The Arizona Coyotes will give Alex Galchenyuk every chance to thrive at his natural position this season.

Last year, the 24-year-old failed to cement himself as a full-time center with the Montreal Canadiens.

However, Coyotes head coach Rick Tocchet is prepared to give Galchenyuk the opportunity to play up the middle this season.

"I've communicated with Alex and he said he'd like to play center," Tocchet said, according to ArizonaCoyotes.com's Dave Vest. "I have no problem with a player who'd like to try something if he backs it up. So, I want to give him a chance at center if he wants to play it, and our coaching staff will try to give him the best possible help to play that center position. We'll see how that goes."

Galchenyuk noted that he's been preparing this offseason for such an opportunity.

"That's where my head is and what my goal is," Galchenyuk said. "I'm training really hard and preparing myself for it. I can't wait to get it started."

Despite the Canadiens' down 2017-18 campaign, Galchenyuk put up admirable numbers with 19 goals and 51 points in 82 games. The question now is: will a move to center help get him back to putting up 30 goals a season?

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Trade talks involving Ottawa Senators defenseman Erik Karlsson appear to be intensifying.

Teams interested in the Senators' captain have "stepped up of late and talks are moving," according to TSN's Darren Dreger.

Rumors regarding a potential trade involving Karlsson had gone quiet ever since reports in early July that the Dallas Stars were front-runners to land the two-time Norris Trophy winner. Among the other teams linked to Karlsson at the time were the Tampa Bay Lightning and Vegas Golden Knights.

It also appears as though another club has since entered the running for Karlsson, as Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet alluded to the Vancouver Canucks having interest.

Karlsson is heading into the final year of a seven-year, $45.5-million contract, and while the Senators reportedly offered him a contract extension worth $10 million annually, there's been no indication he intends to stay in Ottawa.

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With just three weeks until training camp opens, Josh Morrissey's next contract remains the lone piece of business for the Winnipeg Jets.

The 23-year-old is coming off his entry-level deal and remains a restricted free agent. While time is of the essence, Morrissey is confident he will have a contract in place before the start of the season.

"Everyone's going to have their own opinions and that's fine, but from my standpoint as a player, my agent and from our conversations with the team, everything's been going great," Morrissey said, according to Jason Bell of the Winnipeg Free Press. "Everyone's confident it will be handled and done, definitely in time for the season.

"Right now, it's in the works. Every player handles these things differently but I'm just focused on training throughout the summer. Of course, it's something you think about. You'd be lying if that wasn't the case. But I think things have really started to progress. For me, I love being here, I love playing here. You look at the playoff run last year that we had and just the support from the fans, I love being a Winnipeg Jet."

Morrissey was originally drafted 13th overall in 2013 and is coming off his second full season in the league where he posted seven goals and 26 points in 81 games.

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Montreal Canadiens netminder Carey Price is confident the 2017-18 season will not repeat itself.

The 31-year-old is coming off a miserable year that saw him post the worst numbers of his career. With a record of 16-26-7 and a .900 save percentage and 3.11 goals-against average, Price is determined to bounce back for his teammates' sake.

"At the end of the day, I know how I feel about my game and I know I could have played better," Price said, according to Kevin Woodley of NHL.com. "I always feel like that regardless, but I know I can play better than that and I know my teammates will be looking to perform better this season as well.

"It's all intertwined, it's all connected and when you can iron out those details, it's all about chemistry."

The Canadiens will be looking to put the 2017-18 season behind them. The club finished with just 71 points, their lowest point total over a full 82-game season since the 2000-01 campaign when they finished with 70.

Prior to last year, the Canadiens had made the playoffs in four of the previous five seasons and captured the Atlantic Division title on three occasions. If they are to return to that form, Price will certainly need to turn back the clock to the 2014-15 campaign, where he captured both the Hart and Vezina Trophy.

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The Columbus Blue Jackets have named Jim Corsi their new goaltending development coach, the team announced on Tuesday.

The 64-year-old will work closely with the franchise's goaltending prospects, including those with the team's American Hockey League affiliate in Cleveland.

Corsi previously served as the goaltending coach of the St. Louis Blues from 2014 to 2017 and held the same role with the Buffalo Sabres for 16 years prior to that.

The team also announced the hiring of Carey Krug as an assistant coach for the Cleveland Monsters on Tuesday. Krug previously worked as the director of player development at the Detroit Hockey Academy. He is the uncle of Boston Bruins defenseman Torey Krug.

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With a potential logjam in the Toronto Maple Leafs' crease, the club is reportedly shopping Calvin Pickard, according to James Mirtle of The Athletic.

Pickard is set to battle Curtis McElhinney and Garret Sparks for the backup role this season.

McElhinney has served as Frederik Andersen's second in command for the last season and a half and has fared admirably, posting a 17-12-1 record, a .925 save percentage, and a 2.45 goals-against average in 32 games.

Meanwhile, Sparks is coming off a stellar season in the American Hockey League where he was awarded the Aldege "Baz" Bastien Memorial Award as the league's most outstanding goaltender. He also led the Marlies to a Calder Cup championship.

Pickard also had a solid year in the AHL, going 21-9-1 with a .918 save percentage and a 2.31 goals-against average. The 26-year-old does have NHL experience, largely spent with the Colorado Avalanche, and holds a career record of 28-44-7 in 87 games.

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The Edmonton Oilers are giving Scottie Upshall a chance to crack their opening day roster, announcing Sunday they have signed the veteran forward to a professional tryout.

The 34-year-old has spent the last three seasons with the St. Louis Blues and is coming off a 2017-18 campaign that saw him post seven goals and 19 points in 63 games.

Upshall was originally drafted sixth overall by the Nashville Predators in 2002. A veteran of 759 games, he's put up 138 goals and 285 games across 15 seasons.

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The Edmonton Oilers are giving Scottie Upshall a chance to crack their opening day roster, announcing Sunday they have signed the veteran forward to a professional tryout.

The 34-year-old has spent the last three seasons with the St. Louis Blues and is coming off a 2017-18 campaign that saw him post seven goals and 19 points in 63 games.

Upshall was originally drafted sixth overall by the Nashville Predators in 2002. A veteran of 759 games, he's put up 138 goals and 285 games across 15 seasons.

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Niklas Kronwall has over 12 NHL seasons under his belt, but he enters the 2018-19 campaign knowing it could be his last.

The 37-year-old Kronwall is among the oldest players on the Detroit Red Wings roster and with teams now favoring younger stars over seasoned veterans, he's realistic about where he stands.

"I know where I'm at right now. A year from now I don't know where I'll be at," Kronwall said, according to NHL.com's Mike Zeisberger. "I'd love to sign [for] another year but let's face it. The team's getting younger. I'm getting older. The game's getting faster. I'm not the same player I was 10 years ago. But I'm going to do what I can this year both on the ice and off the ice. And just try to be as efficient as I possibly can."

Kronwall is entering the final season of a seven-year, $33.25-million contract. While he'd love to sign on for another tour of duty, if this is the end for the native of Stockholm, Sweden, he's appreciative of what the Red Wings organization has done for him.

"If this happens to be the end of the road, I would be more than happy with the journey that I've had and more than thankful to the Ilitch family and (general manager) Kenny Holland for giving me the opportunity that I have for being able to be with the same team for my entire career," Kronwall, said. "We'll see what happens.

"I've been fortunate enough to play in Detroit all these years and I have a tough time seeing myself in a different jersey."

Kronwall won a Stanley Cup with the Red Wings in 2008 and ranks fourth in franchise scoring by a defenseman.

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Niklas Kronwall has over 12 NHL seasons under his belt, but he enters the 2018-19 campaign knowing it could be his last.

The 37-year-old Kronwall is among the oldest players on the Detroit Red Wings roster and with teams now favoring younger stars over seasoned veterans, he's realistic about where he stands.

"I know where I'm at right now. A year from now I don't know where I'll be at," Kronwall said, according to NHL.com's Mike Zeisberger. "I'd love to sign [for] another year but let's face it. The team's getting younger. I'm getting older. The game's getting faster. I'm not the same player I was 10 years ago. But I'm going to do what I can this year both on the ice and off the ice. And just try to be as efficient as I possibly can."

Kronwall is entering the final season of a seven-year, $33.25-million contract. While he'd love to sign on for another tour of duty, if this is the end for the native of Stockholm, Sweden, he's appreciative of what the Red Wings organization has done for him.

"If this happens to be the end of the road, I would be more than happy with the journey that I've had and more than thankful to the Ilitch family and (general manager) Kenny Holland for giving me the opportunity that I have for being able to be with the same team for my entire career," Kronwall, said. "We'll see what happens.

"I've been fortunate enough to play in Detroit all these years and I have a tough time seeing myself in a different jersey."

Kronwall won a Stanley Cup with the Red Wings in 2008 and ranks fourth in franchise scoring by a defenseman.

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