Minnesota Wild sign Kirill Kaprizov to richest deal in NHL history, $136 million over 8 years
The Minnesota Wild signed star left wing Kirill Kaprizov to an eight-year, $136 million extension on Tuesday, giving him the richest contract in NHL history. Kaprizov will count $17 million against the salary cap beginning next season. It’s the highest annual average salary of any player since the league’s cap...
Florida’s Aleksander Barkov could miss season after knee surgery
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — Florida captain Aleksander Barkov could miss the entire regular season because of a knee injury, a major blow to the Panthers and their quest to win a third consecutive Stanley Cup. Barkov got hurt Thursday in his first official practice of training camp and was undergoing...
Hall of Famer Bernie Parent, who led the Philadelphia Flyers to two Stanley Cup titles, dies at 80
PHILADELPHIA — Bernie Parent, the Hall of Famer considered one of the great goalies of all time who anchored the net for the Philadelphia Flyers’ only two Stanley Cup championships in the 1970s during their Broad Street Bullies heyday, has died. He was 80. The Flyers made the announcement Sunday...
Kings captain Anze Kopitar says he will retire after his upcoming 20th season
EL SEGUNDO, Calif. — Kings captain Anze Kopitar said he will retire after the upcoming season, ending a 20-year NHL career spent entirely in Los Angeles. The 38-year-old Kopitar made the announcement Thursday at a news conference with his family after the first practice of training camp. “My mind is...
At 40, Alex Ovechkin’s future past this season remains uncertain
ARLINGTON, Va. — The chase is done. Is the farewell tour next? Alex Ovechkin remained reticent about his future Thursday when he spoke with reporters at the Washington Capitals’ media day. A day after his 40th birthday, the NHL’s career goal-scoring leader said he hasn’t been thinking much about what...
Current captains of every NHL team for 2025-26 season
Pittsburgh Penguins center Sidney Crosby remains the longest-tenured captain in the NHL heading into the 2025-26 season, having earned the “C” in May 2007. Crosby’s run is followed by Washington Capitals left wing Alex Ovechkin (2010) and Colorado Avalanche left wing Gabriel Landeskog (2012). New York Rangers forward J.T. Miller,...
New York Rangers name J.T. Miller captain on the eve of training camp
NEW YORK — The New York Rangers named J.T. Miller captain Tuesday, putting him in the key leadership position three weeks before the start of the NHL season. The Rangers announced Miller, who was raised in Coraopolis, would be getting the “C” on the eve of the start of training...
Hall of Fame Canadiens goaltender Ken Dryden dies of cancer at age 78
MONTREAL — Ken Dryden, the Hall of Fame goaltender who helped the Montreal Canadiens win six Stanley Cup titles in the 1970s, has died after a fight with cancer. He was 78. The Canadiens announced his death early Saturday, saying Dryden’s family asked for privacy. A team spokesperson said a...
Panthers’ Tkachuk says he’s undecided on whether to have surgery to address last season’s injuries
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — Florida Panthers forward Matthew Tkachuk said he is still undecided whether to get surgery this offseason to address the significant injuries he suffered in the the 4 Nations Face-Off his year. Tkachuk told ESPN in a story posted Friday that, while he’s hoping to return to...
Kraken mascot has a close encounter with a brown bear during video shoot in Alaska
SEATTLE — Seattle Kraken forward John Hayden and the team’s blue-haired troll mascot had a close call with a brown bear during a promotional video shoot in Alaska. Hayden and the mascot named Buoy were on a fly-fishing outing in Katmai National Park as part of a trip promoting youth...
Alex Ovechkin partners with Russian tech company to make biopic
Alex Ovechkin has partnered with a Russian technology company to produce a movie, series or documentary about his NHL career. Yandex and its streaming platform, Kinopoisk, announced the agreement Tuesday. Ovechkin this past spring broke Wayne Gretzky’s career goals record and has scored 897 going into the final season of...
Islanders sign No. 1 overall pick Matthew Schaefer to 3-year, entry-level dealVideo
NEW YORK — The New York Islanders signed No. 1 overall draft pick Matthew Schaefer to a three-year, entry level contract. The team announced the deal Monday right around the time the young defenseman threw out the ceremonial first pitch before the Mets’ home game against the Cleveland Guardians. Schaefer...
Judge acquits former junior hockey players in sexual assault case that rattled nation
LONDON, Ontario — An Ontario judge acquitted five former members of Canada’s world junior hockey team Thursday in their sexual assault case, saying the complainant’s allegations lacked the credibility needed to justify the charges. Superior Court Justice Maria Carroccia said prosecutors could not meet the onus of proof for the...
Winnipeg Jets sign forward Gabriel Vilardi to 6-year, $45 million extension
WINNIPEG, Manitoba — The Winnipeg Jets locked up forward Gabriel Vilardi on Friday, signing the forward to a six-year extension worth $45 million. Vilardi became a restricted free agent July 1 after completing a two-year, $6.88 million deal. He had career highs in 2024-25 with 27 goals, 34 assists, 61...
Maple Leafs trade enforcer Ryan Reaves to Sharks
TORONTO — The Toronto Maple Leafs traded rugged forward Ryan Reaves to the San Jose Sharks on Thursday for defenseman Henry Thrun. The 38-year-old Reaves had two assists and 28 penalty minutes in 35 games last season. He also had an assist in three games in the American Hockey League....
Back-to-back Stanley Cup champion Tyler Johnson retires
Tyler Johnson has announced his retirement after playing 13 NHL seasons and winning the Stanley Cup twice with the Tampa Bay Lightning. Johnson called it a career in a lengthy message posted on social media Monday. Johnson had battled injuries in recent years and is set to turn 35 on...
Defenseman Cam York, Flyers agree to 5-year deal worth $25.75MVideo
Cam York and the Philadelphia Flyers agreed to terms Monday on a five-year contract worth $25.75 million, with re-signing the restricted free-agent defenseman completing perhaps the team’s last important piece of offseason business. York, 25, will count $5.15 million against the salary cap through the 2029-30 NHL season. That price...
Nikolaj Ehlers remains unsigned midway through Day 2 of NHL free agency
Nikolaj Ehlers remained unsigned 30 hours into NHL free agency, as the top player available weighed his options Wednesday and suitors awaited his decision that could be one of the final big moves of the offseason. Ehlers was already a rarity as a sought-after free agent who let the opening...
NHL, NHLPA, IOC and IIHF finalize agreement for players to participate in 2026 Olympics
ZURICH (AP) — The NHL, NHLPA and international officials on Wednesday finalized a long-ago agreed-to deal to send players to the 2026 Milan-Cortina Olympics. The league, union, International Ice Hockey Federation and International Olympic Committee confirmed the participation of NHL players at the games for the first time since 2014....
Red Wings legend, Hockey Hall of Famer Alex Delvecchio dies at 93Video
DETROIT — Alex Delvecchio, a member of the Hockey Hall of Fame who helped the Detroit Red Wings win the Stanley Cup three times in the 1950s, has died. He was 93. Delvecchio died at his home in Rochester, Mich., according to a Red Wings spokesperson. A cause of death...
Stars hire Oilers assistant Glen Gulutzan as coach, his 2nd stint with Dallas
FRISCO, Texas — The Dallas Stars hired Glen Gulutzan as their head coach 12 years after he was fired from his first stint with them by the general manager who is still there. GM Jim Nill, who in 2013 had been with the Stars for only two weeks when he...
Canucks re-sign Boeser, Rangers land Gavrikov and Devils keep goalie Allen as NHL free agency opens
Brock Boeser stayed put in Vancouver. The New York Rangers retooled their blue line by landing free agency’s top defenseman Vladislav Gavrikov and trading K’Andre Miller to Carolina. And Nikolaj Ehlers is taking his time before determining his future. The frenzy of multiple signings when NHL free agency opened Tuesday...
Golden Knights get Mitch Marner in deal with Maple Leafs, give him 8-year, $96M contractVideo
LAS VEGAS — The Vegas Golden Knights acquired Mitch Marner in a sign-and-trade with Toronto on Monday, giving him an eight-year, $96 million contract, according to multiple reports. Marner, 28, will count $12 million against the salary cap through the 2032-33 season. He is coming off setting career highs with...
NHL free agency roundup: Champion Panthers re-sign Brad Marchand, Aaron EkbladVideo
The Florida Panthers completed another hat trick Monday less than two weeks since repeating as Stanley Cup champions. After Aaron Ekblad, Brad Marchand and Sam Bennett said they never wanted to leave South Florida, they got their wish. Days after locking up Bennett long term, the Panthers agreed to re-sign...
Claude Giroux re-signs with Senators; Blue Jackets lock up Dante Fabbro to 4-year, $16.5M contract
Veteran Senators forward Claude Giroux is staying put in Ottawa for one more season, and Blue Jackets defenseman Dante Fabbro has a new four-year contract that keeps him in Columbus. The Senators announced re-signing the 37-year-old Giroux to a one-year, $2 million contract that features an additional $2.75 million in...
