Well done, Maple Leafs.As part of Toronto's centennial season celebrations, the club's creating new banners to replace those that hang in the rafters at the Air Canada Centre, of players who've had their numbers honored.On Wednesday, with The Tragically Hip in town, one of those banners was back in its usual spot - Bill Barilko's.

It's been almost 18 years since Felix Potvin played goal for the Toronto Maple Leafs, but his legacy is strong.Antoine Bibeau, a 22-year-old goaltending prospect drafted in the sixth round by Toronto in 2013, is doing his part to make sure Potvin - who was in the crease during two remarkable playoff runs in 1993 and 1994 - is never forgotten.Check out Bibeau's new mask, which pays tribute to a fellow goalie from Quebec:(Courtesy: @zonorange)Bibeau had a .909 save percentage with the AHL's Toronto Marlies last season, and will be back with the farm team in 2016-17.Potvin burst onto the scene in 1993, finishing as a Calder Trophy finalist and taking over in the crease after Toronto dealt veteran Grant Fuhr to the Buffalo Sabres in a trade that netted the club Dave Andreychuk.Known affectionately as "The Cat," Potvin's best years came in Toronto. He spent eight seasons in blue and white, winning 160 games and finishing with a .908 save percentage. The mark was the highest of his career, which saw him play in Los Angeles, Long Island, Vancouver, and Boston.- With h/t to SportsnetCopyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Zach Parise can't wait to put on American colors. Especially after the way his season ended in the spring.A lower-back injury cost the Minnesota Wild winger his chance to play in the Stanley Cup playoffs, but he's on the mend and looking forward to taking the ice in Toronto at the World Cup in September."I feel like I'll be fine to play," Parise told NHL.com's Tom Gulitti. The veteran will get the final word from doctors before he heads north, but he isn't harboring doubts about his availability.Parise called the opportunity to play for the U.S. "special.""I hate saying it," the 32-year-old added, "but especially where I am in my career as it's going by, you just don't know how many opportunities again you're going to get."Parise had 25 goals and 28 assists in 70 games in 2015-16. His next regular-season goal will be No. 300 in his career. Injuries were the story in 2016, though. He played through leg issues before his back forced him out of the Wild lineup. He watched as his club lost in six games in the first round to the Dallas Stars.The Minneapolis native called his injury troubles "scary," and while he didn't have surgery, intense physical therapy has led to progress. He's skating and hopes to be "back to normal" before leaving for Toronto.The World Cup begins Sept. 17, with American training camp opening up Sept. 4.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

James Wisniewski is getting a second chance.The free-agent defenseman has signed a professional tryout contract with the Tampa Bay Lightning, according to James Mirtle of the Globe and Mail.The 32-year-old played just 47 seconds in his first game in his lone campaign with the Carolina Hurricanes after suffering a severe knee injury that required season-ending surgery.While he has not seen action in nearly a year, prior to last season, Wisniewski split time with the Columbus Blue Jackets and Anaheim Ducks and hit a career high of eight goals in 69 games. During the 2013-14 season, Wisniewski managed a career-best 51 points in 75 games.With just six defensemen under contract heading into next season and Nikita Nesterov still without a contract, Wisniewski could prove to be a valuable depth option for the Lightning.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Age will not be a factor when John Chayka picks the Arizona Coyotes' roster next season.The 27-year-old general manager is entering his first NHL campaign, and has the luxury of one of the deepest prospect pools in the league, which he plans to utilize during training camp in September.Among the prospects knocking on the Coyotes' door are 2015 third overall pick Dylan Strome, who claims to be done with junior, and Christian Dvorak, the 20-year-old center coming off a 121-point season with the Memorial Cup champion London Knights.Of all things Chayka will consider when piecing together his final roster, age won't matter, as he aims to ice a team of the best players at his disposal."We're not going around looking at birth certificates making decisions," Chayka told Nicholas Cotsonika of NHL.com. "If they're ready to play, they're ready to play."Other prominent prospects in the Coyotes' system include 2016 seventh overall pick Clayton Keller, 2014 first-round pick Brendan Perlini, 2015 first-rounder Nick Merkley, and defenseman Jakob Chychrun, taken 16th overall in in this year's entry draft.While Chayka is willing to give the youngsters a shot, he understands the balance between asset management and rushing a player into the pros."We put ourselves in a good position with a good group of young players, and you don't want to rush anything," Chayka said. "You want to do it right."Chayka, whose made a massive splash in his first three months on the job through drafting, signings, and trades, appears to have Arizona fast-tracking to sustainable success.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Hockey, it's just around the corner.The NHL announced its full 2016 preseason schedule on Wednesday, which will begin Sept. 25 when the St. Louis Blues play a pair of split-squad games versus the Columbus Blue Jackets.Afterward, the 106-game schedule features plenty of new venues, including T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, where the Los Angeles Kings will take on the Dallas Stars and Colorado Avalanche Oct. 7 and 8 respectively.Elsewhere, the Edmonton Oilers will officially begin their first season at the swanky new Rogers Arena against the Calgary Flames Sept. 26, while on the same day, the Toronto Maple Leafs face off against the Ottawa Senators in Halifax, Nova Scotia.The regular season gets underway Oct. 12.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The San Jose Sharks have a new look, kind of.The club unveiled three new secondary logos to be used for merchandise and promotions, while the current logos and jerseys will remain the same.

Two months after competing for the Stanley Cup with the San Jose Sharks, forward Nick Spaling is heading to Switzerland, signing with Geneve Servette on a one-year contract, according to Swisshockeynews.ch, backed by the team's official website.The 27-year-old was drafted in the second round by the Nashville Predators in 2007, and spent last season with the Toronto Maple Leafs prior to being dealt to San Jose before the trade deadline.Spaling recorded 13 points in 58 games between the two clubs last year, and suited up in all 24 of the Sharks' playoff contests.He joins former NHLers Mike Santorelli and Jim Slater on a Geneve team that finished in third place in National League A in 2015-16 - the top tier of the Swiss national ice hockey league.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

As of right now, the 2018 Olympics in Pyeongchang are not on Gary Bettman's mind.The NHL commissioner was at Busch Stadium on Tuesday to discuss January's Winter Classic between the St. Louis Blues and Chicago Blackhawks, but touched on other topics during his press conference.One of the focal points was whether there's been any progress regarding NHLers participating in South Korea, and according to Bettman, there hasn't."We probably won't get to it in terms of serious discussions one way or another with players' association and the IIHF and the IOC until winter. It's not on the front burner right now," Bettman said, according to Chris Kuc of the Chicago Tribune.Ahead of the start of the Stanley Cup Final in May, Bettman said NHL teams likely aren't interested in interrupting the regular-season schedule, adding that the financial situation is the biggest hurdle to get the players to the games.If the multiple parties are unable to reach a deal, it would mark the first time since the Nagano games in 1998 that NHL players won't participate.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

In this case, it was about the destination.Former NHLer Ray Whitney finally made it to the Olympics - but he isn't playing, and these aren't the Winter Games. The point is, though, he made it, albeit in unconventional fashionWhitney is serving as Canadian golfer Graham DeLaet's caddy at Rio 2016, writes The News Observer's Luke DeCock, after DaLaet's caddy - recently married - turned down his invitation over concerns about the Zika virus."I mean, it's not how I thought I'd get to the Olympics," Whitney said. But he's in Rio now, and trying to enjoy the experience. He knows what he's there for."(DeLaet) knows I know how to play the game. He's going to read his own putts. But I can talk strategy with him, keep him loose. It's no different than when I was in the locker room, trying to keep Roddie (Brind'Amour) loose."While Whitney always dreamed of playing hockey for Canada at the Olympics, he knew the odds were slim, writes DeCock, despite a career that saw him record an impressive 1,064 points.DeLaet and Whitney - now a scout with the Carolina Hurricanes - play golf against each other in Arizona, where they both live, and DeLaet was impressed with Whitney's game."I wanted a Canadian with me, and I was kind of running through the names and thought it would be a lot of fun. He's a guy who's got experience winning, a real positive guy who likes to have a lot of fun," DeLaet said. "That's really what I was looking for as a rent-a-caddy for the week."Ray Whitney: A rent-a-caddy with a Stanley Cup ring and, just maybe, an Olympic medal. That'd be something.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Nothing will stop Jack Johnson from representing the United States at the upcoming World Cup of Hockey.The Columbus Blue Jackets defender saw last season cut short after undergoing shoulder surgery in March, but offseason rehab has nursed him to perfect health ahead of the World Cup."I've got my family at home, so I spend a lot of time at home with my wife and my little girl. And then just training and rehab to get my shoulder back to 100 percent, which it is now, so I put in a lot of time on that," Johnson told Andy Brown of BlueJackets.com. "Right now I've got about a month left before World Cup of Hockey, so just making sure I'm in shape for that."While he's never played in this event, Johnson has represented his country on numerous occasions - most recently as U.S. captain at the 2012 World Championship - and admits the the thrill of wearing his country's colors never wears off."I don't think it's ever routine, I've been very fortunate playing a lot of tournaments for the United States," said Johnson. "This was the one tournament that I haven't played in yet, so I'm really cherishing this opportunity."There's absolutely nothing routine about it, whenever you get a chance to represent the United States it could be your last, so you try to cherish it, and make it count."Johnson will compete on the American blue line alongside Dustin Byfuglien, John Carlson, Erik Johnson, Ryan McDonagh, Matt Niskanen, and Ryan Suter this September.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

It was 28 years ago, a Tuesday in the summer, much like this one.Aug. 9, 1988: The day the Edmonton Oilers traded Wayne Gretzky, "The Great One," to the Los Angeles Kings. Nothing was the same.Here's how the trade would have played out on Twitter, had the world been lucky enough for the social media platform to exist back then.TSN's Bob McKenzie would have broken the deal. He's the Insider Godfather, after all.

The Los Angeles Kings' top six will look a little different this season.The club watched Milan Lucic sign a monstrous seven-year, $42-million contract with the Edmonton Oilers, leaving a large gap up front that forward Tyler Toffoli admits won't be easy to fill."It's tough," Toffoli said, according to NHL.com's Curtis Zupke. "He's a great player, a great guy to have in the room. But he's moved on and we're going to have to play against him and play hard against him."Toffoli spent a large portion of last season playing alongside Lucic, and can thank the newest Oiler for much of his success.The 24-year-old set career highs in both goals and points with 31 and 58, respectively, and Lucic had a hand in 18 of his 58 points.With no big-time additions during the offseason, the offense will have to be replaced from within.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

While the move to sign Alexander Radulov may have perturbed much of the Montreal Canadiens faithful, it is one that could pay off if given the chance.The club inked the Russian forward to a one-year, $5.75-million contract on July 1, and while it appears to be a risk - given Radulov's questionable history - captain Max Pacioretty feels the Canadiens have an extreme talent on their hands, an opinion that was satisfied after watching a few YouTube clips."He could be one of the top-5 skilled players in the world right now," Pacioretty told reporters at Michel Therrien's charity golf tournament on Tuesday. "That's a guy as soon as we signed him I looked at his highlights on YouTube and I got goosebumps because this guy is one of the most skilled players in the world, and I'm really excited to play with him."Heading into next season, Pacioretty feels the Canadiens could be underestimated, especially after their porous 13th place finish in the Eastern Conference last year. He feels that the team's opening day roster will be no pushover."I think we can go into this year and fly under the radar a little bit because of the year we had last year, but you pull up our roster and we really like the team we are about to ice," said Pacioretty. "We addressed areas that needed to be addressed. Our power play wasn't good enough last year and we need to score more goals."Shea (Weber) scores goals and Shawsy's (Andrew Shaw) really tough to play against, and that's an area we really need to get better at, and Radulov can help out in all departments as well."Radulov has spent the past eight seasons in the KHL where he has captured the Golden Stick Award as the league's MVP three times.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

As the world turned its attention to Michael Phelps during the 200M butterfly semifinals Monday night, the 19-time gold medalist revealed his game face, and the internet jumped all over it.While meme enthusiasts rejoiced, Chicago Blackhawks center Jonathan Toews - appropriately nicknamed Captain Serious - also got in on the fun.

On Jan. 2, Busch Stadium will transform from a diamond to a rink, as the St. Louis Blues host the Chicago Blackhawks in the ninth running of the NHL's Winter Classic.NHL commissioner Gary Bettman, along with executives from both teams, gathered at the home of the St. Louis Cardinals on Tuesday to discuss the game. Bettman said he's thrilled to be hosting the event in a rapidly growing market."What better way to celebrate 100 years of NHL hockey than playing in the shadow of the Gateway Arch," Bettman said, according to NHL.com. "At the same time we will be able to spotlight the incredible growth of hockey in St. Louis. There will be plenty of history to commemorate and lots of excitement to anticipate."The Blues are coming off their most successful season in recent memory, advancing to the conference finals for the first time in 15 years.What's more, five St. Louis natives were taken in the first round of this year's draft.PlayerTeamOverall pickMatthew TkachukCalgary Flames5thClayton KellerArizona Coyotes7thLogan BrownOttawa Senators11thLuke KuninMinnesota Wild15thTrent FredericBoston Bruins28thThe football team may have left town, but hockey is alive and well in The Gateway City.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Shea Weber has some big shoes - or skates, rather - to fill in the eyes of many Montreal Canadiens fans as he replaces P.K. Subban on the blue line.Weber is a seasoned veteran, amassing 11 seasons in the NHL with three Norris Trophy nominations and two Olympic gold medals to his name. While the wound of Subban's trade to Nashville may be fresh for fans, Weber's new teammates are happy to have joined forces.Goaltender Carey Price, a fellow British Columbia native and Sochi teammate to Weber, is no exception."I've known him for a few years now, and he's a very strong character guy. He's going to bring a lot to our hockey team," Price told TSN, according to NHL.com. "I'm definitely happy to have a guy like that in front of me. Like I said, he's a big presence on the ice and off the ice. He makes it difficult to play against every night, and I'm looking forward to seeing him in front of me, that's for sure."While Montreal is more of a hockey hotbed than the Music City, Brendan Gallagher doesn't see Weber having trouble adjusting to the pressure of playing in La Belle Province."I don't think Shea Weber will have any problems adjusting (to Montreal)," Gallagher told Steve Ewen of The Province. "He's experienced enough. He's been in the league for a long enough time. He's played in big playoff games. He's played in gold-medal finals. I don't think there's any more pressure than putting on the Team Canada jersey for an Olympic gold-medal game. He understands how to deal with that. I think he'll be just fine."Another big offseason acquisition, forward Andrew Shaw, is well acquainted with Weber after years playing in the same division while Shaw was with the Chicago Blackhawks. He thinks Weber will quickly win fans over."They're going to love him," Shaw told media Tuesday.After all, Shaw would know it's better to play with him than against him.

The San Jose Sharks are incorporating Brent Burns' signature toothless smile into their fan giveaways for next season.All fans in attendance for the Sharks' March 12 game against the Dallas Stars will receive their own Brent Burns "grill."(Courtesy: Reddit user mk712)That's not the only promotion the Sharks have planned. They'll also be giving away Sharks/Star Wars mashup T-shirts and a Chia "Jumbo" Joe Thornton.

A new season brings the chance for redemption.Heading into the 2016-17 campaign, several players are hoping they can right the wrongs of last season.Many of the the game's stars took steps back last season after a 2014-15 campaign that ranked them among the league's best.With that, here are five players who will be looking to rebound this upcoming season:Nick FolignoAfter having a career year during the 2014-15 campaign, Nick Foligno's play took a drastic step back.Following a stellar 31-goal, 73-point - in 79 games - year, Foligno managed nearly half that this past season with just 12 goals and 37 points in 72 games.To make matters worse, the Blue Jackets inked their captain to a six-year, $33-million contract midway through his career season.If he wants to avoid a possible buyout down the road, Foligno has no choice but to bounce back with a better effort starting this fall.Jakub VoracekFor a large part of the 2014-15 season, it was Jakub Voracek who paced the league in scoring.He ultimately tailed off, but still finished fourth overall with 81 points in 82 games.One year later and Voracek failed to relive his career year, finishing with just 55 points in 73 games. He scored half as many goals, netting a mere 11, while managing just a single goal with the extra-man - 10 fewer than the season prior.The 26-year-old saw his shooting percent drop from 10 percent to 5.2, all while the Flyers manged to secure a postseason berth after failing to qualify the previous year.Much like Foligno, Voracek signed an eight-year, $66-million contract following his career season. So if he wants to live up to it and aid the Flyers in another postseason run he will need to get it together.Rick NashRick Nash's drop in goals from the 2015 season to the 2016 year was larger than the total number of goals most players managed last season.After scoring a career-best 42 goals during the 2014-15 season, while adding another 27 assists in 79 games, Nash tallied a career-worst 15 goals - 27 fewer than the year prior - for 36 points in 60 games this past season.While Nash did play fewer games, he was still only on pace to hit 19 goals and 47 points in 79 games (what he played the season prior).Nash will make $8 million and $8.2 million the next two seasons. It is unacceptable for a player making that amount of coin to produce fewer than 40 points.Tyler JohnsonTyler Johnson didn't start producing like we expect him to until the regular season concluded this past season.After matching Steven Stamkos for a team-high 72 points - 29 of those goals - during the 2015 season, Johnson put up just 38 points in 69 games this past season.Don't get too hung up on it though, as he rebounded in the postseason with 17 points in 17 games. Lightning fans shouldn't worry about Johnson going forward, but with that being said, more consistent production would surely help going forward.Pekka RinneIt's hard to imagine just how dominant the Nashville Predators could have been last season if they had received some elite goaltending.The club finished with the first wild-card spot in the Western Conference with 96 points, while giving up the fewest shots per game at just 27.3 per contests. However, they still gave up the 17th most goals against.Pekka Rinne can be attributed to much of this as the 33-year-old put up a save percentage of .908 and a 2.48 GAA, good enough for 45th and 27th, respectively, among goalies with at least 20 games played last season.Rinne constructed a fantastic stat line during the 2014-15 campaign with a .923 save percentage and a 2.18 GAA. The Predators would benefit greatly if he could get back to these types of numbers next season, especially now that the rugged Shea Weber will no longer patrol the ice in front of him.Honorable MentionsRyan JohansenNot since his 40-game debut in the league has Ryan Johansen put up fewer goals than he did this season. After collecting two straight 20-plus-goal seasons, he put up just 14 in 80 games split between the Blue Jackets and the Predators.He saw an 11-point decline in points, which can be attributed to his rough start in Columbus to start the year. The Predators have a talented center on their hands in Johansen, he just needs to get back to scoring like he's shown he can.Sergei BobrovskyAfter posting a record of 30-17-3 and an admirable .918 save percentage and 2.69 GAA, Sergei Bobrovsky saw his numbers dip while only managing 15 wins in 37 games this past season.Two years removed from a Vezina Trophy win, Bobrovsky must be better if the Blue Jackets hope to take advantage of a roster that is at least strong on paper.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Dallas Stars are here to stay, according to Tyler Seguin.After pacing the Western Conference with 109 points and reaching the second round of the playoffs for the first time in nine years, Seguin feels the club is trending in the right direction, with their best years still to come."(It's a) young man’s game now. I'm starting to feel a little bit old turning 25 with all of these changes, but I think our team has been great the last couple years," Seguin said, according to Mark Stepneski of the Inside Edge. "Our window just opened, and I think every team's got kind of that window that opens where you can win a championship, so that part's exciting. Getting a veteran guy like (Dan) Hamhuis, it makes you even more excited for the season to start."Prior to last season, the Stars made the playoffs just once dating back to the 2008-09 season, when they were knocked off by the Anaheim Ducks in six games in 2013-14.Now with a stronger nucleus of players - including the addition of Hamhuis - and a better taste of the playoffs, Seguin feels the club is extra hungry to get back and build on its recent playoff appearances."You can talk about playoffs all you want, but until you win a game, until you lose a game, until you win a series, until you lose a series, you don't know that taste and what it's like," said Seguin. "That’' the kind of stuff that drives you, gaining that experience. Obviously, a couple years ago we made the playoffs, but when you look at our team, this was the first real run a lot of guys have had, so that's good for us and something we want to build on."Time will tell if this Stars club will be able to replicate its 1999-00 predecessors who captured the club's lone Stanley Cup.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Las Vegas' unnamed NHL franchise has its first director of hockey operations.The club announced Monday the hiring of Misha Donskov, who joins the franchise after a stint with Hockey Canada.

Who says the offseason can't be exciting?This July 1 saw over $600 million spent on free agents with nearly all the expected names plucked off the board. Of course, while many teams were able to load up and improve their rosters by opening up their checkbooks, the fact remains that not every signing was a slam dunk.Some deals could very well handcuff certain teams, especially with cap room being such an important commodity. Here are the three worst signings we have seen this offseason.Darren HelmIn the hours leading up to the free agent frenzy, the Detroit Red Wings made one of the biggest splashes of July 1.The club inked Darren Helm to a five-year, $19.25-million contract, for reasons not entirely known.Helm is coming off a four-year, $8.5-million deal, and after never managing more than 15 goals and 33 points - which he collected during the 2014-15 campaign - the Red Wings rewarded Helm with a significant raise.Helm finished 10th in team scoring, managed just a 51.94 Corsi-For, and contributed no points on the club's special teams. Factor in that Helm is 29 years of age and it's difficult to understand exactly why the team would commit so many years to a player whose best days are likely behind him.Matt MartinWhile the contract might not necessarily break the bank, the fact of the matter is the Toronto Maple Leafs have committed $10 million over four years to a player who will likely feature on the fourth line.Of course you won't find more truculence and toughness than in Matt Martin. The 27-year-old has led the league in hits every year since the 2011-12 season.Unlike Maple Leafs enforcers of the past, Martin does have an offensive side, even if just slight. He set a career-high in goals (10) and points (19) with the New York Islanders last season.The Maple Leafs could use a tough customer at their disposal with a number of skillful rookies expected to enter the lineup quickly, but $10 million over four years just might be a bit much to pay for such a player.David BackesThe Boston Bruins certainly took a risk on July 1 inking David Backes to a five-year, $30-million contract.The 32-year-old is coming off his worst statistical season since 2012-13. He managed just 21 goals and 45 points in 79 games, a 13-point decline from the year prior, but still managed to score a pay bump.The contract is front-loaded and will pay Backes $8 million the first two years, meaning he will be making $3.25 million more than he did last season.Backes' age isn't helping his case either. The contract, after all, will conclude after he turns 38 years old, if he's even still playing by then.Backes certainly fits the Bruins' mold as a strong and skilled power forward, but with his best days behind him and a steep bill, the Bruins might regret this July 1 signing.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

A massive brawl resulted in a KHL exhibition game being called Monday.Damir Ryspayev got things started with a cheap shot on Tomas Marcinko, and then proceeded to go after any player on HC Kunlan Red Star, a Chinese club that joined the KHL this season.Ryspayev attacked players on the Kunlan bench, too, and the referees were completely unable to control the situation.Marcinko was sent to hospital, according to Szymon Szemberg, managing director of the Alliance of European Hockey Clubs.Ryspayev has spent his career playing in Kazakhstan and the KHL, and has one professional goal to his name. The KHL announced his suspension for the remainder of the preseason, according to Aivis Kalnins.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

There he is: Not P.K. Subban.Shea Weber's in Montreal on Monday and the Canadiens are showing their newest acquisition off on Twitter.

Sidney Crosby's having a busy summer, but make no mistake: he still has time for his friends. Especially Pascal Dupuis.Dupuis, of course, retired in December after dealing with blood clots, but he remained an integral part of the Pittsburgh Penguins on their march to the Stanley Cup.The 37-year-old had his day with the Cup over the weekend, and while he called winning it as a spectator "bittersweet," according to NHL.com's Sean Farrell, Crosby made sure to remind Dupuis of the crucial role he played on the team."You get the Cup, you want to celebrate," Dupuis said. "But at the same time I got a gift by the mail. Basically, it's a book of all the pictures of all the good stuff we went through. It came from Nova Scotia, so you guys can figure out who it came from, but (Crosby) couldn't give it to me during the season, he saw me skating a little bit."And he sent it (Saturday), before my day with the Cup, so he knew what he was going to get me right (in the heart)."What a captain, that Crosby."This one is certainly different," Dupuis added. "The first, you win one with the team we had in 2009 and we thought we would repeat and repeat, but you see how hard it is to win this trophy. And with everything that has happened to me since 2009, that I had to stop playing, this one has a different taste to it."A good taste, still, to be sure.Dupuis celebrated his day with Stanley by sharing it with family and friends. His kids ate cereal out of it and the Cup ended up in each youngster's bed, too.Let's face it, there's little better to wake up next to.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Dallas Stars defenseman Jamie Oleksiak is one proud big brother.Oleksiak was rendered nearly speechless on Sunday night after his 16-year-old sister, Penny Oleksiak, captured the silver medal for Canada in the women's 100m butterfly at the summer games in Rio.

Daniel Carr is hoping to cement a permanent spot with the Montreal Canadiens, following his first taste of the NHL in 2015-16.After four years playing at Union College and a season-and-a-half in the AHL, Carr scored a call-up from the Canadiens last season, a stint he believes paid huge dividends in his development."I learned that if given the chance, I can compete there," Carr told Matt Cudzinowski of canadiens.com "That was the biggest thing, knowing that and coming into the summer making sure to give myself the biggest chance to get back there this year. There’s nothing quite like skating onto the ice at the Bell Centre, so you want to give yourself the best chance to get back to it."Carr enjoyed a solid NHL debut, contributing six goals and nine points in 23 games. He held the third-highest shooting percentage on the team and ranked third in goals-per-60-minutes among Canadiens with at least 200 played, besting the likes of P.K. Subban, Max Pacioretty, and Tomas Plekanec.Carr is hoping factors that previously made him a successful scorer - including three 20-goal campaigns in college - will make him a valuable asset to the Canadiens."That’s my game, being strong on the puck down low, beating guys off the wall to the net, and making little plays in tight to score goals. The better you get at that, the more chances you’re going to get," Carr said. "Last year, I think I started to learn the details of the NHL game, and I learned what I have to do to be effective at both ends of the rink. It was good going into the summer knowing the parts of my game I had to improve to be there all season long."Carr should enter training camp as one of Montreal's few left-wing options with NHL experience, giving him an increased chance at solidifying a full-time roster spot.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Pittsburgh Penguins goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury is thrilled to have etched his name on the Stanley Cup for a second time, but he's hoping to play a greater role in team success next season.The 31-year-old is heading into his 13th season with the Penguins, and he's ready to regain his role as full-time starter after losing the job to rookie Matt Murray, and rumors this offseason of a potential trade."I love Pittsburgh, and the Penguins are my team; I want to stay with them for the rest of my career," Fleury said, according to NHL.com's Robert Laflamme. "I had some good conversations with management after the season. Nothing is written in stone. I want to come to camp ready to win my job back. I have to get back to the same level of play and help the team win games."Fleury backstopped the Penguins to a 35-17-6 record, with a .921 save percentage and 2.29 GAA during the regular season, but a late-season concussion and shaky return to the net forced the club to start Murray throughout the playoffs.Fleury, in turn, made sure to aid the team in any way he could, primarily by keeping his teammates loose."It's a different feeling when you're sitting on the bench, you're not sweating, you're not battling with your teammates to win the Cup," Fleury said. "Having said that, I'm happy to have my name on it a second time."I did my best to keep everyone upbeat and in a better mood around the team. I wanted to play, but that was the situation. The team was winning. The most important thing for me was to be a good teammate."

The older Sidney Crosby gets, the older you get. It's math. Or science. Both, maybe.The Pittsburgh Penguins superstar turned 29 on Sunday. Seriously. Now only a year shy of 30, there's no better time to reflect on what has so far been a storybook career.Here are 29 random thoughts and observations on No. 87 on his 29th birthday:1. No one is allowed to call him "Sid the Kid" anymore. It's over. He's a man. Accept it.2. Not only was Crosby born in 1987, he was born on Aug. 7. So, yeah, 08/07/1987. Symmetry.3. Have you ever met a hockey fan who said, "I don't like Sidney Crosby"? Sorry, but Philadelphia Flyers fans don't count. Let's face it, he's mostly perfect.4. Sports and fandom are irrational, so I suppose not everyone has to like Crosby. But this is for sure: you have to respect him.5. Crosby's birthday, during the quietest days of the offseason, is the perfect time to sit down quietly and look at the back of his hockey card (or visit his Hockey Reference page). And it's something, yeah. The 2015-16 season was his 11th in the NHL, somehow. They were right: the children do grow up so fast. Crosby's played in over 70 games in seven of those seasons, recording 100-or-more points in five of them.6. It's easy to forget, because it was so long ago, but Crosby had 220 points in his first 160 games in the NHL, as an 18- and 19-year-old. Ridiculous.7. It's crazy how dominant Crosby was before his concussion on New Year's Day at the 2011 Winter Classic. He played only one more game that season (2010-11), and finished with 32 goals and 34 assists in 41 games. His 0.78 goals per game and 1.61 points per game remain the highest marks of his career when playing at least 40 games.8. Concussions limited Crosby to only 22 games the following season, but he averaged a remarkable 1.68 points per game.9. Crosby's 1.06 points-per-game average last season was the lowest mark of his career. And yet, it may go down as his most memorable campaign, as he raised the Stanley Cup and won his first Conn Smythe Trophy.10. He's actually trending in the wrong direction when it comes to production:Season GP Points Per Game2012-13*361.562013-14801.302014-15771.092015-16801.06* Lockout-shortened season11. More importantly, though, Crosby's been healthy. Hockey needs him on the ice as the face of the sport, not the face of concussions.12. Crosby ranks fifth all time in points per game, and he's played in an era that can only be described as the opposite of those whose company he keeps:Rank Player Points Per Game1Wayne Gretzky1.9212Mario Lemieux1.8833Mike Bossy1.4974Bobby Orr1.3935Crosby1.32713. Crosby's 1.105 points-per-game mark in the playoffs (137 points in 124 games) ranks 12th all time.14. That two of the greatest hockey players to ever take the ice have played exclusively for Pittsburgh is insane. Hopefully Penguins supporters realize how lucky they are.15. Think about how special Crosby is. Now, look at those points-per-game numbers above and think about how dominant Lemieux and Gretzky were.16. Ask yourself: what hasn't Crosby won?17. The answer: the World Cup of Hockey. And that likely changes in about eight weeks.18. Crosby's remarkable track record is all the more jarring when it's written down:

More proof that Sidney Crosby is perfect. And on his 29th birthday, no less.The Chronicle Herald published a story about the Pittsburgh Penguins captain taking care of some unfinished business in Halifax, Nova Scotia, showing up at a fan's house to sign a sweater of his.Patricia Lingley-Pottie's husband Darryl placed a plywood sign - complete with a hanging Crosby jersey - outside their home in Enfield, Nova Scotia, with a simple message: "SID PLEASE SIGN MY JERSEY."Crosby wasn't able to get to it earlier this summer when he was taking the Stanley Cup home to Cole Harbour. But even though the sign was gone when he was back in the neighborhood (it stayed up for a week), he showed up at Lingley-Pottie's door weeks later, ringing the doorbell like any other Conn Smythe Trophy and Cup winner would."I was just shocked," Lingley-Pottie said. "I was just so full of joy."He remembered."Crosby stayed at the Pottie household for 20 minutes, taking pictures and signing one for the family, as well.Yeah, he's perfect.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

It's Saturday night, but Florida Panthers prospect Lawson Crouse was sent back to at least Tuesday by 2016 Boston Bruins first-round pick Charlie McAvoy.Canada and the U.S. were playing in the final game of the National Junior Evaluation Camp, and the hit was a microcosm of the beating the Americans dished out on their northern neighbors.The U.S. won 5-1.As for McAvoy, he was at it all week. Check out this hit against Sweden:Yeah, Boston's going to love this kid.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Tyler Seguin's great, thanks for asking.The all-world Canadian center skated Saturday at the Dallas Stars Hockey Academy and is progressing well from a calf injury that cost him almost his entire playoffs."Doing well," Seguin told the Dallas Morning News' Mike Heika. "It's been a short but long summer, bit of a different summer as far as training-wise just coming off an injury, but feeling great and looking forward to the World Cup in the next month or so."The World Cup of Hockey officially kicks off on Sept. 17 in Toronto, with training camps set to open Sept. 4 and 5. A 12-game pre-tournament exhibition schedule begins Sept. 8."I'm sure the World Cup's going to be pretty great," Seguin said, adding that the tournament will be all the more special because he'll be playing alongside his teammate, captain, and friend Jamie Benn in Canadian colors.Only 24, Seguin has produced at more than a point-per-game pace over the past three seasons, evolving into one of hockey's elite players down the middle.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

After Steven Stamkos opted to stay put in Tampa Bay prior to July 1, Milan Lucic became the biggest - literally and figuratively - character in the free-agent market.The 28-year-old wound up signing a seven-year, $42-million contract with the Edmonton Oilers, and while he's expected to make an immediate impact, Lucic is now facing questions as to the kind of player he will be in the later stages of the contract and beyond.The winger has nothing but confidence in himself to play well over the next seven years, and hopes he will continue his career even after the deal expires."I’m looking forward to these next seven years, and I plan on playing them out to the best of my ability and, hopefully, I can add another year or two once this contract is done," Lucic told Steve Ewen of The Province. "Hopefully things are going well and I can play as long as I want to play. There’s maybe one or two percent of guys who get to do that."Despite his bruising style of play, Lucic has managed to compete in at least 72 games in all but one - lockout excused - of his nine NHL seasons. He was limited to 50 contests in 2009-10 with the Boston Bruins.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Mika Zibanejad had plans to move this summer - within Ottawa.The newest member of the New York Rangers moved into a new house during his final days as a Senator, writes NHL's Dan Rosen. Zibanejad was traded on July 18 in a move that saw Derick Brassard head to the Canadian capital.Zibanejad, only 23, met with the New York media for the first time Friday, and is looking forward to "an exciting start, a new chapter in my career."A former first-round pick, sixth overall in 2011, the Swede set career highs across the board last season with 21 goals and 51 points. The trade made the Rangers younger, as Brassard will turn 29 before next season begins, so New York is hoping the best is yet to come for their newest man up the middle.It took a while for Zibanejad to get over the shock of the trade, Rosen writes, and his housing situation weighed heavily on him. The trade was "nothing I counted on, obviously," he said.His new teammates have helped with the transition, though, and Zibanejad continues to hunt for an apartment. He's looking forward to playing under the lights at Madison Square Garden - his new friends tell him being a Ranger in New York is as good as it gets."It's a change from Ottawa," he said. "It's a little bit busier, but I like that."Playing with a talented group of forwards up front, a 60-point season from Zibanejad wouldn't be a surprise. He's going to be counted on to replace Brassard's 58 points, and will likely have more responsibilities on the penalty kill, something he welcomes.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

July 1 seems like an eternity ago, doesn't it?In case you forgot, plenty of new faces will be in new places come October, and while some of the contracts doled out at the beginning of the free agent frenzy were a tad perplexing, a select few met the needs for both the players and teams involved.Here are three signings that should prove to be a success.Kyle Okposo - Buffalo SabresSabres general manager Tim Murray wanted Steven Stamkos - bad - but inking Okposo to an affordable seven-year, $42-million contract was a fair consolation.Okposo will join a growing, but supremely talented core of forwards in Buffalo, and will add scoring punch to an offense that ranked 25th league-wide in goals for with 199 last season.At 28 years old, Okposo still has prime years ahead of him, and there's no reason to believe he can't produce a fourth consecutive 50-plus point season, even if he isn't riding shotgun with John Tavares anymore.Alexander Radulov - Montreal CanadiensWhile character issues have tarnished Radulov's reputation, the reward highly outweighs the risk for Marc Bergevin and the Canadiens.A one-year, $5.75-million contract fits easily into Montreal's books, and Radulov claims to have changed his ways, saying he's matured since his incident in Nashville.Adding the 30-year-old addresses the Habs' need for goals, which just so happens to be Radulov's modus operandi. In three of his past four seasons in the KHL, Radulov has finished among the top two in scoring.Brian Campbell - Chicago BlackhawksCampbell wanted a reunion with Chicago, so he and general manager Stan Bowman made it happen.The 37-year-old signed a one-year, $1.5-million contract to return to the Blackhawks, where he won a Stanley Cup in 2010.Bringing in Campbell immediately fills a hole in Chicago's top four, a void created when Johnny Oduya left for the Dallas Stars last offseason.The Blackhawks lone downfall last season was a lack of defensive depth, and in Campbell, they get reliability, familiarity, and production at a discounted rate.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Vancouver Canucks have signed this year's fifth overall pick, Olli Juolevi, to a three-year, entry-level contract, the club announced Friday."Olli is a talented all-around defenceman with high hockey sense who will be a big part of our organization’s future," Canucks general manager Jim Benning said. "He’s had an outstanding year, winning the Memorial Cup and World Junior gold. We look forward to seeing him continue his development and compete at the NHL level during training camp in September."Although he's officially locked up, Vancouver previously stated they plan to keep him in the OHL with the London Knights next season.Juolevi was the first defenseman plucked off the board at the draft, after a campaign in which he registered 42 points in 57 games.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

As the Toronto Maple Leafs approach year two of the Mike Babcock era, one of the ongoing questions surrounding the club entering next season is the status of prospect Mitch Marner.The 19-year-old was selected fourth overall by Toronto in 2015, and has outgrown the junior level, scoring 242 points over his last 120 regular-season games with the OHL's London Knights.While he's still eligible to play for the Knights, Marner's contract prohibits playing in the AHL, so it's either Toronto or London next season, and Babcock believes the big club is a viable option."I sure think he has a good chance," Babcock told TSN's Brent Wallace.One of the knocks on Marner is his size. He's listed as 5-foot-11, 164 pounds, but Babcock doesn't view it as a problem, as long as he's getting stronger."Mitch has been working with our guys and really training hard. He's eating right and doing everything he can to get stronger, to say Mitch has to put on a bunch of weight, to me, is ridiculous," Babcock said.The Maple Leafs' coach is keeping an eye on Marner at the World Junior Summer Showcase this week, and he likes what he sees."I thought he was magical yesterday in practice," Babcock said. "I really like his attention to detail without the puck, how he knocks down pucks, how he knows where the puck's going. The puck always comes to him."Marner will have another chance to impress Leafs brass when camp opens in September.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

It's been over a month since Bill Foley was awarded an NHL franchise, and it's going to be a while until the Las Vegas team's name and logo is revealed.The number of options has been reduced from 18 to four, the owner said, and the goal is to have it all settled prior to the start of the 2016-17 season."We're making progress," Foley told Steve Carp of the Las Vegas Review-Journal. "We're in a pretty good position now and we're meeting next week with the NHL and Adidas to look at logos and designs. We'll have a little more clarity in the next 30 days."Some variation of "Knights" remains in play, but Foley admitted there's a conflict with that exact name."The London Knights (OHL) own the name in Canada and to acquire the name from London is not economically feasible," Foley said. "In the U.S., 'Knights' are fine. But we can't use it in Canada."The four names will also be kept a secret until the official unveiling."We want to make it a special event for everyone," Foley said. "I know everyone is anxious about the name. But we want to get it right."Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Winnipeg Jets are gearing up to host the 2016 Heritage Classic.A large crowd was on hand at the city's famous Portage and Main downtown intersection as the Jets and Edmonton Oilers unveiled the rosters and jerseys for the alumni and regular-season games to be played outdoors on Oct. 22 and 23, respectively, at Investors Group Field.The Oilers alumni roster was announced by Kevin Lowe, who will suit up for the game, and includes a host of Hall of Fame players and other notables.

The Pittsburgh Penguins are going cuckoo over the Stanley Cup.Defenseman Kris Letang let his son eat cereal out of the storied trophy Friday, mirroring a recent Cullen family meal.

Former NHL defenseman Aaron Rome sued the NHL and his insurance company after a career-ending hip injury, according to Sarah Mervosh of The Dallas Morning News.Rome was injured as a member of the Dallas Stars in 2014, and was bought out by the club that summer following 52 appearances in two seasons with the club.After failed attempts to make the Detroit Red Wings and AHL's Norfolk Admirals prior to the 2014-15 season on pro tryout deals, he made a claim for disability benefits from his insurance company, but was denied.Mervosh reports:

Kevin Shattenkirk might remain with the St. Louis Blues after all.For the time being, at least.Shattenkirk was reportedly on the trading block heading into the final year of his contract, and even said he hoped the club traded him "sooner than later" as rumors swirled around the NHL draft.Now, and despite not listing Shattenkirk among the Blues' core players earlier in the offseason, general manager Doug Armstrong is planning to start the season with the top-pair defenseman on the roster."That sort of grew a life of its own at the draft," Armstrong told ESPN's Craig Custance of ESPN (subscription only) of the trade talk. "He's a Blue and we're excited to have him and expect him to have a good year."Armstrong further clarified he means a good year in St. Louis.Shattenkirk will bring in $5.2 million in actual salary this season while carrying a cap hit of $4.25 million. The 27-year-old is averaging 0.63 points per game over the past three seasons, and will likely command heavy attention should he hit unrestricted free agency next summer.So while Shattenkirk appears set to attend training camp and be featured on the opening-night roster, whether he's a Blue long term remains to be seen.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Bruce Boudreau expects a big bounce back from Eric Staal.The new head coach of the Minnesota Wild is already penciling in his lines for the upcoming season, envisioning the former Carolina Hurricanes captain playing with one of the faces of the franchise, Boudreau told Paul Allen of KFAN Sports Radio on Thursday.

With "Suicide Squad" set to hit the big screens worldwide, now seems like an appropriate time to compare today's NHL stars with the villainous - or heroic - cast.While these NHLers aren't a part of any secret government-led agency (that we know of), here's five players in the game today that share some similar traits.Deadshot - Alex OvechkinWhile Deadshot is the expert marksman of the Suicide Squad, Ovechkin is the penultimate sniper of a generation, maybe even of all time. Sure, Deadshot's ammunition might be jacketed lead, compared to Ovechkin's vulcanized rubber, but when Ovi unloads his clip, you can hardly tell the difference.Joker - Brad MarchandLike the Joker, Marchand is most effective when under the skin of his adversaries. Marchand's personality and antics have put him in trouble before, and whether he's scoring goals, taking and/or drawing a penalty, the pesky Boston Bruins forward tends to do so wearing a devious grin.Harley Quinn - Brent BurnsQuinn's character is described as a fan favorite, who's funny, crazy, and scary. While the only scary thing about Burns may be his lack of teeth, the rest is spot on.Related: What would the Suicide Squad look like if it was made up of MLS stars?Rick Flag - Jonathan ToewsEvery team needs somebody in charge.Flag is tabbed as the all-business leader of the Suicide Squad; sounds a lot like Toews to the Chicago Blackhawks, no? Captain Serious' notorious work-first approach has become his most recognizable trait as a player.Killer Croc - Milan LucicFew players can impose their will physically like Lucic can, earning him the same reputation as Killer Croc. Thankfully, the new Edmonton Oilers bodyguard doesn't have any reptilian features, although if he did, that might help foes stay away from Connor McDavid.Related: What would the Suicide Squad look like if it was made up of NFL stars?Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Quebecor Inc.'s sports and entertainment division has a new boss, but the mandate remains the same - bring a NHL team back to Quebec City.Pierre Dion, Quebecor president and CEO, is taking over the sports division with a continued focus on the success of the Videotron Centre and securing a NHL team as a tenant, the company announced Thursday.Although the NHL passed on a recent Quebec City expansion application in favor of adding only Las Vegas, Dion said commissioner Gary Bettman recognizes "the quality of the arena, the solid foundation of the Quebec City economy, and (the) qualifications of Quebecor to run a successful team," according to Vicky Fragasso-Marquis of the Canadian Press.The 18,259-seat arena opened in 2015 and is the home of of the Quebec Remparts of the QMJHL.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Every day this week, theScore's hockey editors evaluated NHL teams on a different organizational level. Here are the final results, based on each club's composite score with an emphasis on the key management roles.