Nate Schmidt and those close to him vehemently disagree with his suspension for violation of the NHL/NHLPA Performance-Enhancing Substances Program, which resulted in a 20-game ban Sunday afternoon.

Schmidt, the Vegas Golden Knights, and his agent each issued strongly worded statements on the matter shortly after news of the ban broke.

From the Golden Knights:

While we respect the NHL/NHLPA Performance Enhancing Substances Program and are committed to its success, we strongly disagree with the suspension. We firmly believe that the presence of a trace of the banned substance was accidental and unintentional. Based on our conversations with Nate, analysis from independent medical experts and sworn testimony from the parties involved, we believe it is clear Nate was not able to reasonably ascertain how the substance entered his body.

Nate is an honest person with high moral character and great integrity. We will stand by him and support him during this time.

Lastly, Schmidt's agent Matt Keator:

Schmidt is eligible to participate in training camp, but can't suit up in any preseason games. The 27-year-old will also forfeit nearly $500,000 in salary, per TSN's Frank Seravalli, and can return Nov. 18 versus the Edmonton Oilers.

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Nate Schmidt and those close to him vehemently disagree with his suspension for violation of the NHL/NHLPA Performance-Enhancing Substances Program, which resulted in a 20-game ban Sunday afternoon.

Schmidt, the Vegas Golden Knights, and his agent each issued strongly worded statements on the matter shortly after news of the ban broke.

From the Golden Knights:

While we respect the NHL/NHLPA Performance Enhancing Substances Program and are committed to its success, we strongly disagree with the suspension. We firmly believe that the presence of a trace of the banned substance was accidental and unintentional. Based on our conversations with Nate, analysis from independent medical experts and sworn testimony from the parties involved, we believe it is clear Nate was not able to reasonably ascertain how the substance entered his body.

Nate is an honest person with high moral character and great integrity. We will stand by him and support him during this time.

Lastly, Schmidt's agent Matt Keator:

Schmidt is eligible to participate in training camp, but can't suit up in any preseason games. The 27-year-old will also forfeit nearly $500,000 in salary, per TSN's Frank Seravalli, and can return Nov. 18 versus the Edmonton Oilers.

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

Vegas Golden Knights defenseman Nate Schmidt has been suspended without pay for the first 20 games of the 2018-19 season for violating the terms of the NHL/NHLPA performance enhancing substances program, the league announced Sunday.

More to come.

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Another day, another NHL free agent joining Avangard Omsk.

The KHL club signed defenseman Alexei Emelin to a three-year pact Sunday, about 24 hours after Kris Versteeg's one-year deal with the team became official.

Emelin became an unrestricted free agent after skating in 76 regular-season games and 10 playoff contests for the Nashville Predators in 2017-18.

He's not known for his offensive production, but the 32-year-old chipped in nine points in the regular season while averaging fewer than 17 minutes of ice time.

He made $4.4 million in base salary during the final year of a four-year, $16.4-million extension he inked with the Montreal Canadiens in 2013, according to CapFriendly.

Emelin was selected by the Vegas Golden Knights in the 2017 expansion draftand then traded to the Predators for a third-round pick.

He joins an Avangard squad that, in addition to Versteeg, also boasts former NHLers Max Talbot and David Desharnais.

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Warning: Story contains coarse language

Questions surround the Columbus Blue Jackets and their top stars heading into the 2018-19 campaign.

Forward Artemi Panarin isn't interested in signing a contract extension with the club, and he won't entertain negotiations once training camp opens. Meanwhile, the Blue Jackets also reportedly haven't had much communication with goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky about a contract extension, and the two sides were far apart after initial discussions.

Panarin and Bobrovsky are entering the final years of their current contracts, and while their futures with the team might be up in the air, head coach John Tortorella understands the position each player is in and doesn't hold it against them.

"I'm not mad," Tortorella said, according to The Athletic's Aaron Portzline. "This is their choice; it's their life. You go to Panarin … this is going to be years of his life. I'm not mad at either one of them. I am disappointed. I look at Panarin … I really like coaching him. I really like him as a person, and I like him in our room. I think he's contagious as far as how he comes to work and does his job with enthusiasm. I'm disappointed that there's talk he may be leaving. But I'm not gonna coach him any differently. He's going to be put in every damn situation I can find to put him in, because he gives us a really good opportunity to win hockey games."

Panarin prefers to be traded to the New York Rangers, according to a report from Portzline earlier in the week. During the draft, the New York Islanders, Los Angeles Kings, Tampa Bay Lightning, Florida Panthers, and Dallas Stars also were among his preferred destinations.

Last season, Panarin produced a career-high 82 points in 81 games. Bobrovsky, meanwhile, posted a 37-22-6 record with a .921 save percentage and a 2.42 goals-against average.

It will be interesting to see how the Blue Jackets handle the contract situations of Panarin and Bobrovsky, but as Tortorella said, other teams often face similar situations.

"Do we want those to be distractions? Are we going to be able to handle it as a room, or does it turn into a distraction? I think I need to coach that," Tortorella said. "But shit happens. We're not the only team that has things go on like this."

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Kris Versteeg is off to Russia.

The longtime NHL forward agreed to a one-year pact with Avangard Omsk in the KHL, the league announced Saturday.

Versteeg was beset by a hip injury last season, undergoing surgery in December and playing only 24 games, in which he chipped in eight points for the Calgary Flames.

The 32-year-old spent two campaigns with the Flames after stints with the Los Angeles Kings, Carolina Hurricanes, Florida Panthers, Philadelphia Flyers, Toronto Maple Leafs, and two tours with the Chicago Blackhawks, with whom he won the Stanley Cup in 2010 and 2015.

Versteeg's deal was first reported by Sportsnet's Ryan Leslie on Aug. 17.

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The defending champs are adding some depth up front.

Sergei Shumakov agreed to a one-year, two-way, entry-level contract with the Washington Capitals, the club announced Saturday. The deal is worth $925,000.

The 25-year-old tied for the team lead among CSKA Moscow skaters in 2017-18 with 40 points in 47 games. He spent parts of seven seasons in the KHL.

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