Salary cap jump fuels unpredictable market as NHL free agency approachesVideo
NHL teams have a whole lot of money to spend in free agency with the salary cap getting the biggest increase in its existence, and a bunch of players will cash in when the clock strikes noon Tuesday. The cap is jumping $7.5 million from $88 million to $95.5 million,...
Lightning place former Penguins forward Conor Sheary on waivers to terminate contractVideo
The Tampa Bay Lightning placed former Pittsburgh Penguins forward Conor Sheary on unconditional waivers on Sunday for the purpose to terminate his contract. The 10-year veteran was limited to just five games with the Lightning and spent a majority of last season in the minors because of the team’s salary...
Simon Wang becomes highest-drafted player born in China, going 33rd to Sharks in NHL draft
LOS ANGELES — Simon Wang was proud to become the highest-drafted player born in China when the San Jose Sharks selected him Saturday with the first pick of the second round of the NHL Draft. The big defenseman is also confident he won’t hold that distinction for long. “It’s an...
Red Wings acquire Whitehall native, veteran goalie John Gibson from DucksVideo
The Detroit Red Wings acquired John Gibson from the Anaheim Ducks on Saturday, a trade of the veteran goaltender that could start the dominoes falling around the NHL with several teams looking for help in net. Detroit sent backup goalie Petr Mrazek, a 2027 second-round pick and a 2026 fourth-rounder...
New York Islanders choose Erie defenseman Matthew Schaefer with No. 1 pick in NHL draft
LOS ANGELES — The New York Islanders selected defenseman Matthew Schaefer with the No. 1 pick in the NHL Draft on Friday night. High-scoring forward Michael Misa went second overall to the San Jose Sharks, and the Chicago Blackhawks took Swedish forward Anton Frondell third at Peacock Theater in downtown...
Playoff MVP Sam Bennett agrees on 8-year, $64 million contract to stay with Florida Panthers
SUNRISE, Fla. — Sam Bennett walked to the front of the stage at the Florida Panthers’ latest Stanley Cup championship parade, and before he could even speak the crowd began serenading him with their request. “Eight more years! Eight more years!” they chanted, over and over. They got their wish....
Trail Blazers see 7-1 Chinese center Yang Hansen as unique, versatile talent
PORTLAND, Ore. — Yang Hansen is going to fit into American culture just fine. The Trail Blazers’ 7-foot-1 Chinese center was introduced to Portland on Friday and was asked about his interests. Turns out, he’s already a gamer. “Sometimes I sleep. All the time, sleep. I like to play PS5....
Maple Leafs re-sign John Tavares for 4 years and the Oilers keep Trent Frederic around long term
John Tavares is staying with the Toronto Maple Leafs for four more years at a significantly discounted price. Tavares re-signed Friday for $17.55 million, and he will count $4.39 million against the salary cap through the 2028-29 season on a very team-friendly contract. He was making $11 million annually on...
NHL, players agree to CBA extension with 84-game season, playoff salary cap
An 84-game season is coming to the NHL as part of an extension of the collective bargaining agreement that has been tentatively agreed to by the league and the Players’ Association. They announced a memorandum of understanding Friday in Los Angeles before the first round of the draft. It still...
Tim Benz: Daniel Mantenuto becomes 1st RMU men’s hockey Olympian with Team Italy selection
Daniel Mantenuto’s senior year of college hockey at Robert Morris University didn’t conclude in a conventional way. It didn’t culminate with him holding a championship trophy above his head or in a solemn handshake line after a bitter playoff defeat. No, his NCAA career ended at a pregame meal in...
First Call: James Harrison’s revealing quotes about Mike Tomlin; a T.J. Watt contract update; potential NHL CBA detailsVideo
Friday’s “First Call” has an interesting assessment of Mike Tomlin’s coaching style from former Pittsburgh Steeler James Harrison. There’s a new slant on T.J. Watt’s contract situation. We have a preview of the upcoming Pirates-Mets series. And some details are leaking out about what could be in the next NHL...
NHL and NHLPA are close to agreeing on a new CBA that includes an 84-game season, AP sources say
The NHL and NHL Players’ Association are on the verge of extending the collective bargaining agreement more than a year before it expires and expanding the regular season to 84 games. The league and union have been in talks since April and are closing in on a memorandum of understanding...
NHL Draft notebook: Victor Eklund’s persistence won out, as he and Swedish teammate Anton Frondell enter draft
Victor Eklund refused to take no for an answer in badgering his Tier 2 Swedish league coach Robert Kimby to have him play on the same line as long-time friend Anton Frondell last season. “Yeah, I think I told him 10 times,” Eklund recalled at the NHL pre-draft combine in...
NHL and the players’ union have discussed going to an 84-game season in CBA talks, AP source saysVideo
Moving to an 84-game regular season from 82 is one of the topics that has been discussed in collective bargaining talks between the NHL and the NHL Players’ Association, according to a person familiar with negotiations. The person spoke to the Associated Press on condition of anonymity Wednesday because the...
NHL’s 1st decentralized draft is a logistical challenge for TV
NHL teams for the first time in a non-pandemic environment will not be gathering in one place for the draft, and the mind-boggling logistics of decentralizing the annual event are right up Steve Mayer’s alley. The league’s president of content and events has masterminded how to put on outdoor games,...
The New York Islanders have the top pick in the NHL draft: Who will they choose?
The two-day NHL draft will be held at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles this weekend, with the first round held on Friday night. The New York Islanders have the No. 1 pick after winning the draft lottery in May. The San Jose Sharks, who finished last in the overall...
Mogilny finally gets the call as the Hockey Hall of Fame elects him as part of the class of 2025
Alexander Mogilny’s long wait for the Hockey Hall of Fame is over, as the high-scoring Russian winger was selected Tuesday as part of the eight-member Class of 2025. Mogilny was joined by fellow former NHL players Joe Thornton, Zdeno Chara and Duncan Keith as well as women’s hockey stars Brianna...
Ducks trade Trevor Zegras to Flyers for Ryan Poehling, picks
ANAHEIM, Calif. — The Anaheim Ducks traded Trevor Zegras to the Philadelphia Flyers on Monday, ending the exciting forward’s inconsistent half-decade in Orange County. The Ducks get forward Ryan Poehling and the 45th overall pick in the upcoming draft that initially belonged to Columbus, along with a fourth-round pick next...
Top NHL draft prospect Schaefer honors late mother in not letting tragedies define him
When the time comes for defenseman Matthew Schaefer to take the stage at the NHL draft inside the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles this week, the top-ranked prospect won’t be climbing the stairs alone. There’s no doubt in Schaefer’s mind his late mother Jennifer will be accompanying him in spirit....
‘This is amazing’: Panthers celebrate 2nd consecutive Stanley Cup
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — Champagne was swilled and spilled, cigars were smoked and the Stanley Cup was hoisted a few more times, all with about 400,000 people watching. The Florida Panthers are getting pretty good at these parades. The back-to-back Stanley Cup winners had their championship parade and rally Sunday...
Jonathan Toews to sign with Jets as he embarks on comebackVideo
WINNIPEG, Manitoba — Jonathan Toews is going home to sign with the Winnipeg Jets as he attempts to make an NHL comeback after a two-year absence. The team announced Friday that the Winnipeg native has agreed to terms on a contract. It is expected to be a one-year deal, though...
Stanley Cup Final averaged 2.5M U.S. viewers, a drop from last year’s Cup and 4 Nations final
U.S. television ratings for the Stanley Cup Final rematch between the Florida Panthers and Edmonton Oilers declined from their first matchup a year ago. An average of 2.5 million viewers watched on TNT, with 2.8 million tuning in for the Panthers’ series-clinching Game 6 victory. The overall number on cable...
Mark Madden: Can Connor McDavid win a Stanley Cup in Edmonton?
Edmonton lost a second straight Stanley Cup Final. That’s no shame, especially when the winning team is clearly better. Florida’s incredible depth and physicality overwhelms. Give the Oilers credit for extending the series to six games and to seven games last year. But that doesn’t help Connor McDavid’s legacy. The...
Hockey rides into offseason with buzz, 3-peat bid, Olympic-size showdowns aheadVideo
The 4 Nations Face-Off in February was meant to provide a taste of international competition a year before the Winter Olympics because it had been nearly a decade since the NHL’s top players were able to represent their countries in the same tournament. Instead, the pace and quality of games...
‘A well-oiled machine’: How the Florida Panthers’ team-first mentality led to another Stanley Cup
SUNRISE, Fla. — Aleksander Barkov hoisted the Stanley Cup, skated with it for a few moments and then handed it to a grinning Nate Schmidt, in his first year with the Florida Panthers and raising hockey’s hallowed trophy for the first time. Before any repeat winner touched it, every Panther...
