The Professional Women's Hockey League has arrived.The newly formed PWHL officially unveiled its name along with key details regarding the inaugural six teams and the player selection process in a video conference call on Tuesday.Six teams based in Boston, Minnesota, Montreal, New York, Ottawa, and Toronto will comprise the first PWHL campaign. Arenas and team names were not announced.A free agent period begins Sept. 1, where each team can sign up to three players before Sept. 10. A 15-round draft will take place Sept. 18 in Toronto, after which point undrafted players can sign as free agents or try out for teams.Training camps commence the week of Nov. 15 ahead of a regular-season start in Jan. 2024. The PWHL will have a 24-game schedule for the inaugural campaign before moving to a November start and a 32-game schedule in subsequent seasons."Our great game has the power to captivate and connect sports fans everywhere, and we are thrilled to plant roots in six of North America's most passionate hockey markets," Los Angeles Dodgers president and PWHL board of directors member Stan Kasten said in a statement."We have never seen more excitement and demand for women's sports, and through the launch of this league, the top women's players in the world will have the opportunity to reach even greater heights," PWHL senior vice president of hockey operations and Hockey Hall of Famer Jayna Hefford said in a statement.NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly told The Athletic's Michael Russo the league intends to support the PWHL."Certainly we've already had intensive conversations on how we can be helpful and supportive to that league as early as their inaugural season, which they expect to be January of next calendar year," Daly said. "That's a work in progress, but yes, we intend to be as helpful and supportive of that league as possible."Kasten noted the possibility of collaboration with the NHL for neutral site games.Brian Burke was officially introduced as the PWHL Player Association's executive director. Most recently the Pittsburgh Penguins' president, Burke was an advisor for the defunct Canadian Women's Hockey League. He described the PWHL's announcement as "the most exciting day in the history of women's hockey" during his introduction on the league's conference call.The Mark Walter Group purchased the Premier Hockey Federation in June to unify the North American women's hockey landscape with the Professional Women's Hockey Players Association.Boston, Minnesota, Montreal, and Toronto each had active teams operating in the PHF last season. The Metropolitan Riveters were based in New Jersey and previously played out of Brooklyn from 2015-17. Ottawa had a CWHL team from 2007-10.Buffalo and Connecticut - two original PHF cities dating back to 2015 - didn't receive a franchise."We didn't do this for the short term, we didn't do this for the long term. We did this to be permanent," Kasten said on the conference call.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Sam Gagner is back in an Oilers jersey.Edmonton signed the veteran forward to a professional tryout, the team announced Monday. It will be Gagner's third stint with the team that drafted him in 2007 and then acquired him in a trade in 2018.The 34-year-old tallied eight goals and 14 points in 48 games last season with the Winnipeg Jets. His campaign ended in March when he underwent hip surgery.Gagner accumulated 111 goals and 317 points in 542 games with the Oilers from 2007-14 and 2018-20. His career highlight came on Feb. 2, 2012, when the then 22-year-old scored eight points in a game against the Chicago Blackhawks, matching Wayne Gretzky and Paul Coffey for Edmonton's single-game franchise mark.The London, Ontario, native also played for the Arizona Coyotes, Philadelphia Flyers, Columbus Blue Jackets, Vancouver Canucks, and Detroit Red Wings. Gagner's accrued 192 goals and 519 points in 1,015 career contests.The Oilers added Brandon Sutter to their training camp roster on a professional tryout earlier in August.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Toronto Maple Leafs signed defenseman Simon Benoit to a one-year contract worth $775,000, the team announced Monday.Benoit tallied three goals and 10 points in 78 games with the Anaheim Ducks in 2022-23. The 6-foot-3 blue-liner accumulated 60 penalty minutes and had a minus-29 rating while playing 19:21 per contest.The 24-year-old led the Ducks and ranked 21st league-wide with 216 hits.Anaheim didn't tender Benoit a qualifying offer, making him an unrestricted free agent. He'll be a restricted free agent at the expiration of his new deal next summer.The Laval, Quebec native accrued 15 points in 137 games with the Ducks over parts of three seasons. He was signed by Anaheim as an undrafted free agent in 2019.The Maple Leafs have eight NHL defensemen under contract after the signing.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Ottawa Senators goaltender Anton Forsberg is ready for training camp after a goalmouth collision injured both of his knees in February."I've been back to 100% for a long time," Forsberg told The Athletic's Ian Mendes. "I would have been back last year if we made the playoffs."Forsberg was stretchered off the ice on Feb. 11 against the Edmonton Oilers after Zach Hyman was pushed onto him in the crease. He was subsequently diagnosed with MCL tears in both knees and given a two-to-three-month timeline that ended his season prematurely.Despite the nature of the injury, Forsberg feels confident entering the new campaign."I feel like I'm not thinking about it at all," he said. "I'm not hesitating, so I feel like it's all healed. I haven't had any restrictions of what I can and can't do. I've been doing what I usually do, so I can't really say I'm holding back on anything right now."The 30-year-old posted an 11-11-2 record and a .902 save percentage in 28 appearances last season prior to his injury. He has two years remaining on a contract that carries a $2.75-million cap hit.The Senators spent $20 million on the opening day of free agency to bring in netminder Joonas Korpisalo on a five-year pact. The 29-year-old's coming off a bounce-back campaign in which he had an 18-14-4 record and .914 SV% in 39 games with the Columbus Blue Jackets and Los Angeles Kings.Forsberg and Korpisalo backstopped the Lake Erie Monsters to an AHL championship in 2016."We were a good tandem there, and that's what we want to do here, too," Forsberg said. "We're really good friends, and when we played together, we hung out together a lot."Though Korpisalo joins Ottawa on a richer contract, Forsberg's prepared to battle for the starting job and earn his minutes."I think at the end of the day, it's going to come down to who is playing the best. And that's how it should be," Forsberg said. "If (Korpisalo) plays better, he should play. If I play better, I should play. That's the way I look at it. This is a team game and the best players should be playing. And I'm looking forward to it."Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Free-agent forward Joonas Donskoi announced his retirement from professional hockey Sunday after battling concussions throughout his seven-season career.The 31-year-old suffered what ended up being a career-ending concussion during a preseason game last year. Donskoi missed the entire 2022-23 season due to the injury.

Toronto Maple Leafs captain John Tavares isn't sleeping on any of his rivals in the Atlantic Division in 2023-24."The steps that Detroit, Buffalo and Ottawa ... are taking, you see the talent they are developing and the season some of their guys have had (last year) and the way their teams are growing and the challenges they present," he said, per NHL.com's Dave McCarthy. "They obviously feel they are ready to start contending and be playoff teams."There is no doubt it's only going to continue to get harder and harder, so we are aware of that challenge and know what's ahead."The Red Wings, Sabres, and Senators all missed the playoffs last season to extend their respective postseason droughts, ranging from six years for Ottawa and a lengthy 12 campaigns in Buffalo's case.The usual suspects dominated the top half of the Atlantic Division for the third straight campaign (excluding the re-aligned 2020-21 season), with the Boston Bruins, Maple Leafs, Tampa Bay Lightning, and Florida Panthers taking the first four spots.However, the division's underdogs were closer than they've been in quite some time.The Red Wings were 12 points out of the playoff picture but they posted their highest win total (35) and point percentage (.488) since 2015-16, the last time they made the postseason. The Senators finished six points ahead of Detroit in the standings, and their 86 points made for their highest total since 2016-17. The Sabres were the closest out of the bunch, though, completing the campaign just one point behind the Panthers for the second wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference.All three squads made changes to their rosters this summer, too.Detroit was the most active of the trio, bringing in two-time 41-goal-scorer Alex DeBrincat, responsible center J.T. Compher, wingers Klim Kostin and Daniel Sprong, as well as a host of new blue-liners including Jeff Petry, Justin Holl, and Shayne Gostisbehere. Buffalo also revamped its defense corps by adding Connor Clifton and Erik Johnson and will be relying on talented rookie Devon Levi in the crease. Finally, Ottawa tabbed Joonas Korpisalo as its new No. 1 goalie and reeled in veteran forward Vladimir Tarasenko.Tavares has faith that his Maple Leafs can handle the increased competition."We certainly respect what they bring to the table, but we have to be prepared and we expect a lot of ourselves and have high expectations to still be one of the top teams, if not the top team, in our division," he said."That's always the goal when you start the year, and I think with the caliber of players we have and the depth we have, we still want to be right there."The Maple Leafs made the playoffs for the seventh straight season last spring after finishing as the Atlantic Division's second-best team for the second consecutive year.The puck drops on Toronto's 2023-24 campaign on Oct. 11 against the Montreal Canadiens.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

From Damar Hamlin to Bronny James and, most recently, one of Alabama's most promising high school basketball stars, the sports world has had many recent reminders that cardiac arrests are a legitimate risk for even the healthiest and youngest athletes.When every second counts, preparedness is essential to saving lives. The world's top athletes can rely on trainers to perform life-saving measures, but most - from high school gyms to community hockey arenas - must rely on bystanders. They rely on you. Do enough of us know what to do in the event of a sports-related cardiac arrest?"I always give credit to those five individuals that went on and off of my chest, performing CPR for 11 minutes, for saving my life," Breanna Sudano says. Back in 2011, while playing for Perry Hall (Maryland) High School's junior varsity field hockey team, Sudano had just scored a go-ahead goal when she collapsed. Her heart and breathing stopped. At the age of 13, she was in cardiac arrest.Because there was no automated external defibrillator (AED) present on the field, a bystander had to run into the school to locate it, which caused a delay in restarting Sudano's heart. Those 11 minutes could have had profound neurological consequences had it not been for Sudano's luck that day - three cardiac nurses were at the game and immediately began hands-only CPR."It didn't cause any brain or organ damage because of how perfectly they executed it," she says. Other athletes might not be so lucky; that's where trained bystanders and functional AEDs come into play."I think it's an individual's responsibility to have a basic understanding of CPR, and the use of an AED and how they might intervene in an event of an emergency. I think that's a life skill," says Andrew Lotto, senior manager of business development and engagement at the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada."Cardiac arrest is not discriminatory to age - it can happen to young kids in sports, it can happen to young adults playing sports, it can happen to the elderly. I think it's really important that sports and athletic facilities be equipped with AEDs and that individuals at those facilities know how to use them," he said.Denmark midfielder Christian Eriksen receives medical attention after collapsing during a Euro 2020 match two years ago. Friedemann Vogel / AFP / Getty ImagesIn professional sports, and in most college sports scenarios, trained medical staff are on hand with the proper equipment to respond in a cardiac emergency. That's what helped Danish soccer star Christian Eriksen when he collapsed on the pitch during a Euro 2020 match. Swift medical intervention saved his life.But even the professionals can't always make a miracle happen.Hank Gathers led the NCAA in scoring and rebounding as a junior for Loyola Marymount during the 1988-89 basketball season. But early in his senior season, he collapsed on the court due to a mysterious heart condition. Without fully diagnosing Gathers, doctors cleared him to return to play. He later fatally collapsed on the court during a West Coast Conference tournament game. Even though a defibrillator was courtside, Gathers didn't receive a shock until he was taken off the court. Despite attempts to resuscitate him, Gathers' death underscored the need for improved medical protocols and screenings in sports.Hank Gathers was on a path to be a top NBA pick before his heart-related death in 1990. John McDonough / Sports Illustrated / Getty Images Today, the NCAA is still advocating for improved medical standards, not just within their own colleges but for high school athletes too. "Prompt recognition and treatment of cardiac arrest with CPR and AED placement in student-athletes leads to survival rates approaching 90%," NCAA chief medical officer Dr. Brian Hainline said via email. "Studies demonstrate that survival rate decreases for every minute that AED is not utilized. The low-hanging fruit of mitigating death from cardiac arrest is widespread certification of CPR/AED for student-athletes and athletics personnel coupled with strategic locations of AEDs."Lotto has already done a lot of work in Canada to ensure every athlete has access to these lifesaving tools. His organization worked with the Canadian federal government to place 32,034 AEDs in any athletic facility that requested one across the country."What Heart and Stroke had intended to do was make sure that defibrillators were as commonplace as fire extinguishers," Lotto says.In the United States, the NFL has led a similar initiative in the aftermath of Hamlin's cardiac arrest. In collaboration with the NBA, MLB, MLS, the NHL, and the NCAA, the league has advocated for better adoption of emergency best practices in high schools and clearly marked AEDs at each athletic venue where high school practices or competitions are held. Plus, they're pushing for CPR and AED education for coaches. Just a few months into the coalition's work, they've seen some meaningful progress.Buffalo Bills teammates pray for Damar Hamlin during the stoppage in play after his heart stopped in a game on Jan. 2. Icon Sportswire / Getty ImagesSince the launch in March, the Smart Heart Sports Coalition has grown in members and momentum," Jeff Miller, NFL executive vice president of communications, public affairs and policy said via email. "During the past several months, we've seen policymakers in states such as New Mexico, Indiana and Kentucky take action and we'll continue our advocacy in the months and years ahead until every state in the country adopts these life-saving measures."Specifically, in April, New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham signed SB 450 into law, mandating that all licensed coaches employed by school districts obtain CPR certification with knowledge of AED use. Indiana passed legislation that emphasizes the presence of AEDs where students face a heightened risk of sudden cardiac arrest.But while this momentum might catalyze action, the success of these efforts comes down to maintenance. "It's one thing to get the AEDs on the ground, it's an entirely different thing to keep them up to date," Lotto says. "The maintenance is really important - that can't be perpetually funded by the government and Heart and Stroke. Local facilities need to make a commitment."Not only do AED batteries need to be changed regularly - every two to five years depending on the model - but the pads that are placed on a patient in an emergency also need upkeep. The adhesive gel dries up, so they need to be replaced every two years. An AED's location should also be indicated with good signage and registered with emergency services so bystanders can be directed to the nearest one in a lifesaving situation. There are currently no federal regulations in Canada or the United States that mandate the upkeep of AEDs.And even a nearby and well-maintained AED is useless without someone who knows how to use it. Often, that life-saving task comes down to onlookers. That's where you come in. Recently, a group of recreational basketball players in South Brunswick, New Jersey saved one of their teammates with CPR and AED knowledge and quick action."If somebody collapses, your best bet is to call 911 and shout for a defibrillator," Lotto says."In the meantime, push hard and fast in the center of the chest. As soon as the AED arrives, put it on the person. It coaches you through voice prompts, it will tell you what to do. They are foolproof. The average citizen needs to know what to do and what actions to take. And they're as simple as those three steps."Jolene Latimer is a video producer and feature writer at theScore.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

New Toronto Maple Leafs general manager Brad Treliving crossed off the No. 1 priority on his offseason checklist by signing Auston Matthews to a four-year, $53-million extension, but the executive said his star sniper was similarly eager to put pen to paper."You're talking about one of the world's best talents. In the situation he was in, he could come in and demand a whole lot more than what he got. That's just the reality," Treliving said Friday, according to Sports Illustrated's David Alter."It gets done because Auston says he wants to get it done. I want it to be a non-issue. I want the focus to be where it needs to be and that's on winning and putting all of our energies on the ice. And that's why it's done. At the end of the day, it's a sign of leadership."Matthews has one season remaining on his current deal with an average annual value of $11.64 million, and he could have become an unrestricted free agent next summer. His new $13.25-million cap hit will make him the highest-paid player in the league beginning in 2024-25, beating out Colorado Avalanche forward Nathan MacKinnon's $12.6-million price tag.The two-time Maurice "Rocket" Richard Trophy winner signed a five-year extension upon the expiry of his entry-level deal in 2019 and followed that up with a four-year pact. Matthews explained that he felt like a shorter-term contract just struck "the right balance.""It was a lot of long conversations, a lot of thought. ... In the end, this is kind of what I felt most comfortable with. ... I don't think I've ever done things just to be different, I just felt strongly in my situation and my position that that was the best deal for myself and the best deal for the team," he said, per TSN.Matthews will be 30 years old when his new deal expires, and he will have been in Toronto for 12 seasons by that point. He already has 299 goals in 481 games as a Maple Leaf, meaning he's 122 tallies away from surpassing Mats Sundin, who is the franchise's all-time leader in that category.If Matthews averages 24 goals in each of the next five seasons, he can replace Sundin as No. 1 in the record books, but the talented center is far more interested in winning a Stanley Cup than individual accolades."My biggest priority as a Maple Leaf is to be the best teammate, the best player that I can be and obviously do my best to take this team where we're trying to go," he said.He added, "It's been a real honor to be a part of this organization, it's something that I definitely don't take for granted."William Nylander is also eligible to sign an extension this summer, but he said Wednesday that he isn't in a big rush to get a deal done. Treliving echoed that sentiment on Friday, adding that he'll continue to work toward a new contract with the winger, per Sportsnet's Luke Fox.Puck drops on the Maple Leafs' 2023-24 season on Oct. 11 against the Montreal Canadiens.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Alex Galchenyuk is headed overseas after penning a two-year pact with KHL club SKA Saint Petersburg, the team announced Friday.Galchenyuk was arrested July 9 in Scottsdale, Arizona, on several charges, including private property hit and run, disorderly conduct, failure to obey, resisting arrest, and threatening or intimidating. No physical injuries resulted from the hit and run, only property damage.A police report said Galchenyuk was acting "erratic and aggressive" during the incident and directed racial slurs toward a police officer in training while threatening to have an officer and their family killed.The Arizona Coyotes terminated Galchenyuk's contract on July 13, only 12 days after they signed him to a one-year deal worth $750,000 as a free agent.Galchenyuk issued an apology to the police for his "deeply disrespectful and despicable behavior" on July 18 and announced he was entering the NHL/NHLPA player assistance program.He pleaded guilty to one misdemeanour threatening charge in Scottsdale City Court on Monday, but five other charges were dropped.Galchenyuk was sentenced to 30 days in jail, with 27 days being suspended upon completing a recovery program, and 12 months without consuming or possessing alcohol.The 29-year-old suited up for the Montreal Canadiens, Coyotes, Pittsburgh Penguins, Minnesota Wild, Ottawa Senators, Toronto Maple Leafs, and Colorado Avalanche over 11 seasons.Selected by the Canadiens with the third overall pick in the 2012 NHL Draft, Galchenyuk amassed 146 goals and 354 points over 654 contests.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Jake Sanderson's accomplishments in his rookie campaign didn't go unnoticed by his captain, with Brady Tkachuk tabbing the young Ottawa Senators defenseman "the most underrated player" in the league."I think (Sanderson's) first pro season, what he did for our team and ... right from Game 1, how much he made our team better, coming out of college," Tkachuk said during a recent appearance on the "Dropping the Gloves" podcast. "The impact he had, the minutes he played, I just couldn't believe he wasn't even in the run for (the Calder Trophy)."I was like, 'This guy is one of the most important players on our team' and it went unnoticed. His speed, his hockey sense, but his work ethic is second to none. I haven't seen a guy work like he did throughout the year. It was quite impressive. ... I'm excited to see what he's going to do for us this year because he's going to be an awesome player for us."Sanderson put up four goals and 32 points in 77 matchups in 2022-23 while averaging 21:55 minutes per contest, good for the second-most playing time on the Senators. He also led the entire rookie class with 147 blocks.It wasn't like the Senators sheltered the 21-year-old, either. He spent the bulk of his ice time matching up against opponents' top lines, played a team-high 3:17 shorthanded minutes every game, and started just 42.7% of his shifts in the offensive zone at five-on-five, according to Natural Stat Trick.Sanderson finished sixth in Calder Trophy voting as a result of his efforts, behind Dallas Stars scorer Wyatt Johnston, Arizona Coyotes playmaker Matias Maccelli, and the three finalists: Edmonton Oilers goalie Stuart Skinner, Buffalo Sabres blue-liner Owen Power, and Seattle Kraken center Matty Beniers.Tkachuk also pointed to Tim Stutzle as one of the NHL's more unheralded players. The German forward posted a career-high 39 goals and 90 points in 78 games last season, but Tkachuk emphasized that Stutzle grew beyond the scoresheet, too."What I like most about it is, he's stepping up into a leadership role every single day," Tkachuk said. "He's working on the ice, leading by example, but also being a leader off the ice and being there for guys. He's fiery, too, so he'll stick up for anybody in little scrums and battles as well."The Senators finished six points behind the Florida Panthers for the second wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference and missed the playoffs for the sixth straight season. There were signs of growth, though, with Ottawa claiming its highest win and point totals (39 and 86, respectively) since 2016-17.The puck drops on the Senators' 2023-24 campaign on Oct. 11 against the Carolina Hurricanes.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Buffalo Sabres haven't made the playoffs in 12 years, but young defenseman Owen Power likes his team's odds of ending that drought in 2023-24."I think the team as a whole is confident coming into this year," he said, according to NHLcom's Dave McCarthy. "I think with us, for how young we are, we're going in with the goal to get better every day. And if we do that, we'll be in a good spot at the end of the year."He added, "I honestly think we can go for a (Stanley) Cup, so I think that's the attitude everyone has got and the attitude we have to have."The Sabres came close to snapping their lengthy playoff streak in 2022-23. They finished the season just one point behind the Florida Panthers for the second wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference after posting their highest win and point totals (42 and 91, respectively) since the 2010-11 campaign.Power, 20, played a part in his team's marked improvement during his first full NHL season. He posted four goals and 31 points in 79 games while averaging 23:48 minutes per contest, the most playing time out of all rookies last year by a near-two-minute margin. As a result of his efforts, Power was named a finalist for the Calder Trophy, but he ended up losing out to Seattle Kraken center Matty Beniers.In order for the Sabres to force their way into the playoff picture, they'll have to battle some Atlantic Division heavyweights like the Panthers, Boston Bruins, Tampa Bay Lightning, and Toronto Maple Leafs. On top of that, Buffalo isn't the only up-and-coming team aiming to stick around in the spring, with the Ottawa Senators and Detroit Red Wings also looking to take the next step.Despite the stiff competition, Power is looking forward to the battle at hand."It's going to be fun," he said. "Any time you get to play against the best teams in the league and compete for a playoff spot, it's a lot of fun. I'm excited, and I know our whole team is excited for the challenge."The Sabres brought in defensemen Erik Johnson and Connor Clifton to aid in their pursuit and also re-signed the likes of Zemgus Girgensons, Tyson Jost, and captain Kyle Okposo.After signing a one-year, $2.5-million extension in May, Okposo said Buffalo can't be afraid of the increased pressure in the new season."Last year, there (were) no expectations," he said. "Everybody's writing rosy articles: 'This group is a good team; it's becoming a good team.' And that's great, but how do you do that with expectations? ... There's going to be lofty expectations next year, and I think that we can't run from that."Puck drops on the Sabres' 2023-24 campaign on Oct. 12 against the New York Rangers.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Edmonton Oilers re-upped restricted free agent defenseman Evan Bouchard with a two-year contract carrying an average annual value of $3.9 million, the team announced Thursday.Bouchard will remain an RFA at the end of the new deal. He can't become a UFA until 2027."Once we got pretty close, I was really excited, and I'm happy it's done now," Bouchard said, per NHL.com's Derek Van Diest. "Two years, I think it's a good stepping stone, a good bridge (contract). I feel like in the next two years, the Oilers are going to be a force out there, and it's good to be a part of that."The 23-year-old recorded 43 points in 2021-22 and 40 points last season but caught fire down the stretch in 2022-23 after the Oilers made a key trade with the Nashville Predators. Edmonton brought in Mattias Ekholm and immediately partnered him with Bouchard. Tyson Barrie was sent the other way, allowing Bouchard to quarterback Edmonton's top power-play unit.The move proved exceptional, as Bouchard racked up 36 points in 33 regular season and playoff contests after the deal. He's projected to play with Ekholm again at five-on-five and run the Oilers' star-studded top power play.To go along with the offensive production, Bouchard's underlying numbers were strong last season. Evolving-HockeyBouchard's bridge deal compares to those of other up-and-coming RFA defensemen around the league. Colorado Avalanche blue-liner Bowen Byram ($3.85 million AAV) and New York Rangers stalwart K'Andre Miller ($3.872 million AAV) both signed two-year deals this offseason, too.The signing puts the Oilers over the salary cap, but when the season begins they can become compliant by optioning a player to the minors and trimming the roster down to 19 skaters.The Oilers drafted Bouchard 10th overall in 2018.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Auston Matthews put pen to paper on a monster extension with the Maple Leafs, signing a four-year deal worth a league-high $13.25 million per season.With a contract no longer looming over Matthews' head, he'll head into the 2023-24 campaign healthy, focused, and free of distractions.What may Matthews' season look like? Let's look at some major betting markets to get a better indication."Rocket" RichardPlayer OddsConnor McDavid+200Auston Matthews+600Leon Draisaitl+800David Pastrnak+850Nathan MacKinnon+1000Jack Hughes+1400Matthew Tkachuk+1400Mikko Rantanen+1600Jason Robertson+2000Tage Thompson+2000Note: listed players 20:1 or shorter.McDavid is understandably favored for the Maurice "Rocket" Richard Trophy after a 64-goal campaign in which he took his finishing - and shot volume - to a new level. But Matthews is tucked in behind him, and the price gap is probably a little steep.Matthews' 299 goals in 481 games since starting his career in 2016-17 is a league high. He's also by far the best chance generator, piling up 145 more than the next closest player (McDavid) over the past three seasons.His goal outputs dried up a bit last season, but there were strong rumblings Matthews fought through an injury for the bulk of the campaign. There seemed to be something to that, as Matthews' shooting percentage was 5% lower than in 2021-22 and 6.3% lower than in 2020-21.Getting Matthews the puck in good shooting spots is priority No. 1 at even strength and on the power play. Unlike McDavid, who has Leon Draisaitl in the mix, Matthews is the go-to scorer for his team, and there's nobody in the same realm. A fully healthy Matthews attached to a +600 price tag is appealing since he should be firmly in the mix.Hart TrophyPlayer OddsConnor McDavid+115Nathan MacKinnon+900Leon Draisaitl+1000Auston Matthews+1200Matthew Tkachuk+1200David Pastrnak+1600Kirill Kaprizov+1800Jack Hughes+2000Nikita Kucherov+2000Note: listed players 20:1 or shorter.Matthews' 85-point 'down' season didn't put off the market in the slightest. He carries the fourth shortest odds to bring home the NHL's most prestigious individual award, and for good reason.Despite dealing with an injury and shooting significantly below expectation, Matthews paced last season at a 97-point clip over a full 82 games. Had he matched his 2021-22 finishing rate, we'd be talking about someone with 56 goals in 74 contests rather than 40 in 74. That's a 62-goal pace.The Maple Leafs made plenty of changes around their core, but they should remain one of the better teams during the regular season. Adding Tyler Bertuzzi, Max Domi, and John Klingberg - and the playmaking/passing ability those three bring - can't hurt a sniper like Matthews.He should be in the hunt for the Hart if he can get back in the 55-plus goal range and produce a boatload of points on a very strong team.Season totalsProp OddsO/U 51.5 goals-110/11050+ goals-14060+ goals+650Matthews sits at -140 to score 50 goals, and I see value in backing him. Despite last season's shooting dip, the superstar center has averaged 57 goals per 82 games played over the past four seasons. That's a long track record of top-tier production.He's 25 years old, so Matthews theoretically finds himself in the prime of his career. There's no reason to expect last season's shooting struggles to be the start of a decline.It all comes down to health with Matthews. If we exclude his rookie campaign, last year's 74 contests played are the most we've seen from him in a season. With a handful of games being trimmed off his total each year, it makes it that much more imperative Matthews carries extreme efficiency.I believe anything over 70 games will make 50 goals a very reasonable proposition, but 60-plus is difficult without playing a full schedule.Todd Cordell is a sports betting writer at theScore. Be sure to follow him on Twitter @ToddCordell.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The New York Rangers signed restricted free-agent forward Alexis Lafreniere to a two-year extension, the team announced Thursday.The contract carries an average annual value of $2.325 million, reports the New York Post's Larry Brooks.Lafreniere, the first overall pick in the 2020 NHL Draft, posted a career-high 39 points (16 goals, 23 assists) in 81 games last season while seeing his average ice time surpass the 15-minute mark for the first time.The 21-year-old spent the bulk of his time on the third line with Kaapo Kakko and Filip Chytil in 2022-23. The Rangers outscored opponents 31-20 while dictating 52.6% of the expected goals and 53.6% of the shot attempts with the trio on the ice at five-on-five, per Natural Stat Trick.Lafreniere was held without a point in seven playoff games this spring. He hasn't quite lived up to the expectations thrust upon him as a first overall pick, but incoming head coach Peter Laviolette expressed interest in putting more on Lafreniere's and Kakko's shoulders in 2023-24."You certainly would like to see them take the next step: More minutes, maybe a little higher up the lineup, maybe more power-play time," Laviolette said in June. "With that, there has to be opportunity. These conversations will take place - I certainly would like that - and those opportunities will be there for them to grab that ice time and to push."Lafreniere has amassed 47 goals and 91 points in 216 career NHL games over three seasons.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Toronto Maple Leafs locked up star sniper Auston Matthews to a four-year extension with a record-setting average annual value of $13.25 million, the team announced Wednesday.Matthews, 25, has one season remaining on his current deal with an $11.64-million cap hit. He could have become an unrestricted free agent next summer.

Despite reports of a sizeable gap between the Maple Leafs and William Nylander in extension negotiations, the winger is adamant that he wants to sign a long-term deal to stay in Toronto."I want to be in Toronto as long as I can," Nylander said at NHL European Player Media Tour on Wednesday, per NHL.com's Tom Gulitti. "That's just where my mind is at."Nylander is entering the final year of his contract before he can become an unrestricted free agent in 2024. Teammate Auston Matthews was initially in the same boat, but he signed a four-year, $53-million extension on Wednesday to prolong his stay in Toronto.Finding a resolution for Nylander will likely be the next priority for new general manager Brad Treliving, but with one of the most laid-back personalities in the game, the Swede is in no rush to get a deal done."Obviously, I want it to work where I can stay there and be there," Nylander said. "There's no other place I want to play, but I still have one more year left. I don't understand why there's such a big rush to do something right now. I still have one more year left."Nylander has previously shown that he's willing to play the waiting game. It took until Dec. 1, 2018 - the last day restricted free agents could've signed a contract and played that season - for Nylander to ink his current six-year deal that carries a $6.96-million cap hit.His agent, Lewis Gross, has had discussions with Treliving this offseason, but nothing appears imminent."They had been talking, but I don't think there's been much going on about that," Nylander said. "But I'm just focused on getting ready for the season and having my best season yet in order to help us take the next step, too."Nylander has established himself as one of the game's most electrifying talents. He's coming off a career year in which he tallied 40 goals and 47 assists in 82 games, then added 10 points in 11 playoff contests.Evolving-Hockey projects a fair extension for Nylander as an eight-year deal with a $9.06-million cap hit.Notable contract comparisons from this offseason include Pierre-Luc Dubois ($8.5 million AAV), Timo Meier ($8.8 million AAV), and Sebastian Aho ($9.75 million AAV) - all of whom signed for eight years.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The NHL and its Players' Association are working to create an international event for February 2025, deputy commissioner Bill Daly confirmed to NHL.com's Dan Rosen.The intention for the tournament is to kickstart a regular cycle of Olympic participation beginning in 2026 with a World Cup of Hockey played on the even years in between."So if we do a '25 international tournament, we do the '26 Olympics, the '28 World Cup of Hockey, the '30 Olympics, the '32 World Cup of Hockey, and so on," Daly said. "That's the goal."The format of the proposed 2025 event is unclear to this point, as is a potential deadline for a final decision."I don't know exactly what form it will take," Daly said. "The goal is to make it an international competition of some sort. It's going to obviously be heavily NHL-centric in terms of the player base, maybe entirely NHL. We'll see what form it takes, but that's something we're working on with the Players' Association."Russia and Belarus are still banned from IIHF events due to the invasion of Ukraine. The International Olympic Committee has also banned the countries, but allows its participants to compete provided they don't represent their native flags.The NHL hasn't participated in a best-on-best international event since the World Cup in 2016. The league didn't go to the 2018 Olympics in PyeongChang after sending players to the previous five games, and a return to Beijing in 2022 was nixed due to the pandemic.In recent years, several prominent NHL voices, including Edmonton Oilers captain and reigning MVP Connor McDavid, have called on the league to coordinate a best-on-best event.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Arizona Coyotes continue to bet on head coach Andre Tourigny, signing him to a three-year extension, the team announced Wednesday.Tourigny spent the last two seasons behind the bench in the desert, amassing a 53-90-21 record during his first gig as an NHL bench boss with the Coyotes firmly in rebuild mode. He has one year remaining on his current pact."We are very pleased to sign Andre to a three-year extension," general manager Bill Armstrong said. "He is an excellent coach, leader, and communicator who has helped us establish a tremendous culture in our dressing room. Our players like him, respect him, and compete hard for him. We are thrilled to have him signed as our head coach for the next three years."In July, Armstrong expressed his faith in Tourigny as the man to guide the Coyotes through the next phase of their rebuild, emphasizing that he has an ability to motivate his players "without leaving a scar."The Coyotes finished among the 10 worst teams in the league in each of Tourigny's two seasons at the helm, but they did enjoy some improvements during his sophomore campaign:SeasonRecordPointsFinishGF/GPGA/GP2021-2225-50-757 (.348)31st2.513.772022-2328-40-1470 (.427)27th2.743.60Arizona added the likes of Nick Bjugstad, Alex Kerfoot, Troy Stecher, Jason Zucker, Sean Durzi, Matt Dumba, and Logan Cooley to its roster this summer as it attempts to crawl back to relevancy in the Western Conference. The team's last playoff appearance came in 2020.Puck drops on the Coyotes' 2023-24 season on Oct. 13 against the New Jersey Devils.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Vancouver Canucks superstar Elias Pettersson paused talks of a potential contract extension as he gears up for the 2023-24 campaign."I've just put that on hold," Pettersson said, per NHL.com's Dan Rosen. "I still have one more year left. I've been wanting to focus on training this summer and the contract will sort itself out."Pettersson became eligible to sign a new deal on July 1. He's scheduled to be a restricted free agent with arbitration rights next summer if an agreement isn't struck before then.The 24-year-old said he's unsure about the term he'd prefer on his next contract. Pettersson signed a three-year, $22.05-million bridge deal in 2021 after his entry-level contract expired."It's a big topic obviously, and I don't have the answer myself," he said. "I just want to focus on the season."Pettersson's agent, J.P. Barry, said in June that he expected negotiations to begin this summer with both the Canucks and his client wanting to strike a long-term agreement.The Canucks are currently projected to have over $32.4 million in cap space next season, according to CapFriendly, but only have 11 players signed beyond 2023-24. Pettersson is likely to become Vancouver's highest-paid player, a title currently held by J.T. Miller and his $8-million annual cap hit.Pettersson set career highs in goals (39), assists (63), shots (257), and average ice time (20:33) last season, his fifth in the NHL since being drafted fifth overall by Vancouver in 2017.The Swedish sniper has racked up 323 points in 325 NHL contests and won the Calder Trophy as rookie of the year in 2019. Despite an impressive career so far, Pettersson wants to continue evolving every aspect of his repertoire."I think I really found my game, what I need to do to play my best," Pettersson said. "I want to be a two-way center. I want them to depend on me in the 'D' zone as much as the offensive zone."Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Detroit Red Wings re-signed restricted free-agent forward Joe Veleno to a one-year deal worth $825,000, the team announced Tuesday.He can become an RFA once again after his new deal expires and will be due a qualifying offer of $866,000, according to PuckPedia.Veleno established new career highs in goals (nine), points (20), and games played (81) in 2022-23 while averaging just under 13 minutes of ice time per contest.The 23-year-old made waves in international waters this spring. He was suspended for five games at the 2023 IIHF World Championship after stomping on Winnipeg Jets winger Nino Niederreiter with his skate during a preliminary round contest between Canada and Switzerland.The Red Wings selected Veleno with the 30th overall pick at the 2018 NHL Draft after he totaled 79 points in 64 games in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Tampa Bay Lightning signed winger Brandon Hagel to an eight-year extension carrying an average annual value of $6.5 million, the team announced Tuesday.Hagel is in the final year of a contract paying him $1.5 million annually. He was set to become a restricted free agent at the end of the 2023-24 campaign."I think this is home," Hagel said, per NHL.com's Chris Krenn. "I've felt comfortable. I love the guys here. I love the core that they have for the next however many years. I want to jump on that core, and I want to win a lot, and I think this is the place to do it. And living in Tampa, you can't complain."Hagel, who turns 25 on Sunday, is coming off a career year in which he set personal bests in goals (30), assists (34), games played (81), and average time on ice (18:39).He's posted strong underlying numbers offensively and on special teams over his three-year career. Evolving-HockeyThe Lightning acquired Hagel, along with a pair of fourth-rounders, from the Chicago Blackhawks at the 2022 trade deadline in exchange for two first-round picks, Boris Katchouk, and Taylor Raddysh.The Buffalo Sabres drafted Hagel in the sixth round in 2016, but they failed to sign him. Hagel was invited to Montreal Canadiens training camp in 2018 but eventually signed with the Blackhawks instead."Five years ago, I was playing my 20-year-old year in junior without a contract and not sure if I'll ever get one to the NHL," Hagel said. "Five years later, I'm signing a deal that's going to change my life, and I get to call a place home. It feels nice. It feels like I got to a point where I proved a lot of people wrong, people that didn't believe in me. Now I've got this, and I'm happy."The Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, native won gold with Canada at the 2021 World Championship.Hagel is the latest member of the Lightning to ink a maximum-term eight-year extension. He, Brayden Point, Anthony Cirelli, Mikhail Sergachev, and Erik Cernak are all signed through at least 2029-30.With the salary cap projected to rise to $87.5 million for 2024-25, the Lightning are set to have $12.6 million in cap space next offseason, with captain Steven Stamkos as the only notable unrestricted free agent.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Alex Galchenyuk pleaded guilty to one misdemeanor threatening charge in Scottsdale City Court on Monday, according to documents obtained by The Athletic's Katie Strang.Five other charges against Galchenyuk stemming from his early July arrest were dismissed. The 29-year-old was arrested on numerous charges, including private property hit and run, disorderly conduct, failure to obey, resisting arrest, and threatening or intimidating. A police report said he threatened to kill an officer and their family and used a racist slur during the arrest.Galchenyuk was sentenced to 30 days in jail, with 27 days being suspended upon completing a recovery program, and 12 months without consuming or possessing alcohol.The Arizona Coyotes terminated Galchenyuk's contract on July 13, two weeks after signing him to a one-year deal.Galchenyuk entered the NHL/NHLPA Player Assistance Program following his arrest.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Jonathan Bernier is hanging up his pads after 14 NHL seasons, the netminder announced Monday."There are no words to express my gratitude to everyone who has been part of my hockey journey since Day 1, without all of you, I couldn't have done it," he wrote on Instagram.Bernier spent the entire 2022-23 season on long-term injured reserve due to a hip injury. He joined the New Jersey Devils in 2021 on a two-year, $8.25-million contract but only appeared in 10 games with the club.The Los Angeles Kings drafted Bernier with the 11th overall pick in 2006. The 35-year-old played five seasons in Hollywood before stints with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Anaheim Ducks, Colorado Avalanche, and Detroit Red Wings.Bernier appeared in 404 games throughout his career, earning 165 wins while posting a .912 save percentage.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Despite a strong rookie campaign, Edmonton Oilers goaltender Stuart Skinner is targeting improvement in the 2023-24 season.Last season, the 24-year-old emerged as Edmonton's starter, earned an All-Star nomination, and was a finalist for the Calder Trophy. However, Skinner believes he has more to give in his sophomore campaign to aid the Oilers' Stanley Cup aspirations."It honestly felt like I was going into something I was already ready for," Skinner told NHL.com's Aaron Vickers. "It felt pretty good just going in there right away, and the guys made me feel at home and made me feel like a big part of the family right away."I know for my rookie year it seems everything went pretty good and pretty smoothly, but I learned a lot of lessons. I've got much, much better to bring next year, and hopefully, I'm going to do that my whole career. I know it was a good year, but I know I've got a lot better."Skinner finished the season with a 29-14-5 record and .913 save percentage. He outperformed Jack Campbell, who was tabbed as Edmonton's No. 1 netminder after signing a five-year contract with the club last summer.Despite a strong regular-season showing, Skinner struggled immensely in the playoffs as the Oilers fell to the Vegas Golden Knights in Round 2. Edmonton pulled him numerous times across his 12 starts, and he registered an .883 save percentage and 3.68 goals against average.A better postseason is a key point of focus for Skinner."I think success in Season 2 is just sticking to who I am and just trying to get better every single day," he said. "Obviously, I want to go in there and I want to win the Stanley Cup. That's the ultimate goal for the Edmonton Oilers this year and, hopefully, for the next few years. I'm going to do my best to bring that role of stopping as many pucks as I can and just doing what I need to do as a teammate."Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Boston Bruins signed veteran winger Alex Chiasson to a professional tryout agreement, the team announced Monday.Chiasson skated in 20 games with the Detroit Red Wings last season, producing six goals and three assists. He added 20 points in 29 contests with the AHL's Grand Rapids Griffins.The 32-year-old will look to compete for a bottom-six role on a Bruins team that lost several forwards this offseason, including Patrice Bergeron, David Krejci, Tyler Bertuzzi, Taylor Hall, Nick Foligno, Garnet Hathaway, and Tomas Nosek.Chiasson has played for seven teams across his 11-year NHL career, netting 120 goals and 113 assists in 651 games. He's a noted power-play netfront specialist, potting five goals with the man advantage last year and 43 in his career.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

NHL training camps open in less than a month, but several teams, including the Calgary Flames, still have multiple pressing offseason questions that need answers.The Flames have several key players entering contract years, including Elias Lindholm, Mikael Backlund, Noah Hanifin, Chris Tanev, and Nikita Zadorov.Reports indicate that Lindholm and Hanifin, in particular, aren't keen on signing extensions, which could result in the Flames trading them. But despite plenty of rumors throughout the offseason, defenseman MacKenzie Weegar - a core piece set to enter the first season of an eight-year, $50-million deal - is blocking out the noise."There's lots of rumors of guys not wanting to be here or guys staying. To be honest, I kind of keep my head out of it and my nose out of it. I just want guys that want to be here," Weegar said Saturday, per NHL.com's Aaron Vickers. "And I think (general manager Craig Conroy) and (head coach Ryan Huska) are on the same page."Conroy and Huska are entering their first season in their respective roles despite long tenures with the organization. Conroy particularly has his work cut out for him with all of the upcoming unrestricted free agents. During his introductory press conference, he said that "it doesn't make sense" to enter the season with so many pending UFAs. Conroy added that he doesn't want to see key UFAs walk for free like Johnny Gaudreau did in 2022.But aside from trading Tyler Toffoli to the New Jersey Devils early in the offseason, Conroy hasn't done anything significant to shake up the roster.Weegar doesn't appear opposed to greater change as long as everyone is on the same page for building a winner in Calgary."For me, the turnover, it doesn't really affect me," Weegar said. "All that matters is the guys that want to be here and guys that want to win here in Calgary, and if you don't want to be a part of it, unfortunately, you have to move on even if they're great friends and great guys. For me, you want to win, and I think we want to win now. It starts with Craig and Husk at the helm."He's also intent on taking a leadership role this season, saying on Sportsnet 960 that he "would love to be the next captain" of the team. The Flames haven't had a captain since Mark Giordano was taken in the 2021 expansion draft.Calgary acquired Weegar along with Jonathan Huberdeau in the blockbuster trade that sent Matthew Tkachuk to the Florida Panthers. A versatile two-way defenseman, Weegar produced 31 points in 81 games last season. He figures to play a sizeable role for the Flames this coming season, and his part could grow further if changes are made to the back end.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

When Joonas Korpisalo signed with the Ottawa Senators as a free agent this offseason, he knew there'd be at least one familiar face in the organization: Anton Forsberg.The two goaltenders were teammates for three seasons from 2014-17 in the Columbus Blue Jackets organization. The tandem won a Calder Cup together with the AHL's Lake Erie Monsters in 2016."We go a long way back," Korpisalo said, per NHL.com's Mike Zeisberger. "When I first came over to the U.S., we played together in the minors in Cleveland (American Hockey League) for a couple of years. We won together there, and then we spent some time in Columbus."So, we go a long way back, and we became friends immediately when we met each other. I'm super happy we created this tandem again."Korpisalo is Ottawa's projected starter after signing a five-year, $20-million deal in the summer. Though his career has seen many peaks and valleys, he's coming off his best year, posting a .914 save percentage in 39 games split between the Blue Jackets and Los Angeles Kings.The 29-year-old also brings a degree of postseason experience to the table. Korpisalo posted a .941 save percentage in nine appearances during the 2020 playoffs, helping the Blue Jackets upset the Toronto Maple Leafs in the qualifying round. He also started all six playoff games for the Kings in their first-round exit against the Edmonton Oilers this past campaign, recording a .892 save percentage."(Korpisalo's) got size, he's athletic, he's powerful, he's played in the playoffs, he's won a series," Senators general manager Pierre Dorion said. "I think we're really comfortable moving forward now with our goaltenders."The Sens are Forsberg's fourth team in his eight-year career. He managed a personal-best .917 save percentage in a career-high 46 games in 2021-22, but injuries limited him to 28 contests last season as his save percentage fell to .902. Forsberg is signed for two more seasons with a $2.75-million cap hit.Goaltending from Korpisalo and Forsberg will play an integral part in the Senators snapping their six-year playoff drought - the third-longest active skid in the league.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

This is the offseason edition of theScore's NHL Power Rankings heading into the 2023-24 regular season. Check back every other Monday during the regular season for updated rankings.In this edition, we look at the best offseason decision each team has made so far.1. Vegas Golden KnightsRe-upping Adin Hill. Contracts for goaltenders are always scary, especially for a netminder who's coming off of a historic Stanley Cup run with only 101 regular-season games to his name. However, keeping Hill in Vegas for only a two-year commitment is solid business from general manager Kelly McCrimmon. Hill gets paid in the short term, and the Golden Knights retain a fan favorite to see if he can truly handle a starter's role.2. Colorado AvalancheAdding Jonathan Drouin. The Avalanche retooled their supporting forward group with the acquisitions of Ryan Johansen and Ross Colton, but signing Drouin to a one-year, $825,000 deal was their savviest piece of business. The 28-year-old forward acknowledged he was in need of a "fresh start" after an underwhelming, injury-riddled six-year stint in Montreal, and he's now joining a powerhouse in Colorado. It's a low-risk, high-reward signing for the Avs.3. Carolina HurricanesSigning Dmitry Orlov. Sebastian Aho's max-term, team-friendly extension is a close second for the Hurricanes this summer, but Carolina nailed it when it signed this summer's top free agent. Orlov's arrival arguably gives the Hurricanes the NHL's deepest blue line, and keeping the contract to two years makes it virtually risk-free.4. New Jersey DevilsTrading for Tyler Toffoli. It may be a lot to ask for the 31-year-old winger to replicate the career-high 34 goals and 73 points he recorded last season, but he still has lots left in the tank and also doubles as a respected veteran with championship pedigree for a young team with Stanley Cup aspirations. Surrendering a third-round pick and Yegor Sharangovich - who was a healthy scratch at times in the playoffs - was a strangely light price to pay.5. Edmonton Oilers Chris Tanouye / Getty Images Sport / GettyConnor Brown's creative deal. Brown will almost certainly make $4 million in salary this season but will only cost $775,000 on the Oilers' cap. That's thanks to his performance bonus, which he was only eligible to receive due to missing most of 2022-23 due to a torn ACL. The bonus will likely result in a cap overage that'll apply to the team's 2024-25 payroll, but the deal maximizes Edmonton's chances in 2023-24. A clever contract from GM Ken Holland on a player that has a history with Connor McDavid and has excelled alongside talented players in the past.6. Dallas StarsBringing in Matt Duchene. We're certain that the Stars are more than happy to be Duchene's rebound team after he was dumped bought out by the Predators. The 32-year-old forward said he was "absolutely" motivated by how his tenure ended in Nashiville, and he's bringing that motivation to Dallas for the low cost of a one-year, $3-million deal. Not bad business for a guy who's one season removed from a 43-goal campaign.7. Toronto Maple LeafsAdding Tyler Bertuzzi. The Maple Leafs' offseason has been met with mixed reviews, but reeling in Bertuzzi was unanimously viewed as a win. He's a big upgrade to Toronto's top six, and a one-year contract can help the Leafs win now without complicating the books as new deals loom for Auston Matthews, William Nylander, and, eventually, Mitch Marner.8. Tampa Bay LightningLetting Alex Killorn walk as a UFA. The Lightning made some savvy under-the-radar additions like Conor Sheary, but their wisest decision was saying goodbye to Killorn. He was a key part of Tampa Bay's back-to-back Stanley Cup championships, but creating cap room to give the 33-year-old anything resembling the four-year, $25-million deal he got from the Ducks would've been a colossal mistake.9. New York RangersAdding Blake Wheeler. The 36-year-old isn't the 90-point player he once was, but Wheeler doesn't need to be that at the measly $800,000 cap hit he'll cost the Rangers. Coming off of a 55-point campaign - one that would've put him fourth among New York forwards a season ago - Wheeler still has gas in the tank to provide scoring at a cheap ticket for a Rangers team that's right at the cap ceiling.10. Los Angeles Kings Jonathan Kozub / National Hockey League / GettyAcquiring Pierre-Luc Dubois. Sure, there's some concern since he's already on his third NHL team ahead of his seventh season, but a one-two-three punch of Anze Kopitar, Dubois, and Phillip Danault down the middle in Los Angeles sounds downright fearsome to us. Fingers crossed that Dubois' eight-year, $68-million extension is fruitful for both parties.11. Florida PanthersSnagging Evan Rodrigues. The Panthers were strapped financially this offseason, but signing Rodrigues to a four-year, $12-million contract was a shrewd piece of business. He's coming off his best season on a point-per-game basis (0.57) and should complement Florida's big offensive guns nicely. Rodrigues contributes strongly at both ends of the ice and can fill in at center or the wing.12. Pittsburgh PenguinsTrading for stud defenseman Erik Karlsson. Obviously. The swap was a masterclass from new GM Kyle Dubas, who acquired the reigning Norris Trophy winner without having to part with top prospects Owen Pickering and Brayden Yager, and they shed cap space in the process. This is a team that has its eye on getting Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, and Kris Letang another Cup.13. Boston BruinsSigning Morgan Geekie to a two-year, $4-million contract. This was a pretty low-risk, high-reward investment. The 2023 unrestricted free-agent class was short on centers, and Geekie was one of the youngest available at 25 years old. His 6-foot-3, 200-pound frame gives him the physical tools to be a strong defensive player, and his 2.47 points per 60 minutes at five-on-five (31st best in the league among qualified players) show some untapped offensive potential.14. Seattle KrakenLocking up Vince Dunn. When the Kraken claimed Dunn in the expansion draft, the hope was that he could move up the lineup and become a top-end defender after posting excellent metrics on St. Louis' third pairing. Dunn made good on that potential last season, ranking top 10 in scoring among blue-liners, and Seattle rewarded him accordingly. His $7.35-million cap hit will be more than worth the price if he remains a 23-plus-minute, top-pairing anchor.15. Buffalo Sabres Bruce Bennett / Getty Images Sport / GettyDrafting Zach Benson. Buffalo wasn't a major player in free agency or the trade market this summer, but the Sabres made an already outstanding prospect pool even more impressive at the draft when they selected Benson 13th overall. Many viewed it as a slide for the dynamic WHL winger, who racked up 98 points in 60 games before turning 18 with the Winnipeg Ice this past season.16. Minnesota WildDrafting Riley Heidt 64th overall. It's been a quiet summer in Minnesota, but snagging Heidt with the last selection of the second round - with one of the picks acquired in the Jordan Greenway trade - could look like a steal in a few years' time. Several analysts pegged the supremely skilled Heidt as a first-round pick after he tallied 97 points in 68 games with the WHL's Prince George Cougars last season.17. Ottawa SenatorsNabbing Vladimir Tarasenko. Being forced to move on from Alex DeBrincat was a tough pill to swallow for the Senators, but GM Pierre Dorion softened the blow by adding Tarasenko on a one-year pact worth $5 million. The 31-year-old is one year removed from a 34-goal, point-per-game campaign and has significant playoff experience. On a short contract, there's minimal risk and a lot of upside for an Ottawa team that remains on the cusp.18. New York IslandersRe-signing Ilya Sorokin. Sorokin could've become a UFA in 2024, but he got his bag one year early, inking an eight-year, $66-million extension July 1. Sure, that's a lot of term for a goalie who's already 28 years old, but Sorokin has proven to be the guy on Long Island. He earned his first Vezina Trophy nomination in 2022-23 after posting a .924 save percentage and six shutouts while dragging the Islanders to the playoffs.19. Washington CapitalsTaking a chance on Max Pacioretty. The Capitals were viewed as a strong candidate for wholesale changes after missing the playoffs, but Washington stayed relatively quiet this summer. Its most notable player transaction was bringing in Pacioretty on a one-year, $2-million deal. It's a touch risky given his recent Achilles tendon injuries, but someone other than Alex Ovechkin needs to score goals, and Pacioretty has six 30-goal campaigns to his credit.20. Detroit Red Wings Chris Tanouye/Freestyle Photo / Getty Images Sport / GettyTrading for DeBrincat. There are many big Red Wing moves to choose from, but we can't ignore the splashiest. The price of a conditional first-round pick, a fourth-round pick, Dominik Kubalik, and Donovan Sebrango was more than worth it for a Detroit team with a rich prospect pipeline that needs star talent to get over the hump. DeBrincat is coming off a poor season in Ottawa, but the 25-year-old two-time 40-goal scorer could be poised for a huge year with his hometown team.21. Winnipeg JetsGetting multiple assets for Dubois. The Jets did incredibly well to get three NHLers and a high second-round pick for Dubois when everyone knew he wanted out of Winnipeg. Losing Dubois hurts, but gaining a budding young player in Gabe Vilardi, a consistent producer in Alex Iafallo, and a center with upside in Rasmus Kupari allows the Jets to remain competitive despite moving a top center.22. Calgary FlamesBreaking up with Darryl Sutter. More moves may be on the way (Noah Hanifin, Elias Lindholm, and Mikael Backlund are all question marks), but firing their head coach is the Flames' best offseason decision so far. After a listless 2022-23 campaign, Calgary didn't appear to be in love with Sutter's hard-ass style anymore, so it was time to call it quits. Now it'll be up to newbie Ryan Huska to put the pieces together in his first season as an NHL head coach.23. Columbus Blue JacketsLanding Damon Severson. The Blue Jackets pounced on Severson in a rare sign-and-trade rather than take their chances with him on the open market. It only cost Columbus a third-round pick for a premier puck-mover that further bolsters a Blue Jackets backend that's suddenly deep as anyone's. Eight years is a lot for a 29-year-old, but Severson immediately makes Columbus a better team.24. Nashville PredatorsSigning of Denis Gurianov for one year at $850,000. Nashville's splashy additions of Ryan O'Reilly and Luke Schenn come with some risk due to age and contract term, but Gurianov carries literally none. Now 26, the former first-round pick and 20-goal scorer has struggled in recent years, but his size-speed combination gives him plenty of upside, and he should be hungry while playing on a prove-it deal.25. Vancouver Canucks Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / GettySigning Pius Suter. It was a surprise to see Suter remain a free agent until mid-August when he was finally scooped up by the Canucks on a two-year deal with a $1.6-million cap hit. The 27-year-old isn't the most glamorous addition, but Suter adds versatility to Vancouver's bottom six and brings much-needed shorthanded skill to a team that had the worst penalty kill in the league a season ago.26. St. Louis BluesTrading for Kevin Hayes. All it took for the Blues to scoop him up from the Flyers was a 2024 sixth-round pick. Oh, and St. Louis got him on sale, too, with Philadelphia retaining 50% of his inflated $7.143-million cap hit. That's tidy work for a veteran center who hit the 50-point plateau for the second time in his career during the 2022-23 campaign.27. Arizona CoyotesAcquiring Sean Durzi. The Coyotes signed a collection of players to one-year deals in free agency, presumably for trade bait in a few months. However, trading for Durzi, who's a restricted free agent after the 2023-24 season, was a clever and low-cost move. He's a dynamic talent on the blue line and should help Arizona on its long-winding path to contention.28. Montreal CanadiensSigning Cole Caufield to an eight-year contract with a $7.85-million cap hit. Caufield has scored 48 goals in 83 games since Martin St. Louis became Montreal's head coach in February 2022. If he scores anywhere near that pace, the contract is already a bargain. As the salary cap rises, it could become one of the most team-friendly deals in the entire NHL. Caufield is still just 22 with lots of room to improve, too.29. Chicago BlackhawksDrafting Connor Bedard. The trajectory of the Blackhawks' franchise was altered when they landed the rights to draft Bedard first overall. He's the most hyped prospect in the sport since some other Connor in 2015, and for good reason. Bedard's arrival will rejuvenate the fanbase and make Chicago a must-watch team this season.30. Anaheim Ducks Debora Robinson / National Hockey League / GettyTroy Terry's extension. The Ducks haven't signed creative RFA forward Trevor Zegras yet, so we're going to zero in on his teammate instead. Terry is an important piece of Anaheim's long-term future, and GM Pat Verbeek proved that by signing the 25-year-old winger and two-time All-Star to a seven-year, $49-million deal. A key producer for the Ducks over the past two seasons, Terry's deal can look even better as the salary cap continues to rise.31. Philadelphia FlyersDrafting Matvei Michkov. It's teardown time in Philadelphia, but if the Flyers find their way back to relevancy any time soon, selecting the uber-talented Russian seventh overall is sure to help the cause. It'll take a couple of years for this pick to pay dividends, but Michkov immediately became Philly's top prospect and should be more than NHL-ready by the time his KHL contract expires.32. San Jose SharksSigning Filip Zadina to a one-year, $1.1-million deal. The 2018 No. 6 pick was in dire need of a fresh start before agreeing with the Red Wings to have his contract terminated, and the Sharks were smart to pounce at the opportunity for a reclamation project as they continue to rebuild. It wouldn't be surprising if Zadina hits his stride in a new environment, where he could potentially play alongside a talented center like Logan Couture or Tomas Hertl.(Analytics sources: Evolving Hockey, Natural Stat Trick)Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Winnipeg Jets re-signed restricted free-agent defenseman Logan Stanley to a one-year, $1-million contract, the team announced Saturday.He'll be a restricted free agent after the deal, but he can become unrestricted in 2025.Stanley recorded three points in 19 games for the Jets last season, although he isn't known for his offense. He's one of the most physically imposing players in the NHL, standing at 6-foot-7 and 228 pounds. However, his size hasn't translated to strong defensive results thus far in his three-year NHL career. Evolving-HockeyThe 25-year-old figures to compete for a full-time role on Winnipeg's blue line, although he currently projects to be seventh on the depth chart behind Josh Morrissey, Neal Pionk, Brenden Dillon, Dylan DeMelo, Nate Schmidt, and Dylan Samberg.The Jets drafted Stanley 18th overall in 2016.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Anaheim Ducks acquired defenseman Ilya Lyubushkin from the Buffalo Sabres for a 2025 fourth-round pick, the teams announced Friday.Lyubushkin, 29, tallied 14 points in 68 games last season. He's entering the final season of a two-year deal signed in 2022 that carries a $2.75-million cap hit.The Ducks acquired the fourth-round pick in the trade that sent John Klingberg to the Minnesota Wild prior to the deadline."We are excited to add Ilya to our blue line as we targeted another defenseman for the right side this offseason," Ducks general manager Pat Verbeek said in a statement. "He is a big, physical, hard-nosed player that can kill penalties and will make us harder to play against."Lyubushkin ranked second on the Sabres in shorthanded minutes and blocked shots, as well as third in hits.Before signing with the Sabres last summer, Lyubushkin spent four seasons with the Arizona Coyotes. They traded him to the Toronto Maple Leafs in 2022, where he made his postseason debut in a first-round loss against the Tampa Bay Lightning.The 29-year-old right-shot defenseman has accrued five goals and 39 points in 279 contests, racking up 130 penalty minutes in the process.Arizona signed Lyubushkin as an undrafted free agent in 2018 after a six-year career in the KHL with Lokomotiv Yaroslavl.Buffalo had nine NHL defensemen under contract prior to trading Lyubushkin. The Sabres added right-shot blue-liners Erik Johnson and Connor Clifton in free agency this summer.Anaheim signed rugged defenseman Radko Gudas to a three-year, $12-million contract on the opening day of free agency. Olen Zellweger and Pavel Mintyukov - two of the team's top prospects - turn pro this season after leading their respective junior leagues in scoring among blue-liners.The Ducks have $16.6 million in cap space after the trade, according to CapFriendly.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The San Jose Sharks added significant NHL experience to their scouting department Friday.San Jose hired Ryan Miller in a goaltending scouting and development role, as well as Thomas Vanek in an amateur scouting position based in Minnesota, the team announced.Sharks general manager Mike Grier played alongside Miller and Vanek with the Buffalo Sabres over two stints from 2004-06 and 2009-11. Neither Miller nor Vanek played for San Jose.Miller, 43, played 796 games over 18 seasons with the Sabres, St. Louis Blues, Vancouver Canucks, and Anaheim Ducks. He won the Vezina Trophy in 2010 and was named the Most Valuable Player at the Olympics the same year for his performance with the United States.Vanek, 39, accrued 373 goals and 789 points in 1029 contests. After nine seasons with the Sabres, he bounced around the league to finish his career. He suited up for the New York Islanders, Montreal Canadiens, Minnesota Wild, Detroit Red Wings, Florida Panthers, Canucks, and Columbus Blue Jackets before retiring in 2020.The Austrian played collegiately at the University of Minnesota and returned to the state in 2021 to coach his son Blake.The Sharks also added Jaren Burke from the Toronto Maple Leafs and Igor Eronko from the KHL's Avangard Omsk to their scouting staff.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

A deep group of superstars took the ice in Slovakia on Friday as a farewell to Marian Hossa, whose career ended suddenly following the 2016-17 season due to a rare skin condition.The roster features prominent Slovakian compatriots and some of the biggest names Hossa played with throughout a 19-year NHL career that included stints with the Ottawa Senators, Atlanta Thrashers, Pittsburgh Penguins, Detroit Red Wings, and Chicago Blackhawks.

Buffalo Sabres broadcasting legend Rick Jeanneret has died at the age of 81 following a two-year battle with multi-organ failures, the team confirmed Thursday night.Jeanneret was a play-by-play announcer for the Sabres for 51 years, beginning in 1971-72 and ending in 2021-22.His last call came on April 29, 2022, on Casey Mittelstadt's overtime winner against the Chicago Blackhawks.The Sabres paid tribute to Jeanneret during his final campaign in the booth and raised a banner bearing his name to the rafters of the KeyBank Center in a pregame ceremony on April 1, 2022.Buffalo followed the ceremony with a 4-3 victory against the Nashville Predators. In a touching moment, Cody Eakin and hometown hero Alex Tuch escorted Jeanneret onto the ice so that he could join in on the celebrations and take photos with the team.

Unrestricted free agent Jonathan Toews provided an update Thursday on his future.The longtime Chicago Blackhawks captain announced he isn't calling it quits but will step away from the sport for the upcoming 2023-24 season."I'd like to announce that I am not fully retiring, but I am taking time away from the game again this season," Toews posted on Instagram. "I cannot deny my love for the game of hockey and still feel the passion for competing at my highest level."Toews cited his health as the primary reason he's taking a break."However, these last few seasons have been very difficult considering my health challenges," he said. "My focus is to give myself the time and space to fully heal and enjoy life to the fullest once again. Along the way, I have met several people who have struggled with health issues pertaining to long COVID, chronic immune response syndrome, and other similar cases that are quite complex. I now recognize the importance of one day sharing the details of my health journey with you all."Toews missed the 2020-21 campaign while dealing with chronic immune response syndrome and symptoms of long COVID. The same symptoms forced him to sit out two months in 2022-23.Toews detailed his illness in March, saying it got to the point that he didn't want to "roll out of bed to come to the rink."The 35-year-old hit the open market this summer upon the expiration of the eight-year, $84-million contract he signed with the Blackhawks in 2014. The organization announced in April that it wouldn't re-sign Toews with the team rebuilding.Toews received an emotional farewell during his final home game at the United Center to close out the regular season.He also posted a thank-you letter to the city of Chicago and Blackhawks fans Thursday, prompting the hockey world to wonder what's next in his career.Toews posted 31 points in 53 games last season while averaging nearly 18 minutes per contest. The future Hall of Famer will likely generate plenty of interest from potential suitors if and when he decides to return to the ice, as he's one of the most decorated players of his generation. He captained Chicago to three championships and won the Conn Smythe in 2010 an the Selke Trophy in 2013. He was named one of the 100 greatest players in NHL history during the 2017-18 campaign.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

For Ann Arbor native Jeff Petry, a chance to play for his hometown Detroit Red Wings has been on his mind for a long time."You grow up watching a team, you always play that situation out in your mind of you wearing that jersey. ... You keep thinking in your head, 'OK, when is that opportunity going to come? Can it come?'" he said Wednesday during his introductory presser."For me, I always thought about wanting to play one year here maybe at the end of my career, or whenever the opportunity came. To get that call yesterday was a very special moment for me."The Red Wings acquired Petry from the Montreal Canadiens on Tuesday in exchange for defenseman Gustav Lindstrom and a conditional fourth-round pick in 2025.It was the second trade involving Petry in the span of nine days. He ended up with the Habs as one of the nine players involved in the swap that sent stud blue-liner Erik Karlsson to the Pittsburgh Penguins.Petry spent the 2022-23 campaign with the Penguins - amassing 31 points in 61 games while averaging 22:21 minutes of ice time a night - but spent the previous eight seasons with the Canadiens.Montreal wasn't planning on a long-term reunion with Petry, though. The 35-year-old said the team was "very transparent" about wanting to move him, and general manager Kent Hughes asked him about where he'd prefer to go."Detroit was the No. 1 spot on my list," he said. "I want to play here - I've wanted to my whole life. I like what I see when I look at that roster."The Red Wings have missed the playoffs for seven straight seasons in a tough Atlantic Division, but there have been signs of improvement. Detroit finished this past season with 35 wins and 80 points, the team's highest totals since the last time it made the postseason in 2015-16.Petry is optimistic that his new squad can keep pushing the needle."I think you see some of the younger players over the last couple years there getting that experience, starting to figure out what their roles are in the league," he said. "Adding players like (Alex DeBrincat) and (J.T. Compher), those kind of guys, you can see the roster starting to round out."I'm excited to get started and do what I can to help that team continue to take those steps forward."Petry chose to wear No. 46 with the Red Wings in a "unique and fitting opportunity" to honor his father, Dan, who wore the same number when he pitched for the MLB's Detroit Tigers.In addition to DeBrincat, Compher, and Petry, the Red Wings have also added Christian Fischer, Shayne Gostisbehere, Justin Holl, Klim Kostin, Alex Lyon, James Reimer, and Daniel Sprong to their ranks this summer.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Boston Bruins signed forward John Farinacci to a two-year, entry-level contract, the team announced Wednesday.The deal will carry an annual cap hit of $910,000.Farinacci, 22, became an unrestricted free agent Tuesday after he didn't sign with the Arizona Coyotes, who drafted him 76th overall in 2019.The Red Bank, New Jersey native tallied five goals and 20 points in 19 games as Harvard's captain last year. In three seasons with the Crimson, Farinacci accrued 25 goals and 61 points in 79 games.Farinacci's collegiate career was interrupted in 2020-21 when Harvard canceled its sports due to COVID. He starred for the United States' world junior team that winter, registering five goals and seven points en route to the gold medal.The Coyotes don't receive a compensatory draft pick for losing Farinacci as a free agent.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Patrice Bergeron's departure from the NHL not only leaves quite the power vacuum in the Boston Bruins' roster, but it also creates a massive void in the race for the Frank J. Selke Trophy.Let's be honest: Few would object if the league renamed the award recognizing the season's top defensive forward to the Bergeron Trophy in a few years' time. Bergeron was a Selke finalist for 12 consecutive seasons prior to his retirement and won the trophy a league-leading six times. Before Bergeron, no one else had captured the honor more than four times.So, let's take a look at some of the names who could gun for the Selke Trophy with the top two-way center and future Hall of Famer no longer in the picture.The Old Favorites Mark Stone Bruce Bennett / Getty Images Sport / GettyStone is no stranger to the Selke Trophy conversation as a two-time finalist (2019, 2021). The highly respected captain of the Vegas Golden Knights would be a worthy successor to the similarly adored Bergeron, but two factors detract from Stone's Selke case.For one, Stone is a winger. It's damn hard to take the Selke Trophy if you're not a center, evidenced by the fact that Jere Lehtinen was the last winger to win in 2002-03. Secondly, Stone has recently been plagued by back injuries and suited up for a combined 80 games over the past two seasons.However, if Stone can stay healthy, there's no reason he can't find himself in contention for the Selke again, like he was in 2021. He put up 38 points in 43 games this past season - a respectable 72-point pace over a full campaign - and ranked fourth among all forwards to play at least 20 games in takeaways per 60 minutes (3.38). Stone, 31, also placed second among all forwards in defensive goals above replacement (7.5), trailing only Sam Reinhart.Anze Kopitar Juan Ocampo / National Hockey League / GettySince Bergeron began his reign of Selke terror in 2012, Kopitar is the only other player to win the award more than once (2016, 2018).The Los Angeles Kings icon is still a two-way force despite being in the twilight of his playing days. He could've very well been named a finalist for the fifth time in his career in 2023 and still finished fifth in Selke Trophy voting, garnering a pair of first-place tallies.Kopitar earned that recognition after registering 28 goals and 74 points in 82 games while pacing all Kings forwards in average ice time (20:18) for the 17th straight season. His offensive output in 2022-23 matches his point total from his first Selke-winning campaign and is his highest since 2018.The 35-year-old veteran also proved he still isn't scared of putting his body on the line, ranking third among all forwards with 87 blocked shots while averaging 1:52 minutes of shorthanded ice time per game. In addition, Kopitar won 55.9% of his faceoffs (1,608 opportunities), good for the third-best success rate in his career.The New Guard Mitch Marner Kevin Sousa / National Hockey League / GettyJust like Stone, Marner may be hard-pressed to capture the Selke Trophy as a winger, but voters would be remiss to count him out solely because of his position.The dynamic Toronto Maple Leafs star has made a point of bettering his defensive game over the past few seasons, and his growth is evident. Marner led the entire league with 104 takeaways this past campaign and ranked within the top 25 in average shorthanded ice time per game (2:17) among all forwards to skate in at least 20 games. Even more impressive, Marner tops the NHL with 43 takeaways on the penalty kill over the last three seasons combined.Marner's offensive prowess is well-documented. The 26-year-old registered a career-high 99 points in 80 games while averaging the fifth-most ice time (21:17) among all forwards in 2022-23. Since his arrival in the league in 2016-17, his 554 points in 507 outings are the 10th most in the NHL.His underlying numbers are also nothing to sneeze at, especially given his hefty workload. After seeing almost 1,150 minutes at five-on-five last season, Marner registered a respectable 2.05 goals against per 60 and 3.36 goals for per 60. He was dubbed a first-time finalist for the trophy this summer, and we foresee many more nominations to come.Aleksander Barkov Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / GettyAfter winning the award in 2021, Barkov has the unique honor of being the most recent Selke Trophy victor not named Bergeron.Let's look at the Florida Panthers captain's body of work. During his Selke-winning season in 2020-21, the Cats controlled a hair under 60% of the goals and 61% of the expected goals with Barkov on the ice at five-on-five. He put up similarly strong numbers in 2021-22 while putting up 88 points in 67 games and was named a finalist for the second straight year as a result.The Panthers struggled during the 2022-23 regular season, and Barkov's underlying statistics dipped slightly, but Florida still controlled play at five-on-five with the center off the bench, outscoring opponents 53-40. He also notched 78 points in 68 contests while eating up a ton of ice time (21:13 overall, 2:06 shorthanded), which was enough to earn him eighth place in this year's Selke voting.Barkov's notoriously high hockey IQ makes him one of the game's most intriguing defensive forwards, and if the Panthers' miracle run to the Stanley Cup Final translates into a strong 2023-24 regular season, there's no reason he can't regain his status as a Selke Trophy finalist.Nico Hischier Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / GettyHischier was a first-time finalist and runner-up for the Selke Trophy this past season, and for good reason.The New Jersey Devils captain reached new heights in goals (31) and points (80) while playing in all but one game during the 2022-23 campaign. That increased offensive output was coupled with an increased two-way presence. Hischier set new career highs in blocks (61) and takeaways (64) while averaging 19:17 minutes of ice time per contest.Hischier also enjoyed a larger role on the penalty kill and led all Devils forwards in shorthanded ice time per game (2:06). Thanks in part to the Swiss center's progress, New Jersey boasted the league's fourth-most effective penalty kill after ranking firmly in the middle of the pack in 2021-22.Good things happened for New Jersey with Hischier on the ice: The Devils outscored opponents 61-39 at five-on-five while dictating just under 60% of the expected goals and 57% of the shots. At 24 years old, Hischier has plenty of room to grow and can force himself into Selke contention for years to come.Elias Lindholm Derek Cain / Getty Images Sport / GettyLindholm fully erupted onto the Selke scene after finishing the 2021-22 campaign at a bonkers plus-61 while amassing 82 points in 82 games, but he ended up losing the hardware to - you guessed it - Bergeron.Sure, the Calgary Flames were freakishly good that year - Johnny Gaudreau was a plus-64 - and Lindholm may never post numbers that gaudy again, but that doesn't entirely diminish his Selke cred. He's made it onto the Selke ballot in four out of his five seasons in Calgary, including a pair of 10th-place finishes in 2019 and 2023.Calgary had a difficult go of things this past season, but Lindholm was still his usual solid self, registering 64 points in 80 games. He also won a career-best 55.7% of his faceoffs while ranking seventh in faceoff opportunities (1,538) and sixth in wins (857) league-wide. The Flames controlled more than their fair share of goals (53%), expected goals (55%), shot attempts (56%), and shots (55%) at five-on-five with Lindholm on the ice.Lindholm's future with the Flames is up in the air - we could see him as a solid successor to Bergeron in Boston - but if he remains in Calgary, the team will need to put a better product on the ice in order to vault him back onto the Selke shortlist.The Oft-Overlooked Joel Eriksson Ek Bruce Kluckhohn / National Hockey League / GettyIt's hard to name a player who is more overlooked and underrated in the Selke Trophy race than Eriksson Ek, who, surprise surprise, put together another responsible, steady campaign in 2022-23.The Wild center yet again spent the bulk of his ice time matching up against other teams' top lines, and those minutes were extremely fruitful for Minnesota. The Wild controlled just under 56% of the goals with Eriksson Ek on the ice at five-on-five, which was the best rate out of all Minnesota forwards to play at least 500 minutes. What's more, Eriksson Ek racked up 44 takeaways while committing just 14 giveaways despite his tough assignments.The 26-year-old enjoyed a career year offensively this past season too, amassing 61 points (23 goals, 38 assists) in 78 contests while averaging 19 minutes of ice time per game, including just over two minutes of shorthanded ice time. Sure, that offensive output isn't as eye-popping as some of the other players on this list, but it's impressive that he produced at that rate while matched up against such quality competition.Eriksson Ek has found his name on the Selke ballot in each of the last three campaigns, including a fourth-place finish in 2020-21 and a ninth-place finish last season. It's about time he gets recognized as a finalist.Anthony Cirelli Mark LoMoglio / NHL / Getty ImagesCirelli is "always a bridesmaid, never a bride" when it comes to the Selke Trophy. He's appeared on every single voting ballot for the hardware dating back to his rookie season in 2018-19, but, like Eriksson Ek, he's never carried the mantle as one of the three finalists.The Tampa Bay Lightning pivot essentially came into the league ready to bother opponents' star players with his two-way prowess. He owns an unreal career takeaway-to-giveaway ratio of 229-to-90, and he's only 26 years old. Even in his first NHL season, Cirelli saw ample time on the penalty kill, and his 11 shorthanded goals since 2018-19 are the second-most in the NHL over that span.Cirelli's 2022-23 debut was delayed until December due to shoulder surgery so he was only able to appear in 58 games, accruing 11 goals and 29 points. His underlying numbers remained strong, with the Bolts controlling 61% of the goals with him on the ice at five-on-five. Cirelli also led all Lightning forwards in shorthanded ice time per game (2:21), and the team's penalty kill improved from a success rate of 77.8% to 80.6% when he returned.Due to Cirelli's history, it feels like it's just a matter of time until he earns his flowers from the voters. He's gotten close, with a fifth-place finish in 2021-22 and a fourth-place finish in 2019-20.The Up-and-Comers Elias Pettersson Jeff Vinnick / National Hockey League / GettyThe 2022-23 NHL campaign will likely be looked back on as the season Pettersson began to show his chops as a bona fide star in the league.The Vancouver Canucks center grew by leaps and bounds on both sides of the ice. Pettersson posted a career-best 102 points (39 goals, 63 assists) in 80 contests, shattering his previous high of 68 points. He also finished the season as a plus-16 while averaging 20:33 minutes of ice time per game, which is an impressive feat given Vancouver's lackluster goal differential of minus-22. In terms of five-on-five play, the Canucks outscored opponents 65-53 with Pettersson on the ice and were outscored 139-104 with him on the bench.He also led all Vancouver forwards in average shorthanded ice time (1:48) and added some excitement to the team's NHL-worst penalty kill with a league-leading five shorthanded tallies and nine points - eight of which came after the midway point of the season.Pettersson, 24, had more points than this year's trio of Selke Trophy finalists and finished seventh in voting, but he'll likely have to improve in the faceoff circle to boost his odds of taking home the hardware. He won just 44.3% of his draws in a career-high 997 opportunities in 2022-23.Noah Cates Rich Graessle / National Hockey League / GettyA position switch during your rookie season doesn't sound like a recipe for success, but that was the case for Cates in 2022-23.A natural winger, the Flyers youngster was forced to play center with Philadelphia stretched thin down the middle, thanks in part to another back injury for Sean Couturier. With 38 points in 82 games, Cates didn't impress with eye-popping offensive numbers (adjusting to a new position can do that to a player), but he did emerge as a strong two-way forward on a struggling squad.Cates finished the season at a team-high plus-3 while averaging just under 18 minutes per contest. Out of all the Philadelphia skaters to see 500 minutes of ice time at five-on-five, he was one of three players to own a goals for rate above 50%. Cates also paced the Flyers and the rookie field with 60 takeaways and ranked third among all forwards in defensive goals above replacement (6.8).The 24-year-old placed 15th in Selke Trophy voting as a result of his efforts. His performance didn't go unnoticed by his teammates either, with Travis Konecny drawing comparisons between Cates and Couturier, who won the Selke in 2020. Cates' role remains to be seen with Couturier expected to re-enter the mix in 2023-24, but he's shown he can handle some tough assignments and can join the Selke conversation if he keeps it up.(Analytics source: Natural Stat Trick, Evolving-Hockey)Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Jeff Petry is on the move again, but this time, he's heading home.The Detroit Red Wings acquired Petry - an Ann Arbor, Michigan, native - from the Montreal Canadiens in exchange for fellow defenseman Gustav Lindstrom and a conditional fourth-round pick in 2025, the teams announced Tuesday.The Habs will retain 50% of Petry's remaining salary, bringing his cap hit down to $2.34 million for the next two seasons.Montreal will receive the lower of Detroit's two fourth-rounders in 2025. The other one originally belonged to the Boston Bruins.Petry was dealt from Pittsburgh to Montreal nine days ago as part of the trade that sent Erik Karlsson to the Penguins. Pittsburgh also retained $1.56 million of Petry's original $6.25-million cap hit, so he'll receive paychecks from three different teams this season.The 35-year-old recorded 31 points in 61 games with the Penguins last season after spending eight years with the Canadiens. His underlying numbers over the last three seasons are strong, although they have gotten worse each year. Evolving-HockeyPetry will likely slot in behind stalwart Moritz Seider on the right side of Detroit's revamped blue line. Here's a look at the Red Wings' projected defense, where Petry could potentially reunite with his former Canadiens teammate Ben Chiarot.LDRDJake WalmanMoritz SeiderBen ChiarotJeff Petry*Shayne Gostisbehere*Justin Holl*Olli Maatta*Offseason additionPetry, who's listed at 6-foot-3 and 209 pounds, has racked up 353 points in 864 career games across 13 NHL seasons with the Oilers, Canadiens, and Penguins. He helped the Habs reach the 2021 Stanley Cup Final and finished a career-high 13th in Norris Trophy voting that season.Petry's father, Dan, pitched 11 seasons for the Detroit Tigers, helping them capture the World Series in 1984. He'll wear No. 46 with the Red Wings, the same number his father wore with the Tigers.It's been a busy offseason for Red Wings general manager Steve Yzerman, who also beefed up the forward group by trading for Alex DeBrincat and signing J.T. Compher and Daniel Sprong as free agents.Lindstrom, meanwhile, was a second-round pick by the Red Wings in 2017. The Swedish right-handed defenseman tallied a goal and seven assists while averaging 14:10 per contest in 36 games with the Red Wings last season. He turns 25 on Oct. 20 and will likely battle for a spot on Montreal's blue line this training camp.Goaltender Casey DeSmith, who arrived in Montreal from Pittsburgh with Petry, could be on the block next. Canadiens general manager Kent Hughes said the club could trade DeSmith or facilitate a different move to make room for him on the depth chart, according to TVA's Renaud Lavoie. Montreal also has Jake Allen, Sam Montembeault, and Cayden Primeau as options in net.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Vegas Golden Knights captain Mark Stone further cemented his status as a warrior by revealing he played through Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Final with a fractured wrist during a recent appearance on the "Pat McAfee Show."Stone said he "took a whack" to his left wrist in the first period of Vegas' Cup-clinching contest and had to take "a few things in between periods" so that he could play through it.Despite the ailment, Stone scored in each stanza of the Golden Knights' 9-3 shellacking of the Florida Panthers - including a one-timer in the second period and an empty-netter in the third frame - to complete the first hat trick in a Stanley Cup Final since Peter Forsberg in 1996.Stone went on to celebrate winning Lord Stanley's Mug, and he emphasized that he had to be "dialled in to lift the trophy," injury be damned."I made sure I wasn't feeling much in the wrist during that celebration," Stone joked.He added, "You never know when you're gonna win again, right? You might never win. While you're there, you gotta give it a try."That wasn't the only injury Stone had to work through. The 31-year-old battled back issues for the past two campaigns, and his 2022-23 regular season ended in January after he re-injured himself. He underwent his second back surgery in a span of nine months in February, but he was able to return for Game 1 of the first round against the Winnipeg Jets in the spring.Stone ended up appearing in every single game of the playoffs, totaling 11 goals and 24 points in 22 contests while averaging just under 19 minutes per outing.Prior to Game 5 against the Panthers, the veteran said he was prepared to do "whatever it took" to be ready for the postseason.Puck drops on Vegas' 2023-24 campaign Oct. 10 against the Seattle Kraken.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Forward Paul Byron will retire before the 2023-24 season, Montreal Canadiens general manager Kent Hughes confirmed Tuesday, according to La Presse's Richard Labbe.Byron, 34, didn't play last season due to a hip injury. The four-year, $13.6-million contract he signed in September 2018 expired this summer.Hughes added that he'll meet with Byron in September to discuss a position with the club, according to Labbe.Byron was drafted in the sixth round by the Buffalo Sabres in 2007. He played eight games with the Sabres in 2010-11 before being traded to the Calgary Flames.The Ottawa native played 130 games in Calgary over parts of four seasons. He spent the remainder of his career with the Canadiens after they claimed him off waivers in October 2015.Byron tallied back-to-back 20-goal campaigns with Montreal in 2016-17 and 2017-18. He racked up career highs in 2016-17 with 22 goals and 43 points.From 2018 through 2022, Byron was an alternate captain in Montreal. However, he missed 133 games during that span due to injury before missing the entire 2022-23 campaign.In the playoffs, Byron scored five goals and 11 points in 38 postseason games with the Habs. He played all 22 contests in Montreal's Stanley Cup Final run in 2021.Byron accrued 81 goals and 160 points in 383 regular-season contests with the Canadiens. He totaled 98 goals and 208 points in his 521-game career.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Ottawa Senators head coach D.J. Smith says competition within the team will be crucial for the club to return to the playoffs."I think the biggest thing is the inner competition," Smith said, per TSN. "We don't just have one or two top forwards or defensemen. We have guys that can take another spot on any given day. The job of the coach is to recognize who's going and put them on the ice when they're going."That's how we feel we can get ourselves over the hump, is that inner competition among the team."The Senators haven't made the postseason since 2016-17 when they fell one win short of reaching the Stanley Cup Final. It's been an arduous rebuild since, but the club is on the upswing thanks to a young core spearheaded by captain Brady Tkachuk and burgeoning superstar Tim Stutzle.Ottawa was highly active this offseason in hopes of making a splash in the deep Atlantic Division, signing Vladimir Tarasenko and Joonas Korpisalo while also trading winger Alex DeBrincat.The Senators also project to have prized trade acquisition Jakob Chychrun and second-line center Josh Norris, who was limited to eight games in 2022-23 due to injury, for the entire upcoming campaign. Smith believes the inclusion of Norris alone in the lineup will make a significant impact."The biggest thing for us is we have to be healthy. If we're healthy, we're going to be a really competitive hockey team," he said. "Especially with Josh, we're a completely different hockey team."Ottawa's 86 points last season were its highest total since it last made the playoffs but was only good enough for 11th place in the conference and sixth in the division.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Toronto Maple Leafs icon and four-time Stanley Cup winner Bob Baun has died at 86 years old, the NHL Alumni Association announced Tuesday.Baun suited up for the Maple Leafs for 14 seasons and also had brief stints with the Oakland Seals and Detroit Red Wings across a 17-year NHL career."The Toronto Maple Leafs are deeply saddened by the passing of Bob Baun, whose enduring legacy of remarkable resilience includes his iconic overtime game-winning goal during a Stanley Cup Final despite playing with a broken leg," Maple Leafs president Brendan Shanahan said in a statement."Bob possessed unquestionable toughness and incredible pride in being a Toronto Maple Leaf. His inspirational presence continues to embody the heart of the game. He will be greatly missed by the team and its fans. Our thoughts are with Bob's loved ones during this difficult time."Baun famously scored the overtime winner in Game 6 of the 1964 Stanley Cup Final despite breaking his ankle earlier in the contest. The goal forced Game 7 and helped propel Toronto to its third consecutive championship.He racked up 224 points in 964 career games and finished top-five in Norris Trophy voting on three occasions.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Colorado Avalanche blue-liner Cale Makar has heard the comparisons to Bobby Orr, but he doesn't consider himself anywhere close to the most famous defenseman in NHL history."Those are crazy comments. To be compared to a guy like that is crazy," Makar told ESPN's Greg Wyshynski. "It's hard for me to comprehend that. I'm 24. The amount that he accomplished in his career is pretty much insurmountable. I'm nowhere near that point yet. Obviously, a comparison is a comparison. But for me, (I'm) just kind of bringing it down to Earth a little bit."He added: "Anytime you're compared to somebody like that, obviously, you're humbled. But at the same time, I just feel like I've almost done nothing yet here. I'm still so young."During Colorado's Stanley Cup run in 2022, Wayne Gretzky said Makar is the closest player the league has seen since Orr. This past summer, Vegas Golden Knights head coach Bruce Cassidy shared the same opinion.Makar's point production through his first four seasons has been similar to Orr's. However, the Boston Bruins legend was more decorated at the same stage of his career and set a ridiculously high bar with his body of work afterward.Makar (Ages 21-24)CategoryOrr (Ages 18-21)238GP250246 (65G-181A)Points256 (78G-178A)1Norris Trophy31Stanley Cups11Conn Smythe11Calder10Hart Trophy10Art Ross13All-Star nominations4Orr went on to play five more full seasons before debilitating knee injuries kept him off the ice for much of his final three campaigns. From age 22 to 26, he collected the Norris Trophy each year, two more MVPs, and one more Cup and Conn Smythe, as well as an additional Art Ross. Orr also eclipsed 100 points in all of those seasons, including 139 in 1970-71 - an NHL record by defensemen.Orr is the all-time leader in points per game by a defenseman (1.39) and ranks fifth overall behind only Gretzky (1.92), Mario Lemieux (1.88), Mike Bossy (1.49), and Connor McDavid (1.49). The only other blue-liner above the point-per-game threshold is Paul Coffey (1.09), but Makar (1.03) is on track to this point.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Carolina Hurricanes don't appear close to extending their key pending unrestricted free agents, but general manager Don Waddell isn't sweating it."Pretty much everything has gone quiet the last couple of weeks," Waddell said regarding Brett Pesce, Brady Skjei, and Teuvo Teravainen, according to Chip Alexander of The News & Observer. "Not much talk at all."Waddell added that it's not a concern: "Not at all."A report from June stated that the Hurricanes would trade Pesce this offseason if they couldn't agree to an extension, but there haven't been many trade rumors regarding the 28-year-old defenseman.With Pesce and Skjei still in the fold, the Hurricanes boast one of the best blue lines in the league after signing arguably the top free-agent defenseman in Dmitry Orlov. The club also added Tony DeAngelo and Caleb Jones for a combined $2.45 million. Here's their projected blue line:LDRDJaccob SlavinBrent BurnsDmitry OrlovBrett PesceBrady SkjeiTony DeAngeloCaleb JonesJalen ChatfieldWaddell conceded that if a trade isn't made, the club will likely lose a defenseman on waivers."You never have too many (defensemen)," he said. "We'll have to put someone (on) waivers eventually, and if you lose them, then you're down. We just figured this was a strategy we'll do this year, and we'll figure it out as we go along."The Hurricanes are set at forward, though, Waddell said.Carolina's only notable addition up front was Michael Bunting. But the club also expects Andrei Svechnikov to be ready for the start of the season after tearing his ACL in March. Waddell already took care of a key piece of business by signing the team's most prominent pending UFA, No. 1 center Sebastian Aho, to an eight-year, $78-million extension.The Canes enter the 2023-24 campaign as one of the top Stanley Cup favorites.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

We may be in the dog days of NHL summer, but there are still several logical high-profile trade candidates - even after the Erik Karlsson swap. So we decided to argue over the legitimacy of seven hypothetical deals.Here's how this exercise went down: Four of theScore's NHL news editors (Kyle Cushman, Kayla Douglas, Sean O'Leary, and myself) submitted trades for the rest to determine which team says no. "Both" and "good deal" were options, too.Below, I dive into the trades and analyze which aspects are sensible and which aren't.Leafs, Rangers pull off blockbuster Mark Blinch / National Hockey League / GettyRangers receive: William Nylander (7x$9.5M extension), Timothy Liljegren, Calle Jarnkrok, Pontus Holmberg

Toronto Maple Leafs prospect Rodion Amirov died at the age of 21, the team announced Monday.Amirov was diagnosed with a brain tumor in February 2022."The entire Maple Leafs organization is devastated by this tragic loss," team president Brendan Shanahan wrote in a statement. "Over the duration of his courageous battle, Rodion's positivity inspired everyone around him, and he made lasting impressions with our team and fans in his brief visits to Toronto."It's incredibly sad to see a young man with so much promise taken from us so soon. We offer our deepest condolences to Rodion's family and friends as we mourn this loss together."The Maple Leafs selected Amirov 15th overall in the 2020 NHL Draft."From the moment he received the news, he refused to speak in the negative, determined to enjoy every day, facing it with the same positive attitude he showed during his hockey career," Amirov's agent Dan Milstein wrote. "We will always remember his courage, his desire, his will, his smile, all of the great things about him."Pittsburgh Penguins general manager Kyle Dubas - who drafted Amirov when GM of the Maple Leafs - released a statement on social media."I am so sad for the loss of such a wonderful young man with so much potential," Dubas said. "His unabashed positivity - even when faced with an awful diagnosis - will stay with me forever. Rodion was such an example of courage, and I am certain that his spirit has touched and will live on in everyone lucky enough to have known him."Toronto's assistant GM and director of player development, Dr. Hayley Wickenheiser, expressed her thoughts on social media."(Amirov) was a special talent who taught us all how to handle true adversity with courage and optimism," Wickenheiser said. "We will all miss him. Special thank you to everyone who cared for and helped Rodion during his time in Toronto."Maple Leafs captain John Tavares was among multiple players to send their condolences to Amirov's family and friends.

Colorado Avalanche superstar Cale Makar will grace the cover of the NHL 24 video game, EA Sports announced Monday.

Boston Bruins center David Krejci is hanging up his skates after 16 seasons in the NHL, the veteran announced Monday.

Johnny Gaudreau is hoping his Columbus Blue Jackets can take some teams by surprise in 2023-24."The amount of skill we have on our team with some of the young guys, it's pretty fun to watch every day in practice and in games," he said in a recent interview with NHL.com's Adam Kimelman. "Hopefully, a few teams keep sleeping on us."I know we have the talent in our locker room and the right guys, and hopefully, we can build together as a team and come together as a team and do something special."Columbus was decimated by injuries last season. Star defenseman Zach Werenski missed the vast majority of the campaign due to a shoulder injury, while sniper Patrik Laine had three stints on the shelf and last suited up for a game in March.No player on the roster skated in all 82 games, but Gaudreau was close, leading the team with 53 assists and 74 points in 80 contests. The Blue Jackets finished the year with a 25-48-9 record, 33 points out of the second wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference.Columbus responded by firing bench boss Brad Larsen after two seasons, replacing him with Mike Babcock, who last coached in the NHL in 2019.Along with the much-needed time off to get healthy, Gaudreau is confident that the coaching change will do wonders for the Blue Jackets after a "tough year.""We need that hard-nosed coach that's going to push us in practices and in games," he said. "I'm excited to get out there and start the season off with him, and I think we're going to have a good year this year."Gaudreau signed a seven-year, $68.25-million contract with the Blue Jackets last summer after posting 40 goals and 115 points during his final season with the Calgary Flames.The 30-year-old said he's feeling "a lot more comfortable" ahead of Year 2 in Columbus."I know all the guys, the whole organization," Gaudreau said. "Getting to know the city really well. ... Just starting to feel more like home. That's what we wanted."The Blue Jackets added Ivan Provorov, Damon Severson, and 2023 third overall pick Adam Fantilli to their ranks as they look to make their first playoff appearance since 2020.Columbus' 2023-24 campaign opens Oct. 12 against the Philadelphia Flyers.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Carolina Hurricanes won't have to be without star forward Andrei Svechnikov for much longer, according to a positive update provided by general manager Don Waddell."He's four months after surgery, he's skating by himself, not with any contact or anything," Waddell said during a recent appearance on NHL Network. "Six months will be right when training camp basically opens (in September), so he's right on schedule, probably ahead of schedule."He wants to be playing today, but you know, we'll be cautious, obviously. October's important, but as the season goes on, it becomes even more important. I fully expect him to be ready when the season starts."Svechnikov last played on March 11 when he suffered a torn ACL in his right knee on a non-contact play against the Vegas Golden Knights. He underwent surgery less than a week later, with the Hurricanes announcing he'd miss the remainder of the regular season and playoffs.The 23-year-old chipped in with 23 tallies - good for his fourth 20-goal campaign - and 55 points in 64 games this past season while averaging a career-high 18:03 minutes of ice time per contest.The Hurricanes were swept by the Florida Panthers in the Eastern Conference Final this spring in Svechnikov's absence. He's totaled 25 points in 40 career playoff games.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.