To make it clear off the hop: The chances of a team signing a restricted free agent to an offer sheet are minuscule. It's such a rarity in the NHL. There have been 10 offer sheets signed in the salary-cap era, and only two in the past decade.The reasons aren't quite clear. General managers might be hesitant to surrender draft picks or dish out a contract that could be seen as an overpay in the short term. Maybe they're scared of putting a target on their back with a potential revenge offer sheet from the opposing GM in the future. After all, almost nobody wants to find themselves in a barn fight.But it's a perfectly legal, vastly underused tactic that can be deployed to acquire a young, star player or put an opposing team in a very difficult position, both of which are reasons that make the Edmonton Oilers' Evan Bouchard a prime target for an offer sheet.Bouchard is a 23-year-old right-handed defenseman. The 2018 No. 10 pick stands at 6-foot-3 and is tremendous offensively. He racked up back-to-back 40-point seasons and has shined in the postseason with 26 points in 28 playoff games.While Bouchard passes the eye test thanks to his size, some physicality, and offensive ability, he also posted outstanding underlying numbers in 2022-23. Evolving-HockeyBouchard has all the makings of a future No. 1 defenseman. He might even be a dark-horse candidate for the Norris Trophy next season. Following Tyson Barrie's trade to the Nashville Predators on Feb. 28, Bouchard racked up 36 points in 33 games between the regular season and playoffs.So it's clear Bouchard is not only a cornerstone of the Oilers' future, but he's also a key piece in their hopes of winning a Stanley Cup in 2024. Losing him would be devastating.Edmonton has just $5.62 million in projected cap space, according to CapFriendly. The Oilers also have third-line center Ryan McLeod as an RFA (who can't be signed to an offer sheet because he's arbitration eligible). If the Oilers stretch their lineup as thin as possible, they'll have $7.245 million to sign both players.If a team came along and signed Bouchard to a five-year offer sheet carrying an $8.58-million cap hit, it would put Oilers GM Ken Holland in quite a bind. He could still match it, as teams can exceed the $83.5-million cap ceiling by 10% during the offseason, but it would force Holland to either shed a player he wants to keep or surrender key assets to get rid of an undesirable contract. Either way, it wouldn't be ideal for Edmonton.An $8.58-million cap hit for five years is the sweet spot for Bouchard. It's the maximum cap hit and length in the offer sheet tier that would cost the team a first-, second-, and third-round pick in 2024. Going above $8.58 million would put the team in the next tier, which would cost an additional first-rounder. Going down a tier ($6.43 million as the highest cap hit) only subtracts a second-round pick and doesn't quite put enough heat on the Oilers.It's a deal that Bouchard would likely accept, too, which is obviously crucial to the process. Otherwise, he's probably looking at a bridge deal between $3.5 million and $4 million per season. This five-year deal would still allow Bouchard to cash in as a UFA when he's 28.That cap hit may seem steep for player with only 184 regular-season games under his belt, but for an ascending talent in a rising-cap environment, it could age nicely for a club over five years if Bouchard reaches his potential.Here are three teams that should try to make it happen.Buffalo Sabres Bill Wippert / National Hockey League / GettyThe Sabres check a lot of the necessary boxes for a team considering an offer sheet. Firstly, they have the cap space. They're currently listed with $6.7 million but could easily get that number to the $10-million range by shrinking their roster to the minimum 18 skaters. They have contracts they could easily move.Buffalo also probably believes it's close to winning. The club finished one point out of a playoff spot in what was considered a rebuilding year. With one of the league's most enviable young cores, qualifying for the postseason should be the primary goal for 2023-24. The Sabres should have their eyes set on winning a Stanley Cup within the next few seasons.The Sabres also have one of the NHL's best prospect pools, so they don't necessarily need their top three picks in the upcoming draft. If all goes according to plan this season, those picks will be in the latter half of each round, anyway.Adding another cornerstone defenseman to a blue line that already features a pair of No. 1 picks in Rasmus Dahlin and Owen Power would be dynamite. A righty in Bouchard to complement lefties Dahlin, Power, and Mattias Samuelsson (an underrated defender locked up for seven years) would be ideal, too.The Sabres do have four right-handed defensemen on the roster making at least $2.5 million in Connor Clifton, Erik Johnson, Ilya Lyubushkin, and Henri Jokiharju, but only Clifton is signed beyond this season, and Lyubushkin and/or Jokiharju could easily be moved. None of these players should prevent the Sabres from making a splash.Carolina Hurricanes Bruce Bennett / Getty Images Sport / GettyDon Waddell is the only active GM to have signed a player to an offer sheet, having pried Jesperi Kotkaniemi from the Montreal Canadiens in 2021. So we know the Hurricanes executive has the guts to do it. But we didn't just include the Hurricanes for this reason. It makes sense from several angles.The Canes have shown interest in multiple right-handed offensive defensemen. There are rumors of a reunion with Tony DeAngelo, and they've also reportedly inquired about Erik Karlsson. Bouchard would be the superior addition, though. He's nine years younger than Karlsson and has far fewer flaws than DeAngelo.Carolina is only listed with $2.52 million in cap space, but it could get to around $5 million by icing the minimum-sized roster. The club would also likely dangle defensemen Brady Skjei or Brett Pesce - both one year from free agency - as trade bait. The Hurricanes already reportedly plan to deal Pesce if they can't get him extended.Nonetheless, the addition of Bouchard would give the Canes arguably the best top four in the NHL.LDRDJaccob SlavinBrent BurnsDmitry OrlovEvan BouchardThe Hurricanes have been one of the league's top teams for years without sacrificing much draft capital, so parting with the picks is more than worth it for a Stanley Cup contender looking to get over the hump.Seattle Kraken Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / GettyDo the Kraken believe they're here to stay after qualifying for the postseason in their second campaign? If so, they should attempt to make a splashy move like signing Bouchard to an offer sheet. If they're not fully committed, then taking the slow build is fine, albeit boring.However, Bouchard would give the Kraken one distinct advantage that the Sabres and Hurricanes wouldn't have: The Oilers are a division rival. If the Kraken are going to be a perennial playoff team, there's a good chance they'll meet the Oilers often in either Round 1 or 2.It's a no-lose situation for the Kraken. Either they land an exciting, young player at a reasonable cap hit, or, in the more likely scenario, they put a divisional foe in a severe cap crunch.Nobody on Seattle makes more than $5.5 million, and the club currently has $9 million in cap space. Some of that will be devoted to RFA Vince Dunn, whose arbitration eligibility prohibits an offer sheet, but the Kraken could still easily make the room for Bouchard if they wanted to. A blue line featuring both Dunn and Bouchard, along with defensive stalwarts Adam Larsson and Jamie Oleksiak, would be electric.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Dallas Stars re-signed restricted free-agent forward Ty Dellandrea to a one-year contract worth $900,000, the team announced.He'll be an RFA with arbitration rights at the end of the deal. Dellandrea can't become an unrestricted free agent until 2028.Dellandrea posted nine goals and 19 assists while averaging 14:12 across 82 contests in his first full NHL season in 2022-23. He added three goals in the postseason, including a pair in Game 5 of the Western Conference Final."Ty's become one of our most dependable two-way forwards," Stars general manager Jim Nill said. "His versatility allows him to play up and down the lineup, and he proved in the playoffs his ability to take his game to another level. He's a heart-and-soul type of player, and we're happy to have him under contract for the upcoming season."Dellandrea, who racked up 125 hits last season, posted strong defensive metrics at even strength and on the penalty kill. Evolving-HockeyThe soon-to-be 23-year-old projects to fill a fourth-line role for the Stars in 2023-24, although there will be opportunities to move up the lineup.Dallas drafted him 13th overall in 2018.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Vegas Golden Knights added a former NHL bench boss and an ex-player in the league to head coach Bruce Cassidy's staff.Dominique Ducharme and Joel Ward joined Vegas as assistant coaches, the club announced Wednesday.Ducharme guided the Montreal Canadiens to the Stanley Cup Final in 2021 after taking over for the fired Claude Julien that February.However, the Habs stumbled out of the gate the following season, going 8-30-7 before Ducharme was replaced by Martin St. Louis. Ducharme had been an assistant with Montreal since 2018. He led the QMJHL's Halifax Mooseheads to a Memorial Cup championship five years earlier and also helmed Canada's national junior team in 2017 and 2018, winning silver and gold, respectively.Ward spent the last three seasons as an assistant with the Golden Knights' AHL affiliate, the Henderson Silver Knights. The former winger played parts of 11 NHL seasons with the Minnesota Wild, Nashville Predators, Washington Capitals, and San Jose Sharks. He helped the latter squad get to the Cup Final in 2016, collecting seven goals and six assists over 24 playoff games.Cassidy led Vegas to its first championship in what was the team's sixth season.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Boston Bruins signed forward Jesper Boqvist to a one-year, $775,000 contract, the club announced Wednesday.Boqvist was originally a restricted free agent but became a UFA when the New Jersey Devils chose not to issue him a qualifying offer in late June.The Swede, who'll turn 25 in late October, collected 10 goals and 11 assists over 70 games for New Jersey this past season. He also took only one penalty in that span, earning three votes for the Lady Byng Trophy as a result.Boqvist produced 10 goals and 13 assists across only 56 games in 2021-22. He played four campaigns with the Devils, who drafted him 36th overall in 2017.The Bruins have had a busy offseason after flaming out in the first round of the playoffs following their historic 82-game efforts. Boston signed veteran forwards James van Riemsdyk and Milan Lucic on July 1, along with center Morgan Geekie and experienced defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk.Boston also traded Taylor Hall and Nick Foligno to the Chicago Blackhawks for blue-liners Ian Mitchell and Alec Regula in late June. The Bruins signed Mitchell to a one-year, $775,000 pact Monday.Patrice Bergeron and David Krejci are still deciding on their respective futures.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Travis Dermott will look to reignite his career in the desert.The Arizona Coyotes signed the defenseman to a one-year, two-way contract, the team announced Wednesday.The deal carries an $800,000 cap hit in the NHL and a $450,000 salary in the AHL, per CapFriendly.Dermott missed most of the 2022-23 campaign due to concussion symptoms, playing in just 11 games with the Vancouver Canucks. As a restricted free agent, the club opted not to issue Dermott a $1.75-million qualifying offer to retain his services.The 26-year-old shoots left but can play both sides and has posted solid defensive metrics throughout his six-year NHL career.

The Anaheim Ducks inked second overall pick Leo Carlsson to his three-year, entry-level contract Wednesday, the team announced.The deal carries a cap hit of $950,000, per CapFriendly. Carlsson can also earn up to an additional $1 million in performance bonuses per season.Carlsson, a 6-foot-3 center, recorded 25 points in 44 games with Orebro in Sweden's top professional league last season. He also added three goals and three assists in seven games at the world juniors, as well as five points in eight contests at the World Championship.Adam Fantilli was widely expected to be the selection at No. 2, but Ducks general manager Pat Verbeek stunned everyone by picking Carlsson, a consensus top-three player in his own right."I think in the end, we were really intrigued with his hockey IQ, his creativity," Verbeek said at the draft. "Obviously, he's got really good size and probably what I loved about him is really his two-way game, and I think there's a potential for him to really be a dominant player at both ends of the ice."Carlsson joins a young Ducks core that already features fellow recent top-10 picks Trevor Zegras, Mason McTavish, and Jamie Drysdale.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Thomas Greiss retired from the NHL on Wednesday.The 37-year-old featured with the St. Louis Blues in 2022-23, posting a 7-10-0 record with an .896 save percentage. He was an unrestricted free agent."There have been some considerations (about playing), but the bottom line is, I looked at a few offers that didn't really appeal to me," Greiss said, according to NHL.com. "As a result, I was ready to make the move and am looking forward to doing some new things in my life. Our job comes with a lot of freedom, but now I can tackle some new challenges."Across 14 seasons, Greiss played for the Blues, Detroit Red Wings, Phoenix Coyotes (now the Arizona Coyotes), Pittsburgh Penguins, San Jose Sharks, and, most notably, the New York Islanders.Greiss spent five years with the Islanders, his longest tenure with one team. He played 193 games in New York and had a .915 save percentage, capturing the William M. Jennings Trophy in 2018-19 alongside Robin Lehner."The year with the Islanders when we won in the first playoff round and of course winning the Jennings Trophy were special years," he said. "It was a nice place for me to play in. A good environment and I liked living there. That was certainly one of the highlights for me."Greiss ranks second among German goaltenders in games played (368) and wins (162), behind only Olaf Kolzig - who was born in South Africa but played for Germany. Greiss was the first German-born netminder to cross the 100-game mark.Internationally, Greiss played at three World Championships and two Olympics with Germany. He was named to Team Europe at the 2016 World Cup of Hockey, but didn't play a game.Greiss was drafted 94th overall in 2004 by San Jose.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The St. Louis Blues signed forward Oskar Sundqvist to a one-year contract worth $775,000, the team announced Wednesday.Sundqvist scored 10 goals and 28 points in 67 games last season with the Detroit Red Wings and Minnesota Wild. He was traded to the Wild prior to the deadline for a 2023 fourth-round pick.The 29-year-old was an unrestricted free agent coming off of a four-year contract originally signed with the Blues. He had a cap hit of $2.75 million in 2022-23.Sundqvist was first acquired by St. Louis in 2017 from the Pittsburgh Penguins. He played 242 contests with the Blues over five seasons, tallying 35 goals and 83 points before being dealt to the Red Wings in 2022.The Swede is a two-time Stanley Cup champion. He played two postseason games with the Penguins in 2016 and was a key depth player for St. Louis in 2019, scoring four goals and nine points in 25 playoff contests.The Blues had $2.36 million of cap space prior to the signing, per CapFriendly.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Warning: Story contains coarse language.The Philadelphia Flyers issued an apology Tuesday after a member of their social media staff was caught making disrespectful comments toward a reporter."Earlier today, our team's social media account streamed a recording of a virtual press conference which included disrespectful remarks by members of our social media staff," the team's president of hockey operations, Keith Jones, said in a statement. "On behalf of the entire Flyers organization, I want to extend our apologies."Any disrespect towards reporters is completely unacceptable, especially when they are simply doing their job. We have reached out to the reporter and outlet personally to express our regret, and will continue to promote an environment of mutual respect when working with media."While a reporter was asking free-agent addition Garnet Hathaway a question, a Flyers staff member was caught on a hot mic. "How many times is she going to ask this fucking question?" was audible in the video press conference with the forward.

The New York Rangers have signed restricted free-agent blue-liner K'Andre Miller to a two-year contract extension, the team announced Tuesday.Financial terms weren't disclosed, but Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman reports Miller's new average annual value is $3.872 million. He'll be an RFA again when his deal expires in 2025.Miller set career highs in goals (nine), points (43), and average ice time (21:57) this past season while appearing in 79 regular-season games. He's a key cog on New York's penalty kill and has posted impressive defensive metrics for a young rearguard.

The Nashville Predators signed forward Denis Gurianov to a one-year contract worth $850,000, the team announced Tuesday.Gurianov, 26, tallied seven goals and 17 points in 66 games last season with the Dallas Stars and Montreal Canadiens.Montreal didn't tender Gurianov his $2.9-million qualifying offer after trading for him last season, which made him an unrestricted free agent.Gurianov has reached the 20-goal mark once in his NHL career, back in 2019-20. He was impressive in the Stars' run to the Stanley Cup final that campaign, posting nine goals and 17 points in 27 playoff games.The Russian has accrued 51 goals and 111 points in 280 career games across six seasons. He registered a career-high 31 points in 2021-22.Gurianov was drafted 12th overall by Dallas in 2015.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Carolina Hurricanes signed unrestricted free-agent forward Brendan Lemieux to a one-year contract worth $800,000, the team announced.Lemieux spent last season split between the Los Angeles Kings and Philadelphia Flyers, collecting nine points in 45 games.Carolina will be the 27-year-old's sixth NHL club since being drafted 31st overall by the Buffalo Sabres in 2014. He's racked up 69 points in 275 career appearances."Brendan is a hard-nosed forward who will add some sandpaper to our lineup," said general manager Don Waddell. "We're excited to add his physical presence to our team."The Hurricanes have been highly active since the free-agency window opened July 1, bringing in Dmitry Orlov and Michael Bunting while also retaining Frederik Andersen, Antti Raanta, and Jordan Staal.Carolina has approximately $2.5 million in cap space after the Lemieux deal, according to Cap Friendly.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Pierre-Luc Dubois is looking forward to the opportunity to let his personality shine with the Los Angeles Kings."Honestly, I think it's just an opportunity for me to be who I am," Dubois told NHL.com's Dan Greenspan. "I think I'm misunderstood at times, but I think a lot of people don't really know me. And that's fine. Sometimes in this world, it's hard to get to know guys. ... Now, it'll be a fun opportunity for me to just be who I am. Not show anybody, not prove to anybody, but just fully be me."Dubois has attracted plenty of drama off the ice since being drafted third overall by the Columbus Blue Jackets in 2016. He requested a trade from the franchise and was famously benched by then-head coach John Tortorella five games into the 2021 season before being dealt to the Winnipeg Jets.While in Winnipeg, Dubois' agent claimed his client wanted to play for the Montreal Canadiens. His one-year deal with Winnipeg in 2022 was viewed as a move to end his tenure with the Jets as quickly as possible. This offseason, Dubois told the club he wasn't interested in signing another extension and was subsequently dealt to Los Angeles in a sign-and-trade that saw him land an eight-year, $68-million contract.Dubois said each decision he's made has been for the betterment of his career."I think, obviously, with demanding a trade out of Columbus, and then the situation with Winnipeg ... everybody looks at those decisions, and some people agree, some people disagree. Some people think this, some people think that," Dubois said. "I mean, everybody's entitled to their own opinion, but at the end of the day, it's my life. I have to do what I think is right."I had three unbelievable years in Columbus, three great years in Winnipeg, where with both of those organizations I learned a lot and met some unbelievable people. But I felt I was ready to move on and do a new chapter in my career and in my life. And now I'm here in L.A."Dubois registered a career-high 63 points in 73 games last season and added four in five playoff contests as the Jets were ousted in the first round.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Montreal Canadiens have signed forward Alex Newhook to a four-year contract carrying an average annual value of $2.9 million, the team announced Tuesday.Montreal acquired Newhook from the Colorado Avalanche prior to this year's draft for the 31st and 37th overall picks as well as defensive prospect Gianni Fairbrother.Newhook became a restricted free agent upon the expiration of his entry-level contract this summer.The 22-year-old was drafted 16th overall in 2019. He's collected 66 points in 159 career games, including 30 across a full season in 2022-23.Montreal is currently operating above the league's $83.5-million salary limit but can become cap-compliant before the regular season begins by placing Carey Price's $10.5-million cap hit on long-term injured reserve.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Alex DeBrincat is set to live out every hockey fan's childhood dream and star for his hometown squad.The Ottawa Senators traded DeBrincat to the Detroit Red Wings on Sunday, and the 25-year-old subsequently signed a four-year, $31.5-million contract with his new club. He grew up in Farmington Hills, Michigan - within a 30-minute drive to Little Caesars Arena and the old Joe Louis Arena."It's super exciting," DeBrincat said while sporting a retro Detroit Pistons hat during his introductory media availability Monday. "Obviously, growing up here and rooting for the Red Wings when I was younger, it's definitely a dream come true. I do have to say, I don't think anyone's happier than my parents. It's a full family. Everyone's happy, and it's a good spot for me."DeBrincat, who was born in 1997, added he has fond memories of watching the Red Wings' last Stanley Cup victory in 2008. His favorite player growing up was Pavel Datsyuk."They were just so successful through my whole childhood," DeBrincat said. "It was so fun to watch. That's a big reason why I play the game. To get to that point, that success is definitely a goal of mine, and hopefully, we can be successful here again."The Red Wings were the class of the NHL for the better part of two decades. They made the playoffs every year between 1991-2016, winning four Stanley Cups during that span.However, Detroit's fallen on hard times, missing the postseason in each of the last seven campaigns since that streak ended. Adding a two-time 40-goal scorer like DeBrincat is supposed to help get the rebuilding club over the hump."Early in my career, (the Red Wings were) deep in the rebuild," DeBrincat said. "And these past couple years, you can see that the compete level has definitely been higher, and you see a team that's maybe frustrated with being in a rebuild and wants to get out."I'm excited to be here and kind of join that and hopefully be part of the solution to get out of that. I'm just really excited to join these guys, and I definitely see the potential in this group."The Red Wings will heavily rely on DeBrincat to help them take the next step. With a cap hit of $7.875 million, he's the team's second-highest paid player behind captain Dylan Larkin.Detroit ranked 24th in the league in goals last season, so it'll count on DeBrincat for offense. The winger will personally be looking to bounce back after scoring only 27 goals last season - the second-lowest total in his six-year NHL career.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Philadelphia Flyers signed defenseman Cam York to a two-year contract with an average annual value of $1.6 million, the team announced Monday.York scored two goals and 20 points in 54 games as he solidified his place on the Flyers' blue line this past season. He was a restricted free agent.The 22-year-old posted strong underlying metrics while playing 19:39 per game in 2022-23, featuring on both sides of the Flyers' defense as a left-hand shot.

The San Jose Sharks signed forward Filip Zadina to a one-year contract worth $1.1 million, the team announced Monday.Zadina, 23, mutually terminated the remaining two seasons on his contract with the Detroit Red Wings on Thursday. The former sixth-overall pick scored three goals and registered seven points in 30 games last year.The Czech native tallied a career-high 10 goals and 24 points in 74 contests in 2021-22. He's accrued 28 goals and 68 points in 190 career games.Zadina forewent $4.56 million in salary by terminating his contract, electing to start fresh after being unclaimed on waivers.Originally touted as one of the premier goal scorers in the 2018 class, Zadina potted 44 goals and registered 82 points in 57 games with the QMJHL's Halifax Mooseheads prior to being selected by the Red Wings.Zadina will be a restricted free agent at the expiration of his new contract in 2024 with a $1.1-million qualifying offer.The Sharks have just under $5.5 million of cap space after the signing, per CapFriendly.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Philadelphia Flyers signed forward Noah Cates to a two-year contract with an annual average value of $2.625 million, the team announced Monday.Cates tallied 13 goals and 38 points in 82 games last season as a rookie. He was a restricted free agent and had filed for arbitration Wednesday.The 24-year-old impressed defensively in his first NHL season. Cates' 6.5 defensive goals above replacement at even strength ranked third among forwards, behind only Radek Faksa and Patrice Bergeron, per Evolving-Hockey.

Alex DeBrincat, the subject of intense trade speculation this offseason, is headed home to join the Detroit Red Wings.Detroit extended the 25-year-old sniper immediately after acquiring him in a splashy swap with the Ottawa Senators on Sunday night. DeBrincat's new four-year contract counts for $7.875 million against the salary cap.In return, Ottawa received veteran forward Dominik Kubalik, prospect defenseman Donovan Sebrango, a 2024 conditional first-round draft pick, and a 2024 fourth-rounder.The Red Wings will choose which 2024 first-rounder - either theirs or the Boston Bruins' selection, previously acquired for Tyler Bertuzzi - is part of the deal. One caveat: The Bruins could opt to keep their pick if it's in the top 10, at which point Boston's unprotected 2025 first-rounder would be on the table.Let's evaluate the blockbuster move from both sides.Red Wings Minas Panagiotakis / Getty ImagesUntil Sunday, Detroit lacked elite attacking talent. This franchise has starved for offense throughout its seven-year playoff drought. The Red Wings haven't finished higher than 22nd in NHL scoring since 2015, back when DeBrincat and Connor McDavid lit up Ontario Hockey League goaltending as Erie Otters teammates.DeBrincat excels alongside superstars. He racked up 160 goals in five seasons - 32 per year - with the Chicago Blackhawks as Patrick Kane's frequent linemate. Last season, he barely got to play with skilled centers Tim Stutzle (Brady Tkachuk and Claude Giroux were the Senators' top wingers) or Josh Norris (who injured his shoulder and sat out all but eight games).DeBrincat's stats slipped in Ottawa. He scored 27 goals on a shooting percentage of 10.3%, well below his 15.5% average in Chicago. He also regressed defensively: The Sens were outscored 58-42 in DeBrincat's five-on-five minutes, per Natural Stat Trick.Sensing an opportunity, the Red Wings capitalized. General manager Steve Yzerman reeled in a proven sniper from the Detroit suburb of Farmington Hills to complement Dylan Larkin on the top line.The cost of landing and extending DeBrincat was modest. His average annual value is substantially lower than Larkin's $8.7-million cap hit, not to mention the $8.8-million AAV that Timo Meier just procured from the New Jersey Devils.His contract projects to be team-friendly. If DeBrincat shoots as often as he did in Ottawa and his success rate normalizes, he'll be the first Wings player to flirt with 40 goals since Marian Hossa buried that many in 2009. Even in a down year, DeBrincat's 11 power-play tallies ranked in the top 30 league-wide. His presence on the PP will divert attention from Larkin and elevate the whole first unit.DeBrincat isn't solely a triggerman. He shone as a playmaker in 2022-23, dishing a career-best 39 assists. He also remained aspirationally durable. DeBrincat has never been injured in the NHL, only missing four games during the 2020-21 season when he was placed in COVID-19 protocol.His arrival boosts the Red Wings now and for years to come. DeBrincat is the fifth NHL forward Yzerman's brought in this month, joining J.T. Compher, Christian Fischer, Klim Kostin, and Daniel Sprong. Like Larkin, he'll continue to produce at a high clip as Detroit's most promising young forwards, from Lucas Raymond to Jonatan Berggren to prospects Marco Kasper and Nate Danielson, mature into difference-makers.Three Atlantic Division up-and-comers - the Buffalo Sabres, Red Wings, and Senators - are stuck in the league's longest playoff skids. The Wings have the lowest offensive ceiling of the bunch. Adding DeBrincat narrows that gap and makes next season's Detroit-Ottawa showdowns (four between Oct. 21 and Jan. 31) extremely compelling.Grade: A-Senators Dave Reginek / NHL / Getty ImagesOn July 7, 2022, the Senators dealt the No. 7 and No. 39 picks in last year's draft, plus a 2024 third-rounder, to nab DeBrincat from the Blackhawks as Chicago's roster teardown started.Here and now, the Sens recoup a lesser winger in Kubalik (incidentally, a former Blackhawk), AHL defensive depth in Sebrango (incidentally, an Ottawa native), and worse draft capital. Trading the best player involved is a surefire way to lose a deal. It's doubly painful to sell low on DeBrincat to a division rival and possible future playoff opponent.Still, the move was sensible. GM Pierre Dorion created cap relief and can now focus on balancing and deepening the forward corps.Ottawa has inked Stutzle, Tkachuk, Norris, and Thomas Chabot to long-term pacts in the $8-million range. Defensive linchpins Jake Sanderson and Jakob Chychrun could command that coin pretty soon. DeBrincat returning would have made it tough to sign RFA Shane Pinto, the club's third-line center, and would have stopped the Senators from enhancing their forward depth, a weakness last season.Pending UFA Kubalik, twice a 20-goal scorer, makes $2.5 million against the cap. Ottawa can slot him beside Pinto and have money left over to take a swing at Vladimir Tarasenko, the most coveted free agent currently on the market. Strengthened by upgrades on the blue line (Chychrun) and in net (Joonas Korpisalo), the Sens will be fine next season if they can replicate DeBrincat's production collectively.Notably, the Sens now possess three 2024 fourth-rounders: theirs, Detroit's, and a Tampa Bay Lightning pick acquired in the Mathieu Joseph-Nick Paul swap. Using one as a sweetener to offload Joseph's $2.95-million contract could open space to sign Tarasenko, who bagged 34 goals and 82 points as recently as 2021-22.Meanwhile, Ottawa owns multiple picks in a first round for the first time since 2020 when Dorion drafted Stutzle, Sanderson, and Ridly Greig. They'll be able to replenish the prospect pool - another organizational need - even if both selections fall late in the round.The Senators failed to get the most out of DeBrincat but still ice four recent 35-goal scorers: Stutzle, Tkachuk, Norris, and Giroux, the last acquisition left from the fabled Summer of Dorion. They didn't compel Yzerman to part with a young star or Detroit's top '24 first-rounder, but they won't need to shop DeBrincat at the trade deadline - potentially in the midst of a playoff push - to avoid losing him for nothing next summer.Since DeBrincat wouldn't sign in Ottawa long term, an awkward outcome was inevitable. This solution is somewhat elegant.Grade: B-Nick Faris is a features writer at theScore.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Detroit Red Wings secured Alex DeBrincat in a trade with the Ottawa Senators and then signed him to a four-year pact carrying an average annual value of $7.875 million, the acquiring club announced Sunday.Ottawa sent DeBrincat to Detroit for forward Dominik Kubalik, defenseman Donovan Sebrango, a conditional first-round pick in next year's draft, and a fourth-rounder in the same event.DeBrincat was arguably the top remaining restricted free agent and would've been eligible to become a UFA next summer.Last week, DeBrincat's agent Jeff Jackson denied a report that his client's contract demands were holding up a trade.The 25-year-old winger is a two-time 41-goal scorer who produced 27 tallies and a career-high 39 assists in 2022-23, his first season with the Senators. Ottawa had reportedly been gauging the trade market for DeBrincat since early June. The Sens took him to arbitration shortly thereafter, and he required a $9-million qualifying offer.Ottawa acquired the Michigan-born forward from the Chicago Blackhawks at the 2022 draft in exchange for three picks, including the seventh overall selection, which the Blackhawks used to select defenseman Kevin Korchinski.DeBrincat played his first five seasons with Chicago, racking up 160 goals and 147 assists over 368 games. The Blackhawks drafted him 39th overall in 2016.Kubalik posted 20 tallies and 25 helpers while playing a career-high 81 contests in 2022-23. The 27-year-old spent one campaign with the Red Wings after starting his career with Chicago. Kubalik buried 30 goals in just 68 games during his rookie year with the Blackhawks in 2019-20.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Vancouver Canucks signed restricted free-agent forward Nils Hoglander to a two-year contract with an average annual value of $1.1 million, the team announced Sunday.Hoglander showed plenty of promise during his rookie campaign in 2020-21, accruing 13 goals and 14 assists in 56 games as a 20-year-old. He's been trending in the wrong direction, though, producing the same numbers in 85 contests since.The Canucks selected the 5-foot-9 winger out of Sweden with the 40th overall pick in 2019.Hoglander is without a defined role entering the 2023-24 campaign due to the Canucks' ample depth on the wings. Brock Boeser, Andrei Kuzmenko, Conor Garland, Ilya Mikheyev, and Anthony Beauvillier are all guaranteed of spots due to their sizeable cap hits. Hoglander will have to compete for a job out of the gate with the likes of Vasily Podkolzin, Dakota Joshua, and others.If Hoglander begins the year in the AHL, the 22-year-old will look to build off a strong stint with the Abbotsford Canucks where he tallied 14 goals and 18 assists in 45 contests a year ago.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The NHL's free-agent hot stove is basically unplugged at this point of the summer, but there's still plenty of talent available on the open market.Below, we play matchmaker for 10 of the best players currently unsigned.Vladimir Tarasenko Josh Lavallee / National Hockey League / Getty2022-23 stats: 69 GP, 18 G, 32 A

The Seattle Kraken and defenseman Will Borgen agreed to a new contract before his arbitration hearing, coming to terms on a two-year deal with an average annual value of $2.7 million, the club announced Friday.Borgen was a pending restricted free agent. He would've had a hearing later this summer.The 26-year-old collected three goals and 17 assists while playing all 82 games for the Kraken this past season. He added a goal and two assists in 14 playoff contests. Borgen also racked up 203 hits during the 2022-23 regular season, ranking 25th in the NHL and second only to Adam Larsson's 222 among Seattle skaters.Borgen played the last two campaigns with the Kraken after spending his first two with the Buffalo Sabres, who drafted him 92nd overall in 2015. He debuted in 2018-19, then spent the entire 2019-20 season with the AHL's Rochester Americans before returning to the NHL the following campaign.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Pittsburgh Penguins inked forward Vinnie Hinostroza to a one-year, $775,000 contract, the club announced Friday.Hinostroza was an unrestricted free agent who played the last two seasons with the Buffalo Sabres.The 29-year-old collected two goals and nine assists over 26 NHL games in 2022-23, adding five tallies and four helpers across 11 contests with the Sabres' AHL affiliate, the Rochester Americans.He produced two goals and an assist in the Sabres' Heritage Classic victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs in March 2022. Kyle Dubas, who was then the Leafs' general manager, is now the Penguins' president of hockey operations and interim GM.Hinostroza has also suited up for his hometown Chicago Blackhawks in two separate tenures, as well as the Arizona Coyotes and Florida Panthers. The Blackhawks drafted him 169th overall in 2012.Dubas has been active in his first offseason with the Penguins. He made six UFA deals July 1, including re-signing goaltender Tristan Jarry to a five-year pact and bringing in defenseman Ryan Graves, along with netminder Alex Nedeljkovic.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Any player hoping to throw Chicago Blackhawks phenom Connor Bedard off his game next season is going to have to answer to hard-nosed veteran Corey Perry."This league's not easy," Perry said Friday during his introductory presser, per the Chicago Tribune's Phillip Thompson. "Coming in at 18 years old, he's gonna have things that he hasn't seen before, playing against men and all these different things."That's why you have to do what you have to do, and that's kinda what's kept me in the league."The Blackhawks acquired Perry's unrestricted free-agent rights from the Tampa Bay Lightning last week in exchange for a 2024 seventh-round pick and signed him to a one-year, $4-million deal one day later.Perry, 38, has never been one to shy away from on-ice shenanigans over the course of his 18-year NHL career. Since making his big-league debut in 2005-06, Perry ranks fourth with 1,380 penalty minutes and has racked up 1,209 hits in 1,257 contests.Though general manager Kyle Davidson was more interested in the mentorship and veteran presence Perry can provide, he acknowledged that an extra layer of protection for Bedard can be a "side benefit.""Probably a guy you'd hate to play against (but) you'd love to have on your team," Davidson said after trading for Perry. "That's how we hope it'll play out."Perry won the Hart Trophy as the league's most valuable player in 2011 after netting a career-high 50 goals for the Anaheim Ducks. He's amassed 417 tallies and 883 points over his career.The Ontario native won the Stanley Cup with the Ducks in 2007 and has a penchant for playing hockey in the spring, accruing 124 points in 196 playoff contests.Perry chipped in with 12 goals and 13 helpers in 81 games this past season, his second in Tampa Bay.The Blackhawks selected the much-hyped Bedard with the first overall pick at the 2023 NHL Draft and now have a chance to accelerate their rebuild.Bedard was born on July 17, 2005, just a few months before Perry kicked off his rookie campaign in the NHL.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

We're officially in the holding-pattern stage of the offseason.While the list of notable unrestricted free agents has dwindled over the past week, Vladimir Tarasenko, Patrick Kane, and Jonathan Toews remain unsigned. Patrice Bergeron and David Krejci will likely either return to the Boston Bruins or retire from the NHL. Meanwhile, Erik Karlsson, Connor Hellebuyck, Alex DeBrincat, and John Gibson are all entangled in daily trade speculation.Let's take a look at Gibson's situation, the murkiest of the four listed above."There's a little uncertainty. I'm not sure what's going to happen," Gibson told the "Cam & Strick Podcast" in an interview released Tuesday, a day after his agent refuted a spicy report from Daily Faceoff insider Frank Seravalli."Whether I'm in Anaheim or somewhere else," Gibson added on the podcast, "I'm just worried about being ready to play. I want to have a good year." Debora Robinson / Getty ImagesHere's the bad news: Gibson is fresh off the worst season of his career. The Anaheim Ducks starter has a history of injuries, turns 30 next Friday, and his contract not only carries a $6.4-million cap hit through 2026-27 but also includes a 10-team no-trade clause.Now, for some additional context: The Ducks were absolutely horrendous defensively this past season, allowing the most shots per game (39.1) in NHL history. And these shots weren't all from the point - Gibson faced the most inner-slot shots out of any goalie despite ranking 13th in total minutes played.As for the attraction, well, it wasn't that long ago that Gibson was considered a borderline star. There's a decent chance the athletic 6-foot-2 netminder returns to form in a playing environment that doesn't exhaust him night after night. He's long been one of the more competitive, fiery goalies in the league.Speculating here, but I see two obvious and two dark-horse destinations.Obvious: New Jersey DevilsNew Jersey's Vitek Vanecek-Akira Schmid duo is fine. But is it Stanley Cup-contender quality? The league has shifted toward cheaper tandems, so the Devils may not see a need to trade for Gibson. Then again, they have $5.6 million in cap space and just one player (restricted free agent Kevin Bahl) left to sign. They also have the picks and prospects to acquire a player of Gibson's caliber and have built up their roster to the point that a "win-now" move makes sense. If Anaheim wants a goalie in return, how about Vanecek? Icon Sportswire / Getty ImagesObvious: Buffalo SabresDevon Levi is the Sabres' goalie of the future. The youngster needs help next year, though, and Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen and Eric Comrie aren't great 1B options. The Sabres have $6.7 million in cap space, prospects galore, and too many NHL defensemen. So if they're serious about ending their historic playoff drought, they should, at the very least, consider acquiring Gibson (or Hellebuyck). The remaining years and money on the contract may be a deal breaker, but Buffalo otherwise feels like a realistic landing spot for Gibson.Dark horse: Columbus Blue JacketsBased on their moves this offseason, the Blue Jackets are desperate to move out of the NHL's basement. Can they make legitimate progress in the standings with a goalie tandem of Elvis Merzlikins and Daniil Tarasov? Doubtful. To make a deal work with Anaheim, the overpaid Merzlikins would likely be involved, which would require Columbus to fork over even more future assets. Translation: The Gibson-Columbus trade fit is far from perfect.Dark horse: Los Angeles KingsThe Kings don't have the cap space to absorb Gibson's ticket, nor do they have contracts of their own that are imminently movable. The front office must get creative if it desires an upgrade in net. Let's face it: The duo of Pheonix Copley and Cam Talbot isn't exactly getting anybody excited. Gibson would be an interesting gamble.Highest upside among young UFAs Rich Graessle / Getty ImagesThe salary cap rising by only $1 million (again) has led to a few curious trends.For instance, since July 1, only four UFAs have signed contracts with a new club for longer than four years - forwards J.T. Compher and Miles Wood, defenseman Ryan Graves, and goalie Joonas Korpisalo. Why? The 2023 UFA class lacked star talent, plus many players opted for short-term deals because they're eyeing a bigger payday when more money's available in a year or two.Another trend: for a second straight summer, a sizeable group of young NHLers suddenly became UFAs after not receiving qualifying offers as RFAs.Last year saw the likes of Dylan Strome, Dominik Kubalik, and Ilya Samsonov become UFAs overnight. This year's RFA-to-UFA crop can be divided into three buckets - those who re-signed with the team that didn't issue them a qualifying offer, those who signed elsewhere, and those who remain unsigned.Michael McLeod has the highest upside among players who re-signed.The Devils center took a step forward this past season and was one of the team's top playoff performers. Against the New York Rangers and Carolina Hurricanes, McLeod used his world-class skating and tenacity to attack from prime scoring areas. I strongly believe the 25-year-old is primed for a full breakout in 2023-24, perhaps grabbing the third-line pivot role. At worst, he'll live up to his one-year, $1.4 million deal by feasting on opposing fourth lines. Christopher Mast / Getty ImagesDaniel Sprong has the highest upside among players who signed elsewhere.At one year, $2 million, Sprong's a perfect flier for the goal-deprived Detroit Red Wings. A threat off the rush at five-on-five and a secondary trigger man on the power play, he recorded 46 points in 66 games in 2022-23, despite skating for just 11:25 a night. His goals-for per 60 minutes rate (1.67) finished between Kirill Kaprizov's (1.70) and Jack Hughes' (1.66). That's damn good company - though Sprong's low usage as a member of the Seattle Kraken and his journeyman resume suggest coaches don't trust him in key situations. Maybe the 26-year-old finds a more permanent home in his fifth NHL city.Ethan Bear has the highest upside among players who remain unsigned.The right-handed defenseman, who didn't receive a qualifying offer from the Vancouver Canucks, recently underwent shoulder surgery and will be sidelined until around December. The injury's definitely affected Bear's stock, but is there an NHL team that doesn't need a depth option who can play both sides? Bear, 26, breaks the puck out well and is coming off a nice run with the Canucks, where he earned 18:32 a night. Perhaps he signs a one-year deal closer to training camp. Or maybe he's forced to wait until he's fully healthy.What Ducks covet in draft-eligible D-menMartin Madden was hired as Anaheim's director of amateur scouting in 2008 and promoted to assistant GM 12 years later. The McGill University engineering grad, who's based in Quebec City, oversees the Ducks' drafting.Under Madden, the club has drafted and developed NHL-caliber defensemen at an incredibly high rate. It chose Justin Schultz and Jake Gardiner in 2008, Sami Vatanen in 2009, Cam Fowler in 2010, Josh Manson in 2011, Hampus Lindholm in 2012, Shea Theodore in 2013, Brandon Montour and Marcus Pettersson in 2014, Jacob Larsson in 2015, and Josh Mahura in 2016. NHL Images / Getty ImagesThat's right. In every year from 2008 to 2016, at least one blue-liner selected by Anaheim has blossomed into an everyday NHLer (minimum 150 career games). And with post-2016 studs Jamie Drysale, Pavel Mintyukov, Tristan Luneau, Olen Zellweger, and Jackson LaCombe leading the next generation, it's looking like a handful of names will be added to the list soon enough.But it's not just the quantity. Some of these defensemen were picked as late as 106th and 160th overall. What do the Ducks see that most other teams don't?"It comes back to our core values in what we like in defensemen when they're young and what allows them to keep growing into the pro game," Madden told theScore at the conclusion of this year's draft in Nashville. (The Ducks didn't pick a blue-liner until 97th overall - Konnor Smith from the OHL.)"So," Madden added with a laugh, "I'll let you figure that out ..."After some prodding, the executive elaborated a tad on those "core values.""Hockey sense and mobility for a young defenseman are probably the two primary ingredients we look at."Hockey sense and mobility? OK, so the Ducks aren't splitting the atom here. What's notable, though, is Anaheim's clear dedication to their core values.If a team trims down its draft list to include only defensemen who have good hockey sense and good mobility, they're betting exclusively on a certain type. Based on Anaheim's track record under Madden, the bet's been pretty clever.Parting shotsTampa Bay Lightning: The flat salary cap continues to wreak havoc on the Lightning's once-enviable depth. Gone via free agency or trade: Alex Killorn, Ross Colton, Pat Maroon, Corey Perry, and Ian Cole. The replacements: Conor Sheary, Luke Glendening, Logan Brown, Josh Archibald, and Calvin de Haan. No offense to the new guys, but as a group they don't even come close to matching what's been lost. Tampa's star-caliber players will keep them very competitive in 2023-24. The pressure's more so on the second tier - think Tanner Jeannot and Nick Paul up front and Erik Cernak and Nick Perbix on the back end - to find another gear and compensate for the annual talent drain.

Former New York Islanders general manager Garth Snow is looking to get back in the game.Snow is now officially a free agent. He was replaced as GM by Lou Lamoriello in May 2018, but his five-year payout deal with former owner Charles Wang came to an end on July 1. This means he's now allowed to speak publicly again, too."I would love to get back with an NHL team if it makes sense for both sides," Snow told The Athletic's Kevin Kurz.Snow said he had discussions about a couple of different NHL front-office positions in the five years since he was fired as Islanders GM, but none of them panned out."I don't know what the future brings when it comes to what kind of role with an organization," Snow said. "Those are conversations you have to have. To me, it always comes back to the word trust - people you trust. And, it's a two-way street."Snow was maligned during much of his tenure as the club's GM, which began in 2006 - just one year after he was the team's backup goalie. The Isles made the playoffs just four times in his 12-year run, making it past the first round only once. By the end, Islanders fans funded "Snow Must Go" billboards across town.However, it was Snow who laid most of the foundation for the club's back-to-back conference final appearances in 2020 and 2021. He made several astute draft picks during his tenure, including Brock Nelson (30th overall, 2010), Scott Mayfield (34th overall, 2011), Adam Pelech (65th overall, 2012), Ryan Pulock (15th overall, 2013), Ilya Sorokin (78th overall, 2014), Devon Toews (108th overall, 2014), Mathew Barzal (16th overall, 2015), and Anthony Beauvillier (28th overall, 2015).Snow said watching the Islanders' deep playoff runs after his dismissal was rewarding, knowing he played a part."I was ecstatic and proud of the way guys performed," he said. "Really validated the reasons we identified or selected or traded or picked up players off waivers. ... You draft a player at 18 and then watch him grow - and some of the parents still stay in touch with me. Those are very rewarding relationships that I've had with a lot of the players, and I was proud of them."Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

New Dallas Stars forward Matt Duchene said he isn't taking the Nashville Predators' decision to buy out his contract personally, but he's "absolutely" using it as motivation heading into the new season."When a team tells you they don't want you anymore, it's tough, right?" he said Thursday during his introductory presser. "It's business, and the game is the business, but at the same time, the game is who we are as people. I've been a hockey player since I was two years old; that's how I identify."The Predators bought out the last three seasons of Duchene's seven-year, $56-million contract last Friday, unexpectedly allowing him to test the market as a free agent on July 1.The 32-year-old ended up signing a one-year, $3-million pact with the Stars, a team that Duchene said was on his radar before he signed with the Predators as an unrestricted free agent four years ago.Now, Duchene is looking forward to joining a team that has a chance to "win right away." The Stars have made the playoffs in four of the last five campaigns, advancing to the Stanley Cup Final in 2020 and making it to the conference finals this spring."I haven't had too many (opportunities) in my career. I've been to the second round once," he said. "That's something that's frustrating me beyond I can explain, just to not have that really good taste."He added, "To be part of this team that's been kind of a perennial deep-in-the-playoffs-type team ... it's really exciting to come in to."The Stars' dynamite top line of Jason Robertson, Joe Pavelski, and Roope Hintz will likely stay intact in 2023-24, meaning Duchene could join forces with Tyler Seguin, who he's known since he was 10 years old."(He) does everything well. ... The fact that you can step in right away and play with a guy like that is pretty special," Duchene said. "There's not many places in the league that you have options to play with a guy like that."Duchene netted 22 goals and 56 points in 71 contests this past season as the Predators missed the playoffs for the first time since 2013-14. He missed the last 10 games of the campaign due to a hand injury.The Ontario native enjoyed a career year in 2021-22, putting up 43 goals and 86 points in 78 games.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Anze Kopitar isn't going anywhere.The Los Angeles Kings signed their captain to a two-year contract extension with an average annual value of $7 million, the team announced Thursday.Kopitar tallied 28 goals and 74 points in 82 games last season. He was awarded the Lady Byng Memorial Trophy as the league's most gentlemanly player. The deal keeps Kopitar in L.A. through the 2025-26 season.The 35-year-old is entering the final season of an eight-year contract signed in Jan. 2016. His cap hit for the 2022-23 campaign is $10 million."We're pleased to have reached an agreement that will keep Anze in Los Angeles as our group takes the next step in competing for a Stanley Cup," Kings general manager Rob Blake said. "He's the heart and soul of this team as our captain and he will continue to play a major role on our club."Kopitar has spent his entire 1292-game career with the Kings. He won the Stanley Cup in 2012 and 2014, and is a two-time winner of both the Selke Trophy and Lady Byng. He also won the Mark Messier Leadership Award in 2022."Los Angeles has become home for me and my family, and I'm excited to extend my career here," Kopitar said. "I've been with this organization through it all and I know our group is close to achieving something special. I look forward to helping us reach that next level and achieving the ultimate goal of winning the Stanley Cup again."The Slovenian was named Los Angeles' captain in 2016, taking the role from Dustin Brown. He has scored 393 goals and tallied 1141 points in his 17-season career.Kopitar ranks second in franchise games played, third in points, and fourth in goals. His 12-20 goal campaigns are tied with Marcel Dionne and Luc Robitaille for the most in a Kings uniform.Los Angeles drafted Kopitar 11th overall in 2005.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Ottawa Senators signed forward Zack MacEwen to a three-year contract with an average annual value of $775,000, the team announced Thursday.MacEwen scored four goals and 10 points in 56 games last season between the Philadelphia Flyers and Los Angeles Kings. He was traded to the Kings prior to the deadline for Brendan Lemieux and a 2024 fifth-round pick. Los Angeles didn't tender him a qualifying offer Friday, making him an unrestricted free agent.The soon-to-be 27-year-old racked up 66 penalty minutes in 2022-23. His 110 PIM in the previous campaign ranked ninth league-wide."Zack's a player with strong character who adds increased physicality to our lineup," Senators general manager Pierre Dorion said in a statement. "He's a hard-nosed, competitive player who's a tenacious forechecker and who demonstrates a routine willingness to go to the hard areas."MacEwen has played 186 career games with the Vancouver Canucks, Flyers, and Kings, accruing 13 goals, 28 points, and 245 PIM.The Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, native was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Canucks in March 2017.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Filip Zadina is seeking a fresh start.The Detroit Red Wings placed the former No. 6 pick on unconditional waivers for the purpose of mutual contract termination Thursday, per TSN's Chris Johnston.Zadina is forgoing the remaining $4.56 million on his deal. He cleared waivers Tuesday - possibly due to his $1.825-million cap hit over the next two seasons.As an unrestricted free agent, Zadina can sign with a team of his choosing - likely for near the league minimum.The 23-year-old Czech winger recorded just three goals and four assists in 30 games with the Red Wings last season while averaging 13:06 per contest. He's mustered only 68 points in 190 career games across parts of five campaigns.His underlying numbers were strong this past season, though:

Patric Hornqvist is calling it a career, he confirmed to Swedish outlet Sportbladet on Wednesday.The 36-year-old played 22 games with the Florida Panthers last season, tallying one goal and three points. He played his final game Dec. 3 against the Seattle Kraken, where he suffered a concussion."I've been in this bubble since I started to play as a kid. Hockey has been a huge part of my life, so of course it's a difficult decision to make," Hornqvist said. "It will be a big transition, but it feels good now, I'm looking forward to the rest of my life. It's the most important thing.""I'm feeling fine now and hopefully I have many fine years ahead of me," Hornqvist continued. "And with my history of injuries, I don't want to risk any future harm."Hornqvist was a two-way force in his prime, helping the Pittsburgh Penguins win back-to-back Stanley Cups in 2016 and 2017. He scored the Cup-clinching goal in Game 6 of the 2017 Final against the Predators.In 901 games with the Nashville Predators, Penguins, and Panthers, he accrued 264 goals and 543 points. He's tied for 10th among Swedish players in career goals and is 27th in points.Hornqvist hit the 30-goal mark once - in 2009-10 with the Predators - and reached a career-high of 53 points in 2013-14, also with Nashville.In 106 career postseason games, Hornqvist tallied 28 goals and 53 points. He's one of 25 Swedish players to eclipse 100 Stanley Cup playoff games.On the international stage, Hornqvist represented Sweden on multiple occasions. He played at the U18s and world juniors for his nation, as well as five World Championships and the 2010 Olympics. He captured gold at the Worlds in 2018.Hornqvist was drafted with the final pick in 2005, 230th overall by Nashville.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Calgary Flames defenseman Michael Stone announced his retirement Wednesday.The Flames noted Stone will remain with the team as part of their player development staff."I feel very happy to be able to leave the game the way I have and directly into this role with the Flames organization," Stone said in a statement. "I believe it would have been a lot more difficult had this opportunity not been available.""I'm excited to learn and gain some new experiences in a different capacity in the NHL," he continued. "I'm looking forward to working with the young defencemen and help them achieve their ultimate goal of playing with the Calgary Flames."Stone, 33, played 552 games across stints with the Flames and Arizona Coyotes. He accrued 41 goals and 145 points over his 12-season career.His best year came in 2015-16 when he tallied six goals and 36 points in 75 contests with the Coyotes."The combination of Michael just finishing his NHL playing career and that his specialty is defensemen specific was exactly the role that we have been trying to fill," Flames director of player development Ray Edwards said. "After drafting Etienne (Morin) and Axel (Hurtig), that's a good area for Mike to jump into immediately and assisting with our Wranglers defensemen prospects. It's a perfect fit."Arizona drafted Stone 69th overall in 2008. He's the older brother of Vegas Golden Knights star Mark Stone.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Winnipeg Jets signed defenseman Dylan Samberg to a two-year contract with an average annual value of $1.4 million, the team announced Wednesday.Samberg tallied two goals and eight points in 63 contests over the 2022-23 campaign - his first full NHL season. He was a restricted free agent and didn't file for salary arbitration prior to Wednesday's deadline.The 24-year-old made his World Championship debut with USA this spring, accruing one goal and four points in 10 contests as a top-pairing blue-liner.Winnipeg drafted Samberg with the 43rd overall pick in 2017. He played three seasons at the University of Minnesota-Duluth, winning two national championships.The 6-foot-4 defenseman has played 78 games across two seasons with the Jets, totaling two goals and 13 points.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Twenty-two restricted free agents filed for salary arbitration before Wednesday's 5 p.m. ET deadline, the NHLPA announced.Here's the complete list:PlayerTeamTroy TerryANAJack McBainARITrent FredericBOSIan MitchellBOSJeremy SwaymanBOSPhilipp KurashevCHIRoss ColtonCOLRyan McLeodEDMBrandon DuhaimeMINFilip GustavssonMINBrandon ScanlinNYRNoah CatesPHIDrew O'ConnorPITWill BorgenSEAVince DunnSEACale FleurySEAAlexey ToropchenkoSTLTanner JeannotTBLIlya SamsonovTORBrett HowdenVGKMorgan BarronWPGGabe VilardiWPGArbitration hearings will be held from July 20 to Aug. 4. The deadline for club-elected arbitration is Thursday at 5 p.m. ET. The Ottawa Senators filed for arbitration with RFA forward Alex DeBrincat in June.Players can still negotiate and sign a new contract prior to their respective hearings.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Laurent Brossoit returns to the Winnipeg Jets following a two-year hiatus with a Stanley Cup championship on his resume and some lofty aspirations."I see opportunity, and I'm going to push (No. 1 netminder Connor Hellebuyck)," Brossoit said Tuesday, according to NHL.com's Derek Van Diest. "He's obviously the guy that's been trusted there for a long time, and he's a good friend of mine."But I'm going to push him like I did when I was here last, and hopefully we can both be better for it and have the strongest tandem in the league."Brossoit was with the Jets from 2018-21. He posted a 25-19-3 record to go along with a .913 save percentage and 2.75 goals against average over that span. He signed with the Vegas Golden Knights as an unrestricted free agent prior to the 2021-22 campaign.Sin City relied on Brossoit in the first round of the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs. The 30-year-old outdueled Hellebuyck and the Jets in the five-game series, surrendering two or fewer goals in three of those contests and posting an admirable .915 save percentage.The B.C. native suffered a lower-body injury in Game 3 of the second round against the Edmonton Oilers, and Vegas rode Adin Hill for the rest of the spring."Definitely the way it shook out, it doesn't feel like that craving has been fully satisfied. Maybe partly, and it was a great experience," he said. "But it definitely made me hungrier to be a bigger part of another Stanley Cup win."Both Hill and Brossoit were pending unrestricted free agents heading into the summer. The Golden Knights inked Hill to a two-year, $9.8-million extension, while Brossoit reunited with Winnipeg on a one-year pact worth $1.75 million.Brossoit's hopes of forming a fearsome tandem with Hellebuyck may be in jeopardy, as the three-time Vezina Trophy finalist could be on the move this offseason.Hellebuyck has one season remaining on his current pact and has been eligible to sign an extension with Winnipeg since July 1, but he reportedly isn't interested in doing so. The New Jersey Devils apparently had a conversation with the Jets about his status.One of the top goaltenders in the league, Hellebuyck posted a .920 save percentage and 2.49 goals against average in 64 outings this past season.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

It's safe to say David Reinbacher was impressed by fellow defensive prospect Lane Hutson after the pair skated together at the Montreal Canadiens' development camp."You get the puck, skate it out a little bit, then you give it to him and just start watching," Reinbacher told The Canadian Press. "He's probably the next Cale Makar."Reinbacher was the fifth overall pick at last week's draft, joining Hutson near the top of Montreal's prospect pool. Hutson was a second-round pick in 2022, and he's coming off an impressive season in which he posted 48 points in 39 games with Boston University. He also represented the United States at the world juniors and World Championship.The 19-year-old is set for another campaign with the Terriers in 2023-24. Makar played two seasons at UMass before joining the Colorado Avalanche for the 2019 playoffs. He's since won a Calder Trophy, Norris Trophy, Stanley Cup, and Conn Smythe while racking up 246 points in 238 career regular season contests.Although he may have pinned some huge expectations on Hutson, Reinbacher is hopeful they can patrol the Canadiens' blue line together in the future."He's so good on the skates - he can do some crazy stuff on the ice," Reinbacher said. "I would love to play with him one day, make a pairing with him."He and me and all the other guys, I guess we have a long journey, a lot of work to do (before) we can play one day for Montreal."Reinbacher signed a three-year, entry-level contract with the Canadiens on Wednesday.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Hockey Canada has a new leader.The organization tabbed Katherine Henderson as its CEO and president Tuesday to succeed Scott Smith, who resigned in October.Henderson spent the last seven years as CEO of Curling Canada. She'll begin her new role with Hockey Canada on Sept. 4."Katherine has the track record and experience to lead the ongoing transformation of Hockey Canada," Hugh L. Fraser, the chair of Hockey Canada's board of directors, said."With her at the helm, we are confident that we will continue to take the steps necessary to ensure hockey is a safe and inclusive sport and that Hockey Canada benefits from best-in-class governance."Hockey Canada has been under intense scrutiny since last spring in the wake of two sexual assault scandals.A woman said eight unnamed CHL players - including members of the 2018 world junior team - assaulted her in June of that year following a Hockey Canada gala event in London, Ontario. She sued the organization and it settled the lawsuit in May 2022.Last July, Hockey Canada reported an alleged group sexual assault from 2003 involving members of that year's national junior team. The organization said it first heard of a rumor about "something bad at the 2003 world juniors" two weeks prior to reporting it.Hockey Canada then unveiled an action plan to address "systemic issues" and "toxic behavior" within the sport as a result of those allegations.The Canadian government froze the organization's federal funding in June 2022, and several longtime sponsors pulled their support from the organization. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau called for "wholesale change" within Hockey Canada in October.Smith and Hockey Canada's entire board of directors stepped down later in October.Hockey Canada introduced its new board of directors in December.During her time with Curling Canada, Henderson was credited with advocating for pay equity for the men's and women's teams, as well as orchestrating a financial turnaround for the organization's business model.Bauer Hockey announced it would reinstate its partnership with Hockey Canada shortly after news broke of Henderson's appointment, according to CBC's Devin Heroux. The company paused its equipment arrangement with the men's world junior team last year.The Canadian federal government restored Hockey Canada's funding in April.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Washington Capitals signed defenseman Martin Fehervary to a three-year contract with an average annual value of $2.675 million, the team announced Tuesday.Fehervary tallied six goals and 16 points in 67 games with the Capitals last season. He was a restricted free agent.The 23-year-old led Washington in hits with 217 and was tied for second on the team with 128 blocked shots. His 20:00 average ice time was a career high.Fehervary's contract pays him $3.4 million in total salary in the first season, according to CapFriendly. He'll receive a $1-million signing bonus each year of the deal.Based on the front-loaded nature of the deal and the amount of signing bonuses, Fehervary's qualifying offer in 2026 will only be $1.075 million.Henrik Borgstrom is the lone restricted free agent the Capitals have left, but the depth forward has already signed in Sweden for the 2023-24 campaign.Washington has $888,333 of cap space remaining, per CapFriendly. The Capitals have $21.7 million tied up on defense after the signing.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

With the NHL draft behind us and free agency well underway, we've passed the eye of the offseason storm.Although there are still some familiar names on the market - Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews come to mind - most of the notable free agents have found new homes.Now that a ton of roster shaping has taken place, it's time to start looking ahead to the 2023-24 campaign.Which teams are getting the most respect in the market? Which teams are heading for a year of pain? Let's take a closer look.TeamOddsColorado Avalanche+800Toronto Maple Leafs+800Edmonton Oilers+900New Jersey Devils+1000Carolina Hurricanes+1000Boston Bruins+1200Vegas Golden Knights+1200Tampa Bay Lightning+1600Dallas Stars+1600New York Rangers+1600Florida Panthers+2000Calgary Flames+2500Los Angeles Kings+2500Buffalo Sabres+3000Minnesota Wild+3000Pittsburgh Penguins+3000Ottawa Senators+4000Seattle Kraken+4000New York Islanders+5000Nashville Predators+6000Washington Capitals+6000St. Louis Blues+7500Vancouver Canucks+7500Winnipeg Jets+7500Columbus Blue Jackets+10000Detroit Red Wings+10000Chicago Blackhawks+15000Montreal Canadiens+20000Anaheim Ducks+25000Arizona Coyotes+25000Philadelphia Flyers+25000San Jose Sharks+25000The Avalanche once again find themselves favored to win the Stanley Cup, although the odds are longer than they were at open last year (+425). They've enjoyed a strong offseason to date, replacing J.T. Compher with a cheaper alternative in Ryan Johansen. Colorado pulled off a pair of savvy trades, essentially swapping Alex Newhook for Ross Colton and a first-round pick. The Avs made some noise in free agency as well, adding speed and depth scoring in Miles Wood while also rolling the dice on Jonathan Drouin - Nathan MacKinnon's junior hockey linemate - in hopes of adding cheap production. They look very dangerous once again.A revamped Maple Leafs squad finds itself on level pegging with the shortest odds. While the Maple Leafs seem set on keeping the Core Four together - at least if they can find a way to re-sign William Nylander - new general manager Brad Treliving sure changed the surrounding mix.He walked away from Ryan O'Reilly, Michael Bunting, and Alex Kerfoot, replacing them with gritty alternatives in Tyler Bertuzzi, Max Domi, and Ryan Reaves. He also let Justin Holl leave in free agency and signed puck-moving defenseman John Klingberg. Are the Maple Leafs better than a year ago? Worse? It's hard to tell - but they sure are different.The Edmonton Oilers find themselves third in the pecking order. They moved on from inconsistent depth forwards Kailer Yamamoto and Klim Kostin, intelligently reallocating the resources to snag Connor Brown. He missed most of last season due to injury but averaged 50 points per 82 games in the previous two seasons. Brown adds speed, scoring, and versatility to the Oilers' already strong forward core.Next up are a pair of Metropolitan Division teams: the Devils and Hurricanes. The former, in particular, are universally loved right now - and rightfully so. The Devils finished third in the league this past season and have retained all of their best young players. A full year with Timo Meier, newcomer Tyler Toffoli, and the promotion of top prospects Luke Hughes and (eventually) Simon Nemec can only benefit the club. The only question mark lies in goal.The Bruins and Golden Knights find themselves in the next price tier, just outside the top five.The Bruins will look a lot different in October. They let go of Bertuzzi, Taylor Hall, and Dmitry Orlov due to cap constraints. They're also still awaiting retirement decisions from Patrice Bergeron and David Krejci. The Bruins made some affordable depth adds - most notably James van Riemsdyk and Morgan Geekie - but they look worse on paper.Meanwhile, the Golden Knights seem poised for a strong defense of the Stanley Cup. They had to deal Reilly Smith to re-sign Ivan Barbashev, but the majority of the team remains intact.Moving further down the list, the Flames and Senators are Canada's next-best - albeit distant - hopes for the Stanley Cup. Unfortunately, neither team finds itself in a great spot.The Flames already moved on from Toffoli, and there are rumors Elias Lindholm, Mikael Backlund, and Noah Hanifin are unlikely to stay and perhaps looking to depart sooner rather than later. How new GM Craig Conroy navigates that largely determines how competitive the Flames will be next season.Meanwhile, the future of Alex DeBrincat looms large over the Senators. Will he have a change of heart and re-sign with Ottawa? What kind of return could he garner? How will trading DeBrincat help in the here and now? Suffice it to say, Pierre Dorion has his hands full.It'll be interesting to see how the next wave of activity impacts the market. We'll take a closer look before the puck drops in October.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.

Detroit Red Wings forward Filip Zadina cleared waivers Tuesday.Zadina scored three goals and seven points in 30 games with the Red Wings last season. The 23-year-old tallied a career-high 10 goals and 24 points in 74 contests over the previous campaign.The Czech native has two more seasons remaining on his contract with a $1.825-million cap hit. He'll be a restricted free agent in 2025 with a $2.19-million qualifying offer.Detroit selected Zadina sixth overall in the 2018 draft, one spot ahead of Vancouver Canucks defenseman Quinn Hughes. He was a star in the QMJHL with the Halifax Mooseheads and dazzled at the world juniors with Czechia in his draft year.However, Zadina failed to live up to the top-10 hype, registering just 28 goals and 68 points in 190 games with the Red Wings.Teams had a chance to place a claim on Zadina before Tuesday 2 p.m. ET in reverse order of the 2022-23 standings.The Red Wings have just under $10 million of cap space, per CapFriendly.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Travis Hamonic is sticking around in Ottawa.The Senators re-signed the unrestricted free-agent defenseman to a two-year extension with an average annual value of $1.1 million, the team announced Tuesday.His deal includes a no-move clause, reports Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman."Travis is a key component of our group," Senators general manager Pierre Dorion said in a statement. "He routinely sets a good example for our younger players with (his) work ethic and accountability, his fearlessness, and with a determination level that he seems to exceed each time he steps on the ice."He's a leader with strong character and someone we're very pleased to see returning."Hamonic chipped in with six goals and 15 assists in 75 contests with the Senators this past season, his first full campaign in Canada's capital. He was free to hit the open market this summer after playing out the final campaign of a two-year, $6-million pact.The 33-year-old spent the bulk of his time on a pairing with rookie Jake Sanderson in 2022-23. Hamonic saw 18:34 minutes of ice time per contest and was key to the Senators' penalty kill, playing 3:16 shorthanded minutes every game.Ottawa acquired Hamonic's services from the Vancouver Canucks prior to the 2022 trade deadline in exchange for a third-round pick. Selected by the New York Islanders in the second round of the 2008 draft, Hamonic has 229 points in 793 career NHL games.The Senators now have $9.17 million in cap space after signing Hamonic with two restricted free agents - Alex DeBrincat and Shane Pinto - left on their books.DeBrincat is expected to be traded this offseason after he informed the Senators that he isn't interested in signing a long-term extension with the squad.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Alex DeBrincat's agent, Jeff Jackson, says there's no truth to a report that his client's contract demands are holding up a trade from the Ottawa Senators.Jackson told The Athletic's Ian Mendes the claim is "entirely false and without merit."DeBrincat is a restricted free agent and is widely expected to be traded this offseason after telling the Senators he isn't interested in signing a long-term extension to remain in Ottawa. General manager Pierre Dorion said recently a sign-and-trade to get max value for the two-time 40-goal scorer would be ideal, but a move doesn't appear to be close."As far as I have been advised, there has been no agreement of any kind on an actual trade involving Alex, and I would require that before entering into an actual negotiation," Jackson said. "We are waiting patiently for that to happen."He added: "Agents and players don't make trades. ... That's the GM's job."TSN's Darren Dreger said he believes the forward's camp is looking for a deal similar to Timo Meier's extension with the New Jersey Devils, but interested teams think DeBrincat's value is closer to that of Jesper Bratt. Meier inked an eight-year pact with an average annual value of $8.8 million, while Bratt signed an eight-year contract with a cap hit of $7.875 million.The Senators filed for arbitration with DeBrincat in June. If a trade doesn't materialize, the two sides could agree on a short-term contract. Ottawa has approximately $9.17 million in cap space, according to CapFriendly.DeBrincat is eligible for unrestricted free agency in the summer of 2024 if he signs for one year.Ottawa acquired DeBrincat from the Chicago Blackhawks at the 2022 draft for the seventh and 39th overall picks, as well as a 2024 third-round selection. The 25-year-old recorded 27 goals and 39 assists across 82 games this past season.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

With free agency underway, here's a list of the best players still available.Forwards Rich Graessle / National Hockey League / Getty

Brad Treliving's vision for the Maple Leafs arguably became clearer one day after free agency opened, with Toronto's new general manager signing gritty forwards Tyler Bertuzzi and Max Domi to one-year deals."There's a DNA in them that we need, a little more snot to our game," the executive said Monday, according to the Toronto Sun's Lance Hornby."I feel better about our team (than after July 1). We were cognizant about trying to replace some offense, but there are also specific skill sets we're looking for."The Maple Leafs lost some snarl in free agency, with defenseman Luke Schenn and forward Noel Acciari departing for the Nashville Predators and Pittsburgh Penguins, respectively. Schenn led the entire league with 318 hits in 70 games this past campaign, while Acciari placed among the top 10 forwards with 244 hits during the regular season.Acciari took his physical game up a notch in the playoffs, ranking fourth among all skaters with 78 hits in 11 games. The three players ahead of him - Keegan Kolesar, Sam Bennett, and Radko Gudas - all skated in at least 20 contests and appeared in the Stanley Cup Final.Bertuzzi and Domi are also accustomed to physicality - the former threw 54 hits in 50 games in 2022-23, while the latter amassed 82 penalty minutes in 80 contests. However, both come with more offensive upside that will fit the Leafs' profile well."The game never changes," Treliving said. "We need players, and they need to be able to play at the most important times when the rink shrinks and you need courage. ... You can't just have players with piss and vinegar if they can't play."Domi eclipsed the 20-goal mark for the second time in his career this campaign while playing for the Chicago Blackhawks and Dallas Stars. Two hand injuries hampered Bertuzzi during the regular season, but he came alive in his first taste of playoff action, putting up five goals and five assists in seven contests with the Boston Bruins.Toronto also added prolific enforcer Ryan Reaves to its ranks Saturday.The Maple Leafs are $8.8 million over the $83.5-million cap with one restricted free agent - goalie Ilya Samsonov - on their books, per CapFriendly. Toronto can get just over $5.6 million in relief by placing defenseman Jake Muzzin on long-term injured reserve.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Jonathan Drouin is optimistic that signing with the Colorado Avalanche is what he needs to resurrect his career.Drouin joined the Central Division powerhouse on a one-year, $825,000 contract when free agency opened July 1, putting an end to an underwhelming six-year tenure with the Montreal Canadiens."I think I needed a fresh start," Drouin said, per Evan Rawal of Colorado Hockey Now. "Obviously, there was a lot of ups and downs in my six years in Montreal, so I'm super excited to get a fresh start somewhere new. It's a great team, and it's been a great team for a lot of years, so I'm just going to try to help them any way I can, and try to find my game again. I know it's there, it's just a matter of confidence."Drouin was traded to the Canadiens in 2017 for Mikhail Sergachev. His stint in his home province was encouraging to begin with, but on- and off-ice issues derailed his trajectory as an up-and-coming star. On top of injuries, Drouin revealed he was dealing with insomnia and anxiety severe enough to keep him out of the lineup during Montreal's run to the Stanley Cup Final in 2021.The 28-year-old winger said reuniting with Nathan MacKinnon was a key reason in signing with Colorado. The pair were junior teammates for the QMJHL's Halifax Mooseheads and won the Memorial Cup together in 2013 before both going top three in that year's NHL draft."We definitely were texting quite a bit in the past couple of weeks," Drouin said. "Obviously, I've known Nate for quite a while now. To get a text from him at this time of my career was something I was looking forward to."Avalanche general manager Chris McFarland believes Drouin should mesh well with Colorado's high-octane attack."I believe Drouin's skillset will definitely play well with our other skilled players," he noted.Drouin notched two goals and 27 assists in 58 games this past season while averaging nearly 15 minutes per contest.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Toronto Maple Leafs are looking to shed the final season of goaltender Matt Murray's contract for salary cap relief, Chris Johnston of NorthStar Bets reports.Murray is on Toronto's books for $4.6 million in 2023-24 before he hits unrestricted free agency next summer. The Maple Leafs' preferred route is a trade, per Johnston, but the club may also be able to use the league's second buyout window later this summer if a deal doesn't come to fruition.Teams that have any player go to arbitration are granted an additional buyout window after the final hearing. Goaltender Ilya Samsonov is currently unsigned as a restricted free agent and may need to use a third party to get a contract done.Since the Ottawa Senators retained 25% of Murray's salary when they traded him to Toronto, a buyout would have financial implications for both teams. Here's a breakdown, courtesy of Cap Friendly.SeasonBase salaryBuyout costCap hit (TOR)Cap hit (OTT)2023-24$8M$2.66M$687K$229K2024-25$0$2.66M$2M$666KThe Maple Leafs are currently $8.8 million over the $83.5-million cap after a busy start to free agency that saw the club bring in Tyler Bertuzzi, Max Domi, John Klingberg, and Ryan Reaves. Toronto can get $5.625 million in relief by placing Jake Muzzin on long-term injured reserve but still needs to rid itself of approximately $3.2 million.Murray's contract includes a 10-team no-trade clause.The 29-year-old's debut season in Toronto was marred by multiple lengthy injury absences. Murray went 14-8-2 in 26 appearances, posting a .903 save percentage and 3.01 goals against average.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Montreal Canadiens signed forward Rafael Harvey-Pinard to a two-year contract with an average annual value of $1.1 million, the team announced Monday.Harvey-Pinard scored 14 goals and 20 points in 34 games with the Canadiens last season as a rookie. He was a restricted free agent.The Saguenay, Quebec, native made his season debut with Montreal on Jan. 17. Harvey-Pinard led all rookies in goals after this date. He was awarded the Canadiens' Molson Cup in March.Prior to being recalled by Montreal, Harvey-Pinard tallied 16 goals and 31 points in 40 contests with the AHL's Laval Rocket.The 24-year-old doesn't require waivers to be sent down in the fall, and his new cap hit can be completely buried in the AHL. He'll be a restricted free agent on the expiration of his new contract and will require a $1-million qualifying offer in 2025.The Canadiens have just under $10 million of space after the signing, per CapFriendly. This projection includes Carey Price's $10.5-million cap hit on long-term injured reserve.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Philadelphia Flyers signed defenseman Marc Staal to a one-year deal worth $1.1 million, the team announced Monday.Staal played all 82 regular-season and 21 playoff games with the Florida Panthers this year. He tallied three goals and 15 points before failing to get on the scoresheet in the postseason.The 36-year-old signed a one-year contract with a $750,000 salary - the league minimum - in Florida last July.Staal has also played for the New York Rangers and Detroit Red Wings in his 1,101-game NHL career, collecting 52 goals and 229 points in that span. He played under the Flyers' current head coach, John Tortorella, from 2008-13 in New York.Philadelphia has $11.7 million of cap space after the signing, per CapFriendly. This projection includes Ryan Ellis' $6.25-million cap hit on long-term injured reserve.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Toronto Maple Leafs added more grit and scoring to their lineup, signing forward Max Domi to a one-year, $3-million agreement, the team announced Monday.It's the second splash on Day 2 of free agency for Toronto, which also added Tyler Bertuzzi on a one-year, $5.5-million contract.Domi recorded 20 goals and 36 assists in 80 games between the Chicago Blackhawks and Dallas Stars last season. He added 13 points in 19 postseason games during an impressive playoff run with the Stars.The 28-year-old was born in Manitoba but grew up in Toronto while his father, Tie - a beloved fan favorite - was playing for the Leafs.While Domi isn't a true enforcer like his father, he certainly isn't afraid to drop the gloves or mix things up physically, as he recorded 82 penalty minutes last season. The toughness may be a welcome addition to the Leafs' lineup, but he's proved to be a defensive liability. Here's a look at his underlying numbers over the past three campaigns. Evolving-HockeyHe's capable of playing center but is best suited to the wing due to his defensive struggles. His best asset is his playmaking.