A day after Sam Gagner's agent said his client was getting closer to signing a new deal, the unrestricted free agent appears to have made a decision.Gagner and the Columbus Blue Jackets are closing in on a one-year contract, according to Aaron Portzline of the Post-Dispatch.

theScore is ranking all 30 NHL jerseys. We're counting down by six each day this week.

Unrestricted free agent Sam Gagner is getting closer to signing a new contract, with a number of teams, including the Canucks, in the mix, Gagner's agent told News 1130 in Vancouver on Friday.The 26-year-old forward appeared in 53 games for the Philadelphia Flyers last season, recording eight goals and eight assists. For his career, he is averaging 0.57 points per game, which works out to 47 for every 82 games played.Gagner signed a three-year deal that carried an average annual valuation of $4.8 million, and will likely be in line for a short-term, lower-money deal this time around.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

George McPhee may have found his right-hand man.Brandon Wheat Kings owner, general manager and head coach Kelly McCrimmon is likely to be named assistant GM of Las Vegas' NHL franchise, according to Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman.TSN 1260's Guy Flaming first linked the WHL bench boss to the expansion team Wednesday.McCrimmon was courted by the Toronto Maple Leafs last summer, interviewing with the club before turning them down in June.He's been with the Wheat Kings since 1988-89, when he joined the club as an assistant coach, taking over as GM one year later. He coached Brandon from 2004-2011 and went back behind the bench in 2013.McCrimmon became the Wheat Kings' sole owner in 2000.The 55-year-old has guided the club to four Memorial Cup appearances, including one as a player in 1979. He was named WHL Executive of the Year in 1995, 2010, and 2015, and also earned the CHL's Executive of the Year award in 2010.McPhee was named Las Vegas' first-ever GM earlier this month.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

For the first time this offseason, player and team met with an independent arbitrator in order to determine the value of his next contract.In this case, it's Tyson Barrie and the Colorado Avalanche who were unable to reach a deal prior to the hearing date, unlike all others scheduled up to this point. As a result, the two sides squared off in Toronto on Friday, with arbitrator Elizabeth Neumeier presiding over the hearing, according to Terry Frei of the Denver Post.Multiple reports suggest Barrie is looking for $6 million on a one-year contract, while the Avalanche presented a two-year offer that would see the defenseman earn $4 million and $4.25 million in the next two seasons.Neumeier's decision must be announced within 48 hours of the hearing's conclusion, and she's not bound to select either party's number. The two sides can also agree to a deal of their own within the two-day window, but that seems unlikely in this case.The Avalanche can also choose to walk away from the decision, rendering Barrie an unrestricted free agent, while the possibility of a trade remains ever-present amid the apparent void that exists between Barrie and management.Barrie, 25, is averaging 0.58 points per game over the course of 264 appearances with the Avalanche, and is coming off 53- and 49-point seasons in Colorado.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Toronto Maple Leafs locked up their final restricted free agent Friday afternoon, agreeing to terms on a two-year, $2.5-million contract with defenseman Martin Marincin.He'll earn $1.2 million this upcoming season, and an additional $100,000 in 2017-18, the Maple Leafs announced.Marincin found a home in Mike Babcock's simplistic defensive system after a trying start to his NHL career as a member of the Edmonton Oilers. With strong possession numbers and a positive goal differential relative to his teammates, Marincin emerged as one of Toronto's more effective even-strength defensemen, despite offering essentially no offensive upside.With the deal, the Maple Leafs did manage to squeeze all their restricted free agents under the cap, but now have negligible cap room with a backup goalie still needing to be signed.It's believed that Toronto's recourse will buying out the remainder of Jared Cowen's contract.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Phil Kessel came and went with the Stanley Cup in tow, and partied with a group of friends made in Toronto that included only two NHL players.This, according to James Mirtle of the Globe and Mail.

Mike Santorelli has signed a two-year contract with Geneve-Servette in Switzlerand, the club officially announced Friday.The 30-year-old unrestricted free agent recorded nine goals and nine assists in 70 games for the Anaheim Ducks this past season, carrying a cap hit of $875,000 on a one-year deal. He added a goal in four playoff games.Santorelli appeared in 406 career NHL games, setting career highs in goals (20) and points (41) as a member of the Florida Panthers in 2010-11.His Swiss contract will expire at the end of the 2017-18 season.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

David Backes' departure from St. Louis is somewhat bittersweet for Alex Pietrangelo.The Blues' top defenseman says Backes' decision to sign with the Boston Bruins was hard to hear - even admitting to succumbing to tears - but adds he would welcome the opportunity to don the captain's 'C' now that the forward has moved on.Related: 7 top candidates for NHL's vacant captainciesPietrangelo says Backes may have been low-key preparing him for the role all along."I think being so close with Dave over the five years he was captain, I’ve learned a lot from him just kind of sitting back and seeing how he operates on a daily basis," he told Jose de Jesus Ortiz of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. "Not only on the ice but off the ice, which is a big part of it trying to keep the locker room together and doing the off-ice stuff."He was always trying to help me through that. I think he knew this opportunity might come some day for me. He was always willing to answer my questions, and I was always eager to ask him. So if there is a guy that I was lucky to learn from, it was him. Being such good friends of his made it that much easier."General manager Doug Armstrong affirmed Piertangelo's exceptional leadership qualities, and it appears he is indeed the frontrunner to be named captain at some point prior to the start of the regular season.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Heading into the 2016-17 season, no fewer than seven of the NHL's 30 teams are in search of new captains.Here's a look at the top candidates to fill each role.Carolina Hurricanes - Jordan StaalWho better to take up the mantle from the departed Eric Staal than brother Jordan Staal?The 27-year-old center is under contract with the Carolina Hurricanes until the end of the 2022-23 season, and brings a wealth of experience to the emerging club as a Stanley Cup winner with the Pittsburgh Penguins (2009).If all goes according to general manager Ron Francis' plan, Jordan could be the second Staal to accept the Cup from the commissioner.Edmonton Oilers - Connor McDavidAlready one of the most talented players in the game, Connor McDavid would become the youngest captain in NHL history.The 19-year-old was already credited as being the leader of the Edmonton Oilers by the since-traded Taylor Hall, and at this time next summer, he could have one of the longest and biggest contracts in hockey history.McDavid may be young, but he's a special breed of hockey player, and will likely handle anything tossed at him with ease for years to come.Florida Panthers - Aaron EkbladThe Florida Panthers boast a bevy of young talent complemented by savvy veterans, but make no mistake - this emerging powerhouse is built around cornerstone defenseman Aaron Ekblad.Set to become the team's highest-paid player when his eight-year, $60-million contract extension kicks in at the beginning of 2017-18, the 20-year-old has already displayed a maturity well beyond his years both on and off the ice.He'll have plenty of help in the locker room, but the Panthers are Ekblad's team for the foreseeable future, and the "C" should be his to reflect that.Nashville Predators - P.K. SubbanThis vacancy came up rather unexpectedly after longtime captain Shea Weber was dealt to the Montreal Canadiens for P.K. Subban.The 27-year-old defenseman became the Predators' highest-paid player, and Nashville would be well-served by marketing Subban as the new face of the franchise.Giving him the captaincy would be a clear signal of moving in a new and exciting direction.St. Louis Blues - Alex PietrangeloDavid Backes shipped up to Boston, meaning Ken Hitchcock and Mike Yeo must decide on whom to place the "C" moving forward.Hitchcock clearly doesn't see leadership potential in the team's best player, namely Vladimir Tarasenko, meaning the steady presence of defenseman Alex Pietrangelo is probably the safer bet.Veteran Jay Bouwmeester, however, could be a dark horse candidate here.Toronto Maple Leafs - Auston Matthews (2017)The Toronto Maple Leafs remain in rebuild mode, and head coach Mike Babcock has already said he's in no rush to name a new captain after Dion Phaneuf was traded to Ottawa last season.The head coach did cite players like Nazem Kadri and Morgan Rielly as emerging leaders, but 2016 first overall draft pick Auston Matthews is the player whom this team will be built around moving forward.As such, he's the top candidate to be named the next captain of the Maple Leafs, but probably not until 2017-18.Winnipeg Jets - Blake WheelerA longtime assistant while Andrew Ladd held down the captaincy, 29-year-old Blake Wheeler is already viewed as a leader for the Winnipeg Jets, both as the team's highest scorer and in terms of work ethic off the ice.Dustin Byfuglien and Mark Scheifele serve as worthy choices, but the former is somewhat polarizing while the latter is still rather young.Wheeler has already said he'd be honored to wear the "C," and that his mindset won't change either way."Regardless of what letter I have on my jersey, my role on the team and who I am with the team is not going to change," Wheeler told Tim Campbell of the Winnipeg Free Press. "I think last year was a big growing year for me, with (my) foot on the gas the whole time."That kind of example is exactly what a captain should bring to the table.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

NHL commissioner Gary Bettman may have to further answer to his claim that a direct link between concussions and chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) can't yet be proven.Lawyers for former players who are suing the league over its failure to properly handle head injuries want to question Bettman after the commissioner recently wrote the science linking concussions and CTE "remains nascent."Bettman's statement came in response to a letter from U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal.Related: U.S. Senator 'appalled' by Bettman's latest denial of CTE linkLead counsel Charles Zimmerman filed Bettman's letter to the court, and wants Bettman to testify under oath in regards to his statements, according to Rick Westhead of TSN."We should have the chance now to walk him through some of his denials and find out why he has made his statements and ask him what makes him so sure," Zimmerman said. "Why is he so willing to go against conventional science which says repeated blows to the head cause damage to the brain?"The NHL did not offer comment on the matter, while NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly is scheduled to be questioned by lawyers in early August.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The National Hockey League Players' Association has hired Bruce Meyer as senior director of collective bargaining, policy, and legal."Bruce will be a great addition to the NHLPA's staff. He brings a wealth of knowledge to this new role coming from his law firm where he gained three decades' worth of valuable experience, including effectively representing the NHLPA and other Players' Associations as outside counsel," said NHLPA executive director Don Fehr."Protecting the rights of professional athletes has been a passion for me throughout my career," added Meyer. "This is an exciting opportunity for me to join the NHLPA's team, and I look forward to taking on this new challenge."The hiring comes less than two months after the NHL filed a lawsuit against the PA over Dennis Wideman's reduced suspension, and with the current collective bargaining agreement set to expire after the 2021-22 season.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal didn't get the response he was expecting from Gary Bettman when he wrote the NHL commissioner questioning the league's repeated denial of a link between concussions and a chronic brain disease."I was surprised and appalled, because I thought the response would be more receptive," Blumenthal told Sports Illustrated's Alex Prewitt on Thursday.Earlier this week, Bettman responded to a letter from Blumenthal which sought answers from the NHL about its reluctance to admit a link between the sport and chronic traumatic encephalopathy, which scientists say is caused by repeated blows to the head.The commissioner cautioned the senator against "speculation and fear mongering," reiterating his long-held stance that the relationship between concussions and CTE remains unclear.Blumenthal said Thursday that Bettman's response should have been more proactive."I would've welcomed an acknowledgement for stronger action and a commitment to determining whether the game is causing these heartrending injuries with such painful consequences, rather than dismissing the link between hockey and CTE."The senator also expressed his disappointment with the league in a series of tweets earlier Thursday morning.

Nearly a month after the trade that sent a colossal shockwave through the NHL, the Montreal Canadiens are getting used to life without P.K. Subban.The charismatic defenseman was sent to the Nashville Predators in exchange for Shea Weber, and while the dust has settled, many still have a tough time pinpointing the reasoning for the trade.One conspiracy theory is an alleged riff between Subban and Habs' captain Max Pacioretty, but when speaking to Sportsnet's Andrew Walker, Montreal's leader only had good things to say about his friend and former teammate."I loved playing with P.K.," Pacioretty said. "I had a lot of really really good moments and memories with him and I will miss him, and I will keep in touch with him as well."Still, like nearly everybody else, Pacioretty was shocked by the news."It completely threw me off guard," Pacioretty said. "The first thing I did, is I picked up my phone and I called P.K."As for the new guy in town, Pacioretty is ready to get started with Weber a part of the roster."He's a guy that can help out our team a lot and has had a lot of success," Pacioretty said. "From an individual perspective he's obviously been a captain, and a very successful one for quite some time now. So I think on an individual level I can learn a lot from a player like that."Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Minnesota Wild have come to terms with their final free agent.The club agreed to a two-year, $5.1-million deal with defenseman Matt Dumba on Thursday.He'll earn $2.35 million next season and $2.75 million in 2017-18, with a cap hit of $2.55 million.The 22-year-old collected 26 points in 81 games for the Wild in 2015-16, ranking second among Minnesota blue-liners in goals and shots, and third in points.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The New Jersey Devils have signed defenseman Brandon Gormley to a one-year, two-way contract worth $650,000 at the NHL level.The 24-year-old was originally drafted 13th overall by the Coyotes in 2010, and split the 2015-16 campaign between the Avalanche and their AHL affiliate in San Antonio.Gormley became an unrestricted free agent after the Colorado Avalanche decided not to sign a qualifying offer, and will now battle it out for a spot on New Jersey's blue line in 2016-17.In 58 career NHL games, Gormley has recorded two goals, three assists, and 54 shots.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Arizona Coyotes and defenseman Michael Stone have avoided arbitration by agreeing to terms on a one-year contract.The deal is worth $4 million, according to Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet.Stone, 26, appeared in 75 games for the Coyotes this past season, recording a career-high 30 assists and 36 total points. He also led the team with 143 blocked shots.A restricted free agent prior to the new agreement, Stone carried an average annual valuation of $1.15 million in each of the past three seasons.An arbitration hearing was scheduled for Aug. 4.

theScore is ranking all 30 NHL jerseys. We're counting down by six each day this week.

The Arizona Coyotes locked up restricted free-agent defenseman Connor Murphy with a six-year contract extension, the club announced Thursday.Murphy will reportedly earn $3.85 million each season throughout the life of the contract, a source told Arizona Sports' Craig Morgan.The 23-year-old top-four defender is an integral building block for the Coyotes, and his progress through three pro seasons suggests this deal could have enormous value down the line.Murphy established career-best offensive totals and was a far more effective defender in his third campaign. Whether it's on the top pair with Oliver Ekman-Larsson - a look Dave Tippett showed in the latter portion of last season - or on the second pairing with newcomer Alex Goligoski, Murphy will have the proper support, giving him the opportunity to improve his underlying stats and continue refining his skills.Arizona still has restricted free-agent forward Tobias Rieder and fellow top-four defenseman Michael Stone to sign.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Dale Tallon is anything but a forgotten man in Florida.Promoted to the role of president of hockey operations after a successful stint as general manager of the Florida Panthers, Tallon is embracing the new role while also retaining the privilege of final say, he told 560 WQAM Radio on Thursday."(The new role) allows me to focus on what I do best - and that's evaluate and travel and scout and give us information on players that will help us win a championship and keep us as a top team for the next 15 years," said Tallon."I think we're in great shape, as far as that's concerned. But this will free me up to do what I do best, and that's to go scout and find players for the organization."Tallon further debunked the notion that his voice has been minimized upon the promotion of Tim Rowe from assistant GM to Tallon's former job, reiterating he still has final say amid a collaborative decision-making process."I have a lot to say. I'm a stubborn guy. I have opinions. I have strong opinions. I let them know where I stand. I let them know how I feel, and that's the way it is," he said."Bottom line is what's best for the team, doesn't matter whose voice it is - as long as we all agree that it's best for the Panthers in the long term, we're all agreeing to do what's right. We agree what's best. We disagree. But we agree to disagree, and it's been a real good process."The Panthers were asked for permission by the Las Vegas franchise to speak with Tallon about their now-filled GM job, but he was never formally approached.For now, he's working on unfinished business with the Panthers, with a view to bringing the Stanley Cup to South Florida.- With h/t to Chris Nichols of Today's SlapshotCopyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Two of Boston's core players played a big role in attracting David Backes' attention in free agency.The 32-year-old forward, who signed a five-year, $30-million contract on July 1, said he spoke to both Patrice Bergeron and Brad Marchand during the interview period, referring to them Wednesday as lead salesmen in the process."Talking to (Marchand) a little bit during the interview process before July 1, I hung up the phone and kind of had to take a deep breath and say, 'Is that the little disturber, pain in the butt?' He's actually a pretty good guy," Backes said, according to Eric Russo of BostonBruins.com."A guy like Bergeron, you play against him, he's just always in the right spot and never making mistakes. Those types of guys are guys you want on your team, guys that you love to go to war with."His positive impressions of both, as well as the positive relationship shared by the duo both on and off the ice, helped convince him to sign with the club.It's winning a championship, however, that means most to Backes, after not being able to hoist the Stanley Cup as captain of the St. Louis Blues."With the reception that I've had for the three, four weeks that I've been a Boston Bruin, you can tell that there's some passion and tons of people here that just yearn for another Cup, even though it was just five years ago there was a parade here," he said."That's why I came here, because you see the vision, you see the love for the team, and I want to be a part of that."On another note, Backes will wear his familiar No. 42 with the Bruins.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

As the calendar gets set to turn to August, Calgary Flames general manager Brad Treliving still has two massive items to check off his summer to-do list.Both Johnny Gaudreau and Sean Monahan - who ranked first and second in team scoring last season - remain without new contracts as restricted free agents, and Treliving stated Wednesday there's no real update to offer."We've obviously got Sean and Johnny's contracts and we continue to work away at that," the GM said after formally introducing goalie Brian Elliott, according to Kristen Odland of the Calgary Herald."We'll keep picking away at that ... It's just term and money, right?" he joked.The young stars are no doubt looking for long-term, big-money deals, and have expressed a desire to play together for years to come.With 11 weeks to go before the start of the regular season, the Flames have close to $15 million in available cap space, much of which could be taken up by these two extensions.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Further details emerged Wednesday relating to the charges of criminal trespass, disorderly conduct, and non-criminal harassment facing Buffalo Sabres forward Evander Kane, with depositions describing Kane acting aggressively toward several people on the night of June 24 at a Buffalo bar.The sworn depositions, obtained by The Buffalo News' Lou Michel and Dale Anderson with names redacted, come from four people who filed complaints: a bouncer and three women at the bar where Kane was serving as a celebrity bartender. Michel and Anderson write:

Let the speculation begin.After playing without a captain last season, Edmonton Oilers head coach Todd McLellan confirmed to the media Wednesday that the team will employ one for the 2016-17 campaign."Will we have a captain? Yeah we will," McLellan said, according Chris Wescott of Edmontonoilers.com.When asked who it might be, McLellan didn't budge."We will have a captain," he said.Last season, Andrew Ference, Taylor Hall, Jordan Eberle, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, and Matt Hendricks all spent time representing the team as alternate captains.Naturally, all eyes shift to Connor McDavid, who's already been tabbed as a leader by teammates, and is the epicenter of the franchise's future.If it is McDavid, 19, he could become the youngest captain in NHL history, a mark set by Gabriel Landeskog of the Colorado Avalanche, who set the record in 2012 at 19 years and 286 days old.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Steve Yzerman has proven to be a force in the Tampa Bay Lightning front office.Whether it be retaining franchise cornerstones Steven Stamkos and Victor Hedman at a discounted rate, or straightening out the Jonathan Drouin saga, the general manager is on a roll.As successful as Yzerman has been keeping the Lightning intact, one major requirement remains incomplete: a contract extension for Nikita Kucherov.Yzerman is confident the two sides will reach a deal, as discussions remain ongoing."We continue to communicate with his representation," Yzerman said, according to Joe Smith of The Tampa Bay Times. "And we expect to have him under contract to start the season."Every negotiation is different and some take longer than others," Yzerman added. "Sometimes they get done when they get done. You can't force it."Like nearly every circumstance Yzerman's dealt with in the past year, Kucherov's situation is a delicate one. Tampa Bay has just over $6.5 million in cap space and also needs to find a contract for restricted free-agent blueliner Nikita Nesterov.Kucherov, just 23 years old, earned $700,000 in salary last season, and is coming off a career-high 30 goals and 66 points, followed up by a sensational playoff performance for the second year in a row.All told, he's due for a substantial raise, but if recent history is any indicator, Yzerman's even-keeled approach at getting deals done will pay dividends for both parties.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Detroit Red Wings general manager Ken Holland had a long list of tasks to complete entering this offseason, but after signing goaltender Petr Mrazek to a two-year, $8-million contract Wednesday, it seems as though Holland has ticked off all the boxes.Signing Mrazek was a necessity for Holland and the Red Wings, and although the two sides agreed on a settlement before reaching arbitration, Detroit is facing a problem, currently sitting above the salary cap line of $73 million.According to General Fanager, the Red Wings carry a cap hit of $77,867,042, but Holland doesn't foresee it being an issue once the season begins.Holland explained his approach is based on forwards Johan Franzen and Joe Vitale - who was acquired from the Arizona Coyotes in the Pavel Datsyuk deal - being unable to play this season because of concussion issues."Certainly we have no expectations that Franzen and Vitale are playing hockey this year," Holland told Brendan Savage of Mlive.com. "I talked to Vitale after we traded (for) him. He's having ongoing issues with concussion. He's certainly not expecting to be in camp. I'm not expecting Johan Franzen on the ice."I think realistically, when it's all said and done, we're probably a little over the cap. What's a little? Probably a million dollars or just a little bit less over the cap if you don't count Vitale and Franzen."Along with extending Mrazek's tenure in Detroit, Holland has re-signed Danny DeKeyser, Luke Glendening, Teemu Pulkkinen, and Darren Helm, while adding Steve Ott, Thomas Vanek, and Frans Nielsen through free agency.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Ottawa Senators and Cody Ceci appear to be working towards bridging the gap.The club is believed to be discussing a two-year contract with the restricted free-agent defenseman's agent, according to Bruce Garrioch of the Ottawa Sun.Speaking after the signing of forward Mike Hoffman earlier Wednesday, Senators general manager Pierre Dorion indicated the two sides have indeed been in contact, making assurances a deal will be reached prior to the start of the regular season.

The Nashville Predators have signed defenseman Matt Carle to a one-year, $700,000 contract.The 31-year-old was recently bought out by the Tampa Bay Lightning, with two years remaining on a contract that carried an average annual valuation of $5.5 million.Carle appeared in only 64 regular-season games for the Lightning last campaign, with two goals and seven assists to his credit, while contributing eight points in 43 playoff games with the Lightning over three seasons.In 724 career appearances, he's averaging 32 points for every 82 games played. Carle also played three seasons under Nashville head coach Peter Laviolette when both were with the Philadelphia Flyers.The veteran will be called upon to play a depth role on an already very talented defense corps assembled by general manager David Poile.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

theScore is ranking all 30 NHL jerseys, counting down by six each day this week.

The Nashville Predators have signed forward Calle Jarnkrok to a six-year, $12-million contract.Jarnkrok, 24, recorded career highs in goals (16), assists (14), total points (30), and shots (95) this past season.Drafted in the second round of the 2010 NHL Draft (51st overall), Jarnkrok was traded to Nashville as part of a deal that sent David Legwand to the Detroit Red Wings back in 2014.The contract will pay him $1.7 million in 2016-17, $1.8 million in 2017-18, $2.1 million in 2018-19, $2.2 million in 2019-20 and 2020-21, and $2 million in 2021-22.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Detroit Red Wings and netminder Petr Mrazek have avoided salary arbitration, reportedly signing a new two-year contract worth $8 million, according to Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman.Mrazek will earn $3.85 million this season and $4.15 million in 2017-18 for a tidy $4 million average annual value, or a shade under $1.3 million less than Jimmy Howard.The 24-year-old had a brilliant start to his first season as the Red Wings' No. 1 netminder after wresting the starter's role from Howard two springs back. But he was derailed after the All-Star Break, sporting a sub-.900 save percentage over the final two months of the season, eventually losing his job.He briefly regained his form in relief of Howard in the playoffs, stopping pucks at a .945 rate in three games versus the Tampa Bay Lightning.Despite not maximizing his earning potential with a full season, Mrazek's bump in pay represents a considerable raise from his modest entry-level salary, and puts the Red Wings in a real financial bind.Detroit's currently estimated to enter the season $4-plus million over the cap with more than $9 million allocated to netminders.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Ottawa Senators have signed forward Mike Hoffman to a four-year contract.The deal is $3.8 million in 2016-17 and $5.65 million for each of the three seasons to follow. The annual salary cap hit would therefore amount to $5.1875 million, for a total valuation of $20.75 million."Mike Hoffman is a huge piece of our team moving forward," general manager Pierre Dorion said. "To get a long-term contract done makes both sides happy.""The Sens are the team I wanted to play for and I'm excited to work with Guy Boucher again," said Hoffman, who played junior hockey for the new head coach. "I love the city and the fans."A bit of a late bloomer, the 26-year-old has played only two full seasons at the NHL level, but has excelled in both. In his past 157 games since the beginning of 2014-15, Hoffman has scored 56 goals, leading the Senators in each of the past two regular seasons, while displaying a deadly combination of skill and speed that's desperately needed in Ottawa.League-wide, only nine players have scored more than Hoffman in five-on-five play in that same time span.Hoffman was scheduled for an arbitration hearing Aug. 4 after earning $2 million this past season.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Tampa Bay Lightning confirmed Wednesday morning that they have re-signed forward Vladislav Namestnikov to a two-year contract extension worth $3.875 million in total.Namestnikov was scheduled for arbitration Friday.The middle-six forward, who will represent Russia at the upcoming World Cup, has the potential to exceed the $1.938-million average annual value on his deal. Jonathan Drouin, Ondrej Palat, and Nikita Kucherov were the only Lightning players with a better even-strength points rate last season.Namestnikov's 14 goals and 35 points in 2015-16 represented career highs for the former 27th overall pick.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

For Jimmy Vesey and the Chicago Blackhawks, the interest is apparently mutual.Vesey's agent, Peter Donatelli, stated Monday that the Harvard graduate will want to talk to the Blackhawks when he becomes a free agent next month, but quickly followed up that confirmed interest with this caveat."Chicago will be on the list," Donatelli said in an interview with Scott Powers of The Athletic, "but it shouldn't be read as they're ahead of anyone else."Meanwhile, Stan Bowman's interest in the reigning Hobey Baker winner is seemingly without qualification. The Blackhawks' GM is believed to have scouted Vesey on multiple occasions this summer in his persisting search for cost-effective assets to filter talent into the gaps in his lineup.Donatelli also told Powers the presentations given to Vesey will factor heavily into his decision.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Carolina Hurricanes have signed head coach Bill Peters to a contract extension through to the end of 2018-19."Bill is a talented, young coach in the National Hockey League," said general manager Ron Francis. "We are happy that he has made a commitment to the Hurricanes, and that he will be a major part of the team continuing to grow."

First, it was Steven Stamkos spurning the Toronto Maple Leafs to stay with the Tampa Bay Lightning. Now, another superstar forward says he isn't planning to play for his hometown team.John Tavares put any lingering doubts about his future to rest and dashed the hopes of Maple Leafs fans in an interview Tuesday with Andrew Walker on Sportsnet 590 The FAN."I would not count on that," Tavares said after the host jokingly asked him what his favorite thing would be about playing in Toronto in 2018."I think I've always showed my commitment, my appreciation and my desire to play on Long Island," Tavares said. "I'd love for that to continue for the long haul. I think you look at some of the greatest players in the game, they have been able to spend their entire careers somewhere and I hope I'm in that same position."Islanders co-owner John Ledecky said last week that Tavares is "not going to be a free agent" when his current contract expires. The captain has two seasons remaining on the six-year, $33-million extension he signed with New York in 2011."Obviously being from Toronto, people are going to make those connections," Tavares said." It is what it is. It's nothing I can control. I just want to go out there and be the best player and best person I can be for the Islanders, day in and day out, and I'm just going to focus on tomorrow and the upcoming season."The 25-year-old has spent his entire seven-year career with the Islanders after being drafted first overall in 2009. Despite his age, Tavares already ranks 10th on the club's all-time list in goals (207) and eighth in power-play goals (64).Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Tampa Bay Lightning have reached a two-year deal with restricted free-agent forward Vladislav Namestnikov worth an AAV of $1.93 million, according to ESPN's Craig Custance.By reaching an agreement, both sides avoid an arbitration hearing, which was scheduled for Friday.In signing Namestnikov, Lightning general manager Steve Yzerman met the needs of another Tampa Bay RFA, and now only two remain - sniper Nikita Kucherov and defenseman Nikita Nesterov.Namestnikov was drafted 27th overall by Tampa Bay in 2011 and reached career highs across the board last season with 14 goals and 21 assists in 80 games.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Gary Bettman isn't wavering from his stance that a link between concussions and chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) can't yet be made.The NHL commissioner stuck to his position in a response to U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal, who sent a letter to Bettman demanding answers in June.“The science regarding CTE, including on the asserted ‘link’ to concussions that you reference, remains nascent, particularly with respect to what causes CTE and whether it can be diagnosed by specific clinical symptoms,” the commissioner wrote in his reply to Senator Blumenthal, according to John Branch of The New York Times."The relationship between concussions and the asserted clinical symptoms of CTE remains unknown," Bettman added in a 24-page document filed in U.S. District Court in Minneapolis, where the league is fighting an ongoing class-action lawsuit filed by many former players alleging they weren't informed about the long-term effects of head injuries.The commissioner also cited the need for scientific consensus rather than relying on "speculation and fear mongering."Blumenthal wrote a letter to Bettman last month requesting a response by July 23.The Senator posed nine questions to the commissioner, including, "Do you believe there is a link between CTE and hockey?" and "Do you dispute that the documented CTE of former NHL players, like Derek Boogaard, is linked to injuries sustained while playing in the NHL?"Boogaard, a former NHL enforcer, was diagnosed with CTE following his death in 2011. The disease can only be identified posthumously.Bettman has long denied a link between concussions suffered while playing hockey and CTE, a disease scientists say is caused by repeated blows to the head.NFL senior vice president and chief security officer Jeffrey B. Miller acknowledged a link between CTE and football in March.- With h/t to Puck DaddyCopyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Arizona Coyotes shocked many by hiring 27-year-old John Chayka - the youngest in NHL history - as the team's new general manager in May.But they did so with a refreshed approach, handing the keys to a rebuilding team to a young mind with an emphasis on analytics.Since Chayka took over, Arizona drafted defenseman Jakob Chychrun 16th overall and also signed blueliners Alex Goligoski and Luke Schenn, revamping a defensive corps with players Chayka believes fit within his model of success.In a sit down with NHL.com's Dan Rosen, Chayka stated defensive play is about transition, rather than man-on-man defending."The philosophy is fairly simple. It's when we don't have the puck, recover the puck as quickly as possible," Chayka said. "There are all kinds of different forms where you can gain possession of the puck, some of them are physical, and some of them are non-physical, so I think you need a blend to have both."Once you get the puck back, it's to transition the puck. Defense isn't about defending, it's about getting the puck in the forwards' hands and getting the puck moving in the offensive zone. It's about transitioning. That's the philosophy and that's been the theme behind the moves that we're making, let's get players who can get pucks back and get pucks up to forwards in an efficient and effective manner."The Coyotes boast one of the top - if not the best - prospect pools in the NHL, and while the future is promising, improving defensive play is a must, as the Coyotes ranked 28th league-wide last year in goals against per game, allowing 2.98.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Petter Granberg reportedly avoided arbitration Tuesday by signing a two-year, $1.225-million contract with the Nashville Predators, according to CBC's Tim Wharnsby.The depth defender is guaranteed a $650,000 NHL salary in the second year, but his contract will carry a two-way provision for this upcoming season, Wharnsby reports.His arbitration hearing was scheduled for Aug. 3.The former fourth-round selection of the Toronto Maple Leafs appeared in 27 games for Nashville last year, chipping in two assists.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Vancouver Canucks don't plan to rush 2016 first-round pick Olli Juolevi.President of hockey operations Trevor Linden joined TSN 1040 on Tuesday and admitted that while he likes what he sees from the young defenseman, he might not join the big club next season."His ability to process the game and make the right play is impressive," Linden said, according to Ben Kuzma of TSN 1040. "Our plan for him is London."While Juolevi might have to endure another season of junior, Linden says he expects to sign the 18-year-old to an entry-level contract in the coming weeks.Juolevi amassed nine goals and 42 points in 57 regular season games, to go along with 14 playoff points in 18 postseason games during his first taste of North American Hockey with the London Knights last year. He also added seven points in four games en route to the Knights' Memorial Cup win.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Toronto Maple Leafs signed forward Trevor Moore to a three-year entry-level contract on Tuesday, the team announced.Moore joins the club as a college free agent, after going undrafted while playing the last three seasons at the University of Denver.The 21-year-old has shown offensive prowess in his three years with the Pioneers, having amassed a combined total of 47 goals and 120 points in 121 games.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Danny DeKeyser isn't going anywhere for the foreseeable future.The Detroit Red Wings defenseman inked a six-year, $30-million contract on Tuesday, avoiding his impending arbitration hearing, and the 26-year-old couldn't be happier."It's nice to get this done and just to know that I'll be around for awhile," DeKeyser said, according to Bill Roose of DetroitRedWings.com. "For me and my fiancee - she's also from Michigan - it's just a good spot for us to be in with family all around the state and that kind of thing. It's a big event coming up for us, so it's really cool how this has worked out before the wedding, to get that done and be comfortable and not have to worry about it."I don't want to go anywhere else and I was pretty happy that we were able to work with Kenny (Holland) and get a deal done. So I'm just excited about it."Under his new contract, DeKeyser will make more than twice his previous annual average of $2.187 million, even despite an 11-point drop-off in production last season, which he attributes to one glaring reason."This year my point total was down, I had 20 points, but led the D in goals, I had eight goals so I thought that was a pretty good accomplishment," DeKeyser said. "I didn't have any power-play time this past year so sometimes it's hard to pick up those extra points when you're not playing on the power play. Whether I'm on that or not it doesn't matter, I'm just going to do my role, five-on-five and penalty kill, and if I do get a chance on the power play I'm comfortable playing that as well. I don't know if I'll get to 40 or 45 points without playing the power play, but it's a possibility, that's for sure."DeKeyser did hit a career-high eight goals this season, but is one year removed from his career high in points, when he hit 31 in 80 games.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Despite finishing in the bottom three of the NHL standings the last three seasons, Edmonton Oilers goaltender Cam Talbot feels that the club is still on the verge of something great.The team has added Milan Lucic and Jesse Puljujarvi up front and despite dealing Taylor Hall, have added Adam Larsson, and with the possibility of more moves to come on the back end, Talbot feels the Oilers are trending in the right direction."I don’t think we’re that far off from making the playoffs, to be honest with you," Talbot told Sportsnet.ca. "I think one more piece [on defense] and we’ve got all the talent up front we've always had and added more talent via free agency and the draft. When you shore up the back end, which is what Peter's trying to do, as long as I do my part, I think we could definitely battle for a playoff spot this year and next year and go from there."The Oilers finished last season with the 26th-ranked offense, converting an average of just 2.43 goals per game, meanwhile their defense fared even worse giving up a 27th-ranked 2.95 goals against per game.Of course the odds will be stacked against the Oilers to make such a 180 and jump into the postseason, but Talbot feels the Hall trade is evidence of an overall positive trend that will make the club better immediately and moving forward."It’s tough to give away a guy like Taylor, but the return for a good defenseman is high this summer," said Talbot. "You have to give up something to get someone good, and I think we did that. I’m not sure Peter’s done yet, so we'll see what other pieces he can put in place here to point us in the right direction."The Oilers have not made the playoffs since the 2005-06 season when they lost in Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Finals to the Carolina Hurricanes.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The New York Rangers have signed defenseman Sergey Zborovskiy, a third-round pick from last summer, to his three-year, entry-level contract, the team announced Tuesday.Zborovskiy returned to the Regina Pats of the Western Hockey League last season, his second in North America, and chipped in with eight goals and 25 points.The 6-foot-4 defender is eligible for one more season at the major junior level.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

theScore is ranking all 30 NHL jerseys. We're counting down by six each day this week.

The Philadelphia Flyers agreed to terms with their final outstanding restricted free agent Tuesday, signing Brandon Manning to a two-year contract worth $1.95 million, Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman reports.The defender was scheduled to attend a meeting with a salary arbitrator.Manning scored a goal and seven points last season, his first exclusively at the NHL level since turning professional in 2011-12.His signing presents another hurdle for Ivan Provorov, Samuel Morin, and the exciting group of defensive prospects the Flyers have assembled in recent drafts.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.