The Ottawa Senators' front office could use a lesson or two in interviewing.

Just over a week after team owner Eugene Melnyk gave an awkward interview with defenseman Mark Borowiecki, Senators general manager Pierre Dorion spoke to Sportsnet's Dave Amber and Elliotte Friedman during the first intermission of the preseason contest between the Senators and the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Things appeared to be going well until Amber asked Dorion what he's optimistic about this season, causing the general manager to pause before answering.

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

John Tavares will take the ice for his first preseason game as a member of the Toronto Maple Leafs on Tuesday against the Ottawa Senators, and he expects to have a bit of a pit in his stomach ahead of game time.

"Any time I play, there are always jitters. That's a feeling you have as a hockey player from the time you're a kid until now," Tavares said, according to TSN's Kristen Shilton. "The first game of the year is always that same kind of butterfly excitement and getting ready to be in that mindset again, that mentality you get into. When you haven't played in a while, it's very fresh."

Tavares is expected to slot alongside Mitch Marner and Zach Hyman on Tuesday night in what may be a preview of what's to come when the regular season kicks off.

The centerman is excited to be playing games with a more competitive edge after taking part in team scrimmages recently.

"It's nice to get back into that competitiveness and a lot of those little things that you need to get prepared," he said. "No matter what, when you play you want to win. So no matter when it is you go out there, play hard and carry over a lot of things you're working on and preaching to keep building ourselves up to the regular season."

Tavares will dress in his first regular-season game with the Maple Leafs when they open the season on Oct. 3 against the Montreal Canadiens.

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

Montreal Canadiens forward Nicolas Deslauriers was taken to hospital as a precaution and for further testing after leaving Monday's preseason game against the New Jersey Devils on Monday night, the team announced.

The 27-year-old left the game early in the second period with an upper-body injury. Earlier in the first period, Deslauriers dropped the gloves with Devils forward Brandon Baddock where he took a hard right-handed punch, according to Sportsnet's Eric Engels.

Deslauriers is looking to cement a full-time spot with the Canadiens this year after playing 58 games with the big club and 14 in the American Hockey League last season.

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

It could be some time before Victor Rask joins his Carolina Hurricanes teammates on the ice.

The 25-year-old underwent surgery on his fourth and fifth fingers on his right hand Thursday after slicing them while making food. The team ruled Rask out indefinitely, but head coach Rod Brind'Amour says "it's going to be months."

"It's not going to be quick," he added, according to Hurricanes.com's Michael Smith.

Brind'Amour noted that Rask cut tendons in the fingers, according to Chip Alexander of The News Observer.

Rask is coming off a down 2017-18 season that saw him post a career-low 31 points in 71 games.

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

The St. Louis Blues agreed to a two-year contract with defenseman Jordan Schmaltz on Wednesday, the team announced.

The contract is a two-way deal that will pay him $700,000 at the NHL level and $150,000 in the American Hockey League in year one. In the second year, it becomes a one-way contract that will once again earn him $700,000.

Schmaltz was originally drafted in the first round, 25th overall, back in 2012 by the Blues. Since then, he has played just 22 games with the team over the past two seasons, tallying three assists.

However, he has put up solid numbers while playing in the AHL, including last season when he mustered five goals and 23 points in 31 games with the San Antonio Rampage.

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

The Columbus Blue Jackets signed head coach John Tortorella to a two-year contract extension on Wednesday, the team announced.

More to come.

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

The Columbus Blue Jackets signed head coach John Tortorella to a two-year contract extension on Wednesday, the team announced.

More to come.

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

Steve Yzerman is stepping down as the general manager of the Tampa Bay Lightning, sources told The Athletic's Joe Smith. He discussed his decision with players during a meeting Tuesday.

Yzerman - who has one year remaining on his contract - will serve in an advisory role, while assistant general manager Julien BriseBois will take over as the team's GM.

Yzerman had served as the Lightning's GM since 2010. He previously served as the vice president and alternate governor of the Detroit Red Wings.

During his eight-year tenure with the Lightning, he helped the club reach the playoffs on five occasions, the Eastern Conference Final three times, and the Stanley Cup Final in 2015, where the team ultimately fell to the Chicago Blackhawks.

As for BriseBois, he's also been with the club since 2010 and has long been speculated to be in line for a general manager position.

Yzerman's run as Tampa's GM includes winning the General Manager of the Year Award during the 2014-15 season.

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

The New York Rangers acquired defenseman Adam McQuaid from the Boston Bruins in exchange for defenseman Steven Kampfer, a fourth-round pick in 2019, and a conditional seventh-round pick, the team announced.

McQuaid has played his entire seven-year career with the Bruins, despite originally being drafted by the Columbus Blue Jackets in the second round in 2005.

The 31-year-old was limited to just 38 games this past season, putting up one goal and three assists. He also contributed another goal and two points in 12 playoff games this past spring.

Kampfer, meanwhile, has jumped around the NHL during his six years in the league. He began his career playing 48 games for the Bruins between 2010-2012. From there he made stops with the Minnesota Wild, Florida Panthers, and the Rangers.

In 166 career games Kampfer has tallied 10 goals, 26 points, and 82 penalty minutes.

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

The Vegas Golden Knights will continue to play without a captain, general manager George McPhee confirmed Monday, according to The Athletic's Lisa Dillman.

Instead, the team will proceed as it did during its inaugural season with a number of alternate captains. Last year, Deryk Engelland, Jason Garrison, James Neal, David Perron, Luca Sbisa, and Reilly Smith were named alternate captains, with three serving as home alternates and three on the road.

The Golden Knights will have to either dress fewer alternates or redistribute letters to other players, as the club saw Garrison, Neal, Perron, and Sbisa all depart this offseason.

As for the newly acquired Max Pacioretty, McPhee made it clear he would not be named captain despite donning the "C" for the Montreal Canadiens the past three seasons.

"Max can come here and just play hockey now," McPhee said, according to NHL.com's Nick Cotsonika. "Doesn't have to be a captain. Won't be the captain. We have 23 captains."

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