Alex Ovechkin doesn't appear to be seriously hurt after his early exit from the Washington Capitals' final 2021-22 preseason game Friday.
The superstar forward is day-to-day with a lower-body injury, the club announced Sunday, according to Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman.
Ovechkin departed midway through the first period of Washington's 5-3 win and didn't return after awkwardly hitting Philadelphia Flyers forward Travis Konecny. The Capitals said at the time that Ovechkin would be re-evaluated.
The 36-year-old signed a five-year contract extension with Washington in July. Earlier Friday, the Russian Olympic Committee named him to its team for next year's Beijing Olympics.
The Capitals will open their regular-season schedule when they host the New York Rangers on Wednesday night.
Max Domi will play far sooner than the Columbus Blue Jackets expected when he suits up for the team's preseason finale.
Domi is in the lineup against the Pittsburgh Penguins on Saturday night and will take part in his first 2021-22 exhibition game after undergoing surgery to repair a labral tear in his right shoulder in June.
#CBJ lineup for tonight’s preseason finale vs. #Pens:
Of note: Max Domi will make his preseason debut, yet another indication that he could be ready for season opener. pic.twitter.com/UOEZtOacgs
At the time of Domi's procedure, the Blue Jackets projected he'd need five-to-six months to recover, putting him on track to return by early November or December.
Columbus will open the regular season Thursday against one of Domi's former teams, the Arizona Coyotes. Blue Jackets head coach Brad Larsen hasn't confirmed Domi will play.
The 26-year-old forward struggled in his first season with Columbus, collecting nine goals and 15 assists over 54 games. The club acquired him from the Montreal Canadiens in a trade for winger Josh Anderson last October.
It carries an average annual value of $10 million, and the Panthers are paying more than $70 million of the total in signing bonuses, according to TSN's Pierre LeBrun.
Barkov won the Selke Trophy as the NHL's top defensive forward last season.
Over 50 games in 2021, the 26-year-old tied for ninth in the league with 26 goals and tied for 13th with 58 points. He ranked ninth in the NHL among forwards in average ice time, logging 20:56 per contest.
Barkov also posted stellar underlying numbers, authoring a 59.68 goals for percentage, a 60.86 expected goals for percentage, and a 60.16 scoring chances for percentage at five-on-five.
The Finnish center has one season left on his current contract, which carries a $5.9-million cap hit, according to CapFriendly. He signed that six-year pact with Florida in January 2016.
Barkov has spent his entire eight-year career with the Panthers, who drafted him second overall in 2013.
Every new NHL season brings numerous question marks, and there are more than usual heading into 2021-22.
The league returns to an 82-game schedule after each team played 26 fewer contests in 2021, and after the 2019-20 regular season was cut short before those playoffs took place in bubbles.
Additionally, the Seattle Kraken embark on their inaugural campaign. Many wondered whether they'd take the NHL by storm as the Golden Knights did in 2017-18, but that appears unlikely with opposing organizations better prepared for the 2021 expansion draft and that now-perennially elite Vegas team in the same division.
Here are five significant questions as the upcoming campaign draws near:
Can the Lightning pull off a 3-peat?
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The Tampa Bay Lightning accomplished an impressive feat with their second consecutive Stanley Cup championship in July, but it's not going to be easy to win a third straight. The last time an NHL team won the Cup three times in a row was nearly four decades ago when the New York Islanders prevailed in four straight years from 1980 to 1983.
However, if any team can do it, it's this powerhouse Tampa Bay squad. Nikita Kucherov, Victor Hedman, Andrei Vasilevskiy, Brayden Point, and Steven Stamkos lead a dominant core full of all-world talent that remains intact, and the club's depth is still solid enough to ensure another Cup run.
How will the Eichel saga end?
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Few expected Jack Eichel to still be with the Buffalo Sabres at this point. With the regular season about a week away, we'll see how the drama finally concludes after everything that's transpired.
It seemed the Sabres would move Eichel during the offseason, but that didn't come to fruition, presumably because other teams felt Buffalo's asking price was too high considering the risks. The internal rift between the center's camp and the club over the type of surgery he ultimately undergoes is further complicating a resolution, as well.
The Sabres stripped Eichel of his captaincy after he failed his physical at training camp, and the soon-to-be 25-year-old is now on injured reserve. That doesn't mean he'll never play for Buffalo again, but it's hard to imagine the 2015 second overall pick remaining with the team long term. However, he'll need to demonstrate he's healthy before another organization parts with assets to land him, and there's no telling when or if that'll happen, so this situation may not be settled for a while.
What will McDavid do for an encore?
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Connor McDavid's 2021 season was one for the ages, so what does he have in store for the upcoming campaign? The Edmonton Oilers superstar racked up an unbelievable league-best 105 points while playing in all 56 games. His 72 assists were 19 more than the next-closest player's - his teammate, Leon Draisaitl - and his point total topped Draisaitl's for first by 21.
McDavid became only the second player ever - the other being Wayne Gretzky in 1981-82 - to win the Hart Trophy unanimously. And he may match, or even exceed, that performance if offseason signing Zach Hyman's puck-retrieval skills give McDavid more opportunities than he's had previously.
The Edmonton captain is already entering his seventh season, but he's still only 24 years old. The fact that McDavid has already achieved so much personal success and hasn't even entered his prime yet is a scary thought for opponents and their fans, but it's exciting for the game as a whole.
Can the Maple Leafs finally win a playoff round?
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The Toronto Maple Leafs' repeated playoff failures have become a source of amusement for opposing fans, especially considering how much the club pays its top four forwards. But the team's postseason struggles are no laughing matter in Toronto, where the pressure to win is among the highest of any market.
The Maple Leafs have failed to make it out of the first round in four of the last five years and didn't even reach that stage in the other, losing in the qualifying round in 2020. They had an easier road last season thanks to the NHL's temporary divisional realignment, but the Montreal Canadiens rallied to eliminate them in seven games. Toronto's offseason was underwhelming, and now the Maple Leafs are back in the loaded Atlantic Division with the two-time defending Stanley Cup champions, among other perennially competitive adversaries.
Toronto is clearly a talented team and has been for a handful of years, but it needs to end its string of premature exits to avoid a potential major shakeup. The Maple Leafs certainly can win a first-round series in 2021-22 to silence the criticism, but the subject will loom over them until the day they do it.
How will COVID-19 affect the NHL over a full season?
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The NHL is bringing back the usual schedule, but COVID-19 is still prevalent in many parts of North America. So how will the league handle a complete regular-season slate amid those conditions?
Very few NHL personnel tested positive to begin the last campaign, but numerous players, coaches, and executives contracted the virus as 2021 progressed, even with an increased vaccination rate toward season's end. More importantly, many arenas relaxed capacity restrictions despite the continuing spread.
Nearly all NHL players are vaccinated heading into this season, which is definitely encouraging. The league's new COVID-19 protocols also appear prudent, as they limit what unvaccinated players can do while allowing teams to discipline them. But even with most personnel fully vaccinated in 2021-22, it could still be a challenge to keep team members and fans safe over an eight-month season.
Edmonton Oilers forward Josh Archibald is out indefinitely due to myocarditis and had COVID-19 over the summer, head coach Dave Tippett said Sunday.
In late September, Oilers general manager Ken Holland confirmed Archibald was unvaccinated.
The forward is the second Edmonton player to have myocarditis, the inflammation of the heart muscle, after contracting COVID-19. Goaltender Alex Stalock is expected to miss this entire season after suffering the same fate.
Archibald has previously shared vaccine conspiracy theories. He was Canada's only unvaccinated NHL player, according to Sportsnet's Mark Spector.
The 28-year-old played the last two seasons with the Oilers. He collected seven goals and six assists over 52 games in 2021, which he spent largely in a bottom-six role. Archibald has also suited up for the Arizona Coyotes and the Pittsburgh Penguins, who drafted him 174th overall in 2011.
Cooper is entering the final season of a three-year deal worth $3.5 million annually, according to LeBrun. Cooper inked that pact in March 2019.
The 54-year-old guided the Lightning to their second straight Stanley Cup championship in early July. About a month later, Hockey Canada named him bench boss of the nation's Olympic men's hockey team for next year.
Cooper also helped Tampa Bay reach the Cup Final in 2015 and the Eastern Conference Final in 2016 and 2018.
The NHL's longest-tenured head coach helmed the Lightning for the last eight full seasons and for 16 games in 2012-13. Tampa Bay hired Cooper to lead its AHL affiliate - then the Norfolk Admirals - in 2010, and he led them to the Calder Cup in 2011-12. After the Lightning changed affiliations for the following season, he began the campaign as head coach of the Syracuse Crunch before Tampa Bay promoted him.
Joel Quenneville of the Florida Panthers is reportedly the NHL's highest-paid head coach with a salary of approximately $6 million.
A handful of NHL players who underwhelmed in 2021 are now well-positioned to return to form.
Some could benefit from a change of scenery, while others should thrive after healing from injuries or simply have better puck luck this time around. One player on this list could conceivably do all three.
Here are four forwards and a goaltender who should improve in the upcoming campaign.
Viktor Arvidsson
Juan Ocampo / National Hockey League / Getty
The Los Angeles Kings pulled off one of the sneakiest moves of the offseason in July when they acquired Arvidsson from the Nashville Predators for a pair of draft picks. The once-productive 28-year-old struggled over the last two campaigns, but there are several reasons why he should rediscover his game with his new club.
Firstly, his shooting percentage of 6.6 in 2021 suggests misfortune was a factor. It was his lowest conversion rate since his rookie season and well below his 12.1% average through the previous five-plus campaigns. Arvidsson also posted an encouraging 53.17 expected goals for percentage. Secondly, he'll likely be skating on the Kings' top line alongside Anze Kopitar and Dustin Brown, who drove possession last season despite playing for a team that didn't do so as a whole.
Lastly, St. Louis Blues defenseman Robert Bortuzzo blew out both of Arvidsson's MCLs during a game early in 2019-20. The Swede returned but may not have fully healed in either of the last two campaigns. Arvidsson's now another year removed from that, and considering his new situation, he should be primed to notch around 25 goals and 30 assists with Los Angeles in 2021.
Travis Konecny
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Konecny disappointed last season, but many points explain why he'll likely get back on track in the upcoming campaign. For one thing, the Philadelphia Flyers' leading scorer in 2019-20 should have a better squad around him after the club upgraded its defense over the summer. Ryan Ellis is as dependable as they come, and even the flawed Rasmus Ristolainen is an improvement over who he's replacing.
Bad luck is also partly responsible for the skilled forward's dip in production in 2021. Konecny's 48.15 goals for percentage wasn't favorable, but his expected goals for percentage of 52.21 showed he could have been driving possession with a few more generous bounces.
Another reason to bank on Konecny's resurgence is his age. He's only 24 years old and already has five seasons under his belt. Konecny hasn't even entered his prime yet, and the Flyers remain deep enough up front to ensure he'll get an ample number of chances to fulfil his potential once again.
Frederik Andersen
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Expectations aren't exactly high for Andersen, who's coming off the worst campaign of his career - both from health and statistical standpoints. But if he's able to put his injury woes behind him in his new surroundings, the Danish goaltender could certainly bounce back with the Carolina Hurricanes.
The big question, of course, is whether he's fully healed from a knee injury after playing through it, losing his starting job, and being limited to 24 games with the Toronto Maple Leafs in 2021. However, the Hurricanes present an intriguing opportunity for the veteran, who turned 32 on Saturday.
If Andersen is healthy, he'll be set up for success on a competitive Carolina club that should drive possession and remain defensively sound despite losing Dougie Hamilton. But the other question is how Andersen will share the crease with fellow newcomer Antti Raanta, who's also dealt with his fair share of injuries. If Andersen even gets around 60% of the starts this season, he'll warrant fantasy consideration.
Tyler Johnson
Scott Audette / National Hockey League / Getty
This is a case of a solid but unspectacular player who could return to his prime form if his situation remains as is throughout 2021-22. Johnson didn't produce much offensively over his last two campaigns with the Tampa Bay Lightning because he was playing a different role than he had for many of his first six-plus seasons.
However, the Chicago Blackhawks acquired Johnson from the Lightning in a July trade, and he now finds himself centering his new squad's top line between Alex DeBrincat and Patrick Kane. That assignment alone bodes well for his offensive resurgence if it sticks, and he's proven capable of impressive numbers in the past.
Johnson has only tied his career high with 29 goals in 2018-19, and while the 31-year-old may not match that considering how much his linemates fill the net, merely being on the same forward unit as those two snipers should ensure Johnson has no problem piling up points.
Rickard Rakell
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Before 2021, the primary concern regarding Rakell was his inability to play a full campaign due to injuries. But despite missing 30 games over the previous two seasons, the talented Anaheim Ducks winger suited up for all but four contests this past year.
Rakell's bigger problem last campaign was that he was supremely unlucky. He scored only nine goals to go along with 19 assists, shooting a career-worst 6.3%, which paled into comparison to his rate of 11.9 in seven-plus prior seasons. Rakell led the Ducks by 50 with 144 shots on goal in 2021, and if he'd converted at his usual clip, he'd have scored 17 or 27 times over an 82-game pace.
The 28-year-old will likely skate alongside Ryan Getzlaf on Anaheim's second line as well as on the team's top power-play unit. The Ducks produced the fewest goals in the league in 2021, but the expected progression of their young phenoms should make the side a bit better, and Rakell should have even more opportunities to hit the scoresheet than he did last season.
The Ukrainian Hockey League disciplined Andri Deniskin on Wednesday for a racist gesture he made toward Jalen Smereck during a game Sunday.
Deniskin will sit for three games and then either miss 10 additional contests or pay a fine of 50,000 Ukrainian hryvnia, UHL general manager Eugene Kolychev announced.
The fine is the equivalent of about $1,880 U.S. dollars, or approximately $2,400 Canadian.
The IIHF can still issue an international suspension, according to Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman. The governing body condemned the incident Monday, pledging to sanction Deniskin appropriately if necessary. Deniskin has represented Ukraine several times, including twice at the World Junior Championship and three times at the under-18 level.
On Tuesday, Smereck said he wouldn't play another game in the UHL until Deniskin "is suspended and removed from the league."
Deniskin, a forward for HK Kremenchuk, pretended to peel and eat a banana while directing the taunt toward Smereck - an African American defenseman - during Sunday's game against HC Donbass.
The Ice Hockey Federation of Ukraine led the investigation into the incident.
Jalen Smereck, who was the target of a racist gesture in the Ukrainian Hockey League over the weekend, says he won't take the ice again until the player who directed the taunt toward him is expelled.
Smereck shared his thoughts Tuesday on Instagram after receiving support from around the hockey world following the incident.
Deniskin, who plays for HK Kremenchuk, mimed the peeling and eating of a banana in Smereck's direction during a game Sunday.
The IIHF condemned the act the next day. The governing body of hockey pledged that the matter will be investigated and Deniskin will be sanctioned if necessary. UHL general manager Eugene Kolychev said he plans to monitor the probe, which the country's hockey federation will conduct.
Smereck, who is African American, is playing overseas after spending a handful of seasons in the AHL and ECHL.
After clearing Kane in a gambling investigation last week, the NHL continued to focus on him over separate allegations in two subsequent probes.
"Both allege potential wrongdoing by Mr. Kane, one involving serious accusations relating to his past behavior toward Ms. Kane and the other involving allegations of inappropriate behavior potentially jeopardizing the health and safety of club members," the league said at the time about the other inquiries.
While the NHL has established COVID-19 protocols, it hasn't created specific penalties for violations. The league fined the Washington Capitals $100,000 and suspended four of their players - including superstar Alex Ovechkin - four games each for not adhering to the rules earlier this year.
The NHL began zeroing in on Kane after his wife, Anna, accused him in July of gambling on and throwing his own games. Kane denied doing so before the league cleared him on that front, but he has admitted to having a gambling addiction. The 30-year-old filed for bankruptcy in January.
Kane is under contract with the Sharks through 2024-25. He led the team in scoring last season with 22 goals and 27 assists while playing all 56 contests.
