If you have an old hockey card collection somewhere in your attic, you might want to fish it out.A Wayne Gretzky rookie card just sold for a whopping $465,000 at the National Sports Collectors Convention in Atlantic City, NJ.

Life in the Western Conference isn't easy for a player like Logan Couture.The San Jose Sharks forward took to The Players' Tribune on Thursday to take an in-depth look at the five toughest defensemen he's faced, which quickly makes things seem easier in the East.Couture's list includes teammate Brent Burns, Nashville Predators blue-liner Roman Josi, Calgary Flames captain Mark Giordano, and the Chicago Blackhawks duo of Duncan Keith and Brent Seabrook.As tough as that opposition is, Couture managed nine of his 36 points in seven games against the Blackhawks, Flames, and Predators last season.On top of the five defensemen, Couture also took the time to recognize two of the toughest two-way forwards in Anze Kopitar and Jonathan Toews.The West is stacked.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Zach Bogosian still remembers the time Willie Mitchell's shot sent a fan to the hospital.The Buffalo Sabres defenseman shared a letter he wrote as an 8-year-old after going to a game where Mitchell - 13 years the elder of Bogosian - shattered the glass close to where he was sitting.

The impending start of the KHL season isn't changing Tobias Rieder's immediate plans.The unsigned restricted free agent may be toying with the idea of heading over to Europe should he fail to reach a new deal with the Arizona Coyotes, but that decision wouldn't come until after he plays at the World Cup, his agent told Craig Morgan of Arizona Sports.Morgan has reported Rieder's camp is looking for a two-year deal worth an average annual value of $2.75 million, which the Coyotes don't appear interested in meeting at this point.The 23-year-old scored 14 goals and added 23 assists for the Coyotes in 2015-16 while playing out the final season of his entry-level contract, and will suit up for Europe at the international tournament in Toronto this September.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

It's been well over a month since the start of NHL free agency, but there's no shortage of players still looking to sign a deal for the 2016-17 season.Related - Report: Kris Russell waiting for teams to clear cap spaceHere's a look at the three best available free agents still on the market.Jiri HudlerThe 32-year-old winger took a big step back this past season after recording careers highs in goals (31), assists (45), total points (76), and shots (158) with the Calgary Flames in 2014-15.Traded to the Florida Panthers prior to the 2016 trade deadline, Hudler did record six goals and five assists in his final 19 regular-season games, but was held to one assist in six playoff appearances.For his career, he's averaging almost 20 goals and 50 points per 82 games played, and should provide the signing team with great value on a deal likely to come in much lower than the $4-million cap hit carried over the past four seasons.Brandon PirriIn order to make room for Hudler at the deadline, the Panthers sent Brandon Pirri to the Anaheim Ducks for the pittance of a sixth-round draft pick.This after he scored 40 goals in 122 games with the Panthers, including a single-season high of 22 scored in 49 regular-season games in 2014-15.Pirri - who wasn't floated a qualifying offer by the Ducks after finishing the season on the injured list - has proven to be an effective goal-scorer in limited ice time.Over the course of the past two seasons, he ranks 14th among all NHL players with at least 1,000 minutes of ice time with 1.34 goals per 60 minutes, tied with Brad Marchand and Mike Hoffman, and sandwiched between the likes of Nikita Kucherov and John Tavares.Surely at least one team is interested in that kind of production.Jimmy VeseyJimmy Vesey won't technically become a free agent until Aug. 15, provided he doesn't come to terms on a contract with the Buffalo Sabres - who acquired his rights from Nashville earlier in the offseason - prior to the signing deadline.At this point, that appears unlikely, meaning the 23-year-old college standout will take some meetings and explore his options before hand-picking his team of choice with whom to sign his entry-level deal.Over his past two seasons at Harvard, Vesey scored 56 goals and added 48 assists in 70 games, giving NHL teams a taste of what's hopefully to come at the NHL level.The Toronto Maple Leafs, Boston Bruins, and Chicago Blackhawks are believed to be the front-runners for the 66th overall pick at the 2012 NHL Draft.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

George McPhee is sticking to his roots.Las Vegas' expansion franchise named Wil Nichol its director of player development Thursday, the club announced.Nichol is listed on the Washington Capitals' website as an amateur scout, and has held the position since 2011, according to Yahoo Sports' Josh Cooper. He never played in the NHL but coached in the USHL and NCHA.McPhee, Vegas' first general manager, spent 17 seasons in the Washington front office. His squad now officially consists of Nichol and Kelly McCrimmon, who was named assistant general manager earlier in the week.Earlier Thursday, Sports Illustrated published a piece in which McPhee described the team he hopes to put together for Las Vegas' maiden season in 2017-18.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

It's Las Vegas, after all.George McPhee, the general manager of the NHL's expansion franchise in Nevada, spoke with Sports Illustrated's Alex Prewitt and described his vision for the team he's been tasked with putting together."I'd like to build it the same way we built the Washington teams - big, talented teams that can score goals," McPhee said. "I think that's the way the game should be played."Before focusing on a roster, McPhee has to fill out his front office, and he told Prewitt that additional hires have been made: A director of player development (officially Wil Nichol, a former Capitals scout); a director of hockey operations; a salary cap director; and a goalie director. More directors - in pro and amateur scouting - are expected to be hired in the coming days.McPhee, now 58, spent 17 seasons in D.C. and was the architect of the best Capitals outfit in history. While a Stanley Cup eluded him, a Washington team led by Alex Ovechkin and Nicklas Backstrom has consistently been one of the more exciting clubs in the league."We are in the entertainment business and we certainly want to win, but you want to entertain while you're doing it," McPhee added. "We're not going to play sit-back hockey. We're going to attack."Welcome words, surely, in an era when coaches, systems, and goaltenders seem to have a more significant impact on the game than star offensive players. However, putting together an attacking expansion team will be far easier said than done.Working in Las Vegas' favor is the fact that next June's expansion draft will leave a number of established players available. But McPhee knows it's a process, and that scouting trumps all."You have to find elite players in the draft," McPhee said when he was hired last month. "We'll get a nice squad together from the expansion draft, but our elite players will come through drafting."Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Kris Russell is playing the waiting game.The unrestricted free-agent defenseman is waiting for prospective teams to clear salary cap space before signing a new contract, reports Darren Dreger of TSN.Russell, 29, split this past season between Calgary and Dallas, ranking second in the NHL in blocked shots with 210 in only 62 games played.In terms of offensive production, he recorded four goals and 15 assists with a Corsi For rating below 45 at even strength.Prior to the start of free agency, Dreger reported the Toronto Maple Leafs - currently right up against the cap ceiling - were interested in Russell.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Every day this week, theScore's hockey editors are evaluating NHL teams on a different level of management. This time, we're focusing on the owners, ranking them based on their willingness to spend, level of involvement, and the long-term viability of the franchises in their respective markets.

Count "The Great One" among those unsure about the inclusion of North America and Europe in the field of eight teams competing at the upcoming World Cup of Hockey.North America will be made up of the best 23-and-under players from Canada and the United States, and Europe will be built around 23 players from European nations outside the top four (Sweden, Finland, Russia, Czech Republic).Wayne Gretzky, who has fond memories of representing his home country at the Canada Cup and the inaugural World Cup, wonders about the merits of putting on a jersey fabricated specifically for this tournament."I just wonder if there was a 19-year-old that's good enough to play for his particular country, should he not have that option?" Gretzky told Dan Rosen of NHL.com, referring more to the North American squad. "You want to play for your country, you know."At the same time, the European team gives players whose countries wouldn't be there a chance to play on the big stage."I'm excited for a guy like (Anze) Kopitar (from Slovenia), who gets to participate when he might not have had that opportunity in an event of this magnitude," Gretzky said. "So I think from that point of view it's a chance to show off our great players and show people how good they really are."He added that the young stars won't be pushovers, and he'll be rooting for Connor McDavid and Co. to medal in the tournament.Because everyone loves a good underdog story, right?Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Whether you like it or not, NHL hockey is heading to Las Vegas, and while it might not be the majority opinion, Calgary Flames defenseman Deryk Engelland is on board with the idea.Many are concerned with the popularity among a barebones fan base in an unknown market, as well as potential trouble for teams and players on the Las Vegas Strip.Engelland, who played 72 games with the former Las Vegas Wranglers of the ECHL in 2004-05 and lives there in the offseason, believes any skepticism of problems on the strip or in Sin City is nothing to worry about."It wears off," Engelland told Aaron Vickers of Flames.NHL.com. "We've lived here for 12 years, it's almost a hassle to go down there now. Everyone that's down there are tourists. When you go down there, you know where you're going but there's so many people."Time will tell.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Vladimir Tkachyov of the KHL's Ak Bars Kazan wowed the hockey world with his javelin-style goal, but as it turns out, that wasn't the first time he pulled off an absurd shootout move.BarDown discovered video of a spinning goal Tkachyov scored during a 2013 game.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Not enamoured with Donald Trump or Hillary Clinton? The Dallas Stars have a T-shirt for you.

Unsigned restricted free agents won't be held back from play at the World Cup of Hockey.Related: NHL announces World Cup broadcast scheduleSuch players will be insured at the NHL/NHLPA's expense, a league source told Gary Lawless of TSN.

It took some time for Shea Weber to get used to the idea that he was no longer a member of the Nashville Predators.So says his agent, Jarrett Bousquet, who detailed Weber's reaction to being traded to the Montreal Canadiens to Stu Cowan of the Montreal Gazette."His initial reaction (to the trade) was there was a pause and a little bit of shock. And then when he realized it was true, he was pretty excited," Bousquet said."Obviously now he's extremely excited being back in Canada and the pieces that they've put together. And he knows Carey Price from B.C. and the Olympics and whatnot, so I know he's very excited now."Bousquet added Weber hasn't been able to make a visit to Montreal since the trade as a result of scheduling issues, and the fact his summer home is in Kelowna, British Columbia.The agent expects his introduction to the hockey hotbed will be an eye-opener for the fairly reserved (off the ice, at least) defenseman, especially as one looks at the media attention given to the Canadiens as compared to the Predators.Weber remains under contract for another 10 seasons, so he better get used to being in the spotlight.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The National Hockey League unveiled the broadcast schedule for the upcoming World Cup of Hockey.DateTime (ET)TelecastNetworkSat Sept. 173:30 p.m.Group Play: USA vs. EuropeESPN28 p.m.Group Play: Czech Republic vs. CanadaESPNEWSSun Sept. 183 p.m.Group Play: Sweden vs. RussiaESPN8 p.m.Group Play: North America vs. FinlandESPN2Mon Sept. 193 p.m.Group Play: Europe vs. Czech RepublicESPN28 p.m.Group Play: Russia vs. North AmericaESPN2Tue Sept. 203 p.m.Group Play: Finland vs. SwedenESPN8 p.m.Group Play: Canada vs. USAESPNWed Sept. 213 p.m.Group Play: North America vs. SwedenESPN8 p.m.Group Play: Europe vs CanadaESPN2Thu Sept. 223 p.m.Group Play: Finland vs. RussiaESPN8 p.m.Group Play: USA vs. Czech RepublicESPN2Sat Sept. 247 p.m.Semifinal oneESPN2Sun Sept. 251 p.m.Semifinal twoESPNTue Sept. 278 p.m.Final: Game oneESPNThu Sept. 298 p.m.Final: Game twoESPN2Sat Oct. 17 p.m.Final: Game three (if necessary)ESPN2In Canada, all group play games will be aired on Sportsnet, while the semifinal and final rounds will be shown on CBC.All tournament games will be played at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Tyson Barrie and the Colorado Avalanche were able to come to terms on a new deal, but not before the two sides went through the arbitration process.The defenseman signed a four-year, $22-million contract before the ruling came down, and the hearing opened his eyes in terms of perceived deficiencies in his game."I know it's a business," Barrie said on Vancouver’s TSN 1040 on Tuesday. "It definitely wasn't the most fun process. It can be a little awkward when you're in there. You get to hear about how bad you are for a little bit (laughs), but at the end of the day it's a business. They're trying to get me as low as they can, and we're trying to tell them how good I am."Still, Barrie - who's listed at 5-foot-10 and comes in on the smaller side among players at his position - knows he needs to keep working at his game in his own end."I watch a lot of video. I'm the one playing. I watch a lot of hockey, so I don't know if I'm as bad as everybody thinks defensively," he said. "But again, it's something that I'm going to continue to work on. I want to be a top defenseman in the league."Barrie finished 2015-16 with 49 points, 10th-highest among all defensemen. His 44.55 Corsi For rating at even strength suggests he does indeed have some work to do in terms of getting the puck out of his own zone, but it can be argued that head coach Patrick Roy's system does him no favors.This deficiency isn't lost on Barrie."I think that's something the coaching staff is going to have to look at really hard and try and make adjustments. We'll do our best to play within the structure that they give us, and we're going to have to - individually everybody's got to play better, to a man."Obviously those stats (like Corsi For) - I don't think they lie. So if we want to be better we have to be better with puck possession. I don't have the answer on how to do that, but I think we've got to figure it out."With the new deal, Barrie is now Colorado's second-highest-paid defenseman behind only Erik Johnson.- With h/t to Today's SlapshotCopyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

P.K. Subban may be moving to Nashville, but a big piece of him will remain in Montreal for the long haul.The star defenseman, who was traded by the Canadiens to the Predators in late June, wrote a letter to his friends at the Montreal Children's Hospital to affirm his commitment after making a $10-million donation last year - the largest philanthropic commitment by a sports figure in Canadian history.

Craig Leipold is looking to secure his hold on the Minnesota Wild.The club's majority owner has begun the process of buying out Matt Hulsizer's 27 percent share, which would bring Leipold's stake in the Wild up to 95 percent, according to Michael Russo of the Star Tribune.From Russo:

Every day this week, theScore's hockey editors are evaluating NHL teams on a different level of management. This time, we're focusing on the GMs, ranking them based on salary cap and asset management, as well as draft history.

The Winnipeg Jets and restricted free agent Jacob Trouba have quite the distance to cover in contract negotiations.Both sides are apparently apart on money, term, and usage, reported TSN's Gary Lawless on "That's Hockey" on Tuesday."Jacob Trouba doesn't want to play in the bottom pairing anymore," Lawless said. "He wants to play with Dustin Byfuglien or one of the other top four D in Winnipeg. He wants power-play time. He wants to be a big part of what they're doing in Winnipeg if he's going to be here for a long time."The 22-year-old is coming off his entry-level contract and had career lows of 21 points and 22:04 average minutes of ice time last season. He averaged 1:17 of power-play ice time, fourth among Jets blueliners.Trouba was drafted ninth overall in 2012 and, although contract negotiations apparently aren't going smoothly, general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff made it clear in June he's not looking to trade Trouba.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The "Legion of Doom" is taking the ice together once again.Newly-elected Hockey Hall of Famer Eric Lindros has announced that his former Philadelphia Flyers linemates John LeClair and Mikael Renberg will be playing alongside him at the NHL Legends Classic in Toronto on Nov. 13.

The Las Vegas NHL franchise officially named Kelly McCrimmon assistant general manager Tuesday, confirming weekend reports.Team owner Bill Foley announced the signing in a release, calling the move the latest step in building a successful franchise."Bringing Kelly on board is another positive step as we build our hockey organization," said Foley. "I remain very excited about our franchise and in the progress we are making to build a winning team."McCrimmon served as GM and head coach of the WHL's Brandon Wheat Kings and most recently led the club to a WHL championship and a Memorial Cup berth."Kelly is an outstanding hockey man and we are delighted to have him join us," GM George McPhee said. "His extensive experience and consistently high level of performance in the game will help us build a strong and successful organization and team. His hockey acumen, character, and work ethic are perfect for us."McCrimmon was named the CHL Executive of the Year in 1995 and Executive of the Year of the WHL in 1995, 2010, and 2015."Being part of the foundation of this new franchise is an incredible opportunity, and I am honored to have been selected as the assistant general manager to help build it into a successful team," said McCrimmon. "I look forward to working with George and Bill as we create a winning NHL franchise."The Las Vegas franchise will join the NHL for the start of the 2017-18 season.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Hockey Canada unveiled their newest jerseys Tuesday, which will be worn by all teams representing the country internationally.The new Nike-designed jerseys were introduced at a press conference that featured women's national team captain Marie-Philip Poulin, Canada's sledge hockey captain Greg Westlake, Tampa Bay Lightning prospect Mitchell Stephens, Philadelphia Flyers' Travis Konecny, and New York Islanders draft pick Matt Barzal, who all donned the jerseys.The design pays homage to next year's 150th anniversary of Canada's Confederation, with a patch on the shoulder, as well as the country's past hockey achievements.The jerseys will see their first action at the upcoming World Junior Summer Showcase this week as Canada - likely featuring Stephens, Konecny, and Barzal - takes on Finland, Sweden, and the United States in a development tournament ahead of the World Junior Hockey Championships in December.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Peter Chiarelli has boosted his staff with a familiar face.The Edmonton Oilers have hired Keith Gretzky as the club's new assistant general manager.Gretzky has been working as the director of amateur scouting for the Boston Bruins since 2013, for whom Chiarelli served as GM prior to being hired in the same capacity by the Oilers in 2015.Before working with the Bruins, Gretzky was a scout in the Arizona Coyotes organization from 2001-06, and then served as that team's director of amateur scouting until 2011.Bill Scott, who previously held the position, will transition into a new role as the director of salary cap management and assistant to the president of hockey operations.

Antoine Vermette wants you to know that he was not cut loose by the Arizona Coyotes because he lost his game.So says the center whose last year of his contract was bought out by the Coyotes on Monday, after hearing straight from management the decision was made to further jump start a youth movement in the desert."I talked to (management) and this is a business decision. It has no connection with my performance on the ice. They want to make room for youth and provide more flexibility. It's part of the game," he told RDS on Tuesday.The Coyotes do have promising young centers in the pipeline set to make the jump to the NHL, but Vermette was still surprised that he was bought out with a year left on his deal.Vermette added his agent is already fielding calls from interested teams, and that he'll take time to digest his situation before making a decision on where to play in 2016-17.The 34-year-old recorded 17 goals and 21 assists in 76 games for the Coyotes this past season.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Evander Kane is facing legal trouble on a number of fronts.A day after the Buffalo Sabres winger pleaded not guilty to charges stemming from a June incident at a local bar, his lawyers confirmed a civil suit has been filed against him by a woman who alleges he assaulted her back in December.From The Buffalo News:

Martin Havlat isn't done with the NHL.The veteran forward has started skating and training with the Czech Extraliga club Kometa Brno with the hope of coming back to play in the NHL next season, agent Allan Walsh tweeted Tuesday.The 35-year-old appeared in two games for the St. Louis Blues after signing a one-year deal in November, but left the team shortly thereafter to attend to a personal matter.Havlat did score once in those two games, adding to his total of 242 goals in 790 career appearances.At this point, Havlat would likely attend training camp on a professional tryout offer.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Gabriel Landeskog is emerging as an important voice off the ice.After already sharing his experience with concussions through the EMPWR Foundation, the Colorado Avalanche captain has opened up again on the topic of head injuries by way of The Players' Tribune.In an article entitled "We Need to Talk About Concussions, Right Now", Landeskog details a concussion suffered back in 2013 and how he felt pressure to make a swift return to the ice after having been named the youngest captain in NHL history the previous offseason.He writes to hockey players at every level to be honest about symptoms related to head injuries, and also to teammates who need to look out for potentially injured peers.That, he says, is a mark of true leadership.

Every day this week, theScore's hockey editors are evaluating NHL teams on a different level of management. This time, we're focusing on head coaches, ranking them based on success of their system, degree to which the players have bought in, and the level of trust from their executive superiors.

In a seemingly surprising move on Monday, the Arizona Coyotes announced they were buying out the contract of Antoine Vermette.The 34-year-old is coming off a season that saw him finish just three goals shy of the 20-goal mark and with a respectable 38 points in 76 games. Additionally, he remains one of the games better faceoff men, finishing last year with the 17th-best success rate at 55.8 percent.His best years are clearly behind him, but Vermette can still be a solid depth option at center, providing offense and a critical faceoff win in dire situations.Here are three teams that should consider taking a run at Vermette:Calgary FlamesHeading into next season the Calgary Flames could use a boost at the center position.Behind the likes of Sean Monahan and Mikael Backlund, the club boasts the likes of Hunter Shinkaruk and Matt Stajan down the middle of the ice. Vermette would be an instant upgrade offensively over the latter two who combined for eight goals last season (noting Shinkaruk spent the majority of the year in the AHL).The Flames could also use some help at the faceoff dot after finishing 27th in the league with a 48.6 percent success rate.On top of his on-ice contributions, Vermette's off-ice accolades could be just as valuable to the Flames, who ice a young forward contingent with just two players over the age of 30.Vermette could provide leadership to the young squad and teach the youngsters what it takes to capture a cup after doing so as a late acquisition by the 2015 Stanley Cup champs Chicago Blackhawks.Buffalo SabresThe Buffalo Sabres have some promising prospects coming up their pipeline but for one problem, few of them play center.Sam Reinhart and Evander Kane both have experience playing center, but both have spent the majority of their time on the wing. That leaves Ryan O'Reilly and Jack Eichel with the first two spots locked down, but the bottom two center positions up for grabs.Zemgus Girgensons and Johan Larsson occupy those spots, but both fail to put up the offense that Vermette has and like so many others, fail to share the elder's faceoff proficiency.The Sabres, much like the Flames, are a fairly young squad - with the fourth-youngest roster, according to nhlnumbers.com - and could use another veteran voice in the dressing room.Vancouver CanucksIf ever there was a team that needed help on faceoffs it would be the Vancouver Canucks.The team finished with a league-worst 45.4 percent success-rate last season, with Bo Horvat as the only member of the team who played more than 40 games with a win percentage higher than 50 percent (50.9).Right away it is clear that for Vermette to get a spot with the team, the club would likely have to make room. The most likely way to do so would be to plug Vermette in for Markus Granlund - who managed just six goals and 10 points split between the Canucks and the Flames.After Brandon Sutter missed all but 20 games last season, having Vermette available could prove invaluable should another injury occur.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

If Sam Gagner can back up his words, the Columbus Blue Jackets could get tremendous value out of their one-year investment.The 26-year-old, who signed a one-year, $650,000 contract with the club Monday, is motivated not only to have a bounce back season personally, but also to help the Blue Jackets rebound from a disappointing 2015-16."From a personal standpoint, I’m as hungry as I’ve ever been," Gagner told Rob Mixer of BlueJackets.com. "I’m motivated to have success, and coming to Columbus where everyone feels like last year was an underachieving year, I think it’s going to bode well. We’re a determined group and we’re looking forward to proving a lot of people wrong. It’s an exciting challenge for all of us."Gagner cited an opportunity to get prime offensive minutes an a major factor in his decision to sign with Columbus, and he seems convinced the Blue Jackets can be a playoff contender after a 27th-place finish this past season."The biggest thing is that I think it’s a really good fit for me, and I think Columbus is a lot better team than the record showed last year," he said. "There are a lot of really good, up-and-coming players along with a lot of established players, and I was convinced there’s an opportunity for me to play. Not only that, but there’s an opportunity to win - they have a lot of good pieces."Gagner's 16 points in 53 games with the Philadelphia Flyers marked the lowest single-season output of his career, but through eight seasons, he's averaging 47 points for every 82 games played.That kind of production would indeed go a long way towards helping build some buzz for the Blue Jackets.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

In case you weren't aware, P.K. Subban isn't afraid to speak his mind.The now-Nashville Predators defenseman took the stage for the P.K. Subban Comedy Gala as part of Just for Laughs in Montreal on Monday and was not afraid to take a couple of shots at his former team.His set started off in fairly tame fashion, with a joke that he can likely relate to, following his neck injury that concluded his season in March.

Andreas Athanasiou certainly doesn't lack confidence.The Detroit Red Wings forward is already eyeing the 2016-17 season, one that he feels will begin with him in the Red Wings' starting lineup."I'm not worried about that," Athanasiou said, according to Brendan Savage of MLive.com. "I'm confident in my abilities."I do what I can out there and like I said, it's their decision and I'm doing to do the best I can to make it as easy as possible. Just take it day to day. Come September I'm going to be ready to play."After beginning the season with the Grand Rapids Griffins of the American Hockey League last season - where he put up eight goals and 16 points in 26 games - and a short six-game stint with the Red Wings in November, the 21-year-old joined the team full-time in February.He managed 13 points in 31 games during his final stretch, leading the Red Wings with 1.62 goals per 60 minutes, while averaging just over nine minutes of ice-time per game."It's such a tough situation, obviously, with the team we had," said Athanasiou. "There's reliable players that the coach has and obviously when you step in halfway through the season and produce, it kind of puts them in a situation where they have to juggle lines and stuff."We did a pretty good job with it. Unfortunately, I got the minutes I got. I'm not complaining. I'm OK with that. Obviously I want it to be more but that's just my foot in the door there, so now I've got to kind to come in."Whatever decision comes from head coach Jeff Blashill regarding the opening-day roster, Athanasiou remains confident he'll be there."I think my confidence just comes from what I've been through, everything I've gone (through) growing up and getting to the National Hockey League. That's where you build you confidence and just getting a chance to play here is a big thing."I know my game. I know what I'm capable of. So I'm just going to work on my strengths, work on my weaknesses and come September I'll be ready."Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Dylan Strome is ready to play with the big boys.Last year's third overall pick is coming off his third season of junior, playing for the Erie Otters of the Ontario Hockey League - in his eyes that should be enough to earn him an NHL job."For myself personally I obviously feel like I'm done with junior and I don't want to be there next year," Strome said, according to The Canadian Press."But at the same time, I obviously want to play in the NHL for a long time in my career and if Arizona thinks that's best for me next year then I don't really have a choice, that's obviously what I'm going to do."Strome was one of the Arizona Coyotes' final cuts heading into last season. In fact, he feels that he could have managed quite well with the NHL club this past campaign."t's not really up to me," Strome said. "I obviously felt like I could've been done (with junior hockey) last year. I made it to the last day of (NHL) camp and last cuts."Hopefully this year I can just try to make it a little farther and show what I can do in the exhibition games again. I think (the Coyotes) were pretty impressed with me last year and hopefully they like what they see again and I can get some games in this year."After pacing the CHL in scoring during his draft year with 129 points in 68 games, Strome managed another 111 points in 56 games this season, besting his prior points per game total. Strome is just hopeful those numbers are good enough to land him a roster spot come opening night.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

P.K. Subban is back in Montreal.No, it's not hockey related, but it's still no shock the former Hab was asked about the trade that sent him to the Nashville Predators.In the city Monday ahead of hosting a gala with "Just for Laughs", Subban revealed to TSN that the swirling rumors tying his name to the trade served as preparation for the actual deal itself."I think I accepted it probably way before it even happened," Subban said. "In my case the rumors kept escalating and escalating. Montreal's not a place where rumors stay in house, they seem to kind of fly all over the place."While the speculation brought the potential move to his attention, being shipped from Montreal was never completely on Subban's radar."When you're hearing your name in trade rumors for a long period of time, as a Montreal Canadien every day I tried to go out and be the hardest worker on the ice and give it everything that I had," Subban said. "Accepting that you're going to be traded, for me, I didn't expect it because I didn't see a reason for me to leave."Subban vowed he'll remain close to his ties within the city of Montreal, but said his focus has shifted to developing his prime playing years in Nashville, where he'll get started Sept. 22 when Predators' camp opens.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Arizona Coyotes have placed forward Antoine Vermette on unconditional waivers, meaning the final year of his contract will be bought out, the team announced.The move comes off as unexpected, as Vermette, 34, has one season left on his current deal, carrying an affordable cap hit of $3.75 million, but Arizona general manager pulled trigger for some of the Coyotes' younger talent to make the roster."In order to give our team more flexibility, we needed to make this difficult decision," Chayka said. "This move will provide an opportunity for some of our young, talented players to step up. Antoine is a class act and we thank him for all he did on and off the ice for the Arizona Coyotes organization. We wish him the best in the future."His buyout will cost the Coyotes $1.25 million each of the next two seasons, according to Cap Friendly.According to General Fanager, the Coyotes have over $6.3 million in cap space, with Tobias Rieder - a restricted free agent - being the only player without a contract.After leaving Arizona to join the Chicago Blackhawks on their Stanley Cup run in 2015, Vermette returned to the Coyotes on a two-year deal last offseason. In 76 games, he scored 17 goals with 21 assists, and will surely gain attention on the waiver wire as an offensively capable pivot, who's strong in the faceoff circle.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

After being linked to a deal over the weekend, the Columbus Blue Jackets and Sam Gagner made it official Monday, agreeing to a one-year contract, the club announced.The Blue Jackets didn't officially disclose terms, but Aaron Portzline of the Columbus Dispatch reports the deal is worth $650,000.Gagner, who turns 27 on Aug. 10, hasn't quite lived up to expectations since the Edmonton Oilers made him the sixth overall pick in 2007, but Columbus general manager Jarmo Kekalainen believes he has plenty to offer."Sam has scored 350 points and played in 600 games in the NHL and is still a young player who can be a solid contributor on our team," Kekalainen said. "He is a talented, right-handed shot center who will add to our skill and depth at that position."Gagner spent last season with the Philadelphia Flyers, with a brief stint with the club's AHL affiliate. All told, he scored eight goals and added eight assists in 53 NHL contests in 2015-16.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Every day this week, theScore's hockey editors are evaluating NHL teams on a different level of management. This time, we're focusing on farm systems, ranking them based on prospect talent, affiliate stability and proximity to the parent clubs.

Oscar Klefbom says his criticism of Taylor Hall is also applicable to the rest of last season's core group.Related - Klefbom: Hall rarely had best games when we needed him mostThe Edmonton Oilers defenseman attempted to clarify comments made about the departed forward Sunday."All of our key players underperformed, including myself. Not only Taylor Hall," Klefbom told Ola Winther of HockeySverige.se in a follow-up interview, hours after his original remarks were published.Here's what the blue-liner originally told Winther, as translated by Swedish journalist Martin Lunden:

The Colorado Avalanche have signed defenseman Tyson Barrie to a four-year contract reportedly worth $22 million, according to Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman.

At least one member of the Edmonton Oilers is encouraged by the team's decision to trade Taylor Hall to the New Jersey Devils for Adam Larsson earlier this summer.That would be defenseman Oscar Klefbom, who - in an interview with Swedish hockey news site hockeysverige.se - believes the team as a whole is set to be better despite losing its best player.As translated by Martin Lunden of Swedish Oil:

Evgeni Malkin's 30th birthday is off to a low-key start.The Pittsburgh Penguins center took to Instagram on Sunday to show off his small cake indulgence.One must stay in shape during the offseason, after all.

Jamie Benn has one thing on his mind as he continues to nurse a core muscle injury, the World Cup of Hockey.The Dallas Stars forward is two weeks removed from surgery to repair the injury and as he progresses, Benn admits his main focus is being well enough to play for Team Canada."As of right now, yeah. I think this is a surgery that I’m able to come back a little quicker than double-hip surgery," Benn told DallasStars.com's Mark Stepneski. "That’s the main focus I’m training towards being able to make it for World Cup. We’ll just see what happens."According to Benn, his recovery to date has been rather boring, but should intensify in the coming weeks when he plans to finally get back on the ice."Well, I think I’ll get on the ice later this week and just keep ramping it up a little more each time," said Benn. "I still think that’s a lot of time, enough time for me to be ready to jump into high-level hockey. We’ll see how it goes."Benn was a member of the Canadian squad which captured Olympic gold at the 2014 Games in Sochi. He contributed two goals in six games, including the decisive lone goal in Canada's semi-final win over Team U.S.A.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Arizona Coyotes and defenseman Jakob Chychrun have come to terms on an entry-level contract, the club announced Saturday.The Coyotes selected him 16th overall in June's draft after acquiring the pick from the Detroit Red Wings along with Pavel Datsyuk's contract in exchange for the 20th and 53rd picks.Chychrun notched 49 points in 62 regular-season games in his second season with the OHL's Sarnia Sting, adding two goals and six assists in seven playoff contests.The 18-year-old was one of two 2016 first-round picks for the Coyotes, who chose forward Clayton Keller seventh overall.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

With a new contract now sorted, Michael Stone will turn his focus to returning to the ice.The Arizona Coyotes defenseman continues to rehab his knee, following ACL and MCL surgery, which he feels is improving."I’m doing really good actually," Stone said, according to Sarah McLellan of AZCentral Sports. "I think my knee is coming along nicely."Stone has not taken the ice since Mar. 26, in a game against the Philadelphia Flyers, where he went down after getting his leg tangled along the boards."It’s still not real strong just yet," Stone said. "But I feel really good, and the fact that I’m doing the things that I’m doing right now is a positive sign for me."While Stone continues to work at getting back to full health, he admits there is no timeline in place for his return, though he is hopeful to be back for the start of the regular season."I’m pushing to be ready to go for the start of the season," Stone said."Whether that happens or not, I guess in some way it's in my control. But you have to see how everything responds. It’s something where your legs are what you’re using 100 percent of the time on the ice. You gotta be ready to go, so we’ll see what happens with that."Stone is coming off his fourth full-season with the Coyotes where he hit a career-high 36 points in 75 games.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The effects of the Dennis Wideman incident are still very real for NHL linesman Don Henderson.The official underwent neck surgery early in July to repair damage from the hit, and there's concern his on-ice career may be finished, according to Kevin Paul Dupont of the Boston Globe.Henderson was knocked to the ice from behind by the Calgary Flames defenseman in a game back on Jan. 27.Wideman - who was later diagnosed with a concussion - was originally suspended 20 games, and the sentence was later reduced to 10 by a neutral arbitrator.Henderson, meanwhile, was unable to return to the ice through the balance of the regular season due to injury."I know a lot of people are saying stuff like, 'Hey, Wideman’s not that type of guy . . . that’s not in his nature . . . he’s a good kid,'" a fellow official told Dupont. "And I say, 'Yeah, so what?!' That doesn’t make it any less egregious. He attacked him from behind, the puck was nowhere near the two of them, and now Henderson’s career may be finished."The NHL has since filed a lawsuit against the Players' Association with a view to vacate the reduced suspension ruling.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Matt Cullen's family sure milked their time with the Stanley Cup.The veteran center's three sons kicked off Saturday with some cereal eaten out of the greatest trophy in sports.

The hockey offseason can often feel like watching paint dry.Thankfully, the Las Vegas NHL franchise has offered a cool alternative in the form of the first sheet of ice being installed at T-Mobile Arena.Behold the transformation.