Rinne was amazing during Nashville's postseason run, but this series of saves may have been his best. With Nashville clinging to a 2-1 lead midway through the game, Rinne stopped Sidney Crosby on a breakaway, then dove across to rob Jake Guentzel's wide open rebound attempt.Trailing 2-1 in the series, it was a no doubt a must-win game, and the Preds did just that, edging the Penguins 4-1.The Finnish commentary is without a doubt the best way to enjoy this highlight.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Defense wins championships.That adage proved true again with the Pittsburgh Penguins, who on Sunday captured their second-straight Stanley Cup, doing so on the backs of a mishmash of a blue line.The group logging time for the Penguins in Game 6 included Olli Maatta, Justin Schultz, Trevor Daley, Ian Cole, Ron Hainsey, and Brian Dumoulin, who led the way with more than 26 minutes.While there is no top-notch defender among them, collectively they pushed the Penguins to a second consecutive championship."We call them the Motley Crue," said Penguins coach Mike Sullivan, according to Sportsnet's John Shannon. "They are our unsung heroes ... We couldn't be more proud of them back there."Among them is the 36-year-old Hainsey, who arrived in Pittsburgh at the deadline following a trade from the Carolina Hurricanes having never skated in the postseason. In the eight weeks that followed, he went from playoff rookie to Stanley Cup champion.The Penguins' defensive core is reminiscent of the rearguards who guided the Hurricanes to the Stanley Cup in 2006, a group of wily veterans and strong defenders, but one that wouldn't be confused for a collection of Norris Trophy nominees.That Hurricanes team was the most recent outfit to win it all without a No. 1 defenseman, and was a squad assembled by Jim Rutherford, now the general manager of the Penguins who has laid a similar blueprint in Pittsburgh."You can do it without a No. 1 guy," Rutherford told Sam Werner of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. "You've got to manage their minutes, those guys have got to play within themselves and that's what our six defensemen did. They played at the highest level they could and got it done."With the injured Kris Letang on the sidelines, the Penguins' blue-liners who hoisted the Stanley Cup on Sunday were the first group to do so without a Norris vote among the pact.Winning back-to-back Stanley Cups is one thing, especially in the salary cap era, but doing so without Letang, the team's top defenseman, spoke volumes about Pittsburgh's accomplishment.Letang, of course, has been out of the lineup since February, but that didn't stop him from being a part of the team's playoff run, sticking around the locker room to share his insights with his fellow defensemen.But with Letang only left to watch, many had written off the Penguins. It was that perception that led the rest of the defensive core to step up, and their play was not lost on captain Sidney Crosby."They know the pressure that comes with losing a guy who plays 25 to 30 minutes. They weren't intimidated by it and they took it on. They proved what they're capable of," Crosby told reporters following the victory. "I can't say enough about that group. It was pretty difficult what they were able to do night in and night out."That feeling across the Penguins' blue line stirred the belief the team could once again claim the Stanley Cup."Not too shabby for a 'D' corps that wasn't very good," Cole quipped to Werner. "I think everyone kind of wrote us off when (Letang got hurt). He was such a big part of our run last year, but everyone stuck together, everyone probably assumed a little larger role and elevated their game."Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Keith Yandle is not going anywhere.That's because the Florida Panthers will not be asking the defenseman to waive his no-movement clause, and haven't asked him to in the past, the team said on Monday, according to George Richards of the Miami Herald.Yandle is coming off his first season with the Panthers after signing a seven-year, $44.45-million deal last June. He represents a cap hit of $6.35 million for each of the next six seasons.While that is a lot of money, Yandle led all Panthers defensemen in scoring with 41 points while playing in all 82 games this past season. The 30-year-old also averaged the most ice time on the team, logging 22:02 a night.Yandle also shared the team lead in power-play points with forward Jonathan Marchessault, posting 18 with the man advantage.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Matt Murray's girlfriend had a good reason for looking grossed out after sharing a celebratory kiss with the Pittsburgh Penguins goaltender Sunday night.

Marc-Andre Fleury's past graciousness is well-documented, but what he did this spring was instrumental in the Pittsburgh Penguins' second consecutive championship.The veteran goaltender deserves to be acknowledged for again respectfully ceding the crease to Matt Murray, and for not complaining about reverting to a backup despite playing fairly well in these playoffs.By now, most are familiar with what happened last season, but for Fleury to continue saying all the right things after what unfolded this time is truly commendable.Murray was the Penguins' unquestioned starter for the balance of this season after supplanting Fleury as the No. 1 goalie in 2015-16, and the plan was for Murray to carry Pittsburgh in another playoff run, but the rookie's injury in the warmup for the postseason opener thrust Fleury back into the fold.The 32-year-old went 9-6 with a .924 save percentage in 15 playoff games during this run, but was pulled in favor of Murray in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Final and never saw the net again.(Photo courtesy: Getty Images)And yet, just as before, there was no griping, nor any questioning of head coach Mike Sullivan's decision. Just Fleury's typical support of his less experienced teammate."Fleury is probably the best team player in all of sports," Penguins general manager Jim Rutherford told NBC Pro Hockey Talk's Mike Halford after Sunday's Stanley Cup-clinching win in Game 6."We can debate whoever you want to throw at me, but what he went through last year and stuck with it, as a team guy, then carried us at different times during (this) season, carried us through two rounds of the playoffs, turned it over to (Matt) Murray ... I talked at the start of the season about keeping two goalies, and these guys did exactly what I'd hoped they'd do, and got us the Cup."As if that weren't enough, Fleury made sure his protege got his hands on the Stanley Cup immediately after he did Sunday night in one of the celebration's most indelible moments.Watch: Fleury hands Stanley Cup to MurrayMurray got a bit choked up talking about Fleury amid the postgame celebration Sunday night."It almost gets me emotional," the 23-year-old told the NHL Network after taking a moment to gather himself. "When he handed me the Cup there, that meant a lot to me. He's been such a mentor for me, last year and this year, so that was huge."Murray said he's indebted to Fleury for how the older goalie handled their situation once again."Having a young guy come in and take his playing time away, who knows how someone will react to something like that, but he welcomed me with open arms and helped me every time I needed help, and he was just huge for me," Murray said. "I owe him a great deal, for sure."Fleury's acceptance of his fate clearly rubbed off on Murray, but it also undoubtedly set an example for the Penguins' young forwards, Jake Guentzel and Conor Sheary, not to mention young players and fans everywhere.As his days in Pittsburgh appear numbered, he can take satisfaction in knowing he not only contributed to three Stanley Cup championships, but also repeatedly handled difficult situations with a level of class that the next generation of Penguins greats will no doubt strive to emulate.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Ottawa Senators need a little more wiggle room.In preparing for the upcoming expansion draft for the Vegas Golden Knights, the Senators have asked defenseman Dion Phaneuf to waive his no-movement clause, according to Bruce Garrioch of the Ottawa Citizen.Exposing Phaneuf to the Golden Knights would allow the Senators to protect another defenseman - likely Marc Methot - should the team opt to cover three blue-liners and seven forwards. Alternatively, the Senators could protect four defensemen and four forwards.Phaneuf, 32, has four years remaining on his contract, which carries a $7-million cap hit. According to CapFriendly, Phaneuf holds a modified no-trade clause, while he can grant a deal to 10 teams of his choosing.Phaneuf has yet to provide an answer to Senators general manager Pierre Dorion, while the deadline for his decision has been set for Friday at 5 p.m. ET. If Phaneuf declines to waive his clause, thus being protected from Vegas, Dorion may try to trade Methot before the roster freeze.The Golden Knights will announce their expansion draft selections on June 21 as part of the NHL Awards ceremony.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Come early for a good view.The Pittsburgh Penguins will hold their Stanley Cup victory parade on Wednesday at 11 a.m. local time, the City of Pittsburgh announced Monday.The parade route will follow a similar track to previous years, beginning on Grant St. at Liberty Ave. and ending at Point State Park.The parade will celebrate the Penguins' 2017 Stanley Cup win, the fifth championship in franchise history.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Pittsburgh Penguins goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury agreed to waive his no-movement clause for the expansion draft in February, TVA Sports Renaud Lavoie reports.The report confirms months of speculation, as the emergence of Matt Murray forced the Penguins to make a choice on their future in goal.However, the agreement doesn't guarantee Fleury will wind up in Vegas. The 32-year-old remains eligible to be traded elsewhere, and should the Golden Knights select him in expansion, the new franchise could hypothetically flip him for assets.Fleury was drafted by the Penguins first overall in 2003 and won three Stanley Cups with the organization. But the younger, cheaper Murray has proven more than capable as an NHL starter, helping Fleury backstop Pittsburgh to championships in each of the past two seasons.In 13 seasons with the Penguins, Fleury appeared in 691 regular-season contests, posting a record of 375-216-68 with a career .912 save percentage and 2.58 goals-against average. He's Pittsburgh's all-time leader in games played, wins, and shutouts (44).Fleury's contract includes two more seasons at a $5.75-million cap hit.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Once again, the Pittsburgh Penguins are Stanley Cup champions.With a 2-0 victory over the Nashville Predators on Sunday night in Game 6, the Penguins completed their quest to repeat, and what a ride it was.Below, in no particular order, are five of the most memorable moments from Pittsburgh's second straight triumph.Crosby's breakawayThe hockey world was yearning for Sidney Crosby to find the back of the net in the Stanley Cup Final, and he delivered a beauty to break his slump.Without a goal in the finals since 2009, Crosby burned Pekka Rinne with a perfect backhand deke in Game 4. Although it came in a losing effort, Sid's highlight-reel tally was the turning point in his Herculean Cup Final performance that resulted in his second Conn Smythe trophy.Kunitz ousts OttawaThe road to glory is never easy, and everything was on the line in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Final.In that epic contest versus the Ottawa Senators, Chris Kunitz slapped home his second goal of the game in double overtime to push the Pens through.Fleury blanks Caps in Game 7(Photo Courtesy: Getty Images)After squandering a 3-1 series lead, the Penguins traveled back to Washington looking to oust their rival Capitals on their home ice in Game 7 (again).The Caps carried all the momentum into the series-deciding game, but the Penguins' longtime rock stole the show. Marc-Andre Fleury made 29 saves for a shutout victory, rising to the occasion after allowing a combined nine goals in the previous two games.Fleury would only earn one more win during the Penguins' march to the Cup, but the team couldn't have done it without him and his shutout in D.C.Kessel and Malkin's mini-feud

If there were any doubt, there isn't anymore: Sidney Crosby is one of the top five NHLers of all time. Sorry, haters.All grown up now with three Stanley Cups and two Conn Smythe Trophies to his name, No. 87 cemented his legacy as one of hockey's all-time greats Sunday night. You can fight it, but much like facing the Pittsburgh Penguins, you'll lose.He's not even 30It's been a rather remarkable 18 months for Sid:

Andrew Barroway holds all of the cards.The Philadelphia-based hedge fund manager became the sole owner of the Arizona Coyotes on Monday upon completion of his transaction to buy out the club's minority owners, according to multiple reports.Barroway initially purchased a majority stake in the Coyotes in December 2014, while Monday's move sees him attain full ownership of IceArizona, LLC, a group backed by Anthony LeBlanc and George Gosbee among other minority partners, who purchased the Coyotes in 2013.Prior to the sale to IceArizona, the league held ownership of the Coyotes for a four-year period beginning in 2009.The full sale to Barroway means LeBlanc, who doubled as the Coyotes' president and CEO, and co-owner Gary Drummond, who later became the Coyotes' president of hockey operations, will relinquish those roles at the end of the month, according to Sportsnet's John Shannon."The reorganization is an effort to consolidate and strengthen the ownership and to resolve various disputes among the existing owners," NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly told Craig Morgan of Arizona Sports. "We believe this will better position the club to achieve a long-term solution in the Valley."The Coyotes' focus will now turn to ensuring their future in the desert. The team has one year remaining on its lease at Gila River Arena in Glendale.Earlier this year, a proposal to build a new arena on the campus of Arizona State University fell through. Meanwhile, a subsequent discussion to build a new facility in the East Valley has garnered little support from the Arizona legislature.According to Morgan, a new arena in downtown Phoenix is among the top possibilities being considered by Barroway.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Las Vegas oddsmakers waste no time.Not even 24 hours after the Pittsburgh Penguins defeated the Nashville Predators for their second consecutive Stanley Cup, odds for the 2018 title were released.Yup, you guessed it - the Pens top the 2018 list. And let's be honest, it's a pretty safe bet.TeamOddsPenguins9-1Blackhawks12-1Oilers12-1Lightning12-1Capitals12-1Ducks14-1Predators14-1Stars16-1Wild16-1Canadiens16-1Rangers16-1Maple Leafs16-1Kings18-1Blue Jackets20-1Sharks22-1Blues28-1Bruins33-1Flames33-1Senators33-1Panthers40-1Islanders40-1Flyers40-1Jets40-1Coyotes66-1Sabres66-1Hurricanes66-1Red Wings66-1Avalanche75-1Devils75-1Canucks75-1Golden Knights150-1(Odds courtesy: Bodog)Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Pittsburgh Penguins couldn't buy a power play Sunday night.After referee Kevin Pollock cost the Nashville Predators Game 6's opening goal with an early whistle - a whistle that turned out to be extremely costly - the stripes did their best to ensure the home team had every opportunity to score.Related - Watch: Early whistle costs Preds opening goal after ref loses sight of puck Nashville ended up with four power plays to Pittsburgh's none, including a brief five-on-three advantage in the third period, but Matt Murray - and a couple of posts - ensured the Penguins went home with the Stanley Cup.Meanwhile, Evgeni Malkin was still looking for a call - any call - after the game.The playoffs' leading scorer took a shot to the nose during the Pens' celebration, leaving him with a nasty looking gash, and he couldn't believe the officials missed it."I don't know, we start celebrating and somebody hit me, it's like, it's crazy, you know, it's not (a) penalty, for sure," Malkin sarcastically said once the dust settled.It was probably Phil Kessel. Actually, it was definitely Kessel, considering Malkin clocked him with an accidental left on the bench after Carl Hagelin scored an empty-net goal to ensure the Stanley Cup would be on the plane ride home.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Jake Guentzel etched his name in the record books multiple times this spring, but his final individual achievement was his best.The young Pittsburgh Penguins forward became the first rookie to lead the NHL outright in playoff goal-scoring since the league took control of the Stanley Cup in 1926-27.Guentzel scored 13 times in his first postseason, edging teammate Evgeni Malkin by three for the league lead, and somewhat incredibly, five of Guentzel's playoff goals were game-winners.The 22-year-old also tied Dino Ciccarelli's all-time record for playoff points by a rookie with his 21st by way of an assist on Conor Sheary's goal in Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Final last week.Guentzel finished one goal shy of Ciccarelli's record for playoff goals by a rookie, but he set new benchmarks for goals and points by an American-born rookie with a two-goal effort in Game 2 of the championship round.Oh, and he also helped the Penguins win their second consecutive Stanley Cup championship.Not too shabby for a guy who was developing in the AHL last fall.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Matt Cullen might be hanging up his skates following the Pittsburgh Penguins' second straight Stanley Cup championship, but if that was his final act, he'll clearly have no regrets.The 40-year-old forward played nearly 20 minutes in the Penguins' Cup-clinching victory in Game 6 on Sunday night - 19:42 to be exact - the most ice time he logged in a game all season.Cullen was on the ice for Patric Hornqvist's winner, played 4:42 shorthanded, and won 10 of his 18 faceoffs. He played over 19 minutes for just the fifth time in two seasons with the Penguins, according to Bill West of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review.The veteran of 19 NHL campaigns previously said he was leaning toward retirement following this playoff run, and he reiterated that in the immediate aftermath of Sunday's win."Pretty good chance this is my last one," Cullen told Michael Russo of the Star Tribune. "I can't imagine a better way to go out than this. It's pretty likely."Neither can we, Matt. Neither can we.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

June is an incredibly busy month for the NHL, but that doesn't mean we can't look ahead to what's coming. Free agency begins at 12 p.m. ET on Saturday, July 1, and we're ranking the top 80 unrestricted free agents ahead of the madness.Here are the unrestricted free agents ranked from No. 40 down to No. 31:40. Keith Kinkaid (G)Age on Oct. 1: 28

Warning: Video contains coarse language

P.K. Subban's dental habits were the furthest thing from his mind after the Stanley Cup officially slipped from his team's grasp Sunday.Following one of the weirder storylines of the final - in which Subban accused Sidney Crosby of saying the Nashville Predators defenseman had bad breath - Subban was asked about, well, all of that, after the Pittsburgh Penguins won Game 6 to make it back-to-back championships."I mean, I don't think that's the right question right now," Subban said, according to The Tennessean's Jaime Cardenas, after he was asked for his thoughts on mouthwash and his back-and-forth battle with No. 87.The unidentified reporter pressed on despite Subban's answer, but P.K. then put an end to the query."My opinion is we just (lost) and we're out of the Stanley Cup playoffs. And I just watched 22 guys lift the Stanley Cup," Subban said. "So, if you want to ask me about that I'll give you my opinion but the series is over."Remember to floss, friends.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

You have to pay the price to win the Stanley Cup. Ask the Pittsburgh Penguins.In the aftermath of the black and gold being crowned champs in back-to-back seasons, we're learning how beat up the squad that dispatched the Nashville Predators in six games truly was.Defenseman Ian Cole, a key member of the unheralded Pittsburgh defense, played most of the postseason hurt.

Pekka Rinne knows the chance may never come again."I was treating this as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity," the Nashville Predators goaltender said following the 2-0 defeat that clinched a second straight Stanley Cup championship for the Pittsburgh Penguins on Sunday."You never know when you're going to get another opportunity," Rinne added. "The only thing I was thinking about was that Cup and dreaming about that and playing for that. Right now, it's tough to accept and tough to handle. But I'm really proud of this team and the way we played, the way we handled things when we faced some adversity throughout the series."Rinne faced that adversity personally, struggling mightily in Pittsburgh during the series and allowing Patric Hornqvist to bank in the eventual Cup-winning goal from beside the net with less than two minutes left in Game 6.The 34-year-old netminder had a strong postseason as a whole, posting a 1.96 GAA, a .930 save percentage, and a pair of shutouts, but he was pulled from Games 2 and 5 of the Cup Final and finished with an .888 save percentage over six contests in the series.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The players weren't the only ones building legacies Sunday night.Mike Sullivan became the first American-born head coach in NHL history to win the Stanley Cup more than once when his Pittsburgh Penguins clinched their second straight championship with a Game 6 victory over the Nashville Predators.The 2017 Stanley Cup Final featured two American-born head coaches for the first time ever, and Predators bench boss Peter Laviolette became only the fourth NHL head coach in history to take three different teams to the championship round.Sullivan, who hails from Marshfield, Mass., was hired by the Penguins to replace the fired Mike Johnston in December 2015.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

It's official: Bob Boughner is the new head coach of the Florida Panthers.The club announced the hiring of the former San Jose Sharks assistant Monday in a move that was originally reported over the weekend.Boughner spent two seasons with the Sharks under Peter DeBoer, helping San Jose reach the Stanley Cup Final in 2016.He won two Memorial Cup championships as head coach of the OHL's Windsor Spitfires in 2009 and 2010, and served as an assistant coach with the Columbus Blue Jackets in 2010-11.The Panthers fired Gerard Gallant in November, and then-general manager Tom Rowe stepped behind the bench for the rest of the campaign, but it was decided he would not continue as the head coach at season's end.It's no secret that Florida is one of the more analytically driven clubs in the NHL, and Dale Tallon, who reassumed the Panthers' GM position in May, confirmed Boughner's hiring aligns with the team's progressive approach."He sees the game in a modern way and is eager to work with our young players," Tallon said in a statement Monday. "During the interview process, Bob blew us away with his preparation, his passion, knowledge and dedication to the game. We believe that he is the right leader to get our team back to competing towards our goal of winning the Stanley Cup."Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

You just can't make this stuff up.Patric Hornqvist was playing with a broken finger when he scored with less than two minutes left in Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Final on Sunday night, according to Sportsnet's Chris Johnston.The Pittsburgh Penguins forward banked the puck off Nashville Predators goaltender Pekka Rinne with 1:35 remaining to give the Penguins a 1-0 lead, and Pittsburgh held on for a 2-0 victory to clinch its second consecutive championship.Hornqvist missed six of the Penguins' 25 playoff games this spring, but still managed to notch five goals and nine points in the postseason.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

There's a reason why Sidney Crosby has won everything there is to be won in hockey. It's what he lives for.The Pittsburgh Penguins captain and superstar celebrated his second straight Stanley Cup victory - and third overall - Sunday night, along with his second straight Conn Smythe Trophy, and told reporters it's winning, and the emotion that comes with it, that keeps him going."I think this feeling right now," Crosby said when asked what motivates him. "You can't match this. This is what it's all about, and to be able to share that with a group of guys, and a lot of them guys that you've played a long time with and understand how difficult it is and what you've had to go through and that kind of thing, to share it with family and friends, you know, is just ... that's what it's about."Crosby called these Penguins - the first club to repeat as champs in almost 20 years - a very special team."I'm really happy to be a part of this group, and a good chunk of the guys are returning from last year, so it's pretty special," he said. "You know, we set out to try to go back to back. We knew it was going to be difficult, but I think that's probably where the most joy comes out of, is just knowing how difficult it is now to go back to back and knowing that we overcame all those things. It's a pretty special group."Mission accomplished. And in the salary cap era, no less.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Evgeni Malkin isn't satisfied. He probably never will be.The Pittsburgh Penguins center won his third Stanley Cup on Sunday night, and he celebrated by letting everyone know that he'd like to make it three in a row and four overall."We're still young," Malkin said. "We're still hungry. We want more."The man known as "Geno" was a force in the playoffs, finishing with a league-leading 28 points (10 goals and 18 assists). While Sidney Crosby took home the Conn Smythe Trophy for the second straight year, the Pens don't win the Cup without Malkin - it's as simple as that.Malkin, 30, was drafted second overall in 2004, with Crosby selected first overall in 2005. It was, clearly, the start of something very special.Penguins general manager Jim Rutherford, meanwhile, is still upset about Malkin not being included in the NHL's list of its top 100 players, unveiled earlier this season. He even spoke about it Sunday night."You'd think that Geno could get into the top 100, wouldn't ya?" Rutherford said, according to Yahoo Sports' Greg Wyshynski. "Maybe we can vote again and get him in the top 101 this year. I mean ... wow. I'll just leave that alone for now. That was so disappointing for me, but that's a whole 'nother story."Rutherford's right: He should leave it alone. He's a Stanley Cup champion again, and that's probably all that matters to Malkin, too.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Pittsburgh Penguins are the 2017 Stanley Cup champions following a 2-0 Game 6 win over the Nashville Predators. Here are the top photos from their legacy-defining win:Penguins captain Sidney Crosby won his second consecutive Conn Smythe trophy. But, it wasn't the prize he most coveted.That belonged to the Stanley Cup itself. And he was quick to hand it over to 14-year NHL veteran defenseman Ron Hainsey, who played in the postseason for the first time in his career this season.Predators fans were out in full force before and during the game.They were quick to direct their sadness/anger at Gary Bettman following the game, relentlessly booing the NHL commissioner during his speech.The victory is the third in the careers of Crosby and fellow center Evgeni Malkin, cementing their legacies as the cornerstones of a Penguins dynasty which has now won three Stanley Cups.Defenseman Kris Letang - who was a key part of the Penguins' previous two Cup victories didn't play a single game during the 2017 playoffs - was quick to take to the ice in full equipment to celebrate the win.The Predators appeared to take a 1-0 lead in the second period when forward Colton Sissons buried a loose puck in the crease beside Penguins goaltender Matt Murray. The goal, however, was waved off by referee Kevin Pollock who blew a quick whistle on the play.There's no telling if this will be the end of the Penguins' historic run. They have 15 players under contract for next season, including goaltenders Matt Murray and Marc-Andre Fleury.It's the second year in a row the Penguins won the Cup on the road, but fans stuck in Pittsburgh still showed up to PPG Paints Arena for the watch party and what will surely be a lengthy celebration.Even though the Predators came up short in the franchise's first-ever trip to the Stanley Cup Final, their fans proved Nashville is a serious hockey market and general manager David Poile has built a roster capable of contending for many years to come.(Photos courtesy: Action Images)Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

It's not news that hockey players are tough.But fighting through a broken tibia? That was the case with Pittsburgh Penguins forward Nick Bonino, who confessed the ailment to Hockey Night in Canada following the Penguins' Stanley Cup championship on Sunday.Bonino wrapped up the playoffs with seven points in 21 games, with his last appearance coming in Game 2 against the Nashville Predators.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

That's the way the cookie crumbles.Unfortunately for the Nashville Predators, it happened at the worst possible time.Colton Sissons appeared to open the scoring in Game 6, but the goal was waved off following a very premature whistle from the referee. Nashville went on to lose the game and the Stanley Cup, and the Predators would have been justified in having a bad taste in their mouths.Related: Twitter, Predators burned by early whistle that called back good goalCaptain Mike Fisher, though, was saying all the right things after the disappointing loss.