If the New York Rangers are indeed the third party involved in a potential Erik Karlsson trade, former captain Ryan Callahan could be headed back to the Broadway Blueshirts, reports Larry Brooks of the New York Post.

The Tampa Bay Lightning remain a favorite to land Karlsson from the Ottawa Senators, but with less than $4 million in cap space, and with the superstar blue-liner due for an extension, Lightning general manager Steve Yzerman will need to shed some salary in order to make a deal work.

Karlsson is due $6.5 million next season, per CapFriendly, but he could be seeking a new contract in line with Drew Doughty's recently signed eight-year, $88-million extension.

Enter the Rangers, who are reportedly interested in a reunion with Callahan. The 33-year-old has a $5.8-million cap hit for the next two seasons, and while he holds a modified no-trade clause, accepting a trade back to New York seems like a safe bet.

Brooks notes that should the Rangers take on Callahan's contract, the Lightning would likely need to sweeten the deal, possibly with a draft pick. New York already owns Tampa Bay's second-round pick in next year's draft as part of last season's Ryan McDonagh trade. As per the conditions of that deal, the draft pick will become the Lightning's first-rounder if they win the Stanley Cup in 2019.

New York dealt Callahan to Tampa Bay at the 2014 trade deadline in the deal that brought Martin St. Louis to the Rangers.

Callahan tallied five goals and 13 assists in 67 games with the Lightning last season. He underwent shoulder surgery in late May and was given a five-month recovery period.

Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Tampa Bay Lightning signed forward Nikita Kucherov to an eight-year contract extension with an annual cap hit of $9.5 million, the team announced Tuesday.

Kucherov, 25, is coming off a career year in which he finished third in the NHL with 100 points, compiling 39 goals and 61 assists.

He's on the last year of his bridge deal and was set to become a restricted free agent after next season, so roughly $4.7 million will remain his cap hit for the upcoming campaign. The $76-million extension will take effect in 2019-20.

Kucherov is now the team's highest-paid player, surpassing Steven Stamkos' $8.5-million cap hit.

With those two high-priced deals, Lightning general manager Steve Yzerman could soon find himself in quite a bind. The Bolts project to have just over $13 million in cap room next season, per Cap Friendly, but many notable players will need to be re-signed, including unrestricted free agents Yanni Gourde and Anton Stralman, and restricted free agent Brayden Point.

However, this signing apparently does not take them out of the Erik Karlsson sweepstakes.

Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

There could be a reunion brewing on Long Island, as former Toronto Maple Leafs assistant general manager Mark Hunter might join Lou Lamoriello in the New York Islanders' front office, reports Arthur Staple of The Athletic.

It's unknown what role Hunter may have, adds Staple, but the 55-year-old also served as head of the scouting department during his tenure with the Leafs.

Shortly after Toronto chose Kyle Dubas to take over Lamoriello's role as GM, Hunter, who was also in the running for the job, left the team. However, his agreement with the Maple Leafs prevents him from joining a new team until July 15.

The Islanders have endured plenty of turnover so far this offseason, starting with the hiring of Lamoriello. The club also brought in Stanley Cup champion head coach Barry Trotz, and lost captain John Tavares during free agency.

Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

With John Tavares now part of the Toronto Maple Leafs, questions about the team's open captaincy appear to be building.

The club has not had a captain since Dion Phaneuf was dealt to the Ottawa Senators in 2016. Many believe Auston Matthews will step into the role after getting a few seasons under his belt. However, Tavares - who served as captain of the New York Islanders for five seasons - could now be in line to assume the captaincy instead.

It's a dilemma likely being overblown in Toronto. Bobby Orr, whose agency represents Matthews, said the 20-year-old isn't worried about who will be named captain.

"The team is going to be a little different," Orr told reporters, according to TSN. "A very good team with JT there and he is thrilled. Again, this bull about being upset about this and being upset about that, the captaincy. That's so wrong, shouldn't be happening. They are a good team, they are going to be a very good team and John puts them closer to their goal and that's what Auston is concerned about."

Meanwhile, Matthews is now eligible to sign a contract extension with the Maple Leafs. But as Orr said, there isn't a rush to put pen to paper.

"I don't think it's (about) money," Orr said, according to TSN's Gino Reda. "It's like John Tavares' free agency. He wants to play in Toronto, and if it doesn't happen this year before the season starts, he still has a year left to fulfill his contract and we'll see what happens."

Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Two Anaheim Ducks legends are getting their jersey's retired, as both Paul Kariya and Scott Niedermayer will have their numbers raised to the rafters at Honda Center next season.

"Paul Kariya and Scott Niedermayer both had an enormous impact on our franchise," a statement from Ducks owners Henry and Susan Samueli read. "Paul was the club’s first superstar player, helped put Anaheim on the NHL map and electrified fans with his speed and playmaking ability."

Kariya was drafted by the then-Mighty Ducks fourth overall in the 1993 NHL Draft and went on to score 300 goals and add 369 assists in 606 career regular-season games for Anaheim. He is also a five-time All-Star, two-time Lady Byng Award winner, and Hall of Famer.

As for Niedermayer, another member of the Hall, he won a Conn Smythe trophy and Stanley Cup as a member of the Ducks in 2007. He signed with Anaheim as a free agent in the summer of 2005 and went on to register 264 points in 371 regular-season games for the Ducks before retiring with the club in 2010.

Kariya will have his No. 9 retired on Oct. 21 when Anaheim hosts the Buffalo Sabres, and Niedermayer will have his No. 27 retired on Feb. 17 when the reigning Cup champion Washington Capitals visit Honda Center.

Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

There are teams doing some last-minute shopping for Patrick Maroon.

The St. Louis Blues are reportedly closing in on an agreement with the free-agent forward. However, a deal hasn't been signed yet, and the New Jersey Devils and Arizona Coyotes are showing interest in the hulking winger, reports Jeremy Rutherford of The Athletic.

Maroon's agent, Ben Hankinson, confirmed to The Athletic's Michael Russo that the Minnesota Wild have shown interest, too. But cap space is an issue for the Wild, making a Maroon signing unlikely.

Cap concerns aren't a problem in New Jersey ($23 million) or Arizona ($14.8 million), meaning a deal with either club could come together easily.

Maroon, a St. Louis native, might take a hometown discount. That would help the Blues, as with just $5 million in cap space and restricted free-agent defenseman Joel Edmundson needing a new contract, dollars are tight in St. Louis.

Maroon, 30, recorded 43 points in 74 games last season, split between the Edmonton Oilers and Devils. He potted a career-high 27 goals with the Oilers in 2016-17.

(Cap numbers courtesy of CapFriendly.com)

Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The New York Islanders signed KHL forward Jan Kovar to a one-year deal Monday.

Sportsnet's Chris Johnston reports that the deal is worth $2 million.

The 28-year-old played the past five seasons with Magnitogorsk Metallurg, averaging over a point per game with 97 goals and 189 assists in 285 games.

The Czech-born winger has played internationally at five World Championships, and recently served as assistant captain at the 2018 Winter Olympics where he shared the team lead with five points in six games.

Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.